Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.

All your base are belong to Tunch.

This blog will pay for itself.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

We still have time to mess this up!

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

John Fetterman: Too Manly for Pennsylvania.  Paid for by the Oz for Senator campaign.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

T R E 4 5 O N

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

It’s the corruption, stupid.

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.

“More of this”, i said to the dog.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

The worst democrat is better than the best republican.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Happy Fourth!

Reader Interactions

93Comments

  2. 2.

    Maurs

    Happy Independence Day All! 233 years! I did my BBQing and Fireworks yesterday. Gorgeous day here in the Northeast (finally). I think I may just lounge by the pool and read all day!!! Heaven! :))

  3. 3.

    Montysano

    Off to the annual get-together at Lake Guntersville with my wife’s family. Of the 60+ people there, at least one will be unable to resist saying “So, are ya’ll happy with your boy Obama so far?” Maybe not. I hope not.

  4. 4.

    R-Jud

    Happy Fourth! We’re in Ocean Grove, NJ, about to watch the parade from our hotel balcony. Then we’ll stroll down the block to the beach, where we plan to stay ’til sunset. There was excellent bodysurfing last night; today the air will be about 82, water is 67.

    I read David McCullough’s 1776 this week– it is a good look at Washington and people I was only dimly aware of, like Henry Knox and Nathanael Greene. 1776 was actually a terrible year, on balance, for the American cause. It really is amazing our country is here at all.

    Enjoy yourselves, fellow Americans.

  6. 6.

    SGEW

    In Afghanistan, this morning:

    Two U.S. soldiers were killed when their base in southeast Afghanistan came under attack on Saturday, the U.S. military said, two days after a major operation against the Taliban was launched in the south.

    In Iraq:

    Iraqi army troops backed by U.S. soldiers arrested a man on Saturday suspected of being behind two vehicle bombs in the northern city of Kirkuk that killed more than 100 people, an Iraqi army official said.

    Happy Forth, troops. Here’s hoping the only other booms you hear today are from firecrackers.

    Independence day has to give one a bit of a cognitive dissonance headache when you’re part of a military force occupying a country, I guess, but that sure ain’t their fault.

  7. 7.

    Rey

    Happy Birthday America! At my house- ribs, chicken, cole slaw, fresh veggies. Lots of ice cold beer. Yummmm….

  8. 8.

    SGEW

    @R-Jud: I second your recommendation of 1776: great read, and really highlights some of the less well remembered contemporary players.

  10. 10.

    joe from Lowell

    Mrs. joe from Lowell and I bought each other a big screen HDTV for Christmas, mainly for watching sports.

    It occurred to me last week that I’m going to get to watch Pops Goes the 4th – the fireworks over Boston Harbor accompanied by the Boston Pops – on that bad boy.

    God Bless America!

  12. 12.

    Violet

    Happy Fourth! We’ll be inside packing. As if it wasn’t bad enough that we got burglarized on Monday, now we have to move. We rent the house we live in and the owner, who owns and lives in another house in the same city, has decided to move back into this one. We suspect divorce or money troubles. It’s a very odd decision to move back into this small house. We have to be out pretty soon. Life is exciting, I guess.

    Oh well. It’s way too hot to want to do anything outside, so we’d probably be inside in the a/c anyway.

  14. 14.

    Walker

    My smoker is cooking up some Carolina pulled pork while the wife works on banana pudding. I have to bring some culture to the CNY philistines.

  16. 16.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Thanks, BOB, for posting the link for that beautiful document. Have a great Fourth, everyone!

  18. 18.

    demkat620

    Oh and John:

    Guys and Gals! In Iraq.

    Happy fourth and thank you for your service!

  19. 19.

    geg6

    Good on ya, BOB, for that link. I heart Thomas Jefferson. Happy Fourth, Juicers and all of America! My family will be celebrating tomorrow in order to not be confused with any teabaggers (no wingnuts in my family, thank FSM). The menu to include hot sausage, meatballs, pasta, fried chicken, potato salad, and fresh blackberry pies baked by my lovely man. My mouth will be watering all day in anticipation. And John? Keep Lily and the JRTs safe from the firecrackers.

