Source:www.animation-station.com

I love fireworks, and it seems they get better every year, and this is the time of year when the best of them are lit off.

First off, let me say Happy Fourth of July, to everyone, especially to the men and women of our armed forces the world over.

Two weeks ago I was in Orange County, Ca and stayed at a hotel in Huntington Beach .

The town plays host to a number of military and veteran installations and the hotel where I was lodged was loaded with members of our armed forces. They were the most polite and well-mannered individuals I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

Regardless of your feelings about our country's current involvement with Iraq and Afghanistan, try to find some time today to remember these brave souls, who put their lives on the line to keep us safe.

It's traditional on the Fourth of July to have a barbeque, or at least to stuff oneself with fun food, regardless of where it is cooked. I found, appropriately enough, the secret recipe for the famous Johnny Rockets hamburgers, so you can make them at home.

There's always great entertainment, by great celebrities, to celebrate the Fourth, and the lineup on PBS this year is a bit more lively than usual. Here's a link to the show's lineup which includes Stevie Wonder.

Let's not forget those spectacular fireworks, and the people who make them. These people are so well known and respected that they are themselves celebrities, at least in the industry.

Here's an interesting story about the women of the famous Zambelli family of fireworks makers.

Of course there will be a huge fireworks display on the Vegas Strip. Officially, The Strip is "Las Vegas Boulevard," in case you wondered, but my wife and I will be in our usual spot observing the fireworks shot off from nearby Desert Breeze Park, just minutes from our home.