The fourth of July

It’s my hope that you will have an amazing day, recall the notion  behind America, and watch fireworks blaze as they soar high above your head.. as fireflies take flight and light up the night.

A few odds and ends..

This was the ending of my local town’s fireworks show last night:

Don’t think anyone was hurt, the newspapers today had nothing even about the explosion. It happened during the grand finale.. a massive explosion and the heat from it was actually able to be felt from my family’s position. I posted the photo on Facebook, and someone who is ‘in the know’ with the fire department said “that was awesome!!!”  That leads me only to assume that no one was hurt and it was quite the laugh session.

But to think such a potentially disastrous moment of pyrotechnics is funny is to assume no dangers will ever happen to you. Clearly they never watched the early 1990s Clinton Administration oddity of blowing up mannequins, broadcast on CSPAN and now oin GIF form:

Another reason the 90s were awesome.. Bill Clinton had CSPAN broadcast a bunch of ways the Fourth of July could kill us.. REALLY..

Today is also the first release of a horror movie on the Fourth of July weekend in 30 years–DELIVER US FROM EVIL. It looks amazing and I hope to be able to see it soon.. For those who did see it already, most appear to agree that it’s the best horror movie in decades..

And finally. . . today is the day to sing happy birthday to the nation we love. But why do we love it?
I tried to offer up some analysis on my personal blog of what the Fourth of July means and what it doesn’t.. Have a read.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnivJb3Rv5A]

The spirit of America..
Do we still have it?