Nov 8th, 2017 : Boom, big bada Boom

[xoxoxoBruce]

The four great inventions of ancient China were, paper, printing, the compass, and gunpowder.
Paper was used to make handbills telling people about pending fireworks displays.
Printing allowed faster, cheaper, and more numerous handbills to tell the people about fireworks displays.
The compass allowed people to navigate to the fireworks displays from distant points.
Gunpowder made the fireworks displays much better than Brussels sprouts would.

The earliest documentation of fireworks dates back to 7th century medieval Chinese Tang Dynasty, where they were invented. The fireworks were used to accompany many festivities. It is thus a part of the culture of China and had its origin there; eventually it spread to other cultures and societies. The art and science of firework making has developed into an independent profession. In China, pyrotechnicians were respected for their knowledge of complex techniques in mounting firework displays. Chinese people originally believed that the fireworks could expel evil spirits and bring about luck and happiness.
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In 1240 the Arabs acquired knowledge of gunpowder and its uses from China. A Syrian named Hasan al-Rammah wrote of rockets, fireworks, and other incendiaries, using terms that suggested he derived his knowledge from Chinese sources, such as his references to fireworks as "Chinese flowers".

It used to be people could take ‘em or leave ‘em. But now, like so many other things, people love ‘em or hate ‘em.
I love ‘em if I get to handle and set them off. I’d be up bright and early July 5th scouting for unexploded ordinance.
But big commercial displays I won’t go out of my way to see.

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