Happy July 4th!

History 5 Minutes

On a site called Red Wave, I found and article written in 2023 by Chuck Norris: 7 Little Known Facts about the Declaration of Independence and I thought it would make an interesting read.

Happy Fourth of July, America! I was recently reflecting upon the history surrounding the Declaration of Independence and thought my readers would also be very interested to learn some often unknown aspects of the Declaration’s creation, distribution and legacy.

Several historical websites hold some fascinating facts about this national treasure, including the National Archives in Washington, D.C. History.com’s article, “9 Things You May Not Know about the Declaration of Independence,” by Elizabeth Harrison, has some intriguing information, too. Let me elaborate on some of those and convey a few others I’ve discovered.

1 Benjamin Franklin wrote the first “declaration of independence.”

In April 1775, the American Revolutionary War began at Lexington and Concord. On July 5, 1775, an entire year before the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress adopted the Olive Branch Petition, written by John Dickinson with the help of Thomas Jefferson. It appealed directly to King George III for reconciliation between the American colonies and Great Britain.

Though Benjamin Franklin signed the Petition for the sake of consensus, he radically differed with it and said that stronger sentiments were necessary because the Petition was destined to be rejected. Franklin was so appalled by British atrocities and exhausted of their rule that he planned the first articles of confederation and drafted a declaration of independence to be issued by none other than Gen. George Washington.

So strong was the language of the draft that Thomas Jefferson wrote, while some members of Congress like himself “approved highly of it,” others would be “revolted at it.” Jefferson explained in his private commentary that “proposing it to congress as the subject for any vote whatever would startle many members.” It seems Congress just wasn’t ready to throw down the gauntlet, yet. My, how things can change in a year!

2 Thomas Jefferson had problems with the adopted version of the Declaration of Independence – written largely by him.

On June 11, 1776, the Second Continental Congress appointed a committee of five men (John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman and Thomas Jefferson) to write a Declaration of Independence. The committeemen, in turn, appointed Jefferson to produce a first draft for their consideration, which he did by utilizing other documents such as his own draft of a Virginia constitution, the Virginia Declaration of Rights, and state appeals for independence. The committee and later Congress made some revisions to Jefferson’s draft before formally adopting it on July 4, 1776.

In the end, Jefferson was troubled by their revisions, especially Franklin and Adams’ removal of a diatribe blaming British King George III for the transatlantic slave trade. Who knows? Maybe if that paragraph were left in the document, our founders might not be maligned as much today for being pro-slavery.

3 The Declaration of Independence wasn’t signed on July 4, 1776.

On July 1, 1776, the Second Continental Congress began meeting in Philadelphia at what is now known as Independence Hall. They spent the next few days debating and revising the Committee of Five’s draft. After adopting the Declaration of Independence on July 4, they didn’t sign it for roughly another month because New York’s delegates weren’t authorized to vote in favor of independence until July 9, and it also took two additional weeks for the Declaration to actually be produced in its final printed form. Most delegates signed the official Declaration on Aug. 2, but at least six others didn’t sign it until later, and two more never signed it at all (namely, John Dickinson and Robert R. Livingston.)

4 The original Declaration of Independence wasn’t written on paper.

As the National Archives explains, the original was “engrossed on parchment, which is an animal skin specially treated with lime and stretched to create a strong, long-lasting writing support. The printed version on paper and was read aloud from town squares throughout the colonies, so that those who could not read would receive the news about intended separation from England.”

5 There are at least 26 surviving paper copies of the Declaration of Independence of the hundreds made in July 1776 for circulation among the colonies.

After Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, the Committee of Five was also responsible with overseeing its reproduction for proclamation to those living in the 13 colonies. The reproduction was done at the shop of Philadelphia printer John Dunlap.

“On July 5, Dunlap’s copies were dispatched across the 13 colonies to newspapers, local officials and the commanders of the Continental troops. These rare documents, known as ‘Dunlap broadsides,’ predate the engrossed [official] version signed by the delegates. Of the hundreds thought to have been printed on the night of July 4, at least 26 copies survive. Most are held in museum and library collections, but three are privately owned,” according to History.com.

6 When Gen. George Washington read aloud the Declaration of Independence in New York, a riot resulted.

Again, History.com explained, by July 9, 1776, a copy of the Declaration of Independence had reached New York City. At the time, tensions about the Revolutionary War ran very high, with Americans split between revolutionists and loyalists. And British naval ships actually occupied New York Harbor at the time.

When Gen. Washington read the words of the Declaration in front of City Hall, a large crowd rallied and cheered. However, later that same day, they fell a statue of King George III, melted it down, and converted the led into more than 42,000 musket balls for the Continental Army.

7 All 56 signers of the Declaration paid a price for their rebellion and our freedom.

For a number of years, an email widely circulated with some history, some legend and some falsehoods about what happened to the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. But here’s the real scoop, as I detailed in my Official Chuck Norris Fact Book, where I also cite the sources.

