Our beloved country is “officially” 248 years old today. The best to us! The way things are going, we need it.

July 4 is the day because it was claimed the Declaration of Independence was approved/signed that day. Not correct. An historical printing error involved.

The Constitutional Convention by vote approved the Declaration of Independence on July 2. Approved means orally adopted. The document was not printed till July 4. The Continental Congress was not in session on July 4. It did not get together for purposes of signing till one month later on August 2.

Record keeping obviously sucked back then. Understandable. The actual day not so important. What is important is that we won the war.

Happy Birthday, USA!

I am curious how Trump will celebrate our country’s birthday today.

Hurricane Beryl hit Jamaica as a Category 4. Life threatening rain, 145 mph winds, and a storm storm surge that reached 9 foot levels in some places.

Next, the Cayman Islands and then Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. It has the potential thereafter to strike southern Texas and Louisiana.

Beryl knocked the hell out of Grenada. The damage described as “unmanageable.” Ninety eight percent of buildings on the island  were damaged or destroyed.

Many countries are going to a 4 day work week. Greece is going the other way. To a 6 day work week. In Greece, the extra day will provide a 40 percent bump in over time pay.

Greece’s purpose in adopting the new law is to increase productivity.

Surprising when most countries, including certain U.S. corporations, are going to a 4 day work week for the same reason. Increase productivity. Who is correct?

New religious values are not American values. Yet they appear to be taking over the American right with a marriage of religion and government. 

Two recent anti-law religious moves. Passed or approved at state levels. To be tested at some point by the Supreme Court. The place I fear most today when it comes to correcting things.

The two involve the States of Louisiana and Oklahoma.

Last month, a law passed in Louisiana requiring  the display of the Ten Commandments in public classrooms. A practice struck down in 1980 as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

One week after the Louisiana law came into being, Oklahoma announced plans to mandate the teaching of the Bible in public schools. Justification was the claim it was necessary so as to have “an understanding of the basis for our legal system.”

Both situations a massive erosion of separation of Church and State.

The First Amendment was intended to protect religion from the state, not the state from religion. Something amiss here.

The goal is to impose one form of religion, Christianity, and the underlying message is that those who do not share it will have to submit.

Trump and his evangelical followers support the theory. Is this what a majority of Americans want? Revolutionary in its thinking. Destructive to democracy as we know it.

Buffalo’s Fran and Tom Dixon telephoned yesterday. Chewed me out for not having communicated with them recently. They were correct. Still love them. However, I do not speak well because of my teeth problem and avoid talking with people.

They are leaving for Boston today. Their daughter is having her fourth child by caesarian friday and they will be babysitting the three already here.

They will be in Key West later this month for a one week vacation. Babysitting will do that to you. I look forward to seeing them again. I will have to talk, of course.

Did a one hour Select Physical Therapy session again yesterday. Eight in the morning. Kathy took care of me again. A terrific young lady. All of 32. Looks 22. Leaves on a two week vacation this weekend to Vegas and then home to Ohio. I will miss her. She and Ashley have done wonders with my back.

What happened to the Sahara Desert dust storm? Never made it to Key West. Did it make it anywhere in the U.S.?

The media has to be careful how it announces natural disasters like the dust storm and hurricanes. The media warnings make it look like the disaster is going to hit. Then nothing. Gets everyone concerned, however. Especially where hurricanes are involved.

The reporting is required. More preciseness needed.

I miss my July 4th type holidays back in Utica. Huge family and friend cook outs. Pool use for the first time. Not warm enough till the 4th to swim. Sip the day away and chat. Pick on all kinds of goodies to eat. The fireworks later at my golf club. A long tedious but fun day.

Enjoy the holiday!