“Everything was a lie. There were no drills here." Russia's been admirably on message regarding its involvement in Ukraine for months. The gist: It's not involved. Just training extensively near the border—certainly not launching covert attacks in hopes of aiding pro-Russian rebels increasingly beset by Ukraine's military. Except now, as the presidents of the countries are set to meet, Ukraine says it's captured Russian troops who were making those selfsame covert attacks. That quote above is from one of them. Russia's beautiful and ironclad response? They must have ventured across the border by mistake.
Meanwhile, Gaza's strife may be coming to an end (for now). Hamas leaders have reportedly reached a long-term ceasefire agreement with Israel. Part of that agreement: Potentially a lift of Israeli and Egyptian blockades hampering Gaza.
Beauty supply news! Really amazing beauty supply news, actually. There's now a nail polish that can tell you if your drink's been dosed with a date-rape drug. Just genius, except for the whole putting-your-fingers-in-your-drink thing.
Passersby found a 4-year-old boy floating, dead, in Hagg Lake yesterday. His parents' car was nearby. His parents? Nowhere in sight.
You know how for years we've been bemoaning Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's brutal, likely criminal, treatment of his people in the country's ongoing civil war? Well, now everyone hates ISIS more than Assad, but Assad hates ISIS, too, and we certainly don't want to help him. So what's the play? As US surveillance planes take to the skies over Syria—an almost-certain precursor to attacks—that's the question.
Frigid, desolate North Dakota is one of America's breadbaskets. No one cares anymore, though. It's all about oil, these days, and to hell with the silos full of rotting grain (some of which would make their way here) and the people who make Cheerios.
KATU knocked on doors to quiz people about their pantries in order to determine whether Portland's ready for an earthquake. That's one way to do it. We could have saved them some time, though.
Speaking of quakes: Drone porn of Napa's recent misfortune.
It's not splashed across front pages as much as it was earlier this year, but the marriage equality fight is still plowing ahead with a lot of success. Today's battlefront: A federal appeals court in Chicago, which will hear arguments on overturned gay marriage bans in Wisconsin and Indiana.
I have not read this lengthy piece about a former Texas corrections employee who witnessed almost 300 executions, but I intend to. Join me.
Check out this new model examining air pollution in Portland, then decide to drive less.
If it helps you make that decision, there's a new service in Portland that'll run to Whole Foods and Costco for you (and presumably others at the same time) for a reasonable fee.
Still summer. Don't let the dream die.
By posting this I'm falling into the hands of these Internet wizards. And I don't care.
