The Lemon Fool

Well, it's November 5th again.

Since the war (sorry for mentioning it!), we have benefitted from the introduction of:

- smokeless fuel.

- natural gas. Not so long ago, this was being promoted as a clean fuel!

- catalytic converters on our cars.

- low emission zones - and now, ultra low emission zones.

So, for 364 days of the year, we breathe cleaner air than perhaps our recent ancestors did.

But on one day - today - we encourage the burning of thousands of tons of fireworks, each one releasing harmful, often toxic, chemicals into the atmosphere, as well as smoke from bonfires.

So, is it time to ban fireworks altogether?

Watis

PS: As I write this, the BBC News is running an item about the effect of fireworks on people with breathing problems!

Watis wrote:Well, it's November 5th again.

Since the war (sorry for mentioning it!), we have benefitted from the introduction of:

- smokeless fuel.

- natural gas. Not so long ago, this was being promoted as a clean fuel!

- catalytic converters on our cars.

- low emission zones - and now, ultra low emission zones.

So, for 364 days of the year, we breathe cleaner air than perhaps our recent ancestors did.

But on one day - today - we encourage the burning of thousands of tons of fireworks, each one releasing harmful, often toxic, chemicals into the atmosphere, as well as smoke from bonfires.

So, is it time to ban fireworks altogether?

Watis

PS: As I write this, the BBC News is running an item about the effect of fireworks on people with breathing problems!

I'm sipping a lukewarm cup of tea with no sugar and soya milk sitting on the step of contemplation. Above that is the step of why bother and above that several more steps ranging from who cares to I need to lie down.

Tonight my dogs will sit in the darkened room very quietly as they hear the third world war break out down the street. And some of the younger children will not enjoy the spectacle too. Some will though.

AiY

AsleepInYorkshire wrote:

Watis wrote:Well, it's November 5th again.

Since the war (sorry for mentioning it!), we have benefitted from the introduction of:

- smokeless fuel.

- natural gas. Not so long ago, this was being promoted as a clean fuel!

- catalytic converters on our cars.

- low emission zones - and now, ultra low emission zones.

So, for 364 days of the year, we breathe cleaner air than perhaps our recent ancestors did.

But on one day - today - we encourage the burning of thousands of tons of fireworks, each one releasing harmful, often toxic, chemicals into the atmosphere, as well as smoke from bonfires.

So, is it time to ban fireworks altogether?

Watis

PS: As I write this, the BBC News is running an item about the effect of fireworks on people with breathing problems!

I'm sipping a lukewarm cup of tea with no sugar and soya milk sitting on the step of contemplation. Above that is the step of why bother and above that several more steps ranging from who cares to I need to lie down.

Tonight my dogs will sit in the darkened room very quietly as they hear the third world war break out down the street. And some of the younger children will not enjoy the spectacle too. Some will though.

AiY

Have you been possessed by the Lord of Darkness?

AsleepInYorkshire wrote:Tonight my dogs will sit in the darkened room very quietly as they hear the third world war break out down the street.

Now, if this were the late 1990s, early 2000s, I'd agree with you. Mercifully, things have improved considerably since that time. (At least they have around my streets)

This year seems so far to have been remarkably civilised: no great orgy of loud bangs yet. Perhaps that's 'cos Nov 5th conveniently falls on a Friday and they've saved it all for tonight?

Of course it's a pain and a nuisance, as well as being a barbaric practice[1]. But in terms of the air we breathe, one day of nonsense is a drop in the ocean of woodburner smoke, and for most also pales into insignificance against road traffic.

[1] Burning papists should be just fine, but don't make such a big fuss over it.

I love fireworks !
Particularly ones I can let off myself...

servodude wrote:Have you been possessed by the Lord of Darkness?

Twas but yesterday, caused by copious amounts of white liquid grapes the eve before.

I have purchased a battery or two of surface to air missiles which will be deployed this evening

AiY

Or, as Willy Carson used to say: "It's a cracker!"

