Happy Birthday, America!

[tector]

I remember the huge excitement on the Bicentennial. I was 15 at the time. Now, in 5 years, it will be the 250th birthday (Semiquincentennial is the official term, although there are at least two other, easier, terms for a 250th anniversary). Assuming I am still around, I am dreading to see the America-hating shitbags amplify their efforts to drag our country down. I hate to sound like an old fart, but things have changed, and not for the better, since 1976.

[dammitgriff]

[hotspur]

I remember the huge excitement on the Bicentennial. I was 15 at the time. Now, in 5 years, it will be the 250th birthday (Semiquincentennial is the official term, although there are at least two other, easier, terms for a 250th anniversary). Assuming I am still around, I am dreading to see the America-hating shitbags amplify their efforts to drag our country down. I hate to sound like an old fart, but things have changed, and not for the better, since 1976.

The Bicentennial was 45 years ago? Where did that time go? I spent the day at a friend's apartment in Edgewater, New Jersey, right on the Hudson and a mile south of the George Washington Bridge. The river was full of ships, all part of Operation Sail, tiny boats, old four-masters, US Navy ships of all shapes and sizes. Great day. If only I could remember where I put the photographs I took, but after several moves up and down the east coast, I'm lucky if I can remember where my memory is. Happy birthday, and many, many more!

[tector]

During the day my parents made me go to a party (here in Broward) that I did not want to go to. But that evening, after we came home, we blew the fuck out of the neighborhood with my friends. Fireworks were more tightly controlled in Florida back then, so you either bought them on a road trip through South Carolina or Alabama; found an illegal seller; or you ordered them. That year we ordered from PyroSonic in Grand Haven, MI (our go to mail order source, delivered via UPS). Some were also made illicitly. Oddly, the local volunteer fire department was the lab where some were made. Of course they had Budweiser in their Coke machine, so maybe it really wasn't that odd after all.

[TonyR]

34 years ago today I married ex wife #1,she turned in to a coke/bar whore.Yes,my fault,LOL

[Odessaman]

[photohause]

My photo ©1986 vk&a, inc
NYC during Liberty Weekend, July 4th, 1986
taken from about 300 feet in a helicopter. I also climbed the Brooklyn Bridge to set up remote camera for the fireworks that evening. One month earlier, I climbed the Brooklyn& Manhattan bridges to scope out remote camera locations.
© 1986 VK&A

[GunsandHoses]

Who'd a thought those short 45 years ago we'd see the kinds of anti American, POS's we see in AMERICAN politics we have now?! They'd have been strung up back then!