July 1: 5 Things You Should Know About The Fourth of July

1. There is a 50 percent chance of rain today but the sky will be mostly sunny. The high temperature is 80 °F. The wind will come from the north at speeds between 3 mph and 8 mph. There is a 30 percent chance of rain tonight when the overnight low is 60 °F. The wind will come from the northwest at speeds between 3 mph and 5 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

2. Look for a new edition of Moms Talk about Independence Day today on Suffield Patch.

3. From the best-loved standards to rock anthems and country tunes, patriotic songs are numerous here in the good old U.S.A. As you’re preparing for your Fourth of July festivities, don’t forget to download some songs to bring out those patriotic feelings in your guests. Chances are, you’ll have party-goers singing about “amber waves of grain,” playing air guitar to Jimi Hendrix or drawling about “the hippies and the rebels and the Yanks,” a la Charlie Daniels. To help you make your music selections, here are some top-ten lists:

Ten Patriotic Rock Songs:

1. "Song for America" by Kansas
2. "America" by Simon and Garfunkel
3. "Real American" by Rick Derringer
4. "America" by Neil Diamond
5. "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." by John Mellencamp
6. "America the Beautiful" by Ray Charles
7. "Red, White and Blue" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
8. "(You Can Still) Rock in America" by Night Ranger
9. "Star Spangled Banner" by Jimi Hendrix
10. "Living in America" by James Brown 

Ten Famous and Patriotic Songs about America:

1. "The Star Spangled Banner"
2. "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"
3. "America the Beautiful"
4. "God Bless America"
5. "The Stars and Stripes Forever"
6. "My Country Tis of Thee"
7. "Semper Fidelis"
8. "The Marines' Hymn"
9. "God Bless the U.S.A."
10. "This Land is Your Land"

Ten Patriotic Country Songs (in no particular order):

1. "Only in America" by Brooks & Dunn 
2. "Ragged Old Flag" by Johnny Cash
3. "Some Gave All" by Billy Ray Cyrus
4. "Bumper of My S.U.V." by Chely Wright
5. "America" by Waylon Jennings
6. "Arlington" by Trace Adkins
7. "In America" by Charlie Daniels
8. "Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly" by Aaron Tippin
9. "American Soldier" by Toby Keith
10. "God Bless the U.S.A." by Lee Greenwood 

 
4. There are many Internet radio stations that can get you through your Independence Day festivities, as well. AOL radio offers a station dedicated to patriotic songs. Also try Pandora and Slacker.
 
5. As promised, here are some more random Fourth of July facts, courtesy of the Census Bureau:
 
Fireworks

• $190.7 million – The value of fireworks imported from China in 2010, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($197.3 million). U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $37 million in 2010, with Japan purchasing more than any other country ($6.3 million).
• $231.8 million - The value of U.S. manufacturers' shipments of fireworks and pyrotechnics (including flares, igniters, etc.) in 2007. 

Patriotic-Sounding Place Names
 

• Thirty-one places have "liberty" in their names. The most populous one as of April 1, 2010, is Liberty, MO. Iowa, with four, has more of these places than any other state: Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty.
• Thirty-five places have "eagle" in their names. The most populous one is Eagle Pass, Texas. The closest is Eagleville, a part of Mansfield.
• Eleven places have "independence" in their names. The most populous one is Independence, MO.
• Nine places have "freedom" in their names. The most populous one is New Freedom, PA.
• One place with "patriot" in the name. Patriot, IN.
• Five places have "America" in their names. The most populous is American Fork, UT.