Got a little time off from the world this past weekend. Escaped to the coast with Alexis last Friday and did our best to wander in the least productive fashion possible.

Well, sorta.

We did go geocaching a couple times and made an attempt to stay in Seaside (the everpresent armpit of the Oregon coast) on Saturday night, but ended up heading home after the hassle became too great.

Alex goes in for some outpatient surgery this week, so things are a little crazy. Her folks are going to look after her for a few days afterwards....then I'll bring her home.

Overseas news reports state that American troops were caught in an ambush outside of Bagram. The U.S. Military is denying that seven were killed and fourteen wounded in the attack. In fact, they deny that it happened at all..

A spokesman for U.S. Central Command, in charge of American military activities in the region, told Reuters from Tampa, Florida: "It is not true. We have had no such ambush or incident."

Everybody remember this one. They denied that it happened.

Stock market posted a near 500 point gain today. Right on the heels of the arrest of the corporate creeps of the now bankrupt cable TV giant, Adelphia.

I like the trend.

More interesting news today...

The trail of greed leads to the banks (Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase) who appear to have help finance the dodgy accounting practices that started this hideous mess.

Witness the pilfering of American pockets.

Additionally.....a tie between the Catholic Church sex scandal and greed at Arthur Andersen has been unearthed. Who forgot to report this story? The mind boggles.

I hope someone is heating a cauldron....

Back to reality.....

The stock market continues to tank.....while Nero fiddles....and Worldcom greases up the pole for the next employee restructuring meeting.

More erosion of civil liberties are on the way - as the possibility of having the military participate in actions normally reserved for the police moves closer to reality.

Ah....the fun never ends.

Portland Highland Games today. Men dressed in kilts and tossing denuded trees end over end.

Mmmmm.....denuded.

Fun event though, I suspect that Alex and I will be attending next year.....perhaps in proper dress.

So...last night I met up with a few representitives from the local blogging community.

All three of them. But a brave three indeed.

Felt like the digital geezer of the group - as I was at least ten years older (and in some cases 15 years older) than my compatriots. Despite the age gap, we found some common ground in our compulsion to blog - and thankfully there was plenty to fill the time. I look forward to checking it out again - hopefully with more of PDX in attendance.

Props to urbnpup, Kira and vianya for showing up...

For more info, check out the 'meetup' tag on the right...

Here's a pic of yesterdays meetup.

Forgot to mention my foray to the Oregon Country Fair last Saturday. A welcome break from all the strange and terrible rumblings we've been getting from our corporate/political 'leaders'...

Ran into all the hippies, yippies and freaks within a 500 mile radius of Eugene. Music, food and a certain amount of recreational exploring were en force. Average joe families and naked revelers painted blue stood in line for satay chicken wraps and lemonade as they soaked in the sun, nearby jams and an occasional whiff of sweetleaf.

Alex, my brother and I wandered for about 5 hours amongst all of this....far too much to absorb in one day. Infinately more fun than your average fair, although the $18 entry fee was a little steep. Guess that's the going rate for your average freakout these days.

In other news....

Bush has officially vouched for the integrity of Dick.

Rightly put.

Check out the reaction to the verdict in John Walker Lindhs' hometown.

The last paragraph is a little chilling....

Much to the delight of Republicans everywhere, the "American Taliban" is back in the news.

After much interrogation (and most likely coercion) - the prosecution has succeeded in drawing a plea of guilty from John Walker Lindh; thereby guaranteeing him at least 20 years behind bars - for being at the wrong place at the right time.

U.S. Attorney Paul J. McNulty, chief prosecutor in the case, called the pleading "an important victory for the American people in the battle against terrorism."

Noting Lindh's ongoing 'cooperation', Attorney General John Ashcroft hailed the plea deal. "He will now spend the next 20 years in prison — nearly as long as he has been alive," Ashcroft said.

I wonder if Kenneth Lay will receive 20 years for his far more destructive and anti-American dealings?

Will the CEOs and corporate networks that are manipulating the media to shove this "war" down our throats even see substantial jail time for the economic damage they have done on American soil?

Don't count on it.

There's a lot of talking going on out in the Beltway.

Corporate Crime will no longer be tolerated.
The evil terrorists are plotting within our own borders.
The new budget deficit was beyond the presidents' control.

Right.

Does anyone really believe anything that comes out Washington these days?

I mean really.....the GOP bitched incessantly about the moral character of Uncle Bill when he was in office (largely brought upon himself), but these same "moral pillars" are strangely silent when it comes to the double-dealings and not-so-subtle corporate toadyism of this current administration.

The amazing thing is the way the American public continue to suck it up. Especially the average Joes who get to foot the majority of the bill - and still find a way to vote Republican!

Like the GOP is actually going to do something for them - other than to shout "God, Guns and Old Glory!" over their shoulder while they lift their wallets, civil liberties and better judgement.

Would someone please find this man a job in the prison system?

Preferably inside with the other crooks.....

Dingos for lunch - on a hot afternoon.
Tasty chicken burrito with salsa and black beans
Siesta?

A most excellent holiday weekend.

Spent the 4th with friends doing the BBQ thing. Conversations were peppered with operatic babble - as many visiting singers were in residence. Not able to just eat and drink - the party soon digressed to musical interludes. Alexis was persuaded to play Carmen for the assembled masses....always fun to watch.

Hit the Gorge on Friday for a little day trip with a friend. Drove down to Cascade Locks and visited a geocache before treking into a nearby creek. Beautiful day with plenty of downtime.

No rush, no hurry.

Lo-fi on the remainder of the weekend. Visited Ridgefield, Washingtons' holiday jam and got my small-town experience for the month. The rest was spent mostly just kickin around the house with the wife and cats.

Simple pleasures.

Bustin' the hump today....the rush before mass vacation is piling up on my desk.

Had our first BBQ of the summer last night. Steak and beer - the American summer tradition.

Also received a little Troubletown in the mail....one of my favorite comic strips that's published regularly in the Portland Mercury.