Have a good 4th of July and be safe

[Mister Bisley]

Well where at in sedro woolly will you be set up at .we are probably going out to the ISLAND .but never know things change .
The 4th is my birthday .the first one in a few years that I don't have to go to work lol.
So I don't really know what I'm doing yet

I knew there was something righteously patriotic about you

Happy bday @EPS!
Happy bday America!

 

[KKG]

For me; the best 4th would be a quiet one. The 4th of July, 1970 was one of the worst nights of my life. Some idiot out on the Green Line decided to fire off the belt in his M-60 into the air - a good direction - then another idiot joined him and another and another etc. etc. etc. Suddenly the red tracers were lighting up the whole sky. Then the green tracers got into the act. It wasn't long before people began running out of anything to shoot. I was able to supply some ammo to the Green Line but it made for a very tense few hours. It seems the Ammo Bunker OIC had taken off to party with the Keys. It took some time to break into the Bunker and get the Stocks back to a Basic Load. Not the Best 4th of July. Quiet is good.

 

[ob1]

While I have always enjoyed a little snap crackle pop during the Fourth, I think the enjoyment will be gone this year.

I'm still doing a slow burn over that little buzz-turd from Washington getting off with a slap on the hand for deliberately incinerating half of the Columbia Gorge last year with fireworks.

"Oh Johnny didn't mean to throw that smoke bomb down into that stand of trees" ​

 

[Andy54Hawken]

For me; the best 4th would be a quiet one. The 4th of July, 1970 was one of the worst nights of my life. Some idiot out on the Green Line decided to fire off the belt in his M-60 into the air - a good direction - then another idiot joined him and another and another etc. etc. etc. Suddenly the red tracers were lighting up the whole sky. Then the green tracers got into the act. It wasn't long before people began running out of anything to shoot. I was able to supply some ammo to the Green Line but it made for a very tense few hours. It seems the Ammo Bunker OIC had taken off to party with the Keys. It took some time to break into the Bunker and get the Stocks back to a Basic Load. Not the Best 4th of July. Quiet is good.

"Liked "...Not for the story...but the fact that I can relate...different war ( combat deployments ) and different places...but I totally get what you wrote here....
Andy

 

[KKG]

Thanks, Andy.

PS: We get the keys tomorrow.

 

[Member 34319]

I used to enjoy the 4th, the first two years we lived here North Plains had an actual fireworks show at the recycling plant, we could watch it from our front yard. They canceled it to lack of funds on year three, which was two years ago and haven't had one since.

Also, two years ago, I had a pretty stupid moment screwing around with fireworks. I ended up with a bunch of stitches on my face. Took parts of my nose and ear off. The scars aren't as bad as it looked that night, but I have a hard time wanting to participate in firework demonstrations since then. Especially since my nephew was only feet away as was the rest of my family, my face took the blast, but I could have seriously hurt people I love that night or killed them. I get reminded every morning looking in the mirror.

Take it from me.

Be safe.

 

[JRuby]

If we go out to the hayfield to watch fireworks. We can see off in the distance most of the firework displays from scappoose to Portland and Vancouver. The thing that gets me is all the illegal fireworks.. You can see where the displays are then you see all the one offs.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

atleast he hid behind a tree LOL


crazy

 

[KKG]

With all the illegal fireworks coming off all the Reservations it just adds to the nightmare. But the Tribes are of the mind set that a buck is a buck and if somebody gets hurt, so what.

 

[notazombie]

My wife's sister is here visiting with her kids. Her 12yo has been pouting for the last 2 days because I told him it wasn't okay to set off fireworks in the dry grass field just below my house. They can go home any time now.
Our little town does a 3rd of July celebration complete with a pretty good fireworks display. Hoping to be able to have a good view from my deck.

 

[malakajim]

While I can completely understand and respect the views of those who have served and for whom fireworks are not an enjoyable experience, I am a little bit at loss for words for others that are so against the expression of personal freedoms.

Disclaimer here: I am a pyrotechnic hobbyist and have a slant towards the subject.

