You STILL can't fix stupid

At our regular Lions meeting last night we agreed to spend some £2,000 or so, all on very worthwhile projects.  Such as buying a specially built tricycle for a child suffering cerebral palsy and epilepsy (£1300), paying for books and equipment needed by a student vet from a disadvantaged background (I think that was it) - £300+, and giving our secretary authority to spend up to £200 on Christmas decorations for the wards at the children's hospital if necessary.  And we agreed to keep the van on the road for another year, paying road tax, MOT and servicing, possibly about a thousand all told.  But we need the van for preparations for our fireworks display.  Not that we are holding one this year, which means that last night we spent a good 10% of the money we currently have available with no plans for bringing in further substantial amounts until November next year!  We shall just have to come up with another brilliant wheeze to squeeze money out of people.

The local paper ran a piece about us looking for a new venue for our fireworks display this year as the usual venue - the county cricket ground - is unavailable due to relaying the outfield.   Several people added comments on the paper's website - some vaguely witty, some intended to be helpful (but weren't) and some just plain stupid.  The article had mentioned that we spend £10,000 on fireworks and that the profit we make from the display is usually in the region of £15,000.  It also mentioned that we needed a venue where the spectators could be 100 yards from the fireworks for pretty obvious reasons.  So, the suggestions:

• Have it at the Race Course - then everyone can see the fireworks.
• Have it on the beach - you could pass the hat round.
• Why spend £10,000 on fireworks?  Far better to give it to charity.

If you happen to pass by and see me banging my head on the wall, you will know why.  Meanwhile, here is a video of our display from a few years ago.