Secrets of the City

Watch the fireworks on the Riverfront from the grounds of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. (The Bank holds a drawing every year for a limited number of workers to be able to do it; I won the drawing this year)

It was the 3rd of July and the weather was fine…

Ed brought the hotdogs; the croquet set was mine…

I am told that Logan Pond in Jordan is a great place to see fireworks from all sides.

I may try the top of Farview Park this year though, myself.

But the red ball was missing and three mallots were bent…

I usually watch the SLP fireworks from my front yard, but this year I’ll be hanging with a friend in Nokomis.

Walk around St. Anthony Main. There is a little doings there every year. Maybe put some water treatment on a couple wooden outdoor chairs. Unless I can see fireworks from the upstairs window I don’t bother. Don’t care to fight the crowds and wait, and wait, and wait.

But I’ll fight the crowds at the Twins game tonight.

Ed suggested lawn darts, so to Kmart we went.

Just like every 4th since meeting my wife, we are going to the Avon area to my wife’s grandparents’ cabin for their big family bash.

I make it sound like a chore, but even as a not-big-on-family person, this particular get-together is full of win. The big preface on it this year is just to avoid conversation about A Prairie Home Companion and the big event there this year.

I am also going up to Avon for “the event that must not be named.” I am good friends with the cast and crew of the show so I am going up for the night

We looked by the yard games, we looked by the grills…

@cjc Are you being ironic?

Might go to Home Depot and buy a flag;

None of our neighbors put up a flag

but one. And he’s Dutch.

Gotta nice pole. The flag flies often.

But we couldn’t find lawn darts come high water or hills.

@cjc: I thought lawn darts were banned. One too many idiots spoiled the fun for the rest of us.

We play bocce. Bocce courts at Beltrami Park.

So we talked to the sales clerk, but she started to cry…

She said they’re off the shelves now and then she told us both why.

Heading to St. Peter for the parade and celebration in the park. Then fireworks somewhere in Minneapolis.

I’ll probably go up to the parking ramp and watch fireworks, it’s high up so a lot can be seen.

A kid was pegged in the head with a lawn dart.
Her dad didn’t see her;
That’s the worst part.
She was pegged in the head with a lawn dart,
So they’re now off the shelves at the Kmart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc1G8pMe5dk

The Third is a good day for me. It’s the day I adopted my most affection cat, Torii, and it’s the day my niece was born. It’s also the day it stops raining in my book about the 22 year rain delay. So the Third might be more of a personal holiday. Spent the morning doing yard work. We’re going to Red Stag later and maybe the Twins game. Tomorrow we’re just lazing around the house.

I’ll be at Deephaven Beach with my peeps watching the fireworks from many municipalities.

In other news Morton’s closed today. A couple other locations in Detroit and suburban Chicago closed this week too. They should have moved above ground when they had the chance.

That’s too bad. I’ve eaten there.Good steak and wines.

But it’s so expensive I’d never consider it if I actually had to pay for it.

Anybody know of a good bakery where I can get donuts tomorrow morning in south?

kwatt, Baker’s Wife or Mel-O-Glaze are both in the Nokomis area. Or the Franklin Bakery.

I’m watching teevee. And sleeping. And reading.

Bakers Wife is soooooo good.

No doubt, kc. Thinking about going tomorrow.

Thanks. I decided to go to Salty Tart, which really isn’t a bakery but had what I needed.

Peace.

Fine, be that way, Kev.

YOU DON’T CONTROL MY LIFE, ALIECAT!

Go shave your legs.

Shows what you know Kevs, I control everything…

@aliecat: Can you do something, then, about the decibel level in my neighborhood tonight?

Prospect Park in Minneapolis is always a good spot for fireworks.

I had a great view of what at its height was more than a dozen shows, not counting the constant fireworks shot off in the neighborhood. It was solid from about 9:30 until midnight. As a fireworks lover, I’d have to say last night was the best fireworks night of my life.

Apparently the fireworks resulted in reduced air quality today. That simple story in the Star Tribune resulted in 10 pages of comments by reactionary fatheads who think the liberals are going to take away their boom boom sticks because they hate freedom.

