This article in the Iowa City Press-Citizen reminds me: what's with all the panic about candles? I understand they've caused fires. But now I've seen pamphelets, news stories, and such warning strongly against ever using them for utilitarian purposes - i.e. when the power goes out - because candles "are inherently dangerous." Am I missing something, or did we just learn how to use electrical wiring within the last 150 years or so? Before that, did we not use various forms of fire for light and warmth? And yet, we somehow managed not to Darwin ourselves out of existance during those several thousand years.
Okay, so I'm making up verbs again. You get the point: since when did we decide that open flame is suddenly too dangerous and complex for the average person to use? Are we really getting to the point where toilet seats require "No Swimming" labels to prevent litigation?
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