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Vintage photos show what Coney Island's 4th of July celebrations used to look like

<ul><li><keyword id="20549513" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Deadpool-Wolverine" source="keywords">Deadpool &amp; Wolverine</keyword> was released on July 26 and took the global box office by storm</li><li>The film raked in $434 million over its first weekend </li><li>The movie is a goldmine of <keyword id="19899873" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Easter-eggs" source="keywords">easter eggs</keyword> for <keyword id="20189664" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="MCU" source="keywords">MCU</keyword> &amp; <keyword id="20137726" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="X-Men" source="keywords">X-Men</keyword> Fans</li></ul><em>Disclaimer: If you are a superhero fanatic who has been disappointed with the content out there of late, Deadpool &amp; Wolverine is likely to be a breath of fresh air for you. I have skipped major spoilers here, which I believe you should enjoy firsthand in cinemas near you. </em><br /><br />Since Avengers: Endgame, we have seen a constant decline in quality and fan following for the <keyword id="19985514" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Marvel-Cinematic-Universe" source="keywords">Marvel Cinematic Universe</keyword> movies and shows. The reasons are plenty — a pandemic that crutched the production quality, added focus on TV shows, expansion of the Universe for secondary characters and a lack of clear vision for the future. <br /><br />While all this was at play, Fox was acquired by Disney with the rights to the Marvel characters coming back to the ‘sacred timeline’ or as we call it, MCU. Since then we have seen references to the X-Men in Marvel's latest work — from the X-Men animated theme being played out in Ms. Marvel (2022) to Beast’s cameo in The Marvels (2023). <br /><br />But it wasn’t until Deadpool &amp; Wolverine that we had our first taste of what this connected universe would look like. In fact, Deadpool, being the merc. with the mouth, made for the perfect character for this merger. So unsurprisingly, Deadpool and Wolverine saw a ton of <keyword id="22604958" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="4th-wall-breaks" source="keywords">4th-wall breaks</keyword>, references from past Fox and MCU releases, and enough fodder for me to write this piece.<br /><br />Easter eggs that I spotted in Deadpool &amp; Wolverine<br /><br /><h2>MCU X Deadpool</h2>We get at least six easter eggs in the first scene of the movie. This is where we see Wade meeting with Happy Hogan played by John Favreu. He is applying to become an Avenger, only to get rejected eventually. But in that room, we see the following: <br /><br />-Iron Man Mark II Helmet<br /><br />-Table Clock from Ironman 2 <br /><br />-A replica shield of Captain America <br /><br />-Peter Parker’s Ironman helmet from Ironman 2 <br /><br />-Peter Parker and Tony Stark’s picture from Spiderman Homecoming <br /><br />-Tony Stark’s simulation of time travel algorithm <br /><br />We then move to Deadpool being brought to TVA, the Time Variance Authority. This is where we meet familiar characters from Loki. It shouldn’t bother you if you haven’t seen the series since there are no references made to that. <br /><br />Here we see Deadpool with Thor, a scene which is actively being shunned throughout the movie. I can only assume that we will see it in its entirety in Avengers: Secret Wars.<br /><br />Then we are introduced to another set of easter eggs from the MCU in the second half. This is where we see:<br /><br />- A dead corpse of Giant-Man <br /><br />- Thanos’ ship<br /><br />- Red Skull car from Captain America: The First Avenger <br /><br />- Doctor Strange’s ring <br /><br /><h2>A final goodbye to Fox’s Marvel Universe</h2>In the early 2000s, we saw many 20th Century Fox films around Marvel characters. Yes, just like Spider-Man with Sony, Fox had the rights of the Fantastic Four and X-Men. With that universe being dissolved, Deadpool &amp; Wolverine gave us a final glimpse of the series with many easter eggs. <br /><br /><h3>Fox Easter Eggs from the void</h3>The easter egg hunt isn’t difficult, especially if you are familiar with the Fox universe. But to help you out, here is everything you can spot: <br /><br /><ul><li>Fantastic Car from the Fantastic Four</li><li>20th Century Fox logo</li><li>Logan’s military dog tags</li><li>Katanas used in The Wolverine </li><li>Professor X’s chair</li><li>Magneto’s Helmet being mentioned by Cassandra</li></ul>But no fan service is complete without mentioning the characters that were reintroduced in this movie. I don’t want to get into details and what they did here, but here is a list of characters you might or might not remember. <br /><br /><table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Character<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Actor<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Movie<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">X-23<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Dafne Keen<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Logan (2017)<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Elektra<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Jennifer Garner<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Daredevil (2003), Elektra (2005)<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Gambit<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Channing Tatum<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Unreleased Gambit Movie<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Blade<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Wesley Snipes<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Blade (1998)<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Human Torch<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Chris Evans<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Fantastic Four (2004, 2007)<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Sabretooth<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Tyler Mane<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">X-Men (2000)<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Pyro<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Aaron Stanford<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">X-Men 2 (2003)<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Aaron W Reed<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Juggernaut<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">X3 (2005)<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Mike Waters<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Blob<br /><br /></td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody></table><br />There were other notable characters in the movie which were reprised by unknown actors. The list includes:<br /><br /><ul><li>Toad</li><li>Calisto </li><li>Azazel </li><li>Lady Death Strike</li><li>Bullseye</li><li>Psylocke</li></ul>Overall, Deadpool and Wolverine is a film that unabashedly embraces fan service. It’s a love letter to comic book enthusiasts, packed with Easter eggs, cameos, and references that will delight longtime fans. The film revels in its meta-humour, breaking the fourth wall and winking at the audience with every opportunity. While some critics argue that this excessive fan service overshadows the plot, there’s no denying the film's entertainment value for those who appreciate a good dose of nostalgia and comic book absurdity.<br />

Deadpool & Wolverine is the epitome of fan service. Here’re the major easter eggs and surprise clues decoded (No spoilers)

I made 5 cookout foods in a slow cooker and they were all perfect for the 4th of July

