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July 4th
- Thread starter buldog5151bass
- Start date
Not sure of the French financials.I thought it was the French that got bankrupted? It's one of those counterfactual whatifs: if there had been no revolutionary war, and the French government had not fallen to a revolution itself, then perhaps there would have been no Boneparte, no Louisiana purchase, and a thousand other consequences... Probably best discussed around a BBQ with a few beers tomorrow
Regarding the British monarchy, imagine building war ships- filling them with troops and food, then insisting they Sail 2000 miles or so to possibly be sunk?
The only reason Britannia fought was to save face.
With France and Spain bearing down, the monarchy surrendered to stop throwing away gold and troops.
The French Revolution would probably have looked a lot different without the example of the American one, but I think it still would have happened. The American Revolution didn't create the underlying tensions that caused it.
If people are seriously looking for Independence Day reading, I'd suggest Defiance of the Patriots by Benjamin Carp - really about the Boston Tea Party - and, a little older, the Shoemaker and the Tea Party by Alfred Young. Young's book is great for showing how the Revolution meant different things to different people, and how those meaning were debated through the Early Republic: Carp's shows just how contingent and ambiguous the Tea Party was.
Meanwhile, having a wife who's the town library director, I've been drafted to march in the parade. Which would fine if they scheduled it in the cool of the morning. Instead this town, for no rational reason anyone can explain to me, holds its parade at F'ing 12:30 pm! Nothing like the hottest hour of a day in July to go marching down the sun-baked asphalt street for an hour or two.
If people are seriously looking for Independence Day reading, I'd suggest Defiance of the Patriots by Benjamin Carp - really about the Boston Tea Party - and, a little older, the Shoemaker and the Tea Party by Alfred Young. Young's book is great for showing how the Revolution meant different things to different people, and how those meaning were debated through the Early Republic: Carp's shows just how contingent and ambiguous the Tea Party was.
Meanwhile, having a wife who's the town library director, I've been drafted to march in the parade. Which would fine if they scheduled it in the cool of the morning. Instead this town, for no rational reason anyone can explain to me, holds its parade at F'ing 12:30 pm! Nothing like the hottest hour of a day in July to go marching down the sun-baked asphalt street for an hour or two.
As my father would say, Happy Traitors Day tomorrow! As the first born in the US of Scottish parents (who immigrated to escape a family feud) he was a devout loyalist and in a past life may have turned in many traitors to the crown.
slobake
resident ... something
Great book. Have you read the Adams bio? It offered an international/political slant on many of the events.
It started early round here. Fire works are going off like an artillery attack. My neighbor doesn't use the normal stuff, quarter sticks for him, which is ridiculous in this neighborhood. My dog is so scared, he just tried to climb up my ***.
Yeah, I got that too. My neighbor must be trying to match it. Both are starting to calm down though. A few more beers and he'll run out of steam or hurt himself. Either way it is bound to get quieter.
Meh, not much happening here this morning. What's wrong with the kids these days? Seems any grit in them has been tamped down to nothing by a few city ordinances. Haven't heard a single firecracker to date.
I spent a couple of years in China, their new years fireworks celebrating is truly something. Anyone who has a spare yuan is getting in on the action. For about two weeks there is the constant pow pow, pow pow pow of someone nearby shooting off some sort of gunpowder powered explosive. New years eve (the Chinese new years one) is absolutely gonzo off the hook. I spent around 100 yuan ($20 dollars give or take) which yielded a pretty good amount of explosives. There was so much action going on I could barely hear my son standing right next to me yelling in my ear, the sky was pretty much filled up with color, the area businesses not to be outdone by the locals put on some outstanding fireworks displays. There didn't seem to be many ordinances slowing anyone down, crazy place China during their new year.
I spent a couple of years in China, their new years fireworks celebrating is truly something. Anyone who has a spare yuan is getting in on the action. For about two weeks there is the constant pow pow, pow pow pow of someone nearby shooting off some sort of gunpowder powered explosive. New years eve (the Chinese new years one) is absolutely gonzo off the hook. I spent around 100 yuan ($20 dollars give or take) which yielded a pretty good amount of explosives. There was so much action going on I could barely hear my son standing right next to me yelling in my ear, the sky was pretty much filled up with color, the area businesses not to be outdone by the locals put on some outstanding fireworks displays. There didn't seem to be many ordinances slowing anyone down, crazy place China during their new year.
I no longer get excited about things blowing up.
Well manage to find some fireworks for the kids tho.
Well manage to find some fireworks for the kids tho.
I'll probably get hated (a little more) for this.
I've never understood an adult's fascination with blowing off fireworks unless it's for the sake of entertaining the kids, and I even question that rationale as my age increases. What is it in a grown man's brain that triggers the need to buy something that, to them, is fascinating for a few seconds then is gone. It must be related to the same impulse some people have to buy crack. I could understand it a little more if there weren't so many other entertainment diversions available to modern man. Maybe without the fireworks fascination gene, fire never would've been invented. Frickin' rabbit hole.
I was looking for a fireworks photo earlier for my FS post and Googled "fireworks accidents". Atrocious.
slobake
resident ... something
Not the stuff I drink....most micro brews are actually good.....Fairly sure that was applied uniformly to American beer as a whole by dear ol' Monty
Dirty Lixx will be playing a private party tonight. We will encourage those with explosives to keep them as far from the band as possible, as we do not like them.
I just wish I could be home to comfort my dogs. My neighbors, (as far off as they are,) are all certifiably insane, and will be blowing things up with reckless glee all night. Some of my boys are getting older now, and they really do not need this aggravation.
I just wish I could be home to comfort my dogs. My neighbors, (as far off as they are,) are all certifiably insane, and will be blowing things up with reckless glee all night. Some of my boys are getting older now, and they really do not need this aggravation.
In this case....it celebrates the"rockets red glare....bombs bursting in air"......
Not just blowing stuff up for the sake of blowing stuff up...
<font color="black">To those of us in the USA, have fun and eat some great grilled food.....listen to (or maybe play) some great songs live on a stage....watch some colorful and powerful fireworks and CELEBRATE!<br />
<br />
I cannot take credit for the following....it comes from a friend but it expresses my feelings:<br />
<br />
<font color="red"><b>"On the eve of this 4th of July, I reflect on my daily ritual:<br />
<br />
</b></font></font><br />
<font color="black"><font color="red"><b>I stop what I'm doing, and take my FREEDOM out of its display case, and look at it lovingly. <br />
Then I polish it up and put it back in its spot above the mantel. <br />
I really love that thing."<br />
<br />
</b></font>[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]</font><br/>
<br />
I cannot take credit for the following....it comes from a friend but it expresses my feelings:<br />
<br />
<font color="red"><b>"On the eve of this 4th of July, I reflect on my daily ritual:<br />
<br />
</b></font></font><br />
<font color="black"><font color="red"><b>I stop what I'm doing, and take my FREEDOM out of its display case, and look at it lovingly. <br />
Then I polish it up and put it back in its spot above the mantel. <br />
I really love that thing."<br />
<br />
</b></font>[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]</font><br/>
I wonder what our homophobic dru hating retired marine would say today...
Happy 4th kwassic, wherever you are!
Happy 4th kwassic, wherever you are!
I guess so, in some way. Might as well celebrate the fashion the US won a war but I still think for the most part people are blowing stuff up to satisfy their need for WWE-car wreck-awkward family photo-DuckDynasty type entertainment.