  20. 20.

    A Mom Anon

    Google Iraq,Paper,Scissors. There’s a bunch of links,the original I had in my book marks no longer works. It’s pretty cool.

    Happy 4th everyone. I think we’re staying home,much to the Teenager’s disappointment. The Husband is on call for his job(he’s a residential property maintainence dood),so going anywhere is bound to be interrupted by a “fix my A/C” call. I’m trying to talk him into at least going out to lunch at Ted’s Montana Grill.

  22. 22.

    Blogreeder

    Google Iraq,Paper,Scissors.

    Make sure you don’t google “Barack, paper, scissors”. Totally different message. Happy 4th of July.

  24. 24.

    smiley

    I’m not positive but I’m pretty sure my little sister could beat me in a tennis match too.

    Happy 4th everyone.

  25. 25.

    rreay

    Happy B-Day America!

    The wife and I are refereeing a Women’s Roller Derby Match. Here in Rochester team Stars take on team Stripes for charity. (flyer)

    Then the whole league and any interested fans do our BBQ and fireworks at the house one of the Derby girls.

  26. 26.

    Rey

    God Bless our troops in Iraq and Afghan. THANK YOU!

    And a shout out to all Americans and Ballon Juiciers that made this July 4th the best ever by voting the right way on Nov 4th, giving us President Barack H. Obama- THANK YOU!!!

  27. 27.

    Montysano

    @rreay:

    The wife and I are refereeing a Women’s Roller Derby Match.

    There’s a sentence you don’t read every day.

  28. 28.

    geg6

    Rey: Yes. I must remember to take another moment of reflection to think about what we managed on 11/04/08. He’s not the answer to my every dream but wow. I still can’t wrap my head around it. Especially after yesterday just reiterated what a bullet we dodged.

  29. 29.

    Blogreeder

    @SGEW

    Independence day has to give one a bit of a cognitive dissonance headache when you’re part of a military force occupying a country, I guess, but that sure ain’t their fault.

    Are speaking personally? If it’s collectively I was going to point out that we are still occupying Germany, Japan and Korea.

    The Afghanistan information you provided is sad. I don’t know what you meant by the Iraq information. I would think looking for bombers is a good thing.

  30. 30.

    Elroy's Lunch

    ribs and potato salad </blockquote

    Hey, your family stole our menu for the holiday!

    Happy Fourth to Cole, Tunchumus, that young upstart Lilly and all the smart BJ commenters!

  31. 31.

    Comrade Stuck

    Happy Independence Day America!

    Keep your heads down and be safe to all Doughboy’s and girls, Dogfaces, and Government Issue troopers.

    Sarah sends her best with this message.

    I’d love to change the World
    But I don’t know what to do
    So I’ll leave it up to you

    Gone Galt?

  33. 33.

    A Mom Anon

    @BethanyAnne:

    Isn’t it the coolest thing? I’ve been thinking alot about things like this,art as therapy for returning vets. There needs to be more like this.

  34. 34.

    MikeJ

    I like the troops as well as the next guy, but they’ve already got two holidays. They shouldn’t get independence day too.

    Ok, my coffee is finished brewing. Maybe I’ll be less grumpy.

    Happy bday to a country that’s pretty solidly in the top 30 or so best.

  35. 35.

    dmsilev

    Random ad complaint: Isn’t the SarahPAC ad now woefully out of date? Maybe Sarah will star in the next PETA ad instead.

    -dms

  36. 36.

    JenJen

    Happy 4th, Cole Family, and Balloon-Juice Family! And God bless our servicemen and women everywhere.

    Mmmm… can’t wait for cookout and beer and the neighbors will probably blow stuff up. Best holiday ever!

    A little Schoolhouse Rock seems appropriate today, don’t you think?

  40. 40.

    The Saff

    Thanks, JenJen! Schoolhouse Rock rocks. That was so cool.

    Happy Independence Day everyone. Kind of cloudy and cool here in Michigan but not too bad. I’m going to read the Declaration of Independence then head outside to weed.

  42. 42.

