Elise Sereni Patkotak

In times of great tragedy, we all need the occasional silliness to relieve the sadness. Because of this fact, I am about to write words I never thought I would – thank god for Levi Johnston and his planned run for (the not yet vacant or available position of) mayor of Wasilla.

As we mourn the man most consider the penultimate politician of Alaska’s 20th Century, the person who may come to personify the politician of the 21st Century confronts us – a boy brought to notoriety by a fertile reproductive system, a very lucky unplanned pregnancy and reality TV.

I think it’s time we Anchorites start packing up the essentials and moving to higher grounds. The waters are bound to overcome us soon after what I believe is now going on eleven straight months of rain every day.  I mean, I don’t want to panic but it seems we should plan for the inevitable evacuation orders as the Inlet overtakes us.

Why does it seem as though Americans have become a people who want to hold their constitution sacred only when it’s easy to do?

Religious freedom for all means exactly what it says. Muslims as well as Christians, Buddhists or Hindus have the right to practice their faith without government intervention. And for those horrified at the thought of a mosque near ground zero, I would suggest that given the headlines of the past decade or so, we should be more horrified at the thought of a Catholic Church within a mile of a grade or high school – unless

In an attempt to avoid another billion dollar surgery on Blue because she and Blondie got into a fight over the droppings in the bottom of the bird cage, a dear friend Lenny and his wonderful son Ben came to my house and wrapped the bottom sides of the cage so the dogs can’t stick their heads under the cage and get to the food.

At first, my dogs spend a lot of time walking into the wire mesh and then looking confused that they couldn’t get their heads in.  Now they just stand there and stare forlornly at the

Autumn Wings Festival

Saturday, August 14

Noon to 4:00 pm

15510 Old Seward Hwy (take the Rabbit Creek exit)

Bird TLC presents their annual Autumn Wings Festival.  Join the fun from noon to four, Saturday, August 14, to celebrate autumn, the outdoors and Alaska’s wild birds.  See wild eagles, owls, hawks and ravens up close.  Experience a falconry demonstration, shop the outdoor sculpture at the art show, and get close to a porcupine.  Featuring outdoor and wildlife organizations, presentations, a bird calling contest, art, food, music and fun.  Don’t miss the Eagle release @ 3:30.  Rabbit Creek exit east to

The recent ruling in California that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional has raised an interesting variety of hues and cries from the general populace. Some concerns raised are clearly heartfelt sentiments by people truly threatened by the prospect of gay marriage. Other concerns raised leave me wondering what constitution people studied in school.

If, in fact, this issue has more to do with a particular religious code than any civil issue, I have to ask why government is involved at all since government really shouldn’t be codifying religious strictures. Isn’t that what happens in places like Iran where Sharia is the

I met him only a few times and that was way back when we were both young in the late 70s and early 80s. So there is nothing I can add to all the speeches and remembrances being posted throughout Alaska blogs about him except to say that whether you liked him or not… and believe it or not, there were actually some Alaskans who didn’t… he was a force of nature that changed this state from a backwater in America’s patchwork quilt of states to a state that was still a backwater as far as most of America was

Turns out that the pus coming from Blue’s eye was not the result of me not noticing an abscess and pain over many weeks. No, it was the result of another little tiff she had with Blondie over the droppings on the bottom of the bird cage.

Blue and Blondie had a snarly moment on Friday that I thought did not involve any contact as much as a lot of growly posturing. But apparently Blondie managed to nip Blue on the inside of her mouth again. This time, possibly due to the fact that the bite was probably mixed with

Blue’s right eye started putting out copious amounts of stuff that shouldn’t be in her eye approximately 30 seconds after her regular vet’s office closed for the weekend so that – mother guilt being what it is – I ended up at Pet Emergency…. a wonderful group with a wonderful service for which you pay wondrous amounts.