[dsenette]

as I'm sure everyone knows, tomorrow is the 4th of July....most places it's just another day in another month but in the U.S. it's Independance Day which marks the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring U.S. independence from Great Britain. It's a time most often celebrated with fireworks displays and parades in some places (along with copious amounts of grilling and imbibing of "adult beverages").

so what are YOU doing tomorrow to celebrate the occasion?

I plan of following our most recent tradition (of the past 3 or so years) of going to our friends' house out on the outskirts of town (surprisingly in the middle of one of the richest, hoitiest, toitiest areas around Knoxville) for an obscene amount of deviled eggs, hamburgers, hot dogs, and possibly a brew or two (think I'm gonna pick up some Old Speckled Hen from the world market....mmmm).

But being the EXTREME pyromaniac that i am, the main attraction will be the fireworks display that me and my friend let loose on the neighborhood...we're USUALLY pretty safe...but on occasion things happen...

2 years ago we had two catastrophic failures....

the first one involved a "mortar" type firework being put into the wrong sized launch tube by someone ( )...if you've never fired this type of firework...it's basically a ball (or canister) filled with gunpowder and effects type deals with a "launch" charge on the bottom of the ball with a fuse...you drop this ball into a cardboard tube, light the fuse and get back...the launch charge ignites (sounding like a cannon) and sends the ball with the effects soaring into the sky, at which point that ball explodes and spreads out the little stars (that are burning about the same temperature as the sun) in the sky....well if you put one of these things in a launch tube that's too large...the launch charge can't build up enough pressure behind the effects ball to launch it into the sky so it stays in the tube (and mocks you by calling your mother names) until it explodes showering the yard (including an 11 year old 3 drunk girls 4 drunk dudes and a pregnant lady) with burning hot balls of metal...extremely entertaining for me....everyone else finished watching the show from inside

the second failure was NOT my fault...we've got a favorite firework....the Texas rattlesnake (if you see one of these in your local fireworks store...get 12...they're awesome)...this is one of those "brick" style fireworks that has a bunch of little tubes with self contained non re loadable mortar type charges in each tube, and it's fused in such a way that these launches are all timed very well so it puts on a really nice show...well my friend put one of these on top of one that we had already shot earlier (not a good idea) so when it fired it tipped over...of course by all laws of the "idiots with fireworks soon cause damage" principle it fell pointing towards the house (and everyone who had decided that it was safe enough to come back outside after the last snafu) and began to unleash it's fury upon us...now this thing's not a giant firework...but it's got a "program" (as the pros sometimes call it) that lasts for at least 40 seconds...so since this thing fell over after the first shot...we had approximately 35 seconds of "OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD" moments ahead of us...when the onslaught finally finished we looked over to see one of our (particularly inebriated) friends sitting in a lawn chair...he apparently hadn't moved through the entire ordeal, with burning embers of death whizzing past his head... when questioned about his experience he could only say "That was real? i thought it was the whiskey"

that year consisted of approximately $175 to $200 worth of fireworks...this year we should have about $300....so...hopefully it should be good...and even more hopefully...I'll still have fingers to type with on Thursday

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I will be spending the day with close family having a cookout and relaxing. I am picking up my son for the day so that makes it more special than it already is. I am very patriotic and love the 4th.

We have our problems here but its a time to set that aside and realize that we have only been around for a couple hundered years as a country and already became the most or one of the most advanced nations.

Due to NY and their officials having their undies bunch, I may not see any fireworks because they are hard to find places that do them.

[jaxisland]

I will be spending the day with close family having a cookout and relaxing. I am picking up my son for the day so that makes it more special than it already is. I am very patriotic and love the 4th.

We have our problems here but its a time to set that aside and realize that we have only been around for a couple hundered years as a country and already became the most or one of the most advanced nations.

Due to NY and their officials having their undies bunch, I may not see any fireworks because they are hard to find places that do them.

[Kat]

I just found out I don't have to work tomorrow after all! Not sure what we'll be doing. We celebrated over the weekend, thinking I was going to have to work. I think I might just sleep in a bit, then spend a lazy day online!

