Wrapping up the 4th

What a nice 4th of July - I am now well rested and hopefully my golf game will be better this week. Funny how a 5 day weekend doesn't feel like it was enough. The fireworks in Rochester are very loud, even when I live 4 miles away from where they are shooting them.

As usual on holidays - I like to provide information to make all of you, my loyal readers, smarter. No exception on the 4th of July:

Why the 4th?

Though the Fourth of July is iconic to Americans, some claim the date itself is somewhat arbitrary. New Englanders had been fighting Britain since April 1775. The first motion in the Continental Congress for independence was made on June 8. After hard debate, the Congress voted unanimously (12-0), but secretly, for independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain on July 2. The Congress reworked the text of the Declaration until a little after eleven o'clock, 4th of July, when thirteen colonies voted for adoption and released a copy signed by John Hancock, President of the Congress, to the printers. Philadelphia celebrated the Declaration with public readings and bonfires on July 8. Not until August 2 would a fair printing be signed by the members of the Congress, but even that was kept secret to protect the members from British reprisal.

John Adams, credited by Thomas Jefferson as the unofficial, tireless whip of the independence-minded, wrote his wife Abigail on July 3:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch 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 shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

Adams was off by two days, however. Certainly, the vote on July 2 was the decisive act. But July 4 is the date on the Declaration itself. Jefferson's stirring prose, as edited by the Congress, was first adopted by the vote of the 4th. It was also the first day Philadelphians heard the official news of independence from the Continental Congress, as opposed to rumors in the street about secret votes.

Now you know, and KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE!!!! GO JOE!!!

Stevie-Y retired from the RedWings. There is an interesting article for all of you hockey fans that talks about how he is a rarity in modern sports. Yzerman was more interested in his team winning, than he was with the stardom of professional sports, the money, the luxury that you find with just about every other athelete.

World Cup is down to 3 teams.... and by the end of today, 2 teams. Italy beat Germany yesterday in what could very well be called "the last minute". Some great soccer going on - hopefully Portugal beats the dreaded French today. Interesting that the final 4 teams were all from mainland Europe.

Wimbledon is getting down to the finals (this weekend). No US players in the final 8 of either the men or the women. Agassi said goodbye to the Wimbledon crowd last week and that was emotional all around. I remember Agassi's first Wimbledon when he was back in his rebellious stage. He actually refused to play Wimbledon for a long time and when he showed up in his "loud" purple outfits - he was warned about the rule they have about wearing "mostly white" so in his 2nd round match, he shows up in 100% white courtesy the folks at Nike. He made it to the Quarterfinals that year, and won it the next year. Hopefully we'll see a Nadal/Federer final (rematch of the French Open final) for this weekend's "Breakfast at Wimbledon".

And finally - the Chicago Bulls, in a long tradition of big name centers such as Bill Cartwright and Luc Longley.... pick up 4 time Defensive player of the Year in Ben Wallace. Interesting, interesting....

Video of the Day - I watched the movie Find Me Guilty with Vin Diesel where he has hair and plays the Gangster Jackie DiNorscio. It's actually a pretty good movie (over 2 hours but it goes quickly) and Vin might not be his normal ass-kicking self, but he's still pretty good. Supposedly a "true story".

Webpage of the Day - The Wienermobile turns 70!!!

Song of the Day - Oh I wish I was an Oscar Meyer Wiener...... Eddie's audition song for his job with Oscar Meyer.