Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Creamo on June 01, 2003, 08:18:47 AM
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I have to say, that the good 'ol USA is really run by dip****s. They saved our children from rocketry, and now we'll all be safe from terrorists that want to buy sparklers and firecrackers.
Fireworks Shows Put in Doubt by New Rules
By JIM ABRAMS
The Associated Press
Friday, May 30, 2003; 7:14 PM
WASHINGTON - Small towns across America could be without fireworks this Fourth of July if federal agencies can't settle on new homeland security restrictions on shipments by train.
"It's getting stupid. Do they really think a terrorist will use a firecracker to blow up a building?" said Don Lantis, of North Sioux City, S.D., whose family-owned pyrotechnics company puts on 300 to 400 shows around the country every Independence Day.
Because of uncertainty over how to comply with the government's anti-terror laws, railways have refused to handle fireworks since early this year, cutting off the main method of transport for shipments arriving at West Coast ports from China and other Asian countries. On May 5, the government issued regulations on fireworks transport by air, water and truck but has yet to decide on new guidelines for trains.
On Thursday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., wrote the secretaries of Justice, Transportation and Homeland Security, urging them to quickly come up with interim rules to comply with last year's passage of the Safe Explosives Act.
"The lack of action on rail transport threatens to prevent the delivery of fireworks for the Fourth of July in many areas of the country," he said.
"We are working diligently to get a rail explosives notice," said Blain Rethmeier, a spokesman for the Justice Department. He said the effort was still in the draft stage awaiting agreement by the involved agencies.
Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association, said the biggest worry is that companies putting on fireworks shows, while able to satisfy their larger customers, will lack the supplies to carry out performances in smaller communities.
"It's been crippling for the fireworks industry," she said. "The concern is that we are way behind in getting products" because of backlogs at the ports.
She said her association, which represents some 260 pyrotechnics companies, has found only two truck lines willing to carry their products because of the increased security and insurance costs. Trains actually are the safest and most secure way of moving fireworks, she said.
The industry is close-knit, she said, and better situated companies will help their competitors with supply shortages.
But "it's now or never," she said of the need for new rail transport rules before Independence Day. "We are most renowned for lighting up the skies to show the country's greatness. We aren't associated with terrorism."
Lantis, whose Lantis Fireworks company has been in business since 1945, said it will cost his firm an extra $4,000, more than double current rates, to move a shipment of fireworks from the West Coast by truck rather than train.
He said his company of about 40 employees will have to pay $5 million this year in insurance, and that under new rules everybody in the industry will have to undergo background checks. In the past, he said, the company's Salt Lake City branch hired "shooters" from Australia because of their skills, but prohibitions on foreigners will make that impossible this year.
"It's foolish," he said. "Fireworks don't do anything, they make colors."
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On the Net:
American Pyrotechnics Association: http://www.americanpyro.com/
Lantis Fireworks: http://www.fireworksdisplay.com/
House Judiciary Committee: http://www.house.gov/judiciary/
© 2003 The Associated Press
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You've not heard of the great Catherine Wheel massacre by Palestinian terrorists in July 1979?
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Hmmm, West Coast ports clogged with ships and warehouses full of explosives...naaa, that would never create a target.:rolleyes:
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You want to be safe or do you want to be free?
Ashcroft seems to think we can't have both.
I have the solution... fire his boss.
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We are the only Nation on Earth that glorifies war on our Independence Day. The only thing fireworks accomplish are several burned up houses, freaked out pets and a hell of a mess on my street on July 5th. We should celebrate the 4th of July with flowers and hugs, not missiles and bombs.
-The Hippies
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Originally posted by Airhead
We are the only Nation on Earth that glorifies war on our Independence Day. The only thing fireworks accomplish are several burned up houses, freaked out pets and a hell of a mess on my street on July 5th. We should celebrate the 4th of July with flowers and hugs, not missiles and bombs.
-The Hippies
Your just mad due to the loss of a few fingers back when :)
That mailbox didn't do anything to you Airhead!
