A quick note...

I got a comment that mentioned my text size might be too tiny so I bumped them up a bit in size. In my eyes and using Firefox at 'normal' text size settings they almost look too big. So give me feedback, please. I finally enabled an email address as well, available by clicking on the 'Profile' link.

I'll close by pointing out that with Firefox at least, you hold down the Ctrl (Control) key and spin your mousewheel up or down to decrease/increase the size of of text on webpages and once you do that it remembers your settings for that page. So I agree. Small text sucks, but Firefox rocks. I have no idea how the page looks in Explorer, Chrome, Opera or Safari as I don't personally use any of them and most especially avoid using Explorer like the plague because of known security issues. Whether that remains the case or not with Explorer 8, I don't know. I've always been more of a Netscape/Mozilla man and until I find something I like better, I'm sticking with it.

Again, feel free to email or post comments on this thread with your feedback. And as always, thanks for taking the time to stop by and participate.

-Laz

Open Mouth, Insert Foot (AGAIN)...

Another day, another horrible gaffe for Sarah. Another case of "I was *FOR* it before I was against it". See also "Bridge to Nowhere", "Alternative Energy Stimulus Money", &tc.

Along with many of my progressive friends, I have a high degree of doubt that she even wrote the WaPo op-ed piece. With the exception of the continued misuse of the word "progressing", none of it seems or reads as though it came from her brain.

-Laz
(with apologies for posting without self-editing ;) stinkin' day job requiring my attention...)

Rest In Peace, sir...

Sad news at the passing of former Anchorage Assemblyman Allan Tesche. He will be missed. My condolences to his family.

-Laz

The best explanation is usually the simplest...

All it takes is 6 panels to explain EXACTLY how our present health care system works in America.

Because it doesn't. As a dual cancer survivor, I know. The only reason I'm still alive is because of the kind charity and compassion of a couple of doctors and the Sisters of Providence medical center.

-Laz

This is all making my brain hurt!

(and thanks to Chris in AK for the tip on this)...

Lt. Governor Sean Parnell has now weighed in officially as the the conundrum (or "constitutional crisis") concerning the appointment of Campbell as Lt. Governor continues to spiral into even more legal complexity before Governor Palin leaves office.

This again leaves a couple of unanswered questions. First, can Parnell even legally do this since he has not yet been sworn in as the Governor especially considering that the law concerning interim appointments specifically says the "Governor" can make these appointments and says nothing about the "Lt. Governor"? I understand it is being framed as an official letter of intent, but is it yet another quasi-legal issue that cannot be sufficiently resolved until either Parnell is sworn in or the Alaskan legislature gives it's vote of approval or denial?

Second, and this is something Alaskan bloggers are already debating amongst themselves, shouldn't Campbell have to resign his active duty military commission before the appointment or at least before taking the official oath of office? What happens if he does so and the legislature decides NOT to confirm?

Yes indeed, we are "blessed to live in interesting times", just like the old Chinese proverb says...

-Laz

Max weighs in...

My favorite excerpt:

“Honestly, Sarah’s resignation was complete bullshit and I’m saying that as a Republican,” a Republican political veteran working in the legislature told me. “In all my years in politics, nobody has left Alaska in such a mess. Everyone here is just shocked.” The Republican added, “There’s no choice but to hold a special session. The conflict has to be handled in an orderly way.”

Read the entire article here.

-Laz

Drumroll please... (UPDATED)

The SarahPAC numbers have been reported to the Federal Election Commission as reported by Cillizza at the Washington Post today, pegging it at around $700,000 for the first half of 2009. Also revealed are the amounts paid to several mouthpieces and minions (wow Meg, only $4,000 a month to put up with Governor Crazypant's antics? Really?), thus providing bloggers and the MSM still more potential fodder for interesting articles unraveling the web of her spending and political practices.

Does this get reported as income for her because it seems ultimately she is the one who decides how and where it get's spent? The PAC is not registered as a 501 (c)(3) is it? Or is it a 527 group? And what the hell does this disclaimer mean on SarahPAC?

The Official Sarah Palin PAC

Paid for by SarahPAC Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee www.SarahPAC.com

Contributions to Sarah PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for Federal income tax purposes.

