Well, it's that time of year when all the newspapers talk about how few calories we should all be consuming, or how many miles we should be walking, cycling and running. Time to join a step/spin/aqua aerobics class perhaps? The latest thing to hit the headlines is a little old hat but here goes: we shouldn't be drinking any alcohol at all if we know what's good for us. The trouble is I'm not sure that anyone does know what's good for us; so mixed are the recommendations from the various health organisations. Half a pint of Guinness a day used to be good for boosting your iron deficiencies when pregnant so it was claimed (probably by Guinness!) Then it was a well known fact that a glass of red wine was good for the heart and circulation. Until this week that is. Now it's being claimed that this was, after all, an old wives' tale and that it's now true that the only good alcohol is in fact NO ALCOHOL. So what are we to believe. 14 units a week, a day? Save them all up across the year and blow them all on New Years Eve?! It's such a mess all this Nannystatism that no one knows whether to eat a Mars Bar, followed by a bacon sandwich a day or just munch on a raw onion. Nothing a day equals certain death within a few weeks so I'm sticking with good old common sense, whatever that is!
All this brain ache and a bout of this winter virus which has been going around (probably as a result of mild weather, wet weather, cold weather, too many late nights or too much bacon) is enough to make me want to break open that Christmas bottle of malt whiskey which, up to now, I've been too frightened to touch....
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Welcome back TB, and a Happy New Year to you. Ah yes, the dreaded winter virus which has been doing the rounds. Like last year, my wife and I both succumbed to this persistent little b*st*rd; not what you want on your first week back at work following the Christmas break!
Mine’s been bad enough to keep me off the demon drink all week, and whilst I’ve no doubt that those behind this Dryanuary, give up booze for a month nonsense, will be pleased. So will the Government’s Chief Medical Officer who, as Tonbridge Blog has already pointed out, has published new guidelines regarding what constitutes a “safe” level of alcohol.
Apparently there is no safe level, and people will be at increased risk of dying from all sorts of nasty diseases, including cancer, if they so much as look at a bottle of beer, or indeed catch the faintest whiff of the barmaid’s apron! This whole thing would be risible, were it not for the fact that significant amounts of scarce public funds have been wasted on coming up with this nonsense. We know that when the last guidelines were issued, around 20 years ago, the authors of the report later admitted they had “plucked the figures out of thin air”, because they didn’t really have a clue at where to set the limits.
What’s to say the same thing hasn’t happened this time around? The concern is that prohibitionists, who favour a total ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol, are behind these new “guidelines”. These killjoys are present in the form of so-called charities, such as Alcohol Concern; an organisation which receives a hefty chunk of funding from the tax payer each year. A look on their website reveals that, amongst other things, they are in favour of minimum pricing for alcohol; a ban on drinks companies sponsoring sporting, musical and cultural events; restricting the hours when alcohol can be sold in shops (thereby putting many off-licences and corner shops out of business); and insisting that “At least one-third of every alcohol product label should be given over to an evidence-based health warning”, similar to those found on cigarette packs.
Tax-payers’ money, with the complete connivance of the Nanny State, is being used to promote this prohibitionist agenda, totally ignoring the fact that just living can in itself be a hazardous experience. I shall completely ignore it and continue to do what I have done for the past 40+ years, which is to enjoy a drink or two in moderation, listen to my body, take regular exercise and stick to a reasonably healthy diet. I do not need self-appointed health fascists dictating what I can or can’t do with my own body, and I especially don’t need them squandering my taxes on this sort of nonsense. Perhaps Tom Tugendhat MP would care to contemplate this as well next time he comes asking for people’s votes, as it is his government which is ultimately responsible for these scare stories.
So the people that are opening a Barbers shop on in Quarry hill Parade are going to do their bit to promote drinking. If read their window poster right they are offering a free beer with a hair cut. So in you go TB for a cut and b low dry and come out half cut. I dont know how this fits in with the licencing laws but if this spreads to other shops who will need pubs.
Just what Tonbridge needs – another hairdressers!
Is it the year to open that Paul Bailey Beer Café?!
Mind you anon I've even thought of serving craft beers at Mr. Books before now. Books and Beer has a certain ring to it don't you think?!
Tonbridge got what it really needed this new year - FREE car park parking everywhere today. Is this a reward to traders for the inconvenience caused by KCC's workers. I cant see they will be finished by April (2017 maybe) - just 2 sets of lights removed this week and thats it.
Apparently, they can only work in good weather, so not much chance of any progress over the next couple of weeks, by the look of the forecast....
Fair weather contractors, eh? I’ve heard it all now, and what was all the fuss about regarding the free parking? TMBC were boasting parking was free on both 9th & 10th January. Bit of a con really, as parking is free (for the moment), on Sundays anyway!
btw. I'm not tempted to open a Beer Café, or any other drinking establishment at the moment TB. I need to finish paying my mortgage off before even considering such a venture.
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