The following was sitting in my inbox when I got back from class:
“To All Concerned:
A contractor will be burning the prairie grasses surrounding the lagoon beginning at 1:00 p.m. today, April 17, 2002. This is an annual maintenance procedure administered by Facilities Management. While this procedure will produce some smoke, there is no need for concern. The contractor and Evanston Fire Department are aware of this burn and will be monitoring it closely. Thank you for your cooperation.”
My question is what happens if the fire gets out of control? Are we still supposed to be wondrously unconcerned, staring out as Tech goes up in flames? Wait, that wouldn’t be too bad an idea…
Seriously though, the people who came up with this might want to look into the story of the Lanesboro, Minnesota fire cheif who deliberately set a building near his ex-girlfriend’s apartment on fire in order to come in and rescue her and thereby be a big hero and win her back. Of course, the fire got completely out of control and burned down a significant chunk of Lanesboro’s downtown, and he got busted for arson. The moral of the story: Even fires set with the best of intentions can get out of control.
Besides, I think most of the students probably assume that any large amounts of smoke being blown around the Lagoon are created by the administration.