Hurricane Isaac – Whose Fault is it, Anyway?
Before science, we humans came up with all sorts of ways to explain our surroundings. To the Greeks, an invisible god in the sky produced thunder and lightning. Virgins tossed into volcanoes could help prevent eruptions. Crazy people were possessed by literal demons and fossils were a trick by the devil. But now that we’ve developed science, we can cheer for an Olympic runner with no legs, have our minds blown by landing Curiosity on Mars and mourn Neil Armstrong, the first man to set a foot…
Walker’s E-Update Hypocrisy
Editor’s note: Friend of the Mudflats Heather DuBois Bourenane is a Madison, WI activist who publishes the excellent Monologues of Dissent, where this is crossposted. Due to the selection of Paul Ryan as VP nominee, Wisconsin is once again in the national news and, as always, Heather’s is an invaluable progressive voice that speaks truth to power. Dear Scott Walker, Thanks for your latest E-Update. Considering that it came just a day after the national brouhaha, I was surprised and disappointed that it did not contain an apology or redaction for your embarrassing tripling-down on…
Eastwood, Palin and the Long Goodbye
Tropical Storm Isaac put a damper on the first day of the Republican National Convention. But nothing hit Tampa by surprise quite as much as what happened on the last day. Tuesday, it was announced that a special mystery guest speaker would appear before Mitt Romney on the final night of the convention. The most famous of the small tribe of Hollywood Republicans, Clint Eastwood took the stage. Dirty Harry looked a little more like Crazy Uncle Harry as he stood on the podium. But he’s 82, after all, and it happens to the best of them. The difference is…
Alaska Primary Wrap Up
Another election, another night at Election Central. This party was subdued overall, with only one or two over-eager campaigns doing the march with signs, balloons, and volunteers. Lora Reinbold, and Shelley Hughes had teams of people. Hughes also had a guy in some kind of unitard that covered his face completely in blue spandex. Not sure what was going on there, but I realized later that I’d been a bit disturbed and fled the scene before snapping a picture of him. There were quite a few candidates there, even those who had not faced a primary challenger. TV stations were…
Vernons Plead Guilty to Conspiracy
Lonnie Vernon, 56, and Karen Vernon 66, a couple from Salcha, Alaska, wore matching yellow jumpsuits when they appeared in court to plead guilty to count 1 of an 8 count indictment, conspiring to murder federal officials – Judge Ralph Beistline, and IRS officer Janice Stowell. Beistline had ruled against the couple in a tax case in which Stowell was also involved. Lonnie Vernon was one of three defendants, with Schaeffer Cox and Coleman Barney, in the recent 2-4-1 Fairbanks militia trial, where he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder of federal employees, and conspiracy to posses silencers…
The Other Side of the Conversation
How many of you get those right wing “viral emails” from family and friends who are politically uninformed, raise your hand. That’s what I thought. Invariably, almost everyone has a coworker, uncle, mother-in-law, or ex-roommate who habitually blankets their entire contact list with these emails, usually about President Obama or the First Lady, with tales of secret college papers, birth certificate forgery, lavish White House redecorating, or some other horror du jour. They’ve gotten this email from someone they trust. This email is from a soldier, or someone who knew Barry in grade school. They’re doing it for our…
Open Thread – Alaska Votes Today
Today is primary day in Alaska. Don’t stay home. If you are Republican, undeclared, non-affiliated, or independent, you may pull the Republican ballot, or the Democratic ballot. If you are a Democrat or Green party, you may pull the Democratic ballot. Either way, you have choices to make, whether it’s the better of two good candidates, the lesser of two evils, or to vote on ballot measures, get out there and make your voice heard. Ballot measure two will restore Alaska’s coastal zone management. It will give Alaskans a seat at the table in coastal development. It will restore your…
On Quilt Squares and Life
By Kellie Coulson Several years ago I was a single mother going to a church where a founding family was getting ready to leave the state. Several months before their departure, a committeewoman gave me a 10” square and a cardboard heart with instructions to do something with the square and to create a heart on it however I wanted, as that square would be part of a quilt to represent my family on a church quilt. I went to a local fabric store with my little daughters and was directed to an area where women were poring over…
Akin Just Saying What GOP Thinks
I’m getting really tired of the pile-on of Missouri Congressman Todd Akin. He isn’t being treated fairly, and I think it should stop. During an interview Mr. Akin answered a question regarding his views on abortion. “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” The idea of ladies having a Venomous Venus Flytrap-like apparatus that slams shut when there’s an unwanted intruder sounds awesome. It’s not true. Last year 32,000 American women were impregnated after being raped. “Legitimately.” OK, women — we’re kind of mysterious. Most guys didn’t watch those…
Militia Defendant & Wife Will Change Plea
Lonnie Vernon, one of three defendants in the recent 2-4-1 militia trial, and his wife Karen, are currently charged with an alleged plot to murder a federal judge overseeing a tax case against the couple. According to court documents filed on Thursday, they will be changing their pleas on Monday in U.S. District Court. Of the eight counts against them, it is unclear which plea(s) they will change. There were eight counts filed against Lonnie Vernon including charges of conspiracy to murder federal officials, threatening to murder family members of a federal judge, conspiracy to possess an unregistered firearm and…