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Curling: the latest in libertarian insurrection

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Check out this delightful story that has emerged from the current deep winter freeze in the Northern Hemisphere:   emergency workers and Police prevented from preventing a curling contest on a Scottish loch by the very Occupational Health and Safety regulations they were trying to enforce.

From that well known curling website, Skip Cottage Curling:

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Apparently it was quite a day in Lochmaben. The ice had been checked by the local council and was 7-8 inches, and solid. However, someone phoned the police to say there were lots of people on the ice and they didn't think it was safe. Anne tells the story, "Six police officers arrived but they couldn't go on ice to warn people because of health and safety so they passed the buck to the Nith rescue who came with a rescue boat but because of heath and safety they couldn't go on ice either. So the Coast Guard arrived, lights flashing! But guess what? Because of health and safety he couldn't go on the ice either! A great day was had by all
Lid dip: Bishop Hill

Unfortunately the follow up to this inspiring story (from the Observer) shows that the regulatory over-reach of the modern bureacratic state eventually succeeded to squib out, as it always seems to, any further instances of such spontaneous outbreaks of human freedom.  The tentacles of the nanny state this time reached even to the icy wastes of northern Scotland and have seemingly permanently snuffed out any prospect of convening another Grand Match, the ancient curling tournament between the North and South of Scotland, last held in 1979.

Ah well, such set backs, should only embolden us all to continue the perpetual fight for human freedom against the dread hand of the state.
 Long live loch curling and the Grand Match !
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