OREGON HISTORY SPEAKS OUT

 Kate Brown Knows The Drill.

1. Gravity’s History.

Not long ago Governor Kitzhaber spoke during the memorial for Thomas Vaughan.

He was a great man who elevated the role of history in Oregon by leading the Oregon Historical Society to great heights.

Saturday, on Oregon’s 2015 birthday, the woman replacing Governor Kitzhaber the day after he quit spoke to the public from inside the Oregon Historical Society, then cut cake.

Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk and Kate Brown promise an interesting future for history.

Baby boomers, Portland baby boomers, might enjoy the beginnings and endings and new beginnings that include touchstone institutions like the Oregon History Center and Oregon governors.

2. Quitzhaber.

Ok, he resigned.

Resignedzhaber?

He addressed the media from a recorded message.

To avoid the confrontation?

No, the teletype machine was down.

The medium was the message.

3. Hello bi-Bi.

A leader’s sexual orientation isn’t a job qualification.

Isn’t labeling her a bipartisan governor at least as important as a bi-sexual hashtag in the rags?

Kate Brown knew she was next governor up when she took the job; she didn’t just arrive in the Secretary of State’s office one day.

She’ll be a great leader. Our own Hetty Lange in her young years.

4. The Love Pipe.

Faces of meth doesn’t get any easier to look at the tenth time around.

You hope people see these addicts and never pick up the pipe.

Young addicts and old might see the images and reflect on themselves.

When the Love Pipe wreaks as much havoc as the Crack Pipe, find a way to put it down. Walk away.

From helpguide.org:

Common signs and symptoms of drug abuse

• You’re neglecting your responsibilities at school, work, or home (e.g. flunking classes, skipping work, neglecting your children) because of your drug use.
• You’re using drugs under dangerous conditions or taking risks while high, such as driving while on drugs, using dirty needles, or having unprotected sex.
• Your drug use is getting you into legal trouble, such as arrests for disorderly conduct, driving under the influence, or stealing to support a drug habit.
• Your drug use is causing problems in your relationships, such as fights with your partner or family members, an unhappy boss, or the loss of old friends.

5. Beaver State Rasputin.

The real Rasputin didn’t fare well.

From alphahistory.com:

Rasputin came to exert some political sway over Alexandra, passing on ‘divine advice’ about ministerial appointments, domestic policy, even military matters. Though his influence has probably been overstated, Rasputin’s baleful presence revealed the anachronistic and corruptible nature of tsarism.

6. Go Big Or Go Nixon.

If you’re going to go, find some protection.

Nixon had Gerald Ford to pardon him. You need that pardon, pardner.

Leaving the governorship is one thing. Leaving with federal investigations kicking in?

A country club prison is still a prison with face slashing and a beating death in the past year alone.

No one wants to see Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber turned into a member of FCI Sheridan.

Don’t take the fall for love. (see #3.)

7. True Love.

Neil Young via azlyrics.com.

Love is a rose
but you better not pick it
It only grows when it’s on the vine.
A handful of thorns and
you’ll know you’ve missed it
You lose your love
when you say the word “mine”.

I wanna see what’s never been seen,
I wanna live that age old dream.
Come on, lads, we can go together
Let’s take the best right now,
Take the best right now.

I wanna go to an old hoe-down
Long ago in a western town.
Pick me up cause my feet are draggin’
Give me a lift and I’ll hay your wagon.

We’ve learned much over the years. One lesson that sticks is if you’re going to dance, you have to pay the band.

The music stopped on Friday.

A new band started on Saturday.