I Got a Golden Ticket! And You Can Too.
I had more fun yesterday than should be allowed. Let me preface this story with the fact that I am a huge art-o-phile, and museum nerd. There’s almost nothing I’d rather do than hang out in a museum all day. I can run even hard core museum goers into the ground. I never get tired of it. Ever. So, when I got an email last week inviting me as a member of “the media” (!) to come take a preview of the soon-to-be-open new Anchorage Museum expansion, and tour the special exhibit “Gold,” I was rather beside myself. It’s a…
Palin Ethics Complaint Dismissed.
Regarding this latest ethics complaint against Gov. Sarah Palin to be dismissed, filer Andree McLeod says that “her publicly funded partisan and publicly funded state staff and resources for personal partisan political purposes that have nothing to do with the state’s interests and everything to do with her personal, extremely partisan political Washington, D.C., beltway interests.” The Personnel Board disagrees. Here’s part of the latest press release from the governor’s office. Please note the naming of a private citizen in the title of the release, and the disclosure of the employment history of that private citizen as it relates to state…
Daily Wrap Up – Showing Some Skin.
Wow. If there was a theme for the day, it would have to be “skin.” Who knew there would be enough of it to do a whole wrap-up on the “unwrapped,” as it were. First, the governor herself. (She’s sitting all the way on the right) Seems that the governor had another one of her wardrobe challenged moments. Standing in front of the closet, on the way to a veterans’ memorial event that commemorated members of the Alaskan military who paid the ultimate price for their country, where hundreds had come, some from thousands of miles away, she chose…. a teeny little…
Rural Update – Flooding on the Y/K – Hope Truck Leaves FRIDAY!
By the time the National Weather Service called off its flood warning for Emmonak and other Lower Yukon River villages Tuesday, breakup flooding had soaked a total of roughly 40 communities along more than 3,000 miles of rivers, according to the state. Gov. Sarah Palin sent a letter to President Obama Monday asking the him to declare a “major disaster” in Alaska — a move that could send cash to local governments and households. Ann Strongheart, a resident of the village of Nunam Iqua on the lower Yukon says that breakup started there last night, and that the village is fortunately experiencing…
Lunch with Labor and Lattes with the Legislature!
Today from 11:30 – 1:30, Anchorage union members are hosting a picnic to encourage Senator Lisa Murkowski to support the Employee Free Choice Act. Attendees will sign petitions and make phone calls to the Senator to encourage her to support the Act. In a strange case of “go figure,” Congressman Don Young who sponsors the EFCA will be in attendance at the picnic. All union members and their families are invited to attend. The picnic will be held in the parking lot of Laborers International Union 341 (LIUNA), 2501 Commercial Drive, Anchorage, AK (In case of rain, the picnic will…
Open Thread – Moose Twins Update
I saw some rustling in the trees this afternoon, and caught a few fleeting glimpses of reddish brown, and an occasional set of ears in the area behind the garden where Brenda the moose had her twins, but they didn’t come out in the open until late this evening. At about 10:45, I noticed something dark pass by the sliding glass door and sure enough, mama and the babies had come out to explore. The first thing I noticed was how much steadier they seemed on their feet after just 36 hours. They are still trying to master those tall gangly…
Palin’s GhostTweeter Revealed!
< Looks like President Obama isn’t the only one with a Supreme Court pick on his mind today. Just got a Twitter update from the governor. AKGovSarahPalinJNU: Look forward to today’s staff discussion re: my 3rd justice appt to highest court in 3 yrs. Supreme Court truly effects AK’s future… Actually, it doesn’t. It affects Alaska’s future. When the big announcement came that the governor was going to start using a Twitter account, I, like a lot of people, presumed that it wouldn’t actually be the governor tweeting her own material. I figured it would be a paid staffer whose job…
Federal Dollars v. Federal Dollars. And the Winner is…
Governor Palin has requested assistance from (dum da dum dum) the federal government. (Imagine that “federal government” part done in some kind of creepy, drippy Halloween font). Shortly after the Federal Emergency Management Agency had arrived in Alaska last week, the Governor announced that she had decided to ask for a damage assessment. That was very convenient, of course, because they were already here doing one. And now the governor is requesting a federal disaster declaration so that Alaska may be eligible for federal money to help in relief efforts. She’s so eager for the federal money, apparently, that she’s not even waiting…
Open Thread – Brian on the Town
The long holiday weekend is almost over, and it’s been nice taking a little break from the usual political grind. Even Brian likes to kick back once in a while and enjoy a little levity, and fellowship. He got invited to a fun shindig at the home of fellow blogger and progressive radio stalwart Shannyn Moore. Never one to turn down an invitation, he had a grand time mingling with the guests. Here are some shots of Brian and his friends, starting with the hostess for the evening, fellow blogger and host of the Shannyn Moore Show on KBYR. And…
Birth Announcement (Politics Free!)
We’ve been waiting for this day here at Mudflats Central. Every spring, somewhere between mid-May and early June, we celebrate a new crop of baby moose! This year is no exception. It looks like the official Mudflats mascots, Brian and Brenda are now proud parents! Today, I decided I’d better get some weeding done in the garden. I had only pulled up about 4 fireweed, and was wondering whether I should go get a pair of gloves to pull up all the little rose bushes that seem to have taken hold, when I heard a twig snap. Usually it’s…