At least 12 signers had their homes and property taken, ransacked, occupied, or burned. Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of William Ellery, George Clymer, Lyman Hall, George Walton, Button Gwinnett, Thomas Heyward Jr., Edward Rutledge and Arthur Middleton.

Robert Morris’ home was overtaken as well, and Philip Livingston lost several properties to the enemy. John Hart’s farm was looted, and he had to flee into hiding.

Francis Lewis had his home and property destroyed. The enemy then jailed his wife, and she was held for months before being exchanged for wives of British soldiers. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, lost his ships and cargo to the British navy.

Thomas McKean wrote to John Adams in 1777 that he was “hunted like a fox by the enemy, compelled to [move] my family five times in three months.”

Five signers were captured by the British as prisoners of war and had to endure deplorable conditions as such. One signer lost his son in the Revolutionary Army, and another had two sons captured.

On Nov. 30, 1776, one signer, Richard Stockton, a lawyer from Princeton and longtime friend of George Washington, was captured in the middle of the night by loyalists and jailed by the British. Stockton endured weeks and months of brutal treatment and starvation. When he was finally released, his health would never be the same. He is actually the only signer to recant his endorsement of the Declaration, followed by him swearing his allegiance to King George III.

Over the six years of war, more than 12,000 prisoners died in prisons, compared to 4,435 soldiers who died in combat. And that’s just a sampling of what these men sacrificed, and why we honor what they did for us annually on Independence Day.

May we never forget the sacrifices our founders made for our freedom. Happy birthday, America! God has certainly shed His grace on thee! From my wife, Gena, and myself, may you and yours have a wonderful, patriotic and safe Independence Day!

SOURCE: RED WAVE: CHUCK NORRIS 2023

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Published by pat frederick

Published

143 thoughts on “Happy July 4th!”

  1. Morning All!
    Happy 4th of July!
    hubby caught a raccoon in the trap over night. woke me up with it’s attempts to get out.
    very cloudy here and about 70*.
    at the end of an exit ramp off the highway we travel, they built a new fireworks store. (they were leasing a property off the “next” exit from here but their landlords increased their rent so much in the last few years, it was cheaper to buy a piece of land and build their own building.)
    the last month every time we pass that place, the parking lot is FULL to capacity. it’s an easy on/off from NY too–where you can’t buy them.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Good morning, Pat! Congrats on the captured raccoon! It’s still cloudy here with dark storm clouds in all directions and only 64. There was no wind when I first got up but, as usual, the breeze started as soon as it got light.

      Just another day for me, tbh, with my Trump 2024 flag flying! I woke up in the middle of the night hearing the wind whipping outside but it was too dark to see anything. All I could do was cross my fingers and hope…..there had been soooo many warnings of high winds that never came to fruition so I didn’t bring it in this time.

      When I got up, I discovered the damage – thankfully, relatively minor and easily fixed. For the first time, the jelly feeder was all catawampus on the hanger – literally blown over on top of the WP block and sideways – the entire hook arm on the feeder pole was turned completely around and I have no idea how that could even happen.

      The base is square, as is the hole in the pole that it fits into. The lid blew off and was half-way across the yard; the aluminum foil pan was blown over by the west gate, with bits of jelly scattered all along the way. It is back up and refilled now, with a new method of attaching it to the hanger so it doesn’t hang down as far to blow around; new bungees to hold it all together.

      The cantaloupe vines were blown around a bit but not damaged as far as I can see. I’ll check again when it gets lighter outside. And the hanging plants are fine, too. The neighbors shot off some big boomers before the storms moved in but it wasn’t nearly as bad as past years.

      Just The News: “The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Homeland Security issued a warning on Wednesday about large Fourth of July celebrations as “attractive” targets for lone offenders and small groups of terrorists or other bad actors.

      ABC News obtained a bulletin that warns the public about lone offenders and small groups with a potential larger agenda.”

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Morning Filly!
        wow that’s a lot of wind!!
        glad nothing was damaged.
        we have no big plans for today either. gonna bottle the Riesling, do some yard work if we can. nothing special.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Yeah, I’m thinking if the weather clears up, I just might tackle clearing all the weeds under the cottonwood tree and spraying all-kill but we’ll see how the day goes.

          Liked by 1 person

        1. Same here – the land of fruit and nuts is what we called it! Never been there and have no desire to….unless I win PCH – then I’ll be visiting a LOT of different states! My brother, David, who lives in the Big Woods in WI, went to CA once many years ago and there was a minor earthquake while he was there – he turned around and hightailed it back to NE as fast as he could! He is the other one who is somewhat autistic, an “odd bird,” so to speak.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. my MIL never got to travel much when my FIL was alive, but once he passed, she and 3 of her other widow friends decided to see America. they took a railway tour thru Canada/Northern US to Alaska and then took a cruise there. She traveled to visit a cousin in CA–toured the Hearst Castle and rode the cable cars. They went to New England. They even went to Mardi Gras–not in one year mind you…but she saw everywhere she always wanted to.

