Fourth of July
Here you go on our 246th birthday:
When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That, whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.
It is printed today on the Editorial page of today’s Chron.
In four years, we will mark our Sestercentennial. Yep, that is what it will be called. I still remember the hoopla of the Bicentennial in 1976. Gerald Ford was president. Jimmy Carter was fixing to be our Democratic Party nominee for president.
MLB played the 1976 All Star game in, you guessed it, Philadelphia.
Good movies that year were in alpha order “All the President’s Men,” “The Bad News Bears,” “Carrie,” “Marathon Man,” “Network,” “The Omen,” “Rocky,” “The Shootist,” which was John Wayne’s last movie, “Silver Streak” and “Taxi Driver.” In those days, if you wanted to see a movie, you pretty much had to go to a theater.
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Commentary was at my Dad’s yesterday and “Casablanca” came on. The black and white original version. Since you asked, it ranks number 4 on my all-time list of best flicks. It is a great flick. A love story and World War II movie with some great humor and some of the best lines in cinema history.
“Here is looking at you, kid.”
“Round up the usual suspects.”
“Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.”
“Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By’.”
They never said “play it again, Sam.”
“We’ll always have Paris.”
And my favorite:
“Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.”
When the German major asks Rick what his nationality is and Rick responds “I’m a drunkard” to which Renault says, “that makes Rick a citizen of the world.”
Peter Lorre as Ugarte to Rick, “you despise me, don’t you?
Rick replies, “if I gave you any thought I probably would.”
And of course, there is the timeless tune, “As Time Goes By.”
Great flick. I am glad I caught it yesterday.
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From the controversy at the movies department, actor Tim Allen, who was the voice of Buzz Lightyear in the “Toy Story” movies said he wasn’t cool with the storyline of the “Lightyear” movie, the movie where Allen doesn’t voice “Buzz.” He said the connection could have been way better.
When it comes to controversies in movies, this is small potato heads, yuk, yuk. You want movie controversies; I will give you controversies.
How about Francis Ford Coppola not casting Robert Duval in “Godfather, Part III.”
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On “What’s Your Point” yesterday, former Harris County GOP Chair Gary Polland and the Texas Breitbart fella were grousing about the January 6 Committee, and one called it a kangaroo court. These morons are GOP activists. They ought to know better than most that it was Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s decision not to participate. Did I say morons?
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My Beatles wall calendars has one featuring the “Revolver” album cover with photos of the lads in the recording studio working on tunes like “Taxman” and “Good Day Sunshine.” The other calendar has a 1967 photo of the four and all have facial hair. Paul and Ringo with mustaches, George with a goatee and John with a Fu.
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They are having the hot dog eating contest later today with Joey Chestnut the longtime reigning champion going to defend his belt. If you ask me, and I don’t have any evidence or proof, but I think the contest is rigged. There are probably some big dudes out there with voracious appetites who are purposely not invited so to increase Chestnut’s chances of winning. Just saying.
Since you asked, on Dollar Dog Night at The Yard, onions, relish, and yellow mustard goes on my hot dog.
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I forgot to mention Friday that the Astros were 16-9 in June. As of this morning, except for the 2 games with the Yankees on July 21 at The Yard, all our opponents in July have sub .500 records.
Tags tweeted this last night:
2013 Astros 51-111
2022 Astros 51-27
I don’t even know what to say about the Angels sweep this weekend. 20 Ks by Astros pitchers yesterday. Jeremy Pena’s second walk-off dinger to centerfield this season. The sneak play by Machete yesterday was certainly special and it kind of speaks to how we are playing right now.
The Royals are in for four starting this afternoon.
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Eva Marie Saint is 98 today. She won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “On the Waterfront.” She also won an Emmy and starred in Alfred Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest.” I hope she is enjoying the Fourth
Tonight, I will watch the fireworks on the flat screen including NBC’s coverage of New York City, PBS’s of D.C.s, and Channel 13’s of those from Eleanor Tinsley Park.