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Big Four — EY, Deloitte, KPMG, and PwC — are the world's largest accounting and consulting firms.</li><li>They pull in billions annually but have faced a slowdown in demand for their services.</li></ul><p>Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC are the world's largest accounting and consulting firms, known as the Big Four.</p><p>With histories dating back to the 19th century, they have grown into billion-dollar companies employing hundreds of thousands of staff who <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/salary-of-consultants-accountants-big-4-deloitte-kpmg-ey-pwc-2020-7">earn high salaries</a> and often work very long hours.</p><p>The Big Four offer companies services such as workforce transformations, reshaping corporate finance portfolios, assurance, valuation, and optimizing the use of technology.</p><p>Put simply, they're there to assess businesses and tell them how to run more efficiently.</p><p>The pandemic changed the landscape for the major firms, with a surge in demand that sparked a hiring boom. The Big Four are now attempting to balance operations amid slowing demand.</p><p>Here's a look at where the Big Four stand.</p><h2 id="48468922-4dba-47ad-a28d-d25638598012">EY</h2><p>After a series of mergers, EY was formed in 1989 as the accountancy firm Ernst &amp; Young. It has since diversified its offerings and, in 2013, rebranded to EY.</p><p>Headquartered in central London, EY has more than 700 offices in 150 countries. Janet Truncale, the global chair and CEO, took over from Carmine Di Sibio in July.</p><p>EY focuses heavily on consultancy and assurance but also covers tax and strategy, and transactions.</p><div type="image" title="EY office London" height="4232" width="6348" msid="115336159" hostid="261" sizebytes="1631846"></div><p>Revenue was up 3.9% on the previous year to $51.2 billion, according to the firm's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.ey.com/content/dam/ey-unified-site/ey-com/en-gl/campaigns/value-realized/documents/ey-gl-value-realized-report-latest-10-2024.pdf">latest annual report</a> published in October. It was EY's poorest performance since 2010. Assurance services were its largest revenue generator.</p><p>In May 2024, the firm was caught up in a scandal along with PwC and fined $11.7 million by UK authorities for a series of auditing failures.</p><p>As pressure has mounted,<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/partner-pay-at-big-four-falling-ey-pwc-deloitte-kpmg-2024-10"> EY cut UK partner payouts by 5%</a> and laid off employees. Overall employee numbers dropped by 2,450 during EY's latest financial year — the first decrease in 14 years.</p><p>EY's global head count now stands at about 393,000.</p><p>In 2023, the firm launched <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.ey.com/en_gl/services/ai/platform">EY.ai</a>, an AI platform aiming to assist clients across all its professional services. It also offers clients a conversational AI assistant called EYQ.</p><h2 id="2bae3851-83fe-4f5b-9941-4b8be848c9c2">Deloitte</h2><p id="2bae3851-83fe-4f5b-9941-4b8be848c9c2">Deloitte is the largest of the Big Four by both revenue and employees.</p><p id="2bae3851-83fe-4f5b-9941-4b8be848c9c2">Founded in the UK in 1845, Deloitte expanded into the US in 1890. It is headquartered in London and has more than 700 offices in some 150 countries. It's known for strong business and technology consulting services.</p><p id="2bae3851-83fe-4f5b-9941-4b8be848c9c2">Joe Ucuzoglu has been its global CEO since 2022.</p><p id="2bae3851-83fe-4f5b-9941-4b8be848c9c2">In March, Deloitte announced a major restructuring aimed at cutting costs and repositioning it for future success.</p><p id="2bae3851-83fe-4f5b-9941-4b8be848c9c2">It is "modernizing and simplifying" its core offering into four categories: audit and assurance, tax and legal strategy, risk and transactions, and technology and transformation.</p><div type="image" title="Deloitte Global CEO Joe Ucuzoglu" height="2492" width="3782" msid="115336152" hostid="261" sizebytes="428006"></div><p id="2bae3851-83fe-4f5b-9941-4b8be848c9c2">Global revenue climbed 3.1% to $67.2 billion in the 2024 financial year, but, like EY, that performance was far lower than the 14.9% growth in 2023.</p><p id="2bae3851-83fe-4f5b-9941-4b8be848c9c2">The slowdown has affected partner payouts, which fell by 4.5% to about $1.27 million. Equity partners took home roughly $63,000 less than they did a year ago.</p><p id="2bae3851-83fe-4f5b-9941-4b8be848c9c2">Deloitte's global workforce expanded to 460,000 in 2024, an increase of 3,000.</p><p id="2bae3851-83fe-4f5b-9941-4b8be848c9c2">Deloitte has pledged to invest $3 billion in AI by fiscal year 2030 and has partnered with technology industry leaders Nvidia, Google Cloud, and AWS to develop its client offering.</p><h2 id="d05c288b-efec-4a22-ad4b-421387d641ad">PwC</h2><p>PwC is often considered the most prestigious of the Big Four, and topped the latest <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=708ff2a343a2f208378c7847e7d4bde9dfdd89fdfaebca816b811d68ba1f26db&amp;postID=6733271a12ccc5798285db75&amp;postSlug=big-four-deloitte-pwc-kpmg-ey-staff-revenues-focus-2024-11&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fvault.com%2Fbest-companies-to-work-for%2Faccounting%2Fvault-accounting-25">Vault Accounting 25</a> ranking.</p><p>Officially formed in 1998 from a merger between Price Waterhouse and Coopers &amp; Lybrand, PwC's headquarters is almost opposite EY's main office in London.</p><p>Mohamed Kande has been the global chairman since July.</p><p>PwC has three core lines of business — assurance, advisory, and tax and legal services — but the firm is particularly known for its strong and well-established audit client base.</p><p>It employs more than 370,000 people in 149 countries and territories.</p><p>In 2021, PwC committed to creating over 100,000 net new jobs over a five-year period, and in October 2024, it said it had already hit three-quarters of that target.</p><div type="image" title="PwC logo outside office at More London location" height="3799" width="5698" msid="115336154" hostid="261" sizebytes="1162556"></div><p>PwC was the second-highest earning of the Big Four, posting record gross revenue of $55.4 billion and 3.7% annual growth in the year to June 30.</p><p>Though not as stark a slowdown as Deloitte or EY, growth at PwC still dropped noticeably compared to the 9.9% rise reported for the previous 12 months.</p><p>A number of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pwc-results-scandals-in-china-but-global-revenues-record-high-2024-10">high-profile scandals</a> in the Asia-Pacific region involving its work with the Australian and Chinese governments damaged business.</p><p>To handle the changing environment, PwC cut partner pay by 5%, leaving partners taking home an average of $1.09 million this financial year.</p><p>In October The Wall Street Journal reported that the firm would make its first major layoffs since 2009 and cut 1,800 jobs.</p><p>PwC has invested $1.5 billion to expand and scale its AI capabilities. In February 2024, it unveiled a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.pwc.co.uk/press-room/press-releases/corporate-news/pwc-uk-launch-uk-tax-ai-assistant-tool.html">tax AI assistant</a> for 2,300 PwC tax professionals in the UK to use.</p><h2 id="a0264569-2dfb-4f59-8e05-51870f69af3a"><strong>KPMG</strong></h2><p>The smallest of the Big Four in terms of revenue and employees, KPMG is headquartered in Amsterdam and has a long-serving leader in chairman and chief executive Bill Thomas.</p><p>Its core services cover audit, tax and legal, and advisory.</p><p>In its most recent annual report, covering the financial year ending 30 September, KPMG reported an 8% rise in revenue to $36 billion. It reports its 2024 results in December.</p><p>Overall, these were the lowest revenues among the Big Four, roughly $20 billion less than its three competitors.</p><div type="image" title="KPMG logo outside office" height="3585" width="5378" msid="115336156" hostid="261" sizebytes="222776"></div><p>KPMG has faced scrutiny across several markets for its auditing and accounting work. In 2023, it was fined a record $26 million in the UK after "exceptional" failures in its accounting work.</p><p>Employee numbers grew by 3% in the 2023 financial year to reach 273,000.</p><p>But over 2024, KPMG has made a series of layoffs. About 330 staff, or 4%, were cut from its US audit practice; 5% cut across advisory, tax, and back-office functions; and 2% from its advisory workforce in 2023, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.accountancyage.com/2024/11/05/kpmg-cuts-4-of-us-audit-staff-amid-industry-wide-adjusments/">Accountancy Age</a>.</p><p>KPMG said it is looking to invest more in specialist roles in areas like ESG, tax, and technology.</p><p>While it lags behind in revenues, the firm is seen to foster a less cutthroat workplace than its competitors. The firm has said it aims to have women in a third of partner or director roles by 2025.</p><p>According to its latest report, women hold 28.8% of leadership roles.</p><p><em>What's your experience of working at the Big Four accountancy firms? Contact this reporter in confidence at</em><strong><em> </em></strong><a target="_blank" href="mailto:pthompson@businessinsider.com"><strong><u>pthompson@businessinsider.com</u></strong></a></p>

Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC make up the Big 4 — here's how they compare

<ul class="summary-list"><li>If Donald Trump wins the 2024 presidency, it could help him in his four criminal cases.</li><li>"Setting politics aside, there is a lot at stake legally for Trump," one legal expert said.</li></ul><p>Not only is the presidency on the line for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> in the 2024 election, but so are his <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-criminal-cases-ranked-how-much-legal-trouble-2023-8">four criminal indictments</a>.</p><p>Winning would largely free the former president for the foreseeable future from dealing with his criminal cases. Losing to Democratic rival <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-political-career-photos-2024-11">Vice President Kamala Harris</a> means he must face these cases head-on.</p><p>"Setting politics aside, there is a lot at stake legally for Trump" in the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-watch-for-election-day-harris-trump-congress-2024-11">November 5 election</a>, former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Business Insider.</p><p>Here's what will happen with Trump's four criminal cases — two federal and two state — if he wins or loses this year's presidency.</p><div type="image" title="This courtroom sketch from the Manhattan hush-money trial shows Donald Trump conferring with attorney Todd Blanche as Judge Juan Merchan watches from the bench." height="1875" width="2500" msid="114994501" hostid="261" sizebytes="716912"></div><h2 id="06f2e166-49f8-4400-b448-e35dc4e031fa">The New York hush-money case</h2><p id="06f2e166-49f8-4400-b448-e35dc4e031fa">Whether Trump wins or loses the election, he will have a mandatory November 26 <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-presidential-immunity-could-delay-hush-money-sentencing-legal-experts-2024-8">Manhattan sentencing</a> date on his calendar.</p><p id="06f2e166-49f8-4400-b448-e35dc4e031fa">Trump, the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-hush-money-trial-verdict-2024-5">first US president convicted of a crime</a>, faces anywhere from zero to four years in jail for his May conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up his $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film actor <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stormy-daniels-takes-stand-donald-trump-hush-money-trial-2024-5">Stormy Daniels</a>.</p><p id="06f2e166-49f8-4400-b448-e35dc4e031fa">There is some chance that date will be delayed. Trump has promised to fight his indictment and conviction in New York's appellate courts. He will argue that the evidence in the case includes acts that were done in his official role as president — evidence that is barred under July's landmark US Supreme Court <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/supreme-court-trump-immunity-january-6-election-ruling-decision-2024-5">presidential immunity decision</a>.</p><p id="06f2e166-49f8-4400-b448-e35dc4e031fa">Once he's sentenced, experts say more appeals could keep even a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-going-jail-time-ny-indictment-slim-odds-2023-3">jail sentence</a> on hold for years — though a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-judges-weigh-in-on-trump-hush-money-sentencing-2024">jail sentence is highly unlikely</a>, a quartet of former New York judges previously told BI.</p><p id="06f2e166-49f8-4400-b448-e35dc4e031fa">Winning the presidency would extend things even further, as Trump could argue he's too busy running the country to tend to his personal legal issues.</p><p id="06f2e166-49f8-4400-b448-e35dc4e031fa">Cornell Law School professor Michael Dorf said it's likely that if Trump won back the White House, he would immediately file court papers to delay the sentencing until he is no longer president.</p><p id="06f2e166-49f8-4400-b448-e35dc4e031fa">Rahmani, the president and cofounder of West Coast Trial Lawyers, said that he does not believe Trump would be sentenced to jail "regardless of the outcome of the election."</p><p id="06f2e166-49f8-4400-b448-e35dc4e031fa">"Trump winning makes it logistically impossible and a certainty that he won't receive any time," Rahmani said.</p><div type="image" title="Special counsel Jack Smith" height="1667" width="2500" msid="114994492" hostid="261" sizebytes="151876"></div><h2 id="b14beff9-4c49-4e75-8485-3b47fadd7db8">Trump's federal cases</h2><p id="b14beff9-4c49-4e75-8485-3b47fadd7db8">Trump has two federal indictments, both brought by special counsel <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/judge-releases-prosecutors-evidence-against-trump-in-election-interference-case-2024-10">Jack Smith</a>, and both eligible for a presidential pardon, though a self-pardon has never been tried.</p><p id="b14beff9-4c49-4e75-8485-3b47fadd7db8">If reelected president, Trump could ask his attorney general to fire Smith. He could also ask the courts to halt the federal prosecutions as there is long-standing Justice Department policy that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted while in office, or attempt to pardon himself, said Dorf.</p><p id="b14beff9-4c49-4e75-8485-3b47fadd7db8">Trump said in a conservative radio interview last month that if elected, he would fire Smith "within two seconds."</p><p id="b14beff9-4c49-4e75-8485-3b47fadd7db8">Justice Department regulations permit only firing a special counsel for good cause, but Trump could have his attorney general rescind that regulation, Dorf noted.</p><p id="b14beff9-4c49-4e75-8485-3b47fadd7db8">Firing Smith "is basically his right as president, though I would expect Smith to resign before then, just as a matter of course," said Michel Paradis, an attorney who teaches national security and constitutional law at Columbia Law School.</p><p id="b14beff9-4c49-4e75-8485-3b47fadd7db8">"The key thing to watch would be what Jack Smith does between Election Day and January 20 to potentially protect those prosecutions from interference," Paradis said.</p><p id="b14beff9-4c49-4e75-8485-3b47fadd7db8">"There's not a lot he can do to make them ironclad since, at the end of the day, the president does control the Justice Department," Paradis said.