            Liked by 1 person

              1. she had a blast. the 4 merry widows they called themselves.
                but my FIL felt he had traveled enough. he was a master plumber by trade and traveled all over for work. he even spent nearly a year (iirc) in NY. 3 other guys and him shared an apartment and he would travel there during the week so he could provide for the family at the time. he worked on Three Mile Island–he went wherever work was. so when he retired, he just wanted to be a homebody and my MIL respected that. when he passed, she felt free to pursue what she wanted to do.

                Liked by 1 person

  6. Feisty Hayseed

    July 4, 2024 12:55 am

    Reply to  Feisty Hayseed

    “Trump’s conviction is very likely to be overturned on appeal. But, by then, the constraints New York has sought to impose on Trump to limit his ability to campaign will already have had their full effect. Missouri has a strong, judicially enforceable interest in its citizens and electors being able to hear Trump’s campaigning free from any gag order or other interference imposed by the State of New York.”

    – Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey

    Liked by 1 person

  10. now they’re using tax dollars to create migrant processing centers in panama

    FTA

    But…what comes after that? Well, Montoya-Galvez didn’t say, but the obvious implication is that these “asylum-criteria-eligible” migrants will be permitted to continue on their journey north, presumably cruising right on through our ports of entry with their U.S. paperwork in hand. It’s not like these migrants are seeking asylum in Panama, because Panama doesn’t hand out debit cards loaded with thousands of dollars; host them in luxury hotels; provide food, medical care, and “free” school; or give them preferential treatment in the hiring process because they come without the tax burdens of social security and unemployment.

    And how do I know that? Well here’s this, from another outlet, reporting on the “agreement” news:

    News of the agreement comes after Panama’s new President Jose Raul Mulino vowed on Monday that the Central American nation would no longer be a country of transit for migrants.

    ‘I will not allow Panama to be a path open to thousands of people who enter our country illegally supported by an entire international organization related to drug and human trafficking,’ Mulino said at his swearing-in ceremony.

    ‘Panama will no longer be a transit country for illegals,’ he said amid cheers from those present.

    ‘The numbers of illegal immigrants passing through the Darién are shocking,’ Mulino said, adding that he intends to ‘appeal to international solidarity regarding the cause that generates the problem and will seek solutions with the countries involved, especially with the United States, which is the final destination of such immigrants.

    Like Mulino said, the United States is the “final destination” for these migrants; Panama is just a thoroughfare. Offended that Biden is using your money to pay for flights to ship them straight in so that they don’t have to deal with the hassle of walking, swimming, or wading across the southern border? Well, now he’s using your dollars to set up de facto processing centers around the world, expediting our collapse.

    https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2024/07/cbs_news_joe_biden_dispatches_immigration_officials_to_foreign_nations_to_assist_migrants_claiming_asylum.html

    Like

  11. Just The News: “The Department of Defense announced it is sending an additional $2.3 billion in security assistance for Ukraine on Wednesday, which includes anti-tank weapons and interceptors for the country’s air defense systems.

    The department said the Biden administration plans to get the assistance to Ukraine quickly to help with its war with Russia, and the weapons will come from the department’s inventories. 

    “The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners to ensure Ukraine’s brave defenders receive the critical capabilities needed to fight Russian aggression,” the Pentagon said in a news release.

    The new aid package marks the 60th tranche of equipment for Ukraine since the start of the war in 2021. 

    The security assistance will include two separate packages. The first is $150 million from the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) package which includes Missiles for HAWK air defense systems, Ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, 81mm mortar rounds, and Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems among others. 

    The other package, worth $2.2 billion, includes defense interceptors for the PATRIOT and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) air defense systems.

    “Ukraine is in a tough fight … [but] make no mistake, Ukraine is not alone,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in remarks on Tuesday ahead of a meeting with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, The Hill reported.

    The United States has provided Ukraine with more than $50 billion in weapons defense since 2022, according to Reuters. The Pentagon has also entered a 10-year bilateral security agreement with Ukraine, which guarantees the U.S. will provide the country with defense equipment over the next decade.”

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Just The News: “Paul Vaughn, a pro-life father of 11, avoided jail time after U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger decided to impose no prison time or fine after he was charged by the Biden administration’s Justice Department and found guilty.

    The Biden Justice Department brought charges against Vaughn and 10 other demonstrators who were present at the Carafem Health Center Clinic in Mt. Juliet for a sit-in protest in March 2021.

    Vaughn was ultimately convicted for violating the FACE Act and participating in a conspiracy against individual rights. The Justice Department recommended one year of prison time, but the judge sentenced Vaughn to three years of supervised release on Tuesday.”

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Breitbart: “Loyal supporters of former President Donald Trump’s run for the White House have spoken with their wallets. His campaign said Tuesday it outraised President Joe Biden in the year’s second quarter with a reported haul of $331 million.

    AP reports that number smashes the $264 million Biden’s reelection campaign and the Democratic National Committee banked over the same period. The fundraising gap eliminates Biden’s cash advantage and will do nothing to ease the fears of his supporters after last week’s calamitous presidential debate appearance.

