Open Thread: Assembly Changes
I attended the first meeting of the new 2011 Anchorage Assembly, which also was (sadly) a farewell and passing of the baton by Eastside’s Mike Guttierez to the election winner, Adam Trombley. The main purpose of the meeting was to certify the most recent Municipal Election, to swear in the returning Assembly and the one new member, and to establish the Assembly leadership. I wrote a post about the insane faux-controversy over Chairman Dick Traini’s speech at the April 4th We Are One Rally. Unfortunately, the results didn’t go our way. However, the overall tone of the meeting was relatively…
Open Thread – Happy Door
Another shot from San Francisco. I was just walking down the street, and this one stopped me in my tracks. Happiest door ever! Thanks to everyone for the great support of Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin, the book I co-authored with Frank Bailey and Ken Morris! I will definitely be keeping everyone posted on all the news and other interesting tidbits here. In the meantime, you can preorder the book on Amazon by clicking the link over there in the sidebar ——–>
Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin is Coming! Preorder Now!
Well, Mudflatters, this day has been a long time coming, but I’m happy to say it’s now official. Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin, the book by Palin insider Frank Bailey, award-winning author (and Mudflats contributor) Ken Morris, and yours truly (Jeanne Devon) will at last be a reality and is now available for pre-order at Amazon.com! Click HERE. It’s been almost two years of ups and downs, reading tens of thousands of emails, writing, editing, and some unforeseen drama… but the end result is very much worth it. I couldn’t be happier at having had the opportunity to meet and…
Once Again, the Assembly is Sullied by Dan
Back when the Anchorage Assembly Chair was Dan Sullivan, he presided over a “meeting-before-the-meeting” of the Assembly. This is a meeting they have before their regular Tuesday Assembly meeting to basically get the organizational flotsam and jetsam out of the way…present amendments, new ordinances, etc…so that time isn’t eaten up on Tuesdays with “making the sausage.” Though the “open meeting laws” in Alaska ensure that anyone can sit in on these, at this particular meeting more members of the public were present than usual. You see, the debate over the ordinance that would halt smoking in the hospitality workplaces was…
Palin Overwhelmed by Counter-protesters in Madison
Mama Grizzlies are an Invasive Species: Sarah Palin Mobilizes Just 500 Tea Party Dullards in Madison Amidst Overwhelming Counter Protest. By Patrick DePula (Madison, WI) When the Americans for Prosperity–sponsored Tea Party Rally was announced several weeks ago, most left-leaning Madisonians yawned. AFP rubes have been gathering on the Capitol Square annually for the last couple of years around tax day in small numbers to revel in their selfishness and celebrate their ignorance. Initially, it was assumed that this years event would be no different and drew little attention. Enter the derailing train that is Sarah Palin. This over–compensated and…
IMPORTANT: TODAY — Redistricting Plan Public Testimony in Anchorage!
Redistricting is going on across the country as a result of the 2010 Census. It is the single most important political event happening this year because these are the districts we’ll all be voting in for the next 10 years. Lucky us…the way that Alaska’s Board selection is set up gave us 4 Republicans out of 5 members this time! So, you can imagine how some of the proposed districts look. Example: in Board Option 2, Sen. Wielechowski’s District J moves from Muldoon, Mountain View and Wonder Park (traditionally more Progressive areas) farther north to the military base and Eagle…
We haven’t heard much about Palin’s Wisconsin Visit — Here’s Why
In the Palinista blogosphere, there was much hullaballoo leading up to Sarah Palin’s day-after-tax-day speech at a American’s For Prosperity (Koch Brothers) rally in Madison, Wisconsin. The April 16th event was billed by her supporters as “history in the making,” “courageous,” “this will be one for the books.” One commenter talked about needing “overpowering numbers” so that “the union boys just fold their tents and go home.” Reality? Not so much… Per the non-partisan PR Watch: THE BADGERS DROWN OUT THE MAMA GRIZZLIES The wet snow and tense atmosphere did not deter thousands of people from coming to the capitol…
Open Thread: What a 9.0 Earthquake Sounded Like in Alaska plus a Friday Summary of Events
National Oceanic and Aeronautics Organization (NOAA) does regular scientific research all over Alaska but especially in the wildlife and Arctic areas. They frequently use sophisticated underwater recording equipment to gather information on marine mammals: However, on March 11, 2011 off of the coast of the Aleutian Islands, they happened to catch the sound of something very different…the 9.0 Japanese earthquake. The sound underwater was absolutely facinating while at the same time it gave me goosebumps. It’s amazing to me how clearly it can be heard, though I have occasionally heard a rumble or kind of rushing sound just preceding several…
Where is the Knik Arm Bridge REALLY Going?
Remember the “Bridge to Nowhere?” Remember the project that was possibly the single biggest contributor to the tainting of the word “earmarks?” That famous title was actually a misnomer. It referred to two Alaska bridges, both funded through the same “earmark” at the time. The actual “Bridge to Nowhere” referred to the Gravina Island Bridge, which was a link from Ketchikan to the island that holds its airport. This was only accessible by ferry and small plane and when hundreds of thousands of visitors pour into Southeast Alaska during the summers, it becomes a problem. This was also the bridge…
The Bailout is Billions…Ten Specifically
The recent oil tax debate has raised more questions than answers for many Alaskans, including the majority of state Senators. Today, in a press release from Senator Bill Wielechowski, a few of those questions were answered. BREAKING: Data Shows Even As Companies Invest, Alaska Takes A $10 Billion Hit For Immediate Release: April 13, 2011 JUNEAU: Senator Bill Wielechowski (D–Anchorage) said new analysis shows that, even with the potential investment mentioned last week by ConocoPhillips CEO Jim Mulva, under the Governor’s oil tax rollback proposal, the state would lose an estimated $10 billion over the next eight years. Last Thursday, Mr….