President Trump Abroad. Fireworks Replace Penny for the Guy.

November 2016 fireworks

President Trump has embarked on a thirteen day tour of Asia, with stops in Hawaii, Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. The main objective will be to present a unified message on the threat posed by North Korea, which is working to have an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), tipped with a nuclear warhead, that can reach the US mainland.

CNN quotes Joseph DeThomas, a 30-year veteran of the US Foreign Service and expert in nuclear nonproliferation, "It's the first time in my life -- having served every president since Jimmy Carter -- that I'm saying, 'Oh, please don't let the President go. I don't see a lot of good coming out of this and I see lots of risk of an unfiltered comment generating lots of consequences."

We might be pleasantly surprised.

Yet this is all way down the news headlines, with the states being more interested in the Russia inquiry and negative comments by both Presidents Bush on Trump.

Fireworks were going off at irregular intervals this evening, it being Bonfire Night. Originally it was a compulsory celebratory day enshrined by the  'Observance of 5th November Act', to commemorate James I protection from the unsuccessful attempt to blow up the King and Parliament by catholic conspirators in 1605. It was also a sectarian event, pro the protestant Royalty and against Catholics. After a while effigies of the pope were burnt at the event. Over time, this changed into burning effigies of Guy Fawkes, with the name Guy Fawkes day taking over. I still remember Guys being made and wheeled around with a traditional cry of 'Penny for the Guy!' just over 25 years ago in Cambridge, to be burnt on the traditional bonfire. We also used to repeat the rhyme as children:

"Remember, Remember,
The 5th of November
Of gunpowder, treason and plot"

Fireworks became a feature of Bonfire nights by the 17th century, were banned for fear of setting London alight, and then came back into use. Nowadays, the event has turned into 'Fireworks Night' with the bonfire signalling the end of what are now mainly large. public events in villages and towns.

Our pets and wildlife in general do not enjoy the noisy fireworks. We know that they will occur on a certain day, over a set evening or series of nights on or around the 5th November. So although there is an initial reaction to the first bang, most of us do not feel fear as we know what the noise is. Animals lack this knowledge and for them, the loud bangs initiate a startled response and a flight reaction. Add to this, that both cats and dogs have a more sensitive hearing than humans, over wider range of sound frequencies. Firework bangs, screeches and whistles must grate on their ears far more than on ours.  There does seem to be some genetic variation in how dogs react, with hunting breeds like Great Danes and Springer spaniels being less affected than others.

Spare a thought for the wildlife, both mammals and birds, outside the shelter and sound proofing of our homes. Studies have shown that fireworks create  anxiety and stress in wildlife, generating panicked flight in birds or deer, for example. The effects persist beyond the actual firework event.