EMT 7/04/16 Happy Independence day. [krakatoa]

Most people seem to say "4th of July".

Doesn't really capture the spirit of the holiday, and coincidentally, doesn't remind people of certain unpleasant truths.

Life has been said to be many things, and it is all of them and more, including no small number of inevitable and unpleasant truths.

The remarkable gift that cultural wisdom offers, but is rarely accepted for long in historical terms, is the opportunity to make many unpleasant truths far less so, and indeed, downright enjoyable.

Enjoy Independence day, and while the fireworks are blasting, and the flags are waving, please take some time to talk to one another about the why of the day.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 06:15 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Happy 4th of July

Posted by: Skip at July 04, 2016 06:11 AM (Yo9Lf)

2 I'll get the others

Posted by: Skip at July 04, 2016 06:11 AM (Yo9Lf)

3 Enjoy Liberty while you can, it seems to be a fleeting experience.

Posted by: Skip at July 04, 2016 06:13 AM (Yo9Lf)

4 " Enjoy Liberty while you can, it seems to be a fleeting experience."

I don't plan on giving mine up.

Posted by: Tim in Illinois. at July 04, 2016 06:14 AM (WVsWD)

5 Your right Krak, Happy Independence Day is better. Hope the weather holds, clear outside now 58 going to 78 but clouds and maybe much needed rain coming later.

Posted by: Skip at July 04, 2016 06:16 AM (Yo9Lf)

6 I wish I could send you some of the rain we are getting. We're about soaked out.

Posted by: Tim in Illinois. at July 04, 2016 06:17 AM (WVsWD)

7 76 now, on the way to 100 AGAIN! Global warming sucks.

Posted by: weirdflunkyonatablet at July 04, 2016 06:19 AM (pz8nD)

8 http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/browser-cat-mascot-job-texas-library-article-1.2697618

Bowser can stay!

Posted by: Tim in Illinois. at July 04, 2016 06:23 AM (WVsWD)

9 Happy Independence Day!!!

g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at July 04, 2016 06:26 AM (KCxzN)

10 VNN on the ONT at 561

Posted by: FCF at July 04, 2016 06:30 AM (kejii)

11 Good morning and Happy Independence Day.

Posted by: Captain Whitebread at July 04, 2016 06:33 AM (rJUlF)

12 Well, at least 52% celebrate "Dependence Day".

And it's just sad. But then, why kid ourselves?

Posted by: Case, Mors Semper Tyrannis at July 04, 2016 06:40 AM (SXa8W)

13 I think today would be a good day for KABOOM cereal.

Posted by: Bruce at July 04, 2016 06:57 AM (8ikIW)

14 Our town had the fireworks last night. Great as always. I wonder how much does each "splody" thing cost?

Posted by: Bruce at July 04, 2016 06:58 AM (8ikIW)

15 http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/browser-cat-mascot-job-texas-library-article-1.2697618

Bowser can stay!

Posted by: Tim in Illinois. at July 04, 2016 06:23 AM (WVsWD)

Oh, the humanity of it all....we go through this every once in a while about dogs and cats in nursing homes...and our beloved lawmakers.

Posted by: Colin at July 04, 2016 06:59 AM (HQP2c)

16 Holy Crap!
Google actually has a Independence Day theme to it!
It looks like a bunch of stars on a blue and red background doing holiday things.
However, all of the stars are white!! Not one star of color. Not even the ones playing basketball!!!

SJW's ......ACTIVATE!!

Posted by: Bruce at July 04, 2016 07:01 AM (8ikIW)

17 Our town had the fireworks last night. Great as always. I wonder how much does each "splody" thing cost?

Posted by: Bruce at July 04, 2016 06:58 AM (8ikIW)

My neighborhood here in the beloved New York State was alight with booms and pretty impressive rockets...should call 911 and have them all arrested, that's what I should do! /sac Fireworks are illegal in NYS> Tonight will be even more impressive, almost as good as the official ones downtown...

Posted by: Colin at July 04, 2016 07:03 AM (HQP2c)

18 Mayor Ron White defended Browser

It isn't Ron White the comedian is it?

