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We wish you and your family a very happy and healthy 4th of July!  Since school is out for the summer, let's remind our kids that Independence Day is more than a chance for family and friends to gather for barbecues and fireworks displays, it is an annual celebration to commemorate the courage and faith of our founding fathers in their pursuit of liberty.  Let's remind ourselves that there are still courageous men an women serving in our stead who continue to fight for our freedom...

...freedom...it was once explained to me that freedom is not the right to do what ever you want but rather it is the want to do what is right.  In Chinese, freedom is written 自由(ziyou). 自(zi) is the character for self, and 由(you) is the character to follow, with an additional connotation of reason. Freedom thus implies a necessary connection between individualism and a rational duty.

(and on a lighter note)

...freedom...like our inalienable right to have a hot dog eating contest, like the world's most famous one sponsored every year since 1916 by Nathan's Famous in Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY.  It was supposedly started as a way to settle a dispute among four immigrants as to who was the most patriotic.  Don't forget to eat the buns if you want to win!  Last year two-time defending champion Joey Chestnut prevailed by setting a new record of 68 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes!  What will you do with your freedom this year?

Be sure to practice your ooooh's and aaaaah's for the fireworks display at the lake, or where ever you choose to watch one!  In 2009, New York City had the largest fireworks display in the country, with over 22 tons of pyrotechnics exploded.


PS...Just quietly nod in agreement when SBN claims that the celebration is just for him.  He still believes that the fireworks spell out "Happy Birthday Larry" during the finale like his parents claimed they did when he was a kid.