Re: Drone Technology
Reply #108 –
Outdoor fireworks is going the way of indoor smoking, nothing you or I can do about it, if we wanted to. If you live far enough from built-up areas you might be able to fire up a cigarette or a rocket, as long as you won't set off a forest fire. In Northern latitudes the ground wouldn't be dry around (Western) New Years Eve. I don't know if there are any fire restrictions in the US around 4th of July.
This trend is not Chinese-led, quite the opposite. The Chinese Communist Party is often presented as this all-powerful institution, but they recognise that there are forces more powerful than themselves, and that includes the Chinese need to burn money. (Let's not kid ourselves, Chinese men's need to make a bang. Chinese women fire up too, but not nearly with the same fervour.) Fireworks were banned, but the authorities gave in. The subsequent fires, fatal accidents and maimings, noise and bad air have made them roll back.
Among the odder experiences of my life was living in a technicolor war zone a fortnight a year (the money runs out so there were far less of it by the end than the beginning, but there was always something being blown up). Air pollution comes from power plants, factories, construction and cars, all of which there are far less of during Spring Festival, and the air clears up a lot. But then the fireworks start and you breathe sulphur for the next couple days.
Nothing exceeds like excess, but traditional self-fired fireworks have had their day. Peak firework is behind us. Admittedly laser drones are the fireworks equivalent to vaping, but in time it should be more spectacular with a lot less dying. At least until the first major programming error.