Surprising Fourth of July Facts http://t.co/Rs5FBJI5Iu
— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 4, 2014
Just as well, considering:
… The number of fireworks-related injuries soared to their highest level in more than a decade last year, according to a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report released last week. An estimated 11,400 injuries were reported during 2013, a staggering 31 percent climb compared to 8,700 injuries reported the year before…
And then again, this:
The Wa Post’s Dan Balz think this shows Obama is “angry,” “boiling over,” & doesn’t really want to work with the GOP: pic.twitter.com/ePHsj3xVqF
— billmon (@billmon1) July 3, 2014
As opposed to those calm, reasonable Republicans who just think Obama is a secret Muslim out to wreck the economy & kill the Constitution.
— billmon (@billmon1) July 3, 2014
Groucho48
What? Uppity wasn’t mentioned?
lamh36
Of course it wouldn’t be America day without a bit of white folk revisionist history!
Come on now @Variety Elvis Presley did NOT invent Rock and Roll? Appropriation is not invention!
My fav twitter response so far:
Mnemosyne
I think the word Balz was grasping for was “frustrated,” or perhaps, “irritated.”
Jewish Steel
@lamh36: What a bunch of whitewashing bullshit.
Also, as I said on a dead thread, Andre 3000 is too old to play Jimi Hendrix. It’s ridiculous.
SiubhanDuinne
For the past few years I have been aware of PSAs reminding people that a lot of dogs and cats react negatively to fireworks. But this is the first year that I recall seeing any announcements about combat veterans who may experience a bad reaction to the sound of explosives.
I hope that everyone’s fireworks and firecrackers are celebratory and not traumatic. The ones near me are at a location where I can actually see them from the parking lot in front of my apartment; I don’t need to drive anywhere or hang out in crowds.
Mnemosyne
@lamh36:
It’s probably fair to say that Presley popularized rock n roll, or that he made it safe for white people (specifically white girls) to be fans. But to say he “invented” it? Yeah, sorry, that’s bullshit.
BGinCHI
The sole reason for Ballz’s shitty rag of a newspaper is to gin up some conflict where it isn’t.
If they were covering the conflict where it actually is, maybe they would not be a sinking ship. But that would mean calling the GOP what it is, and in a company town you don’t put down the Boss’s wastrel son.
Patricia Kayden
@lamh36: Well Christopher Columbus is still credited with discovering countries which were full of people (but Brown people don’t count, of course).
lamh36
@Mnemosyne: Well see now that is a headline I can get behind.
But still like I said, since when does appropriation equal invention?
If you are on twitter:
BGinCHI
@Mnemosyne: He invented Kung Fu, though, right?
And some weird food combinations.
Mnemosyne
@BGinCHI:
They had “Elvis sandwiches” in the commissary at work the other day: peanut butter, banana, and honey on white bread and toasted in the panini press. Absolutely delish. The man knew what he was doing when it came to sandwiches.
Gin & Tonic
@efgoldman: Two truckloads of bacon over four years? Don’t need to arrest him, just wait for him to have a heart attack.
lamh36
this is why twitter can be awesome sometimes: #VarietyHeadlines
Gin & Tonic
@efgoldman: Still, though, a piker compared to those who ripped off 6 million pounds of maple syrup.
Maybe he was in cahoots with them?
Groucho48
@Patricia Kayden:
It’s called columbussing it…
http://youtu.be/mRWBK8HiZrQ
khead
Open thread needs MOAR CUTE KITTEH.
MattR
@efgoldman: You do realize that is a satirical website, right? Sadly, the story is believable enough.
(EDIT: Here is a drone’s eye view of fireworks. Nothing too special, but I always wondered what they would look like from above.)
jeffreyw
I like pie.
ruemara
Pray for me. I may fall asleep before nightfall. No fireworks for me. It’s been a long day already.
NotMax
Never ‘got’ fireworks. Might as well just set your money ablaze.
Blowing things up doesn’t do anything for me except make me mad or sad.
