Congratulations to our VIP of the day for: 7/4/2008

Independence Day

  TODAY WE SALUTE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON THE ONE DAY SET ASIDE TO CELEBRATE THE GREAT AMERICAN EXPERIMENT AND ITS ADOPTION OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ON JULY 4, 1776, DECLARING INDEPENDENCE FROM THE KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN. IN CELEBRATION IN 1777, THIRTEEN GUNS WERE FIRED, ONCE AT MORNING AND AGAIN AS EVENING FELL, ON JULY 4 IN BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND. PHILADELPHIA CELEBRATED THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY IN A MANNER A MODERN AMERICAN WOULD FIND QUITE FAMILIAR: AN OFFICIAL DINNER FOR THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, TOASTS, 13-GUN SALUTES, SPEECHES, PRAYERS, MUSIC, PARADES, TROOP REVIEWS, AND FIREWORKS. SHIPS WERE DECKED WITH RED, WHITE, AND BLUE BUNTING. IN 1778, GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON MARKED INDEPENDENCE DAY WITH A DOUBLE RATION OF RUM FOR HIS SOLDIERS AND AN ARTILLERY SALUTE. ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, AMBASSADORS JOHN ADAMS AND BENJAMIN FRANKLIN HELD A DINNER FOR THEIR FELLOW AMERICANS IN PARIS, FRANCE. THE FIRST RECORDED USE OF THE NAME INDEPENDENCE DAY ACTUALLY CAME IN 1791. IN 1870, THE U.S. CONGRESS MADE INDEPENDENCE DAY AN UNPAID HOLIDAY FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, AND SO IT REMAINED UNTIL1941, WHEN CONGRESS CHANGED INDEPENDENCE DAY TO A PAID FEDERAL HOLIDAY. A RECENT WORLDWIDE SURVEY ON HAPPINESS FOUND THAT THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE ON THE PLANET TREASURE THE FREEDOM TO DO, THINK, MOVE, PRETTY MUCH AS THEY WANT. IT’S OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE TO THEIR BEING HAPPY. SO HOWEVER YOU MAY BE CELEBRATING TODAY – AT THE BEACH, WORK, HOT DOG AND BEER IN HAND OR LISTENING TO BORING SPEECHES – DO TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK OF THE VALUE WE ALL PLACE ON FREEDOM AND ON ITS GREAT COST. HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY U.S.A.