Happy 243rd Birthday to the United States of America! I will be spending most of it with some expat friends exploring the beautiful town of Guatape, Colombia.. Afterwards, we will return to Medellin to see if there will be any 4th of July festivities going on anywhere. When I still lived in Nebraska, I usually always make an effort to watch the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in the morning followed by going to the fireworks stand to buy some fireworks to set off during the evening. This year, I will be on the search for some Colombian BBQ.

Feel free to share your 4th of July plans and/or family traditions in the comments section. I would love to hear them! Anyways onto Flakes...

Frosted Flakes

Northern Illinois Football Preview | Football | Corn Nation

“That’s one way to remember Northern Illinois’ last trip to Nebraska in 2017. Tanner Lee threw two pick-six interceptions in the first quarter, and it became clear to everyone that the Mike Riley experiment was heading into an uncontrollable tailspin.”

Martinez Grateful for Manning Academy Opportunity | Football | Huskers.com

When Adrian Martinez received an invitation to serve as a counselor for the 2019 Manning Passing Academy, the Nebraska sophomore quarterback needn’t think twice.

Palmer to Play in NBA Summer League | Basketball | Huskers.com

James Palmer Jr. will begin his professional career with the Phoenix Suns, as he was signed by the organization for their NBA Summer League team. Palmer will play for the Suns’ in the Las Vegas Summer League beginning this Friday in Las Vegas.

Mailbag: One Former Husker Star This Year or Three 5-Stars for 3 Years? | Football | Hail Varsity

Hail Varsity staff members Mike Babcock, Jacob Padilla, Greg Smith, Erin Sorensen and Brandon Vogel tackle your questions about the latest news in Husker Nation.

‘Nebraska was the best place for me:’ Iowa pass rusher Blaine Gunnerson commits to the Huskers | Football | Omaha World Herald

It was on Blaise Gunnerson’s official visit when Nebraska coaches started rattling off names of former Husker outside linebackers who had Gunnerson’s build and skill set. One of them was an Academic All-American and NU’s only winner of the Butkus Award. Trev Alberts.

Drew Mackie, a former Texas Tech commit, chooses Husker Baseball | Baseball | Lincoln Journal Star

Drew Mackie, who played his high school baseball in Liberty, Missouri, originally committed to Texas Tech University. The outfielder/third baseman announced on Twitter his decision on Wednesday and joins the Huskers 2019 recruiting class.

Nebraska Volleyball Returns Home After 17-Day Tour of Japan and China | Volleyball | Hail Varsity

Overall, the Huskers won eight sets and lost 10 in official scrimmages, and also got in plenty of training and extra scrimmage sets that weren’t statted. Cook opted to roll with his normal lineup for some of the matches but also sat some of his veterans in others, giving younger players a chance to see the court.

Huskers learned a lot about soccer and more about each other on recent trip to Scotland | Soccer | Lincoln Journal Star

The Huskers returned to Lincoln last week after a whirlwind tour of Scotland over a two-week span, which included five matches and a wealth of experience for coach John Walker and his veteran squad.

The USWNT is exactly as arrogant as you perceive it to be | Soccer | SB Nation

While the English press and fans of other countries have leveled accusations of arrogance against the United States, their play displays no such trait.

After 7 years of struggles, Christen Press finally gets her big USWNT moment | Soccer | SB Nation

“I think that the most proud moments I’ve had in my career are after failures, when you kind of learn that the sun also rises and the world keeps spinning when you fail and when you succeed,” Press says.

4th of July

Chestnut favored again on 2019 Hot Dog Eating Contest odds | Food | SB Nation

All eyes will be on betting favorites Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo at this year’s Fourth of July Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Joey Chestnut On How Often He Eats Hot Dogs Yearly | Food | People

Since 2005, Chestnut has competed in Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, which takes place annually on July 4th at Coney Island. In 2007, he ate 66 hot dogs, claiming his first victory and kicking off the start of his long-time rivalry with six-time champion Takeru “Tsunami” Kobayashi.

The Rise and Fall of Takeru Kobayashi, Godfather of Competitive Eating | Food | The Daily Beast

Takeru Kobayashi burst onto the American scene at the 2001 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, where the lithe 5-foot-8 Japanese 23-year-old, using a revolutionary water-dipping technique and a body-wiggling maneuver known as the “Kobayashi Shake,” ate an astounding 50 hot dogs—double the prior record.

Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was changed by Takeru Kobayashi | Food | Business Insider

Kobayashi argued that his success was more psychological than physical, and that by setting a vastly bigger record, he redefined what people thought was possible, allowing them to push themselves.

The “World’s Largest Hot Dog” is 5 Feet Long and 66 Pounds | Food | Travel and Leisure

Officially, no one holds the record of “Largest Hot Dog;” however, Guinness does have a “Longest Hot Dog” record, which was over 668 feet long, and the meat alone weighed over 264 pounds. Frankly, that sounds like a larger hot dog, as well, but whether that matters since it didn’t apply for the “Largest” title is yet to be seen.