    The AP report set out the details:

    Trump’s total includes $111.8 million that the campaign says it raised in June. That sum is less than the $127 million Biden reported raising last month, which includes more than $33 million on the day of the debate and in its aftermath.

    But Trump’s campaign reports that it ended the quarter with $284.9 million cash on hand, compared with $240 million reported by Biden.

    “President Trump’s campaign fundraising operation is thriving day after day and month after month,” Trump campaign senior advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said in a statement, the outlet notes. They noted the incumbent’s campaign had far higher spending on advertising which achieved little net benefit as Trump consolidated his support with a tightly focused campaign.

    “This fundraising momentum is likely to grow even more as we head into a world-class convention and see the Democrats continue their circular firing squad in the aftermath of Biden’s debate collapse,” they added.

    Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez applauded his totals as “a testament to the committed and growing base of supporters standing firmly behind the president.” She spoke as Democrat donor Whitney Tilson criticized Biden for “deceiving” voters about his mental fitness in the aftermath of his performance at Thursday’s presidential debate, as Breitbart News reported.

    Tilson, a Wall Street investor who previously donated to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election, explained to the New York Post that he felt that he had “been deceived” about Biden’s health, and suggested a replacement candidate.”

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Just The News: “Lebanon’s militant group Hezbollah said Thursday that it had launched over 200 rockets at multiple military bases in Israel as retaliation for Israel killing one of its senior commanders. 

    The Israeli Defense Forces confirmed that  “numerous projectiles and suspicious aerial targets” came from Lebanon, according to The Associated Press. It also confirmed that some of the rockets have been intercepted. Israel confirmed Wednesday it had killed Mohammad Naameh Nasser, who was head of one of Hezbollah’s regional divisions. 

    Nasser was a crucial leader for Hezbollah and was involved in conflicts dating back to 2011. Israel said it also took out two other Hezbollah senior officials. This is not the first time Hezbollah and Israel have been involved in a conflict. In 2006, they had a war that lasted for a month, but ended in a draw. 

    Israel is currently at war with Hamas after the terrorist group launched a surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7 last year that resulted in 1,200 people being killed and hundreds of hostages taken.” 

    Liked by 1 person

  20. “Remembering President Trump’s Stirring Independence Day Speech At Mount Rushmore – Four Years Later: Four years ago America was in the midst of a crisis. Four years later, it’s on the verge of renewal.”

    PAUL INGRASSIA, JUL 04, 2024

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “Four years ago, America was being ransacked by Antifa and BLM from coast to coast, bringing cities like Portland and Minneapolis to near-ruin in what were some of the most destructive riots and darkest months in our nation’s history.  The agitators belonged to the Far Left but had the support of the mainstream Democratic Party – including Joe Biden, whose political philosophy aligned with the rioters in significant ways.  

    The goal of the riots was always to “fundamentally transform America,” in the portentous words of Barack Obama.  In other words, destroy the best of our national heritage; the monuments dedicated to our Founding Fathers and past heroes, and everything that once made America great, its Constitution and commitment to human liberty and the rule of law, above all.

    It was against that backdrop of national pandemonium that President Trump gave some of his most stirring remarks of his entire presidency, which lifted the morale of a country that many seriously doubted would survive beyond the summer months.  In sharp contrast with the tear-it-down nihilism that defines the Progressive Left and has informed so much of the policies and lawfare we have observed during the Biden years, President Trump reinvigorated the spirit of our nation by recommitting to our founding principles. 

    While the subject matter of the speech was superficially a dedication to the four great statesmen whose faces adorn Mount Rushmore – Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt – the President’s deeper message was to celebrate our history using the achievements of its four greatest heroes. 

    In this regard, the speech served two purposes.  The first was to depict a positive vision for America’s future, by paying respectful tribute to its past greatness.  As the President himself said, “[n]o nation has done more to advance the human condition than the United States of America.”  Rather than creating a place of oppression and evil, the achievement of 1776 was, in the President’s moving words, “the culmination of thousands of years of western civilization and the triumph not only of spirit, but of wisdom, philosophy, and reason.”  In other words, America stood as the apotheosis of enlightened achievement coupled with Biblical morality. 

    It was the only nation founded on explicitly rational principles, which made possible two and a half centuries of technological, scientific, and political innovation – innovation that “unleashed the greatest leap of human advancement the world has ever known.”  The greatest of these achievements, of course, is our freedom – which the Left has attempted to topple with blind rage and envy.  In the four years since, we have even better knowledge of where all that rage and hatred leads to: the weaponization of our justice system and the political persecution of President Donald Trump, which has been nonstop in the years since he departed office.

    The second purpose of the speech was to espouse a positive policy agenda for the nation.  President Trump used the four national heroes on Mount Rushmore as a frame of reference to highlight his own legacy, adeptly situating that moment in time within the broader cultural tapestry of our nation’s storied history.  In doing this, President Trump demonstrated how Make America Great Again was in the right because it was the cultural descendant of the American Revolution; not the “left-wing cultural revolution” still burning cities down as the President spoke “designed to overthrow” it.  

