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…
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…
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…
Black Hat, Mint Julep, Piles of Cash and Karmic Imbalance… Alaska Meets Kentucky.
Well, don’t that beat all. In another stunning display of “you can’t make this stuff up,” yesterday’s Kentucky Derby winner, a 50:1 longshot named Mine That Bird belongs in part to Mark Allen, son of former CEO of Veco Corp. Bill Allen. Yes, THAT Bill Allen. The Bill Allen that copped a plea deal with the feds to turn over the likes of Vic Kohring, Pete Kott, and Ted Stevens. That last one didn’t work out too well, but nevertheless he tried. And it doesn’t stop there. Part of Bill Allen’s plea deal with the feds was that Mark would receive…
Palin Explains Ross’ Defeat – It’s the Bloggers, Stupid.
We all know that Governor Palin was quite taken with the idea of having Wayne Anthony Ross as her new Attorney General. He apparently had all the things Alaskans look for in a candidate for the head of the Department of Law. “I believed I knew what Alaskans wanted when I selected an individual who is a strong backer of 2nd Amendment rights, a staunch supporter of the state Constitution and a defender of life,” Governor Palin said. “Wayne Anthony Ross supports responsible, ethical development of Alaska’s rich resources. And we all know that for the first time ever, a…
Bedtime in Alaska – Daily Roundup
Trees Sighted on the Lower Yukon! When Rep. Mike Kelly (R) from Fairbanks suggested that if people in rural villages were cold, they should just “cut wood,” people in villages like Emmonak might have been scratching their heads, wondering about the secret location of all this wood. But now, Nunam Iqua resident Ann Strongheart has discovered trees right in the bustling heart of downtown Nunam Iqua. I’ll bet that purple one will burn real good. And if they run out of food again, and get hungry, I hear that there are lots of unicorns that hang out in the…
Juneau Has a Senator, and the Agony is Over.
Yay. (clap……clap……clap) Juneau has a new senator. Don’t get me wrong. I really am very happy that the insane drama of filling this empty seat is over. I want to be able to summon some real enthusiasm. I want to revel in the Dem’s spineliness in sticking to their guns, and not appointing Tim Grussendorf or Joe Nelson. I want to jump up and down, and pop a cork, and spray champagne all over the capital city. I want to congratulate the people of Juneau for getting a decent person to fill the seat, and finally give them representation. But frankly,…
Sarah Palin Out of Touch and Out of Town.
Alaskans are picking themselves up and dusting themselves off today after dodging the bullet that was the appointment of Wayne Anthony Ross for Alaska’s Attorney General. Relief is the word of the day. There were many factors leading to the demise of this nomination; the fact that he called gays “degenerates” in the Bar Newsletter, the condemnation by every major Native organization, the report of comments that can only be described as sexist and misogynistic at meetings and panel discussions, but the final nail in the coffin for several of those “nay” votes may have been the most awesome “gotcha” moment…
Les Gara on Wayne Anthony Ross.
As you might guess, I will vote against Mr. Ross today, and the vote will be close, if it happens. There is a chance, if he doesn’t have the votes, that the Legislature will not vote on him at all and just call for a new nominee. I’ve worked at the AG’s office, under Republican AGs whose politics I’ve disagreed with. A good AG, like those I worked for, puts their politics to the side, and stands up for every Alaskan. Wayne Anthony Ross is probably good man, on a personal level. I don’t know him. But he has expressed…