I just had to write something about COD4 weapons so here it is:

(If you liked my guide, be sure to check Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Official Strategy Guide)(i got some information from the guide i used in my guide)

Assault rifles

M16A4

|==================================================================|
|Damage  | Range     | Range Silenced | Rate of Fire | Reload Time |
|------------------------------------------------------------------|
|40 - 30 | 1500-2000 | 500 - 1000     | 925 RPM      | 2 Seconds   |
|        |           |                |              |(3.365 Empty)|
|==================================================================|

A gun with a 3-shot burst, at longer range it deals 30 damage and at
close range 40,with stopping power
it kills everyone (including juggernauts) at every possible range,
double tap can come in handy because it
shortens the delay between bursts and increaces the speed of the
burst itself making it including the delay
as fast as the AK-47. With a Acog it can become a sort of sniper,
it has no sway as some other Assault rifles.
Because it is the most accurate assault rifle, putting steady
aim on makes it as accurate as a submachinegun

AK-47

|==================================================================|
|Damage  | Range     | Range Silenced | Rate of Fire | Reload Time |
|------------------------------------------------------------------|
|40 - 30 | 1500-2000 | 500 - 1000     | 700 RPM      | 2.5 Seconds |
|        |           |                |              |(3.25 Empty) |
|==================================================================|

Just as with the m16 it deals 40 in close range and 30 damage over
longer distances. The firing rate is quite slow so double tap
can be handy, with an attachment however it deals
20 damage over longer ranges so watch out when using a attachment.
It seems to have high recoil but the sights return to the
original place after each shot, but when you fire more
than 6-7 shot in one burst it also shakes to the right and the left.
Over longer ranges it is wise to fire in single shots.It is the only
gun to feature a different
grenade launcher, it has a slower reload time than the other
grenade launchers and also a slightly
shorter range. Sleight of hand can compansate for the slower reload.
M4

|===================================================================|
|Damage  | Range     | Range Silenced | Rate of Fire | Reload Time  |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|30 - 20 | 1500-2000 | 500 - 1000     | 850 RPM      | 2.03 Seconds |
|        |           |                |              |(3.36 Empty)  |
|===================================================================|

The M4 is a very popular gun why? Because it’s good with almost
everything. It has almost no recoil but it has sway, so
you have to re-adjust your gun every few seconds, because it can
go off-target easily. It is not a strong weapon,
but it has a high rate of fire. Because of it enemies can be
still taken out quickly. Can be used as a mid-range sniper with acog
as stealth gun with silencer or good all-round with Red-dot. Because
of the low recoil, double tap works perfect on the m4.
G3

|=====================================================================|
|Damage  | Range     | Range Silenced | Rate of Fire   | Reload Time  |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|40 - 30 | 1500-2000 | 500 - 1000     | Single shot,   | 2.75 Seconds |
|        |           |                | Up to 1200 RPM | (3.75 Empty) |
|=====================================================================|

Gun intended for medium-long range fights. Not really suited for close
range Deals 30 at long distance and 40 at close-medium range. It seems
to have high recoil but it returns to it’s original place
after every shot, even when fired at the maximum of 1200 RPM.
It has the highest accuracy of all assault rifles,so steady aim
is not really needed. When equipped with a acog, it seems to have
less recoil. The silenced G3 has a long delay when knifing in the PC version.

G36C

|==================================================================|
|Damage  | Range     | Range Silenced | Rate of Fire | Reload Time |
|------------------------------------------------------------------|
|30 - 20 | 1500-2000 | 500 - 1000     | 750 RPM      | 2.1 Seconds |
|        |           |                |              |(2.967 Empty)|
|==================================================================|

The G36C has the same power as the m4, but has more recoil and
a lower rate of fire, but also slower and less sway, an acog can be
used successfully because of this.

M14

|=====================================================================|
|Damage  | Range     | Range Silenced | Rate of Fire   | Reload Time  |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|50 - 40 | 1500-2000 | 500 - 1000     | Single shot,   | 2.5 Seconds  |
|        |           |                | Up to 1200 RPM | (3.06 Empty) |
|=====================================================================|

The M14 is basically a high-power high-recoil version of the G3.
It deals 40 over longer ranges and 50 at close range.
It has more recoil and thus when you fire when the sights are not yet
reset, it will fire in the middle of the resetting process causing
it to rise and probably hitting no-one. The Iron sights sometimes
obstruct your field of vision so Red-dot can be handy.

