02/02/2005: "Big Shot"
While I was wandering around Sydney last month, I picked up the following brochure, and had to share it with you all:
"Overseas Tourists only"!!!! Now tell me what kinf of weird-arsed law means that foreigners can come to Sydney and spend the day blasting off rounds at paper targets, but locals can't!!!
On other law-making matters, although I do love California for their care-free and healthy approach to life, the "Powers-That-Be", are now trying to legislate that sort of thing. The latest is a proposed City Ordinance in San Francisco banning smoking anywhere on City property - including all the parks, open space reserves and so on. Well, except for the Municipal golf courses of course - because thats where all the politicians go!
I hate laws like this. Legislation for legislations sake! I saw an interview with the woman who proposed the law, and she said that one of the main reasons was that she was "sick of seeing all the cigarette butts in the gardens". Mind you, I have to agree there - I don't get why some people who would never dream of littering seem to think that cigarette butts are biodegradable! However, that is not a good reason to make a law banning it outright! What they should do is prosecute people for littering - which is what throwing a cigarette butt on the ground is, and that is already illegal.
If the law passes, I will be extremely tempted to grab a pack of cigarettes and head for Golden Gate park... Hmm, or a pipe, what about those? A cigar? Oh, and one thing that I am all for banning is chewing gum! The mess chewing gum leaves is a hundred times worse than cigarette butts. Maybe I'll call that woman up and propse a rider to her proposal, banning any sort of oral activity on State property! 
Replies: 6 Comments
On Wednesday, February 2nd, at 09:13 PST, Shane Balzan said:
Chris,
Two points.
I am also surprised at the 'genuine tourists only' legislation. Perhaps you could use some blogging time to investigate further, and let us all know what it is about state/federal law that allows tourists to shoot, but not locals. And what would you and I be considered, genuine tourists, or merely non-resident citizens????
Secondly, a number of wedding guests at the recent Osborne wedding commented on the fact that it was rather reprehensible that a certain dentist was flicking used cigarettes into nearby bushes, during the middle of a very dry summer, and at the same time as raging bush fires were getting out of control near Roleystone!!!
On Wednesday, February 2nd, at 09:18 PST, princess said:
That is the most BIZARRE ad. I wonder if its just a gimmick to get people to check it out. Anyway, yeah laws are tricky things. sometimes I think they never really intend to enforce a law, just give people an excuse to not like something BECAUSE its a law. For example, if its legal to smoke in a park and I sit down on a bench and someone sits near me and starts to smoke and I don't like it, I'm encroaching on someone elses freedom and being a bitch if I ask them to not do that near me. Well I may be afraid I will be percieved that way at any rate. BUT if someone else encoraches on their freedome and it's against the "law" then I'm given an excuse, I can comment, with a little more distance between my comment and how I might actually feel, stating "that's against the law you know". I know they think that putting ash trays in the park would "encourage" smoking, but actually it might just encourage people to litter less. And then again, if they put a recycle bin next to every garbage can people still would be too lazy to recycle faithfully.
This reminds me when I was in the rainforest of peru. Pristine, beautiful,just amazing and this French woman as we are hiking through the jungle lights up. We were kind of appalled, thinking, this isn't the most appropriate place to be doing that. When she was done, she flicked the cigarette butt into the jungle shrubbery. I didn't say anything. My friend Erin and I were actually quite speechless. We picked up the butt and packed it out with us to Porto Maldonado. But, it never crossed her mind that she was not in disneyland, that this was off the beaten path and no one was going to care and that the environment wasn't going to be penalized for her addiction. Anyway...interesting catch 22.
On Wednesday, February 2nd, at 11:27 PST, Chris Tann said:
"I think they never really intend to enforce a law, just give people an excuse to not like something BECAUSE its a law"
There is a famous law that was on the books in Australia (and perhaps still is), known romantically as "Section 54-B". The upshot of it is that it is illegal for more than three people to gather in a public place without a permit. So, two couple meet up in the street - they're breaking the law.
The problem with this is how it is applied. Of course, in the regular course of events, it is not applied, only when some group that the State doesn't like get together - and thats the problem. A law should either be applied uniformly for everyone - or it should be removed!
On Wednesday, February 2nd, at 11:29 PST, Chris Tann said:
"reprehensible that a certain dentist was flicking used cigarettes into nearby bushes"
Heh heh. 
Yeah, its like smokers have a blind spot for cigarette butts. OK Shane, I'll do some more research...
On Wednesday, February 2nd, at 15:52 PST, princess said:
Ah but being applied uniformly is a tough call too becuase you have to get caught to have broken a law in a way. 
I just can't stand it when you break the law and the officer "let's you off the hook" like it's a big favor. I was pulled over once when I was 18 driving my parents van FULL of 7 very hyper teenagers. It was just after midnight and we were all sugared up on milkshakes and waffles from the diner. As I made a u-turn one of my friends kicked my seat and I swerved a bit. A cop immediately pulled me over, and asked if we had been drinking. I said absolutely not, other than milkshakes and soda. He asked me to breath into his hand, which I though was weird and then said almost verbetum..." Well I smell something, but it might just be perfume, so i'll let you go". DUDE. If you THINK I have been drinking, give me a breathalizer test and take me offthe road, if you just have a problem admitting I am telling the truth, well that is just silly. I have no problem with cops doing their job, but do it, don't just pretend like I owe you. Roar.
On Wednesday, February 2nd, at 16:46 PST, Matthew W said:
Chris
If you are intending to return to sunny west australia I would get used to laws like those you hate, its the norm here now. I hope they do't include flatulence!!!Then you and I are definitely heading for sing sing. By the way on the subject of sunny the average maximum temperature for Nyang station in the west Pilbarra for January 2005 was 44.8 deg c. I remember you wanted to cook an egg on the bitumen at Gwelup primary one year, you could spit roast a sheep in the sun. Keep cool.
