Keep in mind my views are very localized....everything's drier than an old stick out here. We're on fire alert most of the warm months. You can only buy the "safe and sane" ones in the city (i.e. fountains that stay on the ground) but you can drive 10 minutes to the reservation and get the illegal stuff which is what everybody does. Our neighbor's backyard got burnt pretty bad one year. I'm always afraid a dud is going to land in any of the piles of dried brush and tumbleweeds and set off something bad. And then there's dipshits down the street who were so drunk they kicked the mortar over and shot three huge shells down the street and past my neighbor's three year old son (it exploded maybe 200 feet from him).

I get the patriotism and blowing stuff up because Murica but the number of people who can't use them responsibly and who use them regardless of the danger it's causing are what worry me. I'd be just as happy if we kept it to public displays around here. Green and soggy places can do what they want. Now if you'll excuse me I think I need to go yell at some whippersnappers to get off my lawn.