A casual observation from the UK

[Ragnarok]

Evidently, I have somewhat patriotic Americans living near me.

I say this because someone has taken it upon themselves to set off no less than one metric truckload of fireworks somewhere south-east of here, and not too far off at that.

I was thinking about returning fire, but I was advised that it might start an international incident or some such.

[jrrdw]

Happy 4th of July Rag.

[Ragnarok]

It's already the 5th here now, and has been for the best part of an hour. This fortunately means that the Americans have stopped blowing things up.

[jrrdw]

It's just starting to get fired up here in Maryland, the east coast USA, USA, USA!!!

[THUNDERLORD]

Reminds me of my time last year,
My friends neighbors were doing off bombs or something so I said "Eff it", grabbed his .380 walther clone and started busting off shots at soda cans...
Nothing so dramatic this year, although I went to a large get-together breakfast this morning ...When the anthem was being sang, a few rockets
With surprisingly large bursts (BASSS!!!) went off low...( )...

Interesting thing though, there were a few politicians there and retired general, lots of different veterans and the mother of fallen heroe...
Anyway, there were two miitary guys there and on display were a few WW2 belt fed .30 cal.s, a SAW (made in Holland Fogot m-# now ) etc. it was interesting...

About to head off to see the proffessional stuff in a moment.
Got my lady with me this year so we'll surely create our own "fireworks" later... 8)
Gotta go for now...

[inonickname]

4th of July is a holiday created by Americans for the excuse of ungoverned firework use for one day.

Seen as it's Sunday night I might do a 2" shell, stars or salute..dunno.

Happy 4th of July to all Americans out there

[Ragnarok]

Note the irony here.

... the 4th of July topic was started by a Brit.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Surprised your house wasn't hit, given the American propensity for "friendly" fire

[inonickname]

Surprised your house wasn't hit, given the American propensity for "friendly" fire

Well that went brilliant, drunk lit an aerial shell , then realized "holy ****, it's gonna go bang!!" so he throws it on the roof, and stars go bloody everywhere..

[jrrdw]

4th of July is a holiday created by Americans for the excuse of ungoverned firework use for one day.

Seen as it's Sunday night I might do a 2" shell, stars or salute..dunno.

Happy 4th of July to all Americans out there

Nope, it's our nations birthday. Happy 233rd America!

[inonickname]

Erm..after reading the highly informative 4th of july guide on instructables..

It's a celebration of:
Cheeseburgers, BBQ sauce, bikinis, sweet tea, salad, picking things up off of beaches, sorbet, BBQ, icecream, water, fireworks, fireworks, fireworks.

But that's just instructables.. What do you actually do?

[Ragnarok]

It's a celebration of:
Cheeseburgers, BBQ sauce, bikinis, sweet tea, salad, picking things up off of beaches, sorbet, BBQ, icecream, water, fireworks, fireworks, fireworks...

Of? Not "involving"?

I think some people may have their priorities in the wrong order there.

Anyway... most of those aren't American inventions.
- Bikinis are a french invention
- Barbecue is from the Carribean
- Barbecue sauce is Spanish
- Salad? Well, the etymology is French
- Picking stuff up off beaches... Well, suffice to say people were doing it before Americans
- Sorbet is generally considered a Roman invention
- Ice cream is British
- Water obviously has no human inventor.
- Fireworks are Chinese.
- And although it's not listed there, Beer is an Egyptian invention.

So, of that list, only cheeseburgers and sweet tea could be considered American, and both have earlier relatives from elsewhere in the world.

Odd way to celebrate being American then.

[THUNDERLORD]

...So, of that list, only cheeseburgers and sweet tea could be considered American, and both have earlier relatives from elsewhere in the world.

Odd way to celebrate being American then.

Not really..."E Pluribus Unim" Is all.

Note the irony here.

... the 4th of July topic was started by a Brit.

A Welsch Brit (?) Cool!
I was going to kick up DYI's thread from last year but saw yours, hence replied.
Besides the first American congress WERE originally Brits.
The French have a lot of gratitude for them as well as saving France in WW1 AND WW2...Any how this is interesting history:

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
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. ...

Mentions "God" and "Creator"
Personally each year on the fourth I get a cool vibe that "We the people" are sort of taunting the oppressive gov'ts with random pyrotechnics toys as if "try to stop us they will only get BIGGER" ...hence my duty to participate (in noise making flashy colorful freedom/liberty display)... 8)

I have to admit the thought of Obama seeing the display and feeling proud turned my stomach a little, but it will pass...
Well, I was at a great Republican gathering (I don't fully agree with them either) on someone's property in the morning.
However when they mention "Freedom isn't free" I'm still wondering "Who the F*@k is free???"
Still a great country ...as Jrrdw mentioned, Happy 233rd B-day America!!!
I consider myself a sovereign nation personally... that's another story, eventually, eventually I will win!!! 8)

BTW, if you could trace that history stuff mentioned further you'd probably find even more origins...I was thinking in 1000 years they'll be saying the motorcycle was "invented in Japan" probably due to the market trends...

[starman]

But that's just instructables.. What do you actually do?

Well most of the stereotype is pretty accurate.....

...Most of us DON'T go to work...
...Typically spend the day with family and friends, at the pool, beach, mountain retreat, baseball park, backyard...
...grill burgers, hotdogs, BBQ, steaks
...drink lots of beer and soda
...watch fireworks...either a large commercial display or meager neighborhood event where the kids (and the big kids) are literally "lighting" and launching the stuff from the driveway
...Thank our lucky stars we were fortunate enough to be born Americans

I've actually been in Australia on Australia Day in January...almost identical patriotism and activities.

[Ragnarok]

A Welsch Brit (?) Cool!

No, technically I'm English. I do however have a dash of Welsh in my ancestry though, one of my great grandparents.

But I do prefer to describe myself as British though, partly because it's more accurate, but partly because there are more people who use being "English" as an excuse for racist activity than there are people who'll use being "British" as an excuse, and I don't want any part in that.