    Crashman06

    Happy 4th everyone! I’ll be on the mass ave bridge between Boston and Cambridge, right underneath the fireworks. Hoping for no rain!

  43. 43.

    Svensker

    Dang, I forgot to make potato salad. Maybe tomorrow to go with the leftovers.

    Today: burgers, dogs, corn on teh cob, baked beans, green salad, sauerkraut, watermelon, cherries and blueberries. Nothing hard or that heats up the kitchen — if it can’t go on the grill or in the microwave or et raw, it ain’t getting et. And various libations of your choice. They had Squirt! soda (pop for you Canucks and Northwesterners) in the supermarket — haven’t had that since 1964.

    Happy 4th everyone. Squeeze a teabag for George Washington today!

  45. 45.

    Dennis-SGMM

    @burnspbesq:
    Didn’t DHS just spend a bazillion dollars on their old headquarters? Instead of building them a new HQ the gov should just commission a Monument to Fear on the D.C. Mall.

  47. 47.

    Violet

    @Dennis-SGMM:

    Oh! I love “Conjunction Junction.” One of my absolute favorite Schoolhouse Rocks. I also love the Preamble to the Constitution. If only George the Younger had listened to a little Schoolhouse Rock, he might have remembered what the whole point was.

  48. 48.

    jeffreyw

    Yay us!

    Remember, though, the signing was just the kick-off, the game isn’t over.

    Menu for today: roasted pork butt, to be pulled into sammiches.
    Tater salad-spuds, crisp bacon pieces, vidalia onions, celery; dressed with mayo, buttermilk, dijon. Lots of fresh ground black pepper, salt.
    Cole slaw with red onions, dressing of bacon grease, olive oil, white wine vinegar, dijon, salt n pepper.
    Fresh fruit salad with pineapple, kiwis, oranges, bananas, mandarin oranges, nectarines, sliced green and red grapes.

  49. 49.

    bago

    I just learned a bit about vietnam, and with my families experience in Iraq, I just want to say “Fuck the fucking fucks who fucking think that war is a good idea. Fuck them.” No, really. Fuck it. I know it makes me sound like a dirty fucking hippie, but these fat fucks who advocate flying people thousands of miles to murder people are fucking criminal. There are paragraphs in my head containing enough “fucks” to keep the ratio at about 7:1, but I digress. It probably would only re-enforce the beliefs of warmongers, but it would be so satisfying to tackle one and blow their eardrums out. That’s a very weak treatment of war, but it far surpasses the tolerance of any war advocate.

  50. 50.

    demimondian

    @Violet: I always thought that Dick -Cthulu’s- Cheney’s political philosophy was derived from the _SR_ about “elbow room”, although, somehow, he confused it with Goebbel’s notion of Lebensraum.

    (Godwin!)

  52. 52.

    demimondian

    @hal: That’s not fair. Sarah’s political strategy is clearly Gandhi-esque — with a Special Sarah Word Jumble(TM) twist:. “First you win, then they fight you, then they laugh at you, then they ignore you.”

  53. 53.

    Mike in NC

    Didn’t DHS just spend a bazillion dollars on their old headquarters? Instead of building them a new HQ the gov should just commission a Monument to Fear on the D.C. Mall.

    Kudos to Secretary of the Interior Salazar for reopening the Statue of Liberty today. It was closed on 9/11 and the Bush administration apparently wanted to have the doors permanently welded shut as part of their insane “Global War on Terrorism” and general contempt for the American public. I never even knew this until I saw the story in USA Today. Expect a press release from Dick Cheney about how this proves Obama is soft on Al Qaeda.

  54. 54.

    LD50

    Are speaking personally? If it’s collectively I was going to point out that we are still occupying Germany, Japan and Korea.

    Ah yes, I remember when the wingnuts tried that out as a retort when people went after McCain for saying he’d be cool with staying in Iraq a hundred years. Good times.

  55. 55.

    Comrade Kevin

    Happy 4th everyone! Chili cook-off at the park, then ribs, cole slaw and cornbread later! mmmmmmm

  56. 56.