Mp44

|===================================================================|
|Damage  | Range     | Range Silenced | Rate of Fire | Reload Time  |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|40 - 30 | 1500-2000 | No Silencer    | 600 RPM      | 2.75 Seconds |
|        |           |                |              | (3.5 Empty)  |
|===================================================================|

The good old gun which was often the favorite of COD 1-2 players.
In COD 4 however it’s still a good weapon to use, but the AK
got the same damage, higher rate of fire, and shorter reload time,
so only use it when you are up for a challenge, it also has no
attachments.

Submachineguns(SMG’s)

MP5

|===================================================================|
|Damage  | Range      | Range Silenced | Rate of Fire | Reload Time |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|40 - 20 | 750 - 1000 | 350 - 700      | 800 RPM      | 2.3 Seconds |
|        |            |                |              | (3.3 Empty) |
|===================================================================|

The MP5 deals 40 damage at close range and 20 at longer ranges,
it is the slowest firing SMG, but has the quickest reload and
is one of the more powerful SMG’s, works well silenced. It seems
to have low recoil,but after a few shots it will move the sights
to all directions, so burst fire at medium and single shot at long
range.

Skorpion
|===================================================================|
|Damage  | Range      | Range Silenced | Rate of Fire | Reload Time |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|50 - 20 | 200 - 400  | 100 - 300      | 850 RPM      | 2.4 Seconds |
|        |            |                |              | (2.67 Empty)|
|===================================================================|
The scorpion can kill in 2 shots at close range, and 20 damage
everywhere else. The scorpion has the lowest ammo of all primary weapons, so
bandolier and sleight of hand can come in handy. It has even shorter
range than the pistols. The scorpion has no recoil, with Red-Dot
however, it gains some recoil but it still fires in the original position
----|---- <--------- The Red-Dot seems to be here but...
----|---- <--------- It still fires here
----|----

I had just climbed out of the porthole exit of the “Finding Nemo” submarine ride at Disneyland and was making my way over past the festive holiday made-over “It’s A Small World” setup when I noticed that my cell phone had collected a few missed calls from a friend of mine. My tenth century ACS phone decided that Alaska was not worth the effort to dial out too, so I was reduced to text messaging back, asking what was up. Minutes later, as the regional phone carrier’s homing pigeons raced back and forth frantically, I received a message informing me about what was going on. Heather and I, and our friends, literally spent the next hour huddled over an iPhone (thankfully our friends are more technologically up to date than we are), reading Facebook status updates while waiting in line for Space Mountain. Before we even got into the tunnel leading to the roller coaster, the news came through. Patrick Flynn, my Assemblyman, was the new Chairman of the Anchorage Municipal Assembly, with Mike Gutierrez serving as the vice chair, and Debbie Ossiander left in a blur.

I wasn’t in the room and never got to see the Mayor’s face as it happened, which is unfortunate. But I can guess.

I know that the right will cry foul; that this was a coup from the “socialist six”, etc. But, the municipal charter states very bluntly in Section 4.04, Section A: “The Assembly shall elect annually from its membership a presiding officer known as the “Chairman.” The Chairman serves at the pleasure of the Assembly.” Former-Chairwoman Debbie Ossiander did a lot of things, but serve at the “pleasure of the Assembly” she did not. At least in the sense that she did not represent the majority of the body, on recent budget issues and most notably on AO-64, the equal rights legislation that narrowly passed the Assembly over the summer, only to be vetoed by incoming Mayor Sullivan. Ossiander voted against the legislation, and represented the vote that could have overridden the veto, but stated very clearly that she had no intention of doing as such.

April holds five municipal elections, including the seats currently held by Ossiander, Claman, Coffey, Johnston, and Selkregg, meaning that the makeup could very likely shift once again and could result in yet another Assembly Chair switch, if the current turns in the favor of conservatives.

But for now, the vote went down along “party” lines, used loosely because party affiliation isn’t traditionally a part of municipal elections. Perhaps noting that the vote went across ideological lines would be a better fit. Or, we could say that six members of the body were just getting fed up with the Mayor’s frustrating resistance to working with the body; vetoing more in less than six months than any other Anchorage Mayor in recent memory.

Those voting for the change were Matt Claman, Mike Gutierrez, Patrick Flynn, Elvi Gray-Jackson, Harriet Drummond, and Sheila Selkregg. Opposing were Jennifer Johnston, Bill Starr, a very vocal Chris Birch, and Debbie Ossiander. Dan Coffey was absent for the night, but I’m sure will have plenty to say about it upon his return. Things to look forward to.