</p><p id="b14beff9-4c49-4e75-8485-3b47fadd7db8">One thing Smith may try prior to Trump taking the oath is to seek to stay both proceedings during the presidency, again on the grounds that sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted while in office, Paradis said.</p><p id="b14beff9-4c49-4e75-8485-3b47fadd7db8">Trump has pleaded not guilty to both federal indictments. <br /><br />In response to a request for comment, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said, "The Lyin' Kamala Harris - Crooked Joe Biden Witch Hunts against President Trump have imploded just like their failed campaign, and should all be dismissed in light of the Supreme Court's historic decision on immunity and other vital jurisprudence."<br /><br />A DOJ spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</p><div type="image" title="donald trump washington dc court illustation" height="1666" width="2500" msid="114994505" hostid="261" sizebytes="393128"></div><h2 id="51fce551-72ad-4a09-953b-b04f65b65a0b">The federal election interference case</h2><p id="51fce551-72ad-4a09-953b-b04f65b65a0b">If Trump loses, that does not mean Smith's prosecution of Trump's most serious federal case — charges that he <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-judge-release-additional-evidence-election-interference-case-2024-10">tried to overturn the 2020 election</a> — will barrel forward at full speed.</p><p id="51fce551-72ad-4a09-953b-b04f65b65a0b">Citizen Trump would continue to challenge the so-called election interference case on grounds of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/supreme-court-trump-presidential-immunity-jan-6-criminal-case-2024-4">presidential immunity</a>, experts predict.</p><p id="51fce551-72ad-4a09-953b-b04f65b65a0b">In July, the US Supreme Court issued a landmark opinion that provides presidents with broad protection from being prosecuted for their official acts. The opinion also bars the use of official-act evidence in any prosecution of a former president, even on charges not relating to official acts.</p><p id="51fce551-72ad-4a09-953b-b04f65b65a0b">In August, Smith <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-hit-with-revised-january-6-indictment-jack-smith-2024-8">won a revised indictment</a> that stresses that Trump is being charged for his conduct as a private, office-seeking citizen.</p><h2 id="8e077f9c-bb2c-47d1-a4d7-8821deb311f9">The federal classified documents case</h2><p>Trump's classified documents case, alleging that he failed to return government secrets he took from the White House, was <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-classified-documents-case-dismissed-judge-2024-7">dismissed in July</a> by Trump-nominated US District Judge <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/judge-aileen-cannon-just-handed-donald-trump-another-legal-win-2024-5">Aileen Cannon</a>, who said Smith's appointment violated the Constitution.</p><p>The dismissal, which argues Congress should have approved Smith's appointment, is now being appealed by Smith in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Smith's appeals point to what he calls "the long tradition of special-counsel appointments by Attorneys' General."</p><p>Whoever loses the appeal can appeal further, keeping Trump busy with the classified documents case for many months.</p><div type="image" title="Fani Willis" height="683" width="1024" msid="114994496" hostid="261" sizebytes="35968"></div><h2 id="abbc3f6b-4e08-47de-8e59-2820bd0f75a9">The Georgia election interference case</h2><p id="abbc3f6b-4e08-47de-8e59-2820bd0f75a9">The<strong> </strong><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/georgia-trump-indictment-unsealed-read-full-text-charges-2023-8">election interference case in Georgia</a> against Trump and 18 of his allies <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-georgia-election-interference-fani-willis-appeals-court-2024-5">remains in legal limbo</a>, thanks to defendants' efforts to get the Fulton County district attorney, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fani-willis-stand-legal-experts-split-effectiveness-georgia-trump-2024-2">Fani Willis</a>, disqualified from the state case.</p><p id="abbc3f6b-4e08-47de-8e59-2820bd0f75a9">In May, a Georgia appeals court agreed to consider Trump's bid to get Willis removed from the case.</p><p id="abbc3f6b-4e08-47de-8e59-2820bd0f75a9">Attorneys for Trump and his codefendants had previously argued in a motion to disqualify Willis that she had a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fani-willis-removed-from-trumps-georgia-election-interference-case-2024-2">conflict of interest in the case</a> because she improperly benefited from a romantic relationship with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nathan-wade-testifies-fani-willis-fulton-county-district-attorney-2024-2">Nathan Wade</a>, the Atlanta lawyer she hired as a special prosecutor.</p><p id="abbc3f6b-4e08-47de-8e59-2820bd0f75a9">After an evidentiary hearing earlier this year, a judge ruled that Willis and her office could remain on the case so long as Wade stepped aside, and Wade announced his resignation hours later.</p><p id="abbc3f6b-4e08-47de-8e59-2820bd0f75a9">Trump has pleaded not guilty to the Georgia indictment.</p><p id="abbc3f6b-4e08-47de-8e59-2820bd0f75a9">If Trump wins the presidency, he could immediately file papers with the Georgia court "saying you got to put this on hold for the time that I'm president because it's just not consistent with federal supremacy to have a state prosecuting a sitting president," Dorf, a constitutional law expert, said.</p><p id="abbc3f6b-4e08-47de-8e59-2820bd0f75a9">"He doesn't control the prosecutors, so you can't fire them, and he can't pardon himself because these are state crimes, so his only option really in the state cases is suspend them," said Dorf.</p><p id="abbc3f6b-4e08-47de-8e59-2820bd0f75a9">If Trump loses the election, the case could move forward. Though Trump is likely to move to get it dismissed based on the Supreme Court's presidential immunity ruling.</p>

