Happy 4th of July!

[PaiLumDreamer]

Yeah. Texas is insane .

[GeneChing]

To be truly American, here's something commercial.
Get 15% off sitewide at MartialArtsMart.com with the coupon code: july15
Offer ends July 4th midnite EST.

[David Jamieson]

Happy 4th Americans!

[GeneChing]

In the Spirit of '76, check this out.

WASHINGTON'S SWORDS

As military weapons or fashionable accessories, swords were always at George Washington's side.

Below you will find some of the most remarkable swords in George Washington's collection. Either in his hand or at his hip these swords witnessed some of the most important events in our nation's founding.

INTERVIEW
Washington and his Swords
Erik Goldstein, author of The Swords of George Washington, explores the artistry and history of Washington's swords.READ MORE


The 1753 Silver-Hilted Smallsword
George Washington carried this sword throughout his French & Indian War campaigns.


The 1767 Silver-Hilted Smallsword
One of Washington's most beautiful swords, this sword appears in many famous Washington paintings.


The Silver Lion-Headed Cuttoe
Washington acquired this stylish cuttoe with the lion's head just prior to the start of the Revolutionary War.


The Bailey Silver & Ivory-Hilted Cuttoe
Washington carried this famous sword throughout the final years of the American Revolution.


The Model 1767 French Officer's Epée
General Washington may have received this sword as a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette.


The Steel-Hilted Smallsword
Worn on the hip of President Washington, this sword witnessed many of the young nation's greatest events.


The Alte Presentation Broadsword
Washington received this decorative sword during his second term as President of the United States.

New Book: The Swords of George Washington

For the first time, every one of Washington's known swords is presented in brilliant color with the story of each weapon told in vivid detail from the colonial era to the present day.

[GeneChing]

The Fourth of July, made in China
How Chinese manufacturers profit off fireworks, grills, and flag sales.
Updated by Ruairí Arrieta-Kenna@ruairiakruairi@vox.com Jul 3, 2017, 1:30pm EDT





The Fourth of July is an economic boom of a holiday — for China.

Ever since the first commemoration of Independence Day, Americans have celebrated with bombs bursting in air. But what started in 1777 with the firing of 13 rockets into the sky in Philadelphia has evolved into a tradition celebrated across the continent with grander and more expensive spectacles. No one benefits more from that than Chinese manufacturers.

The American Pyrotechnics Association reported in 2013 that 93 percent of fireworks used in the United States are made in China. It’s not surprising, then, that the US runs a substantial trade deficit with China with regards to fireworks. A Census Bureau report published on Friday suggests Americans imported more than $300 million worth of fireworks last year (96 percent of which came from China), while exports totaled only about $10 million.

Chinese companies clean up on your cookout, too. The Fourth of July is the most popular day of the year for Americans to cook outdoors, and a 2015 Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association survey showed that there’s still high consumer interest in purchasing new outdoor grills each year. The LA Times estimated in 2016 that the outdoor grill industry consistently rakes in more than a billion dollars in sales each year in the United States. But last year, IBISWorld reported that imports now make up the majority of outdoor grill sales in the United States, and Consumer Reports suggests that most are, in fact, made in China. Even Weber-Stephen, one of the oldest American grill companies, has moved production for a 2017 model of one of its popular lines of outdoor grills to China.

Even new American flags — in a small way — benefit Chinese manufacturers. April, May, and June are the busiest months for flag sales, which makes sense since Memorial Day and Independence Day are the most popular times to fly the Stars and Stripes. But while today the United States is a net exporter of the flag (a positive change from three years ago), America still imports $5.4 million worth of its own banner, with the vast majority of these imported flags ($5.3 million) coming from China.

While “Made in the USA” makes for a popular slogan, American consumers have repeatedly proven that what matters most is getting a good price. That often means buying from China. Even Donald Trump, who preached “Buy American” on the campaign trail, in his inauguration speech, in his February address to Congress, and in a recent, mostly symbolic executive order, found it difficult to buy all American for his first White House congressional picnic a couple of weeks ago.

Food for that picnic was grilled over imported coals — not from China, but from Mexico.

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Jonathan Lemire ✔ @JonLemire
The charcoal at the White House for apparent use at tonight's Congressional picnic is a product of Mexico
3:44 PM - 22 Jun 2017
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The 4th of July Made in China

[GeneChing]

...but not like these.

'Take over America': Shenzhen companies sent USD bills with faces of Chinese emperors for July 4th
BY SHANGHAIIST IN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ON JUL 4, 2017 6:10 PM



Red envelopes containing real US banknotes with removable stickers featuring the faces of Chinese emperors were sent to 500 of the biggest companies in China including Lenovo, ZTE, Huawei, Haier, Oppo and more. This creative marketing stunt was a joint effort engineered by ITTIZ and Global from Asia, and was purposely sent out for maximum impact on the Fourth of July.

Following marketing agency ITTIZ's first campaign in April of last year, which impacted around 15 million people, this second campaign was undertaken with help from Global from Asia. Sean Davis, CEO of ITTIZ, said that considering the current state of globalization, pulling back inwards is not an option for China. His company believes that this campaign is a creative way to share the importance of marketing with Chinese companies by tying it directly with currency, revenues and overseas competition.



With support from Mike Michelini, CEO of Global from Asia, they wanted to create something that taught companies in Shenzhen the value of creativity and showcased the amount of creative spirit available in the city. They also wanted to demonstrate that Shenzhen has more to offer than just hardware innovation, and is also a hub for marketing, branding and design.



While each note is unique, they are all titled, "Are you ready to take over America?" Michelini, who has been in China for over 10 years, was surprised by the reception the campaign has received. After opening their envelopes, here's how some companies responded:

"It really puts into perspective the current state of global affairs and how the world is so quickly changing." -- Q. Shah, CEO, ATOM.

"Received the envelope and instantly thought that this will probably offend some people overseas, however we mainly see the comedic aspect of it." -- Enzo Wang, CEO, Jinzhouheng Electronics.

"Pretty excited to receive the red envelope. Who doesn't love lucky money?! Initial thought was confusion as I thought it was fake, but extra happy when I found out the sticker was peelable and money was real. Not your normal campaign. Ballsy." -- Ibby Azzam, CEO, Mazai Sourcing.

"We found the red envelopes to be quite humorous." -- Leo Chen, CEO, JUISIR.

[GeneChing]

4th of July Special! 20% OFF SITEWIDE! Use coupon code 'JULY4TH' at checkout. Expires July 5 midnight PST

[David Jamieson]

Once again, Happy Independence Day Americans! Treasonous though you may be.

[GeneChing]

Celebrate Independence Day with 20% off at MartialArtsMart.com site-wide!
Use Coupon Code: 4THJULY