Good morning Drip City! It’s Thursday, November 21, 2019, a time of year that’s normally as dank as a dungeon and wet as a sponge, and yet here we are, enjoying nine hours of sunshine (because that’s all there is) and highs in the 50s. It’s a cold 34 on my deck and 32 in Salem and Hillsboro at 0400, so there may be widespread frost as you roll out, and a stiff Gorge wind to lean into late in the day. But the weather stays bright and crisp until rain finds its way back by Saturday night. Sunrise 7:17 AM Sunset 4:34 PM.
Thanksgiving Day is just a week away!
It’s not impossible..based on expected global geomagnetic conditions…that we could catch a glimmer of Aurora Borealis on the northern horizon.
Journalists are using terms like “affable” and “unflappable” to describe Portland’s Gordon Sondland after his day under the hot lights of the impeachment inquiry. Here’s the lead sentence from The New Yorker: “On Wednesday morning, an obscure millionaire from Portland who was such an amateur at international diplomacy that one of his colleagues compared him to a car careening down a mountain road without a G.P.S. or guard rails, came as close as anyone has yet to blowing up the Presidency of Donald Trump.” We’ll see about that; he definitely laid a glove on POTUS in the quid-pro-quo department. But today he’s back at work as Trump’s ambassador to the European Union.
Who saw the Democrats’ debate, and who would like to weigh in? I watched most of it, and thought it settled nothing, but I’d rather hear what you think. Laugh line of the night came from tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang, who was asked what he would say in his first conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin if he were elected. Yang said he would tell Putin, “I’m sorry I beat your guy!”
Oregon’s been hit with a blockbuster billion-dollar verdict by a Linn County jury, which ruled the state breached its responsibility to fourteen rural counties by not cutting as much timber as they should have, depriving the counties (including Linn) and schools and other taxing districts of critically needed revenue over the past couple of decades. Nice venue-shopping by Davis Wright Tremaine. The state, which is sure to appeal, says it’s been managing the forests for the good of all, not only the timber counties, and factoring in clean air and water, recreation and wildlife habitat.
Oof…the measles are back in Clark County…an unvaccinated child has been confirmed with the disease, and may have shared it with unsuspecting people at Portland International Airport’s E Concourse on November 14..along with Peace Health Medical Center that same day…and Randall Children’s Hospital on November 14.
If your caloric needs are not being met, there’s a new Voodoo Doughnut shop opening this year…in Oak Grove, of all places! It’ll be in a former Starbucks at 14620 SE Mcloughlin. Just eleven blocks south of the Bomber!
Odd headline on CNN this morning: “NASA has found sugar in meteorites that crashed to Earth”
The Blazers are on the road against the Milwaukie Bucks today at 5. Still no Damien.
The Portland Winterhawks (from their web site) “wrapped up their regular season series with the Vancouver Giants on a winning note, beating them 3-1 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum to improve to 13-5-1-2 overall.”
Look who’s turning 50 today: Ken Griffey Jr., Hall-of-Fame slugger and outfield wall-climber for the Seattle Mariners. Junior becomes a Senior!
************************************
In the Cup full of Good News:
–“USPS launches site to adopt letters to Santa from low-income kids”
–“Breakthrough discovery in plants’ DNA may lead to slowing aging process in humans”
–“Prison Sees Change In Prisoners After Shelter Cats Are Brought In”
–“13-Year-Old Feels ‘Entitled’ And Makes Fun Of Poor Kids, Mom Makes Him Wear Goodwill For A Week”
–“Stolen Prius found with full gas tank, tires filled and Crocs stolen”
*****
That’s all, folks! One more day to the weekend….then I’ll be off all next week, completing my 2019 resolution to leave no vacation days on the table!
Portland's Daily Drip 