Chinise lantern boycott.

[mark skelton]

While I was looking through a local free paper I came across the following artical on which a concerned farmer has backed experts' calls for chinise lanterns to be extinguished from the sky.

The farmer who has not been named told the paper " people need to spare athought for livestock which have been destroyed by these fireballs as they must relise what goes up must come down.

Even worse a consequence is the death of farm animals caused by them eating the thin wire from wich lanterns are made which lies hiden in long grass and can be baled in hay and silage.

The famer urges people to use there heads and boycott this deadly fashon. The safty dangers were also highlighted by experts at the county land and business association in the west midlands, who said the 100,000 sold nationally last year posed an immense potential for damage.

They have become popular at wedings and parties.

Regional adviser Donner Tavernor said: If the wire frames from these lanterns get into livestock feed it would pose athreat to animals and could cause them serious injury or death.

Biodegradable frames have been susggested as an alternative to wire, but whatever manufacturers do they cannot eliminate the fire risk and in itself surely poses sufficient threat to justify banning the use of these lanterns.

[Earl]

Common sense says don't play with Fire.......

[cootuk]

There was a fire at a farm/kennels opposite my house last night - no idea of cause yet, but two horses, a dozen dogs, and several cats were all burned alive.

Pretty devastating.

[Hypernova]

As a keen camper who regularly travels to a certain large campsite in North Wales, I see that these lanterns are a serious danger not only to animals but to people as well. Staying there last week over the bank holiday weekend when the site was full to bursting, it was actually scary to watch as dozens of the things went up and then extinguished and drifted back down possibly still extremely hot and capable of causing a fire (fire + nylon tents + very little space between each tent = not good!!!)

There was one night in particular when the wind was brisk and we watched in walk around as quite a few failed to lift off correctly and simply drifted over a ridge towards a particularly packed field, smacking through the bracken on their way whilst being chased by the idiots who set them off.

We even had one that came down directly over our camp still alight and only narrowly missed a few of out tents and one of our cars by only a few metres.

God knows how many of the things come down over the sea, on one night we saw at least a dozen coming up from the same spot one after the other and one by one drifted out to sea and promptly extinguished and no doubt washed up on some beach a few days later to dealt with by someone else.

It amazes me that these things are still allowed on the site even more so that they actually sell them there, I hope it isn't too long before a ban comes into force.

[the_laughing_crow]

Yeah let's ban fireworks too.

Sarcasm

I agree that the versions of these lantern which use wire should be banned but there are wire free ones available now

[Beulah]

What seems very odd is how they are allowed to be bought on the high street by anyone, yet there is strict legislation on the sale of fireworks - not to mention the clampdowns in Health and Safety situations...

Wire or "biodegradable wood"...it's still litter and a fire risk. Especially during harvest time...where I live there are hay bales everywhere.

Isn't it well known that the majority of forest fires are caused by some idiot with a flame?

[Earl]

Yeah let's ban fireworks too.

Where do I sign?

[the_laughing_crow]

Lol :-)

[cotterless45]

In addition, these blasted things are proving to pose an enormous threat to marine life. My aunt lives in a village with about 30 thatched houses, it's firewatch there from October onwards with fireworks, let alone lanterns. Ban them now.

[mark7331]

Couldn't agree more. Where do I sign!

[drewedgar]

Yeah let's ban fireworks too.

Sarcasm

I agree that the versions of these lantern which use wire should be banned but there are wire free ones available now

In my opinion fireworks should be banned and only available to licensed events or trained licensed people. Fireworks are explosives and not toys.

[BinocularSky]

In my opinion fireworks should be banned and only available to licensed events or trained licensed people. Fireworks are explosives and not toys.

I'm sorry, but I disagree with the banning bit. Every time the government "saves" us from having to make responsible decisions, we gradually become less capable of making responsible decisions -- hence the proliferation of the irresponsible muppets that have been described in this thread. IMNSVHO the solution is not to take even more responsibility from us, but to give people more responsibility, coupled with liability for their actions.

[Bizibilder]

If you drop litter - You're fined.