    Rosali

    Enjoy the holiday and don’t forget to take pictures of your neighborhood tea parties.
    It’s raining here in FL but I’m hopeful that it will stop before the firework are due to start.

  57. 57.

    tim

    Yeah, I’ll think about the soldiers…and when the hell Obama will have the guts to bring them home from the hell holes he is now responsible for them being in.

    Jesus…it’s heartbreaking to compare the core ideals on which this country was founded 233 years ago with the fascist, imperialist oligarchy it has become.

    I gave up fireworks and flag flying eight years ago. Feels good.

  58. 58.

    SiubhanDuinne

    I am happy today. My local NPR station has had the good sense to air “The Splendid Table” at noon on Saturday, starting today, instead of the previous time of Oh-Dark-Thirty on Sunday morning. It’s a wonderful food-drink-entertaining-eating-cooking program. I don’t know of any other radio show like it. More at http://www.splendidtable.org. So, whee, and thank you WABE.

  59. 59.

    blogreeder

    Ah yes, I remember when the wingnuts tried that out as a retort when people went after McCain for saying he’d be cool with staying in Iraq a hundred years. Good times.

    The only difference between Iraq and the others is the fact that GWB was in charge. It’s a common liberal tendency to thwart the definition of words. Do you remember when they were calling Bush a fascist? Do you know the liberal definition of Racist? So tell me. How is staying in Germany and Japan for 60 years somehow different from staying in Iraq for possibly 60 year? (hypothetically speaking)

  60. 60.

    Calming Influence

    Happy Independence day, Juicers!

    My plan is to lay out on the porch swing and finish “Team of Rivals” – it’s a stark reminder that we almost didn’t make it to our one hundredth birthday. Lincoln was an amazing human being, a unique product of our young experiment in self government. (I’m not trying to slip in a comparison with our current president; I’ll be happy if he or any future president posess 1/10th the heart and mind Lincoln had.)

    Also, the level of citizen involvement in politics back then was amazing. Here’s hoping this “series of tubes” will help bring that back.

  61. 61.

    LD50

    So tell me. How is staying in Germany and Japan for 60 years somehow different from staying in Iraq for possibly 60 year? (hypothetically speaking)

    Because no one’s killing Americans in Germany and Japan?

    Because the Germans and Japanese don’t hate us and want us to leave?

    Because we don’t have to police civilians in Germany and Japan?

    The only difference between Iraq and the others is the fact that GWB was in charge. It’s a common liberal tendency to thwart the definition of words. Do you remember when they were calling Bush a fascist? Do you know the liberal definition of Racist? So tell me.

    Dude, you’re babbling.

  62. 62.

    demimondian

    @blogreeder: Well, that and the fact that Iraq was a war of choice, and poorly executed, and unwarranted, and John McCain is a fool—no, they really aren’t that different. But, you’re right, of course; in fact, it’s just like that night at Ford’s Theatre: it was just like any other night, except the shot wasn’t fired on-stage.

  63. 63.

    Fulcanelli

    Mrs F. & I just finished up our garage sale (made a couple hundred bucks!) now it’s time to rock the gas grill with some spicy, dry rubbed chicken breasts & sausage, followed by a few libations and hanging out on the deck trying to keep the dawgs calm during the fireworks in the neighborhood. Plus she said if I was a good boy she’d… and then she’d…

    Happy Fourth to all, and a sincere thanks to the troops and their families…

  64. 64.

    LD50

    @demimondian:

    Yes, and Iraq didn’t declare war on the US, and America wasn’t lied to about our reasons for invading Germany & Japan.

    But yes, if you’re a Republican, I know these facts aren’t important.

  65. 65.

    demimondian

    @LD50: Damn it, didn’t you learn anything from my performance the other night?

    Trolls in general, and recent self-style conservatives in particular, are are *only* interested in making you (and, by extension, your cause) look bad. They aren’t really trying to make their cause look good; they’re aware that they lose on the facts and the law, so they’re just pounding the table. @blogreeder is engaging in exactly that kind of demagoguery; his post is rife with distortions and omissions intended only to make trouble.

