Fireworks at Gallup, NM

It has been five years since I last drove to Gallup, NM to purchase fireworks. The Latvian and I left Phoenix, Arizona bright and early to make this 10-hour round trip pilgrimage to New Mexico. It was during the same trip five years ago that inspired me to start HanziSmatter.com.

We stopped in Bubba's Fireworks stand, which is a giant tent located in a dirt lot just north of King Dragon Chinese Buffet on Highway 491.

What is interesting about fireworks is that all of them are made in China. Even the patriotic American tanks in Stars and Stripes:



And World War III may start right here on the folding tables between China and US:





Some of the packaging are just mundane, like this Widow Maker:



Excalibur:



and National Treasure:



some are humorous and sliding towards the offensive side:


Can You Handle It? shows a large Black woman with her hair in curlers jumping out of a burning building while three firemen with looks of horror on their faces trying to catch her.


One Bad Mother-in-Law illustrates the harmonious family of a stereotypical White trailer trash.


500 Gram exploits urban blacks on low-rider bicycles displaying their assault rifles. The front man appears to have strong resemblance of Easy-E from N.W.A., Niggaz With Attitude.


Hustler, Warning: shoots flaming balls. Get it? Flaming balls.

My personal favorites are fireworks shaped to be beer mugs and bottles to entice idiots to hold them in hands:





and same time the warning labels tells them not to:



And little suicide packs from boys and girls:




What Boys are Made of, with matching What Girls Want:



Even Britney Spears is endorsing them:



Nothing says Perfect Silence than after you have blown your ear drums: