Monthly Archives: February 2013

I turned down the Permanent Fund Dividend for about six years after arriving here … a youthful bow to journalistic ethics.  The governor and legislature started talking about citizens’ contributions to dwindling revenue, though,  and I realized that my noble stand against the taint of the PFD would never protect me from having to pay income taxes.  I decided to take the money. Continue reading →

The House has passed the bill — HB69 — that allows Alaskan troopers or police officer to arrest  federal agents who try to enforce federal firearm regulations in the state.   It was an interesting debate that at one point reminded me of a speech I covered when then-governor Ross Barnett of Mississippi railed against the federal government’s encroachment of his State’s Rights. Continue reading →

The House will open floor debate Monday on the bill – HB69 —  that declares FBI and ATF agents as criminals who must be arrested if they try to enforce federal gun control laws and regulations.

More than silly, of course, it’s unconstitutional – state and federal.  It also violates every oath of office taken by any elected official in the state, and by every law enforcement officer I ever heard of.  Continue reading →

I haven’t seen too much locally about the U-S Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case of an Alabama man who says his free speech has been restricted by campaign finance limits.

According to the Christian Science Monitor’s report, here,  Shaun McCutcheon can only contribute $2500 to an individual candidate,  $30,000 to a national political party, $10,000 to a state political party, $5000 to any other political committee – or a total of only a measly $117,000 over a two year election cycle.  Continue reading →

I don’t intend to write anything else on the Cruise Ship Wastewater Law that was put on the Governor’s desk Tuesday afternoon.  It passed, he will sign it, and it’s over.  It’s ripe for plenty of fine oratory and plenty of internet comments that I don’t want to hear or read.

Unless  … Continue reading →

That was an old TV game show – for several years hosted by Johnny Carson — that centered on which member of the team would best answer questions based on the subject of a string of questions.

For example,  if the host said the subject was Cruise Ship Waste,  the team would decide which one would be “trusted” to answer questions about output and standards and a rather flexible system of handling various chemical substances.  Then the questions were asked with money given for correct answers. Continue reading →

The headlines are full of the superficial,  ego-building issues that usually passes for making laws  this time of the year.   But, first,  you need just a reminder of reality.  The only thing the legislature absolutely must do before they go home is to pass the budgets.   Continue reading →

I swear this is true.

My favorite, closest aunt was visiting in 1978 during the election of one of the John Paul popes.  She had been an elementary school teacher when she lived in Geneva County, Alabama, but was in her eighties and living in Florida at the time.

As the news report from the Vatican came on television, she looked at me and said, “You know,  there’s some Popes living up in Coffee County.  I wonder if it’s one of them.”

Turns out it was a different bunch of Popes.  She never went to Rome.

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The week will start with a good show,  but it looks like it’s heading down hill after that.  My guess is that it’ll take some really fine sandpaper and a lot of polish to make this week shine.

Obviously, the star attraction is the Senate vote on the governor’s bill – HB80 – that lets cruise ships dump waste — such as copper,  ammonia, nickel and other dangerous shit —  where I’m fishing.  Continue reading →

The Valdez Star has published a piece on the e-mail under Speaker Mike Chenault’s name that refers to a proposal by Valdez Mayor Dave Cobb that had been sent to Governor Parnell.  Chenault had received a copy of the proposal as a courtesy.

Chenault’s Chief of Staff Tom Wright inelegantly replied yo Valdez with the phrase “What a crock of shit.”   Here’s where  you can find the Star’s story on it. Continue reading →