Good morning, friends and neighbors! Welcome to Tuesday, November 27, 2018. Rain and wind have been pounding on our corner of the continent all night, with a third of an inch in my rain gauge, and though the downpour should quickly dwindle this morning, we’ll have a chance of thunderstorms from late morning until nightfall west of the Cascades. It’s windy at the coast, with rough ocean conditions. Sunrise 7:25 AM, Sunset 4:30 PM. It’s Day 331 of 2018, with 34 left in the year.
Some guy’s been going around poking people with some kind of metal object in southeast Portland–maybe a screwdriver, maybe a broken antenna. There’ve been four attacks that police know of, but there may be a lot more. Media’s calling him the Hawthorne Poker, except now he’s in the pokey, having been rounded up last evening.
A Jet Blue plane bound for New York made a U-turn to PDX last night after the crew detected a tire problem. All OK.
Anyone notice jets flying overhead in places where you haven’t seen them before? A friend in West Linn reports hearing airlines roaring over his apartment on their way to PDX…and I’ve heard a few coming from an odd due-west direction, when they normally come in from the south. I do know the Oregon Air National Guard is doing night-flight training all this week, but that’s pretty common. Those guys guard the entire Pacific Northwest.
All’s well on the 4th rock from the sun, where the Mars InSight’s solar panels are open and collecting power on the Martian surface, after yesterday’s thrilling pinpoint landing.
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The overall economy is bubbling along, but General Motors is closing five plants, and firing 15,000 workers, because of a declining market for old-fashioned gas-powered sedans. The company is shifting its investment to electric and autonomous vehicles.
It’s election day in Mississippi, where President Trump held two rallies last night–including one where he entered through a fireplace with Christmas stockings hanging–supporting GOP candidate Cindy Hyde-Smith, whose racial attitudes have become a national issue, but who holds a commanding lead over black Democrat Ron Espy in the Mississippi polls.
The president’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort is being accused of lying to the Muller probe, thereby breaking his plea agreement, exposing him to a lengthier prison sentence, potentially more criminal charges…unless he’s pardoned.
Forty years ago today, on Nov. 27, 1978, San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and City Supervisor Harvey Milk, who was way out front in being an openly gay elected official, were shot to death inside City Hall by Dan White, a former supervisor.
There’s skepticism out there over the claim by a Chinese scientist that he created the world’s first genetically edited babies, which if true would be a reckless step into a world of “designer babies.”
Jimi Hendrix, one of the most influential musicians in a century, was born this day in 1942 in Seattle, and died 27 years later in London. He’s buried at the Greenwood Community Cemetery in Renton.
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Let’s warm up that coffee cup with a bit of good news…
–“10 year-old called lifesaving hero after senior center fire”
–“Stranger returns lost wallet and adds extra cash”
–“Two Brothers Drive 4,500 Miles To Bring Food To Animals Affected By California Wildfires”
–“IKEA Opens Its Doors For Homeless Dogs During Cold Winter Months”
–“South Korea president unveils ‘peace gift’ puppies from North”
Details at the Coffee Cup, linked below!
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Keep your cats inside…coyotes have been fattening up lately…
There’s a Christmas tree shortage. Really! And it’s blamed on the 2008 recession, when growers stopped planting trees…that would have been ready right now. The result is higher prices, less selection..and people like my sweetie and me, experimenting with previously unthinkable artificial trees, although I’ll miss lying on a tarp in the mud sawing down my own.
Heading in through the puddles for a morning of radio fun with my K103 pals…stay warm, safe, and let us know what you’re up to…thank you!
Portland's Daily Drip 