Queen Kong

Having spent a fair while reading this debate in full, I have to say for once, I fully agree with Tv Tanned.

I have been asthmatic since I was 7 years old but have had very few problems until the last couple of years, during which I have worked in a bar. Both I and my 19 year old brother are asthmatic. My 15 year old brother is not. I have considered the possibility that this is due to the fact that my mother stopped smoking when my 19 year old brother was born and never started again, but because she had smoked during that pregnancy and when I was a child, we have developed asthma. However, I have no conclusive evidence for this; it is merely a suggestion which I have toyed with.

As a child, I was warned that I should never take up smoking as it would seriously affect my asthma, and in my entire life, I have smoked one cigarette. In the past couple of years, I have had far more trouble breathing than ever before, and I am convinced this is due to the amount of smoke in the pub and club in which I work. I enjoy my job, and the fact that it is very probably ruining my health and that every night my clothes stink of smoke does not deter me from working there.

However, the smoking ban will make my job far more pleasant. I will no longer choke on a customer's smoke and need to take my inhaler during my shift. I won't be burnt by a flailing cigarette when out glass collecting. I won't have to deal with any more idiots who don't understand how to work the cigarette machine.

As well as protecting the health of the staff within the bars, the health of fellow customers will be catered for. I am very much in favour of the argument that if someone chooses not to smoke, in order to protect their health, they should not then be subjected to second hand smoke. People can argue all they want that banning smoking in public places in an infringement of smokers' rights and that it is a free world, blah, blah, fucking blah.

I am all for allowing people to do as they want...so long as it doesn't harm other people. And smoking does harm other people. I don't have the time to find conclusive scientific evidence, but Tv Tanned has already highlighted appropriate reports. However, medical harm aside, I would consider other effects of passive smoking to be harm. The smell of smoke on one's clothes, the sore dry throat from breathing smokey air and the stining eyes which feel like you've just spent the last hour cooking on a barbeque all constitute harm to the non-smoker, in my opinion.

In any situation, it is important to balance the interests of every party, and in my opinion, the current scenario does nothing to protect the postition of the non-smoker. Why should a non-smoker feel they can't socialise with their friends simply because it will affect their health and general well-being? I don't feel this is selfish. I do feel that imposing your smoke on someone who has made a conscious decision not to smoke is selfish.

In order to balance the interests, a compromise must be reached. One extreme is to allow smoking everywhere. The other extreme is to ban smoking entirely. A compromise would be to ban smoking in public enclosed spaces. This will prevent the non-smoker from inhaling smoke and suffering other side-effects from second hand smoke, but will not prevent smokers from enjoying their cigarette, albeit outside.

Originally I was opposed to the ban, as I felt that it would be difficult to impose and that it would simply anger smokers and be detrimental to publicans. However, during recent months, I have warmed to the ban, as although I am used to the current situation and resigned to the fact that I will always smell of smoke and feel short of breathe when working or out enjoying myself, it would be very pleasant to be free of these unwelcome extras of my job or a night out.

I'm sure the ban will anger smokers and will be difficult to impose at first. I still regularly have to draw attention to the signs on the bar which say "no smoking at the bar" But in time, I'm sure this will become easier. Perhaps some smokers will even give up smoking altogether.

I know that I have written most of this port from an entirely personal point of view, but that is because it is something which affects me in every day life and therefore I feel I can talk best from personal experience.

Call me selfish if you wish, but there are millions of other non-smokers and even some non-smokers who will feel the same.

hahaha.

I fucking love it!

I would buy the next darkness album for that cover alone. i'm not actually taking the piss.

I also don't mind admitting that I think the darkness are ace anyway.

Dan Atom (forgot to log out)

My 3 favourite songs are:

Wrathchild

Murders In The Rue Morgue

Caught Somewhere In Time

'Killers' was the first metal album I ever bought myself, when I was on Holiday in America aged 10. I listened to it every day for all 3 weeks of the holiday, so as you'd expect it holds a very special place in my musical heart.

