Oyster Roundup! What the Shuck?
~Thick and fast they came at last, and more, and more, and more! What the Shuck? Forgive me for that WTS? moment… I couldn’t resist. Before we get out the oyster knife and cocktail sauce, here’s a question for you all. What’s more to your liking, a roundup post, or several shorter posts during the day on the topics I’d normally cover like this? That’s not to say that the oyster roundup would disappear, but might be less frequent. Leave your thoughts in the comments. They Want What They Pay For Apparently paying Bristol Palin thousands of dollars in student-raised…
Murkowski and Young Sworn In. Here We Go Again…
~Lisa Murkowski and husband Verne Martell when she declared her write-in candidacy. Today, Lisa Murkowski was sworn in for her second full term as U.S. Senator. She was escorted to the swearing in by Murkowski the Elder (Also known as Murkowski the Lesser). Frank the Bank who gave her the seat when he left to become the second-worst governor ever, today gave her a kiss on the cheek. Husband Verne Martell upgraded her rubber “Fill it in, Write it in” wrist band from the campaign to an engraved gold one. No word if it says “Voter intent trumps all, so oval…
Voices from the Flats – An AFN Diary. Day One.
By Elstun Lauesen I will begin with the end of the suspense. Rumors had been hanging like streamers from the Carlson Center in Fairbanks, making the day enticing to the drama-addicted media from the far reaches of Boston and New York. The closeness of the U. S. Senate race has made Alaska interesting again. Would Joe Miller dare to show up at the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention being hosted by his hometown Convention and Visitor’s Bureau? Would the rumored dissidents from the Tribal rebel resistance blow the Federation Mothership sky high? Would the delegates (many informally expressing anger at…
Voices from the Flats – Donald Craig Mitchell
The following is an op-ed by Donald Craig Mitchell, an attorney and historian who lives in Anchorage. He is the author of Sold American: The Story of Alaska Natives and Their Land and Take My Land Take My Life: The Story of Congress’s Historic Settlement of Alaska Native Land Claims, which in 2006 the Alaska Historical Society named as two of the most important books that have been written about Alaska. *********************************** CAPTAIN ZERO VERSUS COMMISSIONER OF ADMINISTRATION Donald Craig Mitchell With the world watching, two months ago in Fairbanks in front of a crowd of cheering fans and jeering…
Pop, Ooze, Dung, and the Alaska Personnel Board.
Lots of good stuff floating around the internets. Here’s a little smorgasbord of tasty treats you may have missed. POP! Gubernatorial candidate Bob Poe wrote an excellent compass piece for the Anchorage Daily News that begins like this: I support equal rights for all people. And I support banning discrimination in Anchorage due solely to someone’s sexual orientation. I support a comprehensive equal rights ordinance because it’s the right thing to do, period. Sh. sh. shhh. Listen. Do you hear those faint little noises, like Pop Rocks? Remember all those people in red shirts who testified at the Anchorage Assembly…
Netroots – Turning Red Districts Blue: Organizing for Change
One of my favorite panels at Netroots Nation was the panel discussion entitled Turning Red Districts Blue: Organizing for Change. Panelists were David Atkins (moderator), Darcy Burner, Adam Lambert, Democracy for America’s Arshad Hasan, Matt Browner Hamlin, and Eden James. Matt Browner Hamlin spoke about his time as Mark Begich’s online communications director in the 2008 campaign. MBH: The challenge in Alaska is how do you get from a population which is only 23% Democratic to a vote of 50% +1. It was a big hurdle. Most Alaskans are registered as Non-Partisan. What helped the Begich campaign was the…
Netroots – Progressive Punch
I finished up the morning today by attending a discussion called “Staying on Top of Congress’ Shenanigans.” How could I resist that one? It turned out to be a tutorial on using a webiste called “Progressive Punch.” It’s probably something you can figure out yourself by just jumping in and clicking around. It seems to be organized fairly well, and is extremely informative. It looks at the voting records of all members of the House and Senate, and scores based on a curve how your representatives rate in terms of their support for progressive causes. Clicking on embedded links brings…
What’s Brown and Sounds Like a Bell?
DUNNNNGGGG…. Yes, I know. I’m being juvenile. But that joke always pops in my mind when I think of Congressman Don Young, and his delightful spooneristic nickname. Yon Dung. Now you know. What makes me think of such an unpleasant person on this beautiful summer evening, while I sip fresh lemonade and contemplate how good life is? He’s thrown his hat back in the ring, that’s what. Yup, he’s going for #20….his 20th term in office. Looming indictments, $1 million plus in legal fees, having to step down from all his plum committee chairs? Nope, doesn’t phase him a bit. And why,…