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Three of my favorite words.

They also rang true for one of my favorite Americans, Edward Abbey. Take a little time this weekend and pick up a copy of The Monkeywrench Gang and see what real patriotism is all about.

And as we celebrate this Independence Day, let’s here from one of the original patriots, Thomas Jefferson:

“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.”

Have a safe and happy long weekend.

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 In a nation of sheep, one brave man forms a majority. — Edward Abbey

Here in the United States, the petty corruption that’s so rampant in many other countries is largely absent. You get a parking ticket and, if it was issued legitimately, you only have to pay the fee on the ticket. In many other countries, and not just developing ones, tickets can mean having to grease plenty of people along the way including cops, government flunkies and others who are on the dole.

Lately, though, in many places  across America, petty government officials and corporate bureaucrats have been taking lessons from their third world counterparts and are insinuating themselves into the fabric of our country. Most of us simply accept these inconveniences as part of modern life.

We should not.

That is why, to commemorate Independence Day a little early, I am going to salute one brave American who stood up and fought for freedom.

In other news:

• Yes, you are being tracked by the government using the GPS in your cell phone. Civil liberties groups have just filed suit to gain access to the records.

•  Utility workers are forming a domestic secret police force in three western states. They will be looking for “suspicious activity” like “taking photos of no apparent aesthetic value, making measurements or notes, espousing extremist beliefs or conversing in code.” Aysay oodbyegay otay eedomfray.

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Maybe it will help with the trade deficit, but shouldn’t we be putting more effort into working on becoming the leader in alternative energy instead of exporting our torture prowess? See the video here. Also, as it turns out, some of the torture methods we were using in Guantanamo were also used by the Chinese on Americans during the Korean War. See the original torture chart here.

• It’s not looking good for freedom of speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

• Best headline of the day: Prostitutes feeling the pinch at the pump.

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Members of the Native Hawaiian sovereignty movement are itching to get out of the US and really, who can blame them? Of course, Texas and Vermont make a point of trying to exit the union most years. Who’s ready to take up the cause in Florida?

• Maybe it is time for a second American revolution…

• Good news: the excuse-the-criminal-acts-of-the-telecom-companies FISA rewrite is on hold at least until after the holiday weekend, so there’s still hope of stopping this travesty.

• Man wants out of unbelievably hapless witness protection program.

• No, you aren’t imagining it; you are getting much less for your dollar at the grocery store, even though the packaging wants you to think you’re still getting a deal.

• More news you’ll never see in the mainstream media: why agrichemical giant Monsanto may destroy the earth. If you eat, you need to watch this video.

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OK, not all of these links are the freshest, but they are all green by nature:

• The incredible, edible front lawn.

• 10 things you did not know about birds.

• Picking tips for vegetables. And some for fruit.

• Why having intestinal parasites may be good for some people.

• Latest White House excuse to ignore climate change: we didn’t get the e-mail.

• Mote Marine Laboratory here in Sarasota is currently treating two pygmy killer whales.

• In some of the biggest environmental news to come down the pike in the Sunshine State ever, Florida agreed to buy U.S. Sugar and restore 187,000 acres near the Everglades to pristine condition.

• The solar revolution continues.

• False alarm. The Large Hadron Collider being built in Switzerland isn’t going to destroy the earth by creating a black hole. Or so the builders say.

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Everyone knows that George W. Bush’s grandfather Prescott was a Nazi sympathizer, liar and lousy businessman, but few people realize how well W has done in fulfilling his granddad’s fascist dreams for the United  States.

• Which brings us to this video explaining some one restriction to the First Amendment right to free speech:

• If you want to know the truth, it’s always a good idea to turn to the best political journalist we have, Sy Hersh. The rush to war with Iran continues, otherwise unreported.

• Of course, Israel would be thrilled if we’d do the dirty work for them.

• And if you think that an attack on Iran would be a cakewalk, think again.

• But hey, if we start another war in a Muslim country, we can continue to help al Qaeda with its recruiting goals.

• And if you don’t want to take my word for it, how about Ron Paul’s:

• Today’s most disturbing new: Kids at a summer camp at the United States military academy at West Point are getting really jazzed about killing people. Be sure to watch the video. The Hitler Youth parallels are profound.

• The peso is rising against the dollar, foreclosures in the Lone Star State are skyrocketing and there is plenty of money south of the border to fund the takeover.

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It’s Friday, so let’s get right to it: the truth about Iraq and Afghanistan.

• OK, I’ll just tell you. Iraq was about oil.

• Finally, someone willing to call Tim Russert what he really was — just another high paid government courtier.

• I continue to watch with glee as the GOP implosion continues.

• How did $23 billion disappear in Iraq? You’d be surprised. Actually, you probably won’t be.

• Bank of America continues to find new ways to screw its customers. How’s a $10 fee on a $2 transaction sound?

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Who’d have thought that Arnold Schwartzenegger’s cult classic, Predator, would spawn yet another political hopeful? This time it’s Sonny Landham, who played Billy in the film. Now, he’s running, as a libertarian, for Senate in Kentucky, where he will try to unseat current majority leader Mitch McConnell.

A classic momment from the film:

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In other, less important political news, Congress, for a reason I’m at a loss to come up with, approved a White House backed plan to update the Foreign Intelligence Service Act, a plan that will give retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies who help the government spy on Americans.Oh wait, here’s the reason: money.  Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama supports the plan, a move that has devastated many of his most loyal, netroots backers.

• Today in conspiracy theories: The destruction of World Trader Center 7 is looking more and more like an inside job.

• And, are the neocon nutjobs planning another Pearl Harbor, this time in the Persian Gulf?

•  The truth about the cannabis cure for cancer.

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The Orange County Register, a newspaper in California, annouced it is outsourcing some of its copy-editing and design to workers in India. Management claims no jobs will be lost. Yet.
This blog, for now, will continue to be produced in Sarasota.

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Let’s start off with our wonderful brethren from television telling us exactly what was on their minds, even if it wasn’t the news of the day….

• As we build up to another war, probably in Iran, the Pentagon’s Black Budget is near an all-time high.

• And we may get to use more of that super-secret stuff, especially since one pundit thinks the president will attack Iran if it appears that Barack Obama will be elected this November.

• Exploding pastries and more: the real gadgets of the CIA.

• The U.K. has plans to begin microchipping prisoners.

• The dark side of John McCain.

• Ron Paul still does not buy the official view of 9/11.

• So much for the Fourth Amemdment to the Constitution.

• To add one last drop of political joy to your day, some neocons are suggesting bombing Iran’s oil producing facilities to try to stop that country’s work on nuclear enrichment. No matter that this would send gas prices to$10 per gallon or more and ruin the world’s economy for years to come.

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