Wouldn’t put it past ‘em. They went after cigarettes, they’re going after cars and trucks, utilities.

kurtis, I’ll bet that guy in North St. Paul was having a stroke last night.

Sat up and watched the fireworks over the river from St. Anthony Park. Then went over to some neighbors for a smaller (legal) exhibition. They gave off a great smell.

They just said: Avoid outdoor exertion.

Probably not a big problem with this group. They all Slept One Off today.

Went to North Dakota to visit the brother-in-law.

“That simple story in the Star Tribune resulted in 10 pages of comments by reactionary fatheads who think the liberals are going to take away their boom boom sticks because they hate freedom.”

A little taste of the type of nonsense I hear all the time, kurtis.

The air pollution issue is a real problem in Hawaii, were the use of fireworks to celebrate all sorts of hilidays (including New Years Eve) is more common than it is here. The Lung Association of Hawaii has to issue regular warnings. They also caution people about high “vog” days — air pollution from the local volcanos. Must be an interesting place to live…

I’d be curious to see what percentage of those reactionary fat heads support the government telling us who we can f*ck and marry. I’d bet a majority of them.

Neither party, nor liberal or conservative has monopoly on “restricting freedom.”

True that, mnblrmkr.

Commies are now controlling our air pollution? Good Lord.

Speaking of wtf?

does it seem far-fetched to believe fireworks might be next on the clean-air folks hitlist? fireworks are completely unnecessary and pollute the air. in these dire economic and environmental times giant firework shows seem frivolous and irresponsible, actually.

does it seem far-fetched to believe fireworks might be next on the clean-air folks hitlist?

I don’t know. Does anyone know one of those clean-air folks? We could ask them.

in these dire economic and environmental times giant firework shows seem frivolous and irresponsible, actually.

It’s not the municipal fireworks that caused the smoke. In my neighborhood, Saturday night, the smoke was caused by all the neighbors setting off their personal ‘works. Some were quite bedazzling.

But, really, make everyone’s life a total bore “in these dire economic times?” I think not.

I blame Founding Papa John Adams:

“I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more..”

Of course, the day he is talking about is July 2, the day the Declaraion was approved in a private, closed-door session.

Oh, noes!  We’re doing it wrong!

I’m picking up what you’re putting down, Nood.

July 4th is once a year for chrissakes.

And it’s the annual gathering of the Irish clan to get drunk, say horribly inappropriate things, and blow shite up.

Oh wait, that’s every weekend.

Nevermind.

Fireworks

Avoiding air pollution from fireworks despite recent legislation on New Year’s Eve in Hawaii may be like trying to stay dry while swimming; however, the American Lung Association in Hawaii (ALAH) has suggestions to keep your lungs safe from harm.

Hawaii residents should prepare for the annual air pollution assault by giving their lungs a healthy “tune-up” in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

On the big night, stay indoors and close your windows and doors. Avoid physical exertion and get plenty of rest. Use a mask designed to filter particulate matter. Check with medical supply companies and Straub Hospital. If breathing is exacerbated with a mask, discontinue use.

It is important to pay attention to lung health not only on New Year’s Eve but also for days afterwards. Particulate pollution in the air can linger and can trigger reactions from coughing and wheezing to heart attacks.

http://www.ala-hawaii.org/airquality.asp

The article The Rat links to is a good example of how the American Lung Association deals with local issues. In Hawai’i, air pollution from fireworks are a big deal for the local ALA. Here, not so much. Here, we talk about biodiesel and E85 a lot. In Hawai’i, they focus on other issues. We got a big tent.

But, really, make everyone’s life a total bore “in these dire economic times?” I think not.

cities from cocoa beach, FL to flint, MI have been cancelling firework shows due to the cost.  how many minnesota children went to bed hungry saturday night so you wouldn’t be ‘bored’?

I think it’s a bit hyperbolic to say that we either have fireworks or life is a total bore. Life isn’t that boring without them, and it’s not that interesting with them.

Really, it’s just this. Lots of things that are fun have consequences on other people. Like it or not, they do. Getting drunk and driving 120 mph is probably a blast. Urinating off of overpasses onto the cars below is probably amusing to some people. As a society, we constantly decide that some “freedoms” must be curtailed because they affect other people’s quality of life. Fireworks, smoking, or any of these other examples have a more long-term effect, but they do, in fact, affect people’s health and well being and their quality of life. Hating the “nanny state” doesn’t make those problems go away. Hating the newspaper for acknowledging the consequences doesn’t make those problems go away, either.

