Every year on this date I try to present a photo that captures America in a nutshell — or in a 64-ounce cup, as the case might be (here are the ones from 2011, 2010, 2009, and 2008). This year’s shows a mural that was painted in Detroit two months ago by the Atlanta-based street artist Sever. Gotta find out if he’s ever done any uni-related work.
That depiction of Captain America is more or less what I should be looking like by the end of today (except you can substitute a beer for the Big Gulp). Got a major feast planned for the back yard: steak, spareribs, and clams on the grill; jerk chicken, short ribs, and leg of lamb in the smoker. Now let’s just hope it doesn’t rain.
The comments are open, so feel free to chat amongst yourselves. Everyone have a great holiday (i.e., try not to lose too many fingers when playing with the fireworks). And if you happen to be in the company of an Englishman today, kindly pass along my annual Independence Day rallying cry: In your face, Redcoats! ”” Paul
Any word Paul on the new release of Bill Henderson’s ‘MLB Game Worn Jerseys of the Double Knit Era’?
I though I read a while back that a June release was scheduled, but I haven’t seen any updates about it.
Oh, wait a moment – I think I just found the link: link.
Yeah, the new edition was just released. I’ll be writing about it next week.
That costume needs work. No white on the sleeves from mid-bicep down, and he’s wearing Superman’s boots.
Probably started off as a fat Superman…
Possibly he traded his pirate boots to Bucco Bruce for the Big Gulp.
My first glance of the photo and your post resonated in my brain as “He’s wearing Superman’s boobs“, totally caused by the picture.
$2.49/gal? Those were the days!
“Celebrate your country’s independence by blowing up a small part of it.” – Apu
Cooking ponce (sausage stuffed in a pig’s stomach,then smoked),boudin,leg-quarters and pork steaks down in Louisiana
Love your nickname “Mirliton”. You don’t happen to be from the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans?
We actually have a Mirliton Festival every November.
Good morning, Uni-Friends! I hope everyone has a safe and fun Fourth. I get to work today (retail’s a bitch, y’all), but it’s okay–fireworks, dogs, and beer tonight!
From down here in hot and sweaty Houston, I wish you all a Happy Fourth of July!
Happy 4th from right across the border in Lake Charles. Keep cool today.
If you ever want to rejoin the British Commonwealth, drop me a line and I’ll have a word with the government.
We have far fewer religious crazies, far more paid holidays, and a lot less violent. On the downside it’s more expensive to run a car, taxes are higher and we get Fox News as well.
Higher taxes and Fox News? You better have some awesome food for that kind of downside.
/Happy America Day!
How’s the health care?
Fine, but speaking for religious crazies everywhere: WE’re taking baseball in the settlement.
Happy Independence Day!
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Share it with your loved ones.
Or this…
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“Happy Independence Day!”
~~~
fuck yeah
That Dangerhouse logo on that LA comp looks a lot like the Touch and Go logo.
The Fourth in DC, and the Nats on a roll! Am now burrowing into accounts of the Yorktown campaign in 1781. Let you all know how it turned out.
Spoiler Alert: those French guys were indispensable. And must have looked great in their all-white unis.
Speaking of that, The History Channel is marathon-ing “The Revolution”.
Good stuff.
americans: working on xmas night since 1776
I find it ironic how much we bash the French, but really owe them for the hand in the Revolution.
I dunno, we sorta gave ’em back the inspiration for a revolution of their own.
Something to be said for that.
I think we repaid the French the SECOND time we saved their surrendering asses from the Germans.
Yeah, Tim, because it was all America.
Forget the Allied Commonwealth Forces. Forget the French building a memorial at Normandy for the Canadians that stormed the beaches. It was all America that “saved” France in WW2.
I like Americans and have nothing against patriotism, but you guys give yourselves way too much credit for things you didn’t have a hand in until late in the game.
If you check your history books, Germany and Italy were marching all over Europe, and France and the British Commonwealth – that alliance you guys broke away from in 1776 – declared war on Germany over the invasions. The American public disapproved of any sort of involvement well into 1941, nearly two years after the war started. Sure, you embargoed the hell out of Germany, but the Panzers didn’t stop rolling out of the factories.
/sarcasm on
Of course, swooping in and lending a hand nearly two years after the war had been happening is nice. But make no mistake that the American involvement was because U-boats were destroying American shipping lanes along the Atlantic coast by sinking ships.
Any country that destroys capitalism will be stopped with the most extreme measures, I guess. So why no lend those Commonwealth countries and them damned British a hand, right? Tea or no tea, we’ll be heroes!
/sarcasm off
…that france thing is tired. what if the US was as close to the reich? obviously we would have kicked their asses? we would never make the same mistakes as the french…dien bien phu. get over the freedom fries we bailed france out, we bailed ourselves out as much as the french. let’s just keep it america fuck yeah for today.
Happy Independence Day.
