Open Thread - Thurs 04 July 2024 - Happy 4th!
4th of July!
It's Thursday and it's the 4th of July! It's been 248 years since this nation was created, if one takes 1776 as the date of creation. And in 1814 the poem featuring the line 'the rockets' red glare, and the bombs bursting in air' over Fort McHenry during the battle of Baltimore was published by Francis Scott Key. This poem became the Star Spangled Banner. So that's 210 years old. And our enemy at the time, the United Kingdom, is now our best bud as we take over (took over) its role as the english-speaking Empire leader!
from: https://www.lovethispic.com/image/269745/happy-4th-of-july
Serious Stuff:
The US forest service is preparing to allow hunters to go into west coast forests and murder about half a million barred owls over 30 years. Supposedly this will let spotted owls 'recover' because nothing else will, right? Yea, killing other owls will do a great job on replenishing and protecting the old growth forests that the spotted owls need because humans have had nothing to do with taking away those old growth forests, ever! And sure, the barred owls won't move back into the open spaces the killing makes! No! Not at all!
Baby Spotted Owls, from Ranger Rick Magazine on Pinterest.
Thanks for reading on the 4th of July! Here's the open thread - remember, everything is interesting if you dive deep enough, so tell us about where you're diving! We wanna read it!
Comments
Happy 4th!
Hope everyone has a great day, lots of good food and fun!
If you're around, give us a comment and tell us what's up!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
nĭ hăo
-
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celebrating Independence Day by making a beef stir fry.
Entertainment may include blowing off fingers with firecrackers,
throwing them on the grill and call them hot dogs.
Thanks for the OT.
Never thought of hot dogs that way...
But, why not? Makes sense Hope you had a great holiday!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
It’s not what
they say it is
If the gov’t says it
They are Lying
If corporations say it
They are lying
It internat’l organizations say it
They are Lying
If the media say it
Yup! They lying, Too!
But go ahead, don’t trust
Your own senses(including spidey sense)
Believe them ‘till the day You Die
That’s what they’re hoping for
Don’t be an ignint bahstahd
Happy(?) Fourth EVERYone
Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .
Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .
If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march
We should all celebrate The Fourth even though
there isn't much left of it
The Fourth
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Conflating the two 4ths..
makes sense! Celebrate, but realize so much is gone...
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Re-Independence?
Worth taking the occasion to reflect on whether the USA is really independent, no?
And if not, to consider how it was we lost independence, to whom, and what would it take to GET IT BACK.
Somehow imaginary Russian influence over Trump was a huge deal yet very real ownership of Congress (not to mention media, much of the bureaucracy...) by Israel is a non-issue?
Spot
on. That is all.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
No F*ing way...
That illustration really makes the point, doesn't it?
Heh. Spot on, as usefewersyllables said.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
History
On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress signed off of the US Declaration of Independence. At that time, the US, as we know it, didn't exist yet.
The US Constitution wasn't drafted until 1787 and that wasn't ratified until 1788.
The government wasn't really put together until 1789 You can find a (partial?) list of the laws/acts passed in by the First Congress in 1789 here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_federal_legislation,...
Please note, especially, The Judiciary Act of 1789. This was a biggie, creating lesser courts and divvying up jurisdictions and all that. It, combined with certain acts of certain government officials led to the court case generally referred to as Marbury v Madison, wherein Justice Marshall, through what was something of a cagey act of political blackmail seized the power of judicial review for the Supremes through a fait accompli.
That's it for now, but all that really happened on July 4 was the colonies telling the British Crown "you ain't the boss of me".
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Happy 4th!
Rib eye steaks, baked spuds, huge green salad full of cherry tomatoes from the garden.
We never eat desserts, but I did get a pecan pie. I will have pie a la mode, topping it with Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream, the flag ship ice cream of Texas. The rest of the pie will go to my brother, who's only reliable tooth is his sweet tooth.
Everyone enjoy the day!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
That 4th of July meal..
