July 4, 2009: Happy Independence Day, HCF!!

[Laura Cereta]

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY **==
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July 4, 1776

"When in the Course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.

We hold these Truths to eb self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness-- That to secure these Rights, Governemnts are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Forms, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." **==



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[Laura Cereta]

On July 3, 1776, John Adams wrote a famous letter to his wife, Abigail, back in Massachusetts.

He predicted that America's Independence Day would "be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival." Adams felt it "ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance. ... It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."

And so it has been, which is as it ought to be. It's also a good day to refresh our memories about the words that have informed our notion of our American identity, because we are, after all, uniquely the people of an idea rather than a nation founded like others on blood and soil.

One of the best and most elegant expressions of this can be found in John Courtney Murray's epochal 1960 reflection on American pluralism and law, "We Hold These Truths." Murray, a Jesuit theologian, begins by noting Abraham Lincoln's assertion in the Gettysburg Address that our nation was "dedicated to a proposition."

"I take it that Lincoln used the word with conceptual propriety," Murray wrote. "In philosophy a proposition is the statement of a truth to be demonstrated. In mathematics a proposition is at times the statement of an operation to be performed. Our Fathers dedicated the nation to a proposition in both senses. ... It is an affirmation and also an intention. It presents itself as a coherent structure of thought that lays claim to intellectual assent; it also presents itself as an organized political project that aims at historical success. Our Fathers asserted it and most ably argued it; they also undertook to 'work it out,' and they signally succeeded."

According to Murray, the "American Proposition" was not a finished thing, either as a doctrine or as a project, nor should its historical success ever be taken for granted. What's more, he said, whenever the proposition did attain any measure of success, that should be followed by "enlargement on penalty of decline."

One of 20th century America's singular accomplishments was the realization that enlargement of our national proposition was contingent on freedom of expression, which brings us to another of the struggle's classic texts -- the dissent by Justice Oliver Wendell Homes Jr., joined by Justice Louis D. Brandeis -- to the Supreme Court's majority decision in Abrams vs. United States.

In that case, five young leftists were prosecuted and given lengthy prison sentences under the Espionage Act for throwing leaflets off a New York rooftop attacking President Wilson's decision to send U.S. troops into Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution. The court affirmed their conviction.

Holmes' dissent was the first in the series of minority opinions that would fix his place in the pantheon of the American Proposition's heroic servants.

"Persecution for the expression of opinions seems to me perfectly logical. If you have no doubt of your premises or your power and want a certain result with all your heart you naturally express your wishes in law and sweep away all opposition ..." Holmes wrote. "But men have realized that time has upset many fighting faiths, they may come to believe even more than they believe the very foundations of their own conduct that the ultimate good desired is better reached by free trade in ideas -- that the best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market. ... That at any rate is the theory of our Constitution. It is an experiment, as all life is an experiment."

If one considers the moral arc that runs from theologian to jurist on this Independence Day, one of the things that comes most readily to mind was the scorn heaped by some on President Obama when he said that empathy was one of the qualities he sought in his first nominee to the Supreme Court. Holmes actually anticipated such controversies in one of the celebrated Lowell Lectures he gave at Harvard:

"The life of the law has not been logic; it has been experience," he said. "The felt necessities of the time, the prevalent moral and political theories, intuitions of public policy avowed or unconscious, even with the prejudices which judges share with their fellow men, have had a great deal more to do than the syllogism in determining the rules by which men should be governed. The law cannot be dealt with as if it contained only the axioms and corollaries of a book of mathematics."

Somehow, thoughts like Murray's and Holmes' celebrate our national proposition with a light that exceeds all of John Adams' "bonfires and illuminations."

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http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-rutten4-2009jul04,0,2013433.column

[Suzan]

Fourth of July is Independence Day

Independence Day honors the birthday of the United States of America and the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It's a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and fireworks, and a reason to fly the American flag.

