We've been hearing firecrackers for a couple of weeks now, but today is the first day they've been pretty regular. I use the term "firecracker" loosely here. Most of them sound like exploding gunpowder in a trash can -- and that just might be what it is.

The state passed a law this summer requiring a $25 permit to purchase 5000 firecrackers (about $10 worth). Five thousand firecrackers around here has the excitement level of a sparkler on the mainland. Many families spend hundreds of dollars on firecrackers each fourth of July and New Year's eve. We'll see what happens this year. Personally, I think all the law has done is enlarge the black market and make homemade explosives more enticing. It doesn't seem so far that there are any fewer pre-holiday blasts of either firecrackers or aerials (which have always been illegal).

I myself have a handful of "novelty" fireworks to blow up at the appropriate time. I'll be surreptitiously quaffing champagne with some friends down at Waikiki beach.

Check out the New Year's Eve in Hawaii photo album to see the New Year's fireworks craziness that happens here.

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I got the Coolpix yesterday and have played with it a little bit. I'd love to post a couple of the pictures I took today, but I can't get the camera to connect through the serial port like it's supposed to. (This seems to be a common problem with all digital cameras, from what I've read.) Of course, Nikon technical support is closed for the holiday (although today is Saturday and the holiday isn't really until Monday. Hmmm...)

I think I'm just going to go to CompUSA tomorrow and spend a little cash on a Compact Flash reader. They're cheap and easier to deal with than having to plug/unplug stuff from the back of the CPU. I'm also going to need a much bigger Compact Flash card, but I'll wait until I can call the Memory Company to see if they carry them and what their prices are -- they have fantastic prices on RAM compared to other places, so maybe they'll have a deal on CF cards.
- posted by Lori @ 4:21:00 AM | permanent link | |