People just don’t get it...

[Snagrio]

I'll sooner die before I stop living with animals, fish or otherwise. There's genuinely not been a moment in my life, from birth to now, where there wasn't some kind of fauna sharing my place of dwelling, and I have no intention of ever changing that.

So you may keep your $100 as far as I'm concerned my good sir.

 

[Colin_T]

That’s a term of endearment, nerds will inherit the earth.

The Earth is doomed, nobody is going to inherit it

P.s. to prove my point, I’ll give $100 to any serious fish keeper willing to give up the hobby before I’m able to quit smoking.

Hand it over. I haven't kept fish since 2016. And I started in 1979.

Cigarettes are hideously overpriced here. A pack costs about $40, no idea how many is in a packet, not many. About 95% of the price goes to the government in taxes. It annoys me because the government spends millions on advertising saying smoking is bad for you, but they refuse to outlaw smoking and just take in the billions of dollars in taxes. They are hypocrites going on about stop smoking. Quit smoking coz it's bad for you, but we'll let you buy them from any supermarket, deli or anywhere.

Alcohol is the same thing here. Half the adverts on television now are alcohol adds. They aren't allowed to directly mention alcohol in the adds, but the adds being shown are for pubs, bottle shops and places where you can buy booze. And alcohol has massive taxes on it.

The other adverts on tele are for gambling. Come to the casino, come to the TAB (betting agency), gamble online, gamble on your phone with new %^&*$#@. Sorry jumping off track here.

Bugger what other people think. Be yourself, do your own thing, and if anyone hassels you, knock em on the head and feed them to the fishes. PS, that is illegal in most countries but doable if you're careful.

 

[FishGuest5123]

I use to smoke about 1/2 pack a day. Then after several tries, I stopped. My sister then had a major stroke from smoking. She can no longer speak and can barely walk. That has kept me from ever wanting another cigarette.

 

[Essjay]

I don't smoke. My parents both smoked until my mother gave up when she turned 70, and my father switched to a pipe after a heart attack. When I was about 5, I pestered my father for a puff of his cigarette and it was so awful I was never tempted to start smoking as I got older.
My elder son smokes, he has been trying to give up for years. He uses nicotine tablets to help him, but he's not stopped. He is currently living with us after splitting with his wife, while the legal process chugs along for his new home. Last Friday evening, he asked to have a word with us, almost in tears. He's has "something" in his throat for a couple of months but it became painful to swallow last week and the back of his tongue/throat had turned black. He thought he had throat cancer. A phone call to 111, then an appointment at A&E confirmed he doesn't have throat cancer, but it has scared him.

 

[Slaphppy7]

The Earth is doomed, nobody is going to inherit it


Hand it over. I haven't kept fish since 2016. And I started in 1979.

Cigarettes are hideously overpriced here. A pack costs about $40, no idea how many is in a packet, not many. About 95% of the price goes to the government in taxes. It annoys me because the government spends millions on advertising saying smoking is bad for you, but they refuse to outlaw smoking and just take in the billions of dollars in taxes. They are hypocrites going on about stop smoking. Quit smoking coz it's bad for you, but we'll let you buy them from any supermarket, deli or anywhere.

Alcohol is the same thing here. Half the adverts on television now are alcohol adds. They aren't allowed to directly mention alcohol in the adds, but the adds being shown are for pubs, bottle shops and places where you can buy booze. And alcohol has massive taxes on it.

The other adverts on tele are for gambling. Come to the casino, come to the TAB (betting agency), gamble online, gamble on your phone with new %^&*$#@. Sorry jumping off track here.

Bugger what other people think. Be yourself, do your own thing, and if anyone hassels you, knock em on the head and feed them to the fishes. PS, that is illegal in most countries but doable if you're careful.

$40 for a pack of cigs???
Gadzooks, how can anyone afford to smoke over there? Not to mention the related health costs one most certainly encounters later in life...

 

[Slaphppy7]

I don't smoke. My parents both smoked until my mother gave up when she turned 70, and my father switched to a pipe after a heart attack. When I was about 5, I pestered my father for a puff of his cigarette and it was so awful I was never tempted to start smoking as I got older.
My elder son smokes, he has been trying to give up for years. He uses nicotine tablets to help him, but he's not stopped. He is currently living with us after splitting with his wife, while the legal process chugs along for his new home. Last Friday evening, he asked to have a word with us, almost in tears. He's has "something" in his throat for a couple of months but it became painful to swallow last week and the back of his tongue/throat had turned black. He thought he had throat cancer. A phone call to 111, then an appointment at A&E confirmed he doesn't have throat cancer, but it has scared him.

Maybe it will scare him into quitting....

 

[Essjay]

That's what we're hoping. He has started to cut down the number of cigarettes.

On the plus side, his throat is feeling a lot better. The A&E doctor suspected acid reflux burns, and prescribed a proton pump inhibitor which 4 days later has had a remarkable effect. He'll probably need a gastroscopy to confirm it at some point, Covid 19 permitting.


