Guy Fawkes/Bonfire night (again)

[The Q]

And going off on a tangerine - who decided it's a good idea to have fireworks on New Years Eve and why? Grrrrr

and birthdays

[Snowwolflair]

And going off on a tangerine - who decided it's a good idea to have fireworks on New Years Eve and why? Grrrrr

and birthdays

There was a big banner at a recent march outside Westminster saying "Bring Back Guy Fawkes" 

FYI it was promoting a Facebook Page but I think it has possibilities 

[keithfre]

Here in Holland the fireworks are at New Year. Years ago it used to be like World War III, but since the recession it's quietened down a bit.

[railsquid]

We get them at New Year, Bonfire month and Diwali. Doesn't bother me personally, but I feel sorry for all the pets out there.

I used to live in central Berlin, which disappears into a fog of cordite between 23:30 and 01:00 on New Year's Eve, and we had two cats, one of which was not scared of anything ("if in doubt, attack!" was her motto), the other was basically a reanimated stuffed toy who wanted to be everyone's best friend but also was the living definition of "scaredy cat" so traditionally I would build a sound-proofed (as far as feasible) refuge where he would retreat for the duration.

[Bealman]

Meanwhile, back at the Antipodes, 15 minutes to "the race that stops a nation."

Geeup!

[Bealman]

Well that's over for another year, and I'm only $20 lighter, so could be worse.

Enjoy the fireworks! 

[themadhippy]

As for Halloween, the Americans can't take that back soon enough. Absolutely ghastly.

Halloween celebrations outdate bonfire night by a few 100 years,it was originally a pagan festival to mark the start of winter,the bonfires part of the ritual,then along came the Christians and decided to nick it as there own and call saints day,and the yanks decided  to commercialise it

[JonHarbour]

Don't mean this to be a political comment but... Guy Fawkes - probably the last man to enter parliament with completely honest intentions.

[weave]

Well that's over for another year, and I'm only $20 lighter, so could be worse.

Enjoy the fireworks! 

The fireworks started down the road from us last night. Only a few but we now have two 'scaredy cat' dogs. The other two didn't seem bothered at all.

Anyway, regarding the race, I was going to bet on Dettori's horse but didn't have time to go to the bookies (don't want to get into betting on line) so glad I didn't as demoted to fourth. Not sure if Each-Way would have paid on the first four but think only first three so would have been gutted.

I liked the quote by the owner of the winning horse, Vow and Declare, who was asked where the horse's name came from. He replied that he was named after his father. "Dad would come home from the pub and say to mum: 'I vow and declare I've only had a few beers'".

Cheers weave 

[Bealman]

Don't mean this to be a political comment but... Guy Fawkes - probably the last man to enter parliament with completely honest intentions.

I think that applies particularly to the Australian situation at the moment!

Ha ha excellent one, weave, though I think as a mod I should cause this thread to self destruct, as I too am being drawn into political implications. 

[Bealman]

Maybe tomorrow.... 

[weave]

Hi George,

'Twas Jon who made the excellent political joke. I just went off topic talking about the Melbourne Cup. I'll get back on topic and tell you all about my complete and utter firework stupidity incident when I was 14 in an bit. Stay tuned.

Cheers weave 

[silly moo]

Is it just me or are fireworks much louder than they used to be? I remember our dad buying boxes of fireworks and crackers when we were young and having a small display in the back garden.

Now the fireworks are much more spectacular but incredibly noisy, It's like being in a war zone.

[Newportnobby]

Some years ago my sister and I went to a Bonfire Night public display at the Blists Hill Museum.
She was hit just below her right eye by a piece of red hot firework the size of a 10p piece. I took het to the St.Johns Ambulance folks who sorted it out but an inch higher and she could have been blinded in one eye.
I have my reasons for hating the damned things and not just because of the above event and the fact my cat cowers under the wardrobe with each explosion. I hope more shops follow Sainsbury's example. Rant over (I think)

[javlinfaw7]

I  have never been a fan of fireworks but recently they seem to have graduated from the box of a dozen candle sized items with a catherine wheel and a handful of rockets to some thing that resembles a crate of mortars, surely devices like these should be left in the hands of professionals