10 Thoughts for July 9, 2014

1. There was a longish pause between postings.  I'd been settling into a comfort zone and blocking off all entry by not responding to phone calls, etc.
2. Marijuana stores opened on Monday in Washington.  I suppose I should make my feelings known about this.  I support the legalization, though I have never used nor will likely ever use marijuana.  I see this as a social and economic experiment, first and foremost, and less about "rights".  Over time, if we do not see statistically significant differences in crime or mental health problems, then I say we should legalize it across the nation.
3. It is hot in Oregon, and it seems that every day we're hearing about kids and adults drowning.  Crazy.  I don't quite understand why any adult would let their kid go out on the water without a PFD if they don't know how to swim.  Send your kids to swimming lessons.  If you're an adult and don't know how to swim, there's nothing embarrassing about taking lessons.  There is, however, considerable embarrassment when you need to be rescued from the water.
4. USC's 2015 class now has 4 guys in the Rivals 100.  They could be headed towards one of those epic Pete Carroll-like classes where 1 in 10 of the top 100 signed with the Trojans, now that they're allowed a full class, post-sanctions.
5. 7 - 1.  The last time a team lost by a wider margin was the 2010 World Cup -- Portugal 7 - North Korea 0, in group play.  The last time a team lost this badly after moving on from group play was in 1978 -- Argentina 6 - Peru 0.  That's how embarrassing this loss was, for Brazil.  There are many other terrible precedents set by Brazil, as noted by ESPN.
6. It does make you wonder therefore, what could have happened if the US had pulled out a win against Germany.
7. I must remind myself not to buy in bulk, except dry goods.  I keep throwing stuff away.  Tonight it was a big trash bag full of rotten apples, meats and vegetables.
8. The GOP game on immigration, simplified: They're against allowing children to stay here indefinitely, but blame Obama for their coming here, because he didn't deport them fast enough, but now that they're here, he needs to take care of the children and deport them, gently.
9. I watched an episode of Charlie Rose the other day, and David Brooks was on.  The man infuriates.  He described bipartisanship as an understanding that both sides reside in half-truths, and coming together to solve problems was to acknowledge the half-truths.  Total bullshit.  You see, in college I learned that any given issue has multiple viewpoints, and you have to empathize heavily to understand the concerns of others that underlie their viewpoint.  It's not a series of half-truths, but an accommodation and acknowledgement of the different viewpoints.  Now, some folks are full of bald-faced lies, so you must take great pains to weed out the purely self-serving assholes.
10. I read the most ludicrous and easily refuted online comment about volcano activity and CO2 measurements.  I was going to take the time to break it down and point out the most basic of errors, but then I decided otherwise.  One can't educate people who have closed minds.  No fallacy is too great, no lie too tall for a closed mind to accept as truth.