Every day Ed picks a topic, does a web search and picks the bones out of various international blogs. The varied viewpoints and opinions coupled with Ed's humor should make you think, grimace and grin.

It is Independence Day in the USA, but this isn't the only country to have kicked the shit out the occupiers and gone it alone. There are many other brave nations that haven't had it quite so good since doing their own thing



The fuzzy wuzzies didn't manage to remove Kitchener from Sudan at the turn of the last-but-one century, but a polite please in the 1950's did see off the Imperialists once and for all. Read the potted history of a troubled African nation from a guy with a name the Empire would be proud of.

Independence to create your own fair legal system is a wonderful thing. For instance, did you know Sudan has borders with 9 countries? Imagine the field day the Sudanese Customs people have had since 1956, confiscating such a wide variety of merchandise for their own personal consumption without fear of reprisals from any imperialist occupying leaders.

Sweden seems such a peaceable country full of Volvos, beautiful blondes and ABBA music, but in 1905, they were mad at their neighbors, the super power that was Norway. They were so mad, the Swedes sought independence, and after a quick arm-wrestle between kings, they got it.

Since that momentous occasion, Swedes have developed a highly advance social system where everything important in life is freely available within reason - due to a high tax burden with few loopholes for the ultra wealthy to exploit. Well, so the Swedish tax theory goes.

For the most important Independence Day of the lot, the President in this synopsis-less film said, I saw... its thoughts. I saw what they're planning to do. They're like locusts. They're moving from planet to planet... their whole civilization. After they've consumed every natural resource they move on... and we're next. Nuke 'em. Let's nuke the bastards. This sounds like a typical reaction for any leader seeing his slice of earth being threatened by foreign beings.

And on a more personal universal level, independence can come in many different forms. Here are a few ideas!