99call

Glass coffee cup Ray!? The only thing missing is some king size rolling papers. Always knew you were just a big hippy. Happy Independence day you cranky old dog. Enjoy

How very dare you

Haha wow. Never has being disinterested in the rest of the planet you live on, been offered up with such pride. Yep you thank the Lord. I'm sure your returns will be well invested

No definitely not implying that whatsoever, more just an observation, that there are many countries that have freedom, but none seem to have a similar constant churning of contention with it like the US. Being from the UK it's just always very perplexing following American affairs, as the message often seems to be like freedom is this flickering dying flame, that if it goes out in the States....then all hope is lost. And we feel like we're quietly in the background going "ermm? we have it too" There's lots of hate bater's trying to set fires in the Brexit mess, but peoples wealth and happiness has much more likely been stolen by a man in a tie, than an immigrant. Again, I think the "thank God" comment is poorly placed. For as must as I detest the current Tory government, I would must rather them than what I see on the other side of the water. But thats ok, Im not sure we'll agree.

Brexit is a long story, but largely its UK fat cats, pissed off that EU fat cats are getting their cream. Their message is "don't let these rotten EU bureaucrats tell you what you can and cant do......thats our job!" My point is, i enjoy my freedom, as I don't have to perpetually worry and obsess about it. I'm not necessarily saying you guys have got it wrong, but it just doesn't seem to bring much joy. it always seems to be contention and upset.

By the way, I just want to wish all US members a very happy 4th of July. I know I'm very rarely on the same hymn sheet as you politically, but I'm hoping you're all having a great day

To me this isn't freedom, we from the UK feel immeasurably more safe and free not having lethal weapons in every home, but thats just the difference between the two countries, and thats ok. I think this is just the case though, most developed countries feel as if their country is the best in the world. and couldn't imagine having to live elsewhere

If this is the response, I think you may have missed my point. From how it appears from UK looking over to the US, there is just a constant almost frontier-like obsession with freedom. Where as in the UK and in Europe, it's something we have innately, and we never feel (apart from Brexit) like it's anyway going to be in danger. In conclusion, if a country which is deemed to be the "land of the free", is constantly struggling with the concept, is it the land of the free? or the land of perpetual struggle for freedom?. Freedom just feels a great deal more simple, and granted this side of the water. To follow this train of thought, are you suggesting there shouldn't be restrictions? I don't want to get you wrong, but that's what i'm getting from this. I.e. you feel as if self regulated control of your own driving skill should be the governing factor, of how fast you want to drive?. Again, I don't want to get you wrong, but this is what you're saying. Then is there any restrictions or laws you want? or would you prefer it if, there were no laws, and you police your own world? I'm not trying to be melodramatic or hyperbolic, I just don't understand what the end point is, how you personally govern people that don't share your values, if there isn't general rule of law? I guess what I'm getting at is, there are rules out there which I don't necessarily agree with, but I accept that some sort of governance is needed, so that things don't just fall to shit. It would be great if we could trust each other not to litter, not loose control of our car at high speed, not to steal from each other, but sadly is seems countries like the UK, and the US are a great deal less effective in creating a culture of co-operation and trust, than say one like Japan. I remember once working on a very isolated base years back, and brilliant manager I had said, "the standard you're willing to walk past, is your standard! the one you're will to accept". i.e. it doesn't matter if you feel someone else has left a beer can spilt on the floor. Pick it up, sort out the mess, and deal with the culprit later. Sure enough this created a self governing small community, we all kept the base ship shape, and everyones personal standards of cleanliness, professionalism, and kindness was exemplary. If we opt out of living as a community, treat the world like our own personal toilet of trash and bad behaviour, there is only one way, and thats down. Whereas if we take some personal responsibility, express good manners, pick up our own crap, want to think that stranger is a good person and not welcome them with contempt, the standard may start to rise. Communities start to self govern, not by there isn't a police force, just that the police are not required every other second.

