Not With a Bang

For the first time in years, we have no fireworks with which to celebrate Bonfire Night on its 400th anniversary. I did try but when I popped into the local newsagent, they had completely sold out.

I suspect that this is because the nearest supermarket, Morrisons, doesn't sell fireworks, whether on ethical or commercial grounds I'm not sure, while last year, as Safeway, it sold masses of them.

So I've been reduced to watching other people's pyrotechnics out of the window and creating my own at CyberFireworks.com, as illustrated.

Actually, I'm not totally sure that Bonfire Night should be allowed by law any more. Surely it glorifies an act of terorism, albeit a failed one? Allan Beswick ponders this in the Metro, not to mention George Best.

I managed to miss both the ITV and BBC documentaries on the Gunpowder Plot, but by all accounts it might have worked had not the opening of Parliament not been postponed for a month because of the remnants of the plague and so the gunpowder went past its boom by date.

Still it's good to know that The Gunpowder Plot Society is keeping the debate alive. And of course there's good old Guido keeping us entertained.