**== **== **== **== **== **== **== **==


Declaration of Independence – View the original at the National Archives
Facts – Fun facts about July 4th from the Census Bureau
Flag Facts – Learn more about the U.S. flag
Historical Documents
History – A look at Independence Day from the Library of Congress
Independence Day Celebrations in the National Parks
Kids' Quiz – See what you know about Independence Day
Patriotic Melodies
Recipes from and for Americans


For all of the above and more Independence Day Info, click here: http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Independence_Day.shtml

[Suzan]

Happy Fourth of July, Everybody!

How are you all celebrating? We're going furniture shopping. I know, not very patriotic, but hey, there are some great sales out there!

Later, we'll fire up the barbeque and cremate some Hebrew National Hot Dogs, the dh's favorite!

Tonight, we'll watch fireworks from the back deck, unless the coastal cities have cancelled their displays for budget reasons. :(

[Laura Cereta]

http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu212/2059911/flag.jpg

To read the entire Declaration of Independence, click here:

http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu212/2059911/sptlogo.gif (http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2009/07/independence-day.html)

http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2009/07/independence-day.html

[Suzan]

bump!!!

[Suzan]

bumpity bump bump!!!

[Suzan]

Bah Dah Bump Bump BUMP

[Laura Cereta]

Suzan, I think we're the only people celebrating the 4th of July... in a thread. ;)

[Spang]

Happy 4th of July. Party hard but don't drive drunk.

[Horizon]

Happy 4th everyone!

I had planned on attending the parade here that I go to every year, but it's too damn hot here! Over 100 today and I don't do the heat well at all! Me standing on a hot sidewalk and 100, not a good combo! So, we are firing up the BBQ later in the evening and then walking down the street to the park to watch the fireworks. I can ALMOST see them from my house, but the park is a much better view!

Spent last night at the ER with my daughter. What a fiasco. I picked her up from work at 11:30 and she was burning up. Got her home, called our Dr.s exchange and he said take her up, they are not open today. Of course it being a Friday night AND a holiday, every fool and his brother had created some mayhem to cause damage to themselves, and others. Place was crawling with cops. We were there till after 4a.m this morning. She has a nasty strep and bronchitis to boot. They medicated her there, and gave us prescriptions that, Thank the Gods, were cheap.
Had the hospital list me as the responsible party, as 18 is too young to rack up medical debt!

Great start for Freedom Day!**==:eek::rotfl:

[Suzan]

Suzan, I think we're the only people celebrating the 4th of July... in a thread. ;)

:rotfl: :rotfl: I know. It's a sad comment on our social lives, or at least mine. And I'm about to go our furniture shopping. How's that for fun?

[Laura Cereta]

:rotfl: :rotfl: I know. It's a sad comment on our social lives, or at least mine. And I'm about to go our furniture shopping. How's that for fun?

Actually, it does sound fun. I already did the BBQ thing... for 3 hrs. :o Fireworks tonight, though! :thumbsup:

[Horizon]

:rotfl: :rotfl: I know. It's a sad comment on our social lives, or at least mine. And I'm about to go our furniture shopping. How's that for fun?

Suzan, I used to sell furniture for a living! If you have any questions, feel free to ask. One hint, STAY AWAY FROM ASHLEY FURNITURE!!! It is the crappiest made stuff out there, really. We sold it in our store before they opened an outlet here, and I REFUSED to sell it after I saw the shoddy construction, and the piss poor customer service from the main office. Really, its CRAP!

[Suzan]

Happy 4th everyone!

I had planned on attending the parade here that I go to every year, but it's too damn hot here! Over 100 today and I don't do the heat well at all! Me standing on a hot sidewalk and 100, not a good combo! So, we are firing up the BBQ later in the evening and then walking down the street to the park to watch the fireworks. I can ALMOST see them from my house, but the park is a much better view!

Spent last night at the ER with my daughter. What a fiasco. I picked her up from work at 11:30 and she was burning up. Got her home, called our Dr.s exchange and he said take her up, they are not open today. Of course it being a Friday night AND a holiday, every fool and his brother had created some mayhem to cause damage to themselves, and others. Place was crawling with cops. We were there till after 4a.m this morning. She has a nasty strep and bronchitis to boot. They medicated her there, and gave us prescriptions that, Thank the Gods, were cheap.
Had the hospital list me as the responsible party, as 18 is too young to rack up medical debt!