Sounds great! I hope it was awesome. I spent the whole night dealing with the puppy as the fireworks were overwhelming until around 1 am. Was very tiresome, but he is ok, and so are we!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Every year I hope to emphasize
the reasons, declared in 1776, that coincide with the reasons Donbass and Crimean residents voted to leave Ukraine in 2014, especially the Ukrainian government's allowing private mercenaries to kill and terrorize the people without law enforcement, without consequences, without justice.
I emphasize those parts in bold type. This is for me the essential disagreement I have with fellow Americans who think Ukrainians had no right to leave Ukraine. They assert we didn't allow South Carolina to leave the United States. But they forget that we left Great Britain, and that the essential fact in both matters was justice.
Very good points!
Thank you for this!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Happy 4th everyone!
“When there's no fight over programme, the election becomes a casting exercise. Trump's win is the unstoppable consequence of this situation.” - Jean-Luc Melanchon
Collapse of the Empire?
Or collapse of the Republic and creation of the Empire? I'm never sure.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
As this awesome
holiday proceeds, the militarized cops are all out on patrol, the jails will be full by 3am.
Stay cooped up at home to let your freedom ring.
We are more or less preparing for the hurricane to blow right over us this weekend. Hoo Boy.
It's always something...
My sympathies to all pet owners who have critters that panic at the sounds of the fireworks.
I went through hell keeping my horses from running through the fences to escape. Because of them, I will not ever set off fireworks. We might think it is cool, but innocent critters think they are under attack.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Yep, spent last night...
helping Nikko deal with the fireworks. He was unphased at first, but then it got wild and so did he. This morning he would not go outside, at all. It took until the afternoon for him to leave the house, I guess the smells finally blew away, or something. Or maybe the alarm all the wild animals felt, the horses next door in their barn, and so on, finally faded. I dunno.
I admit, I used to like fireworks in some ways. But one time years ago, I was sitting outside listening to the fireworks all around the valley. And I thought to myself, I bet this is kinda what soldiers heard and hear before they and their companions go to die. And at that point, I started to really dislike fireworks.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
For once dementia Joe spoke the truth! He campaign was quick
to attempt to cover up the damage.
Shaking my head in disbelief...
How can they keep going with this? Dang.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
I saw a truck drive by
waving a flag. It had a big F, then an American flag, then a big K,then at the bottom, JOE BIDEN.
The truck was headed to an American Legion hall, where a 4th of July celebration is going on.
I had to laugh.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Biden Reality Watch
Today the President claimed to be the first black woman to serve with a black president. In the same interview he said this:
Also today he told active duty service members that he'd been in battle.
"The words may not have all gotten out, but the thoughts were great."
“He may not have gotten the words out but the thoughts were great.”
I got the second tweet to play.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Might have been too specific a link
https://x.com/HotSpotHotSpot/status/1808972172175835637
This ought to play inside a login window“He may not have gotten the words out but the thoughts were great.”
Got it!
He has an illness that makes him nuts. I have had relatives, friends, neighbors, even clients, that became ill, then, as a result, nuts.
It can happen to anybody.
Why are tptb so twisted in knots about this now? And why are they worried about an election 5 months, more or less, away, when the nutty man can drop nukes today? What about us for the next few months?
25th Amendment. Now. For us all. In the US, and the world.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I watched it happen to my dad
“He may not have gotten the words out but the thoughts were great.”
I am so sorry bondibox.
Nevertheless. I see it. My client wanted to probate his wife's will. During COVID, so it took 6 months, not 6 weeks, to get to court. 4 months into it, he came into my office with his shirt inside out, pants unzipped, so I called his daughter to step in, as she was the successor executor.
It was such a quick, but total, mental decline. It could happen to anybody at any time. Presidents do not have immunity from dementia. The man died a few months later.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Dang, this sounds like...
What my dad is going through now. I'm so sorry you and your father had to go through it. My Dad helped develop computers, the very first chips, and now, he doesn't know what one is or how to use one, or anything like that really. So sad.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
On the 4th I always think of the movie
語必忠信 行必正直