Columns 2015

Just got back the DVDs from iMemories with my family movies from the fifties and sixties into the seventies. My dad can never be accused of being a great film maker. So there I sat staring at the screen trying to figure out who I was looking at or what I was looking at when suddenly, in a perfectly clear shot, all my aunts appeared. They were all so beautiful. I don’t think I ever realized that when I was young. And suddenly I was sobbing and didn’t even know why. I miss them more than words can express.

According to some, President Obama has declared war on Alaska. Given the amount of unaccounted for money shipped to Afghanistan and Iraq on pallets in small denominations when we were first at war there, we should maybe not be so quick to judge harshly. Why turn down the chance to become a war zone showered with untraceable money? Think about it. What do Alaskans like more than free cash for which they’ve had to do absolutely nothing?

Even more interesting in the realm of untold amounts of money is the announcement by the Koch brothers that they will dedicate almost

I used to have big dogs that loved to walk. My three new ones came with a different idea about walking and the outside. They are little dogs. The girl won’t even go out for her bodily needs once it’s below 32 degrees. Both the boys love going out for about ten to twenty seconds. Then they are done with the walk and it’s time to go get warm and get treats. I soon realized I needed something to substitute for the miles I was no longer walking. I got a stationary bike. And believe it or not, I use

I was a bit taken aback at the vehemence expressed by some commenters on my column last week towards seniors in this state. Who knew some viewed us with such dislike? According to these commenters, cutting senior benefits will cause us to leave the state, thus saving the state enormous amounts of money spent on our pensions and tax exemptions. Before kicking us all to the curb, however, let’s review some of the things seniors provide that would be hard to replace.

As I wrote last week, we should all share the pain of budget reductions. Seniors are not exempt

So if I understand the situation correctly, Alaska is deep in a financial hole due to the drastic decline in oil prices. We are therefore dependent on the moral strength and integrity of our legislators to do the right thing and balance the state budget no matter the political cost. I’ll pause here for a moment to give you time to laugh hysterically. Call me a pessimist, but I’m going to bet that legislators will find a way to make a few cosmetics cuts and then kick the rest of the pain down the road. After all, this is Alaska.

Congratulations are in order for the boys and girls Barrow Whaler basketball teams. They both did extremely well in their respective tournaments. For anyone who has lived in Alaska for longer than ten minutes without figuring this out, let me make it perfectly clear to you that basketball is to Bush Alaska what football is to all of Texas. It is king.

For the kids lucky enough to have the talent to play, basketball can be a way out of town for some mall roving and movie going. It is also a strong impetus to stay in high school. The

The unwanted red headed step child of colors.

Normally I use this last column of the year to recount those people, places and things that will live forever in my own personal Hall of Infamy. Talk about an embarrassment of riches, this year politicians alone would fill that hall. So I thought I’d hand out kudos instead, the biggest and only one of which goes to Governor Bill Walker.

I’m probably not the only person who was skeptical about how long he’d keep his independent status when elected to office.  I figured by now he’d have returned to the Republican Party and been received, if not with wide-eyed

It’s the smell of Christmas for anyone Italian. My nonna’s kitchen started to smell of it at least a week before Christmas Eve as she started to soak the salted cod in order to have it ready to cook on Christmas Eve. I find that in my old age, just the smell brings me back to my childhood Christmases… and how all us kids HATED the baccala and the ensuing battle as mom insisted we just try it, even though her heart wasn’t in it either because she wasn’t exactly a big fan. As we grew older, the amount of