Comments on: Shopping in Brussels, my way http://www.akikoo.org/log/2007/10/21/brussels-shopping/ akikoo.org | the web home of Aki Karkkainen. Published from Copenhagen, Denmark. Mon, 22 Nov 2010 20:38:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Martin http://www.akikoo.org/log/2007/10/21/brussels-shopping/comment-page-1/#comment-316 Martin Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:15:58 +0000 http://www.akikoo.org/log/2007/10/21/brussels-shopping/#comment-316 Have you tried www.shopinbrussels.be? It's a cool way to find what you want. Sincerely, Have you tried http://www.shopinbrussels.be? It’s a cool way to find what you want.

Sincerely,

]]> By: Aki Karkkainen http://www.akikoo.org/log/2007/10/21/brussels-shopping/comment-page-1/#comment-107 Aki Karkkainen Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:14:56 +0000 http://www.akikoo.org/log/2007/10/21/brussels-shopping/#comment-107 @Jeff: You're right when you say that our actions impact the whole World. Of course. But as cigarette smoke smells much worse than combination of shit, vomit and two week old waste combined, it's easier to feel the difference... ;-) @Jeff: You’re right when you say that our actions impact the whole World. Of course.

But as cigarette smoke smells much worse than combination of shit, vomit and two week old waste combined, it’s easier to feel the difference… ;-)

]]> By: Jeff http://www.akikoo.org/log/2007/10/21/brussels-shopping/comment-page-1/#comment-106 Jeff Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:22:26 +0000 http://www.akikoo.org/log/2007/10/21/brussels-shopping/#comment-106 Perkele ! The simple fact of living is harming other people. You buy a shirt ? Most of the time it's made in Asia by children... You take a shower ? you deprive an African familly of enough water to survive about a month... You drive a car, warm your house, use aerosol, etc... ? Your partly responsible of pollution, global warming, oil slicks, disparition of species, etc... You vote for Bush ? Well, we both know what happens... But that last one we wouldn't have ! Any single human action can lead to other people getting harmed. I would even go further: sometimes stopping something bad might favor the emergence of a greater evil. As well as a great invention might lead to desastrous behaviour (see Einstein) As we say in French, Hell is paved of good intention ! The difference here, admitedly, is that the action is more direct and more directly recognizable as well as more directly damaging probably. Thus attacked first. But to be totally honest, who wants a 8 billion people world ? Not me ! So let the cigarette partially do what nature was doing before the medicine revolution: regulate. Ouh, ouh, sounds really politically incorrect, I love it ! Bye JF Perkele !
The simple fact of living is harming other people. You buy a shirt ? Most of the time it’s made in Asia by children… You take a shower ? you deprive an African familly of enough water to survive about a month… You drive a car, warm your house, use aerosol, etc… ? Your partly responsible of pollution, global warming, oil slicks, disparition of species, etc… You vote for Bush ? Well, we both know what happens… But that last one we wouldn’t have !

Any single human action can lead to other people getting harmed. I would even go further: sometimes stopping something bad might favor the emergence of a greater evil. As well as a great invention might lead to desastrous behaviour (see Einstein)
As we say in French, Hell is paved of good intention !

The difference here, admitedly, is that the action is more direct and more directly recognizable as well as more directly damaging probably. Thus attacked first.
But to be totally honest, who wants a 8 billion people world ? Not me ! So let the cigarette partially do what nature was doing before the medicine revolution: regulate. Ouh, ouh, sounds really politically incorrect, I love it !

Bye

JF

]]> By: Aki Karkkainen http://www.akikoo.org/log/2007/10/21/brussels-shopping/comment-page-1/#comment-105 Aki Karkkainen Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:26:29 +0000 http://www.akikoo.org/log/2007/10/21/brussels-shopping/#comment-105 Hi Jeff - what a nice rant! :-) I see your point. However, when people smoke, they make an impact on our common space (just like cars do). Non-smokers don't create such an impact. To me this is the core issue here... Basically, I don't care what people do as long as it doesn't harm others ;-) Smoking always creates heated discussions but in the long run, bars will anyway be packed with people who want to go out - even if smoking is banned! Hi Jeff – what a nice rant! :-)

I see your point. However, when people smoke, they make an impact on our common space (just like cars do). Non-smokers don’t create such an impact. To me this is the core issue here… Basically, I don’t care what people do as long as it doesn’t harm others ;-)

Smoking always creates heated discussions but in the long run, bars will anyway be packed with people who want to go out – even if smoking is banned!