And yes, have been dragged to big-time public fireworks displays. Lots of noise, crowds, and air pollution for a few seconds of colored sparks. Whoop-de-freakin’-do.
/curmudgeon mode
jeffreyw
@khead: Pretty kitteh! I see your kitteh and raise you.
Ash Can
These assholes are so desperate for something, anything, that they can point to that proves Obama’s just an uppity nigrah who’s in over his head that all he has to do is frown and they start screeching — and make themselves look like complete fools in the process.
Gin & Tonic
@efgoldman: Obviously I was too lazy to do that before. Kind of wondering why NYPD was involved now.
mdblanche
Since the Boston Pops didn’t get to play the 1812 overture, I figured Charlie Drake could fill in for them.
gene108
@lamh36:
In the Variety article:
I think the article misses the mark, with regards to defining Elvis Presley’s contribution to music as a popular sensation versus being a true original and how his popular (white audience) appeal changed popular music in the U.S.A. and the world.
The title of the article is just part of the issue with the article that tried to be both fluff and serious, at the same time.
But Elvis Presley, for better or worse, is a big deal with regards to popular culture and popular music and the 60th anniversary of his recording career should be recognized. In the three to four years he was topping the charts, before going into the Army for a year, he changed popular music in the U.S.A. and the world.
Jewish Steel
@NotMax: Mrs Steel came home exhausted from seeing her family and thus I will duck my promise to take her to see the fireworks. I don’t know what I like least. Probably the madding crowd.
JPL
The local fireworks are normally at the high school and I can see a kaleidoscope of color but because of construction at the school, this year they moved it. Although a mile further it could be a better view but I’m not sure I’m willing to stay up to watch. The mutt seems fine with the noise going on though, which is all that matters.
Comrade Mary
Who needs fireworks when you have a Dell? (Poor lady!)
But if you do want fireworks, buy them from this guy.
Pogonip
@efgoldman: Mmmmm…bacon..:
Villago Delenda Est
Dan Balz needs to be encased in a vest of firecrackers soaked in gasoline and then flame liberally applied.
Mnemosyne
@jeffreyw:
For some reason, I was in the mood for bratwurst this fine Independence Day. (Maybe it was seeing 1776 and unconsciously remembering Ben Franklin’s hatred for Germans.) I didn’t have any sacrificial beer on hand, so I used this recipe with hard cider instead. They’re simmering on the stove now, so fingers crossed!
Pogonip
@SiubhanDuinne: Gee, I hope my dad wasn’t upset by them all those years he dutifully drove us to see them.
Minus my dad, who was babysitting my mom, we enjoyed fireworks last night. It was unseasonably cold–no mosquitoes!
I am amazed that people these days still let kids even play with fireworks, much less run with them. Even in the mid 1960’s I was required to stand still while waving my sparkler.
lamh36
@gene108: I understant, Elvis is a big deal to white folk, but strongly adhere to the Chuck D/Public Enemy view of Elvis.
Fight The Power
Call it whatever ya what, it’s white-washing pure and simple.
Violet
Fireworks are starting here. Just heard some in the neighborhood. The “official” fireworks are a ways off. Not sure if people will be shooting guns into the air like they used to in this neighborhood. Gentrification has made that sort of thing less common.
Morzer
@Mnemosyne:
Assumes facts not in evidence.
PurpleGirl
@khead: Oh my, love his belleh spots. He’s meant to be snorggled and snorggled often.
Morzer
@efgoldman:
Does that picture remind you of anyone? Anyone of a spherical and criminal nature from say.. New Jersey?
(Yes, yes, I know it’s satire!)
khead
@PurpleGirl:
Some jackass left him in the parking lot of one the vets we go to. Not sure if he’s a little Steve (Maine Coon) or a Bengal or both.
Mike in NC
Dan Balz is one of many reasons why the WaPo building needs to be burned to the ground.
PurpleGirl
@khead: He is gorgeous. I really want to smack people who leave kittens and cats anyplace (even by a vet’s office). Enjoy him.
