Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/07/05
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Good Show, Larry! And kudos to your HOA for a sensible but democratic solution to noise and air pollution from fireworks. I spent 10 years in the US Marines and know all I want to know about bang-bang smokey stuff. Especially the kind with real projectiles. We live a Seattle suburb near the border with King County where yahoos still start blasting off m-80's a week before, and the rest of their neighbors join in a crescendo of mind numbing racket until after midnight on the 4th. I have very strong doubts that "Patriotism" overshadows alcohol. It's all about buying illegal fireworks on Native American Reservations and showing their neighbors how cool and daring they are. Each year, we (and most dog owners we know) have to sedate our border collies, close all doors and windows and crank up the TV or FM until past midnight, staying close to our shivering dogs. What a great way to spend the evening. I don't fault the Native Americans for selling fireworks; it's their land and lord knows they need the money. But it really disturbs me that Taiwanese and Chinese manufacturers make hundreds of millions of US dollars while we blow off fingers, start range fires, create a huge racket and pollute the air. I wonder, is this the "American Way"?. Wish we could have joined you on the water yesterday. What a treat! Thanks for the great shots Bob Bob Shaw rsphotoimages at comcast.net On Jul 5, 2010, at 10:25 AM, Lawrence Zeitlin wrote: > One of the founding fathers, Samuel Adams, I believe, suggested that the > U.S. Declaration of Independence be celebrated by bonfires and > illuminations. Somehow that advice got mutated into gigantic fireworks > displays put on by large merchants and governmental agencies. Fireworks are > deemed too dangerous for the average citizen although gun ownership is > permitted in most states and the Supreme Court has just reaffirmed the > validity of the Constitution's Second Amendment guaranteeing the right to > bear arms. > > > Our local homeowners association has sidestepped the issue. Instead of > fireworks we have a 4th of July boat regatta on our 5 acre lake. Rowboats, > canoes and dinghies are decorated with a patriotic motif and rowed in a > procession. The winner, as judged by the onlookers, receives a case of > Samuel Adams beer as befitting the occasion. > > > I painted my dinghy for the occasion. I'll have to repaint in battleship > grey before I take it down to the marina. > > > The Patriotic dinghy as painted. > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Patriotic+dinghy+3.jpg.html > > > First trial run. > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Patriotic+dinghy+1.jpg.html > > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Patriotic+dinghy+2.jpg.html > > > Don't mind that bearded man rowing the dinghy. My children were only too > happy to inform me that the country is less than three times as old as I > am. > > > The entire details of the occasion were captured here: > > http://norwegianbachelorfarmers.com/lakewoodrock/wall/ > > > The beer was delicious and a good time was had by all, even without > fireworks. > > > Larry Z > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information