| Author | Message | ||
     Crusty |
On July 4, 1776, the former colonies of Great Britain in North America declared their Independence. The world hasn't been the same ever since. Let's celebrate!!! | ||
| Ltbuell |
....all of you have a fun and safe 4th of July/Independence Day........NOW GO OUT AND BLOW SOMETHING UP..... | ||
| Fb1 |
"In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people." "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." Thrilling words, to this very day.
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| Pwnzor |
We celebrated by watching fireworks up close from the pool. Sorry about the wonky angle of the cell phone camera.  | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Don't forget to thank a Frenchman.  | ||
| Pwnzor |
Thanks buddy! ... but I thought the Chinese invented fireworks...  | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
I'm just settin a few off y'unnerstan. I love history.  | ||
| Prior |
FB1, Thanks for the reminder of what started this great country. We had a Japanese ex-pat at the house for a 4th of July celebration and the history we discussed was interesting, both our independence, Japan's founding and the history between our countries. We even fired off a few rounds to celebrate. God bless America, the founding fathers and the continuing greatness of the country, if it can be steered in the right direction. | ||
| Reepicheep |
True Grumpy, but does it count if the French were just in it to annoy the British?  | ||
| Rocket_in_uk |
Not to piss on the bonfire but..... I love history too. Post modern included.  Rocket in England | ||
| Fredfast |
We got fat from all the corn they're feeding us. | ||
| Oldog |
There may yet be a second American revolution, The problem is not Corn. its a mind set of a part of the populace. [Its always some one else some thing else] Its hard to get off the teat and think for your self.... Rocket we will take your post as constructive although a bit dramatic. I don't pay 70% of my earnings nor do many of my friends, Less than 20% who pay do those are the "evil rich", I have never been groped at the airport [ I have been searched ] They can watch me on the street I have not said any thing actionable on the phone and won't.\ NOT YET \ [ Yes Obama is trying to hurt us ] I know better than to trust the media, most lefties are a special kind of stupid I write to my federal representatives on a regular basis, and get feed back from one, and will try and vote the other out!(obama co-hort) The money policy will change, as will the economy I also know my local police officers some by first name, All are good level headed men of good character, who do a dangerous thank less job. Too bad Great Briton is not bigger, we could send you all of the lefties [ like fat fred, ] as they hate guns, love big government, think obama is great, like the ridiculous min wage etc, you would find them entertaining....[ FOR A WHILE ] | ||
| Fredfast |
Rocket - Along with everything else, as you can see we've lost our sense of humor. | ||
| Oldog |
Rocket - Along with everything else, as you can see we've lost our sense of humor. Speak for only yourself My sense of humor is alive and well, as is my sense of pride in my homeland, I am how ever annoyed by the continuing stupidity OR TREASON of some in government, and worse some citizens, You may feel free to draw your own conclusions, Thanks for the jab and well wishes Rocket, The French got it Right! } | ||
| Fredfast |
"I am how ever annoyed by the continuing stupidity OR TREASON of some in government, and worse some citizens," I stand corrected. You haven't lost your sense of humor. | ||
| Rocket_in_uk |
It wasn't a jab. I just happen to believe the words said are close to truth. You do pay 70% tax. Likely more. Very little you purchase is tax free. Being searched is being groped. If you were not groped you couldn't have been searched. They do watch you on the street. Your phone conversations should be private, like anything you say in privacy no matter where you are or by what means. Righties are no less stupid than lefties. I'm sure no one trust the media implicitly. The money policy could change, but it's likely not going to until there's war or revolution. Business will continue to form policy and economy. Local police are part of a bigger picture, doing and acting accordingly. Level headed friends and all, they follow orders. Great Britain, or more precisely these days, United Kingdom, has enough lefties, and righties, of its own. See, it's just the same here in the U.K except likely more so less free and less brave to take on the Orwellian police state we have thrust upon us. Still, I suppose it's freedom. Just less of it than we use to have. Rocket in England | ||
| Kenm123t |
LOl Rocket but since we sent the brits back home at least the Sheep are safe! lol How many of those Special Wellies do you have? We have weasels in the henhouse but we're loading the Ithaca thirty sevens Sweety will love nice warm coat for walking the hounds! Did your son have fun over the fourth? If he hangs out with the NY crew he will gain major pounds from restaurant rides! But then we have hapless humorless Fredrica he is a danger to goats and most of humanity. Freddy when you were brainwashed they over rinsed and washed out some of the things you need.   | ||
