
The Ester Community Association is putting on its annual Halloween event for kids tonight, 6:30 pm at Hartung Hall. The trick-or-treating starts at 7 pm.
Lots o' parties tonight. I'll go as the plague, I think....
bloggy bits and news from the publisher and a couple of other troublemakers...
Date and Time: Sunday, November 2, 3pmThe Ester library's had a good fundraising year, and some actual construction got done, albeit on the gazebo, not on the actual library. The two big holdups have been a) lack of a design; and b) lack of sufficient funds. The latter is not so important as the former, actually, because having the plans will help kick the fundraising into high gear, and enable building to commence with the funds we do have and the volunteer labor and donated materials already promised. That will only work for so long, but once we start, the rest will follow pretty quick.
Location: Hartung Hall, corner of Main Street, Ester Loop, and Wellhouse Road (just past Frank's log castle toward Judie Gumm's, on the left as you go toward Fairbanks), Ester village
Sen. Ted Stevens gets to vote in next Tuesday's election despite being found guilty of seven federal felonies because his conviction won't be final until he's sentenced, the state Department of Law decided late Wednesday.Personally, I don't think he should lose his right to vote at all.
• media consolidationThe complete report (PDF) is pretty hefty, at least if you're on dialup, like me. There is an article available online giving the highlights. Several other interesting articles are available, too.
• the Pentagon's covert propaganda campaign using retired military officers
• the campaign by phone and cable companies "to dismantle the long-standing principle of Net Neutrality"
• Aaron claims that "nearly 100 journalists were arrested and detained in St. Paul, Minn., while trying to report on the Republican National Convention." (He doesn't say where he got this figure from, though. The highest I've seen to date other than this is 46.) However, it is clearly true that the treatment of protestors and journalists (not to mention medics!) at the RNC was appalling, unconstitutional, and beyond the pale.
What are your thoughts on this? Would you ride public transportation at least one way, or at least once a week? Is carpooling or a park & ride arrangement of interest to you? Please let me know if this is something to pursue. David Leone, DOT Public Transportation Manager, is interested in your response (dleone@co.fairbanks.ak.us) and so is Tylan Martin (publine@yahoo.com), the private contractor with whom David is working for this project. And please don't hesitate to contact me directly with your comments.I'd certainly use this in the winter, probably three days a week, and on rainy days in the summer, if there was a bus going in between 8 and 9 am. It would be nice if it would make a loop to Fred's and Safeway, too.
According to news reports, the clothing and accessories purchases for Palin and her family included a whopping $49,425 spent at Saks Fifth Avenue, and a $75,062 spending spree at Neiman Marcus.Palin is apparently complaining that this is sexist and alludes to the atrocious treatment of Hillary Clinton in the press for her hairstyles and clothing. While I agree with Palin that Clinton was treated badly this way, Clinton wasn't spending political funds for her family's personal wardrobe. The clothes will be going to charity later on, apparently, but still--$150 grand?
These shopping excursions violate campaign finance law.
FECA specifically prohibits a candidate for federal office from converting campaign funds to personal use. FEC regulations make clear that the prohibition applies to clothing purchases, such as those made for the Palin family.
The RNC implicitly admitted that the clothing was purchased with campaign funds by stating that it will be donated to charity after the campaign. The RNC also relies on this prospective contribution to explain why the personal use prohibition is not applicable as FEC regulations provide that donations by candidates to charitable organizations are not for personal use. It does not appear, however, that this exception would apply to the clothing worn by Palin’s family, even if it does apply to her own.
[T]hey’re in charge of the U.S. Senate so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom.I thought she was reasonably intelligent, but now I'm beginning to have my doubts. What happened to her brains? It's like as soon as she was chosen as McCain's running mate that she's been zombified, turned into the Alaska Barbie everybody makes jokes about. I mean, come on!
The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided.So, Gov. Palin has embarrassed Alaska yet again by demonstrating that she doesn't understand the difference between the Executive and the Legislative branches of government. (I suppose that's fitting, given that GW Bush doesn't understand them either.) More on this at the Raw Story:
Palin also apparently did little to study up after fumbling a question about her prospective duties during this month's debate with Democratic VP nominee Joe Biden.My aunt and cousin used to live in Wasilla, back when it was an Alaska town and hadn't been taken over by the box store/strip mall worshippers like Palin (it was under her mayorship that the runaway box building really got going). Wasillans should be cringing by now. I hope.
"I'm thankful the Constitution would allow a bit more authority given to the vice president if that vice president so chose to exert it in working with the Senate," she told the debate audience.
Asked to explain what she meant, Palin continued into the realm of the fanciful, endorsing Cheney's position of a more powerful vice presidency while crafting interpretations of the office even he didn't seem to have envisioned.
"Well, our founding fathers were very wise there in allowing through the Constitution much flexibility there in the office of the vice president. ... So I do agree with him that we have a lot of flexibility in there," she said. "And we'll do what we have to do to administer very appropriately the plans that are needed for this nation."
Zombie Walk, part of the World Zombie Day fight to end world hunger, takes place Sunday, Oct. 26 from 3 – 6 p.m. Dress up as a zombie and walk from the West Ridge parking lot to Wood Center, then enjoy the free 1969 movie Night of the Living Dead. Bring canned food donations to help the fight against hunger.Zombait.org ("Attracting zombies since 2007") is an Alaska site celebrating World Zombie Day.
"In my own state, I have voted, along with the vast majority of Alaskans who had the opportunity to vote, to amend our constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman."That's Sarah Palin, talking with the Christian Broadcasting Network. Now, back in April 2007, we had a little advisory vote on a discriminatory piece of legislation, which passed by 53 to 47% in favor of bigotry. At that time, Ms. Palin said of the vote:
"It's hard to characterize that as a mandate."In 1998, there was 68% support for a ban on same-sex marriage. That was pretty pathetic, and it's clear that the public, when faced with the reality that this shameful amendment could be used to enshrine all kinds of discriminatory practices, clearly wasn't quite so keen on it the next time.