I'm no flagwaver, but it does bother me that the 'Glorious 4th' has become so much a day of BBQ's and holiday sales.

Radio stations (e.g. NPR) air interviews with tourists at the Statue of Loberty and Mt. Rushmore, with people tearing up at the sacrifice of the military who, this year, are 'sacrificing their day with their families to protect us and our national treasures', but it struck me that it would be more meaningful/symptomatic if they had interviewed beer-drinkers at baseball ganes and beaches, and shoppers at malls to hear them wax emotional at the sacrifice of the hot dog sellers or the retail salespeople for their giving up their holiday in the spirit of the occasion.

Picnics used to be traditional to go along with the fireworks, but they used to be accompanied by patriotic band music and a recitation of the Declaration of Independence. Now the only reminders of the seriousness of the day is here on Mudcat. Thanks, Amos.

Having been so sanctimonious, I must now confess that my celebration cosisted of trying to escape the sweltering weather here in NY by going to an afternoon movie with my wife. Higher moral powers prevailed, however, because there was a power outage about 20 minutes into the film and we had to give up and go home.