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San Diego's Fireworks Show Over In 15 Seconds

First time accepted submitter fotoguzzi writes "Garden State Fireworks is investigating how the entire Fourth of July show was launched after a signal was sent to the barges that would set the timing for the rest of the show after the introduction. Can anyone suggest how such a trivial step could go so disastrously wrong?" It's not the first time such a thing has happened, either.

4 of 241 comments (clear)

  1. Re:How is that not better? by CanHasDIY · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You could eat a 20lb sack of potatoes over the same timeframes. How does that not get better as time reduces?

    The shorter the time frame, the more entertaining it is to watch someone try and devour 20lb of... well, anything.

    Otherwise, why bother timing eating contests?

    --
    An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
  2. Re:What are people complaining about? by ceoyoyo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They can see an artistically choreographed fireworks show next year. They probably saw one last year. Around here they do one every Thursday, all summer. How often do you get to see what happens when all the fireworks go off at once?

    "The only once in a lifetime experience I see here is that they can fondly look back at the year the 4th of July was a complete ripoff."

    Strange how people getting a fireworks show for free can feel ripped off. Quite the sense of entitlement, hey?

  3. Testing Circuit Failure? by weiserfireman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Electric matches on the circuits take 5 milliamps to ignite them.

    After the fireworks are loaded and wired up, testing is done to identify matches that aren't wired up right. Is there a chance that the testing process failed. On computer systems, it is pretty automated and happens fast. If the test resistor wasn't in the circuit properly, it might look like that.

    Notes
    I am a BATF licensed pryotechnician.
    I assist with a small show every year (our last night went flawlessly)
    I have never worked with a computer fired circuit

  4. Re:Wasn't there... by sarysa · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Welp, I don't normally respond to a cynical mod-down, but I'm dead serious with this one.

    Lets face it, we all draw a line somewhere when we decide to attend something, right? I won't drive toward the beach (bay area) after 9am or so because that's when traffic becomes molasses, or stand in a long line for a slightly faster phone, or anything like that. Other people will. It takes a certain personality type to have the willingness to do so and I don't have it.

    The intent of the above quip wasn't to disparage those who do, but I can only imagine that if I'm the impatient type who times recreational activity around minimal wasted time (traffic congestion, staring at loading bars, waiting in lines), those who are willing to do these things are either
    A. much more laid back, or I suppose...
    B. doing it for their kids. Maybe I should've mentioned that before.

    In either case, a laid back person would think it's funny. A kid would think it's awesome. Kids haven't developed the sense of aesthetics needed to appreciate the rhythm and choreography behind the display -- they're just thinking "awesome, big explosion! Do it again!"

    So if you're so pissed off by my statement that you feel the need to hit Underrated in the popdown, maybe you're not laid back enough for such recreational activity. :P

    --
    Charisma is the measure of someone's ability to lie with a straight face.