Open Thread – Dickensian Bicentennial
There are technically two hours left in February 7 (Alaska time) to wish Charles Dickens a Happy 200th Birthday. So the open thread comes a wee bit earlier than usual. “Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true.” ~ Charles Dickens
Prop 8 Declared Unconstitutional in California
I’ve been watching and waiting for this ruling to come down today. A panel of the 9th Circuit Court of appeals just struck down California’s ban on same-sex marriage. This issue is now headed for the United States Supreme Court, where Justice Kennedy is likely to be the deciding vote. That ruling could come as early as next year. The fight is not over, but this was one critical step. It stated: “Proposition 8 served no purpose, and had no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California.” Read the court’s full…
Open Thread – Brian on the Capitol Steps!
Brian the moose was lucky enough to attend a fabulous performance of The Capitol Steps at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday. He enjoyed it immensely. But the best part was getting to meet long-time Mudflatter and Palin impersonator extraordinaire, Bari Biern (right) and new Mudflatter in the cast Janet Gordon (left). When “Palin” entered stage right in her red blazer, and started off by saying, “I may not be your governor any more…” she never got to finish the sentence, because just that much brought down the house with thunderous applause and hooting. “Laugh all you…
Open Thread: A Real Alaskan
(Note: We will be collecting for the One Anchorage Campaign through the election on April 3rd, but they could really use your help now! Please donate as much as you can!) by Linda Kellen Biegel I attended a wonderful, Alaska star-studded fundraiser for The One Anchorage Campaign Sunday morning (before the Super Bowl) at former Governor Tony Knowles’s house. It was great to see everyone: Governor Tony Knowles, Alaska Constitution signer Vic Fischer and former Anchorage Assemblywoman Jane Angvik. Blake Merrifield, candidate for the Alaska Legislature against Wes Keller (R-Wasilla) talking with Governor Knowles. Jeff Mittman, Executive Director of the…
Pro-life, Pro-birth, and Pink Ribbons
By Shannyn Moore When I was 33, Mom and Pop Moore were staying with me. Mom was undergoing radiation and chemotherapy for breast cancer. For those of you who have been around a loved one with cancer, I don’t have to explain. For those of you who haven’t, nothing can prepare you for it. It is remarkably painful. It was Monday morning. I felt a lump. I was lying on my back in bed. I still remember the spot on the ceiling I was staring at. I had a 7-year-old daughter. The reality of my mother’s pain down the hall…
Open Thread: Realism and the Search for Meaning
Being the open thread, feel free to chit chat about anything you like, post links, etc. There is no “off-topic” here. That said, enjoy this wonderful clip from a 1972 talk by psychologist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl. Happy Sunday. **The blog is experiencing some technical difficulties. For some reason, comments are not posting on this thread. Please use the last open thread until further notice. Thanks, and sorry for the inconvenience!**
Five Past Anchorage Mayors Show Support For One Anchorage — Help Mudflats Do The Same!
Friday, there was a press conference at which five former mayors of Anchorage pledged their support to the One Anchorage Voter Initiative–one that will provide the same legal protections to gay and transgender folks in employment, housing, finances and business that other folks already receive. Per the press release: The bipartisan group consists of: US Senator Mark Begich; former Alaska Governor Tony Knowles; former Mayor Rick Mystrom; former Mayor Jack Roderick, and former Mayor Matt Claman. “Across the nation, you see more and more communities passing similar laws because it’s the right thing to do,” said Senator Begich. “I am…
Open Thread – Snowblind
I ventured forth this morning into downtown Anchorage. After a cold snap with temperatures in the double digits below zero, things finally warmed up – and then this happened. The forecast was for 8-16 inches of snow in Anchorage, and more at “higher elevations.” Whenever you hear the words “higher elevations” you can think “Mudflats Central.” And yes, the forecasters were right. Here’s a quick snap of the day and its abysmal driving conditions in downtown on 5th Avenue. The Alaska Center for the Performing Arts is in the background. Stay safe this weekend, and have fun shoveling!
School Choice Bill Moves Ahead – Giddyup!
~And they would’ve got away with it too… if it weren’t for that pesky Constitution! The question is “school choice.” That’s what they call it, anyway. Anchorage is fortunate in that there is already a great network of 27 charter schools available for those who want a public school alternative. And America is fortunate that for our kids, attending school is a privilege to which everyone is entitled. Yes, education is an “entitlement program,” (oh, the horror) and we ought to be proud of that. It’s one of those instances when “American exceptionalism” really means something. Republicans in the Alaska…
Getting a Handel on Twitter
The only thing more humiliating than a public figure’s gargantuan screwup-by-retweet (see above) is an alert citizen grabbing a screen shot of it before the perp’s hapless attempt to scrub it. When not embarrassing herself on Twitter, Karen Handel, the now famous, Palin-endorsed former gubernatorial candidate and reactionary from Georgia, has been busy making liars out of her new employers at the Komen Foundation. The latter, inexplicably, thought it a great idea to put a right-wing pro-life zealot in charge of developing policy for women’s health care The lavishly compensated Komen CEO may spin all she likes about how she…