Columns 2014

Do it locally

We’ve all seen the commercials, right? They purport to show real Alaskans praising the new oil tax regimen of the Parnell administration. The ads urge us not to change it by voting yes on the referendum on this fall’s ballot to revert to the Palin structure. Some apparently feel it taxed oil companies way too much.

Whether those are real Alaskans or not, and whether you believe an ad suggesting we leave a tax break in place being run by the groups benefiting by those tax breaks, one thing remains true. We need local jobs that support local families and

Continue reading →
Scribblings

And so it arrives

Summer is here after barely a winter and nary a spring. Guess I have to stop waiting for the final snow fall of the season and go buy flowers to plant. Sigh. I hate dirt. But I will gird my loins… as soon as I figure out where they are… and do my bit to make Anchorage a little prettier by planting flowers in my front yard. First mosquito I see and all bets are off!!

Continue reading →
Scribblings

Mother’s Day

Lots of moms in my life but none are my mom or any of the substitute moms who were so instrumental in getting me through both life and my complicated relationship with my mother. So I’m spending the day at the Eagle River Nature Center with my education crow Kodi and the most wonderful golden eagle in the world, Denali. Oh yeah, and Denali’s mom MaryBethe. I expect when I get home my dogs and birds will have the entire house cleaned and a wonderful meal waiting for me… god, I have to stop being delusional at some point in

Continue reading →
Scribblings

Here’s how you do business the right way

Went on the 26 Glacier Cruise out of Whittier. It was a disaster. Engine kicked out. Couldn’t do much of anything promised. Docked a distance from where the cars were parked. Missed the 6 PM tunnel opening and had to wait for the 7. Turned out to be a long, boring and frustrating day.

Called the company today to see what they were offering to compensate for all the problems. Without hesitation they offered a full refund… not a chit for a future trip, not a partial refund because we did see some glaciers and had lunch and saw otters…

Continue reading →
Columns 2014

Senseless tragegies leave behind devastated victims

Soon after the senseless tragedy in Tanana last week, I was the guest speaker at a Victim’s Rights dinner. The people in that room were all dedicated in one way or another to ensuring that victims of crime were not again victimized by the criminal justice system. This concept is one that most people take for granted nowadays. But it was only 30 years ago that people started to acknowledge the needs of victims. Until then, the justice system dealt only with the criminal. The victims were there to testify at trial perhaps, but beyond that they were simply expected

Continue reading →
Scribblings

I want to believe in it but…

I want to believe in the death penalty. Especially for horrible murders where someone was made to suffer unbearably or a child had his or her innocence forever destroyed. I want to hate someone enough to enjoy having my government kill them in my name. And yet I can’t. Damn those nuns! Teaching me that Jesus required love, mercy and forgiveness. What were they thinking?

Continue reading →