This is a liberty just the same as firearms use, and one that is under the same attack of freedom as gun rights. You can argue about it if you want, but there are parallels. Some items are legal in this state but not in another. You can possess and use this if you pay the appropriate agency. And finally, idiots will be idiots and cause harm to themselves and others, which in turn casts a bad light on the whole hobby.

Don't get me started on the whole loss of fireworks in Vancouver due to a few special interests that showed up at the city council meeting and voted it out...

Sound familiar?

 

[WasrNwarpaint]

Once upon a time when our politicians did not tend to apologize for our country's prior actions, here's a refresher on how some of our former patriots handled negative comments about our great country!


These are good

JFK'S
Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early 60's when
DeGaulle decided to pull out of NATO.
DeGaulle said he wanted all US military out of
France as soon as possible.
Rusk responded, "Does that include those who are buried here?"
DeGaulle did not respond.
You could have heard a pin drop.


When in England , at a fairly large conference,
Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury
if our plans for Iraq were just an example of
'empire building' by George Bush.
He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders.
The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."
You could have heard a pin drop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~

There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American.
During a break, one of the French engineers came back into
the room saying, "Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done?
He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims.
What does he intend to do, bomb them?"
A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly:
"Our carriers have three hospitals on board
that can treat several hundred people;
they are nuclear powered and can supply
emergency electrical power to shore facilities;
they have three cafeterias with
the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day,
they can produce several thousand gallons of
fresh water from sea water each day,
and they carry half a dozen helicopters for
use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck.
We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?"
You could have heard a pin drop.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies
At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries.
Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks, but a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English.
He then asked, "Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French? Without hesitating the American Admiral replied,
"Maybe it's because the Brit's, Canadians, Aussie's and American's arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German."
You could have heard a pin drop.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
AND
THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE..


Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane.
At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in
his carry on.
"You have been to France before, monsieur?"
the customs officer asked sarcastically.
Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously.
"Then you should know enough to have your passport ready."
The American said, "The last time I was here,
I didn't have to show it."
"Impossible.. Americans always have to show their passports on
arrival in France !"
The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look.
Then, he quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on,
D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchman
to show a passport to."
You could have heard a pin drop.


Happy 4th !

 

[Mikej]

Once upon a time when our politicians did not tend to apologize for our country's prior actions, here's a refresher on how some of our former patriots handled negative comments about our great country!


These are good

JFK'S
Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early 60's when
DeGaulle decided to pull out of NATO.
DeGaulle said he wanted all US military out of
France as soon as possible.
Rusk responded, "Does that include those who are buried here?"
DeGaulle did not respond.
You could have heard a pin drop.


When in England , at a fairly large conference,
Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury
if our plans for Iraq were just an example of
'empire building' by George Bush.
He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders.
The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."
You could have heard a pin drop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~

There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American.
During a break, one of the French engineers came back into
the room saying, "Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done?
He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims.
What does he intend to do, bomb them?"
A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly:
"Our carriers have three hospitals on board
that can treat several hundred people;
they are nuclear powered and can supply
emergency electrical power to shore facilities;
they have three cafeterias with
the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day,
they can produce several thousand gallons of
fresh water from sea water each day,
and they carry half a dozen helicopters for
use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck.
We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?"
You could have heard a pin drop.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies
At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries.
Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks, but a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English.
He then asked, "Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French? Without hesitating the American Admiral replied,
"Maybe it's because the Brit's, Canadians, Aussie's and American's arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German."
You could have heard a pin drop.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
AND
THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE..


Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane.
At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in
his carry on.
"You have been to France before, monsieur?"
the customs officer asked sarcastically.
Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously.
"Then you should know enough to have your passport ready."
The American said, "The last time I was here,
I didn't have to show it."
"Impossible.. Americans always have to show their passports on
arrival in France !"
The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look.
Then, he quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on,
D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchman
to show a passport to."
You could have heard a pin drop.


Happy 4th !

Thank you for that, good read!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Fireworks are fine and dandy...
But I really do get tired of hearing all the booms and bangs the week before and after....often my neighborhood sounds like downtown Beirut...
Not to forget the "wake up " kabooms" that happen in the wee hours of the morning.
The noise can really stress our pets and at times me as well.