| Rocket_in_uk |
Ken, that's below the belt! It's the Welsh who love sheep shagging. I'm English - we prefer camel or donkey. Colonial necessities of old me thinks. Spoke briefly with son yesterday. He enjoyed the 4th and Philly has treat him well. Said it's gorgeous where he is. Intense sun and he's second degree sunburn! Silly of him, but then I did same in the Qatar desert last year. Very freeeeking painful. He's back in NY for last few days, and he will be pounds heavier without a doubt. He's a talented young masterchef by profession! I just hope you bastards haven't brainwashed him. But then again.....lol. First I said to him yesterday, "have you applied for citizenship yet". Reply, "I thought about it dad". Bloody Yanks. Can't keep their hands off anything. Now they want my son. Well let me tell you. You'd need to be brave to have him. When he cooks, the kitchen looks like a bomb hit it!  Rocket in England | ||
| Oldog |
 Rocket can you illustrate how I am paying 70%? lets say petrol, ( gasoline ) as I know its got about 30+ % Tax on it here where I live in NC.( local state and federal ) we pay about 3.60$ gallon ~ 3.7 liter No I was not groped in the air port a metal detector wand was used, and a man patted my legs chest and bottom to be sure that I did not have a weapon, ( with his open palm ) This may seem strange but after watching 2 airliners kill 3000+ of my fellow country men yeah they can pat my belly but or any thing else, ALSO I was away from home and live within 20 miles of an atomic power plant and I worried about my Ex Wife and child, wonder what an air liner would have done to the plant? I agree with you on the phone conversations and I bet we have less video surveillance here in the US than you do in GB, your Orwellian comments seem to be on the mark, we may not be quite as restricted here, and unlike you UK guys we are still armed ( for now ) any way Cheers from NC.... | ||
| Pwnzor |
Rocket's post stated "up to 70%" Having spent a year in a maximum security prison and being manually searched on the order of twice a day at minimum, I laugh at airport security. Back in 2008 I flew from California to Florida, back and forth 7 times and carried a knife the whole way. I did see them put an old lady up against the wall in the gangway while I walked by, bearded and tattoos exposed. I say if you're getting on a plane with other people who have a reasonable expectation to remain alive, we should all expect to be searched. Seems like common sense to me. For now, our state borders are all open, and everybody is welcome to drive anywhere they like. | ||
| Aesquire |
I'd buy the "security requires you be treated like a criminal" idea for airline travel, except as actually done, the selection of who to search is done a combination of randomly and one hopes, some guy with a clue in the monitor room..... Since I bet the whole TSA has one guy with a clue, it's really just random with the caveat that protected groups get a pass. If I wanted to do evil on a plane, I'd wear a Chador. 'nuff said. In Great Britain, they put cameras everywhere, I suppose so Torchwood can find aliens. It does help with convictions after the fact, but I question the deterrent factor. In the US we bought our own cameras and carry them with us. Again, useful for after the crime, zero deterrent, and "oh, no, we'd never do THAT" lies to the public as Google, ATT, Microsoft and the NSA are fully capable of listening to your phone in your pocket, and watching through it's camera. At will. Meanwhile it's getting time to refresh the Tree of Liberty. | ||
| Oldog |
Ok what are we paying 70% on and how do we know this? not a challenge but a real question Petrol is my answer [guess] . corn subsidy + taxes on , -> production items + producer wages+ producer profit + Income for purchaser + "Road use", Road use are about 1.00$ per Gallon State Federal & local Did I miss any thing... | ||
| Aesquire |
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/381914/forgo tten-flag-american-revolution-and-what-it-means-da niel-hannan Quote of the Day From Our Former Colonial Overlords The men who raised that standard believed that they were fighting for their freedoms as Britons – freedoms which had been trampled by a Hanoverian king and his hirelings. When they called themselves Patriots – a word that had been common currency among Whigs on both sides of the Atlantic long before anyone dreamed of a separation – they meant that they were British patriots, cherishing the peculiar liberties that had come down to them since Magna Carta: jury trials, free contract, property rights, habeas corpus, parliamentary representation, liberty of conscience and the common law. How much do I pay in taxes? Lots. At least 50% of my income goes to one tax or another. I live in, IIRC the #2 most expensive county in the most