Great start for Freedom Day!**==:eek::rotfl:

Have some fun tonight! It's got to get better, right? I hope your daughter's okay!

[Spang]

And I'm about to go our furniture shopping. How's that for fun?

I have a Sleep Number futon but it only has one number.

[Suzan]

I have a Sleep Number futon but it only has one number.
You scamp, you. ;)

[hillary4change]

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!
We are going out to watch fireworks as a family, my only son and his son (my handsome grandbaby) will be there too! My 17 yr. old daughter is bringing her friend and we will have a blast!! My husband will meet us there right before dark and get to be with us as well!!
God Bless America!!!**==**==:)>-:)>-

[hillary4change]

Mary, I hope your daughter gets better and soon. I hope this doesn't dampen the celebration for her.

[Horizon]

Mary, I hope your daughter gets better and soon. I hope this doesn't dampen the celebration for her.

Thanks guys! She is feeling quite a bit better today! Sleeping off and on. She plans on making the trek down the street to the park with us to see the show. And of course, being sick never hampers her appetite for BBQ!

[hillary4change]

Thanks guys! She is feeling quite a bit better today! Sleeping off and on. She plans on making the trek down the street to the park with us to see the show. And of course, being sick never hampers her appetite for BBQ!

Good to hear. Glad she isn't having to sit at home being sick. My 17 yr. old gets strep all the time too. So I feel for your daughter.@};-

[Spang]

US man sets hot dog-eating record

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The world record for competitive hot dog eating has been broken in the US.

Joey "Jaws" Chestnut ate 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes at the annual 4 July contest at Coney Island in New York, shattering his old record of 66.

His main rival, Japan's six-time winner Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi, ate 64 and a half. It is thought the two men ate around 19,000 calories between them.

The first such hot dog eating contest was held in 1916, when the winner put away only 13 franks.

The two men have gone gut-to-gut for almost a decade at the annual competition, which has become an Independence Day tradition in the US.

This year's contest was broadcast live on sports channel ESPN, and featured much of the fanfare usually reserved for professional sporting events.

Mr Chestnut, who won his third straight title in a row, takes home $20,000 (£12,250) in prize money and the coveted Mustard Belt.

The 25-year-old Californian is a man of diverse taste, the BBC's Jon Donnison reports from Washington.

His other world records include eating 5kg of macaroni and cheese in seven minutes; and 188 jalapeno peppers in 10 minutes.

The Source (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8134741.stm)

[Laura Cereta]

The Source (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8134741.stm)

I wonder how they train for that without becoming 500 lbs.?

[Spang]

I wonder how they train for that without becoming 500 lbs.?

They exercise as often as they eat. The fit ones at least. Kobayashi is totally ripped.

[Spang]

Ray Charles is God

[Suzan]

We're watching "A Capitol Fourth" on PBS. It's pretty spectacular. Just watched Aretha so her thing and her voice is as incredible as ever.

Earlier we were out on the back deck, watching the fireworks in Huntington Beach and Long Beach. Beautiful. Just as impressive as last year, although I found myself wondering how much those displays cost.

[Spang]

We're watching "A Capitol Fourth" on PBS. It's pretty spectacular. Just watched Aretha so her thing and her voice is as incredible as ever.

I watched that show twice, it was incredible. Barry Manilow was surprisingly entertaining.

[CGP]

I went to the fireworks tonight in NYC - they were great!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_july_fourth_rdp

[Spang]

Vice President Joe Biden spent the Fourth of July in Iraq, presiding over a naturalization ceremony for 237 U.S. troops from 59 countries.

Very cool! **==

[Suzan]

Vice President Joe Biden spent the Fourth of July in Iraq, presiding over a naturalization ceremony for 237 U.S. troops from 59 countries.

And he was back this morning for "This Week" with George S. Biden is fassssst.