WHAT TO DO ON JULY 4

This is our nation's 247th birthday.  Time magazine this morning had two articles providing a slightly different view of what really happened in 1776:

• July 1776 Was a Shotgun Wedding.  In effect, the Continental Congress saved Democracy from almost certain civil war by finding a way to cooperate.
• America's "Real" Independence Day is not July 4.   That day should have been 2 July 1776.  Why?  Read the article.

The New York Times this morning said:

• Drones and lasers are becoming more popular as an alternative to fireworks, minimizing wildfire risks.  Also pet friendly and will not cause any air pollution.
• Coco Gauff lost in the first round of Wimbledon.
• Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo are favored to win today's Nathan's hot dog eating contest.

There was a two-hour delay because of weather, but Chestnut (only ate 62, not the record 76) and Sudo (39.5, before the delay) did win their Mustard Belts.  I find this competition too nauseating.  But if you want to, direct from Coney Island, here are Miki's victory...and Joey's.

You certainly don't want to watch this during any meal.  In my case, this is what I will have for lunch today.

So what should you do today?  Be patriotic.  I'm wearing blue and red.  Stay home and watch TV.  The annual show is A Capitol Fourth from the National Mall, with 17 minutes of fireworks at the end.  This all began in 1979 with the National Symphony Orchestra.  I was there that first night, for I was then working for the U.S. Senate.  I can still remember that feeling of excitement that morning, figuring out what to eat/drink and where to find the best location to place your blanket.  Watch your PBS station at 8PM EDT (same time in Hawaii).  The stars this year are Renée Fleming, Babyface, Belinda Carlisle, Boyz II Men and Chicago, with Elmo and the Cookie Monster.

The larger Macy's fireworks show will come from New York City, which kicks off at 8PM EDT on NBC, fireworks from around 9:25PM.  This one goes on for 25 minutes, and will debut a new mile-wide waving flag of red/white/blue fireworks.

However, what has blossomed into the best of them will be on CNN from 7PM EDT (1PM Hawaii).  The program will run for 6 hours, showing all the fireworks from the major USA cities, plus:

CNN has lined up a stellar roster of musical artists. Alanis Morrissette, The All-American Rejects, Darius Rucker, Demi Lovato, Duran Duran, Flo Rida, Leon Bridges, Post Malone, Sheryl Crow, Smash Mouth, Zac Brown Band, and The Plain White T’s are all slated to perform on the special. And additional musical guests will also appear.

The best show of all might begin at 6:40PM on  TBS and the Angel's station:  Shohei Ohtani vs Joe Musgrove.  Shohei might have had the best June in Major League Baseball ever, while Joe was the top pitcher last month.  Also, watch this.   If you can bet, Ohtani and Musgrove have some interesting proposition bets.

This also is one of those holiday days when stations play all the Star Wars (TNT), patriotic films (TCM:  Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1776, etc.) and Indiana Jones (Showtime).  His Dial of Destiny is now out, and will be his last one.  After all, he is 80 years old.  

Of course the franchise will continue.  Who will replace him?

• Chris Pratt of Jurassic and other galaxies.
• Glen Powell, who was Hangman in Top Gun: Maverick.
• Ryan Gosling, who is currently the favorite.
• Phoebe Waller-Bridge is in Dial of Destiny, his goddaughter, and also an archeologist.
• 
  Ke Huy Quan, yes, fanciful, but was a child in the Temple of Doom, left acting for two decades, but returned in Everything Everywhere All at Once, winning the Best Supporting Oscar award, and was the real star of the film.  If not as the new Indiana, then perhaps an older Short Round.

The first Indiana Jones movie was released 42 years ago, Raiders of the Lost Ark.  His character was based on Hiram Bingham, of Hawaii, who found Machu Pichu.  Just re-saw Ford in American Graffiti, a 1973 film where he played villain Bob Falfa, his breakout role.  That was half a century ago.

To close, I woke up this morning to Oh? Carol by Neil Sedaka on Music Choice.  Said the song was named for Carol King.  So I researched.

• Yes, they both went to Abraham Lincoln High School, in Brooklyn, New York, along with Neil Diamond.
• And the song was, indeed, named for her when she was Carol Klein, and a member of the Linc-Tones, the first group that Sedaka formed.

• 
  Oh? Carol (colorized version) was written by Sedaka when he was 13, with Howard Greenfield (16), in 1958.  Sedaka's first #1 hit....but that was in Italy in 1960.
• Also in 1958, Gerry Goffin (with King above), who later married Carol King, composed Oh! Neil, which she recorded.  Same music, different lyrics.  And combined.

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