Umm, huh? Their offical FAQ is, as could be expected, extremely light on details but heavy on the rah-rah sis-boom-bah cheer leading of her muddled political agenda. Is it at 501(c)(3) or a 527? Or does it exist as yet another thing that Sarah has done (or helped to be done in her name) that is somehow outside the bounds of normality and existing law? One thing for certain is that it appears to NOT be a non-profit entity because you cannot write it off on your taxes. Aren't normal political contributions tax deductible? (answering my own question, nope and nope again) As is the case with many activities by S.P., it only prompts more questions than it reveals any real answers. Stay tuned for more on this as it unfolds...

*** Update ***

Here's a link to the actual FEC filing.

*** Update 2 ***

An anonymous tipster caused me to want to dig deeper, because you know it just didn't seem fair Meg Stapleton was being paid "starvation wages" (roughly around twice what I make at my day job) to run the Governor Crazypants Dog and Pony media show, so I offer an excerpt and link to this from McClatchy:

"Stapleton herself was paid $12,000 by SarahPAC and another $32,450 through IzzyLene, a consulting firm registered in her name in Alaska."

Whew! I'd hate to think the poor girl was having to decide between the Shrimp or Beef flavored TopRamen every night. You know -- like me.

Also from the AP comes this link and additional info:

"Stapleton received a monthly salary of $8,000 through her Anchorage-based public relations business, IzzyLene Consulting.

Also listed was a $4,683 payment to Stapleton's husband, Eric Steenburgh. Stapleton said she had borrowed his credit card for travel expenses for her and Palin when the governor traveled to Washington, D.C., for a high-profile political dinner at the elite Alfalfa Club."

It is interesting that it says "for her AND Palin". What? Sarah, alleged to be a known coffee grifter (another story where Palin couldn't pay for her own coffee one time on the campaign trail because she said she never carries money or credit cards -- again, what?) couldn't afford her own plane ticket and expenses? WTF? (emphasis my own)

It is entirely possible that the differing amounts shown from both sources are getting confused with monies IzzyLean Consulting eventually paid out to GOTV as listed here. Also it must be pointed out as is obvious from the above link that this is NOT money from SarahPac but rather money paid directly from the McCain campaign as listed.

For the sake of metaphor allow me to compare the quest to dig up public documents on Palin, her paid operatives and her political activities using search engines on the internet in two ways: "wheels within wheels within wheels" which is the longhand way of using the term "Ouroboros" -- the snake that eats it's own tail (with posthumous thanks to Robert Anton Wilson for introducing me to those phrases). No matter where online information is stored, the "snake" that is the internet will always be able to find, gobble it up and digest itself incessantly occasionally pooping out a fresh stinky nugget for those of us willing to sift through the detritus to discover it.

Hey! There you go, Uncle Ted! Snakes are tube-like, so NOW I understand your past confusion, sir.

-Laz

You stay classy, Pat Buchanan...

Wow. Just wow. How do the Palins deal with Levi Johnston's big yap? According to wingnut Pat Buchanan, murder by drowning.



And everyone has a big laugh on Morning Joe. Har har har!

Yes I realize it's a joke and meant to be tongue in cheek but I also realize that, as is 99% of what Buchanan has to say, it is uncouth and in bad taste.

-Laz

You CAN'T make this shit up...

Many Alaskans seem to be unaware that our soon to be ex-Governor appointed three new judges this week. Judges she picked from a list submitted by the Alaska Judicial Council. Judges in her words from her own twitter account who will be "interpretting (sic) law, not making law".

So far so good. Typical and relatively scandal free. Now let the S.P. gaffe machine crank up to full speed before I reveal some things discovered digging through documents... one judge (from Palmer and I'm sure he's a perfectly nice man even though I don't know him personally) piqued my curiosity in particular because of his name -- Gregory L. Heath.

