Fireworks Faves

Fireworks Faves, originally uploaded by KaroliK.

Firefall

Firefall, originally uploaded by Paul Vernon Photography.

The mortars and candles are all placed on a barge, which is moored just offshore in the Columbia River. The entire show is fired by a computer and is synced with music that is broadcast on a local FM radio station. The head honcho is required to hold down a "deadman switch" for the entire length of the display (about 45 minutes.) If he releases the button, the show stops....

Uploaded by Paul Vernon Photography on 14 Dec 06, 2.20AM CDT.

exposureworks

exposureworks, originally uploaded by iChaz.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!, originally uploaded by hungrytiger.

Fourth of July Quotes: Serious and Funny

Photo by Morgan Frederick @ flickr

From Denny: I just love the fireworks on this day. I also like to remember all the soldiers over the centuries who lost their lives preserving our freedom, whether they voted Democrat, Republican or not at all.

Courage is always to be respected and admired. We may not agree on whether there should be a war at all, how to conduct a war once started or how to end it. What we can agree on is to respect those who were sent to fight as our first line of defense. They paid a hefty price for the rest of their lives for those wars were always with them.

Here are some very serious awesome quotes and a few light-hearted ones as well to give you pause and a grin on this solemn national holiday.

Serious Quotes

“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty.” – President John F. Kennedy

"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it." ~ Thomas Paine

"He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself." ~ Thomas Paine

"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave." ~ Elmer Davis

"Liberty is always dangerous, but it is the safest thing we have." ~ Harry Emerson Fosdick

"Let freedom never perish in your hands." ~ Joseph Addison

Image by photobunny via Flickr

"Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die." ~ President Dwight D. Eisenhower

"In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved." ~ President Franklin D. Roosevelt

"May the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely, than this our own country!" ~ Daniel Webster

"We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls." ~ Robert J. McCracken

"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves." ~ Abraham Lincoln

"If our country is worth dying for in time of war let us resolve that it is truly worth living for in time of peace." ~ Hamilton Fish

"I prefer liberty with danger to peace with slavery." ~ Author Unknown

"Without freedom, no one really has a name." ~ Milton Acorda

"Where liberty dwells, there is my country." ~ Benjamin Franklin

Funny Quotes

The United States is the only country with a known birthday. ~ James G. Blaine

“You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.” ~ Erma Bombeck

"There, I guess King George will be able to read that." -
John Hancock, after signing the Declaration of Independence with a huge signature well flourished to stand out from the crowd!

Stay safe this holiday; Happy Fourth of July! Thanks for visiting!

Fourth of July quotes funny quotes America United States John F. Kennedy Abraham Lincoln Franklin D. Roosevelt Erma Bombeck Daniel Webster Thomas Paine James G. Blaine John Hancock Declaration of Independence

Read a Tribute Poem About Michael Jackson

Word Cloud Photo by Denny Lyon
Copyright 2 July 2009
All Rights Reserved

Read a tribute poem about the passing of a music legend over at The Social Poets blog under this post of a coffee recipe and a poem:

Libations Friday! 3 July 2009

Have a safe weekend, everyone! Thanks for visiting!

Denny

Video: King of Pop Reigns Again

From Denny: This is a good news video about Michael Jackson's new material yet to be released and a discussion of the music business and why many songs never get released. Of course, there are the usual commentaries about how artists' estates make more money after their deaths.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Funny Photos: Chilling in Bed with a Couple of Cheetahs

From Denny: Talking about chilling with your cat peeps! :) This South African lady, Riana Van Nieuwenhuizen, took in 4 orphaned cheetahs, 5 lions and 2 tigers. Cool lady!



OK, I double dare you to tell these cats to get off the kitchen counters! So much for learning "house manners..."



Who says cats and dogs can't get along? :)

Just click on the title link to take you to the UK's dailymail online page where it was featured a few days ago.

A Spiritual Perspective: Michael Jackson

Featured over at The Social Poets today is a post about Michael Jackson with photo links from Flickr too:

A Spiritual Perspective: Michael Jackson

Photo by frdgr @ flickr

Iran Headlines 28 June 2009

From Denny: It's getting more and more difficult for Iranian protestors to get news out or into the country. People around the world are carefully forwarding news reports - from different sites other than the official international news sites - in the hope folks in Iran can connect, finding out how much of their message and truth is reaching other parts of the world.

Feel free to send out what headlines posts are here at Dennys Blog Feeds to someone you know - who knows someone - who knows someone, you get the idea. Hopefully, as bloggers we can fly under the radar for a while before the regime catches on to our support! :)

Remember, keeping this story high profile - while the mainstream media runs around with its head cut-off worrying about Michael Jackson - real people in Iran are suffering for lack of intense coverage. You can help save lives by keeping the heat on the public pressure on the Iranian regime, and, in turn, circling back to forcing mainstream media to carry more coverage.

World leaders stand united against Iran violence

Thousands demonstrate silently in Tehran

Iranian police clash with up to 3,000 protesters

Report: Hospitalized Iranians seized

Iran Crackdown Continues



“Punished mercilessly” – Is this Islam?

Sunday last day for Iran candidates to file complaints

Iran still interfering in Iraq, top Army general says

Iran detains eight local British embassy staff

Britain blasts arrest of embassy staffers in Iran

Iran's security council tells Moussavi to back off

Where is Rafsanjani?