THE LEFT LANE
Brother's truck will do

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Don't look for Jack Johnson to arrive at his sold-out Pipeline Café show on Sunday in a stretch limo or anything similarly gaudy.

"We'll probably be driving in in my brother's truck again," said Johnson, laughing, about the long ride into town from his North Shore home.

The singer/songwriter used the same truck from older brother Trent's construction business (and a mini-van from another older sibling, Petey) to get him and his equipment into town for his last Honolulu show in December 2001.

"I have a truck, but it doesn't make it to town. It's got 216,000 miles on it now. It's an old Nissan that's really rusty. I go to Hale'iwa in it and use it to take my trash cans to the end of the street and stuff like that, but other than that, I don't think it'll make it to town. I've got to borrow my brother's car."

For other stories Johnson shared with Advertiser entertainment writer Derek Paiva, see the TGIF tabloid.

No holiday for pets

Advertiser photo illustration

The Humane Society of the United States encourages taking precautions to protect Buddy and pets like him during the Independence Day festivities.

• Some animals can become destructive when frightened, so remove anything they could destroy or that would be harmful to them if chewed. Leave a radio or television on at a normal volume to provide them with companionship while you're enjoying the picnics and parades.
• Never leave pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or chain. Animals may panic, escape or get entangled in their chain and injured.
• Make sure your pets are wearing identification, so they can be returned if they get lost.

For more tips, see www.hsus.org.

What price freedom?

On this day in 1776, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, starting 13 British colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation.

Whether you mark this most American of holidays with a parade or a beach barbecue, you can pepper your conversations with these fun facts, courtesy of the Census Bureau, right after you hang up your flag:

• $7.9 million: The dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags in 2002; more than half of this amount ($5.2 million) was for U.S. flags made in China.
• $646,452: Dollar value of exports of U.S. flags in 2002. Japan was the leading customer, purchasing $86,189 worth.
• 125,000: The number of U.S. flags flown over the U.S. Capitol last year at the request of House and Senate members. On July 4 alone, 1,200 were flown at the capitol.