Happy 4th of July!

[Raijinn]

<DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Happy Fourth of July! The grills are lit and filled with the essentials for a great summer BBQ, and the fireworks are ready to light up the night’s sky. </SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">In the </SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">United States</SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">, Independence Day, also called the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on </SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">July 4, 1776</SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">.</SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Independence Day is commonly associated with parades, barbecues, picnics, baseball games, and various other public and private events celebrating the history and traditions of the U.S. Fireworks have been associated with the Fourth of July since 1777.</SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Independence Day, as the only holiday celebrating the </SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">United States</SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"> as a whole, is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays. Many politicians make it a point on this day to appear at a public event to praise the nation's heritage, society and people. Families often mark the Fourth with a picnic or barbecue, and often gather with family relatives, taking advantage of the longer weekend or day off from work. Parades are often held the morning of the Fourth, afternoon baseball games are not uncommon, and the evening is usually marked by public displays of fireworks.</SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">One colorful annual Independence Day event is the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in </SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Coney Island</SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">, </SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Brooklyn</SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">, </SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">New York</SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"> City, which supposedly started on </SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">July 4, 1916</SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"> as a way to settle a dispute among four immigrants as to who was the most patriotic.</SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Verdana size=1><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Information from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States)</SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>