You must have a magical fireplace, because mine kicks in a good bit of smoke fairly frequently.
My church used to burn incense, and sometimes it was so strong I felt half sick.
Your half credit on the grilling is due to fact that it is indeed usually done outside. However, I also cook inside, and some foods are quite smoky, and the exhaust fans remove about half of the smoke.
I dont know. Maybe the fireplace in the home I go to is just taken care of? Considering its around 15 years old, I can't imagine it being *that* magical.
I agree that burning incense is silly. I never got sick off of it but I've definitely gotten in a coughing fit from those "scented candles" women seem to gush over.
I cook inside too, but I have to say usually food smoking isn't a good thing. A steak smoking up doesn't mean "great job!" Usually when your food is creating the smoke it means something is wrong with what you're doing. Besides pouring wine into a pan to watch it burn. Though then again that doesn't really smoke. :hmm:
And lets try not to get too off topic. Its not the flames that are harmful. It's whatever chemicals are being released into the air from the rapid oxidation. Incense does produce wood smoke though I think its the incense particles itself that get to some people. But the chemicals in cigarette smoke, marijuana smoke, crack smoke, etc., etc., are well-known and documented to be poisonous and hazardous to the health of anyone, young or old. As long as there is freedom of choice for all parties, I don't care about people doing any of these things. As soon as you endanger some other non-consenual party (child in a home with constant smoking, drunk driving, doing drugs which drastically alter state of mind in public and therefore put everyone else along with yourself at risk), your freedom to do so needs to be curbed because no-one should be allowed to force another person to have known toxic substances put into their body.