Trump still has 4 criminal indictments waiting for him — here's what happens if he wins or loses

Mass shootings wreak havoc over July 4th weekend

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Phil Grucci, 59, is the CEO and creative director of <a href="https://www.grucci.com/home.html?pgid=1">Fireworks by Grucci, Inc.</a></li><li>His family has produced pyrotechnic displays in America since 1870. He's the fifth generation.</li></ul><p><em>This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Phil Grucci, the CEO and creative director of <a href="https://www.grucci.com/home.html?pgid=1">Fireworks by Grucci</a>. It has been edited for length and clarity.</em></p><p>As a kid in New York, there was nothing I loved more than hopping inside the family truck, sitting in between my father and uncle, and heading to one of the <keyword id="12206242" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fireworks" source="Orion">fireworks</keyword> shows my family would produce. </p><p>My grandfather, Felix Grucci Sr., produced a show at Coney Island every Tuesday and one each Wednesday at Rockaways' Playland. Going out on the barge and watching everyone prepare for the show was just about the coolest thing a boy my age could ask for.</p><div type="image" title="Phil Grucci, 7, at Coney Island Barge in 1970, cutting the string" height="911" width="922" msid="92620595" hostid="261"></div><p>Once, when I was 7 years old, my dad allowed me to tie two firework fuses together in a knot, and then just like my grandfather taught us, my father then handed me a pair of scissors to cut off the excess string, signifying the last step in the process before lighting.</p><p>All it took was one cut of that string, and a feeling of exhilaration came over me that I'd never experienced before. Suddenly, I felt like a hero. </p><h2>It was at that fireworks show that I realized one day, I too would work for the <keyword id="12085276" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="family-business" source="Orion">family business</keyword></h2><p>These days, my family is known as "America's First Family of Fireworks."</p><p>Back when I was a kid, I'd watch in awe after the fireworks shows as the commissioners and crowds of people came over to my grandfather to pat him on the back and give him all sorts of accolades. Seeing this only confirmed my strong desire to join the business.  </p><div type="image" title="Company founder Angelo Lanzetta at the first factory in 1900" height="590" width="401" msid="92620598" hostid="261"></div><p>In 1981, I attended college at CW Post in Long Island to study finance. The following year at the age of 20, I expected to spend the summer working at our factory.</p><p>But then my dad asked me if I wanted to spend three months in Knoxville, Tennessee, working for the World's Fair. When I asked him who was running the crew, he said: "You are."</p><p>He told me to gather my friends who'd gone through our training to join us. We spent three months doing a fireworks show every night, without missing a beat. That experience helped build my confidence, allowing me to take on bigger and better performances. </p><div type="image" title="A fireworks show." height="1504" width="1700" msid="92620600" hostid="261"></div><p>The following May, I worked at the 100th anniversary of the Brooklyn Bridge celebration. It was also on my birthday, which was a major highlight for me. Things were going well. </p><h2>6 months later, my father and cousin Donna were killed when our Long Island factory caught fire</h2><p>It was the worst day of my life, and my whole family was devastated. Not only had we just lost two members of our tight-knit family, but our factory was also leveled, and we'd lost everything.</p><div type="image" title="Workers preparing for a show." height="4912" width="7360" msid="92620603" hostid="261"></div><p>Shortly after, our family gathered around my grandmother's table to decide whether we should remain in business. My grandmother was understandably hesitant after losing her son, but as a family, we unanimously decided to forge ahead. </p><p>Rather than scare me off, losing my father only strengthened my desire to remain in the industry. I knew how passionate he was about our business and the art form,  and I wanted to continue that legacy for his sake. </p><h2>In addition to events like the <keyword id="11896183" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="olympics" source="Orion">Olympics</keyword> and Presidential Inaugurations, we break world records</h2><p>I wake up every morning and love going to work. What's not to love? Every occasion we're called to work on is a happy one.</p><p>To date, we've done eight US Presidential Inaugurations and the Olympics in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. In 2008, I was commissioned as the lead designer and engineer for all the fireworks for the Olympics in Beijing, which was a huge honor for me.</p><div type="image" title="A fireworks show." height="2634" width="2171" msid="92620606" hostid="261"></div><p>We've also held 11 unique Guinness Book world records, including the world's largest fireworks display for shooting a little less than a million shells in less than 10 minutes in Dubai. The show required 250 pyrotechnicians to install the job over a month's time period.  </p><p>The record that means the most to me though is for the largest single aerial shell. My father broke that record with my aunt and uncle in 1979, but it was later beaten by someone in Japan. Then, six years ago, a client in the Middle East commissioned us to break the record again. </p><h2>Today, I'm the fifth generation working in our family business</h2><p>We employ just under 200 people full-time between our New York design studio, a small factory located in Upstate New York, and a much larger one in Virginia, where we lease 400 acres on an active army ammunition plant. </p><p>In 1995, after reading up on military contracts over $25,000, I came across one that mentioned pyrotechnics. I explored the opportunity and wound up bidding and winning the contract to develop training devices for the military, such as simulated hand grenades and ground bombs.</p><div type="image" title="A fireworks show." height="1637" width="2196" msid="92620608" hostid="261"></div><p>Since we work with the military, our Virginia factory was deemed an essential business during COVID-19 and we were able to keep the business up and running. We even relocated our New York factory employees to Virginia in an effort to keep them employed. </p><p>Right now, approximately half of our revenue is the result of our military work, but that figure can fluctuate from year to year depending on the types of events we do. </p><p>While the Department of Defense's work is consistent, our event work can waver from year to year. </p><h2>In a typical year, we produce about 250 shows. Because of COVID-19, that number dropped to 39 in 2020.</h2><p>With the help of 400 pyrotechnicians, we'll produce just under 70 fireworks shows from New York to Hawaii over the next four days.</p><div type="image" title="A fireworks show." height="1493" width="1179" msid="92620610" hostid="261"></div><p>While these crew members are exclusive to Grucci and undergo the same rigorous in-house training our full-time pyrotechnicians do, they only work for us part-time and as needed. </p><p>During the year, they work a variety of jobs — dentists, accountants, mechanics, car dealers, police officers, schoolteachers, you name it. They often take a week of their vacation time to work for us, heading anywhere from Vegas or Hawaii to Dubai or Saudi Arabia. </p><div type="image" title="Phil Grucci" height="2508" width="2006" msid="92620613" hostid="261"></div><p>These people are an extension of the Grucci family. Some of them are high school and college buddies. My own high school science teacher was even on a crew for a while. Our CFO, Scott Raso, happens to be my old college roommate. </p><h2>We're constantly training new pyrotechnicians</h2><p>Just last month, we trained 55 people in <a href="https://www.grucci.com/main.html?pgid=7">our in-house training seminar</a>.</p><div type="image" title="A fireworks show." height="4016" width="6016" msid="92620617" hostid="261"></div><p>At some point, people age out. After all, it's an intense job with long hours and a lot of manual labor involved. However, it really is a family affair. Pyros often get their own kids engaged, so we wind up training the next generation. </p><h2>This year, I'm staying local for Independence Day</h2><p>My daughter recently had a baby boy, and I plan on taking my grandson to experience his first fireworks show. Once the smoke settles after the <keyword id="14314575" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fourth-of-july" source="Orion">Fourth of July</keyword>, my own family has lots of celebrating to do.</p><p>My grandson turns one in August, and my son — who's a quality engineer in our Virginia factory — is getting married in September. Neither event would be a party without fireworks!</p>

