Originally written by Julie Farrell I'm from the UK and thought that July 4th was always known as "Independence Day" but I have noticed over recent years that people more often refer to the day of celebration as the 4th of July or simply the "fourth". Was there a change in protocol or has it just evolved this way? Whatever you wish to call it - may I hope all my American friends have a fantastic day!!

 

The holiday has always, or at least in my lifetime, been referred to as "the Fourth" in colloquial speech.  You see "Independence Day" printed on calendars, but that's about it.  I think this is on calendars because it would be bizarre (and redundant) to say "July Fourth" in the square for July 4th.

Anyway, I appreciate the ironic wish for a happy Fourth from a Brit. 

Originally written by David Kallans on July 5, 2009 2:51 AM Anyway, I appreciate the ironic wish for a happy Fourth from a Brit.

I don't suppose the "7-volley salute" (same number of volleys a ship calling at a foreign port would fire in the olden days) was ironically intended for South Korea rather than the US, in which case, it would then raise the question of how tolerant Obama would be for such "call for attention" (or would that be defiant) behavior?

Originally written by Jacek K. on July 4, 2009 11:56 AM     Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

In fact I think the American anthem is very beautiful, regardless of its distorted syntax and poetic inversions. People just do not know that much about music and poetry these days, and it may be quite difficult for some to sing. If something is too difficult or too incomprehensible, people usually reject it. As for the flag, not too many people have this kind of an attitude, perhaps on comic shows, usually cheap ones.

Originally written by David Kallans on July 4, 2009 7:51 PM Anyway, I appreciate the ironic wish for a happy Fourth from a Brit.

Remember, they still have Canada, Australia and New Zealand left...

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From http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124656447523887753.html:

The vote was completed: 12 for independence, New York abstaining, no one opposing. "The break was made, in words at least: on July 2, 1776, in Philadelphia, the American colonies declared independence. If not all 13 clocks had struck as one, twelve had, and with the others silent the effect was the same."

On July 3, Congress argued over the wording and exact content of the formal Declaration. An indictment of the slave trade was dropped. In all, Thomas Jefferson saw roughly 25% of what he'd written wind up on the floor.

On July 4, discussion ended, debate was closed, a vote on the final draft of the Declaration of Independence was called, and the results were as on July 2. Congress ordered the document be printed. They'd sign it in a month. For now, John Hancock and one other, Charles Thompson, fixed their signatures.

Those present thought the great day had been July 2—the vote for independence itself. John Adams, who'd emoted over the 2nd in letters to Abigail, didn't even mention the 4th , and Thomas Jefferson famously went shopping that afternoon for ladies' gloves.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/nyregion/05liberty.html?hp

For the privilege of being the first people in nearly eight years to climb the 354 steps to the crown of the Statue of Liberty, 30 visitors on the sun-kissed morning of July 4 had to first endure a bit of bureaucracy: red tape and stiff security. ...

The statue was closed to the public after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and while the base, the pedestal and the observation deck reopened in 2004, the crown remained closed because of security concerns. For the statue’s reopening on the morning of Independence Day, uniforms were everywhere. Some parts of Liberty Island had the feel of an armed fortress, with officers from the Coast Guard, National Parks Service and the New York Police Departmental Justiceg. Coast Guard cutters and police launches bobbed in the harbor.

Before boarding the ferry at Battery Park in Manhattan, ticket holders had to empty their pockets, open their laptops and pass through magnetometers, only to repeat this experience after they debarked on Liberty Island. There they were herded through large white tents and had to pass through an air sensor that puffed in its search for chemicals, according to a worker. ...

For Erica Breder, the experience had also left her speechless.

That is because when she reached the small room at the top with 25 windows overlooking New York Harbor, her boyfriend of three years, Aaron Weisinger, 26, got down on one knee and proposed marriage. ...

Getting the diamond ring through security without Ms. Breder knowing might have been the most difficult part. Mr. Weisinger said he transferred it from his pocket to a friend’s camera bag at the last moment before going through the second set of detectors. ...

Gold does not sound if you go through metal detectors, neither does silver or diamonds, only bra wires.

Only if it were not gold...

That ring did contain a STONE though and I am sure stones, which historically have been used as weapons, are considered as dangerous as bottled water and would not be therefore allowed for security reasons. A stone is a stone, M'am. Our rules say NO.

I have stones in my rings and they never ring... unless you have an 18 carat diamond or a pink panther.

Most women wear rings in New York, and they are not a problem at all. There are other things that cause problems at security check points, including food and drinks, even water...

Watches, yes, metal watches, not silver or gold. Thank God I don't wear one, because just putting it on and off would drive me mad, belts: these are especially dangerous for men,vvery young men especially with the current fashion of wearing the pants low. Often you could see them in the swimming gear in court.

Originally written by Liliana Boladz-Nekipelov on July 5, 2009 9:25 PM Gold does not sound if you go through metal detectors, neither does silver or diamonds, only bra wires. Only if it were not gold...

Assuming that they have not already known, you've probably endeared your valuable self as a possible candidate for the post of consigliere to ...

I think they know, the people who need to know know: they don't have to make guns out of gold, plastic is good enough, certain kinds of plastic. I think they have already figured it out.
As for the consigliere, the wrong side of the law, on the right side, why not.