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The Most Dangerous Fireworks Aren't Always the Biggest

The 4th of July is here and that means fun and fireworks. Fireworks shows are notoriously expensive to put on so hosting one in your backyard can be a real treat and a great way to entertain family and guests over the holiday weekend. Unfortunately fireworks can also be quite dangerous, with the potential for accidents and injuries ranging from minor cuts and scrapes to life threatening burns or worse. According to the CDC 7,000 people went to the ER for fireworks related injuries in 2008 over the 4th of July, and 7 people were killed.

So which fireworks are the most dangerous? It's not always the biggest, baddest, and most expensive ones that pose a serious health risk. Here are the top three most dangerous types of fireworks.

#1 Firecrackers (900 injuries in 2008) Potential for them to explode at close range and injure eyes, face, or hands.

#2 Sparklers (800 injuries in 2008) High risk for burning skin or igniting clothing because they're hand held and burn at over 1,000ºF.

#3 Rockets (300 injuries in 2008) Can fly into the eyes and face with great force.

Statistics show that setting up and using fireworks is much more dangerous than being a bystander, and young males under the age of 20 are most likely to get hurt. But there are exceptions to every rule and in reality anyone near the fireworks is at risk. Being careful, cautious, and responsible with fireworks can go a long way towards keeping everybody safe, but according to the CDC the only way to really prevent accidents is to hire trained professionals. And why not? You'll get a bigger, better show with less hassle and no worries about setup, take-down, and what's legal or illegal. Have a safe and happy holiday.

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Does Expensive Wine Really Taste Better?

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Does expensive wine really taste better? Yes, no, and sometimes.

Yes.
Many of the most expensive wines command a high market price because they belong to a popular or rare vintage, come from a winery with an outstanding reputation, and/or are genuinely very good and enjoyed by the majority of people. But expensive wines are also often preferred for another reason: a study by the California Institute of Technology found that people appreciate the same wine more when they think it's expensive. Brain scans found that drinking wine with a high price sends extra blood and oxygen to the pleasure centers of the brain, meaning that price can influence flavor in a very real way.

No.
Things are different when the price of the wine isn't factored in. Another set of research found that in blind tastings where the prices weren't known to test subjects the difference between wine price and overall rating was "small and negative," meaning that most people didn't get more enjoyment from expensive wines unless they knew they were expensive. When all things were equal the cheap wine tasted just as good as the pricey stuff. One exception was trained wine experts, who tended to prefer expensive wines even when they didn't know the cost.

Sometimes.
Expensive, cheap, when it comes to wine there are no rules and both have the potential to be very good. Whether you opt for expensive or not is more about personal preference, the individual wine, and having an open mind when it comes to stereotypes in the industry.

What do you think?

Does expensive wine taste better?
Yes, price reflects quality in the wine market.	44 (10.0%)
No, pricing is a business strategy and does not necessarily reflect a wine's quality.	141 (31.9%)
It depends, each wine is different.	257 (58.1%)

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