I run a fireworks company that dazzles crowds from the Olympics to the White House. Here's what it's like.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Cities and towns across the country are postponing or skipping <keyword id="14324999" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="july-4th" source="Orion">July 4th</keyword> <keyword id="12206242" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fireworks" source="Orion">fireworks</keyword> this year.</li><li>Fireworks are in short supply due to supply-chain lags and technicians are hard to find.</li></ul><p>The <keyword id="14334687" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="4th-of-july" source="Orion">4th of July</keyword> will be noticeably quieter in many cities and towns across the country this year. </p><p>That's because fireworks — and the local workers who make fireworks shows happen — are in short supply due to a combination of supply-chain lags and pandemic-related job changes. Those issues, along with environmental risks, have led to many municipalities delaying their pyrotechnic displays by days or even months, or simply canceling them altogether. </p><p>In Phoenix, this year's three major fireworks shows were canceled after the city's contractor was unable to find fireworks for the event due to "ongoing <keyword id="11894138" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="supply-chain" source="Orion">supply chain</keyword> issues," the city said in <a href="https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/parks-and-recreation/2381">a post on its website</a>. The same was true in Ottawa, Kansas, where the fireworks the city ordered are still stuck on a ship coming from China, <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Ffourth-of-july-fireworks-may-not-happen-on-july-fourth-11656541201%3Fmod%3Dhp_lead_pos13">The Wall Street Journal reports</a>. Ottawa will now host its July 4th fireworks show a bit late — two months late, in fact. </p><p>Earlier this year, the American <keyword id="14334688" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pyrotechnics" source="Orion">Pyrotechnics</keyword> Association, a trade group for the fireworks industry, <a href="https://www.americanpyro.com/assets/docs/SPARKs/Fireworks%20Industry%20Braces%20for%20a%20Challenging%20Season.pdf">warned of a challenging fireworks season ahead</a>. Raw-materials costs have jumped 20% and shipping costs have risen "dramatically" since 2019, from $8,000 to $10,000 per shipping container to $45,000 per container, the group said.</p><p>But for some metros, the issue isn't a lack of fireworks, but a lack of pyrotechnicians, the people responsible for putting on the displays. Julie Heckman, the APA's executive director, <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Ffourth-of-july-fireworks-may-not-happen-on-july-fourth-11656541201%3Fmod%3Dhp_lead_pos13">told The Journal</a> that many pyrotechnicians found other jobs during the pandemic after fireworks-worthy events — celebrations, concerts, and the like — were few and far between. Some of those workers never returned to the fireworks industry, she told The Journal.</p><p>That shortage is hitting Fairfax, Virginia, where residents will still see a fireworks show this year, but on July 5 instead of July 4.</p><p>"The evening show was originally scheduled for July 4, but the city's fireworks vendor canceled more than two dozen contracts due to a shortage of licensed pyrotechnicians," according to the <a href="https://www.fairfaxva.gov/Home/Components/News/News/11893/18">city's website</a>.</p><p>The city of Minneapolis will be skipping its annual fireworks display over the Mississippi River due to staffing shortages as well, in addition to construction in the local park, <a href="https://www.minneapolis.org/calendar/holidays/july-4th/">the city announced</a>. </p><p>But shortages aren't the only reason cities are rethinking fireworks displays. In Flagstaff, Arizona, a <a href="https://www.flagstaff.az.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1658">laser light show</a> will replace a traditional fireworks display this year after the region <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/13/weather/arizona-pipeline-fire-flagstaff-evacuations/index.html">experienced wildfires this spring</a> that led to hundreds of households needing to evacuate. </p><p>After <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lake-tahoe-evacuated-caldor-fire-remote-workers-pandemic-2021-8">fires ravaged Lake Tahoe</a> last August, North Lake Tahoe will skip fireworks as well, opting instead for a drone "SkyShow" that "better aligns with our focus on environmental stewardship for the region," <a href="https://www.gotahoenorth.com/event/incline-village-independence-day-celebrations-and-sky-show/2022-07-02/">a city official said</a>. </p><p>In other regions — <a href="https://www.donpedrolake.com/2022-fireworks-show-cancelled/">such as Lake Don Pedro, California,</a> and Claremont, California — drought is putting fireworks shows on hiatus. Roughly 650,000 gallons of water are required to wet the area where fireworks are released, which isn't allowed under local water restrictions, a spokesperson for the city of Claremont told The New York Times.</p><p>Local residents can enjoy a free concert in place of fireworks, <a href="https://www.ci.claremont.ca.us/home/showpublisheddocument/18371/637909077781000000">the city said</a>. </p>

Cities across the US are canceling or postponing July 4th fireworks shows due to supply-chain snags, labor shortages, and the risk of wildfires