]]> By: Jeff http://www.akikoo.org/log/2007/10/21/brussels-shopping/comment-page-1/#comment-104 Jeff Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:21:48 +0000 http://www.akikoo.org/log/2007/10/21/brussels-shopping/#comment-104 Full ban, my ass... This is a free country ! Separate rooms (not "separated" as it is now I mean, REALLY separated) yes. You are like those people who want a revolution, but then once done make the same mistakes than the previous leaders, only backwards (or not even)... Prohibition didn't work, this new form prohibition won't either... Try to deprive somebody from what he considers (rightly or not) as his basic rights, and you can expect it to backfire at some point. Regardless of this, our country being on a critical economical situation, banning smoking will induce a massive cut on the major state income that is tobacco taxations; I doubt it would show profitable (maybe on a long term as it would reduce the costs of the Social Security, but do you know any politician interrested on a longer term than his mandate ??...) And let's not forget the HORECA sector loosing a lot of clients since the ban in restaurants (some of my clients have been complaining) But to be honest, I don't care at all about Restaurants (like in plains no matter how long the flight): I'm alright with the ban. I have far more problems with bars and concerts... Where's the rock'n'roll attitude for God's sake ! ;-) Anyway the Belgian are rebellious ! http://www.dhnet.be/infos/economie/article/208656/60-des-cafes-hors-la-loi.html Now admitedly, things should change. I don't even mind to go out and smoke on a terrace or so if it's covered and/or warmed and I'm allowed to take my drink with. But the word ban, Aki, I hate that word... It is somehow reminiscent of fascism and dictatorship, right ? So you see, there is many faces to a problem. But human beings (me included) tend to only care about reaching what THEY want. Ex: DISCRIMINATION: Belgium Since the 1 January 2006, Belgium has banned smoking in all enclosed workplaces. Smoking will only be allowed in designated areas. (Fully understandable) However, employers are not obliged to create such areas. (Discrimination) But in Belgium, for the bars at least, the law is still somewhat blurred (if not inexistant); so like you, some complaint, like this Irish guy living in Brussels: "However, in true Belgian style, the ban is not all it seemed. What they really meant was that smoking is banned in all public places, except those where it’s not. That means that most cafes and bars I’ve come across so far are still smoking zones." THere was a campaign not long ago saying: "Fumeur ou pas, restons courtois" (smoker or not, let's stay courteous) I think indeed that's the key. Now let's keep one thing clear: smocking is, how to say it... Not the best ally to live a long life (yes, I love abusing of euphemism) Woaouw, now that's a post, right ? This said, how's life ? See ya soon ! ;-) Full ban, my ass… This is a free country ! Separate rooms (not “separated” as it is now I mean, REALLY separated) yes. You are like those people who want a revolution, but then once done make the same mistakes than the previous leaders, only backwards (or not even)… Prohibition didn’t work, this new form prohibition won’t either… Try to deprive somebody from what he considers (rightly or not) as his basic rights, and you can expect it to backfire at some point. Regardless of this, our country being on a critical economical situation, banning smoking will induce a massive cut on the major state income that is tobacco taxations; I doubt it would show profitable (maybe on a long term as it would reduce the costs of the Social Security, but do you know any politician interrested on a longer term than his mandate ??…)
And let’s not forget the HORECA sector loosing a lot of clients since the ban in restaurants (some of my clients have been complaining)
But to be honest, I don’t care at all about Restaurants (like in plains no matter how long the flight): I’m alright with the ban.
I have far more problems with bars and concerts… Where’s the rock’n'roll attitude for God’s sake ! ;-)
Anyway the Belgian are rebellious !

http://www.dhnet.be/infos/economie/article/208656/60-des-cafes-hors-la-loi.html

Now admitedly, things should change. I don’t even mind to go out and smoke on a terrace or so if it’s covered and/or warmed and I’m allowed to take my drink with.
But the word ban, Aki, I hate that word… It is somehow reminiscent of fascism and dictatorship, right ?

So you see, there is many faces to a problem. But human beings (me included) tend to only care about reaching what THEY want.

Ex: DISCRIMINATION:

Belgium
Since the 1 January 2006, Belgium has banned smoking in all enclosed workplaces. Smoking will only be allowed in designated areas.
(Fully understandable)
However, employers are not obliged to create such areas.
(Discrimination)

But in Belgium, for the bars at least, the law is still somewhat blurred (if not inexistant); so like you, some complaint, like this Irish guy living in Brussels:

“However, in true Belgian style, the ban is not all it seemed. What they really meant was that smoking is banned in all public places, except those where it’s not. That means that most cafes and bars I’ve come across so far are still
smoking zones.”

THere was a campaign not long ago saying: “Fumeur ou pas, restons courtois”
(smoker or not, let’s stay courteous)
I think indeed that’s the key.

Now let’s keep one thing clear: smocking is, how to say it… Not the best ally to live a long life (yes, I love abusing of euphemism)
Woaouw, now that’s a post, right ?

This said, how’s life ? See ya soon ! ;-)

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