07 November 2009

Selective Hearing

The upside of having bad hearing is that I often now just hear what I want to. At tonight's big fireworks display in Victoria Park (flamethrowers, loud music, explodey fireworks, I loved it!), the announcer might have given credit to the Tower Hamlets Arts & Events Team, but I swear she said "Arson Events Team".

8 comments:

zim said...

is that bad hearing or the infamous "Gardening Leave Crazy"?

pyker said...

Perhaps both.

JustJoeP said...

flamethrowers? Cool.

pyker said...

Yes. It was awesome. More than 20 meters away, on a cold night, could still easily feel the radiant heat from even short blasts on the flamethrowers.

JustJoeP said...

I've always held a strong fascination with Flame Throwers. Designed to kill in the most insidious way originally, yet leaving the combatant carrying it VERY exposed and vulnerable (large, bulky, explosive tank on the back), a remarkable double edged modern sword. And many of the coolest super-heroes had a variation of flame throwers / plasma discharge / energy ray weapons they could use as well.

I am sure that seeing flame throwers up close and in action made STRONG impressions on your boys. It's something I've always wanted to see in action. Very very cool! =)

Radiant heat is an interesting phenomenon. After walking around Eastern European and Asian steel mills and forge houses up-close, I got a nice personal appreciation for the power of radiant heat - but all of that was in a business setting, without the enjoyment of recreational blasts of flammables for crowd entertainment. My exposure was Much More blase' =P

Joe M said...

You guys would probably enjoy this. They show up at Burning Man and the Fire Arts Festival.

pyker said...

looks like fun! every carnival should have one

JustJoeP said...

From Joe M's link.. LOL!!!

Rules for Flamethrower Safety

1. Never point a Flamethrower at anything you are not willing to destroy.
2. A Flamethrower is always loaded, unless personally verified by you.
3. Always be aware of your target, and what is behind it.
4. Never place your finger inside the trigger guard unless actually engaging a target.
5. All commands by the Range Safety Office must be obeyed at once.
6. Muzzle must always point downrange.
7. Muzzle must always point below top of backstop.
8. Eye protection and flame-resistant gloves are required forward of the red safety line.
9. No smoking or open flames forward of the red safety line.