    President Trump cleverly took virtues from each of his four greatest predecessors in order to give life to a movement that was depleted on morale and provide a roadmap for navigating out of those turbulent waters. In describing the Father of our Country, George Washington, President Trump noted “when defeat seemed absolutely certain, he took what remained of his forces on a daring nighttime crossing of the Delaware River.”  Because of this bravery, by the next morning Washington’s troops “seized victory at Trenton … forcing the surrender of the most powerful empire on the planet[.]”

    On Thomas Jefferson, this nation’s third president, President Trump described him “as the author of American freedom.”  As the writer of the Declaration of Independence, “one of the greatest treasures of human history,” Jefferson laid down the moral and philosophical underpinnings for American freedom, including “a model for our cherished First Amendment.” 

    No explanation is needed for why the First Amendment is of critical importance in today’s times: our fundamental rights to speak, assemble, and worship have weathered relentless attacks by the Left – all of which have only escalated in the intervening four years, from the crackdown on January 6th demonstrators to the suppression of conservative voices on Big Tech.  The latter case resulted in President Trump’s ban from every major social media platform for simply contesting election fraud in the aftermath of the November 2020 election.  Hence why the preservation of Jefferson’s handiwork – his professional and personal commitment to human freedom – remains of utmost importance to us.

    The last two presidents honored on Mount Rushmore – Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt – each confronted crises that parallel our own.  Roosevelt embodied the spirit of American exceptionalism.  Against the spirit of self-loathing and national desecration constantly promoted by the Left, President Trump aptly underscored Roosevelt’s “unbridled confidence of our national culture and identity,” which is sorely needed today.  He went on to describe Roosevelt as seeing “the towering grandeur of America’s mission in the world,” which he “pursued … with overwhelming energy and zeal.”

    Lincoln endured a constitutional crisis of a magnitude that threatened to tear our republic by the seams. Much like the ongoing strife that President Trump has stewarded our country through, Lincoln similarly “led the country through the darkest hours of American history, giving every ounce of strength that he had to ensure that government of the people, by the people, and for the people did not perish from this Earth.” 

    Doubtlessly, President Trump must have felt the gravity of those words on a personal level, knowing that the fate of America depends, much like in Lincoln’s time, singularly on his ability to navigate us out of our own house divided, where government of the people similarly hangs in the balance.  Indeed, in a related context, it was Lincoln who also offered these prescient words: “whenever the vicious portion of population shall be permitted to gather in bands of hundreds and thousands, and burn churches, ravage and rob provision-stores, shoot editors, and hang and burn obnoxious persons at pleasure, and with impunity; depend on it, this Government cannot last.”

    Like Lincoln, President Trump also had some prophetic words of his own.  Towards the end of his speech, he seemed to forecast the weaponization of our criminal justice system which has targeted political dissidents of all kinds, from President Trump down to the J6 demonstrators, in the four years since.  First, President Trump condemned “the radical ideology attacking our country” that “advances under the banner of social justice.” “But in truth, it would demolish both justice and society.”  He then predicted how this subversive ideology would destroy America: “It would transform justice into an instrument of division and vengeance, and it would turn our free and inclusive society into a place of repression, domination, and exclusion.”

    President Trump’s resounding vision for America was to “declare that the United States … is the most just and exceptional nation ever to exist on Earth.”  He sharply contrasted this with the vision of the Left: “their goal is not a better America, their goal is the end of America.”

    After naming a litany of other American heroes, from every walk of life – statesmen to military leaders to sports heroes to entertainment superstars – President Trump ended his spirited remarks with a promise: “the best is yet to come.”

    Though it may have been four years longer than expected, let us end this Fourth of July with the hope that the worst is behind us, and while we are far from victory, perhaps we can be slightly more optimistic – and a little more certain – than we were at this same moment four years ago, knowing that, come November – aided by God’s good grace – the best now is truly yet to come.”

    Liked by 1 person

  22. good little insight…

    sync
    July 4, 2024 9:57 am

    Boycott… boycott….boycott….

    https://x.com/realpeteyb123/status/1807232742729421304

    To whom it may concern,

    There is a small town on the North Fork of Long Island in New York called Greenport.

    It’s wine country and has been booming for the last couple of decades and really exploded during Covid.

    Always used to be filled with bachelorette parties, families and people looking to eat farm to table.

    The chart on Greenport is a straight shot to the moon. Better than bitcoin.

    I’m an investor in neighboring towns, so I know it well.

    It’s a Greek / American hotspot as many of our family members brought the town to prominence.

    The last couple of summers and especially this one the locals have been complaining that it’s been quiet.

    Restaurant owners wondering where the people are. Stores closing at weird hours.

    Empty streets, piers, parks, carousels and empty retail stores.

    I walk around often and have seen the businesses suffering, tourists lacking and the streets not filled with laughter.

    You know why?

