As you all know, July the Fourth is American Independence Day. Typically, one celebrates by lighting fireworks and observing their effects from an unsafe distance. Most, if not all, American cities have contracted a pyrotechnics company to create a fireworks display for its denizens to watch. If you're one of the people who plan to be present for one such display, here's something to think about whilst you do so...
Independence Day is celebrated by watching Chinese or Italian fireworks from the comfort of a collapsible deck-chair made in Indonesia or a beach towel made in Sri Lanka. In some cases, one can also hear an orchestra of Japanese-made instruments play a song by a Russian composer about a European war. Some will even wave Mexican-made American flags. Unless one happens to live where I do, in which case all of that has been shot down by a rain-bringing cold front from Canada.
At least, that's how this Englishman sees it.
