Can't Light the Fuse

I woke up to the steady pitter-patter of rain this morning. Nice way to cool down the temperature, but I can't recall the last time the 4th of July got rained out. No big deal really, none of the local events are scheduled for today. This year we're celebrating the 4th of July on the 5th in Hartford.

I always wonder who the guy was with balls big enough to screw with the holidays. Changing Washington and Lincoln's birthdays to President's Day, shifting around celebratory civic days to a convenient Monday. Was there ever an official day for Memorial Day or Labor Day? How can Memorial Day be memorial if the date keeps changing? Don't let the bastards mess with Christmas.

Two (okay maybe three) unrelated, non-4th of July, random observations after spending 20 minutes reading news headlines on the Internet:

Headline from an article on ESPN.com today: A year ago, Amobi Okoye was drafted by the Texans at age 19 -- as the youngest player ever drafted in NFL history. Now, he is finally 21 and enjoying every minute of it. No doubt this guy will be suspended for steroids, he skipped a year!

Whiffle Ball, manufactured in Shelton, CT, is 55 years old this Summer. The amazing fact here isn't the 55 years, but the "made in U.S.A." label. So long as the kids don't pull out the extension cord and start playing Backyard Baseball for Nintendo Wii in the backyard, Whiffle Ball will remain America's real pastime. Wii is easier on the rotator cuff.

Baseball is about as American as the family sedan these days. 28% of all major leaguers are foreign born while a whopping 47% of minor players are from other countries. Hey, at least the owners are all American....wait, I think a Japanese conglomerate owns part of the Mariners.

Oh, well. Back to drying out my firecrackers. Here's hoping for sunshine on the 5th of July!