Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Baghdad for a Night
July 4th in Duluth was inconsistently wet and brutally overcast. Us travel deprived sorts gathered at the Langer's apartment and held forth over salad, cupcakes, light beer and barbecue adventurously grilled in the brief clearings. A good time was had by all, as shop talk was generally avoided. The postponement of the Main Event due to the relentless blah over the Twin Ports was offset by the fact Minnesotans have recently relegalised fireworks for themselves - and thus gone a bit potty. The evenings of the last week has been non-stop snap, crackle and BOOM, with a climax last night resembling Shock and Awe in Baghdad. Every street-corner, ridge top and patio, was blazing as the locals braved the rain to Blow Sh*t Up. In all directions. You never knew where to look - damn that slow speed of sound! And those trees that cover this town!
Standard dialog:
Occasional fireworks did make it above the tree-line.
I've always regretted the virtual banning of private fireworks in New Zealand - I have fond memories of the district of Ratapiko gathering to Blow Sht*t Up at the Corlett's farm, celebrating Guy Fawke's Day*. First they came for the Double Happies, then the skyrockets - before you knew it, you couldn't even get a sparkler to save yourself. But seeing Duluth dissolve into a flashing, sulfurous smog I have second thoughts...
I actually didnt know that the Main Event had been rescheduled for tonight until the windows of my office started bouncing at ten past 10. Again the trees were in the way but I did get this view from the top of the Alworth Planetarium.
*Either a celebration of the survival of British democracy or the burning of Catholics. Not that Independence Day is that much more morally superior: One of the whines in the the Declaration:
The picture above was taken last year in Washington DC - where I engaged in an orgy of bad photography/abstract art trying to capture fireworks on pixels. My conclusion 108 images later - use a tripod (unless you are pushing the whole abstract bit).
July 4th in Duluth was inconsistently wet and brutally overcast. Us travel deprived sorts gathered at the Langer's apartment and held forth over salad, cupcakes, light beer and barbecue adventurously grilled in the brief clearings. A good time was had by all, as shop talk was generally avoided. The postponement of the Main Event due to the relentless blah over the Twin Ports was offset by the fact Minnesotans have recently relegalised fireworks for themselves - and thus gone a bit potty. The evenings of the last week has been non-stop snap, crackle and BOOM, with a climax last night resembling Shock and Awe in Baghdad. Every street-corner, ridge top and patio, was blazing as the locals braved the rain to Blow Sh*t Up. In all directions. You never knew where to look - damn that slow speed of sound! And those trees that cover this town!
Standard dialog:
BANGCLATTERSIZZLE - "where was?!- There! Oh....behind that pine....sounded spectacular...
Occasional fireworks did make it above the tree-line.
I've always regretted the virtual banning of private fireworks in New Zealand - I have fond memories of the district of Ratapiko gathering to Blow Sht*t Up at the Corlett's farm, celebrating Guy Fawke's Day*. First they came for the Double Happies, then the skyrockets - before you knew it, you couldn't even get a sparkler to save yourself. But seeing Duluth dissolve into a flashing, sulfurous smog I have second thoughts...
I actually didnt know that the Main Event had been rescheduled for tonight until the windows of my office started bouncing at ten past 10. Again the trees were in the way but I did get this view from the top of the Alworth Planetarium.
*Either a celebration of the survival of British democracy or the burning of Catholics. Not that Independence Day is that much more morally superior: One of the whines in the the Declaration:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies...is about those all those nasty Papists in the Lower Canada practicing their pursuit of happiness.
The picture above was taken last year in Washington DC - where I engaged in an orgy of bad photography/abstract art trying to capture fireworks on pixels. My conclusion 108 images later - use a tripod (unless you are pushing the whole abstract bit).
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9:38 AM
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