PurpleGirl
As I thought, I can’t see the Macy’s show. It’s hidden by buildings. And I tried to see if NBC was watchable. Uh. no, there were commercials.
I’m hearing and seeing some of the fireworks from Coney Island but not much.
WereBear
@khead: Oh my, those belly spots. A delightful little one!
Did you adopt him/her?
Mnemosyne
@lamh36:
Meh. He’s a big deal to a specific generation of white folks (IMO). He was the teen idol link between Frank Sinatra and the Beatles.
ETA: And, as I said above, the fact that he was white meant that it was okay for white girls to buy his records and then slowly sneak other, non-white artists (like Motown) into the house.
khead
@WereBear:
Yeah, he’s ours. We weren’t looking for another kitteh but after my wife saw him during an appointment for one of our other cats it was over. I mean, just look at him! One month in our house this week. He’s maybe 10 weeks old.
Mnemosyne
@efgoldman:
Sadly, no. I like to cook, but I’m lazy, so if it requires grinding and stuffing, I’m out. I got some “artisan” brats from Vons/Safeway. They were quite tasty, though the sauce didn’t boil down as much as I thought.
WereBear
@khead: So wonderful! We adopted a 10 week old little guy about a month ago. And still enjoying that fleeting kitten stage.
Mnemosyne
@efgoldman:
If he does follow that recipe, I’m pretty sure his version will include hand-stuffed sausage and home-brewed cider that he whipped up on the side. Plus hand-dried bay leaves from the tree he just happens to have in his backyard. ;-)
khead
@WereBear:
He’s a doll so far. We are in love. Ask me in a few more weeks. Heh.
Roger Moore
@SiubhanDuinne:
Or incendiary. Most of California is dry enough to catch fire very easily, so people playing with fireworks in the wrong places could do a lot of damage.
Mnemosyne
Other people’s kitten pictures remind me that I promised to post a photo of my brother’s new kittens but forgot until now:
Royal on the left, Indigo on the right
I have already warned my in-laws that I will be visiting
the kittensmy brother and mom first. Oh, who am I kidding? Everyone knows I’m going to visit the kittens and maybe say hello to the humans if I remember. :-)Michael Bersin
Heh. In 2013 the Missouri General Assembly passed a bill, which was vetoed, which they in turn voted to override. The intent of the right wingnut sponsors had something to do with outlawing the “War on Christmas”. HB 278: “No state or local governmental entity, public building, public park, public school, or public setting or place shall ban or otherwise restrict the practice, mention, celebration, or discussion of any federal holiday.”
Think about that for a second. Especially when your neighbors want to celebrate the holiday with a really big home made mortar. Because fireworks on the Fourth of July are inherently safe.
HB 1943 was introduced in this session, to add the clause: “except that, nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority to impose and enforce reasonable regulations related to the celebration of any federal holiday in order to protect the health and safety of the public.”
I never did follow up to see if they passed the fix.
Reality
I don’t think Obama’s a Muslim – I think he’s a member of whatever religion which believes that Obama is Messiah. It’s nice of him to attend church twice a year to pretend otherwise.
With regard to wrecking the economy and killing the Constitution, as the lawyers say, “res ipsa loquitur.”
Mnemosyne
@Reality:
Dow Tops 17,000 on Stellar Jobs Report
War is Peace! Ignorance is Strength! Freedom is Slavery!
Amir Khalid
@efgoldman:
I was under the impression that the “portrait artist” and the “money money money” guy were two different trolls.
Villago Delenda Est
@Mike in NC: I’m still in favor of using mass drivers from orbit to obliterate the place, after we get Sargent and Eugene Robinson out.
MattF
Saw the Mall fireworks live last night (from the Hilton on Connecticut Ave.). I don’t know if you could tell from the TV version, but some of the explosions had unusual shapes– I’m sure I saw a dozen or so ‘smiley’ faces drawn in the rockets’ red glare.