Midday Open Thread

• If you've stocked up on fireworks for today's celebration, please take a moment to see what stupid looks like.
• Don't miss Gail Collins' hilarious take on Palin's resignation speech:

  So if she’s starting to run, it will be as the same reporter-avoiding, generalization-spouting underachiever that she was last time around.

  Now we know she not only doesn’t have the concentration to read a policy paper, she can’t focus long enough to finish the job she was hired to do.

  On Friday, Palin said that finishing out her term would be just too easy. “Many just accept that lame-duck status, hit the road, draw the paycheck and ‘milk it.’ I’m not putting Alaska through that,” she said.

  Apparently, she’s going to put the rest of us through it instead.

• It seems that the National Archives has a problem with archiving. How Seinfeldian.

• Greg Sargent at The Plum Line has a run-down of yesterday's big news - with the best title ever:

  Bailin' Barracuda, Or The Quitah From Wassila

• Two U.S. soldiers died today in Afghanistan.
• And while our involvement in Afghanistan increases, Vice President Joe Biden is in Iraq saying that our role there is switching to diplomacy.
• It seems that the Washington Post isn't the only news organization trying to cash in on influence peddling, they're just the only one stupid enough to send out fliers bragging about it.
• After nearly eight years, people are finally being allowed to make the climb to the crown of the Statue of Liberty.
• President Obama leaves tomorrow for a week long trip to Russia, Italy and Africa.
• Serena Williams beat sister Venus for her third Wimbledon title.