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Sam L. Archer's avatar

It was with jaw agape that I finished reading your description of exactly the terrorism perpetrated on my neighborhood by one (count them) one bully. It is a good thing I did not

have a rifle and a couple of rounds to load it with, because I would have made a couple of bangs

the neighbor would have really noticed. My two bitches suffered battlefield anxiety just like

others here have described, which we never had in the city I lived in previously; even with

commercial fireworks displays on two sides and the few neighbors firing theirs illegally.

My only comfort is that I now have a reference for what the people of Ukraine must tolerate

daily, weekly.

. This raises the question about how this seems to have been perpetrated in so many places

in the U.S. this particular year.

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Clint Collide's avatar

Hope your “bitches” have recovered from the bully’s torment. Stay away from guns and bullets. It’s the one rule my father put in place for me (and my reactive temper) that I definitely follow. Karma tends to take care of those bullies in ways bullets can’t. Slowly and surely….

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Sam L. Archer's avatar

Yeah, I do not keep firearms because it is such an expensive endeavor. The safe, the separate storage of bolts, barrels, ammunition, the regular visits to the firing range,

the ammunition expense (!) and the repeating cleaning. It hasn't been worth it to me

for fifty years. And, of course, if you have a hammer, the world starts looking like

a field of nails; and I can get pushed to action in my anger.

. My bitches have calmed down to believe the assault is not going to recur. Finally.

Maybe for a while.

. I noticed the Wall Street Journal ran an article on a new-generation firework

design that might be the source of our horror and misery.

- Pax vobiscum

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Clint Collide's avatar

Pax vobiscum to you too, boo!

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sixes's avatar

Thanks Clint, Ringo, George Cukor, and Billy Campbell 💋💚

I appreciate a cool light show display on the 4th, but not all the boom bombs.

Wings of Pegasus - Fil Henley on AI being promoted by Spotify: This is ridiculous. Is this a joke?!!

https://www.youtu.be.com/watch?v=g2s9cF-r0Z4

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Clint Collide's avatar

Thanks, Steve…last night was the first night that I didn’t wake up to the sounds of fireworks in over a week. Yay!

As for the AI band, Spotify seems interested in these type of “artists” so they can eventually pay real musicians even less in residuals. :-/

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Fred's avatar

Oy, the treacherous "Independence" weekend! Our sweet dog, Daphne, suffers even from one not-too-loud blast, so we drug her with Trazadone supplied by our vet. It only mildly calms the panting and creates restlessness. She was quite hung over yesterday, but the havoc is over for another year. In other words, Clint, I feel you. ALSO: Thank you for the lovely Cukor tribute, my fave classic Hollywood director whose Sunday salons and hubba-hubba all-male afterparties were legendary. I got to meet him once in the early '80s, and it's quite true that one shouldn't meet one's heroes. This was at a master class at NYU he led for the grad acting and film students. Dapper, he clearly enjoyed working with some of the handsome young men, but such a short-fused temper! (Perhaps that ties in with the noise of the weekend?) Hugs to you, Clint!

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Clint Collide's avatar

Awwww….hope Daphne survived and isn’t too traumatized. Cuddle, pets, and treats! As for Cukor, I can’t even imagine how impatient and bossy that queen must’ve been. Interesting legend though. Thanks for sharing the story, Fred!

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Keith Aron's avatar

Relating to this hardcore, Clint. There is a big, mostly vacant parking lot behind my building, and there was an unofficial fireworks extravaganza that went on forever on the 4th, with both pre-game poppers on the 3rd and random reverb on the 5th. So much smoke, so much noise, so much nervous system dysregulation. And, I'm guessing, so much disruption to wildlife habitats in this area. What a weird way to celebrate, for so many reasons.

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Clint Collide's avatar

We do have some strange traditions, don’t we? Bang bang and boom boom for starters. Cheers!

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Mike M's avatar

It is possible that any LA'ERS that were setting off fireworks on July 1st were indeed Canadians celebrating Canada Day.

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Clint Collide's avatar

It’s possible, Mike, though based on the almost year-round banging around here, I doubt most of the revelers have a calendar. Or even know what’s being celebrated. Bang. Bang bang BANG! :-p

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DougT's avatar

https://youtu.be/sFcmjqIRjb4?si=9oJYbl3rXTN_O1Mg

Now Clint and all 🇺🇸 we're still free to take the piss here in 🇫🇴🇬🇧 and I hope you can laugh at this clip of satire. I don't know if the Spitting Images ever broadcast in the 🇺🇸 but the original latex puppet/human episodes are all on YT Also check out a 🇫🇴🇬🇧 TV satire about newsroom and politics titled 'Drop The Dead Donkey' All live written and recorded from the events of the week. It was very fresh and topical. Of course (even you might know this one) there was a very real comedy called 'Yes Minister' and 'Yes Prime Minister' They were more nearer to how politics work than fiction. Again lots on YT but you need to see the whole episode not a sound bite of YT reactors. Cheers DougT

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Clint Collide's avatar

Oh, I loved the original version of these from way back when. It was super popular in my house. Aired late at night Fridays when I was a teenager. So far, I’m enjoying the new stuff too. Cheers and thanks for the share, Doug!

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Doug Thompson's avatar

YW, especially the new Spitting Image one, soooo on point isn't it

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Clint Collide's avatar

When puppets are more likelike thant the real deal. :-p

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Clarke Fountain's avatar

One of the advantages of being a somewhat deaf person is obliviousness to far-away noises. My part of the county frowns on unofficial fireworks, too. So, my sympathy. Many drawbacks to where I live, but that kind of terror is not one of them.

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Clint Collide's avatar

Cheers, Clarke. Glad we all survived the bang bangs. Have a great week!

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Doug Thompson's avatar

As Ray says sympathy to you and yours. We have annual bonfire and fireworks night here too on the 5 November celebrating Guy Fawkes attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. The exploding ones usually start days beforehand too. A national radio station usually plays soothing/classic music aimed for pets of every kind. It's great fun as a kid but the older you get wellllll....I'm surprised that non supervised fireworks are allowed knowing the amount of wild fires you had/have. Organised events on the beaches are more appropriate on my eyes. Cheers DougT 🇫🇴🇬🇧

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Dr Ray Lightbown's avatar

Sympathy, dear.

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Clint Collide's avatar

Thanks, Ray…hugs!

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