While You Were Out . . .

Despite the empty patch on the blog, the world continued to happen around us. Here's an update, for those who use this blog for news and information (and I worry about that, sometimes):

How's the Economy? You know the old joke - it's a recession when you get laid off, it's a depression when I get laid off? Well, it's a recovery when three friends get gigs over the course of a week - Congrats to Brainstormfront, Stan!, and Mystical Forest on the new jobs. The stock market is bumbling along at just under 11000, and the dollar is weaker than a talk-show host's monolog, but at least there's hope.

Social Security? Turns out there isn't a crisis after all, unless we screw around with the system like we're planning to.Then we've got a crisis.

Homeland Security Alerts? The Technicolor rainbow of doom may be going the way of the dinosaur with new management in Homeland Security. On the other hand, Ferry security is getting an upgrade.

Clear Skies Initiative? The most cynically-named piece of legislation since No Child Left Behind didn't even get out of committee. Now they're back to trying to drill in ANWR. Bruce Cordell has details on that.

Iraq? We're still there. Afganistan, too. The good news is that my friend's daughter has rotated back from Kuwait, where she did her BOG. Bad news is that another friend in Kate's RPG group may be rotated out to the Big Sandy come fall.

Weapons of Mass Destruction? Never were any. Sorry about all the fuss.

Volcanoes of Mass Destruction? Why yes, Mt. St. H let off a good-sized plume of ash and steam, which drifted Northeast into the Yakima valley and beyond. You could see the plume from Portland. People in Seattle say this a lot - You can see the active volcano from Portland. Portland.

Weather Very, very dry. Horribly sunny. Miserably pleasant. Only Seattlites get worried about the lack of rain, and for good reason - we rely on the rainy season to get us through the summer months in our aquifer and snowpack. The Gov has told people to prepare for a very dry summer, and already plans are going into place. Seattle should be able to weather it without too much, at least for one season. It's the Eastern half of the state that's going to catch it in the teeth.

Gregoire? Still governor.

Rossi? Still trying.

Osama? Still missing.

More later? OK, more later.