>> There may be some hardware fault, but I'm trying to make sure that it OUGHT
>> to work, before I start hacking up our one and only proto.
>
>Are you sure the LCD pin #1 (ground) has the same ground
>from the processor?

Yes, solid connection. I'm having trouble talking to other devices while
the LCD is supposed to be sleeping.
Data 6 seems to be pulling hard high from somewhere. Since the LCD works,
it is my most likely culprit.
This pin is "data" to three other devices, and I can't talk to them.

>The pull up is around 60k Ohms, it draws 73uA to drop a data pin to around
0.5Vdc.

One would think that a micro ought to be able to yank such a pin to ground
:)  In fact the adjacent pin (data 7) is used in the same manner, as clock
for the other devices, with no problem.