[admin]

I'll be leaving for the father-in-laws lake place in a few hours to meet my wife and daughter (they'll be there all week). His brother is nearby, and one of his sons gets homemade mortar type fireworks from a friend. It's always a surprise when the ground rumbles the first time one is launched. Awesome show! A few cabins down, another neighbor has a HUGE show that lasts a couple of nights. I would guess he spends ~$2,000 year on over-the-counter fireworks. The shelves of his garage look like a fireworks stand. They are lined with hundreds of fireworks. The 4th of July on any lake shore is pretty cool, as you can look across the lake and view many simultaneous shows, reflected on the water.

Let's not forget about the men and women of the armed services that have allowed us to remain free. Both those that have served, and those now serving in current conflicts.

[**Brian**]

as I'm sure everyone knows, tomorrow is the 4th of July....most places it's just another day in another month but in the U.S. it's Independance Day which marks the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring U.S. independence from Great Britain. It's a time most often celebrated with fireworks displays and parades in some places (along with copious amounts of grilling and imbibing of "adult beverages").

so what are YOU doing tomorrow to celebrate the occasion?

I plan of following our most recent tradition (of the past 3 or so years) of going to our friends' house out on the outskirts of town (surprisingly in the middle of one of the richest, hoitiest, toitiest areas around Knoxville) for an obscene amount of deviled eggs, hamburgers, hot dogs, and possibly a brew or two (think I'm gonna pick up some [URL=http://www.oldspeckledhen.co.uk/[/url] from the world market....mmmm).

But being the EXTREME pyromaniac that i am, the main attraction will be the fireworks display that me and my friend let loose on the neighborhood...we're USUALLY pretty safe...but on occasion things happen...

2 years ago we had two catastrophic failures....

the first one involved a "mortar" type firework being put into the wrong sized launch tube by someone ( )...if you've never fired this type of firework...it's basically a ball (or canister) filled with gunpowder and effects type deals with a "launch" charge on the bottom of the ball with a fuse...you drop this ball into a cardboard tube, light the fuse and get back...the launch charge ignites (sounding like a cannon) and sends the ball with the effects soaring into the sky, at which point that ball explodes and spreads out the little stars (that are burning about the same temperature as the sun) in the sky....well if you put one of these things in a launch tube that's too large...the launch charge can't build up enough pressure behind the effects ball to launch it into the sky so it stays in the tube (and mocks you by calling your mother names) until it explodes showering the yard (including an 11 year old 3 drunk girls 4 drunk dudes and a pregnant lady) with burning hot balls of metal...extremely entertaining for me....everyone else finished watching the show from inside

the second failure was NOT my fault...we've got a favorite firework....the Texas rattlesnake (if you see one of these in your local fireworks store...get 12...they're awesome)...this is one of those "brick" style fireworks that has a bunch of little tubes with self contained non re loadable mortar type charges in each tube, and it's fused in such a way that these launches are all timed very well so it puts on a really nice show...well my friend put one of these on top of one that we had already shot earlier (not a good idea) so when it fired it tipped over...of course by all laws of the "idiots with fireworks soon cause damage" principle it fell pointing towards the house (and everyone who had decided that it was safe enough to come back outside after the last snafu) and began to unleash it's fury upon us...now this thing's not a giant firework...but it's got a "program" (as the pros sometimes call it) that lasts for at least 40 seconds...so since this thing fell over after the first shot...we had approximately 35 seconds of "OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD" moments ahead of us...when the onslaught finally finished we looked over to see one of our (particularly inebriated) friends sitting in a lawn chair...he apparently hadn't moved through the entire ordeal, with burning embers of death whizzing past his head... when questioned about his experience he could only say "That was real? i thought it was the whiskey"

that year consisted of approximately $175 to $200 worth of fireworks...this year we should have about $300....so...hopefully it should be good...and even more hopefully...I'll still have fingers to type with on Thursday

The 4th is my Grandmother Baker's Birthday We had celebrated her Birthday and gotten together as a family around this occaision. Now, for the last 3 years, we get together with my Grandfather, My Dad, My Stepmom and other Family members - Grammy is in the nursing home with Alzheimers, so we don't celebrate her Birthday anymore.....she would not remember us

