We Americans love a good fireworks show. We'll put one on at the drop of a hat--after a home run, on just about any and every holiday, even at the grand opening of the latest big-box store in our neighborhood.

When I was a very young child, our family would gather at my grandparents' Louisiana home and set off fireworks on Christmas Eve. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was just a family tradition.

Many of us will pack into cars this Friday night and head out for a fireworks display, perhaps locally, perhaps at Fair St. Louis. Many more will create their own with sparklers and firecrackers and bottle rockets and the like.

It's easy enough to understand why we are fascinated by fireworks. Plainly and simply, human beings like to see things blow up. And somehow, we've managed to merge our love of pyrotechnics with the patriotic symbolism of fireworks. All those red, white, and blue explosions are to remind us of the "rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air" during the war that won us our independence.

Does that make it un-American to think--as I do--that fireworks are just a big waste of time and money? I guess I know as much as the average guy about the Revolutionary War, and I'm pretty sure those weren't fireworks.

It also seems peculiar that the Fourth of July is the day we asserted our sovereignty through the Declaration of Independence. The war--and the Star-Spangled Banner--came after. If anything, we should celebrate Independence Day by throwing some parchment and a quill pen into the air. But parchment doesn't explode.

I know that fireworks are a symbol of the courage and resolve of our forefathers, who fought against such magnificent odds to throw off the yoke of England. I have nothing but admiration and respect for the valor shown on the battlefield by the first generation of Americans, and for those who have done so since.

But, given our celebrated American ingenuity, you would think we could figure out a way to observe the founding of our nation somewhat less spectacularly (and less expensively).

To the contrary, even as we turn as a nation to a more conservation-based lifestyle, our thirst for fireworks grows, unabated by common sense.

Consider, the amount of fireworks sold to individuals for personal celebrations has nearly tripled since the year 2000. This year, between personal celebrations and public fireworks displays, Americans will spend nearly a billion dollars. That's billion, with a ëb'.

That's not even counting the medical care associated with the 13,000 annual injuries (mostly to kids) due to fireworks, nor the estimated $40 million in property damage that occurs each year, nor the cost of firefighters who are called out for fireworks-related incidents.

Huge fireworks shows such as the Macy's extravaganza in New York can cost more than half a million dollars. Even smaller shows such as the ones put on in small towns across America routinely cost $20,000 or $25,000 each. Heck, when Brad Pitt married Jennifer Aniston, they blew about 50 grand on a fireworks display. Considering how things turned out, they didn't get much "bang for their buck." I'll be here all week.

The opportunity costs boggle the mind. How many hungry could be fed, and for how long, with a billion dollars a year? How many untrained workers could be educated? How many inferior public schools upgraded? How many medical breakthroughs funded? The unfortunate answer is, not as many as you might think. For example, we could only fund the Iraq war for about three days. You know what they say, a billion dollars ain't what it used to be.

I have a feeling, though, that you could instill a lot more patriotism with a billion dollars worth of nuts-and-bolts solutions to society's problems.

As Americans, we tend to believe fireworks are exclusively our province, but the truth is, a Chinese farmer is credited with inventing the firecracker about 1,300 years ago. That seems fitting, and brings up the most unsettling statistic of all. About 95 percent of our annual fireworks consumption, some 123,000 tons, is imported from China. American fireworks manufacturers, by contrast, export less than ten percent of that amount to foreign countries.

If you didn't burst out laughing at the idea that what we consider this most American of institutions mostly enriches the Chinese... then I'm sorry, but you just don't have any sense of irony. Believe me, conservatives, if we had that sort of trade imbalance in peace signs or hemp clothing, Bill O'Reilly's jugular vein would have exploded by now.

A lot of that money will go up in smoke this coming Friday, all so we can have fifteen minutes of minor pleasure. All so we can say, "oooh, aaaah." All so we can use our love of explosions to justify our love of country.

You'll excuse me if I have a whole different idea of patriotism. At the risk of being thought a scold, I can't help but wonder if we shouldn't leave the pyrotechnics behind and figure out better ways to utilize both our money and our enthusiasm.

We are a wasteful, spendthrift society, and the list of decadence neither begins nor ends with fireworks. I am by no means pure in that regard. I blow a lot of money on a lot of useless crap.

Isn't it about time we were a little more self-critical of our ingrained rituals and habits? Isn't it about time we considered the consequences of our lifestyle in a way that balances them with our supposed love for our fellow humans?

It really isn't about fireworks. It's about understanding the impact of the things that we do for no other reason than ceremony or some fleeting sense of pride or well-being. It's about questioning our own behaviors, about a conscious analysis of the things we unconsciously accept for no reason other than simple tradition.

When thoughts like these creep into my head, I like to consider myself an iconoclast. But it's quite possible--as one former reader recently described me while canceling her subscription--that I'm just ënuts.'

Costello's placement at Southwestern Illinois College casts suspicious eye over school

Typical Liberal bias is alive and well at the St. Clair County Democratic educational bastion of Southwestern Illinois College. The hush-hush secret that they whispered about these past 60 days was not really a secret. At least, it wasn't to anyone who knows anyone close to the Board of Trustees, or knows someone who bridges the gap between Democratic Political circles and the activist faculty members at SWIC. You see, the current recruitment search the Board is conducting is a farce. The little ads in the Belleville News Democrat don't fool anyone with real recruiting experience. Is that where you find a high-level education-administration professional? "In the "classifieds?" Please! The "open secret" is that the job has belonged to Georgia Costello all along... if she wanted it. The County Democratic Queen and wife of Congressman Jerry Costello can and will write her own ticket. No one needed Georgia to "confirm" last week that she "is on the short list." Heck- she IS the short list! Well, what an example she is for the students at SWIC: Hey boys and girls, study hard, get a tax-payer funded job, play politics, retire, play politics, and then get another tax-payer funded job, all while collecting one or more tax-payer-funded pensions at the same time! And yes, for those of you in "Political Science 150: Introduction to American Government," this is the answer to the test question: "What is Pork-Barrel-Politics?"

Jon Newman, New Baden

Tourneys bring families, business to Trenton

Here we are again! As July begins, our park has been filled to capacity nearly every weekend. Forty softball teams from other towns visited our park for the Booster Bash in early June. Some very competitive gaming took place with girls teams 18U, 16U, 14U and 12U. Sixteen foot high temporary fences were installed to accommodate these sluggers. Many brought their whole family to cheer them on. Trenton's Thunder softball program has also brought their annual Thunder Slam to town, along with several select team tournaments and this past weekend's Gator Classic American Legion baseball tournament The economic impact of bringing so many people into our town filtered into many Trenton businesses. These tournaments are organized and staffed by volunteers in our community. The park benefits from all concession sales during tournaments, although the proceeds from the Booster Bash will go directly back into the current park project for the new lighting. We have to sell a lot of hot dogs to pay for $40,000 worth of lights. Obviously, we don't expect to get it done with one tournament, but we have motivated people who want to improve the park, so it will get done. Besides, there are other improvements to be made as soon as this one is complete. New bleachers with concrete pads and a walking trail are next on the agenda. We are very proud of our city park and we hope the community can see it too. There is a sense of satisfaction knowing what we are doing today will still be there tomorrow for others to enjoy. Come out and enjoy the park!

Don Williams, Park Booster