If you commit arson - You go to prison.

If you release a Chinese Lantern - "Coo... isn't that lovely, can we all have one too?"

[Llamanaut]

I'm sorry, but I disagree with the banning bit. Every time the government "saves" us from having to make responsible decisions, we gradually become less capable of making responsible decisions -- hence the proliferation of the irresponsible muppets that have been described in this thread. IMNSVHO the solution is not to take even more responsibility from us, but to give people more responsibility, coupled with liability for their actions.

Theres the problem, people who let off lanterns and fireworks are irresponsible they couldnt care less what damage or injury they cause. If you ban them you'll encourage their use by the most irresponsible ones (who'll think it cool to let them off 'ohhh look at me im doing something illegal' )

Liability for action is something im very interested in. Being a paramedic i see the very best and the very worse in the general public, most decent people wouldnt throw fireworks, let a lantern off over a campsite/ heathland or call an ambulance at 2 in the morning because theyve drunk too much.... irresponsible oiks will, and do, yet they continually get away with it (or collect asbo's as a kind of badge of rank) Basically because they have nothing to fear from their actions

Its time something was done to redress the balance because decent people are constantly having to suffer for these irresponsible idiots actions. Rant over, sorry if its political.... actually im not

[George]

Im sure I read on one of the forums that a members garage was burnt down courtesy of a Chinese lantern, his observatory was badly damaged to.

[Ant]

Yeah your right - I think that the thread was called SHED FIRE or something similar, the pictures were pretty bad.

I agree that the government shouldn't ban everything that's bad for us and agree that we should be held responsible for our actions.

BUT in this case, someone lets of a chinese lantern - it travels a mile or two and then burns down a tent and kills someone, how do you know who set it going?

I'd like to see them banned!

Ant

[Astro_Baby]

Personally I would like you all to sign up for my new political party - its called the Fire Retardant Foam Rubber Party or FR2 for short (snappy eh )

Our political platform is for ALL products to be made of safe fire retardant foam rubber. This includes cars, bicycles, airplanes, cooking utensils, tableware etc.

Few people realise just how dangerous everyday objects such as knives, forks (and yes - even plastic spoons ) can be in the hands of children and the irresponsible.

Almost all everyday dangers could be eliminated by the use of safe fire retardant foam rubber. Even apparently safe hobbies such as astronomy could be vastly improved and made more safe by the use of FRFR materials.

My agenda would be;

1/ The banning of everything - (that includes telescopes because as we all know you can be blinded by using them and being optical a carelessly left telescope can start fires). Priority on bans should be given to small groups using salami tactics to reduce over a 5 year period all specialist hobbies. These would inlcude astronomy, photography, cycle racing, stamp collecting, botany etc to be followed by;

1a/ The banning and control of food and drink - hot foods which are provided at a temperature of more than 20' will not be permitted and any foodstuffs deeemd to be unsafe such as tea, coffee, nuts, sugares, salt, flavourings, fats etc to be banned.

2/ A curfew between the hours of 17:30 and 09:00 for all remaining citizens. Houses would be stripped of all potentially dangerous materials such as gas cookers and electric devices in this period along with an amnesty for citizens to hand in ANY potentially dangerous item with a sanction of up to 10 years imprisonment for failure to comply. This to be followed by;

3/ FR2 implementation at some future point. This would include a foam rubber levy to allow private enterprise to develop foam rubber products to replace current eveyday items. Foam Rubber headgear will be distributed free of charge via the DHSS for all citizens who feel that, even in a country made entirely of foam rubber, that they are still at risk.

Citizens will be free finally from the dangers of ball point pens, spoons, cutelry and foodstuffs and will I am sure be delighted in finally having a world free from any risk.

[yeti monster]

I have a fire retardant foam rubber allergy...........

[Astro_Baby]

I'm sorry Yeti in the brave new world of risk management I can only advise that you seal yourself in to your house go to bed and plus yourself into a Medevac computer.

[yeti monster]

But my Medevac computer is made of FR2!

