Happy Independence Day 250-- July 4, 2026

Mad Magazine, June, 1963

Happy Fourth of July to all. 250 years ago, we declared our independence. Our Dear Leader is doing his best to ruin it for everyone.

Alfred E Newman celebrates with a firecracker.

Red Devils Return to Pacifica #19 -- July 3, 2026

Pacifica is one of the two cities on the San Francisco peninsula that allow the sale of fireworks. The booths arrived last weekend and opened yesterday afternoon or today.  This is the stand at Pedro Point.  I took the photo on 26-June-2016. 

Many Pacificans agree that selling fireworks is a bad idea: We have steep, brush-covered hillsides that pose a fire danger. People use the "safe and sane" fireworks to mask the unsafe and insane variety. Not to mention my cat hates the Fourth of July.  Not to mention we cursed with the effects of a terrible drought. 

Unfortunately, our charities claim that fireworks are the only thing they can sell that will generate enough money. That can't be true. What about drugs? Weapons? They're not thinking outside of the box.

Due to health issues, this post is a rerun of a post from 2016.