July
2015
Why Do We Set Off Fireworks on the 4th of July?
Ever wondered why we set off those humungous kaleidoscopes of gunpowder in our sky each Fourth of July? Apparently, the history of fireworks in America is as old the country itself.
On our first Independence Day celebration,
held in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, when
the country was still in the midst of the
Revolutionary War against Britain, citizens
came together to watch their new nation's
sky illuminated in a grand display meant to
raise spirits. The Virginia Gazette published
this account of the event:
One of the most elaborate celebrations in 1777 and the first organized celebration of its kind occurred in Philadelphia. This event had all of the elements of typical future celebrations–the discharge of cannon, one round
for each state in the union, the ringing of bells, a dinner, the use of music,
the drinking of toasts (it would subsequently be traditional to have one
toast for each state in the union), “loud huzzas,” a parade, fireworks, and
the use of the nation’s colors, in this case the dressing up of “armed ships
and gallies” in the harbor.
The fireworks celebration that night began and ended with 13 fireworks
being set off from the city’s commons.
Boston also had fireworks that year, and the tradition grew from there.
July 4th fireworks displays have even occurred in Antarctica, when explorer Richard Byrd set off fireworks on a relatively warm day—33 degrees below zero.
Now that’s patriotism.
Inside this issue:
Tire Safety: Check
for Wear & Tear
2
Different Colored
Eyes Day
2
Recipe of the Month
3
Hot Enough to Fry
an Egg?
3
Frame Games
4
July Events
July
4th
Independence
Day
July
4th
Sidewalk Egg
Frying Day
July
12th
Different Colored
Eyes Day
July
19th
National Ice
Cream Day
Tire Safety: Check Your Tires for Wear & Tear
It only takes a penny to see if your tires are
worn or losing tread. Examining your tires for
wear and tear, along with checking tire pressure and alignment, are essential to ensuring
your vehicle’s safety on the road and helping
to improve gas mileage and performance.
“The penny test is a simple, yet effective, way
to check tire tread. If you see Lincoln’s head
above the tread, you are ready for new tires,”
said Rich White, executive director, Car Care
Council. “Tires are critical to a vehicle’s handling and traction,
and maintaining
proper pressure is
vitally important
to vehicle safety.
Underinflated tires
are under stress
and will wear unevenly, causing
them to need to
be replaced sooner. Routinely checking tire
balance and wheel alignment reduces tire
wear, improves handling, and increases fuel
economy.”
Tires should be inflated to recommended pressure levels, rotated every 6,000 miles to promote uniform tire wear and be replaced if worn
or damaged.
If the vehicle shakes or pulls to one side, it
could be a sign of an alignment issue. Because
uneven or accelerated tire wear may indicate
an alignment problem, it’s a good idea to have
the alignment checked at least once a year.
Wheel balance can change as a result of normal tire wear and unbalanced wheels can
cause rapid wear of shock absorbers and
struts.
Look in this month’s specials for great savings
on tires and alignments.
Different Colored Eyes Day
Heterochromia, in case you didn’t know, is just a fancy word for different-colored eyes. It comes in
several forms - different colored eyes entirely, eyes that are part one color and part another, or
even eyes that are a different color around the pupil than at the outer edges. Each year on July 12,
people across the United States celebrate National Different Colored Eyes Day. Here are a few fun
facts about Heterochromia:
Less
than 1% of the world population has heterochromia iridum (different colored eyes).
Famous
people with heterochromia iridum include Alexander the Great, Alice Eve, Christopher Walken, Dan Aykroyd, Jane Seymour, Kate Bosworth, Kathleen Mila Kunis, Simon Pegg, and more!
Brown
is the most common eye color in the world. Over 55% of the world population has brown
eyes!
Green
In
is the rarest eye color in the world. Only 1-2% of the world population has green eyes!
some cases, people with albinism can have eyes that appear to be red, pink, or purple!
“Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.” – George Washington
Page 2
Accurate Auto Care
Star-Spangled Fruit & Cheese Platter
I made this fruit and cheese platter for a July 4th Pool Party last year and it was a hit!
WHAT YOU NEED:
 1 pint blueberries
 1 lb block of white cheese (I used Monterey Jack)
 1 lb strawberries
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut the tops off the strawberries and slice the cheese
into squares.
2. Place the strawberries and cheese into alternating rows
and blueberries in top left corner to create a flag.
3. Make sure that your top row is strawberries, as the American flag’s top row is always red.
Is It Really Hot Enough To Fry An Egg?
Sometimes, on hot summer days, the rays of the sun
beat down with such force that it seems hard to
breathe. You might also hear people say, “It’s so hot
outside that you could fry an egg on the sidewalk!” Is
that true? Could you really turn your sidewalk into a
frying pan?
Children and adults have put this idea to the test for
decades. Some people are so fascinated by the idea
that they have annual contests. For example, the city
of Oatman, just north of us, has a Solar Egg Frying
Contest every 4th of July.
If you really want to fry an egg outside on a hot day,
you might have better luck with the hood of a car.
Metal conducts heat better and gets much hotter.
However, we
wouldn’t recommend turning someone’s
car into a frying pan for an
egg!
You could also
try the sideUnfortunately, very few people have successfully
walk… but with
cooked an egg on a sidewalk without some extra help.
a little help.
According to the American Egg Board, eggs need to be
Using an aluheated to a temperature between 144° F and 158° F
minum frying pan or some aluminum foil will help conto be cooked. That’s why sidewalks don’t make such
duct the heat from the sidewalk to the egg.
great frying pans.
Unfortunately, you’ll also likely need to use something
Although sidewalks get plenty hot during summer,
else, such as a mirror or a magnifying glass,
they don’t usually get above 140° F. They also conto intensify the sun’s rays to get your egg fully
duct heat poorly. That means they soak up the heat,
cooked. In case you’re wondering, the judges of the
but they don’t distribute it efficiently to other things,
Solar Egg Frying Contest in Oatman do allow contestsuch as eggs.
ants to use extra help like these options.
When you crack an egg on a hot sidewalk, the egg will
If you do manage to cook an egg on the sidewalk,
cool the sidewalk slightly. Without another heat source
don’t eat it! You don’t want sidewalk germs or dirt in
present, the sidewalk is unlikely to cook the egg
it. Feel free to experiment in the name of science, but
much, if at all.
do all your real cooking in the kitchen!
“Freedom is never given; it is won.” - A. Philip Randolph
Accurate Auto Care
Page 3
2950 Sweetwater Ave
Lake Havasu City, Az 86406
Phone: 928-680-4046
Fax: 928-680-0805
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Happy July From All of Us
At Accurate Auto Care!
FRAME GAMES
The answer to last month’s frame
games: Pocket Change