I just saw this sad news:

http://www.komonews.com/...

Darcy and her family and pets are OK; they were home when it started.

Last summer the Puget Sound populace was shaken by a bow wave of fear.  Two 'Middle Eastern'-looking men took a few ferry rides on our state ferries.  They appeared curious about the workings of the ferries and took photographs on board.  Locals noticed their foreign appearance and their frightening actions and alerted Homeland Security.  A massive search mission failed to identify or apprehend the two, even with huge front-page headshots in the papers and some quality time on CNN.  Much anguished discussion resulted both here on DK and in Northwest newspapers and news forums.  Had we been violated by terrorists?  When were they coming back?  What were they planning?  

Three limousines bearing Canadian and Australian flags were waved through police checkpoints in the Sydney central business district and drove into the APEC restricted area to within a block of President Bush's hotel earlier this week.  The motorcade stopped and a man dressed as Osama Bin Laden got out of one of the vehicles.  Only then did the police realize something was amiss and arrested 11 people.

http://www.abc.net.au/...

Seems the Budapest riot has not caused much discussion here this morning.  I am wondering if there are others who have information about what is happening and want to discuss the implications for Hungary.  All politics are local, and what transpires as a result of this government's actions will mark Hungary and the younger governments of Europe for years.  

Laughing is good for you. This diary belongs in Cheers and Jeers but I just found this gem this morning while listing inventory for my book business.  I guess Abebooks.com has stepped on some conservative toes and the Politically Correctors are marching... this could be another "Canadian Bacon".  Readers, Follow Me!

"What's in the Secret Memo" is slipping - just went from 3rd to 4th most watched.  Go spend a couple minutes watching it to get it back up to most watched.

This is not significant diary material but might help get Joe CNN to be better informed about Downing Street Memo II.

http://www.cnn.com/

Thanks for Freeping!

This afternoon I spent some time reading a stunning story in Der Speigel (English Edition Online), headlined "A Tale of Two Lives Destroyed by Abu Ghraib".  If the story of what we have REALLY accomplished in Iraq is of interest to you, please come along...  

According to the Independent Online, we have spent our #@$%^*#).  The U.S. has shot up the town and is now forced to buy bullets from Israel due to the catastrophic success of our little Warren Terrer.

Six Billion Bullets.

Looks like we won't be cleaning up the disastrous mess we made of Iraq's infrastruction, after all.  Done spent all the money on 'security'.  Sorry, Iraqi's!  Maybe someone else will fix it back for you.

(This article was headlined in the Guardian's online edition as of about 30 minutes ago.  I just went back to reference it and it was GONE!  Googled it and got a link.  Read it before it vanishes!)

From my Webster's Deluxe:

gen-o-cide (dzenesaid) n. The deliberate extermination of a race of people, such as the Nazis attempted sgainst the Jews (fr. Gk fenos, race + L. caedere, to kill)

Earlier this year, I had a chance to hear a short lecture by someone whose public image I had always admired; travel guru Rick Steves, from "Europe Through the Back Door".  Rick's wisdom and unmatched knowledge about sensible travel for Americans has kept me glued to his PBS broadcasts and videos for years.  

Armchair travellers, join me below the fold.

The town of Port Angeles, WA is blessed with fabulous natural riches, a few rags, and a certain number of racists.  Today's headline concerns the attempt of some in the community to punish the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe for getting in the way of white man's moneymaking, with their historic request to leave a 1,700 year old graveyard at rest.

The article in the Peninsula Daily News:

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/sited/story/html/183006

What you can do about this, below: