Ceri

I know .. ever been to stockton beach ( in Newcastle) .. I used to catch sharks ( hammerheads and whalers) off the beach there .. just behind the surf.. if you used to cast behind the breakers .. had to wade in to get that far out. actually the surfers knew about them.. there were times when they had to come out because of the number of them in the water some days. ( this is a beach where there is shark nets)

same here too.. they do not stop sharks getting in - what happens sharks usually come into feed at night cruise the shoreline.. then go back out to sea , they tend to be caught on the inside of the net.

Shark nets are just a false sense of security.. if you look at the habits of people in the past so- and so years.. ie not swimming at night , a dark day etc, just being more aware that they used to be - that probably has had more of an effect in the reduced numbers of shark attacks that we see now.. and not the nets which the government keeps trying to say it is... it's awareness.

my theory is ( you will not see many so-called government experts saying this, or even knowing how they work - pen pushers) .. is that the net catches a few fish/sharks tangled up in it - this actually causes sharks / predators to be attracted to the net ( they are actually attracting sharks to the net , not deterring them) - the pulsating beat of the tangled fish.. live bait - anyone who fishes knows live bait attracts more fish than some dead bait. then in turn they get tangled up - quite simple really.

Anyway Aus is the only one which is not reducing their numbers, even with increasing pressure from the WWF and such.. even sea world here would like to see them lifted ( they are the ones who mostly rescue the caught up animals in them.. so see the effects of the damage they do)

mlbonner

I thought that about Ireland, but I must admit I didnt see a single person smoking where they shouldnt have been. Apparently if someone were to light up the people in the bar would feel quite happy about saying something. Irish are different to Californians (and other banned states) and different again to Australians; but it has worked successfully in other places.

Ceri

I can tell you how they enforced litter bugs in Singapore, from chucking ciggy butts etc .. if you were caught you were fined on the spot, in some cases you were made to do community service .. wearing a bright jacket and to pick up litter ( sort of a embarrassment for them).

I think it would be pretty easy to enforce in a pub or a club - you will just be asked to leave.. get chucked out. smoking outside buildings - most buildings have security guards here in Qld.

As it is now you can't smoke in a pub where food is being served.. people abide by this, I've never seen anyone not abiding by it. A few months back I was by the bar having a ciggy.. ordering food to eat outside - to get outside you have to walk through the dining bit inside.. I was asked by the barmaid if I wouldn't mind putting my cigarette out when I walked through the dining bit ( no problem.. I wasn't going to do it anyway) .. she said sorry to be so strict, but they are really clamping down on our rules.. and we ( the pub)can get fined if we allow you to even just walk through that part with a cigarette.

loose

YAY!!!!!

Ceri

Perhaps it's because it makes them (men) feel inferior.. so they need a club where they can feel superior, hence not allowing us superior sex in because it will make them feel so inadequate... aww poor dabs let them have their clubs.. they need that at least lol

loose

Smoking bans in pubs may work, but I think it will maybe depend on the type of people out drinking. Couples who are both non smokers will appreciate it, but if there is an option of a non smoking pub, and a smoking pub, the smoking pub might be fuller due to groups of friends usually containing one or two smokers.

I'm ashamed to say that I am a bit of a social smoker, dont miss it at al normally, but when I'm having a drink I always feel like a ciggie. Sad I know, but it means I'd usually head for the smoking pub.

Besides, I know its unhealthy, but give me a smoky old pub with a bit of atmosphere over a shiny smoke free food serving wine bar any day.

Tough call but it wwould be nice if there were options for both smokers and non-smokers.

loose

Bugga!!! Rumbled!