    Because in a 4-5 block radius in the town I saw over 20 pride flags https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f3f3-fe0f-200d-1f308.svg

    Some stores draped in them, but nobody is shopping, eating or drinking.

    Yet they still ask what’s happening,
    Couldn’t be more obvious to a father.

    As a father of three, I can tell you parents who have visited one time, won’t be back.

    Why would they, and I don’t blame them.

    Why am I here? Cause I own properties.

    Otherwise I wouldn’t.

    It’s become perverted and desolate.
    Like a cult has taken over.

    Greenport won’t recover unless the American flags rise and families see that and come back.

    You gay? Lesbian?

    That’s cool, do your thing.

    You have sexualized the town and now the money is going elsewhere.

    People just want a coffee, sushi, a steak, a muffin and some ice cream.

    They don’t care about who you sleep with, and to constantly explain to their kids what’s happening.

    Everyone is going places where they can just be normal and have fun.

    There are tons of towns like this across the USA close to big cities. They come because of how awesome conservatives made them, and destroy them for nobody to care again.

    Sincerely,
    A Logical Father & business man.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. hmmmmmm…

    A morning explosion at General Dynamics, a defense company that produces aircraft guns, missiles and a variety of ammunition in south Arkansas, left at least two people injured and one missing.

    The explosion occurred around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday near Camden, a city of about 10,000 people in Ouachita County. One person is known to have been transported in an ambulance dispatched from El Dorado, which is about 35 miles south.

    Information at this time is limited. A spokesperson for General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems said the company was working with first responders and cooperating with authorities during an investigation. An update is expected Thursday, spokesperson Berkley Whaley said.

    Whaley described the incident as one “involving pyrotechnics,” and later confirmed it was an explosion. She did not clarify where in Camden’s nearly 900,000 square-feet manufacturing and storage space the explosion occurred or describe any damages.

    Whaley is not based at the Camden location.

    A dispatcher from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, which is the enforcement body where the incident occurred, said General Dynamics has its own team of first responders and no assistance has been requested of the sheriff’s office.

    City authorities in Camden were unable to provide any information about the incident Wednesday afternoon. The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management also did not have an update on the situation and forwarded all questions about the explosion to General Dynamics’ spokesperson.

    General Dynamics has 28 locations in the United States and Canada.

    https://arkansasadvocate.com/briefs/explosion-at-arkansas-weapon-manufacturer-leaves-2-people-injured-1-missing/

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ah, yes! I worked with GD many times thru the years! They were one of the bigger contractors at the PGM (Precision Guided Munitions) study – even Canada was represented – back in the mid 80’s. I worked with them again at the Software Productivity Consortium.

      Liked by 1 person

  29. “Remember, Remember, the Fifth of November”

    Publius, JUL 04, 2024

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “On the fifth of November, 1605, Guy Fawkes and a band of co-conspirators planned to ignite barrels of gunpowder stored in a room beneath the British House of Lords.  They sought to remove the British King, Queen, and the King’s supporters in dramatic fashion.  The plan was uncovered, and for his role, Guy Fawkes was executed.  The events of the fifth of November were chronicled in a British nursery rhyme, which begins “remember, remember, the fifth of November,” serving as a reminder of what happened to those resisting the King. Yet, for some, the nursery rhyme has the opposite effect, serving as a clarion call.  Despite the punishment delivered, the fifth of November was not the last time subjects of a King of England would object to the monarch’s rule.  

    On the Fourth of July, 1776, 56 brave men declared independence from England on behalf of a new nation.  The 56 did not petition for independence.  They did not beg for independence.  They declared it.  And they did so at the risk of death.  What The 56 did was treason in the eyes of King George.  And, as Guy Fawkes was well aware, treason was punishable by death. Yet, The 56 chose to proceed nonetheless.  

    The 56 recognized that every person has certain unalienable rights. Unalienable rights that are provided not by decree, not by law, and not by act of man.  No.  These unalienable rights—including the rights of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness—were endowed upon man by God.  These unalienable rights always existed, and could never be taken away.  And The 56 recognized that King George had become an impediment to these unalienable rights.   

    As our founding fathers so eloquently declared to King George, “whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”  The 56 made a choice.  It was a choice on which they staked their lives and fortunes.  And some would give both before the War for Independence would end.  

    On this Independence Day, I choose to honor The 56.  I hope you will choose to join me.  

    Our founding fathers understood that on rare occasions, citizens would be called upon to make a generational decision. The decision on whether ratify the Constitution of the United States was just such a choice.  Our Constitution was radical when it was written.  And to some, it remains radical.  The decision to ratify it was a serious one.  As another who assumed the name Publius once wrote, “[w]hen the people of America reflect that they are now called upon to decide a question, which, in its consequences, must prove one of the most important that ever engaged their attention, the propriety of their taking a very comprehensive, as well as a very serious, view of it, will be evident.”     

