Your 4th Of July Morning Sift

A- Happy 4th of July wishes from Beached Miami, Justice Building Blog, PhinPhanatic and Bark Bark Woof Woof, who shares these thoughts.

I love this country not for what it is but for what it could be. In my own way I show my patriotism not by waving a flag from my front porch but by working to make things work in our system and by adding to the discussion that will bring forth ideas to improve our lives and call into question the ideas of others. It is all a part of what makes the simple idea of life, liberty, and that elusive happiness so compelling and so inspiring, and what makes me very proud to be a part of this grand experiment.

B- Obalesque has received another email from Carlos Gimenez, this time with the blessings of several South Florida blogs.

There is also a “partial list of endorsements,” which includes Eyeonmiami and randompixels, to blogs to which Obalesque links. Maybe one of these of blessings-giving bloggers will use their approving influence to let their man know what an asshat his people are making him look like.

Bloggingblackmiami is listed twice because Gimenez wants people to know how supportive he is of people traditionally despised by Miami’s conservative Latin Republican power base (except when there’s votes to be mined).

C- Everything you wanted to know about pineapples can be found at Redland Rambles this morning.

Pineapples are not unusual for South Florida. Settlers started growing pines, as they were called, in 1860 at Plantation Key. From the late 1880s to the early 1900s, pineapple was a popular crop, and almost everybody had a patch. Plantations stretched from Plantation Key to the south, to Elliott’s Key (as it was spelled then), north to Lemon City settlement, up the coast to Yamato (west of Boca Raton) which was farmed by Japanese, and as far north as Indian River. The fruit was shipped by schooner and then rail to northern cities. Competition from Cuba and Hawaii, diseases, bugs, and freezes eventually wiped out the industry by the time of WWI.

D- Swallow tailed kite photos at Some Blogging Guy.

These beautiful birds range from the SE coast of the USA all the way to Peru. We see them in Summer, usually soaring over orange groves in central Florida.

E- Random Pixels discusses the latest problems for the Miami Beach PD.

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