Has NYC banned the Super Big Gulp, yet?
You are misinformed:
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Not sure what you mean, the second article says 7-11 has not interpreted the ban yet, and is withholding comment. The NY Times headline is quite misleading:
From the article:
“7-Eleven’s corporate offices have said they are withholding public comment on New York City’s proposal concerning sugary drinks until they have a chance to review the written proposal. “
The article clearly states that convenience stores (i.e., 7-11s) are exempt from the policy.
If convenience stores are exempt, then what is the point of the ban? Don’t most people buy their sodas at convenience stores.
I asked a question because I wasn’t sure, if the ban, had passed or not.
it’s about time they taxed something i don’t consume, and it should be across the board, my beer tax isn’t off at 7-11. and where is to tater chip ban? let the junk food junkies share in the sin tax too. i might send off a screaming meemie for that alone.
Jason Bernard: “I love Uni Watch for a million reasons (well, okay, like four.) Most of all, I love the great friends I’ve made, who I get to geek out with from time to time”
happy 4th, y’all! hope it’s a safe, relaxing, fun one!
I had my own “In your face, Redcoats!” experience a number of years ago.
I was working on Capitol Hill and was tasked with giving a tour of the Capitol to this group of folks from military college (more like National Defense University, not the Naval Academy, but I don’t remember what it was). It was an international group and there was one officer from the UK. We got to the Rotunda and I was explaining the giant paintings on the wall. On one side of the Rotunda, there are four paintings about the Revolution, including the ones you’ve seen in history books that depict the British surrendering at Saratoga and the British surrendering at Yorktown.
I don’t remember exactly what he said, but it made for a semi-awkward, semi-funny moment showing off these large paintings to a British officer.
50 cent oysters, beer, and lots of other drinks for me today! Woo hoo!
Beer can chicken tomorrow… because I don’t feel like doing the grilling today.
I ended up making it to my hometown parade in Plymouth, MI, which is the home of the Fred Hill Briefcase Drill Team. Since this was the first time I’ve been to the parade in years, it was the first time I saw these guys in person in a long time. They’ve marched in the Detroit Thanksgiving Day parade, and even made the Macy’s parade in New York back in 2008!
Basically, imagine a group of guys in business suits carrying briefcases, doing drill routines inspired by the graduation scene in Stripes. They started out advertising Hill’s haberdashery, but although he closed up shop years ago and moved into real estate, Hill’s kept the team going.
Video starts at 1:20 or so…
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Photos seem to have a cynical tone to them, no? Thanks for your website and Happy 4th Everyone!!!
Still celebrating the Roughriders’ win here.
Can’t find anything out about the Saskatchewan white helmet after a few minutes of scattershot searching. Anybody have the inside dope?
Nope.
Other than the fact that they actually managed to make a major change to their look without holding a press conference, unveiling, media availability, without putting out a bunch of pictures of the players as “warriors” and without having to put out a ridiculous press release about how “the new Prairie White represents the resilience of the people of Saskatchewan” or some shit like that.
Okay, I know I haven’t checked in in almost a day, but that was funny. Good on ya.
Just back from George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate, where the First Virginia regiment of the Continental Army paraded, fired musket volleys, and heard the Declaration read aloud. Talk about great uniforms!
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Also saw 100 new Americans take the oath of citizenship in the shadow of the mansion. I’d never attended a naturalization ceremony before – extraordinarily powerfully moving. Just, wow.
I am extremely jealous of the fireworks displays that will be happening tonight. I may have to watch The Sandlot specifically for their “game under the lights” scene just to get baseball and fireworks wrapped up into one awesome picture of Americana again!
Happy Independence Day, ladies and gentlemen of the United States of America! I salute you!
tyeebz~
strap on the feathers and fly to pilsen, you can see shit blow up like no other. seriously, it’s end of days shit in 2 hrs. hurry on down man, you will not be disappointed.
I don’t agree with this article, but thought I would share it anyway.
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Made my first visit to Brooklyn this morning since my family moved away 50 years ago. I was nine or ten but I still remembered the neighborhood off Kings Highway. Brooklyn looked great. If I’d of known you were having a party I’d have crashed it, Paul.
America is far from perfect and has plenty of faults, but there is no country on Earth that I would prefer to live in. In the eternal words of Trey Parker and Matt Stone, America. Fuck Yeah.
I don’t care what the downers who bitch about fireworks say. I don’t care what the people who are complaining that we’re not a 100% free country say. I really, honest to God, don’t care. The haters are free to bitch and complain all they want, as much as I am free to call them out on it.
I suspect this will engender a negative response, which I’m ok with. I’m enjoying a bit of Jack Daniel’s (a real American treasure) right now so come at me bro.
And this is an old bottle of Jack. 90 proof. Not the newer 80 proof stuff.
Heavy Metal Parking Lot link
Yes. Those photos truly capture America. Well done.