    Don’t engage him — make fun of him. He’s got nothing of value to contribute, so don’t try to get any value out of him. He’s a fool, and he doesn’t care if he’s a fool — call him one.

  66. 66.

    Dennis-SGMM

    How is staying in Germany and Japan for 60 years somehow different from staying in Iraq for possibly 60 year?

    US forces remained in Germany first as occupation troops and then as a counterpoise to the then Soviet Union. The troops currently there are to a lesser degree in place to thwart the ambitions of Russia but more to support US deployments to the Balkans and the ME and to maintain a credible voice in NATO. US forces remained in Japan first as occupation troops, then to support the Korean War, and finally as a means of maintaining a forward deployment of men and materiel to allow a faster U.S. response in the Pacific Rim should that be necessary. That’s the reason we’re still there. Both are there at the behest of the host countries. The same can not be said for Iraq. Moreover, any U.S. military intervention in another ME nation would be ill-advised to the point of being catastrophic so the notion of pre-positioning men and equipment for an intervention there doesn’t hold water.
    Edit: You ignorant fool. (h/t: Demi)

  67. 67.

    LD50

    Don’t engage him—make fun of him. He’s got nothing of value to contribute, so don’t try to get any value out of him. He’s a fool, and he doesn’t care if he’s a fool—call him one.

    I called him a fool plenty last night. And I do believe he’s one of these ‘sincere’ wingnuts. And he’s so gosh darned mad at how mean those libtards are to Bush and Palin!

    Anyway, I have to leave now for 4th of July festival, so feel free to piss all over Blogreeder in my absence. :-)

  68. 68.

    demimondian

    @Dennis-SGMM: What the man said. For a number of years, we occupied Germany and Japan, and then would have left, except that the host nations asked us to stay. We’ve put in our time occupying Iraq, and would stay if genuinely asked — but we aren’t wanted. Therefore, by parallel with other cases when we’ve done our job, we should leave and go home.

  69. 69.

    demimondian

    @LD50: Oh, he’s sincere. And I intend to have plenty of fun with him if he’s fool enough to stick around.

    Have fun at your 4th of July festival!

  72. 72.

    blogreeder

    What the man said. For a number of years, we occupied Germany and Japan, and then would have left, except that the host nations asked us to stay.

    So the liberal definition of occupation somehow depends on whether the occupied wants us there or not. Interesting. There are some in Iraq that want us there for stabilization. But that don’t count because the terrorists aren’t communist?

  74. 74.

    Blue Raven

    @tim:

    Jesus…it’s heartbreaking to compare the core ideals on which this country was founded 233 years ago with the fascist, imperialist oligarchy it has become.

    Oh, I’m sure the women, indentured servants, and slaves were all just doing handsprings over their freedom under the control of the property-owning white males who put those core ideals into place.

    Enjoy your dose of perspective. I’m off to enjoy the fifth anniversary of my husband’s and my first date with our girlfriend. And be glad I’m eligible to vote and hold public office. Freedom is still real here, more than it was 233 years ago.

  75. 75.

    blogreeder

    @demimondian
    That was from a different thread. Deminondian, when you use the @ dealie you’re suppose to reference the other comment and not your own. You can get the comment url by clicking on the date and time of the comment. Then others can click on the link and read what it is you’re commenting on.

  77. 77.

    Dennis-SGMM

    @blogreeder:
    “Some” in Iraq wanting us to stay in no way equates with the legitimately elected elected government of a democratic nation wanting us to stay, you horses’ ass. What’s communism got to do with it? Sovereign nations, perceiving a threat to them, have asked us to stay. It wouldn’t matter if the nation posing the threat were all fucking Unitarians. Besides, why would we feelthy liberals sign off on opposing our glorious Commie brothers in arms? Fuck, I’m amazed that you have the mentality to post. Your ignorance of history is only exceeded by your ignorance of everything else. That you push it in front of us with the zeal that would make a lemming proud is proof positive of the enhanced status of Village Idiot.

  78. 78.

    PurpleGirl

    Happy Fourth to everyone here at BJ. I took a walk through a smallish street fair in my neighborhood. History Channel is showing the “Revolution” series as a marathon, which I’m splitting with the SciFi Twilight Zone marathon.

