Monday 2 July 2012

The Chinese Lantern Liturgy

We were all ready to release the Chinese Lanterns this evening, when I had a thought.

And the thought was - what a bloody stupid idea.

They serve no earthly purpose other than to be a bit pretty.
They are out of control.
They kill wildlife.
They kill farm animals.

Frankly, they're pretty well a form of freelance arson.

So we lit a few tea lights instead. At least they don't kill cows.

6 comments :

  1. Are they beeswax or a derivative from the petroleum industry, and all that entails?

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    Replies
    1. The cows? I believe they derive from the dairy and livestock industries.

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  2. I've never been able to work out how they're supposed to be in any way compatible with H & S. Nobody in their right mind would chuck a pile of lit candles into the undergrowth; how does surrounding them with paper (!) make them any safer?

    I'm wondering about the effect of flatulent hikers on global warming?

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    Replies
    1. And I didn't realise that the dangers to the cows were that they would explode.

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  3. I thought I posted something - must have gotten lost.

    Anyway, it took me a while to realize that in some places they let Chinese lanterns take off. I'm familiar with the kind you hang from trees or other suitable supports outdoors, and the kind poor students fix around bare incandescent bulbs in rentals the city would probably condemn if they found out about them. And my favourite, Physalis alkekengi.

    But sticking candles in the things and letting them float off, who knows where...weird. And dangerous.

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