We are developing the social individualist meta-context for the future. From the very serious to the extremely frivolous... lets see what is on the mind of the Samizdata people.

Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]

Ahh, so there’s the catch

So, on the one hand, you have cheap microwave ovens from Szechuan province. Wonderful.

But, on the other hand, you get this:

The world’s first global health treaty – the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control – comes into force on Sunday.

The anti-smoking pact has been signed by 168 countries, and ratified by 57 of them, which will now have to tighten their anti-tobacco laws.

Not so wonderful. Welcome to the globalized world.

5 comments to Ahh, so there’s the catch

  • Julian Morrison

    The BBC was quoting the W.H.O as saying this was only the first step, and next they’d go after alcohol and junk foods…

  • Sandy P

    Well, DUH!

    They need their jobs.

  • Guy Herbert

    Don’t you mean, “there’s the ready-rub”?

  • Well they do have a habit of coming up with these daft ideas, having a big conference and then forgetting about it after they leave. More an excuse for a junket than anything else.

  • Snorre

    When first I read this, I thought: “Damn. Our laws can’t get tighter on tobacco.” (I’m in Norway.)

    I was right. They can’t. All that has been in place for years here, apart from the ban on smoking in public places–which came last year.