I can just imagine him saying, "Well, FUuuuu(((((kkKK YOU!!!

Posted by: Bruce at July 04, 2016 07:03 AM (8ikIW)

19 You thought you've had some stupid ass ideas in the past?

Ponder on this.

SFW

http://tinyurl.com/jtu3ssa

Posted by: weirdflunkyonatablet at July 04, 2016 07:05 AM (pz8nD)

20 Posted by: Bruce at July 04, 2016 07:03 AM (8ikIW)

Did Ron White curse like that? Maybe it's Foxworthy I am thinking of that always seemed to have a pretty clean routine.

Posted by: Tim in Illinois. at July 04, 2016 07:07 AM (WVsWD)

21 Tonight will be even more impressive, almost as good as the official ones downtown...

Some of the ones around here do a good job also. I remember growing up fireworks were illegal illegal. You had caps, and snakes and sparklers and smoke bombs.
When we got older we would drive to a place in Wisconsin, sign a form that we were not going to shoot them in Wisconsin, and purchase Black Cats and bottle rockets and some screamy helicopters and roman candles.

We thought we were hot stuff with that piddly stuff.

Posted by: Bruce at July 04, 2016 07:08 AM (8ikIW)

22 Chicago: fireworks as usual, 2 dead 20 shot...so far this weekend, should call 911, that illegal isn't it?

Three people burglarized a West Baltimore liquor store and left it open,
and more people were arrested in a burglary of the store later, police
said. Police went to the liquor store in the 3100 block of W. North
Ave. after someone reported a burglary around 9:55 a.m. Sunday. They
found three people..

Hey, booze is important on the 4th....I guess their EBT cards were refused?

Posted by: Colin at July 04, 2016 07:09 AM (HQP2c)

23 Did Ron White curse like that? Maybe it's Foxworthy I am thinking of that always seemed to have a pretty clean routine.

Yeah, Ron was a less family friendly comedian.
Foxworthy was pretty clean

Posted by: Bruce at July 04, 2016 07:09 AM (8ikIW)

24 Happy Independance Day, morons!

Looks like it's waited until today, when our burg has its festivities, to rain. Oh well. I have my smoker in a shed, so I'll only get wet when my wife takes me to the shed.

Posted by: JT at July 04, 2016 07:09 AM (qG0hz)

25 G'mornin' Horde.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez_ at July 04, 2016 07:09 AM (gUoN4)

26 Happy Independence Day! This is 11 minutes but well worth it, especially today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaxGNQE5ZLA

Posted by: Bill at July 04, 2016 07:11 AM (8nOKr)

27 Happy Birthday, USA.

Posted by: m at July 04, 2016 07:11 AM (/7Lfc)

28 I wish I could send you some of the rain we are getting. We're about soaked out.
Posted by: Tim in Illinois.
.............
Maybe where you are.. but up here we are so dry, the grass is crunchy..

Happy Independence Day, y'all!

Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at July 04, 2016 07:13 AM (UpGcq)

29 'Maybe where you are.. but up here we are so dry, the grass is crunchy.."

Downstate. In between Bloomington and Champaign. Getting ready to start again. The darkness is depressing.

I want Sunshine $^%$%&*^%$$!!

Posted by: Tim in Illinois. at July 04, 2016 07:18 AM (WVsWD)

30 Does England have a 4th of July?

Posted by: Count de Monet at July 04, 2016 07:18 AM (JO9+V)

31 It's cloudy here now, but the forecast says sunny in the afternoon, with 0% chance of showers. So I imagine it will rain like the dickens.

Posted by: grammie winger, 2 Chronicles 7:14 at July 04, 2016 07:19 AM (dFi94)

32 >>> Does England have a 4th of July?

Even Russia does.

Posted by: indendently fluffy at July 04, 2016 07:21 AM (eiFlk)

33 You thought you've had some stupid ass ideas in the past?

Ponder on this.

SFW

http://tinyurl.com/jtu3ssa
Posted by: weirdflunkyonatablet
...........
That has to be one of the stupidest friggin' ideas I have ever heard of.. and they expect people with pay for it???

Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at July 04, 2016 07:22 AM (UpGcq)

34 Does England have a 4th of July?

Posted by: Count de Monet at July 04, 2016 07:18 AM (JO9+V)

I have worked in London on the 4th, kind of weird, knowing what day it is. The US company I worked for, gave us the day off.

Posted by: Colin at July 04, 2016 07:23 AM (HQP2c)

35 'Maybe where you are.. but up here we are so dry, the grass is crunchy.."

Same here in No. Ill. The damn weather channels keep telling me some is coming in a day or two. When you get to that day it all goes north or south of us. I don't care about the grass, but the wife loves to keep planting stuff that requires water!

Posted by: Bruce at July 04, 2016 07:23 AM (8ikIW)

36 Downstate. In between Bloomington and Champaign. Getting ready to start again. The darkness is depressing.

I want Sunshine $^%$%&*^%$$!!
Posted by: Tim in Illinois.
..........
OK. Every time they forecast rain, it always sinks south down by you.. precip maps show you guys have 3-4 times the usual rain for June.. with us, it is about one-quarter the usual!

Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at July 04, 2016 07:25 AM (UpGcq)

37 Most people seem to say "4th of July".
________

Most people seem to say "American Revolution" and "Revolutionary War," too. But it wasn't a revolution, really - there was no intent or attempt to overthrow King George or to transform Britain.

This was another outcome of American independence - a world with America and Britain - and it was inevitable that these two great nations would eventually see eye to eye on so many important things.

Britain remains British. Stay American, America. Happy Independence Day!

Posted by: FireHorse at July 04, 2016 07:26 AM (J7r4G)

38 "Posterity! - You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it."

"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

- John Adams

Posted by: grammie winger, 2 Chronicles 7:14 at July 04, 2016 07:26 AM (dFi94)

39 Happy July 4th. Happy Independence Day.

G-D Bless America

Posted by: Nevergiveup at July 04, 2016 07:27 AM (Ozsfq)

40 I remember when TV stations used to sign off for the night and play the National Anthem while pictures of the flag, military jets, etc. were shown. They also signed on in the morning much the same way with a short prayer thrown in, usually asking God (not allah) for guidance for our country and us for the day.

Do any of you morons know if any station still does this, or do all stations just broadcast infomercials all night.

Posted by: JT at July 04, 2016 07:28 AM (qG0hz)

41 I believe John Adams died on July 4th, as did Thomas Jefferson.

Posted by: grammie winger, 2 Chronicles 7:14 at July 04, 2016 07:28 AM (dFi94)

42 Happy blowing off hand day .

Try not to blow off your hand darling.

Posted by: eleven at July 04, 2016 07:28 AM (qUNWi)

43 Hot -n- humid here today, going to 97. No rain. Perfect for our little Patriotic Parade in the neighborhood.

Our proximity to the Gulf helps keep the temps down but comes at a cost of high humidity. I'm hydrating up now as Parade setup starts in an hour and I will spend the morning sweating profusely.

Posted by: Count de Monet at July 04, 2016 07:28 AM (JO9+V)

44 Accuweather has downgraded the chance of rain to 30%. Does this light sprinkling count as rain?

Posted by: Tim in Illinois. at July 04, 2016 07:28 AM (WVsWD)

45 Do any of you morons know if any station still does this, or do all stations just broadcast infomercials all night.

Posted by: JT at July 04, 2016 07:28 AM (qG0hz)

Radio stations (some) still do at noon...don't know about TV.

Posted by: Colin at July 04, 2016 07:29 AM (HQP2c)

46 Posted by: eleven at July 04, 2016 07:28 AM (qUNWi)

I'm waiting for the vids of hold my Beer guys shooting off Roman Candles from their head.

You know it's coming.