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On a New Year I usually stay with my family, and go out at maybe 00:30. Last few years it's like goung out during an artillery attack. I have to hide in snow piles to avoid being blown up by some Chinese firework.
It's like "artpodgotovka", "artillery preparation" for a breakthrough of a front like.
Artillery is a god of war ;)
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I thought Russia sold all their fireworks to Saddam Hussein.
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Originally posted by Sandman_SBM
You want to be safe or do you want to be free?
Ashcroft seems to think we can't have both.
I have the solution... fire his boss.
Is Ashcroft behind this insane Homeland Security mess? I dunno. And I don't see where "safe" and fireworks, or hobby rockets have toejam to do with eachother.
And for the Democrats that think they don't have a candidate, I have been watching "Road To The White House" on CSPAN, or whatever it is carried on cable.
Personally, I'm about the most gun totin', old sparky death penalty for criminals wantin', cut taxes, listen to "The Savage Nation" religious republican ever, but there is at least 2 Democraps I really like. Well, as far as you can like politicians.
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Originally posted by Creamo
Personally, I'm about the most gun totin', old sparky death penalty for criminals wantin', cut taxes, listen to "The Savage Nation" religious republican ever...
But Creamo, it's the gun totin', old sparky death penalty for criminals wantin', cut taxes, listen to "The Savage Nation" religious Republican leadership who are saying fireworks and hobby rockets can be used by terrorists so we must ban em.
Us Libs want to ban fireworks because they freak out our kitty cats.
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I bet it'll be resolved in time for ya to blow some more fingers off. Of course the fireworks of today will hardly do that anyhow.
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Airhead, god bless you AND laz, but your like mayonnaise. I just love it 4 times a year in tuna fish salad samich, but other than that, it’s just something I can do without, unlike ketchup.
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What's a few missing digits compared to the splendour of colorful explosions.
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Let them ban fireworks. Then it'll be just like here in Ireland where fireworks are completely banned without a permit. So every Halloween, New Year and St Patricks Day the place is dead quiet (not).
The place is lit up........well like the fourth of July used to be! Talk about shock and awe. Baghdad never got the treatment Dublin get's every Halloween. Every one of those fireworks are illegal and smuggled in from Britain and elsewhere. Bonfires are illegal too not that anybody pays any attention to that law either.
Naturally there is a roaring trade in smuggling black market fireworks.
That could be your fate too, although being America everyone could come out and fire their guns in the air! Can you buy tracer ammunition? Guns won't be banned as everyone know terrorists never use guns!
Funnily enough there is often a fourth of July fireworks display in a harbour town near here and our staff cafeteria puts up the Stars and Stripes and sells Hot Dogs and other American style food. So come to Ireland this year LOL.;)
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One of the largest fireworks manufacturers in the country (Pyro Spectaculars) is located about 20 miles from here. They work in a freakin bunker that is separated from the rest of the world by at least 500 yards of nothing.
They had a little "accident" about 10 years ago....building went boom!
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Originally posted by Creamo
Airhead, god bless you AND laz, but your like mayonnaise. I just love it 4 times a year in tuna fish salad samich, but other than that, it’s just something I can do without, unlike ketchup.
Out of all the posters here who try for a well placed putdown Creamo is the best. I mean, anyone can resort to name calling, but it takes a true artist to insult you by saying nothing worse than comparing you with a sandwich condiment. Very well done Creamo. :D
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He is the gurkin of the BBS.....
You're right, Creamo's better.
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big-ass fireworks planned here as usual..
prolly more than our fair-share of gun-toting citizens too!
but we don't fire them into the air much.. too damned expensive! lol rather save the ammo for when it's needed.
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Glad I noticed this thread-I almost forgot to buy this years supply of bottlerockets.:)
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Originally posted by Airhead
We are the only Nation on Earth that glorifies war on our Independence Day. The only thing fireworks accomplish are several burned up houses, freaked out pets and a hell of a mess on my street on July 5th. We should celebrate the 4th of July with flowers and hugs, not missiles and bombs.
-The Hippies
Me thinks you're wound a little too tight.
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No fireworks...gaaaay