Today is Sunday, July 2 and there are only 64 days until Labor Day.  Have you gotten your back-to-school supplies yet?  Today we remember the birthdays of Valentinian III, Walter Brennan and Debee Ashby.  On this day in 1776 the Continental Congress resolved “these United Colonies are and of right ought to be Free and Independent States”, in 1867 the first US elevated railroad began service, in NYC, and in 1964 President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act.  In Italy it is Corso de Palio, in Norway it is the King’s Birthday and in the US it is National Anisette Day.

Since it is July, it is time to learn some trivia about the month.  The seventh month of the Gregorian year is named in honor of Julius Caesar.  The month of July holds many celebrations. From Canada Day and Parent Day to Chocolate Day and Moon Day, there are many ways to participate.  In the United States, it is considered the month of one of its biggest celebrations, Independence Day.  The fine weather makes for an excellent time for vacations, travel and going down the shore.  Relaxing and enjoying National Hammock Day, fishing or attending reunions are just some of the summer diversions enjoyed during July.  This month is known for firsts. Louis Pasteur would test the first rabies vaccine in 1885 during the month of July, and Bikinis made their debut in 1948. Space travel took great strides, and Neil Armstrong put the first footprints on the moon.

Now on to more important things.  Tuesday is Independence Day, the 4^th of July.  Here is your information on that holiday.  During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain in 1776 actually occurred on July 2, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain rule.  After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, finally approving it two days later on July 4.  That should fill the trivia file for now.

I really do not have much for you all this week.  I could go on about the same dumb commercials, but you have probably heard enough of that.  I could talk about the strange and interesting people I have seen when down the shore, but even that becomes boring after a time.  I could discuss the numerous land whales I have sighted, but even that becomes tiresome after a while.  I promise to get out and try to find entertaining things to discuss this week.  I plan on going to a couple 4^th of July events, so hopefully I will come across something to talk about for next week.

This week our fact tells us that in Tulsa, Oklahoma it is against the law to open a soda bottle without the supervision of a licensed engineer.  I was so amazed by this that I checked and it is a law that is currently on the books.  I am guessing it is not enforced, but would, again, love to know what brought this about.  Are people in Tulsa that inept or is there a plethora of engineers and they need to find something for them to do?  I imagine it would be easier to go with canned soda and avoid all the hoopla of finding an engineer who is available.  They must be hard to come by on holidays.  I have been unable to find out if this law applies to beer also.

I hope to have you tune in next week and, in the meantime, have a safe and happy 4^th of July!