[Jim M]

Personally I would like you all to sign up for my new political party - its called the Fire Retardant Foam Rubber Party or FR2 for short (snappy eh )

Our political platform is for ALL products to be made of safe fire retardant foam rubber. This includes cars, bicycles, airplanes, cooking utensils, tableware etc.

Few people realise just how dangerous everyday objects such as knives, forks (and yes - even plastic spoons ) can be in the hands of children and the irresponsible.

Almost all everyday dangers could be eliminated by the use of safe fire retardant foam rubber. Even apparently safe hobbies such as astronomy could be vastly improved and made more safe by the use of FRFR materials.

My agenda would be;

1/ The banning of everything - (that includes telescopes because as we all know you can be blinded by using them and being optical a carelessly left telescope can start fires). Priority on bans should be given to small groups using salami tactics to reduce over a 5 year period all specialist hobbies. These would inlcude astronomy, photography, cycle racing, stamp collecting, botany etc to be followed by;

1a/ The banning and control of food and drink - hot foods which are provided at a temperature of more than 20' will not be permitted and any foodstuffs deeemd to be unsafe such as tea, coffee, nuts, sugares, salt, flavourings, fats etc to be banned.

2/ A curfew between the hours of 17:30 and 09:00 for all remaining citizens. Houses would be stripped of all potentially dangerous materials such as gas cookers and electric devices in this period along with an amnesty for citizens to hand in ANY potentially dangerous item with a sanction of up to 10 years imprisonment for failure to comply. This to be followed by;

3/ FR2 implementation at some future point. This would include a foam rubber levy to allow private enterprise to develop foam rubber products to replace current eveyday items. Foam Rubber headgear will be distributed free of charge via the DHSS for all citizens who feel that, even in a country made entirely of foam rubber, that they are still at risk.

Citizens will be free finally from the dangers of ball point pens, spoons, cutelry and foodstuffs and will I am sure be delighted in finally having a world free from any risk.

Foam rubber is mostly fireproofed anyway - it is for beds and furnishings.. All fire proofings are a health hazard.

[selkie72]

There is real problem here in Shetland with Chinese lanterns. When they drift out over the sea they are often mistaken for marine distress flares and reported to the Coastguard. The Coastguard are then duty bound to investigate these reports which can involve launching the local RNLI Lifeboat, contacting shipping in the area and calling out volunteers to search the coastline. This can then delay the response to real emergencies and involves considerable costs.

If it were up to me, I would make the irresponsible idiots that set these things off pay for the Lifeboat's fuel bill!

[Ogri]

The 18th Century criminologist, Cesare Beccaria, got it right, and he gets my vote:

"False is the idea of utility that sacrifices a thousand real advantages for one imaginary or trifling inconvenience; that would take fire from men because it burns, and water because one may drown in it; that has no remedy for evils except destruction. The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Can it be supposed that those who have the courage to violate the most sacred laws of humanity, the most important of the code, will respect the less important and arbitrary ones, which can be violated with ease and impunity, and which, if strictly obeyed, would put an end to personal liberty... and subject innocent persons to all the vexations that the guilty alone ought to suffer? Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man. They ought to be designated as laws not preventive but fearful of crimes, produced by the tumultuous impression of a few isolated facts, and not by thoughtful consideration of the inconveniences and advantages of a universal decree."

[starstalker]

^^^ yeah what he said!!! lol

[the_laughing_crow]

"False is the idea of utility that sacrifices a thousand real advantages for one imaginary or trifling inconvenience; that would take fire from men because it burns, and water because one may drown in it; that has no remedy for evils except destruction. The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Can it be supposed that those who have the courage to violate the most sacred laws of humanity, the most important of the code, will respect the less important and arbitrary ones, which can be violated with ease and impunity, and which, if strictly obeyed, would put an end to personal liberty... and subject innocent persons to all the vexations that the guilty alone ought to suffer? Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man. They ought to be designated as laws not preventive but fearful of crimes, produced by the tumultuous impression of a few isolated facts, and not by thoughtful consideration of the inconveniences and advantages of a universal decree."

Hear, hear!

And while we're at it lets have the right to bear arms too.