Fireworks

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Originally uploaded by kiki5253

I finally got some of my pictures up this evening. I posted pictures from my trip to Bellingham, the 4th of July Fireworks in Lewiston/Clarkston and a little Birthday Party gathering for a friend of mine.

- Cheers

Fireworks in Lewiston Idaho

Taken with my iPhone!

Sentimental Journey

The B-17 was primarily employed by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) in the daylight precision strategic bombing campaign of World War II against German industrial, civilian, and military targets. From its pre-war inception, the USAAC (later USAAF) touted the aircraft as a strategic weapon; it was a potent, high-flying, long-ranging bomber capable of unleashing great destruction, able to defend itself, and having the ability to return home despite extensive battle damage. It quickly took on mythic proportions. With a service ceiling greater than any of its Allied contemporaries, the B-17 established itself as a superb weapons system, dropping more bombs than any other U.S. aircraft in World War II.

When the Model 299 was rolled out on 28 July 1935, bristling with multiple machine gun installations, Richard Williams, a reporter for the Seattle Times coined the name "Flying Fortress" with his comment "Why, it's a flying fortress!". Boeing was quick to see the value of the name and had it trademarked for use. - Wikipedia

The reason for this little history lesson is because I watched 12 O'Clock High this evening before going to watch the 20 mins of fireworks over the Snake River in Lewiston. It's a fascinating movie staring Gregory Peck and a few other notable actors of that time period (Dean Jager aka General Waverly in White Christmas, Millard Mitchell - R.F. Simpson in Singing in the Rain) as members of the 918th Bomb Group during World War II. The film is based off a book and has made it's way into the Libray of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." I would recommend watching this film.

I spent the afternoon touring Sentimental Journey, a fully restored B-17 bomber. It was an impressive sight. 4 - 12 cylindar engines, glistening aluminum, the smell of grease, the number of gun mounts and bombs! There were 6 gun mounts on the plane for the crew of 9-10 persons and the plane carried quite a few bombs. This restored plane had 8 bombs that if still functional and all that would weigh 250 lbs each. Afterwards we watched the film to see what exactly these plans could do. I was impressed and the film did a great job portraying the horrors these bomb squadrons went through during WWII. It's incredible to learn about the history behind these planes.

I first read about the plane being in town due to an article in the LMT about a WWII vet living in Lewiston who last flew in one of these planes on a mission over Germany. He was shot down and was a POW. Living history! I would love to sit down with that man and hear his story. What an incredible way to spend this year's 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July

It's that time of the year again; when grass catches on fire, firefighters spend their evenings responding to burn victims and brush fire incidents and rockets boom in the air. All in celebration of our Independence Day. For most of us, it's an opportunity to drink, watch fireworks, grill and hang out with friends during the summer. For the rest of us, it's often a time of reflection.

Today is the day in 1776, that the Declaration of Independence was signed declaring that Great Britain no longer had the power to rule us or tax us because they were, as it would seem, an entire world away. It was not fair to have a ruler who never spent time in this land to dictate what we could and couldn't do or tax us to the extreme. How wonderful it was, how right it was to declare independence. This was the beginning of the future. From this point on, we desired a free nation; freedom of speech, freedom of religion. The constitution was born in 1787 and since then we've been going at full speed.

We want our freedom of speech, we want to be able to call others stupid or have things the way we want them. How do this historical actions guide and dictate what we do today? As a strong leader we're often expected to step in and resolve other countrys' situations, but sometimes or most often we cross the boundary of being helpful or being imperialistic. We often force our own ideals on others...sometimes when they're not wanted we still cram them down other people's throats.

We think that because we're one of the strongest and that we're a democratic nation with the freedom to do most anything we want; that our way is the best way. Never mind the fact that as one of the smallest nations in terms of population we consume the most resources. Millions are left without healthcare, or that thousands of people live on the street begging for food.

Surely there's something we can do better...Every country has its problems; its pros and cons when it comes to the type of government it chooses....dictatorships are certainly not fair hence the desire to get North Korean's President out of the picture. But intead of imposing our form of government on everyone else, isn't it about time we used our resources to help those in need? Feed the hungry, care for those who are wounded and sick, give shelter to the homeless. Help provide clean drinking water, make education in the states better.

"With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan –– to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations. "

- Abraham Lincoln March 4, 1865 (Second Inagural Address)

How far would you go...

To protect the environment...how far would you go? Certainly we need to take care of our resources. Make sure that people are safe and the environment is safe, but how far would you go to make sure everything' okay? Would you sue the city over fireworks?

One man is...he's attempting to stop 4th of July fireworks over Lake Union in Seattle until he state shows that gathering that many people together is safe for viewers, the park and surrounding wildlife. He's claiming that the city failed to conduct a review in accordance to the State Environmental Policy Act befor permitting the annual event.

Seattle city officials maintain that the once-a-year civic event is what the state had in mnd when it exempted certain activities from these revie requirements and there are already conditions on the event' private contractor sonothing happens that might release any contmination this weekend.

The event is an annual event held at Gas Works park on the north end of the lake. It was a toxic clean up site becuse the park was once the site of a coal-to-gas plant.

With the fact that Ivars pulled out of 4th of July celebrations out here earlier this year, the timing for his petition isn't exactly the best. WaMu Family 4th, now Chase Family 4th, is the only fireworks celebration that will take place inside Seattle city limits this year. Many people attend this free event and it certainly would be a shame for this event to not take place.

The Lake City man does have a point though. Because it is built on a former industrial site, the soil and groundwater on the site was contaminated. The 1971 Master Plan called for "cleaning and greening" the site through bio-phyto-remediation. There are no known areas of surface soil contamination remaining on the site today, although tar occasionally still oozes from some locations within the site and is isolated and removed.

Toxic sites are not something to be messed with...boats aren't allowed to launch from the park because the soil has hazerdous substances in it. Nonetheless...it would be a shame to lose this wonderful event. But I would think that the welfware of its viewers should stand higher than the lighting of fireworks once a year.