“North to the Future,” Indeed
Young people who aspire to—and make the requisite grades for—being a doctor or attorney tend not to be poorly performing students. To the contrary, these tend to be ambitious, achievement oriented pupils. So what does it say about a state which forces them to leave in order to pursue their goals? The phrase “mother of all brain drains” may cross your mind at this point. And yet, that’s precisely the situation in which Alaska finds itself as one of only six states without a medical school and the only state without a law school. Much lip service is paid to…
Hump Day Adorableness
Yes, the camel is kind of a jackass, but that name was already taken. Our desert-trodding friend spits, and bites, and can kick in all four directions… with each leg. And if you have the bad sense to annoy one, they vomit a foul-smelling green slime at you, with deliberate intent. But isn’t he CUTE? And it’s “Hump Day.” And he could get you a raise. So don’t judge.
AIG: Why Tea Partiers Should Love Elizabeth Warren (UPDATE)
**UPDATE: The board of AIG decided Wednesday not to join a shareholder lawsuit against taxpayers which challenges the terms of the bailout that saved the insurer from bankruptcy in 2008, CNN reports. The board did not detail the reasons for the decision, saying it will make that clear in court filings in the coming weeks. But when reports surfaced Tuesday that it was even considering joining the suit, it sparked widespread outrage against the company. You paid your hard earned money into the coffers of a recklessly mismanaged company called AIG in 2008. You saved them from bankruptcy, from corporate…
Militia Leader Cox Gets 25 Years
“Well, this proves one thing. Schaeffer Cox can still draw a crowd.” Reporter Michael Carey made the observation while sitting next to me on a wooden bench in the lobby outside Courtroom 2 in the federal courthouse in Anchorage this morning. It’s true. At the end of the day, Cox will be sentenced to 25 years, 10 months in prison, and his new lawyer will reveal the results of a recent psychological evaluation that diagnoses him for the first time as a paranoid schizophrenic, with paranoid personality disorder, and delusional personality disorder. But as the day begins, the courtroom is…
Shell: The Reckoning
Like any large corporation these days, Shell is making use of social media to spin its damage control about the Kulluk grounding. Whether the company’s aren’t-we-swell message is getting traction is open to debate. More important than getting an earful on its Facebook page is the legal/legislative reckoning the company is about to face. US Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), the United States Coast Guard, the Department of the Interior, and the US House of Representatives are all launching investigations into the matter. Phil Munger over at Progressive Alaska has a nice overview of each of these inquiries. Given the PR…
Alaska-Sized Perspective
Here in Alaska, we always get calls from concerned relatives when they hear about tsunami warnings, or earthquakes, or volcanic eruptions in Alaska. And if we had relatives in Delaware when a natural even such as those occurred, you can bet we’d be on the blower in a flat second to find out if they were alright. But, here’s something to put all your Alaskan news into a little perspective. These maps pop up on Facebook every now and then, but I still find them fascinating. Even living here, you tend to lose perspective sometimes. So, if Alaska were superimposed…
Death by Cute!
We warned you! But you didn’t listen. If the painful cuteness of this little guy doesn’t kill you, it will make you stronger. AND more productive. Don’t just take our word for it, read the science.
High Drama at Militia Sentencing
Today is the sentencing for the Salcha couple accused of conspiring to murder a judge and his family, and IRS agents as they anticipated seizure of their home due to a tax dispute. Lonnie Vernon is also being sentenced for his role in the “2-4-1 Militia trial” with co-defendants militia leader Schaeffer Cox, and militia Major Coleman Barney. Lonnie Vernon plead guilty of conspiring to murder the judge in exchange for the dismissal of many of the charges against him. Of all the characters in this tale, Lonnie Vernon is the most volatile and angry, and Karen Vernon is the…
Shell’s Uninhabited Island Has A Story
By Kelsey Gobroski New Year’s Eve 2012, a Shell Oil drilling rig crashed off the shore of an uninhabited island near Kodiak. The landing site lit up on the media radar. The actual setting of the wreck was overshadowed by the fears, aspirations and politics surrounding the drilling rig. To peer into the background of these images, past the drilling rig and the news updates, “uninhabited” does not do the island justice — Sitkalidak Island has played its part in history. The island retired from public eye nearly 50 years ago, but has weathered every major boom and bust in…
Monday Bunny
It’s Monday, Mudflatters, and it’s time to start the week right. Here’s your productivity boost for the day. Gaze at the adorable bunny, and then demolish all that stuff you left sitting on your desk Friday. Hop to it!