Smoking breaks

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They just became Bilderbergers instead Probably ban this entry too.................

Well, I'm guessing we'd be more efficient and productive. And possibly living in a fascist state (who knows?).

I also guess that some sections of society, which can be seen spouting "you've never had it so good" ("...the favourite phrase of those who've always had it better...")* rhetoric on every news programme right now, would be much happier if Germany had won the war.

* Redskins "(Burn It Up) Bring It Down! (This Insane Thing)"

Did you know? Hitler had aplocy that proposed to ban smoking in Germany prior to the 2nd World War.

If Germany had won the war, where would we be now?

Yea, but, no but these revolting folks are not all those who have graduated by the alternative university of life route to self'ish sufficiency but, many are from the so called civil society of the working class classified as economically active tax payers!

Sooo, not so simple'ss as first appears as we enter the dysfunctional digital age of next generation of 'binary families' replacing the 'nuclear family' units of the 60's.

It's not the first time the middle or upper classes have revolted nevertheless, it is the first generations who, in an increasingly limited physical "labour" market, are becoming more dependent on basic skills of being functionally & digitally literate.

The opportunities for the very successful yet illiterate businessman are seriously in decline although many individuals still work in the tax-free grey and black markets trading whatever falls of the back of a lorry to corporate international structures trading in misery associated with global markets of other commodities like drugs and hooman resources.

Smoking the least of our worries and still for the time being a personal choice.

Brilliantly put Keith. I would vote for you in an election.
And keep up the non smoking, now 25 days and counting.....

You can take a horse to water but you cant make it drink.
You can send a kid to school but you cant make them learn.
Genetics dictate we cant all be Einsteins and there will always be the haves and not haves.
I know people who live in Tottenham on the state and do quite nicely actually - what with the lies to get the medical certificates for the benefits, kids galore, knocking out the odd bit of weed and only working 3 nights a week for £100 cash a night.
Hard world this isn't it?
But if your capable and willing the opportunities are there, you can learn if you want to, college/uni might cost but up to then its free, all you have to do is turn up and learn. If I'm reading it right uni fee's dont need paying back until you've qualified and are on £20k anyway.
Like it or not these people have chances, they all know whats right or wrong and THEY choose which way to go and like it or lump it living off the state IS a national sport. Yes there are those who want to work but cant, there are also those who dont - a lot expect to walk into £20k plus jobs where they dont really have to graft - too much like hard work so they wont take more menial jobs - if there are any jobs at all. I do remember watching a prog a while back where they interviewed this guy, 23 I think, who had 3 kids already and one on the way with his 21 year old girlfriend and on benefit. He stated his dad wasn't there for him when he was a kid so he was determined to be there for his and no one could stop him - admirable perhaps as at least he was there at all but this was his excuse for not actually wanting a job. Another could have worked in a factory but no - had to be work outside or nothing - he was leaving the social club after a lunchtime pint or several.
A jobs a job.........
My dad died when I was 4 and my mum brought me and a younger brother up on a council estate in Cheshire, I passed for grammar school - had to get a grant for the uniform - did a year then we moved, comprehensive after that where I ran with the pack - I also left with 3 O levels. I started an engineering apprenticeship but subsequently joined the Police, did 20 years before coming out on a medical due to injuries on duty and having started here as wheel wash operator on the building site I now manage the Estate. My younger brother now owns his own specialist testing company having started doing an apprenticeship in mechanics with British Airways before college, phone answerer for a truck rental company before working his way up to fleet manager, then leasing director for an international car manufacturer before taking over the company he now runs.
My choice to not to be too bothered with education hence not too many O levels but I tell my kids I feel I was very lucky getting the breaks I did, wont get in the Police with 3 C and D grade O levels today methinks. But they might not get the luck I had. I got what I did by working at it, I've been to sewerage farms up to my elbows in it collecting worms to sell to fishing shops but it got my kids holidays, I worked 60 hours a week to earn decent money but it had to be done - the youths of today wouldn't dream of doing that.
Pass the hankies - sniff.
Actually dont bother - I'm not the only one out here with a similar story who is now better off having worked at it, bet a few of them read this, and I'm over it..............

I have no problem supporting the needy, old, infirm,sick, unable to work but the system is simply being abused and like it or not there are more people in this country who either think or know that to be the case and they've had enough especially when they see the scenes recently on the TV.

As the song says ' Lifes what you make it' - I dont care who you are you have the opportunities but you have to take them, regardless of what the rest do.
If you want it bad enough you'll do it or at least try, there a too many out there who wont.
We can all quote the hard luck stories and the 'silver spoon - born with it' stories and yes there are circumstances where you cant get a job but you are given the means to live albeit just.
There are too many people out there making excuses for these people and because they do its all OK as its not their fault they are the way they are - unfortunately no matter what circumstances they are in it is because unless they are mentally ill they all have a choice on how they are and behave.

Nowadays lots think its like the world owes them a living and actually it doesn't.

