steady flow

Photo copyright 2008 Gazelle

Metolius River, Oregon

The Metolius flows directly from deep spring headwaters, which makes for a steady and mellow flow all year round.

going postal

The voices of people were the same, no matter where you carried the mail you heard the same things over and over again.

"You're late, aren't you?"
"Where's our regular carrier?"
"Hello, Uncle Sam!"
"Mailman! Mailman! This doesn't go here!"

The streets were full of insane and dull people. Most of them lived in nice houses and didn't seem to work, and you wondered how they did it. There was one guy who wouldn't let you put the mail in his box. He'd stand in the driveway and watch you coming for two or three blocks and he'd stand there and hold his hand out.

- excerpt from Post Office by Charles Bukowski

old & grey (in color)

Photo copyright 2008 Gazelle

Dead tree trunk, Black Butte, Oregon

On a totally unrelated note, I've added some new you tube links in my "Watch & Groove" section to the right. Sadly, some links had to be deleted since the videos had been removed (I'm gonna miss Elvis Costello's "Pump It Up"). But for those of you that are interested, I found a nice fresh crop - a great live version of "Autonomy" by the Buzzcocks from around 1990, some essential Clash, namely "Tommy Gun," "Train In Vain," and "Ghetto Defendant." Also, check out the two amazing Black Sabbath concert clips from 1970 - "Fairies Wear Boots" and "War Pigs." Maybe all this old music is related to my post - it clearly demonstrates what an old (though not yet grey) fart I've become.

P.S. "Pump It Up" is back, but probably won't last long - check that footwork!

high and mighty

Photo copyright 2008 Gazelle

The McKenzie River, between Sahalie and Koosah Falls, Oregon

whaddya got for me?

Photos copyright 2008 Gazelle

Begging ground squirrels, Black Butte, Oregon, elevation 6436 ft.

that evil we do (so well)

excerpt from To Bear Any Burden: The Vietnam War And Its Aftermath In The Words Of Americans And Southeast Asians -

"To maintain control in the camp, the Pathet Lao used prisoners as spies. They reported to the Pathet Lao the names of dissidents and conversations they heard among other prisoners. There were many executions by firing squad. Some people were sent to jails from which they never returned. Others were shot while trying to escape.

On one occasion, a group of thirty prisoners talked amongst themselves about conditions in the camp. A spy overheard this and told a Pathet Lao official. The thirty conversants were rounded up. The Pathet Lao accused twelve of them of being "radical rightists." They were tied with a rope and forced to sit.

The soldiers picked up big hammers that we used to break stones, and hit the prisoners on the head. They were lying in a pool of their own blood. But they were not dead. And the victim's eighteen friends stood around them, paralyzed with fear. The Pathet Lao ordered them to bury the twelve friends alive.

The eighteen protested strongly that these wounded men were still alive. They refused to bury them. The Pathet Lao became furious. They handed the prisoners the bloody hammers and ordered them to beat the men lying on the ground to make sure that they were dead. Unfortunately, the men had no choice but to finish off their friends. They then buried them as the Pathet Lao ordered."

Prasith Sayaphon, Prisoner, Pathet Lao Seminar Camp, Laos-Vietnam Border, 1975-82

d.i.y. style

"In the beginning it was basically a volunteer arrangement as there was no money to pay anyone, but by the early '90s we were not only able to pay everyone, but also able to provide them with health insurance and other benefits. I've always considered this one of our most important achievements. Most businesses, including record labels, have used profits (or at least the fear of losing profits) as their guideline for operations. Because we have tried to approach the label as a mission of documentation as well as a community-based entity, we have managed to avoid many of the industry-standard practices. The fact that we are able to help support the people who work for us as well as pay royalties to the bands seems to be proof that such an approach is possible."

Ian MacKaye, from the Dischord Records website History pages.

summertime

Photo copyright 2008 Gazelle

It's coming. I can feel it...

victory at sea on the clackamas

That's me on the far right, getting some snow melt swell...

st. johns IV

Photo copyright 2008 Gazelle

st. johns III

Photo copyright 2008 Gazelle