Perfection. What are the Odds?
Let me start off by saying that this is probably the last blog post I ever expected to write. But, somehow I just couldn’t help it. When I was a kid, I was a big Mets fan. In my neck of the woods, you had two choices – Mets or Yankees. I’m not sure why I ended up as a Mets fan, but it probably had something to do with rooting for the underdog, and Tom Seaver. My dad had always promised to take me to a Mets game, but it never ended up happening for one reason or another….
Election Recount Worksession With Assembly — Join Us!
The April 3rd Anchorage Municipal Election Recount Group will be meeting with the Anchorage Assembly in a Worksession this Friday to share our findings and recommendations with them. Per the website: ***************************************** Worksession – Election Recount Issues From 06/15/12 1:00 PM To 06/15/12 2:00 PM City Hall 632 W 6th Ave Anchorage Alaska Conference Room 830 ***************************************** This is a public meeting, as are all Assembly Meetings and Worksessions. WE HIGHLY ENCOURAGE ALL WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE FUTURE OF ELECTIONS IN ANCHORAGE TO SHOW UP IF YOU CAN! Our Recount Group now includes the 10 original signers plus some…
Netroots – Day 2
Day 2 started late for me. After a couple nights with virtually no sleep, I didn’t make it in for the Morning News Dump. But I did make it to the lunchtime speakers’ panel, and it was absolutely riveting. The program begins at 5:51 There were three speakers who all appeared for a panel discussion after their individual addresses. First up was Darcy Burner, one of my most favorite progressives on the planet. She had run for Congress in 2008, and is running again in Washington’s 1st congressional district this year. Probably the most impressive thing about Burner is her…
In My Alaska Garden — Trial and Error
I attended Pride on Saturday and saw the gorgeous Oriental Poppies above. I saw them on the walk from the car near the Parkstrip. They are the huge poppies and they are on my list for the future in my yard. We’ve been working outside all weekend and while I left to go grocery shopping, I learned what it means to be grateful for the help you get even though it may not be exactly what you want. My husband weeded the perennial garden below: Gone are all of the weeds, the encroaching grass, and the Campanula Glomerata (which should…
Meet My Secret Twin
(Crossposted at Monologues of Dissent) by Jeanne Devon & Heather Dubois Bourenane I’m a progressive working mom with two kids. My state had a very regrettable governor foisted upon it. I decided to speak out and started a blog. Soon our regrettable governor became infamous, and national news outlets began calling me. I suddenly found myself on the pages of The New Yorker, The Huffington Post & interviewed by Rachel Maddow and Ed Schultz. I still find it stunning that anyone would consider our governor for a Presidential ticket. It’s cool that, through social media, I’ve found someone just like…
Postmortem: Wisconsin, Obama & Elections
Did not the heavenly rhetoric of thine eye, ‘Gainst whom the world cannot hold argument, Persuade my heart to this false perjury? —”Love’s Labour’s Lost,” William Shakespeare Madison, WI—Was it the money? Was it a weak candidate? Was it the President’s and DNC’s indifference? With Karl Rove and national Republicans dancing in the end zone, the soul searching and recriminations among Wisconsin progressives are now in full swing. The bulk of national commentary—including from generally sympathetic outlets like MSNBC and the NY Times—has generally been useless. And since we can have for more impact on what we do than on…
Netroots – Day 1
Thursday morning started with coffee, bagles, and the Morning News Dump hosted with Lizz Winstead, featuring panelists Shannyn Moore, Sam Seder, Jason Leopold, and Cliff Schecter. They spoke to a packed rotunda on the 5th floor of the Rhode Island Convention Center, and discussed the issues of the day, including the Stand Your Ground Law, a blockbuster piece on Truthout.org that got Jason Leopold branded a “FOIA terrorist,” Lisa Murkowski’s recent vote on the wrong side of the Fair Paycheck Act, and how various media outlets were reporting on the Wisconsin recall election. The event was very well attended with…
Open Thread – Suds!
The Exhibit Hall at Netroots Nation is hopping before the opening night keynote speakers. Here’s to outspoken, passionate people! >clink<
“Occupy The Tundra,” Post-Fame
A few months ago, Diane McEachern’s “Occupy the Tundra” photo went viral and received national coverage from the LA Times to Salon. A resident of Bethel, Alaska, McEachern was in Anchorage on a recent visit and sat down with The Mudflats at a downtown watering hole. What is your assessment of the Occupy movement since you and your sign went viral? It kind of put the vocabulary into the public domain. Politicians are now referring to the 1 percent and 99 percent. What is it you do in Bethel, Alaska? I’m a University of Alaska professor in rural human services…
Netroots Eve!
The migration has begun. A host of progressive media types, and activists have landed in Providence, Rhode Island this year for Netroots Nation 2012. Shannyn and I literally took planes, trains and automobiles, and are here representing The Mudflats. We are usually trailed by the conservative “Right Online” conference which took to convening at the same hotel at the same time as Netroots. Not this year. They’re in Las Vegas next week with Sarah Palin headlining, and a host of other speakers including Michelle Malkin, Jonah Goldberg, Dana Loesch, and S.E. Cupp. In addition they’ll be paying tribute to Andrew…