Happy New Aristocracy Day

Patriotism is getting to be less and less fun. Today is basically a celebration of the United States trading one set of greedy aristocrats for another, which is hard to get over whipped up about. If you doubt it, watch the 1985 movie "Revolution" starring Al Pacino. That movie gives an historically accurate view of what it was like to fight in the Revolutionary War from the point of view of a conscript. Many of the soldiers were never properly paid. Much of their property was seized in the service of the revolution (this happens in virtually all revolutions), and although the British are portrayed as vile, the rich colonists are not all that lovely either.

It's the working stiffs and the farmers and the tradesmen who get it stuck to them, but you wouldn't know it from the way our history is written.

We're having a quiet Fourth of July here. Burgers on the grill, corn on the cob, just me, significant other, the dog, and the cat. It's overcast and cool up here today: It's been a cool summer so far, which is fine by me. I'm no fan of 95 degree weather, and the garden seems to be doing pretty well even with 65-79 degree highs so far most days. We'll get a hot spell some week or two here, and then it will already be time for winter to start gathering steam. Summer in Michigan apparently is just a gesture, a nod to the climate gods. At least, that's how it's been the two years I've been living here.

I guess we'll go watch fireworks tonight.

This year, I guess I'm not into the 4th very intensely. Can you tell?