Scribblings

Give him a life sentence

Don’t make the Boston Marathon bomber a martyr. Give him a life sentence and hope he lives a long and miserable life. Every day he should wake up to the knowledge that he wasted his life. America still stands. Extremism and violence didn’t win. And all he has to look forward to is another day of being someone’s bitch. Yep. Give him a life sentence. It will be much more painful than death.

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Columns 2015

We need to pay for what we want

Like many people reading this column, I was raised by parents survived the Great Depression. Their view of money was always going to be skewed by that experience. My father didn’t get a credit card until he was in his sixties. In his world, you didn’t buy something you couldn’t pay for.

All through my childhood my godmother sent my mom money to buy me a new outfit each Easter and Christmas. In fact, when I was all grown up and making more money in a year than she’d ever imagined possible, my godmother still sent me money out of

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Scribblings

Did you see it?

Winter was here in Anchorage for a quick visit yesterday. Snow on the ground in the morning. Trees continuing to bud by noon. It was short, sweet and memorable.

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Scribblings

The good part of being home

I slept last night with two warm furry bodies pushed up against me and it was cold enough to appreciate their warmth. And this morning I woke up to parrots calling me to feed them. The sounds of home. Comforting.

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Scribblings

Might as well go home

This is clearly not the year I’ll win enough on the penny slots to buy that private island I’ve been eying. So I guess it’s back to Alaska and trying to earn a living legitimately. How boring.

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Columns 2015

The alcohol debate in our villages continues

It’s a heartbreaking story full of tragedy, sadness and pain. It’s the story of alcohol in Alaska, and specifically the attempts of people in small Alaskan villages to mitigate the damage by controlling the flow. Unfortunately, decades after the passage of Alaska’s local option laws, liquor in one form or another is available throughout Bush Alaska. And the pictures on the front page of this paper of people in Bethel speaking out against a liquor store just brought to mind once again how difficult a situation it is.

The reality is that people who want to drink will find something

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Scribblings

Hmmmmm

Surely there is one slot machine in this whole damn city that will at least give me the illusion of winning before taking all my money. Surely…

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