I know! Instantly I thought "is he related to her somehow?" and started spanking Google like a atubborn two-bit mule. And you will not believe what I found. OMFG! Now turn to page 8... I'll wait for you. Question 16. Read it slowly. Now go read this page. A brief quote from that article:

"In the resurfaced footage from the May 2005 blessing or "anointing" of Sarah Palin, at the Wasilla Assembly of God, three pastors surround Sarah Palin and bless her with the laying-on of hands. One of the pastors was Thomas Muthee. Another was Phil Markwardt of the Wasilla area Crossroads Community Church. The third was Wasilla Assembly of God head pastor Ed Kalnins. Kalnins and Markwardt traveled with Muthee, in 2005, to Africa to visit Muthee's Kenya-based. Kalnins has stated he has made two other trips to Africa, presumably to Muthee's church. Kalnins' and Markwardt's churches are among a Wasilla area church consortium helping to finance Muthee's Kenyan church expansion program." (emphasis added)

Now I'm NOT implying anything nefarious here but do you think it is totally out of the realm of possibilities that the judge is not somehow within her circle of friends and familiar with the Rev. Muthee? He states in his application (page 8 question 16, again) they have been a host family for an exchange student from Kenya. He was probably at the 2005 anointing of S.P., even.

So what is my point? Well only that there are a lots of coincidences surrounding this judicial appointment and that it is an example of exactly how, long after S.P. is just a memory, she will continue to have influence over Alaskan's lives. Just like her political mentor G. W. Bush, I have an idea she's going to spend a lot of time "embedding" like-minded individuals in positions of power within Alaska before she sashays off into the sunset. So be afraid Alaska. Be very afraid.

From the article:

"The Bible says that since the days of John The Baptist the Kingdom suffers violence. The violent take it by force. People that have spiritual backbone are the ones that will move forward. I thank God for what I see happening in this place. I thank God for the vision, the passion that I can see here.

And my word is this: The more violent you become, the more committed you become, the quicker you will see things happen in this region."

Muthee's rhetoric has, if anything, grown more extreme since that 2004 sermon, as attested to in a recent post from journalist Max Blumenthal who traveled to Alaska to attend Bishop Thomas Muthee's September 20-21 appearance at the Wasilla Assembly of God. As Blumenthal describes:

On the first night of services, Muthee implored his audience to wage "spiritual warfare" against "the enemy." As I filmed, a nervous church staffer approached from behind and told me to put my camera away. I acceded to his demand, but as Muthee urged the church to crush "the python spirit" of the unbeliever enemies by stomping on their necks, I pulled out a smaller camera and filmed from a more discreet position. Now, church members were in deep prayer, speaking in tongues and raising their hands. Muthee exclaimed, "We come against the spirit of witchcraft! We come against the python spirits!" Then, a local pastor took the mic from Muthee and added, "We stomp on the heads of the enemy!""

-Laz

The ACTING AG speaks up...

That's right, the acting Attorney General is expressing his opinion over the constitutionality of S.P.'s Lt. Governor appointment and slaps a big rubber stamp on it. Have I pointed out the Daniel Sullivan is STILL THE ACTING AG?

Acting. As in "has not been confirmed by the legislature yet, either" acting Attorney General. His opinion, until officially confirmed by the legislature frankly should carry about as much legal weight as yours and mine and in my opinion, by weighing in on this before he has been confirmed he has committed a gross error in judgment. The phrase "quasi-legal opinion without the benefit of a constitutionally mandated legislative confirmation hearing" comes immediately to mind.

Until he's officially confirmed, he doesn't and shouldn't have a horse in this race. Or have we forgotten so soon how Wayne Anthony Ross was recently shown the door? Remember how S.P. was already calling W.A.R. the Attorney General and how he actually had began to use official AG stationary BEFORE he was confirmed? S.P. is the queen of "cart before horse" behavior.

My red flags have gone up on this one and her appointment of Campbell to Lt. Governor. Schmidt refusing to serve is also fishy. Methinks something smells rotten in the state of Alaska! Methinks it smells of months old neocon fish wrapped in a week old neotheocon newspaper.

I'm posting this again because I don't think people of Alaska have awakened to the political ramifications of this succession problem... I hear people (on Shannyn and Method's radio shows today) poo-pooing and soft-pedaling this as something that doesn't rise to the level of a constitutional crisis, but if this isn't one I don't know what hell is. Meaning of course, it IS.

-Laz

Ruh Roh!

Yeah. Maverick-y. In the same way a sock puppet is maverick-y.

Is there absolutely NOTHING that S.P. says that is grounded in truth?