Anyway - I could murder a smoke.............. 24 days and counting.

Oooph Michelle, now then that reminds me of a little research conducted over twenty years into the affects on a sub-cultures perceived sense of injustice, it just so happens, that they were Civil Servants in Whitehall and the study, oddly enough, found the incidents of stroke and heart attacks was significantly higher in this group than those who were happy with their lot and I would go so far as to suggest a little smug and comfortable.

Regardless of your origins, status or age it is reasonably foreseeable, in terms of health and safety, that anyone suffering a high degree of " Approval Deprivation ", whether educationally and/or socio-economic excluded or not, is going to result in mental health issues surrounding their self-esteem, performance anxiety or depression presenting or manifesting in self-destructive defensive / aggressive behaviours unless mitigated or prevented by some positive intervention.

In fact, there is research out there commissioned but un-published by dot gov for some reason that clearly identifies early intervention results in a 250% saving in social costs let alone life-long collateral damage to the next generation of UK hooman resources joining the 17 & 1/2 million functionally illiterate 30 odd % of UK population and they keep moaning that there is a glass ceiling in education - Doh

These Kids also know that they are only getting a "foundation level" GCSE anyway so why should they value it any more than any potential employer ???

But no one in a suite and alligator shoes is going to separate the sins from the sinner looking behind their seriously destructive behaviours as many kids we have worked with want to or are even desperate to go to prison as a perceived safe place with a "crib and three" meals a day where, just maybe, they will learn a trade......

Their very wrong, of course but, the perceptions and/or experience of prison is infinitely preferable to life our there in the so called free world that's not...

Sorry got me going on my hobbie-horse but, life is poo and then you die for far tooo many in a so called civilised but no longer civil society that doesn't protect the vulnerable, sick or old anymore.

Oh missed the bit about denying justice yes another constitutional right removed............"the people getting angry" - damned good 80's song that should be re-issued very topical.

Frustration will bring the whole house down. Not even a pretense that you matter can only invoke further anger. The Islington set need to very quickly stop their finger-waving response and start involving everybody in this country not just those that toe the line in their secure worlds. The haves are massively outnumbered. A bit of sharing the nice things is required they have the cheek to call the rioters greedy why for wanting a pair of trainers?

The BBC moving to Manchester could be the start, Westminster needs to move further up the country too and check out what life is like out of the rose tinted south.

I agree totally. If I was leaving school now with only my 3 o levels I would have been written off methinks. Knowing from birth you will not get a job or be able to buy a house does not make for contented masses. The comments from the Ealing and BBC mob show just how far removed these people are from most of the country their smugness and total lack of reality will only inflame the have-nots.
We have one life what makes the haves think the have nots are just going to accept a rotten no future life and be glad of it those days are long gone they must learn to put themselves in the have not position and see how they would respond to them apples. Life is to be enjoyed why should only some be allowed to enjoy it? Off for a fag.........otherwise they will diallow another of my missives. I think they have me down as a 55 year-old anarchist ha ha just speaking the truth really if you write people off at birth you cannot expect them to acceptance I wouldn't accept it would you?

Yo Michelle, it does appear that the pressure cooker of sink estates are going to be first to blow off steam just not sure ' name calling ' is really going to help as they already know that they are considered pond-life by the powers that be who wouldn't survive 26 weeks let alone 26 years in the "projects" social experiment.

The poor used to have some dignity but even that seams to have been striped away from them in the 'digital age' where the majority of educationally and systemically failed functionally illiterate are no longer classified as 'unskilled labour' as the local education authorities, social services and others in suites adopted "Behavioural Aparthied" as the only measure of classification.

Simple's if you are excluded from the main stream you are gonna find peer approval in an "alternative route to graduation", of course, a high proportion of businesses fail and many find themselves in the secure estate nevertheless, the majority return as innovative "serial entreproneurs" much to the annoyance of their competitors and the authorities.

Residavism could be the new word for survival, resilience, perseverance, and the authorities ought to consider themselves very very lucky that the functionally illiterate and/or Dyslexic haven't found a good lawyer at 18 years old and sued the pants off local education authorities under the Disability Discrimination Act....

Yes I can vouch for all of those percentages I apparently have a Dowagers hump and they say a good day's work doesn't harm you! Dig the Tottenham accent Nigel wonder if they'll be out again tonight as the bulllet is likely a police bullett according to the news.........hope it settles down soon I'm due in Kings Cross on Thursday loathe though I am to leave my haven.

Helloooo Karen, yaa interesting as for sure many seam to get very intense and stroppy about smoking but, don't appear no where near as bovered about other occupation health issues - perhaps, it's a question of 'displacement' ?

When, they know 58% are gonna be going home with an eye or headache and 47% will have mild to more serious upper and/or lower body aches and pains as warning symptoms of some muscular-skeletal disorder let alone socio-psychological stressors that are going to affect 25% of them during their working life....

Collateral Damage to hooman resources is now sort of making it into the public domain but tis still gonna be a long time before the revolution although some of the 90% who wouldn't normally consider making a claim are now thinkin about...