17 Movies That Will Get You Fired Up About July 4th | Entertainment | POP SUGAR

There are plenty of new Summer movies in theaters, but if you’re looking for the perfect flick to watch at home over the Fourth of July weekend, then you’ve come to the right place. From incredible firework displays to picturesque beaches, these movies are all about that red, white, and blue.

The Best Fourth of July Fireworks In Every US State | Entertainment | Travel and Leisure

Each year, the 4th of July brings Americans together to eat hot dogs, drink beer, and celebrate the founding of the United States. But no Independence Day celebration is complete without a show of colorful explosions. From sea to shining sea, there are some pretty amazing places to take in an all-American light show over the long 4th of July weekend.

Travel and More

20 Best Beaches In Europe | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

I am not much of a beach guy but I have still heard of (but not visited) any of the beaches on the list. Are you adding of these 20 beaches to your bucket list?

These are the Best Countries in the World for Expats | Travel | Lonely Planet

Many of us dream about moving away to foreign lands, so a recently-published report – the Global Expat Index 2019 – outlining the best countries in the world to live abroad may prove to be helpful. Iceland, Austria and Canada are the top 3. USA is 7th.

Ireland’s light-hearted approach to life | Travel | BBC

Outside of Ireland, few people know the word ‘craic’, a way of living in the moment and doing something just because you love it.

A Monster to History, Stalin is a Tourism Magnet in his Hometown | Travel | New York Times

Here are just a few of the fun facts that visitors learn during a guided tour of the Stalin Museum in Gori, the small Georgian town where the former Soviet leader was born. Joseph Stalin was a good singer. He wrote poems. During his reign, 9,000 state enterprises were started. One of his granddaughters now runs a shop in Portland, Oregon.

Paris to ban tourist buses from city center amid complaints of ‘too many’ visitors | Travel | The Telegraph

Tourist buses are “no longer welcome” in central Paris, the French capital’s deputy mayor has announced, insisting that visitors switch to environmentally friendlier alternatives “like everyone else”.

Unrating Vienna: the city’s tourism board wants you to ignore online reviews | Travel | Lonely Planet

The Vienna Tourist Board is taking a pop at online ratings with its new ad campaign, ‘Unrating Vienna.’ Following on from the success of last year’s campaign, ‘Unhashtag Vienna’ – which encouraged travellers to take fewer photos and experience more. I think this is a really clever ad campaign. Kudos to the Viennese.

Tourists flee hotels and ‘jump into the sea’ as volcano erupts on Italian island of Stromboli | Travel | The Telegraph

A volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli has erupted, sparking fear among tourists and locals and sending a giant plume of ash and smoke into the sky. There were reports that some tourists had thrown themselves into the sea in panic, while others jumped into boats to evacuate the tiny island.

This Scottish Island is Looking for the Perfect Person to Watch its Famous Sheep | Travel | Travel and Leisure

Among the job’s responsibilities is making sure the sheep don’t eat anything bad, wander off, or jump off the island’s rocky cliffs That’s actually why there was a 13-mile long, six-feet high stone wall erected around the perimeter of the island to keep the sheep from the shore.

Historic land deal opens up huge stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail to the public | Outdoors | Lonely Planet

After five years of negotiation and some $15 million dollars later, one of the largest privately owned stretches of the Pacific Crest Trail is now open to the public.

Major fire burns two Jim Bean bourbon warehouses in Woodford County, Kentucky | News | CBS Kentucky

Chandler says one warehouse initially caught fire with flames spreading to the second structure. Crews were able to put out the flames in the second warehouse. Flames were still visible in the first warehouse five hours after the fire started. Chandler says approximately 45,000 barrels of bourbon were in the warehouse that was still burning.

Chinese border guards put secret surveillance app on tourists phones | News | The Guardian

Border guards are taking their phones and secretly installing an app that extracts emails, texts and contacts, as well as information about the handset itself. Tourists say they have not been warned by authorities in advance or told about what the software is looking for, or that their information is being taken.

Rapid cross-resistance bringing cockroaches closer to invincibility | Science | Purdue University

German cockroaches are becoming more difficult to eliminate as they develop cross-resistance to exterminators best insecticides. The problem is especially prevalent in urban areas and in low-income or federally subsidized housing where resources to effectively combat the pests aren’t as available.

‘Space Doctor’ Sounds Like the Coolest Job Ever — And People Are Already Training for it in Utah | Space | Travel and Leisure

Deep in the Utah desert, the Martian Medical Analogue and Research Simulation is teaching medical professionals and aerospace engineers how to be doctors in space.

Apollo 11 tapes bought for $218 may sell for millions after nearly being lost | Space | The Guardian

Tapes identified in 2008 as the only surviving original recording of the first moon landing in 1969 are to go up for auction in July.

Extras