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General discussion

BBC weighs in.

Jul 15, 2019 2:22PM PDT
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48993211

Side note: In twenty years in New Mexico I've never been told this. Yet I'm told there are savage indigenouses here. Or indigenous savages. Or something.

Disclaimer: England is a foreign country.
Unless you live there.

Discussion is locked

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"Sin" Taxes
Jul 23, 2019 6:24PM PDT

are what they are commonly known as - and I agree with you, they are ridiculously high for tobacco. If I'm not mistaken, the taxes for alcohol are much less, given that both products are bad for one's health - arguably alcohol probably causes more societal damage than tobacco ever did or does. The rationale often given is that people won't start smoking and/or will be "encouraged" to quit if a pack of smokes costs far more. Ha! it's very addictive, and making it prohibitively expensive mostly affects the poorer people - who of course make a larger percentage of the smoking populace anyway ! But it looks good "on paper" and it's hard for a public official to go against something that's supposed to help their constituents.

I think it would be far more effective to put a tax on something like fried chicken, cheeseburgers, ice cream and any other dubious nutrition choices. Maybe a small, like 3% "sin" tax on all fast food? We'd have enough money from _that_ to fix a lot of health problems caused by overweight, clogged arteries, etc.
that are caused by poor diet, lack of exercise, etc. What a concept, eh?

Sadly, that idea has been floated before and never went anywhere...

Rick " but don't tax Pizza, please! I know it's bad for me, but I just love it too much! And besides, it ain't that fast" Jones

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sin tax
Jul 23, 2019 6:38PM PDT

Yet they don't put high taxes on women's makeup, and no sermons encouraging such I've ever heard from any pulpit, including JW writings advocating such a "sin" tax. No Catholics advocating such a high tax on birth control pills (they do speak against their use at times) nor Condoms. So, conception control devices from man made materials, and face painting supplies by other man made materials, but puff a bit of natural smoke from a God created horticulture and BAM!, here comes the "Sin" Tax. LOL, Jesus would be arrested today probably for turning water to wine and supplying it to a wedding party without a license for both both wine creation and a business license. I wonder what "excuse" he'd give them?

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You "wonder"?
Jul 24, 2019 7:26PM PDT

Any question that might reasonably concern Jesus and his behavior can be answered satisfactorily by looking into the only record we have of him. The Bible.

Other answers from other sources are from other religions. Not Christianity.

The problem is not with Jesus or the answers. It's with the many who make excuses for not heeding the answers.

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It's even more disgusting
Jul 24, 2019 4:42AM PDT

that those 'sin taxes' are an excuse to discourage smoking and yet the money goes directly to building stadiums and colosseums that smoking is banned from...so we can watch athletes we also pay disrespect what we hold up in esteem.

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don't get me started on sports!
Jul 24, 2019 4:01PM PDT

Or do, if you don't mind a rant post. :^) The NFL, MLB, NBA, etc. have so much money it is almost obscene. Their revenues are so lucrative from advertisements for beer, cars, other stuff they figure sports fans buy, that they could actually _pay_ people to attend their events in person and still make money hand over fist. They shop around cities when a new stadium is proposed and the cities slaver over accommodating them, eager to do anything for them.

It's downright criminal - and we let it happen, gladly, it seems.

Rick

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I saw that happen in Tampa
Jul 24, 2019 6:13PM PDT

And hated it. Hah, they ended up getting a team that lost for years! It did change the "town", which was it's atmosphere before then. In my 20's, tired of the changes, I left.

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and here in Houston
Jul 24, 2019 8:35PM PDT

we lost our beloved Oilers, then got da Texans - who at least have a fairly good roster, and an extremely nice (and photogenic!) "star" in the name of J.J. Watt.

My mom used to love to watch the Oilers on TV - for years the team raised our hopes, only to see us flame out in the lead-up to the SupahBeau. (that's how most peeps here pronounce it!). The place kicker Toni Fritsch was her fave player - being a bit chubby, she fondly called him "My little strudel!" :^)

Ah, the "good ole days" !

Rick

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Ah, Houston
Jul 24, 2019 9:29PM PDT

I lived there till age 11. Went to Longfellow Elementary, Post, and University Elementary. Lived on Durhill a few houses from Buffalo Speedway. At that time in the 60's they started building the Astrodome. I could see the construction from my front yard, since all that was between the speedway and the Astrodome was a large field of grazing cattle. Used Mom's opera glasses at times after climbing a tree or getting on roof to spy on the work they were doing. Finally got to see it up close & inside after it was built at a Billy Graham Crusade. Very Impressive in those years. Also the Humble Oil building, used to be the tallest there and had an observation enclosed area at the top, with those 25 cent telescopes in it and a plastic injection machine that would make you a plastic copy of the building if you put some coins in it. The smell of hot freshly formed plastic, LOL.

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The Astrodome !
Jul 26, 2019 9:16PM PDT

Well, I guess I'm a few years your junior. I first experienced "The Dome" as a junior in high school - went there as a "field trip" as our football team had some kind of intramural there as I recall (Bellaire High School). That was 1977, I'm pretty sure. I was struck by the huge interior space, and the quite steep stairs! And years later went there for an event that made the history books, as Karel Soucek died doing a stunt (barrel drop). Quite sad. Anyway, it was once billed as "The Eighth Wonder of the World". I guess you remember all that - later eclipsed by New Orleans' Superdome and other facilities.

