 | Blogs > authoress > The Wishing Well > What I've spent on the 4th of July so far ...................Priceless! |
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Greetinngs, Yes it is another patriotic themed post. What can I say, I am a grateful American girl! Long story short: When I signed online today one of those awful popups popped up! As I was reaching for the handy dandy delete key I stopped! It was a message from the USO. Remember them? They are still out there making the lives of our troops abroad feel like they are not forgotten. The USO is the only sanctioned group to send care packages to our troops, especially with the tightened security after 911. For a nominal fee, with one click I was able to send a phone card (100 minutes),reading material,toiletries,cards,snacks and other miscellaneous items the recipient will use and enjoy.....from home! A friend and I sent many of such packages we put together to the troops in Desert Storm,cards and letters for many occasions and it was a bit pricey in the longrun. This was a snap. The good feeling at my end...............priceless! The added perk for me is today is my Marine father's birthday......though he is in that detachment in the sky......It was a nice way for me to celebrate him. So start those grills, raise those flags and get those pyrotechnics in order. The 4th of July is here. Be safe and have a great time.................whatever that means for you and yours on this summer holiday weekend. And please remember the far away and the fallen. I do love those bottle rockets! ~authoress  Sparkle Sparkle Bang!Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. ~ George Washington ~ |
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 7/3/2009 11:59 am |
Happy Birthday, to your Dad as he shines down from the sky. And, yes, it is wonderful to support our troops in any way possible. After all, their service to our country is beyond priceless. Now, where'd I put those bottle rockets?
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7/3/2009 12:36 pm |
Happy Birthday, to your Dad as he shines down from the sky. And, yes, it is wonderful to support our troops in any way possible. After all, their service to our country is beyond priceless. Now, where'd I put those bottle rockets? I do love those guys in uniform......biased maybe? Oh well! Please find those bottle rockets...........and I'll bring the Klondike bars! ~authoress Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. ~ George Washington ~
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7/3/2009 1:41 pm |
The eyes of a child............Priceless. Bottle rockets are banned here....as they are in at least half the states in the USA. They are downright dangerous. Here's a great article about the dangers: June 30, 2008 Protect Your Eyes on July Fourth By Emil William Chynn, MD, FACS, MBA As befits any birthday, Americans will celebrate this July 4 with food, pageantry, and, of course: fireworks! Who cannot remember the thrill of their first fireworks display, the childish wonder that is rekindled each 4th? Fireworks are a big part of this holiday. But would anyone claim that such celebrations are worth $100 million -- the amount that fireworks-related injuries cost Americans each year? Each year, over 10,000 Americans seek treatment in emergency rooms and almost a dozen people die from fireworks-related injuries. Nearly half of these injuries occur during the July 4th holiday weekend. Most frequently, fireworks-related injuries involve the eyes -- nearly a third of these ER visits are for serious eye injuries. And 33% of ocular fireworks injuries result in a permanently blind eye (U.S. Eye Injury Registry Data). With nearly 50% of the victims being children, about seventy-five children lose an eye each July 4th weekend due to fireworks. According to the volunteer organization Prevent Blindness America, in 2004 there were 9,600 firework-related injuries for that year: 300 more than in 2003. And 6,600 of these were treated around the Fourth of July. Forty percent of all fireworks injuries are to those aged fifteen or less. But we respond to people, not to statistics. Carleen was your average, happy fifteen year-old when some of her friends were playing with bottle rockets. Two rockets went up. When Carleen glanced at the third rocket, which didn't launch, it exploded, crushing her left eye. She was brought to the hospital for emergency surgery. Despite the heroic efforts of her ophthalmologists, who performed seven surgeries over a period of five years, she never saw again. Eventually, because of constant pain from glaucoma, her eye had to be removed and replaced with a prosthetic eye. This case illustrates the enormous danger of bottle rockets. Although they account for only a fraction of all fireworks, bottle rockets caused 70% of all ocular fireworks injuries in 2000 -- half resulting in blindness. In a seven-year analysis by the Eye Injury Registry of Alabama, bottle rockets accounted for 100% of fireworks injuries requiring surgical removal of an eye. The average age of the victims: thirteen. ••• Bottle rockets were invented by the Chinese in the thirteenth century, not for entertainment but as a weapon of