Independence Day weekend

[sarahmichigan]

Back home in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, we all used to troop down to Ludington Park and watch the city display of fireworks over Little Bay De Noc, a harbor off Lake Michigan. I was reminiscing with J. last night about the time, a few years ago, when we were sitting on the top of a steep hill at the park watching fireworks with my family, including assorted pre-teen nieces, nephews and second cousins. My oldest brother, B., who is 11 years older than me, offered me $5 to roll down the hill. He should have known better-- I have very little pride about looking foolish in public. It was the easiest 5 bucks I ever made.

Last night, in southeast Michigan, instead of getting in a car and going to the fireworks, the fireworks came to the 'hood. Some of them may have been legal down at the VFW hall, but most of them were just our neighbors setting off fireworks which were clearly and flagrantly not legal in Michigan (Michigan's fireworks regulations are more stringent than those in many other states-- it can't leave the ground or make a loud noise, or it's illegal).

J. was sitting in a lawn chair on the driveway watching them for a while, and I watched for a bit, too. The neighbors kept popping them off into the wee hours, but we managed to sleep through most of it.

Before the evening fireworks, our friends R. & M. came over, and we played games and watched "Ladyhawke." It was even cheesier than I remembered it-- especially the "look what I can do with my synthesizer!" soundtrack. And Matthew Broderick was so young!

I'm on "work from home" status again today, and I suppose I oughta get back to it.

Comments

[bernmarx.livejournal.com]

it can't leave the ground or make a loud noise

Not exactly true. Screamers are legal, and so are sparklers (which, to be a total nit-picker, are meant to be above the ground).

It's not so much "legal in other states" that's the problem, it's the "legal in Ohio (specifically)," so all those wahoos go down to Toledo, buy quartersticks, and try to blow themselves up here. Morons. If it actually cleaned the gene pool without me having to put up with it, I'd be all for it, but (a) it doesn't result in nearly enough moron death and (b) I do have to put up with it.

It's freakin' noon, and they're setting them off!

fireworks legislation

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

Michigan Compiled Laws actually lists out what is permissable, and what is not, but most public safety departments summarize it by saying:

"If it makes a loud bang or leaves the ground, spins or twirls, it is illegal."

This quote was taken directly from the police department web site for the village of Beverly Hills, and it's what I've been told by cops while I was working for the newspaper.

Re: fireworks legislation

[bernmarx.livejournal.com]

Hence my nitpicking. Screamers don't make a loud bang, but they do make a loud noise, while sparklers aren't designed to leave the ground, but they're generally held above the ground.

A firecracker last night made the foundation of our house shake. Definitely illegal.

[mogwar.livejournal.com]

We never do anything more dangerous than sparklers, and yet, pstscrpt and I both managed to burn our thumbs lighting the damn things last night. So I think I can pretty safely say that we're not venture out into real-fireworks territory anytime soon. :)

[simianpower.livejournal.com]

The neighbors kept popping them off into the wee hours, but we managed to sleep through most of it.

The mexicans in my complex were lighting it up for hours last night, but they courteously saved the loudest ones (the screamers) for 2:00 AM. I was still up, and my door and window were open. The first one scared the crap out of my cats; the second started to irritate me; the third simply pissed me right off because it was 2:00 AM. I leaned out the door and said, "Enough with the loud ones already!" And, miracle of miracles, they stopped. I think they knew I'd call the cops if they didn't.

Before the evening fireworks, our friends R. & M. came over, and we played games and watched "Ladyhawke." It was even cheesier than I remembered it-- especially the "look what I can do with my synthesizer!" soundtrack. And Matthew Broderick was so young!

It's Ferris Buhler 0.5. EVERY Matthew Broderick movie is part of the series. ;)