    The ratification of our Constitution was not a foregone conclusion.  Indeed, it took the actions of brave citizens to produce a lasting document.  And once it was produced, it required the actions of engaged citizens to decide to ratify it.  It also took amendments that enshrined certain rights before those citizens would agree.  Those citizens were blessed with an opportunity to make such an important and lasting decision.  

    You too are blessed.  You are blessed with an opportunity to have a profound impact not only on your generation, but on generations to come.  You are blessed with an opportunity to lead our country out of the darkness.  On the fifth of November, you are blessed with the opportunity to choose.  

    As we celebrate the Anniversary of our country’s independence from King George, we face dark times. Justice is no longer blind.  We face a justice system that has been weaponized.  Weaponized against political candidates who have done nothing more than challenge and reject the status quo and speak for you.  Weaponized against parents who want to have a voice in the education of their children and were called terrorists as a result.  And weaponized against grandmothers who were arrested, charged, and imprisoned for praying.  Grandmothers who were then mocked by judges for their faith.  

    Our border is overrun.  American citizens are falling victim to crime perpetrated by those whom have entered our country illegally.  There is no question that there are people coming to our country not to escape crime and oppression in their home countries, but to bring it to our shores.  Yet, our system of justice ignores it.  

    And outside of the courts, we face mob justice.  Cities burned, livelihoods destroyed, and lives lost.  All for failing to demonstrate fealty to a Marxist ideology that is a constantly moving target.  A Marxist ideology that seeks to destroy everything that is wholesome, and true, and right in this world.  A Marxist ideology that seeks to destroy our Constitution and our way of life.   

    Yet, even in the darkness, there are glimmers of light.  The Supreme Court, ever so slowly, has done its part to protect our Constitutional Republic.  Over the past several months, the Court has turned back the tide on a weaponized justice system.  The actions of the Supreme Court have ensured that you will have an opportunity to vote for your candidate of choice in November, despite attempts to ensure your voice could not be heard.  The Supreme Court chose to turn back the attacks on democracy attempted by the United States Department of Justice.  Now it is your turn to make a choice.  

    This presidential election falls on a serendipitous date.  On the fifth of November, I will enter the voting booth and I will make my choice.  In that voting booth, like The 56, I will proudly take a stand against tyranny.  And I will be honored to have you join me in choosing to chart a better course for our country.  You must only, as the nursery rhyme says, “remember, remember, the fifth of November . . .”  

    (Peter Navarro’s Substack account, including all individual article posts, are temporarily being handled and managed independently of him.)

    Liked by 1 person

  30. I just checked my lopes – there were a few small breakages but not bad at all. I spent a few minutes affixing some of the vines to the trellis with velcro plant-wrap so they won’t blow down again. The last one on the left is the late-planted one – I expect it will take off soon and I can remove the cage.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Only if you put them up – they normally spread out on the ground. They totally filled up that entire space, with no room to walk among or between them, and spilling out into the yard, before I started trellising them. And they get intertwined so you don’t know which vine comes from which plant. With them piled up like that, a lot of the vines don’t get enough sun to produce like they should.

        Liked by 1 person

          1. No, the vines are really, really strong. Michael is going to try using panty hose – cut off the bottom and attach it to the trellis – to support his lopes – it will be interesting to see how that goes.

            Liked by 1 person

  32. “Dermatology’s Horrendous War Against The Sun: Untangling Dermatology’s Huge Skin Cancer Scam”

    A MIDWESTERN DOCTOR, JUL 04, 2024

    Story At a Glance:

    •Sunlight is crucial for health, and avoiding it doubles mortality rates and cancer risk.

    •Skin cancers are the most common cancers in the U.S., leading to widespread “advice” to avoid the sun. However, the deadliest skin cancers are linked to a lack of sunlight.

    •The dermatology field, aided by a top marketing firm, rebranded themselves as skin cancer (and sunlight) fighters, becoming one of the highest-paid medical specialties.

    •Despite billions spent annually, skin cancer deaths haven’t significantly changed. Likewise, the Dermatology profession has buried a variety of effective and affordable skin cancer treatments.

    Note: this is an abridged version of a longer article on this subject (with a few important details that were not in the original or the recent publication on Dr. Mercola’s website). I am publishing it today because I saw a variety of ridiculous articles like these over the last few days.

    EXCERPT: “I always found it odd that everyone insisted I avoid sunlight and wear sunscreen during outdoor activities, as I noticed that sunlight felt great and caused my veins to dilate, indicating the body deeply craved sunlight. Later, I learned that blocking natural light with glass (e.g., with windows or eyeglasses) significantly affected health, and that many had benefitted from utilizing specialized glass that allowed the full light spectrum through. This ties into one of my favorite therapeutic modalities, ultraviolet blood irradiation, which produces a wide range of truly remarkable benefits by putting the sun’s ultraviolet light inside the body.

    Once in medical school, aware of sunlight’s benefits, I was struck by dermatologists’ extreme aversion to it. Patients were constantly warned to avoid sunlight, and in northern latitudes, where people suffer from seasonal affective disorder, dermatologists even required students to wear sunscreen and cover most of their bodies indoors.  At this point my perspective changed to “This crusade against the sun is definitely coming from the dermatologists” and “What on earth is wrong with these people?”

