July 21, 2006

Drink-sodden Armageddon, update

Around 10 months ago, a number of people were predicting that the UK was about to descend into some kind of drink-sodden Armageddon. I mocked their use of this phrase at the time, thinking it unlikely. So imagine my glee when, in yesterday's newspaper, I found this:

The 24 hour drinking laws have not led to any more violence or vandalism after pub closing time, new figures show. [...] Their [the Home Office] report, Crime In England and Wales 2005-6, concluded: "The data show no indication of a rise in the overall level of offences as a result in the change in the opening hours."

Stick that up your Daily Mail and smoke it.

(Speaking of the Independent, their front-page infographic today is great.)

Posted by James at 17:44 | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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November 08, 2005

Don't get angry, get photos

Witnesses said the women were having sex in a stall with each other, angering patrons waiting in line to get into the restroom at the club in the Channelside district.

Folks, please. Next time this happens to you, don't get angry, get photos. Sheesh!

Posted by James at 02:06 | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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Somewhat reassuring

The accident happened just minutes into a display which was being watched by some 15,000 people at Wicksteed Park near Kettering in Northamptonshire. A spokesman for Kettering General Hospital said two children and an adult remain in hospital. One child may be transferred to a specialist burns unit.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but, I find the appearance of stories like this about organised displays somewhat reassuring. The fact that a single stray firework injuring 11 people at a display is newsworthy means that, of the probably hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of people attending organised firework displays last weekend, really rather few were injured by stray fireworks. Of course, it's sad that 11 people have been hurt, and I wish the 3 who remain hospitalised a speedy recovery.

According to statistics published this May, last firework season over 50% of firework related injuries occurred at private firework parties, with only 8% of injuries occurring at large public displays. Of course, the nature of statistics says that these charts could be used to show that indoors is the safest place to use fireworks, with only 1% of injuries being sustained indoors, but this is actually because nobody is stupid enough to use fireworks indoors. With, apparently, about a dozen exceptions, in the 2004 firework season.

As it happens, this year I missed both the big organised local display, and the little display/party put on by a local pub, since I was at work every night of the bonfire weekend; but then, once you've "ooooh!"ed and "aaaah!"ed at one set of fireworks, they're all the same, right?

Anyway, remember kids, organised displays are safer, and way more spectacular than setting off a bunch of rockets in your back garden will ever be. Also, setting rockets off along the street outside the local bus station isn't big, hard or clever. Thanks.

Posted by James at 01:45 | Comments (5) | TrackBack
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