What a night. I’m so ridiculously, unabashedly proud of America right now I can’t tell you. Maybe our motto should be, as would also apply to our stalled entry into World War 2, “We’ll screw up and drop the ball most of the time, but right at the very last minute of the eleventh hour [...]

I can’t think of any better symbol of independence this week than the well-run operation that freed Ingrid Betancourt, the eleven Columbians and three U.S. contractors, without even firing a shot. My hat is off to those Columbian Commando spies and the American intelligence advisors. And of course, those hostages who have somehow endured it [...]

Racing across to the East Coast and back over the weekend left me a little loopy, but I’m ready to start blogging again. Free Comic Book Day at SuperVillains Inc. in Nottingham, Maryland was packed and busy all day, just like FCBD should be- thanks to my good hosts Michael and Charley. I tooled around [...]

I can’t get a post in over at Newsarama, I assume their server is being slammed at the news of Steve Gerber’s death. I just wanted to say simply that he had an incredible mind and capacity to entertain, and I enjoyed the hell out of his work. At the same time I heard the [...]

Wishing all of you in states voting in primaries good luck getting to the polls today, and enjoy your power. We in Oregon don’t vote until freaking May, which is where I’d be if I still lived in NC as well. Now if I were still a resident of California, I’d be deciding some fate [...]

From Marvel Girl, courtesy Colleen Coover and a snippet from a strip that won’t be out for months. But it felt perfect for wishing peace to everyone. Hope you’re all well.

That’s Gene Simmons on that dollar coin! Who at the U.S. Treasury is a KISS fan?

You have finally made it across Snake River Canyon.

As usual I forgot my camera, so this picture is borrowed from the Great Northern Railway Historical Society. Sunday my little destroyers and I met friends at the Columbia Gorge Model Railroad Club, where they open their doors for a few weekends to let the public see the big room filled with miniature Portland, Oregon [...]

Boy, I just read this post by Jim McLaughlin on the Hero Initiative blog and it really got to me. And then so did Tom Beland’s story in the comments section. Good work, Hero.

The People’s Bridge, the one that takes you to the main restaurant/shop/goofing around strip of South East Portland. I like the Hawthorne Bridge loads, but it’s an artery for cyclists, runners and walkers, and is always a bit busier than I like. I like to lollygag and look around when crossing the river, and this [...]

On the way home yesterday while it was still nice and gloomy (director’s light!) I crossed the Burnside Bridge. There’s a wikipedia picture of it, since there’s no good angle to get of it while crossing. It’s potentially a nice looking bridge, what with the Italian Renaissance towers along the side, but it’s always under [...]

I’m so dang happy my bike is back from the shop, that’s what I’m talking about today. I have a Cannondale hybrid, but I put street tires on it long ago since I haven’t been on a dirt trail for mountain biking in Quite a While. I ride the bike to the studio downtown most [...]

“Please bring seatbacks and tray tables to their full upright position. And slaughter two clean goats to appease me.” Since US Airways merged with America West, they’ve become the worst airline in the country, leaving me and many of my friends in their hellish hubs of Las Vegas and Phoenix for days on end without [...]

Looking at the news this morning, it appears the U.S. is now trying to be a superpower on sheer poundage. As usual, I blame high fructose corn syrup (knock off the soft drinks kids, you’re drinking bottled fat!), but this doesn’t bother me as much as what I keep noticing lately: fat folk smoking. It [...]