Generalities: July 2003 Archives

U.S. Botanical Garden has an example of the Titan Arum, which has the largest flower of any plant and smells like rotting flesh. Evidently it is blooming now.

I'll have nightmares about this flower.

"The plant accumulates energy through its enormous leaves, some reaching greater than 18 feet tall and 15 feet in diameter .... Average recorded size of the inflorescence [flower] is about 5 feet, and the largest one is said to have been 12 ft in height! The plant lasts about 2 days at full bloom before falling into an exhausted heap."

I haven't written much as my niece and nephew from Chico, California.

It has been a whirlwind tour. We went to the Mall of America twice, visited relatives, camped in the BWCAW, spent time fishing and boating on Lake Vermillion, went to see the Twins, Bunker Lake Wave Pool, Shoreview indoor pool, had lunch in Duluth, visited the International Wolf Center, ate at the Chocolate Moose in Ely, and shopped at Piragis, and did pottery.

While doing that I also worked, dealt with a car that threw a piston, changed my oil, and took care of my own children.

It was a whirlwind, but a lot of fun.

We went to the Forest Lake July 4th Parade. It was everything a good small town parade should be. Red, white and blue was displayed everywhere. Flags were in good supply, candy was flying everywhere.

I love a good jingoistic Independance Day Parade. I love how people stand up and take their hats off when the color gaurd goes past. I love the people throwing candy to the kids. I love the antique cars, and the VFW's, a Kiwanis clubs. It is quintessential americana.

More photo's in the extended entry.

Happy 4th of July!

I probably won't blog tommorow, so I thought I would start celebrating early.

I am phenomenally glad to be an American. Here's to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I for one am glad to not be a subject of the crown.

Hopefully next year will see a society with greater freedoms. Among the freedoms I would like to see restored are the following.

• Freedom to travel without showing my papers.
• Freedom to read, without Big Brother snooping over my shoulder.
• Freedom from secret courts and secret warrants, and military tribunals for U.S. citizens.
• Freedom from corporate greed by placing works in the public domain afer a limited time.

So Happy Independance Day! Do yourself a favor, read your U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independance and State Constitution. See what the country was meant to be.