Dan Atom (not Queen Kong - I still forgot to log out)

Damn it. I ordered a Gallien-krueger 1001-RB II head and 810SBX cab from GAK' date=' not too long ago. Since then, I have been phoned to be told that the cab would have to be ordered in because of the size of it, and that it would probably take until November to deliver it. Stupidly, I decided to cancel the order, opting for a smaller cabinet. After this, I then discover that the head amp is also out of stock, and is expected to be dispatched on the 20th. My other choice in cabs also has to be ordered and won't arrive until the 25th o_O

Anyone else had this sort of problem with delays from online stores? It's really bugging me now, because had I only changed my original order because I thought I'd be less likely to have a 14+ day wait for the stuff.

Reckon it would be worth trying to get the order changed back to what it was originally?[/quote']

GAK are often awful... they have a pretty bad reputation.

they got a new album out soon. just in time for the Taste Of Chaos tour over here. i have it and must admit' date=' its pretty fuckin good. the last album was pretty boring in places but this one seems to be a lot more guitar driven with some really good hooks on it

get it...[/quote']

page avenue had some great songs on it.. but as I was saying to Ben last night, also a lot of filler crap. However by all accounts this album will be great and seeing them live at Taste Of chaos will be awesome as they are the best LIVE band you will ever see!

Dan (although I know heather would agree with all the above too)

The new Darkane album is fucking brilliant actually... I quite liked Expanding Senses, but on the new one you can totally hear the Devin influence so some parts of it sound huge. Great time changes and solos too.

Personal Hell seems not bad... not as much dynamics as darkane though. I'd describe the first solo as *fist in the air* 'victorious' rather than cheesey

Dan (not Heather...once again I forgot to log out)

I'm liking it as far as I've got....I really really like it.

Ugh Doolittle is totally predictable as well.

My opening hour never was predictable...but I never got further than an hour because I had to run the bar at the same time and once it got too busy to do both, I had to give up the djing.

I find it slightly upsetting that he always plays the Prodigy at 1:58 depsite the fact that it lasts for 6 minutes.

It's usually 11am on a Wednesday, everywere in uni. This includes Hillhead, so lazy first year students (like myself three years ago) would get rudely awoken two hours after their lectures had started by the fire drill.

Mark's found a new hangout. My fucking pub. On at least half the shifts I have worked recently, I seem to find myself serving him. I even manage to bump into him when I go in to collect my hours or my payslip or to do something else which involves me being in the building for less than five minutes.

He's a nice enough, harmless guy but he does talk a lot while I'm trying to work. But for anyone interested, he seems to be doing as well as before.

So, Space Kitchens in general. I don't know anything about scams since I tended to turn a blind eye to anything beyond the list of numbers I was given and so I have no idea one way or the other. All I can say is, when I needed a bit of extra cash, 5 an hour for doing something easy (albeit repetitive and lacking in moral fibre) seemed like a pretty good idea. Although following this bad publicity, I may omit it from future job applications, I don't regret having worked there for a month or two. There was an interesting mix of people to work with, easy work and easy money.

I've made money from unsuspecting people by informing them which song will be played next. He's played the same set every Wednesday (with only minor variations) since I started working there over 2 years ago. I've already volunteered to take over from Ron on numerous occassions but apparently the music I would play is "not commercial enough." I don't see that myself, but hey, what can I do?

I have been known to open up for Steve on a Monday though, which is always fun.

I've yet to try a Powerball but have heard many things (people I know praise it way too highly )

A Diezel VH-4?!?! Jesus dude' date=' you must be raking it in! How much are they over here though? Cos I know they are $4000 in America. What made you decide on it? Clips? Or the fact that the riff master James Hetfield uses one?!

I'm happy with my Mesa Series II Rectifier!

