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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
 Posted - 12/31/2010 : 10:24:12
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The Philippines, of course, has led most of the world into 2011. Yes, as I sagely predicted, the New Year celebration here in Baguio involved a whole lot of M-80's. These have been exploding in the narrow, concrete-bounded alleyways since more than three weeks ago. But what shocked (and awed) me was the amount of rocketry and mortar fireworks being shot into the night sky on New Years Eve itself.
I had not gone into downtown to see the official fireworks display in Burnham Park, because I supposed there word be a scarcity of taxis for the return trip. Living south of downtown, and downhill from there, I didn't expect to see much.
I was wrong. As soon as it was dark "tactical" neighborhood fireworks began being launched into the sky, the sky flashing from lightning-bright magnesium explosions in all directions. The skirmishers on the ground meanwhile seemed to have an overabundance of firecrackers ranging from small to hand grenade size. As hour after hour went by with air bursts and mini-bombs exploding in a rising crescendo, it seemed that both the ground-to-air and infantry munitions would run out well before 2010 did. Wrong again.
From all over the hills, professional class fireworks began erupting into the air at about 10 PM, joining the cheaper rocketry. Most of this firepower was coming from densely settled residential areas. With explosions and multicolored explosive bursts from all over the sky, I begin to guess that the crescendo had barely started.
By 11:30, the entire skyline, to the north, east, south and west was a constant mass of spectacular, ever-changing fire. That's when the real crescendo began. The narrow alleys filled with whole extended families setting off rockets, firecrackers, and Roman candles. The grand finales of sky-bursts lasted until about 12:30 AM, and even now after 1 AM, it sounds like a guerrilla war is going on.
Did I mention that Filipinos love things bright, loud, and colorful? I gotta say I really got a kick out of News Years in Baguio.
Happy New Year, you sluggards!
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
Edited by - HalfMooner on 12/31/2010 10:32:33
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13476 Posts |
 Posted - 12/31/2010 : 10:32:44 [Permalink]
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Mooner:
Did I mention that Filipinos love things bright, loud, and colorful? I gotta say I really got a kick out of News Years in Baguio. |
So, Mooner. You really are getting more bang for your buck in the Philippines!!!
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 12/31/2010 : 10:33:54 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Kil
So, Mooner. You really are getting more bang for your buck in the Philippines.
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And more percussion per peso. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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the_ignored
SFN Addict
2562 Posts |
Posted - 12/31/2010 : 10:55:57 [Permalink]
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Meanwhile, I left a happy new years' message at a friend of ours.
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>From: enuffenuff@fastmail.fm
(excerpt follows):
> I'm looking to teach these two bastards a lesson they'll never forget.
> Personal visit by mates of mine. No violence, just a wee little chat.
>
> **** has also committed more crimes than you can count with his
> incitement of hatred against a religion. That law came in about 2007
> much to ****'s ignorance. That is fact and his writing will become well
> know as well as him becoming a publicly known icon of hatred.
>
> Good luck with that fuckwit. And Reynold, fucking run, and don't stop.
> Disappear would be best as it was you who dared to attack me on my
> illness knowing nothing of the cause. You disgust me and you are top of
> the list boy. Again, no violence. Just regular reminders of who's there
> and visits to see you are behaving. Nothing scary in reality. But I'd
> still disappear if I was you.
What brought that on? this. Original posting here.
Another example of this guy's lunacy here. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 01/01/2011 : 20:01:53 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by the_ignored
Meanwhile, I left a happy new years' message at a friend of ours.
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Nice one, Ig. And I continue to be rich, handsome, athletic and gregarious. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2011 : 04:54:52 [Permalink]
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My own New Years was quite due to some minor but irritating health issues.
At midnight, I was going to fire a pistol out the door (and onto the ground) in celebration of that wretched year being over, but couldn't find a pair of ear protectors. At that point, I said, "Screw the whole thing!" and went to bed.
Baguio has the right idea: let someone else make the noise whilst we grouchy, old codgers kick back and enjoy it.
Last year I poured a couple hundred grains of Pyrodex down the barrel of a muzzle-loading rifle and hammered an oversized, wooden dowel down on top of the charge. When I fired that sucker, straight up, about five feet of flame was produced along with a dense cloud of sulfurous smoke and a most satisfying bang. Ah, the celebrations of yesteryear, eh? Memory trumps anticipation 'most every time. Or at least this time.....
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Happy New Year From Baguio!
