Bacci, Belgium, beer, blogging and other stuff that begins with B

Went to Belgium at the weekend on another bacci run with Pat Nurse. That's partly the reason why things have been so quiet on this blog for the beginning of the week. That and I've got some unexpected time off work. I've had to book my last remaining days before starting my new job on Monday, so I've been using the time to do a bit of DIY around Moose Meadows.

I love these bacci cruises, although this is only the second one I've been on, I hope there's many more. It's not only the opportunity to stock up on cheap tobacco (cigars in my case, bacci in Mrs Buckos) and stick it to the British Government and Nu Puritans who think punitive taxes will stop us smoking, it's also a great opportunity to meet up with like minded people who we only normally speak to on the internet.

I love talking with Pat about the smoking ban and related stuff. I know many people who are strongly against the ban, but Pat is by far the most passionate.

She pointed out while we were waiting to leave the boat back in England, that none of the people leaving were taking back stacks of booze with them. Beer is cheap enough over here (for now), most people on that trip were bringing back tabacco by the boatload *ahem*.

In how many other trades can you open a specialised shop and have regular boat loads of people come from another country to spend £1000 a time there? None.

That money should really be staying in the British economy. Some say the powers that be are too stupid to realise this. They aren't. They will solve the problem and keep the money over here eventually through tax harmonisation. Unfortuantely this doesn't mean lowering British taxes to match Europe, it means raising European taxes to match ours.

It won't stop there either. Minimum alcohol prices and fat taxes are not far off.

In a few years time the entire western world will be paying through the nose for all the things they enjoy. This is supposed to be progress.

Everyone who values their own freedom needs to do what they can to oppose this, acively or passively, just in any way they can. Fat people can't afford to dislike smokers, smokers can't afford to dislike drinkers. We're all the same. We cannot fight amongst ourselves, we need to stand together to fight the new Nazis.

If we can't do that then we haven't learned a thing.