Let us/me/whatever know how you get on with it dude! That's awesome![/quote']

hey man,

$4000 = about 2200 over here. bear in mind they're made in germany, so importing costs over in USA is expensive.

hahaha - I'm not raking it in. I just figured that if I'm gonna buy a better amp than my JCM2000, I might as well go for the best there is! Other wise in a year or 2's time i'll want a better one than the one I'd buy instead of the diezel.

Also I'm getting it on higher/purchase so i'm paying it over a year!

i bought it though for a number of reasons... firstly because my brother has tried it out and said it is UNBELIEAVABLY good... also cos I have read a hundred reviews on it with not a single negative comment.

The fact James Hetfield plays one is just a very good additional reason

EDIT: sorry - this is Dan, not Heather

i like what you have done with the 'r's... very nu metal.

i think 'Spyke pyle Driver' would have been even better though. (obviously still keeping those backwards 'r's)

Dan (not heather)

the 6505 is the exact same thing as the 5150

when evh left he took the 5150 name' date=' so they rebadged the amp 6505 (the year speavey have been in business - 1965 - 2005 so far) but all the internals are exactly the same

ithat was what they were saying when evh left, dont know about any newer 'improvements' to the amp

David[/quote']

Yes, that is what they say.

however I could also say that i taught Yngwie how to play guitar but it doesn't necessarily mean it is true...

In theory you are right, that the 6505 is the same as 5150 - however it is not actually built to the same high standards as the 5150 originally was. I know this from people within the industry..

Dan (not heather - I forgot to log out)

Yes, Fishstock 2005 might actually happen before the end of this year.

I heard a little story yesterday that My Decaying Leg are back together, complete with new bassist, and are planning to play at Fishstock 2005.

They are currently looking for bands to play at the gig sometime before the end of 2005. If your band would seriously consider playing, please send me a pm. Thank you...

Its 3 isnt it' date=' the one where Brian gets addicted to Coke.

Cheers

Stuart[/quote']

Yes. The Thin White Line, Season 3, Disc 1.

Now this probably doesn't happen with most of the bands people on here would go to see, but at Good Charlotte gigs, the thing which annoys me most is the manner in which the pre-pubescent girls scream as soon as they see a member of the band. I never understood the screaming. Actually, it seems to happen when certain drunk girls see their friends as well. It's quite piercing and unpleasant.

I'm so glad I took my test before the days of hazard perception. It sounds like a bitch.

My Freshers Week consisted of handing out free drink vouchers at the Aberdeen Uni Freshers Fayre and serving drinks to the masses in Exodus, but it was actually reasonably enjoyable. Good to hear most people have had a good week.

Just out of interest' date=' how did you go about getting a review in RockSound?[/quote']

We had an agency (S-a-N) send away our Cd along with a bio to various magazines. That's why there was also one in terrorizer, big cheese and various other online sites.

Only had one vaguely negative review so far so it's all good

However I'm sure that you can get a review in there by your own means as long as your packaging and presentation (and music!) is professional enough.

Dan (not heather)

that guy is fucking amazing... some awesomely bell-smell playing mind you

Dan

I'm about to go into 4th year of law at Aberdeen...have my advisor meeting tomorrow to see if I can change one of my honours courses...

"Kill..." review. Page 136:

"The cold has obviously got to these young herberts and the only way to warm up is crank out some crazy metal/hardcore hybrid as they demonstrate on 'kill...' While not totally original - the change from shouting to harmonious vocals is quite obvious these days - there's enough energy and sufficient beatdowns to appease the average gig-goer. They're on tour this month too - so let's see how they fair on the road. I've a sneaky feeling they'll do well."

7/10

Darren Saddler

The tour went awesomely well if anyone's interested. Tour diary to follow shortly on www.mymindsweapon.net

Dan (not Heather - I'm too lazy to log out

Such a lot of agression for such a small person...

See you there, bitch, as soon as I get back from the fair Capital

True. I presume they have moved on to single mothers.