Here’s how it went down:

After this went down, Mrs. Ossiander was presented with some gifts and praise for her service, followed by a reprimand by Chris Birch, a “touche” delivered by Pat Flynn, and correction from Mrs. Drummond. As follows:

Mrs. Drummond correctly points out that any meetings between three or more members of the Assembly, specifically ones that directly address issues that will be put forth in front of the Assembly, are considered part of the public record and must be treated as such. As stated in the Open Meetings Act:

(e) Reasonable public notice shall be given for all meetings required to be open under this section. The notice must include the date, time, and place of the meeting and if, the meeting is by teleconference, the location of any teleconferencing facilities that will be used. Subject to posting notice of a meeting on the Alaska Online Public Notice System as required by AS 44.62.175 (a), the notice may be given using print or broadcast media. The notice shall be posted at the principal office of the public entity or, if the public entity has no principal office, at a place designated by the governmental body. The governmental body shall provide notice in a consistent fashion for all its meetings.

Mr. Birch has Left the Building

(2) “meeting” means a gathering of members of a governmental body when

(A) more than three members or a majority of the members, whichever is less, are present, a matter upon which the governmental body is empowered to act is considered by the members collectively, and the governmental body has the authority to establish policies or make decisions for a public entity; or

(B) the gathering is prearranged for the purpose of considering a matter upon which the governmental body is empowered to act and the governmental body has only authority to advise or make recommendations for a public entity but has no authority to establish policies or make decisions for the public entity;

Thus, Mr. Birch’s claims of an “agenda” are misleading and at odds with this Act, which is aimed at preventing the closed door dealings which are so prevalent in Washington and hated by all sides. In any case, he didn’t bother to stick around. He cleared out while the Assembly finished up the business of the day. Merry Christmas?

Harry Crawford is a fascinating candidate. Which is a good thing, considering the fact that he will be partaking in the great Alaskan Democratic tradition of attempting to dethrone Representative Don Young, who, despite being the subject of multiple investigations, has held our lone congressional seat since 1973. The biennial event has become all the anticlimactic rage for progressives in recent years, bearing witness to the defeat of hometown heroes like Ethan Berkowitz and Diane Benson.

Rep. Young is very well known for his inclination to only feel the need to represent those who’s views fall neatly in line with his own. He does not make himself readily available for constituents to ask questions outside of Young Republican meetings and Chamber of Commerce luncheons. He is, in my humble opinion, the definition of political disconnect.

Take for instance this email from Rep. Young, in response to a letter from my wife requesting him to support the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell:

Dear Ms. Aronno,…

I believe that the military is not the place for promoting social change.  This is why I support the current policy as it focuses on the performance of an individual not their sexual

kiss my ear!

orientation.  However, if a person’s sexual orientation affects the mission, the Military is still able to take action.  This is a fair balance between nondiscrimination and allowing the military to function.

H.R. 1283, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2009 has currently been referred to the House Armed Services Committee. While I do not sit on this committee, rest assured that I will keep your concerns in mind if this issue reaches the floor of the House for a vote…

Sincerely,

DON YOUNG

Congressman for All Alaska [emphasis mine]

I would pay a lot of money to hear Don Young’s explanation of a situation in which a soldier’s sexual orientation would affect the mission. Can that be my Christmas present?

By contrast, Crawford shines in a very different light; his followers would take a bus to the forehead for the guy. He has an unrivaled ability to look you in the eye and effortlessly make you feel as though you’ve been close friends for years. And whenever he speaks, this ability highlights itself. The man is soothing by nature. While some criticize Don Young voters as people who have “drunk the Kool-Aid,” in a lot of respects, Crawford is the Kool-Aid. Fatherly to some, brotherly to others. In a day and age where pandering for votes is the name of the game, and people seem to nervously trip over themselves trying, usually in vein, to guess the answers that would-be voters are seeking out, Crawford separates his candidacy from others by just being himself. Effectively. Quite honestly, what might make this race so interesting is that Harry Crawford sort of resembles a parallel-universe Don Young; completely self actualized, confident, genuine. It’s kind of trippy.

So, a couple of days ago, I was very interested when I received Mr. Crawford’s email newsletter. For someone who is usually so personable, is he trying to take a page out of Young’s school-of-disconnect playbook?

Good on you, Harry. Don’t want to come off as too nice. *smiley face*

Here are some pictures from our astoundingly successful Drinking Liberally 2, which was forecast as a no-go, due to the holiday season and the miserable weather (which I love), but turned into a major success.

To everyone who showed up, thank you! We’re onto something. Brick by brick. And it says something when, in the middle of the holidays, we get gubernatorial candidates like Bob Poe and newly minted Assembly Chair Patrick Flynn, showing up to take part in a good time. And that’s what this is about.

