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April 18, 2024

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Thursday, August 3, 2023

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Monday, March 21, 2022

Putting the goober in gubernatorial -

Friday, January 28, 2022

Joe Miller's Lawsuit – Highlight Reel

This Joe Miller lawsuit thing may seem to be getting complicated, so here’s a (hopefully) simple breakdown and a “highlight reel” of most of the important things you need to know.  It’s not every little thing, but it’s enough to have a reasonable discussion at the watercooler without people thinking you’ve become an election wonk. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.  Heck, some of my best friends are election wonks. OK, fine. I’M an election wonk.  But here’s the dill (as our former governor would say): Write-in candidate Lisa Murkowski spent a lot of time focusing on spelling this…

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The King (Salmon) is Dead. Long Live the Mine.

[Photo by Nick Hall] Five million viewers (I’m choosing not to think of allof them as fans) tuned in to watch  “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” on The Learning Channel this month.  But as we know, there’s more to Alaska than harassing bears, and clubbing halibut between the eyes.  Many, I’m sure, were taken with Alaska’s spectacular landscapes, pristine waters, and wide open spaces. The real Alaska, in Bristol Bay, is something she hasn’t talked about yet. She’s planning to talk about it on November 28, but I don’t know if she’ll mention The Pebble Mine. I remember when Palin “took off…

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Voices from the Flats – Dear Sarah, You're Not Alaska.

By Zach Roberts Special note: This is a message to Sarah, that I sent to her via Facebook. Alaskans will get all the places, some of the references and some of the names. If you don’t get them, give it a Google, or read TheMudFlats.net (why aren’t you reading it already? What’re you a member of the Paliban?) Or better yet, get your butt on the next flight up to Anchorage. Yes I know it’s November and it’s cold… that means flights should be cheap. Go to Spenard Roadhouse get the Bacon Jam and tell them I sent you.  ***************…

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Sarah Palin Brings Cookies – The Sequel

Streeeeetch….. streeetch your minds back, Mudflatters.  It’s February of 2009, and Sarah Palin wings her way to the remote village of Russian Mission to address the problems of the food/fuel crisis that was causing rural residents to have to choose between heating their homes and feeding their families.  Palin’s solution?  No, not a state of emergency, silly.  That would be a government public sector-type solution.  The private sector provided her with evangelical preacher Franklin Graham, a cushy private jet, some boxes of food with a sprinkling of religious literature, and a plate of Sarah’s homemade cookies.  Really.  She brought cookies.  Cookies that…

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An Open Letter to Lisa Murkowski

By Elstun Lauesen Dear Senator Murkowski, Congratulations. You made history. You persuaded 10s of thousands of Democrats and Independents who otherwise would have voted for Scott McAdams to write you in. We will see what the final count is, but it appears that your margin is substantial and may well carry you forward for another six-year term. One of the persistent arguments that we heard from your supporters during the campaign was that you were going to be independent, because the Party leadership ‘threw you under the bus’ (though it is difficult to see how supporting the nominee of the…

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Voices from the Flats – AFN Diary: Day 3

AFN Diary: Day 3. Stop the Bullying and Let’s Be Family Again! By Elstun Lauesen This morning the long list of Resolutions were considered by the delegates and the Chairman of the AFN Resolutions Committee, Trefon Angasan asked if there were other matters to be brought before the body. A young man from Ft. Yukon, Edward Alexander, who looks to be in his mid-20s, took to the microphone on the floor and made a motion to suspend the rules. Immediately another delegate seconded it. Mr. Alexander announced that he wished to introduce a resolution asking for certain changes to the…

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Voices from the Flats – AFN Day 2. Corporations are Not Tribes!

By Elstun Lauesen The most interesting meeting on Day 2 of the AFN Conference was on Village Survival! It wasn’t held at AFN. It wasn’t on the official AFN agenda. It was held miles away from the Carlson Center. It was a government-to-government consultation held with Alaska Tribal Leaders well away from the AFN venue. Mike Williams, Chief of Akiak Yupiit, sobriety advocate and mental health counselor organized the meeting while the Undersecretary for Indian Affairs, Larry Echohawk was in town for AFN. But the nature of the meeting, electric with a sense of urgency, required that the Tribal representatives…

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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…

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Alaska Federation of Natives Convention Cancels Senate Debate

BREAKING: The Alaska Federation of Natives Convention has cancelled the senate forum scheduled for this weekend during the annual convention in Fairbanks. The cancellation comes after AFN sent invitations, and got commitments from at least one campaign.  AFN states that the cancellation comes because neither Lisa Murkowski nor Joe Miller has committed to attend the event. It is unclear if Mr. Miller will be at the convention.  Both Lisa Murkowski and Scott McAdams will be present at the convention. By their actions the AFN are in effect saying that Natives do not need to hear from, and should not hear from candidate(s) who committed to attend the…

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Native Alaskans Standing Together for Scott McAdams

This is a really wonderful 2 minute YouTube video. It speaks to so many critical points of Native life and culture. Please pass it far and wide and let’s get it viral, especially in rural communities. Alaska Natives have so much at stake, and they deserve someone who will go to the mat for them. Scott McAdams is that candidate. Enjoy.

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