At some point, depending on the time zone of the Internet Defense League, the banner will appear on the this site and stay up for the next 24 hours.

This is part of a protest over the loss of privacy caused by the blatant flaunting of Fourth Amendment rights by the current and previous administrations with the acquiescence of Congress, and the courts.

As Americans celebrate the Fourth of July they should keep in mind that the Declaration of Independence was signed by men who were well aware that their signatures would be considered acts of treason, and subject them to a death sentence. They consciously chose freedom over safety.

If you read The Bill of Rights you will see:

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

That wording and meaning can only be changed by amending the Constitution. All laws must conform to it unless it is amended. The supporters of the unConstitutional surveillance will claim that ‘the Constitution isn’t a suicide pact’. They are correct, it isn’t. It is the law of land that provides the structure and ideals that make the United States possible. If you ignore it, you may have something left, but it won’t be the United States of America.

The BBC reported that the Bolivia leader’s jet diverted ‘amid Snowden suspicions’:

Bolivian President Evo Morales’s plane had to be diverted to Austria amid suspicion that US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden was on board, the Bolivian foreign minister has said.

Officials in both Austria and Bolivia said Mr Snowden was not on the plane.

France and Portugal reportedly refused to allow the Bolivia-bound flight to cross their airspace.

Based on the non-denial denials coming from various European foreign ministers, they really did commit a major diplomatic faux pas and blocked the passage of a diplomatic overflight based on bad intelligence.

Meanwhile, it is my considered opinion that top FSB officials are ROFL having suckered the US for the second time about Snowden leaving. The first time, only journalists were made to look monumentally stupid, but this time the US government embarrassed multiple NATO members while enraging yet another major natural gas producing nation.

Cagnes-sur-Mer to Marseille

Distance: 228.5 kilometers.

Stage five is a return to the hills. It starts with Côte de Châteauneuf-Grasse, a category 3, then hills until Col de l’Ange, category 4. They inserted a sprint at the midpoint, but it certainly isn’t on the flat. It finishes with a pair of category 4s, Côte de la Roquebrussanne and Côte des Bastides with 10 km to the finish. Not a real mountain stage, but nothing for the true sprinters.

SuperManx, Mark Cavendish, has picked stage win 24, while the Jerseys remain unchanged. With six teammates to provide him with a launch at the end of the race, it was a foregone conclusion. He is one win away from tying for third in the all-time standings with André Leducq.

Simon Gerrans ( Aus – OGE – 181 ) [Yellow] 18h 19′ 15″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 011 ) [Green] 111 points
Pierre Rolland ( Fra – EUC – 051 ) [Polka Dot] 10 points
Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) 4 [White]

Team: Orica-GreenEdge ( OGE – 181-189 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Mark Cavendish ( GB – OPQ – 151 )
Combative: Thomas De Gendt ( Bel – VCD – 203 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Simon Gerrans ( Aus – OGE – 181 )
2 Daryl Impey ( RSA – OGE – 185 ) + 00′ 00″
3 Michael Albasini ( Sui – OGE – 182 ) + 00′ 00″
4 Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 153 ) + 00′ 01″
5 Sylvain Chavanel ( Fra – OPQ – 152 ) + 00′ 01″
6 Edvald Boasson Hagen ( Nor – SKY – 002 ) + 00′ 03″
7 Christopher Froome ( GB – SKY – 001 ) + 00′ 03″
8 Richie Porte ( Aus – SKY – 006 ) + 00′ 03″
9 Nicolas Roche ( Irl – TST – 097 ) + 00′ 09″
10 Roman Kreuziger ( Cze – TST – 094 ) + 00′ 09″

The Rest of the Top 30:

[Read more →]