Edit to add - for those non-UK members, A&E = accident and emergency, a hospital department. Due to Covid 19, there's no urgent care facilities out of hours, so we have to ring the NHS helpline who if necessary then make an appointment at A&E at the local hospital.

 

[Slaphppy7]

That's what we're hoping. He has started to cut down the number of cigarettes.

On the plus side, his throat is feeling a lot better. The A&E doctor suspected acid reflux burns, and prescribed a proton pump inhibitor which 4 days later has had a remarkable effect. He'll probably need a gastroscopy to confirm it at some point, Covid 19 permitting.


Edit to add - for those non-UK members, A&E = accident and emergency, a hospital department. Due to Covid 19, there's no urgent care facilities out of hours, so we have to ring the NHS helpline who if necessary then make an appointment at A&E at the local hospital.

Good to hear he is doing better. I'm a smoker, and I know how bad it is for you, but sadly, it would probably take something like this to scare me into quitting....nevermind that my Dad died from heart disease, and my sister from cancer...

 

[PheonixKingZ]

My grandfather smoked and my dad swore he would never do it.

My cousins smoke, which kills me, because they are awesome. One smokes and one vapes. Vaping is worse for you, contrary to popular belief. (It messes with your head more)

My uncles used to smoke, but he quit a few years ago.

Bugger what other people think. Be yourself, do your own thing, and if anyone hassels you, knock em on the head and feed them to the fishes. PS, that is illegal in most countries but doable if you're careful.

Why does everything fun have to be illegal!?

——

@Naterjm, you can keep your $100 my guy, I’m never giving up fishkeeping. Spend it and buy yourself something nice... (aka another tank... )

 

[PheonixKingZ]

$40 for a pack of cigs???
Gadzooks, how can anyone afford to smoke over there? Not to mention the related health costs one most certainly encounters later in life...

Says here that they average in the USA at $6.65, and the average person spends around $688 a year on smokes. https://balancingeverything.com/cigarette-prices-by-state/

I think smoking is disgusting. I get people get “pulled into it”, because their friends do it and such, but still, that’s no excuse. “Smokeless” tobacco is super bad for your gums/mouth. (The smell is the worst )

Why do you have to do “something” when you’re standing outside? It’s just sad to see people ruin themselves.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Says here that they average in the USA at $6.65, and the average person spends around $688 a year on smokes. https://balancingeverything.com/cigarette-prices-by-state/

I think smoking is disgusting. I get people get “pulled into it”, because their friends do it and such, but still, that’s no excuse. “Smokeless” tobacco is super bad for your gums/mouth. (The smell is the worst )

Why do you have to do “something” when you’re standing outside? It’s just sad to see people ruin themselves.

Addiction is a powerful thing, my young friend...I'm glad to hear you will have no part of smoking when you get older.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Addiction is a powerful thing, my young friend...I'm glad to hear you will have no part of smoking when you get older.

Definitely not. I also hate alcohol. I have a friend who’s dad has less than 1 month left because he literally drank himself to death.

I was at this little Mexican restaurant the other day, and there was this group of 6-8 people that where around a table at the bar. They were crazy loud and made several rude comments about us being in uniform. (I’m in the Civil Air Patrol) People like that just disgust me. Why can’t you just have like 1 drink and then stop? Or better not don’t even get an alcoholic drink. I just don’t get people...

 

[Slaphppy7]

Definitely not. I also hate alcohol. I have a friend who’s dad has less than 1 month left because he literally drank himself to death.

I was at this little Mexican restaurant the other day, and there was this group of 6-8 people that where around a table at the bar. They were crazy loud and made several rude comments about us being in uniform. (I’m in the Civil Air Patrol) People like that just disgust me. Why can’t you just have like 1 drink and then stop? Or better not don’t even get an alcoholic drink. I just don’t get people...

Ignore them, they aren't worth the trouble of your disgust.

 

[seannx]

Whenever people say, “Hey, what do you like to do in your spare time?”. I mention playing my drums, shooting, exercising, and.... fishkeeping. “Fishkeeping? Like fish, like fish in a fish tank?”.... “yes...”

They just look at me like I have a disease. I have never met anyone in person that knows a lot about fish or loves fish like I do. They all think I’m so lame cause I “Have little fishes as pets”

I just feel like I’m stupid when I’m around o

 

[Bpervell]

Whenever people say, “Hey, what do you like to do in your spare time?”. I mention playing my drums, shooting, exercising, and.... fishkeeping. “Fishkeeping? Like fish, like fish in a fish tank?”.... “yes...”

They just look at me like I have a disease. I have never met anyone in person that knows a lot about fish or loves fish like I do. They all think I’m so lame cause I “Have little fishes as pets”

I just feel like I’m stupid when I’m around other people, talking about me.

Well you must look at like this - we create a safe environment for a eco-system. What I dont understand are snake lizard owners? Yuck