Should they rethink - Fireworks Displays

[Louwai (Bryan)]

So what about the Multi-BILLIONS that are bet on the Melbourne Cup each year, or the Multi-Millions that are spent on the Boxing Day sales each year, Or the huge amounts of Money that is spent on Astronomy each year??
There is no reason to spend all of that money.Why don't we lobby everyone involved to give that money to some charity rather than spend it where they choose......

BHP are about to spend $4bn on a new Coal Port to export more of our coal. (which will create huge amounts of pollution when burnt) Why don't we lobby them to give that money to Charity.

$5m is a drop in the bucket when you look at the big picture. It would barly raise the eyebrow of a charity.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I won't bite, I won't.

[FredSnerd (Claude)]

Originally Posted by Louwai

So what about the Multi-BILLIONS that are bet on the Melbourne Cup each year, or the Multi-Millions that are spent on the Boxing Day sales each year, Or the huge amounts of Money that is spent on Astronomy each year??
There is no reason to spend all of that money.Why don't we lobby everyone involved to give that money to some charity rather than spend it where they choose......

BHP are about to spend $4bn on a new Coal Port to export more of our coal. (which will create huge amounts of pollution when burnt) Why don't we lobby them to give that money to Charity.

$5m is a drop in the bucket when you look at the big picture. It would barly raise the eyebrow of a charity.

Bryan,

Theres a distinction between private and public $$$. Your response does not appear to recognise that. People are talking about how best to spend public $$$. I personally think its a very poor use of public $$$.

[FredSnerd (Claude)]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

I won't bite, I won't.

Just a nibble. Go on!!!

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Originally Posted by FredSnerd

Just a nibble. Go on!!!

OK then.
For those who rate the gift of sight higher than a night at the fireworks.
http://www.hollows.org.au/Single_Donation/

[Ric]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

I'm getting to know you better Claude.

I'm going to send you a big spoon for Xmas Chris.

Cheers

[FredSnerd (Claude)]

Glad you decided to Jeanette. That was interesting. I wasnt aware of this "On average, a person living with blindness in the developing world will die within four years of going blind". As if blindness isn't bad enough I suppose.

regards

[AstralTraveller (David)]

I voted 'non-issue'. If you are going to go down the 'money better spent elsewhere' path then surely there are much bigger fish to fry. I don't want to open a political debate so I'll only mention the uncontroversial example of the Collins Class Underwater Disco. I do like fireworks though I don't make the effort to go as often as I might.

I agree that home fireworks were a lot of fun but, really, they had to be stopped. There were just too many injuries. I don't know how many occurred on the actual fireworks night but it was the norm for children to play with crackers, even good sized bungers in the weeks leading up to cracker night. Of course I was told the right way to use fireworks but, hey, boys will be boys. I had two near misses. On the second occasion a piece of glass took a small chunk out of my leg but it just as easily could have been an eye. To be fair they did teach some practical engineering. A mate and I used to build dams in the creek and then plant charges, hook them up together, and blow the dam.

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

Here we go. This is so predictable. You fellas crack me up.

Hey Chris, what bait are you using, mate??

You'd catch an old boot with an old rusty hook!!!

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

LOL! Hardly Trevor. It's still the Landrover parked out front, not the Jag

Nothing a good panelbeater can't fix

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by FredSnerd

Glad you decided to Jeanette. That was interesting. I wasnt aware of this "On average, a person living with blindness in the developing world will die within four years of going blind". As if blindness isn't bad enough I suppose.

regards

It's all well and good to give to these charities (I can't actually afford to, but I give to Fred's charity and the Red Cross) but if you're going to cure blindness once and for all, $5 Million isn't even going to cut it. Despite all the good work these charities do, they just can't get to everyone and the problem is only getting bigger each year. It's the governments that should be helping out here, not your average joe's. It might make you feel good giving out charity, but in the larger picture it doesn't amount to much. What the average person gives may seem a lot, but it's actually peanuts compared to the amount of money governments spend each year propping up the status quo.

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

Here we go. This is so predictable. You fellas crack me up.

Chris, this world is full of scrooges. You know what, mate, I think if they want to ban the fireworks, let's be scrooges too. We really need to worry about CO2 and global warming (according to the experts). Let's ban all cars...or at least more than 1 car per family...and it has to be a hybrid, at least. Then ban their use within 10km of the city centre. Make people take public transport. Fine them if they don't. That'll recoup much more than the $5 million "wasted" once a year on a fireworks display

Spend that on charitable works.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by renormalised

Nothing a good panelbeater can't fix

You know one that good Carl?

[TrevorW]

I'll go for the ban on all cars and

no one lives more than a resoanable walking distance from where they work

etc etc be blowed if I'm walking 30 klm to work everyday

[AstralTraveller (David)]

How about this: The Carbon Pollution Reduction Party Scheme.

Every year on the 30th of June there is an (honest!!) audit of the country's environmental performance over the previous year. If there is an improvement then we have a nation-wide party over the xmas break to congratulate ourselves, with the splendor of the fireworks, the amount of fine food and the number of kegs proportional to the size of the improvements. Great huh??

Of course if there isn't an improvement ..........

Reduced visits by Santa for starters, but if we are really bad - porridge for xmas dinner, no desert and Australian loses the Boxing Day test. I think that would focus the national attention on improving the environment far better than some schemes that have been much in the news lately.

[Ian Robinson]

Let the beneficiaries ( the tourist industry and all those other businesses who allegedly benefit from the New Year (and other events) pay for them then , why should they get a free ride when no one else does ?

[Terry B]

I like them and the cost is minimal really. I remember as a kid going down to Benelong Point and watching the fireworks. It was a great family outing. Hopefully the kids of today can have the same memory in the future.
For the 5 mil the gubberment could build ~10 Km of expressway. Which would be enjoyed the most?

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by Terry B

...For the 5 mil the gubberment could build ~10 Km of expressway. Which would be enjoyed the most?

Well, as long as the 10kms of freeway was up to autobahn standards, I think that would be most enjoyable...as I could open up my Bugatti Veyron to full throttle and floor it all the way

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

You know one that good Carl?

Not personally, but I'm sure you could find one, somewhere

[GrahamL]

More crackers please

Imagine how tense it would get in here if this night fell on a new moon