Lincolnite

It's pet peeve time, ladies and gents. I'm not really sure when I developed this quirk, but for at least a couple years now it has bugged me when Independence Day is referred to by its cruder and less descriptive name, The Fourth. I realize that Independence Day falls on the 4th of July each year, and that there is a worldwide precedent for referring to the holiday celebrating certain events by the date on which they happened (e.g. Cinco de Mayo). But I prefer Independence Day. I prefer it for the same reason I prefer Christmas over "The Holidays." When you refuse to call a holiday by its real name, you help that holiday to lose some of its oomph. When was the last time you saw baby Jesus -- the Christ in Christmas -- used as a marketing gimic to sell Barbies? You haven't see it, of course. Instead, you see Santa and snowmen and all that. And what words does Toys R Us use in its advertising? Happy Holidays. Never Merry Christmas. Parents would feel too damn guilty about exploiting their Savior's birthday if they had to see Christ (the word or the image) while fulfilling their childrens' materialistic demands. The same can be said for Independence Day. It's easier to wake up on the morning of July 4 and scream "Let's blow some shit up!" when you treat the holiday as The Fourth of July rather than Independence Day. What do Black Cats and sparklers and roman candles have to do with Independence Day? Not a thing. But they define The Fourth of July. Having managed fireworks tents for three years I can say with some authority that nobody (+/- 1%) who buys more than $10.00 of fireworks has any intention to celebrate Independence Day on July 4th. Independence is one of the last things on their mind while they ignite their Chinese-made fireworks. Independence Day should be about evaluating our country's progress (or lack thereof) toward the goal of bringing freedom to the world and about our application of it (or not) here at home. That's not to say that fireworks and family and grilling burgers can't also be a part of it. Fireworks are a great way for us to give ourselves a pat on the back and say "USA, you rock!" It may not always be true, but hey, a once-per-year gloat-fest is good for a country's collective identity. And family? Every holiday should be celebrated with family. I'm not really sure what my point is. It's Friday afternoon and I'm tired and hungry. You didn't really expect anything profound out of me, did you? I suppose the one thing I want you to get out of this is simply an appreciation for Independence Day over the generic Fourth of July. Think about why you use the term you use, and decide for yourself if it's appropriate. For me, The Fourth just doesn't work. If you use The Fourth, that's fine. But don't just use it because some marketing agent told you to.

The other night The Missus and I purchased some new DVDs. Well, they aren't actually "new," but they are new to us. We hardly ever buy new DVDs. Anyway, the three we choose say a lot about us, I think. Judge for yourself: Closer The Incredibles Team America: World Police OK all you budding Freudian psychoanalysts, examine away!

Julian Sanchez examines Raich and Kelo in light of the sorites paradox. It's definitely worth a read.

Radley Balko lists some of the many eminent domain abuses waiting to happen in light of the Kelo decision.

Well heck, I really am rich. Yesterday I received a Wilderness Ridge newsletter in the mail. Did I get a (massive) raise and nobody told me? If so, it hasn't shown up yet in any of my bank accounts.

Our troops have completed their missions: the liberation of Iraq, the capture of Saddam Hussein, and the provision of security for the January 30, 2005, elections. American military personnel should be commended for accomplishing these difficult tasks and performing them in a courageous and selfless manner. We cannot continue to keep our servicemen and women committed to an open-ended, violent conflict in Iraq. By removing our troops in an orderly and systematic fashion over the course of one year, we will withdraw our troops on our terms while retaining the honor and respect that they deserve. By creating a direct aid program for Iraq, we give them the necessary funds to become an advanced, industrialized, democratic nation. By giving the Iraqi government full control over the disbursement of aid funds, we respect the wishes of the Iraqi people and foster the development of good diplomatic relations. Our exit strategy will help to end the senseless loss of American and Iraqi lives. It will ensure that Iraq is rebuilt in an efficient and expedient manner, at the lowest possible cost to the American taxpayers. Above all else, the intent of this proposed strategy is to remove our troops from harm’s way and, in the near future, return them to their families — who have been supportive through these trying times. Our hope is that the great loss of life seen by both American and Iraqi families will give the Bush administration pause to consider and deploy this strategy for eventual peace.

Read the whole thing. Whether you agree with the plan or not, it is nice to see the LP take a stand on something other than pot use.