Thanks to all of you for making this live up to what our hopes for it were.

See you next time!

So I was playing the 10/20, am running horribly bad, am not confident of my game at all and playing super tight. Few hands I have shown have all been AQ+/ QQ+. Mostly, if I raise, people fold (I did run some bluffs to capitalize on my image though). Also, I am mostly playing fit-or-fold flop; basically horrible poker. There was this pro sitting 2 places to my left, clearly knew what he was doing.

One hand, he raises 200$ from MP and cutoff calls. I call with AsKs from BB. Flop is 994 rainbow. I check, he checks and cutoff checks. Turn is an A, still rainbow. I check, he bets 300 and cutoff folds. Naturally, I call. Dont want to raise yet, hoping to get 1 more street of value. River is a non descript card, and I decide to bet 500, fairly confident of winning here (have some 700 behind at this point). He thinks for a while, and puts me all in. Naturally I call, but am beginning to get worried. He couldnt have a 9. Worst fears come true, he had pocket Aces.

Why I think he played this exceptionally well?

1. Given my super tight play, he must have put me on a big ace or QQ+ when I called his big raise. Also, KK I would have re-raised. So in his mind, I have AQ/AK or KK/ AA. So he knows he is ahead on the flop, and I am likely to fold all aces if he bets. There are no draws to be worried about. Thus he checks, allowing me a free card. This I thought was genius. My natural instinct is to get my money in “while I am ahead”. But if he bets here, he doesnt need aces. He could bet with any two cards and I would fold unless I have QQ (in which case I was not folding and he was basically wasting money)

2. Betting the turn. I am sure he knew that the ace hit me pretty hard. I am definitely calling the turn here. I did. Still trying to figure out if he knew I couldn’t have queens here or he just decided to bet and not lose 1 street of value. The remaining money had to go in anyway, and it did.

The lesson costed me 1400 HKD, but worth sharing with you guys I thought. Trying to think if I could have gotten away from this one, but cant see where could I have escaped.

The Jessie War Journal
Weapons Review Department

————————————————————————————————

EDITOR’S NOTE: This review has been reposted from the old blog to serve as a part of a buyer’s guide. No changes have since been made to this weapon since its original posting. Only the technical portions of this article (spelling, grammar, ect) have been altered. The content remains the same, although better images have been included.

————————————————————————————————

===========
Overview
===========
Weapon: ENIC Type-08M
Price: 500L
Prim Count: 123

–Manual Credits–
<ENIC> – 2008/2009
Design: Mikhail Kalashnikov; IZHMASH
Model: Grey Nolder/Scarlet Flaks
Scripts: Tsume Xiao
Sounds: Tsume Xiao
Effects: Tsume Xiao/Grey Nolder

ENIC 08M sporting the classic Kalashnikov look with wood furniture and a metal magazine

ENIC 08M with more modern looking synthetic furniture, BakeLite magazine, and sound suppressor

===========
Flags
===========
This is what a perfect 5 Flags looks like [~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~]   [~JWJ~]

Performance: [~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~]   [~J (4.5)

Build:[~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~] [~J  (3)

Texture:[~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~] (3)

Animations:[~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~] (3)

Sounds:[~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~] (4)

Ease of Use:[~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~]  [~JW (3.5)

Value:[~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~]  [~JWJ~]  [~JWJ] (4)

===========
First Impressions
===========

Upon rezzing the simple, cardboard box and copying the contents, I immediately noticed a level of detail in the manual that opened before me. The notecard is more than a manual, and shows that real thought was put into it. There is a back story written up for the weapon about its “service” history in Erusea, how it relates the the Kalashnikov it is based upon, an in-depth notecard on the 5.45×39mm round, and even how it would differentiate internally from a Kalashnikov. It’s nice to see such thought and detail put into just the manual.

After the introduction, the key commands are integrated into sentences describing their function, with proper examples of how one would look. Well written, although I think listing the commands upfront may be helpful to the customers who actually read the manuals. Reading the ENIC manual is highly recommended as its not only enjoyable, but ENIC weapons function on Channel 9 and have some varying commands.

===========
Aesthetics
===========
Attaching the model puts a dark, powerful looking weapon in your hands. Sculpts abound, being used in places such as the foregrip, stock, grip, trigger guard/trigger/mag release, fire selector, main receiver, suppressor, magazine, and even screws.  Details are quite good, with handmade textures that flow smoothly over the curves of the sculpts and non-sculpts alike. On one side of the receiver, the textures shows a stamping that reads the company name, caliber, date, and country name. A few seams can be seen when one zooms in on the part above the trigger, but it is only visible at very high zoom and does not detract from the overall fit and finish of the model. Of all the sculpts, the stock, upper part of the foregrip, and gas system stand out the most in visual prowess and detail, although the fact that you can look in under the receiver cover and see the separate bolt is nice.

