Fireworks are a perfect illustration of the phrase “watching my money go up in smoke.” I think they’re fine in a public display where you can see the really amazing ones that have to be set off by professionals. Granted that one must be either intent of mischief or totally clueless to do any real damage with the relatively tepid version of fireworks on sale to the general public. Nonetheless, the idea that anything filled with gun powder that goes bang and emits flames is “safe” is a stretch for me. And in this tinder dry climate – when a lit cigarette carelessly tossed from a car window can ignite a grassfire – I think anything that involves playing with matches is asking for trouble.