It’s time for some people to attain an emotional age over ten and stop just seeing the world in terms of “they say I can’t” and “But I wanna.”

@kurtis: If there had been any amount of wind or breeze Saturday evening, it would’ve kept the air clear. So there’s that consideration, too.

As it was, I didn’t notice anything until I went outdoors after 11:00 p.m. If I hadn’t been planning on going somewhere at that hour, I wouldn’t have noticed anything unusual — smoke-wise, at least.

It’s time for some people to attain an emotional age over ten and stop just seeing the world in terms of “they say I can’t” and “But I wanna.”

That can cover a lot of other territory, too; not just fireworks.

Why do you hate freedom, kurtis?

(grin)

cities from cocoa beach, FL to flint, MI have been cancelling firework shows due to the cost. how many minnesota children went to bed hungry saturday night so you wouldn’t be ‘bored’?

I very much doubt anyone one went to bed hungry Saturday because a municipality set off fireworks. The last time I checked, municipalities were not responsible for funding food stamps, ETB, WIC and other social welfare programs.

kurtis, is it safe to say then that you are in favor of potentially outlawing fireworks, bonfires, maybe even grilling out w/charcoal? These all produce some amount of particulates.

No, it’s not “safe to say” that, because I didn’t say anything like that.

just a little shout-out to gov’t regulation then?

@baker: He just wants people to grow up.

But where’s the fun in that?!

It’s not about “government control,” it’s about air. What do you want to do about the air? Just hope that we evolve into something that breathes air pollution?

I’m less worried about firework induced air pollution than some asshole shooting into a crowd for shooting off a bunch of roman candles.

What specifically about “the air” concerns you, Kurtis?

Don’t you think we’re a little better off from the days when cars burned leaded gas, and homes burned coal?

Humans didn’t have to evolve then. Are we more stressed as a species now?

We’ve been breathing smoke from the first days of cave dwelling. (How do you think they kept the fires going during a downpour except by keeping the fire lit INSIDE the cave?)

I wasn’t bothered physiologically so much as I was astounded by the volume. I attributed much of that, though, to the atmospheric conditions that night. Like I said before, it would not have been as noticeable — if at all — had there been a breeze.

Slow down there, Ratty. One question at a time.

The air. Yes, but didn’t intrusive freedom-hating government bureaucracies have something to do with that? All living things are always evolving. I know I am.

Can someone point out where the US Constitution guarantees one the right to BLack Cats, Ladyfingers, and other assorted firecrackers?

How do you think they kept the fires going during a downpour except by keeping the fire lit INSIDE the cave?

Do you suppose that nobody died of carbon monoxide poisoning? There are reasons their life expectancy was about 25.

I think this is a handled-by-the-states sort of issue.

Fireworks, that is.

And there were Sabretooths, Kurtis. Don’t forget the Sabreteef.

ok, where in the Minnesota Constitution is the right to fireworks?

seriously?

seriously?

It was a combination of things, Alie. Predators, indoor fires, germs, axe fights, lava pits, food scarcity. If it wasn’t for nearly constant sexual conquest, none of us would be here.

Baker is getting seriously repetitive.

“where in the Minnesota Constitution is the right to fireworks?”

I have neither the time or the inclination to find out.

I skimmed through it rat. Guess what, it’s not in there.

Well, we could do as the Argentinians do and just shoot guns in the air.

AMERICA! FUCK YEAH!

Do you suppose that nobody died of carbon monoxide poisoning? There are reasons their life expectancy was about 25.

[Channeling Michele Bachmann] I think dinosaurs posed a bigger, more dangerous, and more frequent threat, don’t you? Grrrrrrrrowwwl.

“I skimmed through it rat. Guess what, it’s not in there.”

I would assume since there is nothing in there that says you have the right to fireworks, there’s nothing in there says you don’t, either.

Which pretty much means that the legislature has the authority to regulate it based on the desires of their constituents.

Not specifically mentioning something in a constitution does not equal the constitutional right to something.