Andy Noel strikes again...

No, not really. But honestly, aren't any traditions sacred?

The annual Dragon Day parade, a rite of spring at Cornell, returns March 13, but with a major difference. Instead of the dragon disappearing in an orgy of flames and smoke on the Arts Quad, a facsimile of the beast -- free of noxious paint, glue and other materials -- will go up in smoke while the actual, student-built dragon sits on the sidelines.

The reason: environmental safety. Dan Maas, emergency response and events manager with Cornell Environmental Health and Safety, says that this year only approved materials will be set ablaze. State Department of Environmental Conservation regulations will only allow wood and agricultural products to be burned, he said. Revelers should not add costumes, props or other materials to the fire, Maas said.

[www.news.cornell.edu]

Is political correctness a tradition?

Tom Tone
No, not really. But honestly, aren't any traditions sacred?

The annual Dragon Day parade, a rite of spring at Cornell, returns March 13, but with a major difference. Instead of the dragon disappearing in an orgy of flames and smoke on the Arts Quad, a facsimile of the beast -- free of noxious paint, glue and other materials -- will go up in smoke while the actual, student-built dragon sits on the sidelines.

The reason: environmental safety. Dan Maas, emergency response and events manager with Cornell Environmental Health and Safety, says that this year only approved materials will be set ablaze. State Department of Environmental Conservation regulations will only allow wood and agricultural products to be burned, he said. Revelers should not add costumes, props or other materials to the fire, Maas said.

[www.news.cornell.edu]

Seems like something that would happen in Ithaca. Ithaca types will suck the fun out of anything in the name of the environment.

I'm as greentard as the next guy -- a good deal more than most, actually. But even I think that's pretty ridiculous.

That's dumb.

How can you possibly blame this decision on Cornell when it is a state regulation that is being enforced? It is just too bad no one told the architects in advance. It will provide them a nice challenge next year to design a genuine green dragon so it can be burned for real.

Bring back the great snowball fight of '01!

dag14
How can you possibly blame this decision on Cornell when it is a state regulation that is being enforced? It is just too bad no one told the architects in advance. It will provide them a nice challenge next year to design a genuine green dragon so it can be burned for real.

Well, that depends. Are the regulations new? If not, was Cornell recently informed that they will be enforced in relation to Dragon Day thus exposing Cornell to fines or whatever the consequences are? If either is the case then we should put the blame on David Patterson and the lunatics in Albany. Or it could simply be some overly enthusiastic green at Cornell deciding that we need to follow these rules now.

I'd be hesitant to blame Mr. Mass; he seems to be a big fan of Dragon Day based on this website I googled up: [www.people.cornell.edu]

Regardless, the rule is silly in the context of Dragon Day. It's a one time, controlled burning that shouldn't pose any significant health or environmental risk. As usual well meanign regulations end up ruinging (or at least limiting) the fun for everyone.

And don't throw any fish in the fire, either.

My understanding was that the change wasn't the administration's fault. I don't think it had too significant of an effect. Everything was the same, with the actual dragon being brought into the middle of the arts quad, except they took it back to Rand after a few minutes and burned the other thing instead.