Happy 250th Birthday: Independence Day

JohnR

JohnR

Certifiable Intertidal Anguiologist
Two hundred and FIFTY years ago, a bunch of folks smarter than us (certainly smarter then me) managed to give the bird to mother England, blowing a 13 Colony Lead (biggest choke until the 2004 Yankees), and chart a course for a people unmatched in the millennia of recorded history. The oppression and taxes too great, freedoms too few, these wise folks put all their chips on the table and doubled down for future generations. This country has since become a beacon of hope to people everywhere.

For all of our problems, squabbles, and sparring, this two hundred and fifty year old experiment in Democracy is working and we should strive harder to make it better. Sure, there may be a small handful of countries that may seem, oh I dunno, nicer, due to the lottery of geography, they have not needed to do the heavy lifting of the world. They have not become the melting pot, the inventors, or the facilitator of PAX AMERICANA, nor the bastion of Hope. Having spent time in other countries, including behind the Iron Curtain for a brief stint, we are lucky beyond words by lottery of birth.

This week, embrace your freedoms, reflect on your good fortune, and please do an extra 10%. An extra ten as a parent, child, friend, and citizen. The hard part has been done, we need to do our part for the next 250 years.

Remember to meet people in the middle, they are your family and neighbors
 
I was tracking until the “democracy is working” bit 😬

"Our country, right or wrong. When right, to be kept right; when wrong, to be put right."
 
JohnR said:
Not today Spence.
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On 9/11 when the planes hit, I was in a windowless Kodak facility training engineers how to use our software to design optical electronic systems for spy satellites. Due to the classified nature of their work, the facility went into lockdown once the federal government enacted COOP protocol and all non essential personnel had to evacuate.

I asked if we should even think about completing the training the following day. They didn’t flinch, I was told that considering what just happened and their national security mission it was critical to redouble our efforts.

Note: I know your first thought was to question if I had a clearance. No, but that’s an even more interesting part of the story ✌️
 
On 9/11 I was on Metro North headed for Tower 2 for a meeting with NY Port Authority. Got half way and the planes hit. About 1 hour from being dead....again.
 
spence said:
On 9/11 when the planes hit, I was in a windowless Kodak facility training engineers how to use our software to design optical electronic systems for spy satellites. Due to the classified nature of their work, the facility went into lockdown once the federal government enacted COOP protocol and all non essential personnel had to evacuate.

I asked if we should even think about completing the training the following day. They didn’t flinch, I was told that considering what just happened and their national security mission it was critical to redouble our efforts.

Note: I know your first thought was to question if I had a clearance. No, but that’s an even more interesting part of the story ✌️
Click to expand...
My first thought was why you had to take this and make it political. Well I know why, because you are Spence.
 
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