Fireworks: An Open Letter from Ms. Suzanne Muldowney

To whom it may concern: 

despite the joy and patriotic pride at the Fourth of July generates annually, the holiday also generates danger, injury risks, noise pollution and fire hazards.

 Since this coming July 4th marks 150 years of it being a national holiday, both the government and the citizenry should take advantage of the occasion to ban permanently the sources of the aforementioned side/ after effects FIRECRACKERS and FIREWORKS.

 Over time these explosives have done more harm than good. With the current COVID-19 rules to stay home numberless households may be tempted to shoot off firecrackers in their individual backyards. The abrupt loud noises create noise pollution, fire hazards since individual homes are so close and frighten people of all ages since hearing cannot be adjusted to split-second noises the way it can be for steady continuous sounds. 

Fireworks are also an abrupt-noise source, although they are continuously launched over a several-hour time period. They are also fire hazards because they explode high in the air; there have been instances over time of falling debris causing injuries and deaths. Fireworks unnecessarily cause disruption and/ or lack of sleep for those in most need of it: babies, very young children, sick hospital patients, assisted-living patients and next day workers; a typical exhibition never starts until at least 9PM and never finishes until 10:30PM to midnight, when sleep is needed.

 Birds and animals whether domestic, captive or wild know nothing about the holiday and can be traumatized by the loud noises. Also consider veterans who may be unnerved by abrupt, loud noises that may be suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.

It is up to all in the United States, especially to its highest leaders, to put an end to firecrackers and fireworks that result in more harm than good!!!

Sincerely,

Ms. Suzanne Muldowney

Suzanne as Olympic Figure Jogger (1985)

The Independent

Walking home from meditation. Who needs fireworks?

2nd Ave looking towards 18th street. (I think.)

Independence Day 2010

Did you know I used to totally rock a beard? Yep it's true. here is a shot from Thanksgiving 2006, contrasted with a May 2010 pic. As it stands today july 2010 I am now 159.4 lbs, I was a 300+ pound hot mess. Though I am still a work in progress. I can tell you physically I feel much better. My snoring is gone. Knees feel much better and my doctors couldn't be happier. The best result i've experienced is, I'm genuinely happier. I post this as a reminder. Memo to myself: Don't you give me any more sass when i ask you to do something like do your exercises, I'm trying to prolong your life! A fellow public access producer told me a contemporary of ours passed away from heart failure. I scoured his blog for any indication he was ill. a year back there was one simple entry that just had some sterile information about heart failure. No personal insight.

Let me be real with you. On the off chance that I die sooner than later, I want you to know that this has been the best life ever. Everything happened as it was supposed to and despite various luxury problems I have, It's been terrific and I will agree with what my Grandfather told me before he passed off this plane of existence "it's all good."

I'm going to enjoy this Independence Day, not with the traditional eating grilled meats in sugary BBQ sauce, grazing salted finger foods while pounding brewskis 'till I'm spewing the technicolor yawn into the porcelain altar. I'm going to honor myself. engage in some quiet meditation, exercise without sassiness, eat right. Tell my family I love them.

Here is a great song by Comsat Angels from 1983. i used to listen to this on WLIR when I was a kid. Enjoy. Be good to yourself and others. Live.