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Mike Tockstein is a pyrotechnician for Pyro Spectaculars by Souza based in California.</li><li>He got his start at 18 as an apprentice and has worked NFL, MLB, and NASCAR events.</li></ul><p><em>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mike Tockstein, a 42-year-old pyrotechnician from Southern California. It has been edited for length and clarity.</em></p><p>I've loved <keyword id="12206242" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fireworks" source="Orion">fireworks</keyword> ever since I was a little boy. Growing up in California, my parents would often take me to see fireworks displays near where we lived. </p><p>During the smaller shows, which usually took place in the off-season, I'd always inch my way up to the front of the barricades to try and catch the attention of the crew in the hopes of talking to the operator. I wanted to learn everything I could about how they did what they did.</p><p>In California, you must be at least 18 years old to become part of a fireworks display crew. When I turned 18, my parents discovered that <a href="https://www.pyrospec.com/">Pyro Spectaculars by Souza,</a> the company known for doing the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular for 40 years, was doing a show near where we lived. After the show, we reached out to them, and shortly after, I was able to secure an apprenticeship there. </p><div type="image" title="Tockstein product testing in 2001" height="872" width="1163" msid="92636783" hostid="261"></div><p>In California, you're required to apprentice for a minimum of two years and work at least eight public fireworks displays during that time period. You're also required to obtain five written letters of recommendation from California-based pyrotechnic operators before you can apply for a license and take the state fire marshal's written <keyword id="14334688" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pyrotechnics" source="Orion">pyrotechnics</keyword> exam. Then, if you want to be able to transport fireworks to and from show sites, you also need a commercial driver's license with a hazardous-materials endorsement from the local DMV.</p><p>Two weeks after my 21st birthday, I passed the exam and got my operator's license, and continued working at Pyro Spectaculars. Now, more than 20 years later, I'm responsible for supervising a crew in the setup and firing of public fireworks and producing fireworks displays all over Southern California. I've worked on a variety of shows ranging from <keyword id="14314575" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fourth-of-july" source="Orion">Fourth of July</keyword> celebrations to NFL, MLB, and NASCAR events and the Special Olympics World Games, in addition to red-carpet affairs, weddings, and corporate functions.</p><h2><strong>While we produce fireworks shows for a variety of occasions, July 4th is the pinnacle of the year for guys like me </strong></h2><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="Tockstein at work at a baseball game." height="3240" width="4320" msid="92636785" hostid="261"></div><p>I think what makes Independence Day celebrations so unique is that people come together with the express purpose of seeing fireworks, as opposed to other events where fireworks may simply be a great addition. It's our country's birthday party, and we expect to celebrate with fireworks. </p><p>At my very first professional show, we hand-fired aerial display shells, similar to the way it was done back in the day, meaning we manually light every mortar by hand with a road flare. Talk about an adrenaline rush! </p><p>But while hand-firing can certainly be exhilarating, it can also be very dangerous. A lot of shows are still done this way, but I haven't done a hand-fired show in close to 20 years, as many companies have phased them out and moved entirely toward electrical firing systems. This is the biggest change I've seen since joining the industry.  </p><div type="image" title="A firing system Tockstein built" height="1936" width="2581" msid="92636788" hostid="261"></div><p>These days, there are two types of electrically-fired systems: The first, known as an analog pinboard firing system, is when an operator manually pushes a button for each shot. In this particular instance, you're most likely listening to a cue track that syncs to the music the crowd hears, signaling you to press each of the cues on command. The other is a computerized-firing system, where the operator presses a button and the computer then fires the entire show in sequence with the musical soundtrack. </p><p>But before we get to that part of the show, there's a lot of fairly intensive manual labor involved.</p><h2><strong>On show days, we start out early in the morning </strong></h2><div type="image" title="Tockstein loading a 10-inch shell for the Statue of Liberty's 125th anniversary in 2011." height="1936" width="2581" msid="92636792" hostid="261"></div>I always pack lots of food, water, and Gatorade to ensure we all stay hydrated through the day. Then I head to the warehouse to pick up our preloaded truck and make my way to the show site to meet the crew. <p>As part of our safety measures, everyone wears safety goggles, hard hats, long pants, long-sleeve shirts made of nonsynthetic material in the event of a fire, and close-toed shoes. I always say, "What comes up, must come down" and fireworks are no exception, so it pays to be prepared.</p><p>Onsite, we're responsible for everything, from unloading trucks to building fireworks racks to unboxing shells to set-up and layout, which may include moving hundreds, sometimes thousands, of pounds of equipment.