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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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 OPINION 
13

Fireworks? Bah, Humbug!

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(Newser) – Looking forward to the Fourth of July fireworks? You’re probably a moron, writes Troy Patterson of Slate. Look, it’s fine if you want to use a Roman candle at the family cookout: “Doing dangerous stuff in your cousin’s backyard is an important element of American culture.” But pro fireworks are “an exercise in pomposity, aggression triumphalism and hubris,” Patterson writes. They're “meaningless nonsense.”

The people hooting at fireworks displays “are the same sort who lined up at bear-baiting pits back in the day and, in modern times, watch Howie Mandel reality shows.” Yes, light and fire can be cool. But it’s always more fun when stuff explodes. Fireworks don’t have that drama. “There is violence, but there is not sex.”

In this Wednesday, June 24, 2009, file photo, the Target Fireworks display lights the sky over downtown Detroit.
In this Wednesday, June 24, 2009, file photo, the Target Fireworks display lights the sky over downtown Detroit.   (AP Photo/The Detroit News, Elizabeth Conley)
The Detroit Princess Riverboat is seen during the 51st annual Target Fireworks along the Detroit River, Wednesday June 24, 2009, in Detroit.
The Detroit Princess Riverboat is seen during the 51st annual Target Fireworks along the Detroit River, Wednesday June 24, 2009, in Detroit.   (AP Photo/The Detroit News / Steve Perez)
Fireworks explode over the Kremlin, with St. Basil's cathedral, center, marking the Day of Russia in Moscow, Russia, Friday, June 12, 2009.
Fireworks explode over the Kremlin, with St. Basil's cathedral, center, marking the Day of Russia in Moscow, Russia, Friday, June 12, 2009.   (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)
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13 comments
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acidick
Jul 2, 09 2:54 PM CDT
Patterson is an ass Reply
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psycada
Jul 2, 09 3:39 PM CDT
WTF? Who the hell is the douche and who stuck their finger in his jelly donut? Reply
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Altoecko
Jul 2, 09 4:27 PM CDT
I mean, I'm not gonna go to the extreme Patterson did, but man. Fireworks have barely changed in the past 200 years. Once you've seen one big show, you've seen most of every other show. Reply
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Doctor_Zaius
Jul 2, 09 9:00 PM CDT
You could say the same thing about sex.
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2-bits
Jul 2, 09 9:26 PM CDT
Doctor_Zaius: Oh no you can't.
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