This year, I think I am gonna get a chance to go boating and do fun things on the water - I love to swim and have fun and enjoy the time together - I talked to my brother last night, and it seems we eill be getting together and having some fun - and when we do this, its a blast Not sure what else will happen, but we will take it from there


Examples like this relating to fireworks UNDERSCORE the REASON that they are illegal in some states, and that is why shows should be done by professionals, and in many areas, fireworks are illegal. They can also be dangerous as the Monkey has described so vividly. I have played with sparklers and had my parents light off a bunch of the little ones which go "POP" or make loud noises as they go up in the air, but when we do this, we make sure that the area is clear, and we do not use professional fireworks, or point them at houses and cause damage :omg: I have a friend of mine who played a joke on me that did not hurt me, but scared the heck out of me when we were having a bonfire one day. It was fall, and I had surgury to fix my legs and my groin muscles were also released, which helped me to walk better. The doctor reminded me that my legs were BROKEN at the hips. and pinned in position, and that if I wanted to go somewhere, there was a way that I was to be moved. I was placed in a lounge chair away from the fire, and then we were cooking hot dogs and marshmallows. Well, my buddy had a bunch of firecrackers - and as a joke, told my stepdad that he was gonna light 'em and place them RIGHT under my chair - he did this, and all the sudden I started JUMPING like mad, and everyone started laughing at me, but I didnt think it was funny at first because I thought my jumping and reaction would hurt my legs or cause problems. It didn't but I could NOT get up, and I could NOT move to get away from this onslaught - my stepdad then got in on it, and they kept throwing firecrackers under my chair at random, grinning like cheshercats and running like mad everytime so I could NOT see who did it

Ahhhh...the good old days hehehehe

Brian

[**Brian**]

Let's not forget about the men and women of the armed services that have allowed us to remain free. Both those that have served, and those now serving in current conflicts.

Cool Blair:

As you can see by My Avatar, I support troops in my own little way: My Father, my Grandmother and several Uncles are Navy Vets - My Grandfather is an Army Vet, and my Brother Daniel is a BM2 with the US Coast Guard Reserve, serving Burlington VT (CG Station Burlington) on Lake Champlain. I will NEVER forget what they have done to make sure that I am safe, and FREE, and I will support the TROOPS until they return HOME:)

As they say in the Coast Guard: "Semper Paratus": Always Ready

Brian

[frantique]

Hey guys .... happy 4th of July from Oz

[MoNsTeReNeRgY22]

I am going over to a good friends where we go every year! It is a huge block party with food, beverages, a pool, ping pong, fireworks, and the whole nine yards!!! Can't wait its always a big blast!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

[james_8970]

Wish all you Americans a safe and funfilled national holiday
Hope your national birthday was as good as mine (Canada's birthday was on the 1st).
James

Edited by james_8970, 03 July 2007 - 10:12 PM.

[harrythook]

But being the EXTREME pyromaniac that i am

Be Carefull, Monkeys do not last long with no fingers

Be safe all, enjoy the holiday.
Remember saftey first

All that said, the instructions on these Chinese fireworks I got here looks like some bad programming stuff. Lite the fuse and run is the rule.

PLEASE BE SAFE ALL

Happy 4th to all

H

[Zakilla]

Too bad iam in Germany right now so there wont be any fireworks for me this year

But for the rest of you have a Happy 4th of July!

Edited by Zakilla, 04 July 2007 - 06:42 AM.

[dsenette]

*dsenette still has all his fingers

unfortunately....there's a few less braincells than there were on tuesday

[BHowett]

*dsenette still has all his fingers

unfortunately....there's a few less braincells than there were on tuesday

Good to know you didn't lose any fingers.....

I hope everyone had a safe and fun 4th of July, I cooked steaks on the grill drank lots of beer and watched the fireworks on my 37" LCD TV in HD. it was almost like being there

[Kat]

unfortunately....there's a few less braincells than there were on tuesday

erm. That's not a good thing. Do that once or twice more, and you'll end up a drooling blob of wasted oxygen.

[BHowett]

That's not a good thing. Do that once or twice more, and you'll end up a drooling blob of wasted oxygen.

thats what my wife calls me now.....