Reading quite a lot of posts coming from across the pond, one thing that constantly has me scratching my head is the obsession with freedom. Here in the UK we have our own problems, the class system, restricted social mobility etc etc. but apart from the brexit fiasco, we are very rarely obsessive about the basic concept of 'freedom'. The widespread feeling across the UK/Europe is that freedom is a given. When observing how this plays out in the US, it seems to end in a sort of contrarian result. i.e if they really wanted some people to wear masks, they may of stood more chance releasing a public message saying. "You must NOT! wear a mask, under no circumstance must you be caught with any face coverings, or you will be reported to the authorities". The point i'm getting too is, I agree with you, people should be free, but sadly it seems that parts of the US are getting wrapped up with contrarian behaviour and conspiracy theorising to a degree, where they maybe actually self harming, by avoiding genuine messages of care and concern for their welfare. Yes, if people want to jump off a cliff and kill themselves, they should have the right to do whatever they want, and equally people should not be bombarded with state control messaging, and shepherding ......but....but I don't want you jump of a cliff Ray. Jumping off a cliff (if high enough) will likely result in a 100% chance of death, whereas someone not wearing a mask around you (if infected) may result in a chance of your infection of maybe 20%?, and then maybe your death of 2%?? I don't know. But my point is, is that if that level of risk marries up with some basic understood state law, like errr? a speed restriction in and around a school gate. We don't throw up our arms and go......"this is bullshit coddling madness" we go. "yep, seems to make sense to me, lots of traffic, in a built up urban area. Small kids streaming out of the school gates, 20mph is a sensible speed restriction" I've recently returned back from Japan, and I was just leaving there as the whole Corona virus was kicking off. I dearly love Japan, the food, the richness of culture, the kindness and common sense of the people, and I'd say the wearing of masks (as a standard, ill or not) is probably around 60%. Amusingly, I met up in Kanazawa with a friend from the UK, she arrived ill, and was not wearing a mask. As Covid 19 was literally just breaking in China, she and we were not wearing masks, and simply assumed she had a common cough/cold. Anyway, upon returning to the UK, me and the missus also felt like death (like nothing i've experienced before) and are pretty sure we've had it. In Japan, people wear masks as concern for the public around them, it's not required, nobody has demand they do it, they also don't drop litter on the floor as a consideration, crime is almost at zero, and they have been very successful at controlling Covid in the general populous. I have a feeling you would probably hate Japan Ray, (I don't know maybe you've been?) A sense of group compliance would probably drive you insane. But we all have compliance Ray, and compliance is useful, trust me if you've ever driven a car in Saudi Arabia, you would thank the lord that there is a rule of the road in the US, that (to some degree) doesn't make you feel as if you're going to die every 5 seconds. If wearing a mask should be optional Ray, what other rules that have been adopted into accepted behaviour (in the US) should be revisited? Speed limits? traffic lights? asbestos regulations? Food standards?. I think we are a great deal more compliant than many of us like to think, it's just become political, and I think thats what people don't like.

Looks like that Mahogany coloured wrapper that you usually only see on SCDLH

Whats better than one box of Aguinaldos? well.....? a full one of course....... but whats' slightly less good, is two boxes Getting the band back together.

I thread right up my street. I've owned quite a few boxes of Henry Clay, some sealed some not, so I can not say it's true of all their lines, but written on internal card spacer is "13 PREMIERE RANGEE (row) and 12 DELUXIEME RANGEE (row)", Suggesting that with HC you would get two different classes of cigar in one box. I've never seen that in any other brand. The cigars were not visibly dissimilar in any way. Maybe just advertising novelty, but I would definitely fall for it.

Shorthand version............... 'Americans will buy them'

Yes but I'm not a stagnant wodge of matter that sits still and festers in a wooden box,...........not yet anyway.

I have to say looking across the pond from the UK, this anti mask business is beyond insane. .....lots of Darwin awards are going to handed out.