Alaska Votes to Go Back
It’s surprising that more Alaskans aren’t wearing those puffy white braces around their necks. If you missed getting whiplash from Tuesday’s election results, you either don’t follow politics or you’re hibernating with the bears. The nation rejected the radical right agenda on many levels. Four states approved marriage equality for their gay and lesbian citizens. (I know! Maryland, Maine, Michigan and Washington aren’t, like Anchorage, holding public meetings so hundreds of people can quote scripture about why their freedoms are under attack if they can’t FIRE or EVICT gay people.) Recreational marijuana was legalized in Washington and Colorado. Three days…
Open Thread – Mush?
I managed to snap just one shot of this scene out of the window of my moving car as we sped past. Training on little snow? Or a creative way to get that broken four-wheeler home? Either way it was a uniquely delightful Alaskan scene on the Sterling Highway.
Post Election Grief from “That Guy”
We’ve seen all kinds of wailing, and sobbing, and rending of garments since Tuesday’s Presidential election. We witnessed Karl Rove’s own mental denial of service attack on Fox News, and we’ve seen whatever right wing Facebook friends we have left indulging in a variety of reactions from head shaking at the idiocy of their fellow Amurrikans, to downright racist screeds about the President. But not until I read through my own emails, and saw this forward of a forward from a friend of a friend, had I seen such a comprehensive, and straightforward regurgitation of right wing gripes, talking points,…
And the Universe Goes On
I sat home on the evening of November 6, enjoying dinner with my wonderful wife, Michelle, watching the returns come back about the results in our 2012 national election. I would take a few bites, then pick up the iPad and skim Salon.com and NYT.com for the latest results, while also flipping over to the tab open to Spaceweather.com. I was watching another set of numbers – the solar wind and the direction of the Bz in the magnetic field. The winds weren’t as high as I would like – only 365 km/sec – but the Bz was 7.7 south;…
Mitt Romney – Fiscal Asshat
They thought they were working for a fiscal conservative, but Romney staffers discovered in the wee hours on election night that they were actually working for a fiscal asshat. This would not have come to a shock to those kicked to the curb by Bain Capital, but campaign staffers were Lucy-with-the-footballed. From the moment Mitt Romney stepped off stage Tuesday night, having just delivered a brief concession speech he wrote only that evening, the massive infrastructure surrounding his campaign quickly began to disassemble itself. Aides taking cabs home late that night got rude awakenings when they found the credit cards linked to…
Alaska Bravely Leaps Backward!
As the rest of the nation boldly marches forward, embracing enlightened thinking, electing more women to the Senate than ever; the first immigrant and first Buddhist in the Senate; the first openly gay woman in the Senate; the defeat of every Republican who ever made comments about “legitimate” rape, “God-intended” rape, and “just a method of conception” rape; as they celebrate marriage equality, and expanded civil liberties; as they re-elect a historic President; as the country decided in a measured and sensible way to keep the faith, and continue the slow forward momentum, and to not believe lies that were…
Election Discussion Thread
The polls are closing and returns are beginning to come in. Have at it, Mudpups.
Contacts for Voting Problems
Throughout early voting, I have been receiving emails, Facebook messages and phone calls reporting problems folks have encountered. They have included: — A pollworker demanding to see a voter card in addition to the voter’s driver’s license. (Note: if you do have your voter card, provide that first. It makes things easier.) — A voter was required to vote a question ballot because their address listed on the register was one number off the correct one, which was listed on their voter card. — A voter was listed on their voter card in the wrong district (according to APRN, this…
Alaskans With Backbone
Today, Alaskans rallied in temperatures well below freezing to show their support for bipartisanship, for comity, for those who work for Alaska first. Join them tomorrow at the polls, and support candidates with a willingness to work across party lines – candidates with statesmanship, and a broad vision for Alaska’s future. Vote. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Giessel Loses It
by Thomas Dewar …on television. Making this fact even more stunning is that she herself paid for the air time. Oh yes, gentle reader, in Cathy Giessel’s latest bizarre ad, she gives you a stern talking to. Because who doesn’t enjoy being yelled at by the politicians we employ? Even under the best of circumstances the senator’s demeanor is one of barely contained rage and contempt, and a race she feels slipping away is far from the best of circumstances. Even her own, high-profile supporters have publicly noted that the race is surprisingly close. In order to cope with the…