Oyster Round Up!
It’s time for another chilled plate of delectable goodies from the week. Let’s start off with a true story that happened right after last week’s roundup. Picture me sitting on the couch on a Saturday afternoon, minding my own business, and drinking a cup of coffee. Let’s watch… Knock, Knock! Who’s there? The mailman with a certified letter from Austin McDaniel! Austin McDaniel, who? Austin McDaniel, Governor Sean Parnell’s social media coordinator sending a copy of an APOC complaint to senate candidate Ron Devon! Nope, not kidding. That was my Saturday. So, what’s up with that? When people donate to…
The House 34 Horse Race!
By Scott McAdams Politics have always been important to Alaskans. Unlike much of the world, we often know our leaders personally, expect our ideas to be considered in the policy making process, and understand that our future requires our voice. As many of us evaluate candidates this election season, most of us in this small community called Alaska do so based on the personal relationships and past experiences we’ve had with those who place their names on the ballot. In my community, there is a race for State House between two men I have come to know over the past…
Dismantling Alaska Bipartisanship
Alaska Family Action, the political arm of the Alaska Family Council, recently welcomed Governor Sean Parnell to a fundraiser. The event brought together social conservatives who seek to add their voices to those supporting the governor’s oil tax plan. With the specific goal of destroying the State Senate’s bipartisan coalition next month, the organization is banking on a new fundraising strategy and new access to personal data about voters to fuel its “Reclaiming Juneau Initiative” in November. Jim Minnery addressed the event’s roughly 25 attendees, explaining that his Alaska Family Council became frustrated by the political limitations it encountered via…
Spouse for Senate!
Spouse is running for Senate. I know, right? It’s been pretty exciting around here I can tell you. He’s running for State Senate in “District N” a giant and beautiful swath of Alaska that stretches from South Anchorage, down Turnagain Arm to include Girdwood, and Hope, and then over to Seward, and on to Sterling and Nikiski, with all points in between. Every race is important but, I’m going to tell you why this one is the most important to me. When Ron was a little kid, living in Anderson in the Territory of Alaska – back in the days…
Alaska’s Junior Senator Visits Seniors
It was the early ’90’s. My dad was reading the morning paper and grumbled about some assemblyman in Anchorage and muttered something about Doogie Howser. My college friend and I were joining him for breakfast and I told her that he was talking about Mark Begich. She laughed and asked if my dad knew about my crush on him. My dad looked up in a mock look of condescension and said, “You have a crush on who, Mark Begich or Doogie Howser?” My girlfriend and I laughed and in unison said, “Yes!” My dad was of course only joking. He had…
Bob Bell Enabled Corrupt Bastards
I sometimes wonder if it wouldn’t be more honest for us to turn our elections into auctions. Put a law or candidate on eBay and let the bidding begin. Of course school lunch subsidies, minimum wage and other “special interests” wouldn’t have a hope, but a governor willing to give $10 billion to the oil industry would be going-going-gone in seconds. Wait a minute … Did I forget? We used to have public policy on the auction block. A company called Veco Corp., which depended on Alaska’s oil majors to survive, purchased favors from elected politicians for decades. That finally…
Oyster Roundup – Lights, Fights, & That’s-Not-Rights
A half-dozen news bites from the week. Overheard Juicy Bits: A certain Alaska Republican Party Chairman and a certain Republican pollster were overheard at a certain eating establishment by a certain Mudflatter this week. Apparently, the former thinks Charisse Millet is “a twit” and candidate Bob Roses is a “yes man” who will do whatever he’s told. That’s what we need more of in Juneau – twits and sheep. Please feel free to vote for Patti Higgins and Bill Wielechowski. Convicted Militiaman Will Appeal: Coleman Barney, one of the three men found guilty in the summer’s Fairbanks militia trial will…
Parnell Headlines Evangelical Fundraiser to Break Up Bipartisan Coalition
Governor Sean Parnell will headline a fundraiser today at 4:30pm for Alaska Family Action, the political wing of the Alaska Family Council headed by Jim Minnery. The Alaska Family Council is an activist group whose “pro family” agenda includes promoting extreme anti-choice and homophobic policies. They also advocate public funding of private religious schools, and other “matters of religious liberty.” And try to screw up elections by encouraging voter fraud. So, why is a sitting governor headlining this fundraiser? The answer is two-fold. First, it is because he aligns with everything espoused by the organization. His extreme stances on social…
Ignorance on Ice
A few weeks ago during a power outage that lasted (for some) several days, meat and fish made round trips from powerless freezers to powered and back again. Pleas from melting vacuum-sealed salmon, halibut, moose and caribou could almost be heard across the Anchorage Bowl, “We’re melting. We need a live freezer — STAT!” This is the time of year when many Alaskans count their bags of berries, jars of salmon and packs of moose sausage. If you’re a subsistence user, there’s a feeling of accomplishment knowing you hunted or gathered to take care of your family. Going to Costco…
Oyster Roundup!
~Thick and fast they came at last, and more, and more and more! Happy Saturday, you gorgeous Mudflatters. Here’s a slurpy, brunchy, half-dozen bites for your weekend palate. Quote of the Week: On Mitt Romney’s plan to defund PBS, aka “Kill Big Bird.” “I like Big Bird… You can kill things and still like them – maybe to eat them.” ~Rick Santorum Naked Baker Charms Anchorage Press Pick Voters So, every year, hundreds of hardy souls vote for dozens of their favorite bakeries, auto shops, pizza joints, and of course – politicians. This year’s picks were… interesting…