    And I check the Google image for today — it’s picnic theme and rather cute and appropriate for a day of outdoor parties and picnics. There is flag and a baseball cap with a flag on it.
    Wonder if it passes muster with the Google hates America crowd.

  79. 79.

    The Main Gauche of Mild Reason

    @Blue Raven:

    Enjoy your dose of perspective. I’m off to enjoy the fifth anniversary of my husband’s and my first date with our girlfriend. And be glad I’m eligible to vote and hold public office.

    Wait, what?! I would suggest it’s TMI, but I’m not even sure how that works.

  81. 81.

    burnspbesq

    @blogreeder:

    There are some in Iraq that want us there for stabilization. But that don’t count because the terrorists aren’t communist?

    Umm, no. “That don’t count,” as you so elegantly put it, because the people who want us to stay aren’t the government.

    It is useful to remember that Iraq is a soverign nation that gets to make its own choices on matters like these.

  82. 82.

    Cheryl from Maryland

    Happy Fourth!

    After completing the annual reading of a book on Cowpens, the most decisive American victory over the Brits during the Rev War, we’ll have burgers with tarragon butter, roast potatoes and salad with a nice zinfandel.

  83. 83.

    gbear

    I spent a couple hours hand watering my horribly dry perrenial gardens today. Just as I was finishing up the sky turned black and then poured buckets of rain. The more the better. Happy 4th.

  84. 84.

    robertdsc

    Come back with pics of Lily and the JRTs or don’t come back at all.

    And Tunch, dammit!

  85. 85.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @ The Main Gauche of Mild Reason / 79

    LOL, you said exactly what I was thinking when I read Blue Raven’s post! I hesitate to attempt a translation, but I think possibly she meant to say that a female friend of both BR and her husband plans to join BR and her husband to celebrate the fifth anniversary of BR’s first date with her husband.

    Or, you know, not.

  86. 86.

    Dennis-SGMM

    @SiubhanDuinne:
    Man:
    Oh! Well, never mind. Dib dib?
    Is your uh, is your wife interested in… photography, ay? ‘Photographs, ay’, he asked him knowlingly?
    Squire:
    Photography?
    Man:
    Snap snap, grin grin, wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more?
    Squire:
    Holiday snaps, eh?
    Man:
    They could be, they could be taken on holiday.
    Candid, you know, CANDID photography?
    Squire:
    No, no I’m afraid we don’t have a camera.
    Man:
    Oh.
    (leeringly)
    Still, mooooooh, ay? Mwoohohohohoo, ay? Hohohohohoho, ay?

  87. 87.

    tim

    Blue Raven:

    re:

    Oh, I’m sure the women, indentured servants, and slaves were all just doing handsprings over their freedom under the control of the property-owning white males who put those core ideals into place.

    that’s why I referred to “core ideals,” the ones that have survived at least in written form in the constitution as it has changed over time.

    get over your self.

  89. 89.

    D-Chance.

    Happy July 4 to everyone, or as I call it… Saturday.

    Hope everyone has a good Sunday, as well. July 5 is important in that it proves we all survived the horrors of gunpowder-laden agents being wielded by drunken idiots all around us…

  90. 90.

    LD50

    So the liberal definition of occupation somehow depends on whether the occupied wants us there or not. Interesting.

    So to wingnuts it’s unimportant in occupying a country if they want us there or not. Interesting.

  91. 91.

    Cain

    @JenJen:

    A little Schoolhouse Rock seems appropriate today, don’t you think?

    I’d vote for “Preamble” as the most informative, patriotic song evah. Gives me little starbursts!

    cain

  92. 92.

    Cain

    @The Main Gauche of Mild Reason:

    Wait, what?! I would suggest it’s TMI, but I’m not even sure how that works.

    The proper response to that is to shrug and say “HOKAY”. Their 4th of July is going to be more interesting than mine. I’m going to to a bonfire with a gun nut (a nice one mind you) and his wife. Maybe I”ll get to shoot something!!

    cain

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