Thursday 4 November 2010

Remember Remember the 5th of November



Last night a distant neighbour held his annual Guy Fawkes night. Usually it takes place the weekend nearest the 5 November but he must have had his reasons for it happening last night - or maybe that was just a rehearsal.  I don't know these neighbours but I have the benefit of seeing his half hour of fireworks from my garden each year and the show is perhaps better from here than his own place.

I know a few of the folk who would have been present and also have taken their grandchildren.  None are smokers (the adults not the grandchildren).  In fact a couple of them are 'anti-smokers' and dare I say hypocrites, because they're quite happy deriding cigarette smokers yet they're also happy inhaling arsenic and allowing their own grandchildren to inhale it during a lengthy firework display.  Let's not omit the inhalation of the smoke from the bonfire which will continue to smolder away until morning.

Should we ban fireworks? Of course not.  Should we ban the smoking of cigarettes?  There are many who would say yes, in fact I've suggested it myself occasionally.  Inhaling the 'second-hand' smoke is bad for you shout the anti-smoking lobbies but they don't call for smoking to be banned.  That's because the tax from smoking pays the wages of the antis.  Enjoy your celebrations and avoid eating that burnt baked potato.

Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot...

10 comments:

Witterings from Witney said...

It should be obligatory for everyone who has a bonfire to have an MP sitting on top when the bonfire is lit!

If there are none left - then an efigy (spelling?)

Derek said...

If no MP available, please to ensure an EU flag is uppermost on the pyre.

Joe Public said...

Oh, and you forgot to mention that the trays of treacle toffee may lead to obesity.

subrosa said...

It should WfW. I haven't seen an effigy in years. They don't seem to bother to make them here these days.

subrosa said...

I know many who would agree with that Derek.

subrosa said...

Joe, I do care for my readers' blood pressure you know. :)

Leg-iron said...

Oh, so I'm not the only meanie who never buys fireworks but sits outside to watch everyone else's ;)

The local rotary club run an annual bonfire. They charge a small fee and sell those glow-sticks and other trinkets, along with burgers etc. I don't know how much profit they make but it's probably not much, considering the price of fireworks.

I can't see it from my house and they've now changed to a location that's hard to reach if you don't have a car.

Never mind. I have a chimenea and neighbours who are happy to burn lots of money on fireworks while deriding me for burning it on tobacco.

Dick Puddlecote said...

Beat me to it. Scheduled something on the same lines tomorrow.

subrosa said...

That's me LI and I'm lucky because if I walk to the other side of the house I'll get a superb view of the locally organised one on Saturday night too. It's run by local organisations.

Now you're showing off. Chimenea with a chicken roasting in it I hope. Don't burn your fingers. :)

subrosa said...

Dick, my presence is required elsewhere tomorrow so I struck while the bonfire was glowing. :) Look forward to reading yours.

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