war. A small Class C bottle rocket can take off at seventy-five miles per hour with an explosive payload. Yet over twenty states still allow the sale of bottle rockets, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The American Academy of Ophthalmology advocates legislation banning the sale, resale, use, and possession of bottle rockets, except by trained professionals. A wide range of organizations support this ban, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Helen Keller International, the National Fire Protection Council, and the National Safety Council. But it is not just bottle rockets that pose a significant hazard. Even sparklers, those seemingly innocuous toys, can be extremely dangerous in the hands of young children. In 2004, 300 children under the age of five were hurt by sparklers. Don't forget, a burning sparkler can reach 1800 degrees at its burning tip -- not something that a young child should be waving around! Keeping all fireworks, including sparklers, away from children this holiday season is critical, as 43% of injuries happen to children under fifteen years old, 23% in children under age five --and 69% occur in the month surrounding July 4th! While Americans do not want to see an end to fireworks, most would support a specific bottle rocket ban; half of the states have already adopted such legislation. A uniform ban in every state would be much more effective, preventing individuals from purchasing bottle rockets in neighboring states. What can one do as a parent? Write, call, or fax your elected representatives, telling them you support a bottle rocket ban. Encourage your children to attend only professional fireworks displays, rather than using fireworks themselves. If your child must use fireworks, while nothing can eliminate the danger, the following guidelines (adapted from the American Academy of Ophthalmology) can help decrease risk: -- Always have adult supervision and use protective eyewear. -- Use a specially designed stick, or "punk," rather than a match to light fireworks. -- Have a bucket of water ready. -- Always follow manufacturers' directions and dispose of used fireworks properly. -- Never give a firecracker or sparkler to a child. -- Never use a bottle rocket. -- Do not light firecrackers bigger than your pinkie, do not light them indoors, and avoid relighting duds. -- Never put fireworks in your pocket, throw them while lit, or make homemade firecrackers. -- In case of eye injury, do not touch the eye. Tape a clean paper cup over the eye to prevent contamination or further injury. Immediately seek medical attention from an ophthalmologist (eye MD). As a first-generation Chinese-American ophthalmologist, I have a unique perspective. A beautiful fireworks display can be among the most moving of cultural expressions, evoking a visceral reaction, whether on Chinese New Year or July 4th. At the same time, fireworks, invented for war, hold great destructive potential, which I am unfortunate enough to witness each year. I am proud of my ancestors for their invention. I would be many times as proud of my fellow Americans if they joined together to end needless blindness caused by fireworks.
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7/3/2009 2:44 pm |
"Silver threads are woven into the web of life"
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7/3/2009 5:42 pm |
The eyes of a child............Priceless. Bottle rockets are banned here....as they are in at least half the states in the USA. They are downright dangerous. Here's a great article about the dangers: June 30, 2008 Protect Your Eyes on July Fourth By Emil William Chynn, MD, FACS, MBA As befits any birthday, Americans will celebrate this July 4 with food, pageantry, and, of course: fireworks! Who cannot remember the thrill of their first fireworks display, the childish wonder that is rekindled each 4th? Fireworks are a big part of this holiday. But would anyone claim that such celebrations are worth $100 million -- the amount that fireworks-related injuries cost Americans each year? Each year, over 10,000 Americans seek treatment in emergency rooms and almost a dozen people die from fireworks-related injuries. Nearly half of these injuries occur during the July 4th holiday weekend. Most frequently, fireworks-related injuries involve the eyes -- nearly a third of these ER visits are for serious eye injuries. And 33% of ocular fireworks injuries result in a permanently blind eye (U.S. Eye Injury Registry Data). With nearly 50% of the victims being children, about seventy-five children lose an eye each July 4th weekend due to fireworks. According to the volunteer organization Prevent Blindness America, in 2004 there were 9,600 firework-related injuries for that year: 300 more than in 2003. And 6,600 of these were treated around the Fourth of July. Forty percent of all fireworks injuries are to those aged fifteen or less. But we respond to people, not to statistics. Carleen was your average, happy fifteen year-old when some of her friends were playing with bottle rockets. Two rockets went up. When Carleen glanced at the third rocket, which didn't launch, it exploded, crushing her left eye. She was brought to the hospital for