    Note: This comment I received perfectly illustrate the dysfunctional status quo.

    The Monopolization of Medicine …….”

    https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/dermatologys-horrendous-war-against

    Liked by 1 person

  34. looking out the kitchen window just now–towards the pond–it seems we had a bear visit overnight. the iris stems (blooms are long gone) are all messed up-crunched down and the there is large portion of flattened grass and weeds going into the water. deer don’t make that kind of mess.

    Liked by 1 person

  35. we’ve been watching Independence Day (Will Smith) and it’s very realistic…at least in this part.

    the President wants to know how an underground facility like the one in the movie exists without his knowledge. his sect of defense says plausible deniability. so unelected gov’t personnel know more than the President. if you don’t know it exists you can’t get rid of it defund it, or outlaw it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Love that movie! I recently recorded Armageddon w/Willis and Thornton to watch whenever I get bored and am in the mood. I also recorded Son-in-Law (a comedy) and The Patriot; also, just for shits and giggles….101 Dalmations! LOL

      Liked by 1 person

      2. that part in the movie near the end where Randy Quaid destroys the mother ship and the General tells the morse coders to “tell them how to bring those sons of bitches down…” THAT’S my Dad–looks like him and sounds like him…LOL

        Liked by 1 person

        2. Know which actress/famous person I always think of when I think of my adopted Mom? Princess Grace – she was slim, graceful & classy, blond and tall like her.

          Liked by 1 person

            1. She almost could have been a model but she’d have needed to get work done on her face! LOL – she had the Raasch chin and nose….shall we say….kind of prominent?

              Liked by 1 person

  38. “How Would You Go About Taking Down the Cabal? It’s Not as Easy as One Might Think”

    ERIK CARLSON, JUL 04, 2024

    EXCERPT: “Many people think that the day Donald Trump was sworn into office on January 20th of 2017, he should have immediately started arresting people. He should have filled up FEMA camps with corrupt American politicians, world leaders, CEOs, entertainers, media members—everyone who is a part of the Deep State Cabal, everyone who has benefited from the Cabal, or who has looked the other way while the Deep State has committed endless crimes against humanity.

    Some think that once these people were rounded up and put into detention centers, they should have been immediately executed. Others think they should have been tried in a military tribunal system, then, if found guilty, imprisoned or executed for their crimes.

    On the surface, it’s hard to argue with this logic.

    In theory, you would try and execute the known Deep State members, removing them from positions of power and influence—problem solved. But in reality, this might be more like removing the part of the iceberg that is above water, leaving the larger, more dangerous part of the iceberg underwater, intact, and invisible to the human eye. In other words, if you execute the known Deep State players, how do you unearth the unknown players?

    It’s possible the unknown players are more powerful and more evil than the players known to us, or Trump’s allies at the time of his inauguration in 2017. It’s also possible that Obama secretly pardoned all these criminals on his way out the door.

    ‘No Deals!’ This has been the sentiment of some, if not many. ‘Justice must be served in every case.’ Again, I get it. But is this realistic, and is this even the best way to go about eliminating the Deep State Cabal? If one removes some of the cancer, but not all of it, the cancer will grow back again, and eventually, one is right back to where they started.

    What kind of effect would the mass arrests and executions of the corrupt people in positions of power and influence have on society? Would this cause a civil war? Would the economy collapse, creating a dystopian-Mad-Max-like scenario? Would fear take over, causing the abandonment of societal rules and the abeyance of laws? Would the fear, stress and confusion cause epidemic levels of health and mental health issues, even worse than we are currently experiencing?

    This may all sound over the top, but there really isn’t any precedent to use in predicting the possible outcomes. The Cabal, who has controlled the world for centuries, if not millenniums, has never been taken out in one fell swoop. Maybe the taking down of the Cabal should be treated with a little more caution, a little more subtlety. Maybe it would be better to be safe than sorry….”

    https://badlands.substack.com/p/how-would-you-go-about-taking-down

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Here’s what I really don’t get….how do they know? How can they possibly tell if anything is that old? Yes, yes, I know about carbon dating but, IMO, that is still just a theory. Needless to say, I don’t trust scientists! They leave far too much to “theory!”

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I just decided where I’d move when I win PCH….if I decide to leave NE. A low-or-no tax state!!! I’m poor enough that I’m exempt now but all that money would change things considerably! LOL

        Liked by 1 person

          1. I lean towards CO – I really loved it when I lived there….but the politics!!! Yuck!!! TN is a possibility, I guess, but still kind of close to a coastline for my taste!

            Liked by 1 person

  49. gonna get off here earlier tonight…

    I am adding a short daily prayer to the board. I would invite each of you, if you wish, to also add one or maybe two of your own liking. I do not want to stifle anyone but please limit yourself to one or two religious postings. here’s one I found that I liked.

    Like

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