What are you doing on the Internet?

Don’t you have a hot dog to eat? A flag to wave? A parade to see?

I could ask the same questions of myself.

I’m in Niagara Falls for this July 4th. I’m about to go stare at some natural wonders of America.

But before I go I wanted to give you a few stories I found today about July 4th that I found interesting.

But before even that, I thought I’d take a brief moment to tell you way I am so into America. I love it all. The lefts, the rights, all the nationalities. It blows my mind. I’m just so into it all. On top of that, I believe we are in a wonderful time of peace and wonder. The “terribleness” that we are lead to believe we are experiencing is primarily a fabrication created by our media and our politicians.

Yes. We have problems. But they are nothing like the problems we have lived through since July 4, 1776. In fact, that was the date where things were just about to get really bad. Things got much worse before they got better on Sept. 3, 1783, when the Treaty of Paris ended the war.

Americans are a crazy people. While the rest of the world considers us, I think, arrogant and myopic, I also think that admire our foolish optimism. We were the people, after all, that were brave enough to demand our freedom. This was during a time when the Romantics in literature and music were hoping for a greater society. Americans lived out the Romantic ideals.

I think we still do that to this day. We are a cool people. ALL OF US!

With that, here are a few stories that are cool. (Then go watch a Will Smith movie or something.)

Independence Day (United States) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail: The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

Mommy Points – Happy 4th! Now Earn 10x Miles for Celebrating – USATODAY.com

Right now Lowes.com has 10x points through the UR portal

Fourth of July is deadliest day on roads; 10% of deaths are teens – latimes.com

Not only is July 4 ranked No. 1 for overall traffic fatalities — with an average of about 140 road deaths each year — it’s also the deadliest day for teen drivers and their passengers.

Happy Fourth of July!: Celebrate with activities from Amy Sedaris | New York Daily News

Happy Fourth of July! May your holiday be limited to just one viewing of Will Smith beating up aliens and many more hours of heart-stopping explosions.

4th of July Google Doodle Was Made For You and Me – Search Engine Watch (#SEW)

“This land was made for you and me,” lyrics penned by Woody Gurthrie in the 1940s for his anthem “This Land is Your Land.” On July 14, it will have been 100 years since Guthrie was born.

Happy Fourth of July to the Treason Party – Chicago Sun-Times

one third of Americans wanted revolution, one third were loyal to the crown and one third could go either way. Loyalists did more than talk; they formed Tory regiments and fought alongside the British, against their fellow Americans.

Taxes and Independence: Happy Fourth of July – Forbes

Here’s what really irked the colonists: under the British Constitution, no British subjects could be taxed without the consent of their representatives in Parliament. But the colonies didn’t elect representatives to Parliament. The colonists considered the constant imposition of taxes on them under those circumstances to be unconstitutional. It was, they felt, “taxation without representation.”