emergency surgery. Despite the heroic efforts of her ophthalmologists, who performed seven surgeries over a period of five years, she never saw again. Eventually, because of constant pain from glaucoma, her eye had to be removed and replaced with a prosthetic eye. This case illustrates the enormous danger of bottle rockets. Although they account for only a fraction of all fireworks, bottle rockets caused 70% of all ocular fireworks injuries in 2000 -- half resulting in blindness. In a seven-year analysis by the Eye Injury Registry of Alabama, bottle rockets accounted for 100% of fireworks injuries requiring surgical removal of an eye. The average age of the victims: thirteen. ••• Bottle rockets were invented by the Chinese in the thirteenth century, not for entertainment but as a weapon of war. A small Class C bottle rocket can take off at seventy-five miles per hour with an explosive payload. Yet over twenty states still allow the sale of bottle rockets, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The American Academy of Ophthalmology advocates legislation banning the sale, resale, use, and possession of bottle rockets, except by trained professionals. A wide range of organizations support this ban, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Helen Keller International, the National Fire Protection Council, and the National Safety Council. But it is not just bottle rockets that pose a significant hazard. Even sparklers, those seemingly innocuous toys, can be extremely dangerous in the hands of young children. In 2004, 300 children under the age of five were hurt by sparklers. Don't forget, a burning sparkler can reach 1800 degrees at its burning tip -- not something that a young child should be waving around! Keeping all fireworks, including sparklers, away from children this holiday season is critical, as 43% of injuries happen to children under fifteen years old, 23% in children under age five --and 69% occur in the month surrounding July 4th! While Americans do not want to see an end to fireworks, most would support a specific bottle rocket ban; half of the states have already adopted such legislation. A uniform ban in every state would be much more effective, preventing individuals from purchasing bottle rockets in neighboring states. What can one do as a parent? Write, call, or fax your elected representatives, telling them you support a bottle rocket ban. Encourage your children to attend only professional fireworks displays, rather than using fireworks themselves. If your child must use fireworks, while nothing can eliminate the danger, the following guidelines (adapted from the American Academy of Ophthalmology) can help decrease risk: -- Always have adult supervision and use protective eyewear. -- Use a specially designed stick, or "punk," rather than a match to light fireworks. -- Have a bucket of water ready. -- Always follow manufacturers' directions and dispose of used fireworks properly. -- Never give a firecracker or sparkler to a child. -- Never use a bottle rocket. -- Do not light firecrackers bigger than your pinkie, do not light them indoors, and avoid relighting duds. -- Never put fireworks in your pocket, throw them while lit, or make homemade firecrackers. -- In case of eye injury, do not touch the eye. Tape a clean paper cup over the eye to prevent contamination or further injury. Immediately seek medical attention from an ophthalmologist (eye MD). As a first-generation Chinese-American ophthalmologist, I have a unique perspective. A beautiful fireworks display can be among the most moving of cultural expressions, evoking a visceral reaction, whether on Chinese New Year or July 4th. At the same time, fireworks, invented for war, hold great destructive potential, which I am unfortunate enough to witness each year. I am proud of my ancestors for their invention. I would be many times as proud of my fellow Americans if they joined together to end needless blindness caused by fireworks. Thank you again for turning an innocent sentiment and general nice thing in the spirit it was intended into some forum of your own. Your time would have been better spent taking the time on your OWN blog warning of all the dangers of fireworks, etc during this 4th of July, on which I fully agree with you.... rather than try to one up the rememberence of my father and a few fun times on a 4th of July. I didn't delete you because this is the point........free to say what you want aver day of the year! Thanks. ~authoress Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. ~ George Washington ~
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7/3/2009 5:43 pm |
Thank you dear lady! ((hugs)) ~authoress Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. ~ George Washington ~
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7/4/2009 3:46 am |
You have a great day and a happy 4th. I plan to spend the day with my daughter and her family. Yes it's our duty as American woman to love those men in uniform. Please forgive my friend Bob, I'm sure he didn't mean to take your thunder. Hugs I'm looking to the future and it's out of sight, only in the end shall I take flight.
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