10 Thoughts for August 21, 2014

1. I have a new theme for encouraging growth in Oregon: "Veni, Vidi, Vivi."  Come, see, live.
2. Mark Begich.  According to this National Journal story, Republicans privately believe that Sullivan's chances of beating Begich are low.  Then again, CSM says that Begich is, " is fighting for his political life."  The chart shows Begish ahead, and the sole nonpartisan poll shows Begich up double-digits.
3. Speaking of politics, Mitch McConnell just offered up a warning to Americans who thought that government shutdowns were over: If Republicans win, they'll force more shutdowns to get their way with the President.  Don't count your chickens before they hatch, or in this case, McConnell just delivered the script for the DNC to drive voter participation rates up.
4. Textbooks are expensive.  Apparently, I got out just as it was growing mercilessly.  One thing that could help: Making it unethical for professors to require their own books to be purchased.  I had three kinds of professors: Those who would require their own textbooks to purchase; others who would assign textbooks that weren't their own; and the best kind were the ones who would offer up a photocopy printed collection of texts that were the cheapest of all.
5. Hamas finally admits openly, that it was responsible for the kidnapping and killing of those three Israeli teens, in hopes of sparking a Palestinian uprising.  No kidding, they called it a "heroic operation".
6. Did you know that there were TWO real life Walter Whites who were involved with meth?  The media has mixed up two different Walter Whites: One from Montana and another from Alabama.  What they all share in common: The Law caught up with them.
7. IDK, I think Rick Perry is trying too hard.  Today, he's called for an overwhelming use of force against ISIS.  But, exactly how do you use overwhelming force, when most of ISIS is in villages?  Do you put boots on the ground or do you bomb both ISIS and civilians?  Which brings me to the issue of having a Republican in the White House: What war wouldn't we have skipped?  Would we have been bombing with boots on the ground in Syria, Libya, again in Iraq, and stuck for forever in Afghanistan?  As unsatisfying as it may be, people really don't appreciate the Obama Pragmatism.  
8. An argument that never made sense to me: Black on black crimes are bad.  As if black on white or black on brown crime were acceptable?  Are they saying that, if you have to kill, don't kill the brother, kill the white guy?
9. More about that second Koch Brothers ad airing in Oregon, attacking Jeff Merkley: A PWC study shows that for 2014-2015 period, the average price increase on ACA plans in Oregon is ... wait for it ... it's good ... no really, it's a slap the back of the head funny ... -2.5%.  That's right: Most Oregonians with an ACA plan will see a decrease!  Koch Brothers couldn't have picked a worse state, you see, because Oregon's got the lowest price increase in the country.
10. This sounds like a good thing: One place to get some food from Rainbows Drive-In, KC Drive-In, Poke Stop and Hoku BBQ Chicken.  You can get your huli huli chicken, pork katsu, waffle dog and ahi poke on, in one order. So ono, broke da mouth, brah.