Now don't get me wrong now..I like fireworks and plan to do some tomorrow but when should they begin..they have been going off now for four days..my poor 'little girl' dog has been beside herself for days now..and how about the quality these days..and the expense..hasn't China gotten enough from 'us' but we have to spend our money and pride as well..why aren't there American made fireworks or anything else these days..why just today I bought a pair of American Indian style moccasins and a pair of water shoes no heritage involved from Wal-Mart both made in China..the water shoes were nothing to be amazed by but the moccasins are well made and should be very good shoes..shoes have nothing to do with fireworks, but just made me ponder..

-- justa, (ponderin under rockets red@glare.com), July 03, 2000

Answers

1. Get some tranquilizers for the dog. This happens every year and tranquilizing the dog is a lot more successful than getting your neighbors to stop shooting off fireworks.

2. There are still fireworks made in the US, mostly in Arkansas, since that is the state with most lax legislation regarding plant safety. Every once in a while, one of the plants blows up and kills a few workers.

3. Most of the fireworks are made in China because even Arkansas looks like a paragon of strict regulation by comparison. Fireworks plants there blow up regularly and sometimes kill hundreds of people.

4. Most of the stuff we buy is made overseas because it's cheaper to have it made overseas. People don't go to WalMart to look for American products, they go to look for cheap prices. In order for WalMart to meet that demand, they buy things overseas. If there was actually a demand for American made goods there would be a store that only sold American made products. Seen any lately?

5. Don't confuse national pride with a household budget. They are only related in an abstract fashion.

-- Jim Cooke (JJCooke@yahoo.com), July 04, 2000.

Look, round eyes, Chinese invented fireworks while Europeans were still wearing bear skins and American Indians are descended from Asians. We take no responsibility for Wal-Mart.

-- (JackieChan@chop.chop), July 04, 2000.

I like pork flied lice!!!

-- Porky (Porky@in.cellblockD), July 04, 2000.

Well buy a delicing kit. Only cost about 6 smackaroos at Fred Meyer.

-- de-licer (porky@do.it), July 04, 2000.

Jim, thanks for your comments. Was bringing our dog in and will continue until the fireworks run out. Wasn't and wouldn't consider telling neighbors to stop was only wondering why some stared so early..didn't realize Arkansaw had firework factories, but remember news of explosions in China,Mexico,Phillippines and other places..re:Walmart,didn't expect American goods, but I like shopping there as opposed to the malls which may or may not sell American products but do charge a lot more than a Walmart..

-- justa, (ponderin in the aisles@walmart.com), July 05, 2000.

One only needs to venture across the border to Mexico for fire- crackers and such. Or know someone who has.

-- cin (cin@cin.cin), July 05, 2000.