July 4 open thread

The particle that the Standard Model of Physics predicts exists, and is the cause of objects having mass.

Or something to that effect.

The good news is that the EU Parliament sent ACTA down in flames. The bad news is "However, other countries such as the US and Japan are expected to continue with implementing it."

And further evidence that the U.S. government is deadset on convicting Manning for exposing U.S. war crimes and 'getting' Assange AND going after one's supposed free speech is this article by Icelandic MP Birgitta Jónsdóttir.
"Evidence of a US judicial vendetta against WikiLeaks activists mounts"
"the guarantees protecting freedom of expression and privacy in the 'offline world' seem not to operate in the 'online world' "; and THAT is something legislation needs to address.

Land of the free,home of the brave cartoon

Oscar Pretorius, aka Blade Runner.

Oscar Pistorius to run 400m race

The "Blade Runner" will be competing in the London Olympics in his favored 400 meters, after all.

The double-amputee runner from South Africa has spent almost all his life without lower legs and his entire track career proving he's good enough to compete with the best. He now has the chance to do just that.

The 25-year-old will be running in London in both the individual 400 and the 4x400 relay -- the first amputee track athlete to compete at any games.

"Today is truly one of the proudest days of my life," Pistorius said.

Wiki

(Oscar Pretorius was born with) "congenital absence of the fibula in both legs. When he was 11 months old, his legs were amputated halfway between his knees and ankles"

His official web site

"You're not disabled by the disabilities you have, you are abled by the abilities you have."

nice post at crooked timber, let it bleed: libertarianism and the workplace, on just how much freedom, liberty and independence american workers [don't] have.

via my favorite biologist

via susie madrak, tpp, the transpacific partnership, is a corporate coup d'etat. there's more at public citizen.

on a different note, the scots are jealous of our freedom (well, at least one of them is), as they're still a colony of the british empire.