Open Thread – This and That
I Want My Corrupt Bastard Fix! Time was, they were dropping like flies. It seemed like hardly a month went by when a legislator wasn’t indicted for something. After the fiasco that was the botched Ted Stevens trial, Alaskans have begun thinking that maybe that’s the end for our favorite past-time of watching the deserving get their just desserts. Not so according to the Justice Department. There’s an excellent article by Richard Mauer in today’s Anchorage Daily News, that addresses the issues, including the current investigations of Ted Stevens’ son, and former Alaska State Senate President Ben Stevens, and current-for0the-moment…
In Pursuit of the Hirsute.
World Beard and Moustache Championship Parade in Anchorage, Alaska from Dennis Zaki on Vimeo. If you’re looking for facial hair, from the standard big bushy “natural” look, to the elaborately styled curly look, and the “how much wax did you need for THAT?” spiky do, you needed to go no further than downtown Anchorage. Yes, today was the big day. The parade of the World Beard and Moustache Championships. In addition to Dennis Zaki’s great video above, check out the hilarious piece up on the Anchorage Daily News which asks participants the question, “What does your beard say about you?”…
Keeping Up With the Johnstons
Sherry Johnston, according to her lawyer Rex Butler, has agreed to plead guilty to a felony drug charge of “possession with intent to deliver.” She will submit her guilty plea on July 31, and in exchange, the state has agreed to dismiss five other drug charges against her. She arrived at the courthouse (above) with her daughter Mercede, Tank Jones, and the almost-son-in-law of the governor, Levi. (whispering to Sherry and Levi) I think that Mercede and Tank need to be consulted on appropriate wardrobe choices from now on….just sayin’. Johnston’s arrest involved the drug oxy-contin, a narcotic painkiller for…
Bob Poe Uses the “N” Word! (….no not THAT one)
Add another voice to the growing number of Alaskans who have just had it up to their eyeballs with the governor’s rejection of stimulus money designated for energy efficiency. Beyond the slap-in-the-face obvious fact that this is Alaska, and might just be a good idea to promote energy efficiency, you’d have to have your head in a bag to not “get” that this has nothing to do with Alaska, nothing to do with our economy, and everything to do with a certain governor’s dreams of grandeur, and higher political aspirations. And all that can be bundled up in one handy…
Open Thread – Photo Contest!
You’ve heard about Eric Boehlert’s new book Bloggers on the Bus. I posted about it HERE. And it just got a great review HERE. And it’s climbing the charts on Amazon HERE. And another great mention for Alaska bloggers HERE. Media Matters’ Eric Boehlert focuses on the myriad changes in the mainstream media’s standard operating procedure inspired by the blogosphere in his welcome new book, Bloggers on the Bus. Alaskan blogger and professor Phil Mungerrecounts the nation’s first brush with a certain Tina Fey lookalike in “Saradise Lost,” which also happens to be a headline from his blog. The non-Alaskans…
Rep. Les Gara on Palin, The Stimulus, and Renewable Energy for Alaska
By Rep. Les Gara Alaska has the highest energy prices in the nation. The solution to the problem isn’t rejecting funds that could (if we choose) be dedicated to build wind, hydro and other renewable energy production. Urban Alaska is facing a dangerous short-term shortage of natural gas. Rural Alaska is facing a shortage of affordable, reliable energy. The nation is trying to grapple with an over-reliance on foreign oil. The Governor’s decision doesn’t help the national goal of domestic energy production to minimize our reliance on energy from rogue countries, or countries that are leading to world instability. It…
The Palin Administration’s $64,000 Question.
So, what’s the $64,000 question? Ethics watchdog Linda Kellen Biegel just asked it, apparently. She made a State of Alaska records request to find out what kind of communication has been going on between the governor’s office, right-wing shock jock Eddie Burke, and Anchorage Daily News gossip columnist Sheila Toomey. After Bill McAllister, Palin’s communication director said in a state press release that he “hoped there would be backlash” against those filing ethics complaints, there started to be….well…backlash against those filing ethics complaints. Go figure. And it started to manifest in interesting ways. See HERE and HERE. Was there direct…
The Ghost of Royalties Yet to Come…
Sarah Palin has chosen her ghost writer collaborator.” Who will be writing Palin’s shiny new chapter book? The lucky winner is Lynn Vincent, a conservative Christian who has written or co-written several other books including “Donkey Cons: Sex, Crime and Corruption in the Democratic Party.” Oooooo, those Democrats are pretty naughty… Good thing Republicans don’t engage in that sort of thing. Oh, wait…..[LINK] Of course, Sarah Palin says she will be writing the book mostly herself, in her own words. I don’t know how much they are paying Ms. Vincent, but I can tell you right now, it’s not enough….
Rural Update – Rebuilding Eagle and How You Can Help!
Just got the following message from yukonbushgrma out in flood-ravaged Eagle. The City of Eagle is now collecting relief donations via a Paypal account, so those of you who wish to help in that way, here are the directions ************************************************************* [By Yukonbushgrma] We finally have the specifics on how folks can donate to “Rebuild Eagle” via Paypal. Thanks to everyone for patiently waiting while we got the account set up! And PLEASE — if you wish, please spread the word to everyone in your address book! This Paypal fund, “Rebuild Eagle,” is set up to benefit those who have lost…
Palin Rejects Stimulus Money. Throws Alaska Under the Bus to “Save Face.”
I can’t help noticing the irony of the front page of the Anchorage Daily News. It pretty much says it all, quite poetically. A) Over there on the left in the headlines section it says: Palin Cuts $80 Million from Budget – Gov. Palin announced today that she is vetoeing $80 million from the state budget, including federal stimulus dollars meant to go for energy relief. B) And then right next to it under an aerial photo of the remote village of Selawik, it says: In the winter, Village Police Officer Clarence Snyder doesn’t use jail cells. They don’t have…