-Laz

A lie a day...

because you don't want to keep the media at bay, do you, S.P.?

Everyday someplace new to repeat the lies. She seems to have finally learned the Bush doctrine about preemptive strikes, only she's using it to carpet bomb the media with lies.

-Laz

Here there be icebergs, yaaaaarrrgh!

I admit it. I wanted to spew out all sorts of crap about my feelings "as an Alaskan" about S.P. and her quitting... some grandiose and overblown opus of a blog rant so as to fully end any desire to even feel the need to have that essentially self-serving discussion with myself (and a few readers) on a public blog.

Now I don't have to thanks to Donald Craig Mitchell.

Though I must say, it is long. Folks with short attention spans will be challenged to read every word of it. Yet it is also a compelling and worthwhile read, serving as rebuttal to an entire, albeit brief era under the sway of the large personality that IS S.P.

And one final note to Mr. Mitchell: It is not acceptable for you to refer to her child as "damaged Baby" Trig. You will undoubtedly be taking some verbal shots from your peers and the blogosphere at large for that comment because it isn't nor has it ever been about her kids. It's about HER manifest shortcomings. In my opinion you owe her, him and everyone an apology for crossing the boundary of decorum and good taste with those two tiny words.

Oh and the iceberg part? It doesn't happen until the last page and starts with the words:

"In other words, either Walt Monegan, Alaska's former chief law enforcement officer, committed perjury. Or Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska, committed perjury."

Yaaarrrrgh!

-Laz

Rubber-stamp much, dickweed?

The other OTHER Dan Sullivan (the new Attorney General one) says the legislature doesn't need to approve our new Lt. Governor and thus proves he has little or no grasp of Alaskan constitutional politics. He issues his first opinion wherein he, perhaps unknowingly, preforms as a political poodle to Sarah Palin as yet another rubber-stamping asshole seemingly beholden to her. Really, Dan? REALLY? What you suggest is a controversion to both LAW and reality. Won't you be glad when Sarah leaves and you can have your nuts back?

-Laz

Go local!

I used to hate the taste of beer. Until some local brewers, passionate about their jobs changed that... so I toast their dedication to the craft... I rate Sockeye Red IPA as the best damn local brew ever, but that MAY be the beer talking. ;)

-Laz

Fudging the Numbers...

Of course the disclosure of costs as released by the Palin administration for Alaska to handle ethics complaints against her is a big fat stinking lie. What did you expect? If you don't provide the original digital file in petrified form (showing the date of the original digital file creation as well as authorship, &tc.), then you are lying. Non date-stamped documents are worth squat and Van Flein knows this but he's too busy collecting money to actually offer REAL help to the quitter-in-chief.

Game over, Sarah. Please return to the stewardship of your own family (which seriously needs some attention, IMO) and get the hell out of our lives... also, too, get the hell off of OUR media with your incompetent word salad explanations of your reasoning for being a quitter. We are all long past the point of caring about your self centered existence. Go fish!

-Laz

ZOMFG! The GOP eats its young...

Sarah. She's what's for dinner at Peggy Noonan's house... too funny.

-Laz

A shout-out to all my Alaskan progressive bloggers!

You need strength to fight the good fight and finally put down the bad dream once and for all?

This is it. Crank it. Bonus points for having an awesome enough sub-woofer to piss off the neighbors (as you KNOW I do). In case you cannot figure it out, we are not "The Pretender". Independent Alaskan's involved in participatory democracy are THE REAL DEAL. We are all 'Dave Grohl', now.

-Laz

For the record...

Since day one of this blog until now nobody from anywhere has paid me one thin dime for anything I have ever written. Not the DNC, not Rahm Emanuel, not Obama, not Gibbs, not Axelrod. Nobody. Not a single solitary cent. I can swear that upon the religious book of your choice in front on billions of humans and NOT feel guilty about it because it is the absolute truth. That's just how I'M wired.

-Laz

For maximum effect...

I'd suggest listening to Three Dog Night "Liar" while reading the following from Andrew Sullivan.

Pretty much every lie ever told by Sarah Palin is in there. I am heartened by the idea that Sullivan has apparently put down the kool-aid as it pertains to S.P. Enjoy!

-Laz