unbelievable

i'm still getting used to smoke-free bars here, and now it's banned in BERLIN and PARIS? are they kidding? i understand it here in granolaville, but the smoke is half the atmosphere there, in several respects. i don't smoke, mind you, but somewhere along the line i got it into my mind that that's kind of what drinking should smell like. stale beer and cigarettes. if you take away the smoke, the stale beer will only smell worse.

besides, germany is permanently encased in cigarette smoke, as far as i'm concerned. i was only there for a week, but it took me months before it felt right again to not be surrounded by a smoky haze immediately after any meal. strange, perhaps, but true.

also, notice the mention of the nazi smoking ban. consider the implications. what happens when you try to legislate morality? no, really...