That said...
I have no desire to keep folks from setting off and enjoying fireworks of their own.
I would ask however , that folks remember that what they do with their fireworks , can adversely affect those around them...both their two and four legged neighbors.

Again enjoy your fireworks...just do so responsibly.
What that means of course , can vary from one place to the next....Again it is not for me to say , just what is responsible for you , where you live...

But I do know what fireworks do to me at times and to my pets...so I thank you for your consideration.
Andy

 

[Member 34319]

Fireworks are fine and dandy...
But I really do get tired of hearing all the booms and bangs the week before and after....often my neighborhood sounds like downtown Beirut...
Not to forget the "wake up " kabooms" that happen in the wee hours of the morning.
The noise can really stress our pets and at times me as well.

That said...
I have no desire to keep folks from setting off and enjoying fireworks of their own.
I would ask however , that folks remember that what they do with their fireworks , can adversely affect those around them...both two and four legged neighbors.

Again enjoy your fireworks...just do so responsibly.
What that means can of course , vary from one place to the next....Again it is not for me to say , just what is responsible for you , where you live...

But I do know what fireworks do to me at times and to my pets...so I thank you for your consideration.
Andy

Reminded me of my older dog Browning lol. Just last night someone lit one off around 10 or 11. He was shaking in bed for about an hour!

 

[P7M13]

Happy Birthday, @EPS !!

If'n you're going to blow stuff up, be smart about it. If'n you include yourself in that stuff, make it memorable!

 

[EPS]

Happy Birthday, @EPS !!

If'n you're going to blow stuff up, be smart about it. If'n you include yourself in that stuff, make it memorable!

Thanks no I don't blow Stuff up any more .
Plans are a salmon BBQ out on the island at my sister's house and from her in-law front yard we can see the ANACORTES CITY FIREWORKS SHOW.have few beers .I do have to return to work on on Thursday and salmon season open in my area on the frist maybe I can find my friend with his boat in the water already

 

[EPS]

The fun part is going to be telling my sister's inlaws who are left wing nuts .
About me and her day Shooting with Andy .
And watching there head's exsplode lol

Like I told Andy you never know my plans might change LOL

 

[The Heretic]

Fireworks are fine and dandy...
But I really do get tired of hearing all the booms and bangs the week before and after....often my neighborhood sounds like downtown Beirut...
Not to forget the "wake up " kabooms" that happen in the wee hours of the morning.
The noise can really stress our pets and at times me as well.

That said...
I have no desire to keep folks from setting off and enjoying fireworks of their own.
I would ask however , that folks remember that what they do with their fireworks , can adversely affect those around them...both their two and four legged neighbors.

Again enjoy your fireworks...just do so responsibly.
What that means of course , can vary from one place to the next....Again it is not for me to say , just what is responsible for you , where you live...

But I do know what fireworks do to me at times and to my pets...so I thank you for your consideration.
Andy

I went into town yesterday to get some diesel for my truck (went to 6 different stations and none of them had diesel pumps - but that is another story).

On my way down the mountain, just below my neighbor's property (a Ponzi vineyard), I saw a bobcat run across the road with a squirrel in its mouth and disappear into the brush. I appreciated seeing that.

In Beaverton, while searching for diesel, I was sitting in rush hour traffic and someone lit off two M-80 type fireworks not far away. I did not appreciate it. I expect it on the 4th, but two days before? Really?

I don't mind ownership and occasional responsible use of fireworks, but it seems like there is too much irresponsible use where someone is injured and/or fires started. So just like I don't have a problem with laws restricting shooting inside populated areas, I don't have a problem with restrictions on the setting off of certain fireworks in urban areas or during times of high fire danger - with the possible exception of the day of the 4th of July, and even then, anything that can leave the immediate area of the person using them and cause a fire, or persons setting off fireworks in a field, is irresponsible - and yet people do it.

Just like we are all responsible for where our bullets go, so are we responsible for where our fireworks go.

I have a nice parachute flare from my time in the USCG, but I do not use it, especially during the summer, because I am afraid it will cause a fire as I have little control over where it will land and I am surrounded by a forest, not an ocean where it was intended to be used.

 

[EPS]

I knew there was something righteously patriotic about you

Happy bday @EPS!
Happy bday America!

Thanks that's funny