Just hope they don't shove any fireworks through your letterbox. If so, someone might get a rocket.

Be glad you don't live in or near Lewes in East Sussex -

https://www.lewesbonfirecelebrations.com/

Of course, to those of the opposite point of view, be sorry you don't live in or near Lewes in East Sussex

richfool wrote:Or, as Willy Carson used to say: "It's a cracker!"

Just hope they don't shove any fireworks through your letterbox. If so, someone might get a rocket.

To be Frank , I think Willy just liked horses.

UncleEbenezer wrote:This year seems so far to have been remarkably civilised: no great orgy of loud bangs yet. Perhaps that's 'cos Nov 5th conveniently falls on a Friday and they've saved it all for tonight?

Of course it's a pain and a nuisance, as well as being a barbaric practice[1]. But in terms of the air we breathe, one day of nonsense is a drop in the ocean of woodburner smoke, and for most also pales into insignificance against road traffic.

[1] Burning papists should be just fine, but don't make such a big fuss over it.

Where do you get smokeless papists from?

Always nice to have a bonfire on the 5th, ideal conditions. Mind you, its my third this week. You should see gorse burn!

baldchap wrote:

richfool wrote:Or, as Willy Carson used to say: "It's a cracker!"

Just hope they don't shove any fireworks through your letterbox. If so, someone might get a rocket.

To be Frank , I think Willy just liked horses.

Do you know, I checked (Googled) that online, as I couldn't remember who it was. The answer was (as you indicate) Frank Carson, and for some reason I then typed Willy Carson.
I wasn't horsing around honest. I meant/wanted to be frank.

I blame it on the Romans, with their Roman Candles.

What I don't understand is why we celebrate November 5th at all. He failed!

Laughton wrote:Be glad you don't live in or near Lewes in East Sussex -

https://www.lewesbonfirecelebrations.com/

Of course, to those of the opposite point of view, be sorry you don't live in or near Lewes in East Sussex

A great place to live — Harvey's country! I've been to the brewery twice. One tale told to us by head brewer Miles Jenner is that they used to import cheap coal to distribute among their staff. One batch contained a live detonator which exploded in someone's fireplace. Fortunately, no-one was injured.


Julian F. G. W.

jfgw wrote:What I don't understand is why we celebrate November 5th at all. He failed!

Julian F. G. W.

As my mum used to say, it was the thought that counts.

Mike4 wrote:

jfgw wrote:What I don't understand is why we celebrate November 5th at all. He failed!

Julian F. G. W.

As my mum used to say, it was the thought that counts.

He was obviously a far-sighted man, but unfortunately 416 years ahead of his time.

TUK020 wrote:

UncleEbenezer wrote:This year seems so far to have been remarkably civilised: no great orgy of loud bangs yet. Perhaps that's 'cos Nov 5th conveniently falls on a Friday and they've saved it all for tonight?

Of course it's a pain and a nuisance, as well as being a barbaric practice[1]. But in terms of the air we breathe, one day of nonsense is a drop in the ocean of woodburner smoke, and for most also pales into insignificance against road traffic.

[1] Burning papists should be just fine, but don't make such a big fuss over it.

Where do you get smokeless papists from?

I dunno. They're incensed, which is another reason the smoke from burning them is a lesser evil.

Watis wrote:So, is it time to ban fireworks altogether?

No!!

I like fireworks.

If you want to start banning things, there are much better candidates. Burning leaves for a start. And leaf blowers.

I heard some nonsense about 'silent, smokeless' fireworks. You can ban them if you like.

V8

Now it seems updating it to something more relevant for today gets you arrested.

UncleEbenezer wrote:Now it seems updating it to something more relevant for today gets you arrested.

I strongly suggest that the arrests were nothing to do with the burning of an effigy or whatever, but more to do with violence and disorder. Any sizeable crowd at such an event will contain a proportion of extremists and idiots

doolally