expensive state in the Union, so after my Federal Income tax, my State income tax, my Property tax ( which alone is substantial, 6 to 8% of my entire income, depending on the year, and Overtime & Undertime ) I pay a tax on my phone, on my internet, on the electricity and fuel to keep me warm and cool. I pay tax on fuel for vehicles, Federal and State, and I pay a sales tax on everything except food. I pay a huge tax on food, and since food prices have more than doubled in the last 6 years, it's a major tax..... But I just said I don't pay sales tax on food. I do pay for the food to fuel program that has been a major factor in starvation, riots, revolution, and the planetary recession no one wants to admit to. I pay for the food we give away to the rest of the planet, and I pay extra because voodoo science idiots fear GM food. But I bet they eat bananas.... which are as artificial a life form as anything in a syfy movie. Does the grand total hit 70%? I'm afraid to do the math. I do know that what I paid in taxes last year was enough that I could not afford certain luxury items, like a new Motor Toy ( well, used ) or a garage to keep it in between filling it up with highly taxed fuel. No Cruise ships, Deep Sea Fishing Expeditions, or taking the winter off to surf in Australia. It's not surprising that Rocket has a twisted view of the US. The Lamestream Media lie about everything political, won't report on anything positive, unless there is a puppy, and to be honest we've had better politicians. He also is a bit credulous when it comes to propaganda, but as a subject of Airstrip One, that's to be expected. They've had Prince Charles entire adult life to see the effects of inbreeding, and the Royals are their number one tourist trap. I still think "King Ralph" is one of the best movies about the monarchy ever made. ( though some think the one about the stuttering King was better. ) | ||
| Rocket_in_uk |
It's not surprising that Rocket has a twisted view of the US. The Lamestream Media lie about everything political, won't report on anything positive, unless there is a puppy, and to be honest we've had better politicians. I have no such view. I don't believe our financial systems are that dissimilar despite their obvious differences. Our economies rise and fall together more or less, and our financial houses very much intertwined. Culturally there are many easy streets appealing to me living there and you living here. Our two great nations are very much related in pretty much all aspects. What I can't tolerate is BOTH our nations foreign policies to alienate cultures, religions, and people, with the lame excuse of our security whilst we steamroll into world domination. Rocket in England | ||
| Ceejay |
Aesquire - therin becomes part of the problem, our tax code has become so convoluted, used to promote certain things and demote others that it's no longer able to be followed, understood, or argued against by any one with a job and a life outside figuring out how much a person pays in taxes. Heck, I can barely figure out what our school tax is for. Some of it was implemented to close loopholes, some of it looks to be done to promote some areas over others. On the base level it is a disgusting system that many will never understand, look at nor seem to care about. I love the gas stations that put up X number of amount spent is in taxes, surprised the board of weights and measures hasn't made them take it down! I would agree that Rocket's post is darn close. About 6 yrs ago now, a fellow on NPR(!?) stated how similar Britian's(UK) and the US's tax codes actually were - it was eerie, and I also never heard him on NPR again. If you don't buy stuff new, and grow your own food you can circumvent close to 10% of that tax. Property taxes are the silliest things ever implemented for a typical person and I wish I understood money a bit better to see how they were leveraging it, because that is all it really amounts to - a way to continue telling a person how and where they can live. | ||
| Aesquire |
I'm ALMOST in agreement with Rocket. I'm good until.... What I can't tolerate is BOTH our nations foreign policies to alienate cultures, religions, and people, with the lame excuse of our security whilst we steamroll into world domination. Alienate cultures, religions... Yeah, I'm very angry at the anti-semitic wave sweeping the planet. All cultures are not equal. Period Fracking dot. Mine may suck donkey balls but compared to the growing Sharia culture that has as a base rule of faith that lies are good, if it advances the cause, murders women and children every day, and uses rape as a tool of justice, it's Paradise. As is England. S Not that "radical Islam" is alone in that. The neo-marxist faiths, including the Greenies and the Progressives, also have that reliance on the lie as a way of gaining power. This is not a baseless complaint, or a smear on a people, it's the cold hard fact of the actions of evil men manipulating others for power and wealth. Here is a very good example. http://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2014/07/09/gaza-war -continues-hold-the-hudna/?repeat=w3tc and another. http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2014/07/10/house-draftin g-statement-to-arrest-lois-lerner-for-contempt/ and to finish off the 2.5 religions most likely to lie to you. http://www.pjtv.com/?cmd=mpg&load=9954&mpid=105 That said, the foreign policy of the Dictator of our former Republic is indeed insane, insensitive and worse than isolationism. Or Imperialism. World Domination? For England, that day is past, For America, being dismantled, by Obama, for his own, deeply flawed reasons. Look how every country he touches has become a hellhole worse than they started.... with the possible exception of Egypt, which has suffered through the curse of the Radical jihadi, and drawn back from it. I have hope for them. And they have contempt for Obama, and unfortunately, the United States, that was once their ally. Speaking of rape as a tool. The leaders we opposed in the Bosnian conflict used rape as a tool, ironically, on Muslims, but as a tool of intimidation and genocide. THAT culture needed a kick in the ass too. That it was done badly... well that was Monica's War, and Bill Clinton is worshiped as a God ( with feet of clay ) for his actions. ( see Progressives Lie, above ) The aftermath of the Bosnian conflict both validates Rocket's complaints about Imperialism........ and disprove his complaint about cultures. I firmly believe America should not be Imperialist. We don't have the right culture for it. Some ( the Progressives ) try very hard to destroy the classic liberal education in our land to suppress history, patriotism, and the reasons' WHY we should not be Imperial. Because they want to BE Emperor. | ||
| Rocket_in_uk |
Yeah, I'm very angry at the anti-semitic wave sweeping the planet. Urh, you mean the shit they brought upon themselves..... Bombing palestine and killing children amongst the atrocities.  Doesn't even make BBC TV news.  TONIGHT LONDON STOOD WITH GAZA There were 10,000 people outside the Israeli embassy, London, this evening showing their support for Gaza. Kensington High Street was totally blocked off as thousands and thousands demanded that Israel ends its slaughter, and ends its illegal occupation of Palestinian land.  The facts.  Rocket in England | ||
| Aesquire |
Thank you for a great example of how useful folk believe the lies. Seriously. | ||
| Sifo |
About that map... http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2 010/03/andrew-sullivan-revises-history-again/37401 / I will give a nod to Great Britain having their roll in this though, as area was under their rule in '46. I find it hard to compare British and American imperialism. They are no where near the same animals. I am glad to see the British seem to be giving up much of their imperialist nature in recent decades though. | ||
| Aesquire |
Sifo, not so much "gave up" as had conquered. Much of the Empire was absorbed into China or gained independence with some turmoil, like India. After the war, ( WW2 ) England was simply freaking broke, and couldn't afford to deal with nationalist movements in the remaining territories. The largest of them, Canada & Australia, ( and New Zealand, we tend to think of these cousins as the same, as one unit, and they are close, but not identical. ) became more and more independent, peacefully, as the Empire retracted into the UK as we know it now. No Empire is eternal. Not Alexander's, not the Pharaohs, not Rome, not the Soviet Union. And America's experiment in a Constitutional Republic is the oldest on Earth, and we've only been running for 230+ years. Part of those years at war with each other. Don't pick on England for Tony Blair, or Rocket. I suppose it's fair in the sense that the idiots elected B;air, or Bush, or Obama, or Hitler, or........... Perhaps the act of voting for bad government is a sign of a failing education system and a decaying culture. Seems to be a pattern. Sifo, The above propaganda piece is completely devoid of factual content. Have you seen the reports on the set dressing techniques used in "Palestinian" propaganda? The same teddy bears and dolls, the same little bodies, in the same rubble strewn mess. I do have sympathy for the Refugee people called Palestinians. They got screwed, by everyone. I think their leaders are evil thieves, and the people they rule oppressed and angry. The "Palestinian" arabs and Christians were screwed royal by the Arab states who used them for military purposes, to conquer Israel, then as pawns in power politics, second class serfs and cheap labor. The UN has become a bastion of anti-Semitism, in the ongoing assault on Dar El Harb, and western civilization, from 2 angles. Sucks to be them. Hope Hamas gets annihilated. The people of the Gaza strip deserve better, even though they elected them. ( IMHO the US deserves better....ditto ) http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB100014240527 02304640104579487444112949138 http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/02/vicious-and-d eceptive-anti-israel-propaganda-hate-week-starts/ |