Posted by: Tim in Illinois. at July 04, 2016 07:30 AM (WVsWD)

47 May God bless this mess. It's all we've got.

Posted by: eleven at July 04, 2016 07:30 AM (qUNWi)

48 I haven't seen a sign-off with the anthem on TV since they started going 24/7.

Posted by: grammie winger, 2 Chronicles 7:14 at July 04, 2016 07:31 AM (dFi94)

49 Accuweather has downgraded the chance of rain to 30%.

Posted by: Tim in Illinois. at 7:28 AM
________

I'd trust the Accuweather forecast.

(The Approxiweather forecast - not so much.)

Posted by: FireHorse at July 04, 2016 07:31 AM (J7r4G)

50 We went to a local minor-minor league baseball game last week. Some college guy sang the anthem. It was one of the best I've heard in a long time. No frills. Just a clear pure tone, with feeling.

Posted by: grammie winger, 2 Chronicles 7:14 at July 04, 2016 07:33 AM (dFi94)

51 Happy Independence Day, everyone!

"I remember when TV stations used to sign off for the night and play the National Anthem while pictures of the flag, military jets, etc. were shown. "

I do to. Sometimes accompanied with John Magee's "High Flight:"

"Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth...."

Posted by: Ricardo Kill.....TEXIT at July 04, 2016 07:38 AM (9ym/8)

52 I can't wait for the first person to say "Happy 4th of July" to me so that I can say "Thank you! and Happy Independency Day to you". I hope they're not British ... which, sadly, my bartender is. oops ...

Posted by: goon at July 04, 2016 07:38 AM (WCaSy)

53 I can't wait for the first person to say "Happy 4th of July" to me so that I can say "Thank you! and Happy Independency Day to you". I hope they're not British ... which, sadly, my bartender is. oops ...
Posted by: goon at July 04, 2016 07:38 AM (WCaSy)

Well after Brexit he may be in a more understanding mood

Posted by: Nevergiveup at July 04, 2016 07:42 AM (Ozsfq)

54 Fun tease on Wikipedia's main page. Look for "Flag of the United States."

Posted by: FireHorse at July 04, 2016 07:45 AM (J7r4G)

55 Happy Independence Day!

Posted by: phoenixgirl, Happy Independence Day at July 04, 2016 07:46 AM (0O7c5)

56 "Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth...."

Posted by: Ricardo Kill.....TEXIT at July 04, 2016 07:38 AM (9ym/

Some people have a way with words, that is a fantastic poem!

And a word to you guys is NOOD!

Posted by: Hrothgar at July 04, 2016 07:47 AM (wYnyS)

57 "Posterity! - You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it."

"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

- John Adams

Posted by: grammie winger, 2 Chronicles 7:14 at July 04, 2016 07:26 AM (dFi94)

Who is this John Adams of which you speak? Didn't he live a long time ago, like, before iphones and global warming?

Posted by: L I V at July 04, 2016 07:47 AM (mvyKt)

58 The Ray Charles "America"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRUjr8EVgBg

Posted by: eleven at July 04, 2016 07:47 AM (qUNWi)

59 "Doesn't really capture the spirit of the holiday, and coincidentally, doesn't remind people of certain unpleasant truths."

Oh, gawd.

Do we, as conservatives, really need to turn EVERY holiday into a kultur kampf, "struggle session"?!

Happy 4th of July!!!

Moved back to the belly of the beast (Illinois) almost a year ago and I LOVE to hear all the boats on the Fox River, playing shitty music, setting off M-80's!

It's fun!

4th of July is a HAPPY holiday!

Do you know who has two thumbs and a fist-full of lit fire-crackers?

(for the next 30 seconds)

THIS Gal!

*does the double backwards thumb point, hurls away mini explosives*

'Merica, Fuck Yeahh!

Posted by: Deety at July 04, 2016 10:08 AM (xPWMR)

60 Love you eleven!

Ray Charles' America

Beautiful...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRUjr8EVgBg

Posted by: Deety at July 04, 2016 10:14 AM (xPWMR)

61 Merry Fourth Day of July Upon Which Having Read The List Of Grievances We Independented.

Posted by: whatmeworry? at July 04, 2016 11:50 AM (dZGNV)

62
p

Posted by: Mister Magoo at July 04, 2016 12:04 PM (uBIoa)

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