Up the revolution and the self-advocacy to look after yourselves out there and avoid becoming a voluntary victim due to your own contributory neg...........

I have read this thread with interest - in my own time I hasten to add, it is interesting that you all have time to be involved in this - does it count as a break?? or are you all now going out for a smoke??

Non-stop working with lunch breaks spent at the coal face do not enhance performance and nor does it improve productivity, in fact, it reduces performance and productivity by around 20% as screen fatigue kicks in after 10 to 20 minutes and vigilance decremation presents after the first half hour to 40 minutes.

After the first hour the cumulative risk of MSD's kicks in and from around three hours total seated immobility the risk of DVT's doubles every hour thereafter sooo regardless of the rational, excuse like even reason whatever gets your butt up and out of that seat is good - OK !

Hi Christine,

I have many falings one of which is spending too much time replying to nonsensical posts LOL!!

Wayne _ I have 2 fag breaks a day dont drink tea or coffee so dont spend half the day in the kitchen make countless cups of coffee/tea and chatting about mindless nonesense whilst in there -

so please all you other hollier than thou people give us smokers a break and worry about your own failings as an employee oh forget perfect is as perfect does LOL!!

Hi Keith,

I abused every minute of being a smoker and taking unquestioned smoking breaks. I was young, oh so very cool and against the establishment! Somethings like smoking have to change (wink).

Congratulations on the choice to stop smoking.

Wayne,
Did you have that 5 minute break every hour opinion when you did smoke?

I dont think smoking pays for the NHS but three times tax income from cigarettes than smoking related costs to the NHS isn't hard to work out IF the income was all spent on the NHS. But it isn't, like the road tax is used to keep all our roads in the pristine condition they are in.

Further to my lengthy rant re my smoking on this thread last May I can now advise that with a little help and after 35 years I have quit -16 days and counting.

The reasons behind it are I'm in training to become a world class triathlete intending to compete in all the Iron Man competitions I can plus at least 10 marathons, the three peaks challenge and to run round the world before Xmas 2012 if I live that long.

OK - I lie, I refuse to pay the price anymore with my preferred brand at £5.90 a pack and rising - some are at nearer £7.00.

So more and more are quitting.
With the government putting up the prices to help us do that - nothing to do with extracting tax income at all - surely the sums wont add up will they. Ultimately they will be priced that high no average person would be able to afford them, the tax revenue would be down so hike up the price to compensate. One day perhaps no one will smoke and therefore the NHS wont need to spend the 3 odd billion treating us, but where's the 6 odd billion tax shortfall going to come from?

Booze/fuel perhaps?

One day us average mortals wont be able to afford a beer, petrol/diesel/biofuel, car tax or fags, these little luxuries will only be available to the rich due to the tax.

World peace has nothing to do with the smoker/non-smoker argument though!

I am an ex-smoker who has seen both sides of the coin and if someone is casually exploiting unwritten rules about nipping off for a fag then they should be reprimanded, as would I if I were sitting and staring into space for 5mins every hour.

In my opinion the country should ban smoking all together as it does nothing for you. It doesn't pay for the NHS because we wouldn't have to treat all the problems associated with smoking related illness and we could focus on obesity. Perhaps taxing the cheap, chemical pre-made food like we do with cigarettes.

Aren't MP's still allowed to smoke? Don't they still have a subsidised bar? Doesn't the ridiculous price of fags pay for the NHS? Isn't texting and answering numerous inane e-mails anad mobile 'phone calls equally time-consuming?

I remember being allowed to smoke at work and on aeroplanes there was none of this back-biting then.

Best plan is work for yourself, don't go on long-haul flights and leave the pubs and restaurants to the non-smokers' it is far less stressful and I am quids in.

Looking at this thread shows there will never be world peace.

If the smokers are sitting outside for 5 minutes then your very nice boss IS giving smokers an unfair advantage.

I'm not sure if these rules are outlined by some official regulation or just company policy; however my belief was that staff are allowed to go outside and smoke and must return to work asap.

In my place of work staff can smoke on official breaks only and are subject to disciplinary proceedings if caught during works time.

Other employers I have worked for allow many unofficial smoke breaks but the member of staff must go out have a cigarette and return, no coffees and no sitting!

There is nothing stopping you from going for a drink of water because we must be allowed to drink water frequently especially in the summer months in accordance with the HASAWA.

I work in a small supermarket where 70% of the staff smoke, however I do not smoke, we all get a hour lunch break (depending on shift).
However I have been considering how it is possible that staff take a five minuet ''fag break'' and go and sit outside, and the non-smokers like myself are left to man a busy shop and if we were to go outside and sit down for five minuets every couple of hours we would possibly be fired.
For that reason we may as well give the smokers a smoker award and a free break when ever you feel like it pass.
We do have a very nice boss who I doubt would deny people of their ''needs''
However we are basically rewarding people for getting into a disgusting habit which is slowly killing themselves?