Happy Fourth of July! (July 4, 2012)

Dundradal

Dundradal

Frog Blast the Vent Core!
Happy Independence Day to our American wingnuts! Today is the 236th anniversary of the founding of the American Republic. Enjoy a safe holiday and a night filled with fireworks! To our non-American vistors, enjoy a great day wherever you are!






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Original update published on July 4, 2012
 
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Wait, wait, wait a second. Are you telling me stuff happens outside of Boston!?!?!?! On the Fourth of July!?!?! ;)

It was a great celebration up here this year! One of my favorites was yesterday when the Constitution was doing her "turnaround cruise" through the harbor and they had the Blue Angels and over aircraft doing flyovers.

Here's one shot from the day...Old Ironsides herself with the Blue Angels providing top cover.
old-ironsides-blue-angels.jpg
 
Sometimes I wish we could do such stuff here in Germany. You know, jet formations flying around, celebrating your nation's foundation with fireworks and such things.
Unfortunately jet air acrobatics and tight formation flight are illegal here since 1988. Germany doesn't even have such a team like the Blue Angels.
Not to mention that celebrating anything that has to do with your country - except when the national team wins in soccer - is frowned upon here. But that's another topic, meanwhile I am happy to watch that sort of thing in other countries. You Americans had some great fireworks again this year.

Fun fact about that topic: Since our country is in one piece again we celebrate the reunification as our national day. Before that we celebrated the 1953 Uprising in East Germany. Before that (1945-1954).... (I had to look that up actually) we didn't have such a day. And of course the celebrations of that day are not like most of you know them. They are very... I call it "German". They mostly look like a funeral or something. I think there are at least some fireworks. One or two. Sometimes.
 
You have the octoberfests, that last more then a day, and are ofcourse very, very german.
 
The Oktoberfest is mainly a Bavarian thing. And it is nothing "national", at least it doesn't feel that way for me (perhaps it does for a Bavarian though). It is more a kind of big "county fair". And I think nobody gets holiday for it... well, except Bavarians maybe. :D
 
Aginor said:
Sometimes I wish we could do such stuff here in Germany. You know, jet formations flying around, celebrating your nation's foundation with fireworks and such things.
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Well if it makes you feel any better we actually celebrate on the wrong day, at least according to John Adams. The Second of July is when the Continental Congress voted on the Declaration of Independence and made the break with England official. John Adams thought that:

John Adams said:
The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.
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We dont really have anything big like this in the UK. I didnt know about the ban of close formation flying in Germany I should of though as I did live there for six years when my Dad was in the Army
 
It's nothing interesting. The Continental Congress voted on July 2 to declare independence but the actual Declaration of Independence document was adopted on (and dated) July 4th.

It's not a case of something being lost to history; Adams' letter happened to have been written on July 3, after one thing but before the other. July 4 was celebrated as Independence Day immediately and throughout his life.
 
Youngblood said:
We dont really have anything big like this in the UK. I didnt know about the ban of close formation flying in Germany I should of though as I did live there for six years when my Dad was in the Army
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It is because all that "air acrobatics" are banned for jets since the 1988 Ramstein accident.
 
Bandit LOAF said:
It's nothing interesting. The Continental Congress voted on July 2 to declare independence but the actual Declaration of Independence document was adopted on (and dated) July 4th.

It's not a case of something being lost to history; Adams' letter happened to have been written on July 3, after one thing but before the other. July 4 was celebrated as Independence Day immediately and throughout his life.
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Adams, along with Thomas Jefferson, both died on the Fourth of July, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the document. Many believe Jefferson willed himself to live to the fourth, he had been ill for some time, and to let himself go on that day. He'd wake up every now and then and ask, "Is it the fourth?" When he was told it was his last words were, "It is a good day." Adams, who was also ill, used to joke how he'd outlive Jefferson despite being seven years older. He actually did outlive Jefferson, and only by a few hours. Although, he never knew it. Adams last words were "Thomas Jefferson Survives!"
 
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