</p><p>We also orchestrate continuity checks, where your firing system has a mode that sends a tiny current through each electric match to ensure everything is connecting properly. For bigger shows, we'll also do a dress rehearsal. </p><div type="image" title="Tockstein (right) and crew." height="931" width="1242" msid="92636793" hostid="261"></div><p>We can go through hundreds and often thousands of fireworks during a single show. It comes down to a host of variables, including specific site logistics, the desired length of the show, and the client's budget. This year, Macy's signature fireworks show produced by Souza will use nearly<a href="https://www.pyrospec.com/where-to-watch-the-macys-july-4th-fireworks-for-free-in-nyc/"> 50,000 shells and effects shot from five barges</a> floating in New York's East River.  </p><p>Like many industries affected by COVID-19, supply-chain gaps, shipping container shortages, and transportation delays out of China into the US caused <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fireworks-in-short-supply-ahead-4th-of-july-prices-rise-2021-6">a fireworks shortage</a>, which resulted in increased pricing. In addition to those price increases, when it comes to premium times of the year like the Fourth of July, companies traditionally set a minimum client spend because there are only so many licensed operators out there. On average, I'd say you're looking at a minimum range of $20,000 to $25,000 as a starting point. </p><p>Once the show is over and the crowd goes home, long after they've gone to bed, our crew is still onsite doing the reverse of what we did earlier: breaking everything down, packing up all our supplies and equipment, and surveying the site and doing what we refer to as "dud sweeps" to ensure there aren't any fireworks remnants or unexploded shells left. Then it's time to drive back to the warehouse with the truck.</p><h2>I like to say, there's a reason the word 'work' is in the word 'fireworks' because you've truly got to love what you're doing</h2><div type="image" title="The LA Memorial Coliseum show for someone's birthday" height="562" width="750" msid="92636794" hostid="261"></div><p>You may enjoy working on that first show, but if you come back to work a second one, it means you really must love it. </p><p>In addition to having a passion for fireworks and no felony record, the best person for this type of work is a self-starter, not the type of person who waits around for someone to tell them what to do. You've also got to be responsible and hard-working, and comfortable being a team player because setting up and breaking down shows and handling logistics is a team effort — and you also need to look out for one another from a safety standpoint. </p><p>At this point in my career, I've probably worked 250 shows, but it never gets old. Every time, I can still feel my heart racing and my adrenaline pumping, and when I hear the cheers from the audience, well, that's as close as it gets to having a rock-star moment — and man, does it feel great. </p>

I'm a pyrotechnician. I've worked hundreds of fireworks shows, but the adrenaline rush never gets old.

13 of the best cities to celebrate Fourth of July this year

The first full budget of the BJP-led NDA government in its third successive term will be presented by <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> on July 23.<br /><br />The government on Saturday announced the dates of the budget session of Parliament which will start on July 22 and conclude on August 12.<br /><br />Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who will present the <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword> 2024-25, has been holding pre-budget consultations.<br /><br />As part of the deliberations, she has met economists, experts in finance and capital markets, industry representatives and agriculture experts.<br /><br />Industry bodies, including the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), have urged the government to increase capital expenditure in the upcoming budget.<br /><br />This will be Sitharaman's seventh budget in a row. She will be the first Union Finance Minister to present seven consecutive union budgets. Former Prime Minister Morarji Desai had presented six budgets in a row.<br /><br />Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiran Rijuju announced the dates of budget session.<br /><br />"Hon'ble President of India, on the recommendation of the Government of India, has approved the proposal for summoning of both the Houses of Parliament for the Budget Session, 2024 from 22nd July 2024 to 12 August 2024 (Subject to exigencies of Parliamentary Business). Union Budget, 2024-25 will be presented in Lok Sabha on 23 July 2024," he posted on X.<br /><br />The <keyword id="19916814" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-government" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Modi government" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Modi government">Modi government</keyword> had presented an interim budget in February this year.<br /><br />Sitharaman had announced in the interim budget that the capital expenditure outlay for the next year is being increased by 11.1 per cent to Rs 11,11,111 crore, which would be 3.4 per cent of the GDP.<br /><br />The government had also announced that Rs one lakh crore corpus will be established with five-year interest free loan for youth. <br /><br />Newly-elected Lok Sabha members took oath in the first session of 18th Lok Sabha held from June 24 to July 2 following the results of the general elections.<br /><br />President Droupadi Murmu addressed the joint sitting of two Houses on June 27 and both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adopted a motion of thanks on the President's address. Prime Minister Narendra Modi replied to the debate on the motion of thanks in the two Houses of Parliament.<br /><br />BJP-led National Democratic Alliance returned to power for the third successive term in the general elections.<br />

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