As for injection machines, once went to Seaworld in Florida where at the time ( late sixties, maybe early 1970/71?) they had machines that would make miniature plastic dolphins for ya - I think they were a quarter, likewise. And yes, I can recall the scent of those, too! :^)

Rick

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I had to think of the name
Jul 26, 2019 11:56PM PDT
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Thanks, neat pix!
Jul 28, 2019 5:04PM PDT

One of my co-workers had on his office wall an old aerial photo of Downtown Houston from I think the early sixties and as I recall the Humble Oil bldg. was prominent. There's still a few structures there now that go back quite a ways - most of them have had more floors added later - sometimes in a similar architectural style, others that are obviously different - and sometimes jarringly so!

Rick

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A technique adopted by Intel in its day,
Jul 24, 2019 7:28PM PDT

and now fb, Amazon et al.

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Then-Mayor Bloomberg of NYC
Jul 24, 2019 4:43PM PDT

tried similar with soft drinks. Failed to save the world.

Stock in companies that make sin products are called sin securities. Their paper typically is higher priced because the market for it is smaller. E.g. the largest pension fund in the US, therefore one of the largest investors, is that of the Southern Baptists. They won't hold any of it, on principle.

Don't know how they feel about Northrup.

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might not have saved the world,
Jul 24, 2019 8:26PM PDT

but just maybe a few kids (and adults!) have slightly better health.

? Dunno.

My point was/is there are far more people eating fast food than the shrinking pool of smokers - more potential revenue source for "do-gooding", ya see?

Rick " Hell, I'll even submit to a (small) Pizza tax, if for a good cause " Jones

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Barbecue is carcinogenic too
Jul 23, 2019 6:31PM PDT

And people don't seem to worry about _that_, do they? In fact, most meat that is cooked to a crisp or smoked can be categorized as potentially cancer-causing. And nitrates and nitrites in cold cuts and jerky have been found to be really bad for one's health, too.

All of the above mentioned foods I happen to like, so I guess I'll die 'before my time' - but enjoy myself at mealtimes...

Rick " beef jerky is the *real* ambrosia " Jones

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good
Jul 22, 2019 7:20AM PDT

It's a knack to develop. Cutting the bagged stuff helps stuff the tubes easier. Scissors or a quick few pulses in the food blender or processor aids a bit. Don't let get too dry, you can't smoke dust, won't "draw" very easy either, and will drop the "cherry" on you. Practice makes perfect!

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I'm told the vape people process the base product
Jul 22, 2019 11:16AM PDT

carefully to remove all but the nicotine. Then they liquify that to make their product. Therefore it contains only that and not the other bad actors.
What you are advising, I think, is to start with the complete original. Doesn't that make a riskier outcome than Juul e.g.?

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probably riskier
Jul 22, 2019 3:08PM PDT

but I never got much out of electronic cigs. And now I'm older I just don't care! (well, not much...).

Rick

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Tried several "vapes"
Jul 26, 2019 10:33PM PDT

One was a "Bo" and just too weird. Made popping sounds, and had a hit to the throat that was horrible, not smooth at all. The other was some disposable "pen" that had no nicotine, but didn't make weird noises and was pretty good with evergreen and sandalwood flavoring to it, smooth at the time, but left my throat feeling odd by the next day. I decided vaping wasn't as safe as they claim, maybe worse than smoke, and certainly wasn't satisfying. Not it seems I may have been right in my assessment of it.

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Well, to me
Jul 28, 2019 5:13PM PDT

the whole vaping thing also has an association with " trendy millennials " and that's really not "me" at all! But I reckon if I actually liked it I wouldn't give a $%^& about the association. ? whatever...

Recently riding the bus I noticed they had a sign prohibiting smoking ( which is expected, of course) and _also_ vaping - which was a bit surprising to me, but on reflection I imagine other riders would most likely not want to inhale the "second-hand vapors" either!

Rick

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I would never try it except...
Jul 28, 2019 5:39PM PDT

...my younger sister claimed I should. She then said I should have invested the money she did in something called "Nautilus" which oddly reminded me of Captain Nemo. I chose NOT to spend the money, after trying the other "vapes". I just asked Chrissy what the name was of the one she'd gotten me, it was MONQ. No nicotine in it, just flavor vaping. Unfortunately it also affected my throat with some sort of resin that was part of it, noticed only next day after using it. Tried a few times with days between and was certain that caused it. So, that was the end of it for me.

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Yep,
Jul 22, 2019 3:05PM PDT

practice does indeed help! - I've almost got it "down to a science" now - I use a coffee bean type grinder Victoria (sister) had handy - just a few blips in that and it's perfect size. She prefers the Menthol "gold" "The Good Stuff" brand (I do too!), and I also make some with the Ohm brand "Turkish blend". I've had a few dropped cherries too - but am getting a lot better at judging the mix and 'pack' ratio. A knack, as you note. And I find I actually smoke somewhat less than previously - and enjoy it more, seems to be less "chemically" than store-bought.

Rick