Randy Cassingham's Blog

Posted by Tami in Redlands, CA on July 3, 2010:

Thank you so much for these beautiful pictures. And many thanks to those who have served our country in many capacities to ensure the freedoms we enjoy every day.

Posted by Tom, Colorado Springs, CO on July 3, 2010:

We caught a bit of a rainbow here in Colorado Springs yesterday evening... Just a bit of one dangling from the clouds. Still very pretty. Thanks for sharing those gorgeous pics (and now I want to explore your part of the state!)

And a HUGE "thanks" for calling it what it is: Independence Day. Every country has a 4th of July; only we Americans can call it "Independence Day". To call it anything else does a disservice to those who envisioned it, implemented it, and put their lives on the line to make it happen and preserve it.

To anybody who reads this: If somebody calls it the "4th of July", would you take a moment to stop and correct them? It's far more than just a day to drink a beer and light off a firework (and please: leave that to the professionals) -- it's THE day to celebrate our Independence and remember what it took to make it possible. It's not just another day on the calendar.

I personally would love it if I never hear "Happy 4th" ever again because everybody called it "Independence Day".

Posted by The Barking Unicorn, Denver CO between dimensions on July 4, 2010:

So far, on this birthday of the U. S. A., I've encountered these examples of profound numptiness:

1. A poll reveals that 26% of Americans think we declared independence from France, Spain, Mexico, Japan, or China... or (I pray) that 26% of Americans love to yank pollsters' cranks when asked insultingly simple questions. :)

2. Ran into people at a July 4 arts festival who are circulating a petition that would deny bail to "violent offenders." The one I talked to didn't seem to understand the qualifications for signing a petition.

"Are you registered to vote?"

"No, lad, I gave up voting after Obama. He proves I'm just no good at it."

"Well, sign this petition...."

"How do you identify violent offenders?" I asked.

"There's usually witnesses, and police reports..."

"You've heard of the 'presumption of innocence,' haven't you?"

"Yes, but..."

"Well then STOP DOING THIS, you idiot!"

And July 4 is not about "remembering those who died so that we can be free." That's Memorial Day, and it's mostly a delusion. No U. S. soldier has died for freedom since the Revolutionary War. Everything since then has been for greed.

July 4 is a day of patriotism - the demonstration of one's delusion that your patch of dirt is better than mine simply because you happened to be born on it.

The USA is the greatest country on Earth, which is the greatest planet in the solar system, which beats all other solar systems in the Milky Way, which puts those other dinky galaxies to shame.

Oh, and my home town team can beat the tar out of yours, and those people who squat on the other side of our street shouldn't be mixing their mutt children in our school.

"The fundamental delusion of humanity is that I am here and you are out there," wrote Zen master Shunryu Suzuki.

Only when we stop dividing ourselves finer than flour will brave young people stop dying for no good reason. That is how to honor their misguided yet still noble sacrifices.

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I consider World War II a war for freedom. -rc

Posted by Mike from Dallas on July 4, 2010:

I particularly loved the tagline:

And remember how many fought and died for our freedoms before you casually give them away.

Posted by Jim in southwest Illannoy on July 4, 2010:

It's interesting how the rainbow in the first picture comes down in front of the hill instead of on the horizon like I'm used to seeing them. Very nice Randy.

And yes, thank you for the reminder of why we have a holiday, to celebrate our independence and our fragile freedoms.

Posted by Mary, Columbia, SC on July 4, 2010:

A beautiful reminder of why we are free.

Posted by John -- East Texas on July 5, 2010:

Excellent photo of the double rainbow. It is usually quite difficult to capture a secondary rainbow on film. Maybe it works better with a digital camera.

Was there a tertiary rainbow? They are generally so faint that cameras can't get them, whereas, the eye can.

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The primary was very bright, so the secondary was quite easy to see -- clearer than in the photo. But I didn't detect any glimmer of a third. -rc

Posted by Charlie, Texas on July 5, 2010:

The secondary rainbow is only a little less than half of the total brightness of the primary, but it is spread out over a larger circumference and bands about twice as wide, so it appears much fainter. It is 51 degrees from the anti-solar point -- the point (below the horizon) opposite the sun and the center of both the primary and the secondary. The lower in the sky the sun is, the higher the rainbows are. The primary is 41 degrees from the anti-solar point. The tertiary rainbow is on the other side with the center on the sun, so it is almost impossible to see in competition with the direct path rays. Its radius is about the same as the primary, but it is much fainter.

Posted by Bill, Round Rock TX on July 6, 2010:

Cool shot! Now if you could have just caught the planes coming from the Ouray parade in the same shot!....Getting back to Ouray soon for my daughter's wedding next month, it will be good to be back home.

Posted by Stretch, aka, Uncle Sam. Denver, CO on July 6, 2010:

Randy, very nice. Thanks for sharing. Here is a "Uncle Sam" rainbow photo taken on the 4th in Commerce City where I was performing.