A fond remembrance of Firecrackers as a kid

[Shrunken]

Holding a punk stick in left hand and throwing with the right hand. A big cigar box full of firecrackers at the ready.
Light, wait for fizzle and Throw,.. light, wait for fizzle and throw,... light, wait for fizzle and throw,... light, wait for fizzle and throw, light, wait for fizzle and throw. Slow fuse?....Wait.. Hold it...No fizzlle...Wait... Hold it...No fizzle..distraction??...What tha heck was th....Boom. MOMMA!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ErikGr7]

Great memories of the 4th and fireworks.

When I was a kid.. my friend and I decided to
see what would happen to a wasp's nest when
we held sparklers underneath it....was not a
pretty sight.

I found out I could run faster than I thought.

[goldshellback]

You are SO right! Some of the adventures I had with holiday munitions as a kid would have me at Gitmo today.

Oh the memories.........

[boscobeans]

When we were kids we would hunt out the first cattails of the season (we called them punks) and would carefully dry them out in preparation for the fourth. We each had our own secret methods of accomplishing this yearly ritual.

A good "punk" would smolder for an hour or so and was perfect for lighting fuses plus the smoke would help keep the mosquitoes away.

Of course fireworks were and are still banned in New York but China Town was only an hour subway adventure from where we lived in Brooklyn.

I can still smell the Fourth of July in my memories.

If anyone remembers listening to Jean Shepherd back in the old days here is a link to his yearly story "Ludlow Kissle and the Dago Bomb that Struck Back".

http://www.nuttymp3.com/mp3/806622



bosco

[Zsnake]

What the heck ever happened to the 4th of July Celebrations? M-80'S? M-100's? Cherry Bombs? Quarter Sticks? Heck, Cracker-balls are even outlawed. (Remember "Torpedoes?)

OOOOOOO...You might get hurt ....lets WATCH the fireworks and not put any off ourselves.

Yes, there is a little risk involved....not as much risk as our forefathers took when they went up against the British, though.

I, Personally, am Celebrating The Birth of OUR Nation and Remembering All Those that Protect Her Even Now.

BANG, BOOM, ahhhhhhh, HOORAY FOR THE US of A!!!!!!!

(hand me that lighter, would ya?)

[Shrunken]

WDF happened to the 4th of July Celebrations? M-80'S? M-100's? Cherry Bombs? Quarter Sticks? Heck, Cracker-balls are even outlawed. (Remember "Torpedoes?)

OOOOOOO...You might get hurt ....lets WATCH the fireworks and not put any off ourselves.

Yes, there is a little risk involved....not as much risk as our forefathers took when they went up against the British, though.

I, Personally, am Celebrating The Birth of OUR Nation and Remembering All Those that Protect Her Even Now.

BANG, BOOM, ahhhhhhh, HOORAY FOR THE US of A!!!!!!!

(hand me that lighter, would ya?)

Well said!

[msgt/ret]

WDF happened to the 4th of July Celebrations? M-80'S? M-100's? Cherry Bombs? Quarter Sticks? Heck, Cracker-balls are even outlawed. (Remember "Torpedoes?)

OOOOOOO...You might get hurt ....lets WATCH the fireworks and not put any off ourselves.

Yes, there is a little risk involved....not as much risk as our forefathers took when they went up against the British, though.

I, Personally, am Celebrating The Birth of OUR Nation and Remembering All Those that Protect Her Even Now.

BANG, BOOM, ahhhhhhh, HOORAY FOR THE US of A!!!!!!!

(hand me that lighter, would ya?)

Ah but now we have the EPA, the CDC and any number of other agencies to protect and save us from ourselves.

[ppkheat]

Fireworks----one of my best childhood memories.

BTW how many of ya'll (1960's) unrolled the firecracker (particularly on duds) to look at the writing inside (old Japanese newspaper?)

[WHEC724]

Ah yes - If you learn to watch the fuse on a bottle-rocket, you can time it so that as you throw it in the air, it will launch mid-air fairly consistently. Of course, the real fun is when you time it wrong .

If my dad weren't in the hospital, we'd be lighting up the sky tonight. Happy 4th everyone!

[rstickle]

Of course fireworks were and are still banned in New York but China Town was only an hour subway adventure from where we lived in Brooklyn.

Grew up in Washington Heights (Manhattan) any you are right, though banned fireworks were always available especially around this time of year. There was also a "standard" answer to the Police if you got caught as to where you got the fireworks...... Can't even say the words today, not very "PC". If you couldn't get sparklers, there was steel wool pads...

Had fun throwing cherry bombs and ashcans (M80s) off of roofs, like little air mines!

[tkruf]

ah the smell of fireworks.

[QKShooter]

Years ago a few dumb kids did things like get their fingers blown off and Pennsylvania bans fireworks for the safety and common good of everybody.

Now, all you can legally get here are some really wimpy ClassIII pathetic fireworks & boring....sparklers.

Residents from PA used to drive to the other side of the border on into Ohio and buy a ton of bigger, hotter, fireworks and then the PA Police were laying in wait in PA....and would confiscate them all when the people were sneaking them back into Pennsylvania.
Does that still happen?

That is why the Cops kids always had great fireworks.

But, even the M-80s aren't the same anymore.
Remember when the M-80 used to be equivalent to 1/4 stick of Dynamite?

[boscobeans]

Fireworks----one of my best childhood memories.

BTW how many of ya'll (1960's) unrolled the firecracker (particularly on duds) to look at the writing inside (old Japanese newspaper?)

All duds got unrolled and the flash powder was piled in a small mound on the sidewalk. Place flat stone on pile and step lightly on stone with heel of your sneaker then kick it with your other heel..

NEVER WASTE A DUD...

bosco

[Zsnake]

We had a better way of dealing with duds....you broke the firecracker in half and then inserted the head of a cardboard match. Closed the cracker up again and lit the back end of the match. When the flame got to the match head...KA POW.

Used to use a drill bit on crab-apples and insert a firecracker. Little pieces of apple would go in every direction...like a mini granade.

I got some REAL M-80s from a guy a few years ago... all gone now, and the maker is in prison. RATS! They were something!!!!

[GunGeezer]

In any true caretaker society the government protects you from cradle to grave and in return you give up all of your individual rights. You will never know the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat, but you can be sure your lazy, worthless, illegal neighbor, who speaks no English, will get all the benefits you work your ass off for while sitting at home, making babies, and you get to pay for it. Welcome to the future under Obamacare. Laws and ordinances made by corrupt, ignorant, egotistical politicians who have such a low opinion of their constituents that they feel obligated to protect them from themselves.