Daily Kos: just for the halibut

"Alaska at 50" -- Good Editorial Intro to Alaska (ADN)

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Monday January 05, 2009 · 5:13 PM PST

2009/01/05 · 17:13

Alaska is now 50 years old and no matter what has happened over the first 49 years, we got more attention in the last year than we had for some time--Sarah Palin, Ted Stevens, Mark Begich. It may have been 15 below this morning (or 50 below, depending on where you live), but Alaska's been a hot topic for a while...and with Palin and her extended family in the news, we'll probably be pretty hot for a few more months.

I've only been up in AK a little over a decade and I've grown accustomed to some quirkiness to our politics and our economic system and our cultural issues. It's a state where it seems everyone is "from somewhere else" and everyone "has a reason" for wanting to live up here...perhaps they are running from something or still wanting to strike it rich on some venture.

The Anchorage Daily News has a good editorial about Alaska's history as a state, wrapping it around the oil business and the pipeline. Please read it.

Mike Gravel -- Wants President Obama to Stop Torture

just for the halibut

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Monday October 20, 2008 · 12:35 AM PDT

2008/10/20 · 00:35

So, I'm sitting in Barnes & Noble in Anchorage on Saturday, minding my own business, working on my laptop, sipping my latte. It becomes clear that the staff are setting up for some book discussion. A few people are gathering together. By a few, I mean about seven. (Later I find out that it's a few former Alaskan state senators and included a former writer for TPM Muckraker.) I sip. I type. I listen. It becomes clear that the author is ex-Alaska Senator, and ex-presidential candidate Mike Gravel.

Mike Gravel was an Alaskan Senator from 1969-1981. While I did not live in Alaska any of that period, it appears that majority of folks I've talked with recently have a somewhat negative view of him..."off kilter," "an embarrassment." He referred to himself as a "real maverick." He recounted his awe being in the Oval Office with Nixon as a freshman senator--as Nixon tried to sway him on a Vietnam vote. He told about his "famous" filibuster experience. The stories were interesting.

Poll

98 votes Show Results

So, what should President Obama first do when he takes office?

98 votes Vote Now!

So, what should President Obama first do when he takes office?

Stop torture

49 votes

Take a nap

2 votes

Find some pie

10 votes

Catch up on his DailyKos reading

7 votes

Have a seat in the Oval Office and take it all in

23 votes

See if Dominos delivers

7 votes

Things I Wish Would Be Said and Who I Think Should Say Them

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Sunday October 05, 2008 · 2:27 AM PDT

2008/10/05 · 02:27

I am deeply troubled tonight. I mean "troubled" in the "feel it in the gut" kind of way. I have other things that should be taking my attention tonight. I have work to do. I have some family things I should be taking care of. Yet I find myself troubled. I am troubled about Obama and his campaign...not only in the fear that he might lose and our country will miss out on a great opportunity, but also in the fear that he might win and we will have a large percentage of the electorate believe the lies that have been coming from McCain. What might it mean to have a president that many persons believe, really believe, "pals around with terrorists" and really doesn't love our country? Lies! But how dangerous could that be. I don't know.

In the midst of my inner angst, I just made another (small) contribution to the Obama campaign. And, in the midst of my inner angst, I thought of some things I wish were being said and I thought of who I wish would say them. You may have your own ideas. There are many on this site who have much more invested in this and put much more thought into this than I do. See the list below:

Alaskan PFD/Resource Rebate -- Give $ to Obama

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Friday September 12, 2008 · 11:08 AM PDT

2008/09/12 · 11:08

This is my first diary.

Today is the day that the first Permanent Fund Dividends and "Resource Rebates" are directly deposited in Alaskan's bank accounts. This is for all those who qualify as full-time Alaskan residents during 2007 or were born in Alaska during 2007 and lived here the remainder of the year. Those who receive the funds via mail will get those later in the month. It is my belief that Obama supporters might want to tap into that windfall ($3269 per person) to give a bit more to the Obama Campaign--the campaign with an actual emphasis on cutting back our dependence on oil. (More Below)

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