It's been over a year since my last original blog entry here but I wanted to share something that I heard earlier tonight from a friend who used to work for the O. (Victim of the recent cuts, sadly.)

Vickie Kilgore, Executive Editor since 1998, announced her retirement on Friday afternoon. No word on who is taking over her position just yet. 

Sadly, the Nader/Gonzales 2008 Presidential campaign is suffering a Mainstream Media Blackout. Thank goodness for OlyBlog.

After hearing Nader on Parallel University yesterday, I am really getting back into the idea of Nader as a candidate. I got an email from Jason Kafoury, one of the Nader/Gonzales campaign staffers about the Mainstream Media Blackout that the campaign is experiencing [see bold portion]. Also included is a YouTube video about Nader v. the two-party corporate duopoly.

Check this out:

Wild 24 Hours

Posted by Jason Kafoury on Friday, August 29, 2008 at 10:24:00 AM

What a wild last 24 hours.

With the help of more than a hundred Colorado volunteers and our best roadtrippers we worked day and night to pack 4,000 people into the University of Denver's Magness Arena.

(As usual, this was done with zero help from the Denver media. For example, not a mention all week in the Denver Post, the city's largest newspaper, before or after the event [emphasis added].)

Now we're re-focusing and gearing up for the RNC.

I just flew into Minneapolis and we need your help to fill thousands of seats for our September 4th rally at Orchestra Hall.

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Check out this story about a stolen, and found bicycle: Stolen Bike: Found!

[via email from Cathie Butler]

(Olympia, WA) Off come the doors … out come the windows … down comes the roof. Next week, deconstruction begins on the former BBQ and Pawn Shop buildings at the west side of the new Olympia City Hall site in the 600 block of East 4th. Deconstruction should be completed by the end of September.

On Tuesday, September 2 at 10:00 a.m., Councilmembers Jeff Kingsbury, Joan Machlis and Rhenda Strub, and City Manager Steve Hall will kick off deconstruction by removing doors on the buildings.

“With deconstruction instead of traditional demolition, nearly 75% of the buildings’ materials will be diverted from the landfill,” says Assistant City Manager Subir Mukerjee, who is overseeing the City Hall project.

When deconstruction is finished, several underground storage tanks and any contaminated soils will be removed. Environmental work at the site is under the direction of the State Department of Ecology to ensure proper handling and disposal of all materials. Deconstruction of the main structure – the former Safeway Grocery – will happen at a future date. It will be timed to coincide with construction of the new City Hall so that some of the materials are reused in the new building.

One of the City’s goals for the new City Hall is to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards. Deconstruction and reuse of existing materials is an important factor in achieving LEED certification.

For additional information contact Rick Dougherty, Project Manager, (360) 753-8485.

It's Time for Real Change

How the Democrats Helped Bush Hijack the Country

By CYNTHIA McKINNEY

Our country has been hijacked and the Democrats have proven themselves to have been in on the plan. When it came to the Constitution, the Democratic leadership showed us that aiding and abetting illegal spying on us was more important to them than protecting our civil liberties. When it came to war and occupation, the Democratic leadership showed us that financing an illegal and immoral war, based on lies, was more important to them than the people's desire for peace. And when the people, hurting from the financial mismanagement of this country, called for accountability for the crimes that have been committed against the people here, against the global community, against nature, itself, the Democratic leadership took impeachment off the table!

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Eastside Neighborhood, across the street from us, our neighbor's trees were attacked (click for larger photo):

...any tips (on how this happened), or support is appreciated =)