Outside of the sculpts however, the model is detailed although the textures seem to be fairly plain and unexciting.

Speaking on textures, one of the features on the Type 08M is the ability to change the color of the furniture (grip, stock, foregrip) and change the magazine material. For furniture there is a very nice wood grain, or a smooth synthetic, both of which fit the sculpts and gun design well. Magazine choices are either the traditional stamped metal or BakeLite. The Bakelite texture is the odd ball, as it doesn’t look as nice as the others. I personally prefer the monochrome synthetic with metal mag, but on the plus side, it also goes the best with my suit.

Animations are well thought out and fit the weapon, though execution doesn’t always work well. The stand animation is not the usual SL assault rifle hold (right hand on the trigger foregrip rezzing in the left, held at stomach height). Instead,  the gun is held, muzzle downward, in an angled position, hand safely off the trigger, but it looks like it’s easy to slide then hands and have the hostile in your sights. Aim is fairly traditional, but works well. Reload seems to fit the tactical reload, but the full reload uses the same animation and then just sits there during the bolt pull.  The prone animation is good, and I am not smashing a rifle into my face.  The downs to the animations are the way they tend to snap, and that the size may not fit larger or smaller avatars. Otherwise, it they are quite nice.

Effects are minimal, just a simple muzzle smoke and light particle muzzle flash. They look good and function well, and can be turned off with a simple command. Muzzle flash turns off with the suppressor, but the smoke stays, as it should. Granted, the silencer’s sculpted, custom textured looks see to clash with the matte metal barrel.

The gun report is nice, sharp and crisp, with that trademark Kalashnikov crack-”bap” sound you really only know how to describe when you hear it. Suppressed sounds are not Hollywood-style “kink klink klink” but rather a slight crack and a hiss, which is true to life, as supersonic ammunitions cannot be fully silenced because it still breaks the sound barrier. Reloads sound good, as with the suppressor attach/detach. The only sounds that can be as enjoyable as the un-suppressed fire is the melee. A nice swing with a satisfying crunch on impact.

===========
Performance
===========

The ENIC Type 08M may not have dozens of fancy features and effects, but it makes an excellent battlefield companion. During several hours of fighting, I never worried about hit registration with these bullets, was always able to greet people within rez ranges will a rifle butt to the face, and take long range shots when needed. There are some quirks to the 08M, such as the spread on fully automatic. It seems small for a Kalashnikov, which takes away from its role as a suppression weapon. However, this is closer to the AK74 than the AK47, so it should have some decent accuracy. Fire on semi auto is dead center, and is good for long ranges, though with such a tight, predictable auto spread, I wonder if switching to semi is worth the key strokes.

The Type 08M is a excellent performer. It doesn’t generate high resource usage or lag even under heavy fire, nor does it suffer from sim lag. My movement will be like sludging through molasses, but the gun will fire like a well oiled machine. Bullets also keep flying when others around them are phys-locked, though they do not utilize any impulse maneuvers, but rather just seem to not lock up as easily as other bullets, and the brief time they did lock, they seemed to be released first.

This is the kind of reliability you want in your weapon.

===========
Overall
===========

The ENIC Type 08M is a solid weapon choice for those looking for a combat centered weapon and don’t mind sacrificing some show for some great go. Performance gets a four-and-a-half flags because of a few minor issues that were had during the combat, but none that are anything beyond nuisances. The build is a solid three and a half  flags, with good prim detail and nice sculpts make this a great AK-style build for the Kalashnikov fan. Textures get three flags, as once you look away from the good sculpt textures, it’s just a basic matte generic metal. Animations also get a three, as they look good alone, but don’t mesh well, and some of them don’t match the weapon’s actions.  Sounds come in at four flags and are great, clear and crisp. Why a suppressor is included is beyond me as that report is a true delight to hear. Reload seems a bit odd at the end, almost rushed, and the suppressed sounds, while nice, don’t seem to be up to the same quality as the un-suppressed fire sound. Ease of use is a respectable three and a half flags, with that odd listener channel, a few long commands, and odd semi auto spread that takes a bit of a learning curve. Lastly, value is a nice solid four flags. 500L for a sculpted AK variant with this performance and thought behind it is a winner for all the Kalashnikov fans who aren’t influenced by the name of the prims being “Type 08M”, and want a stellar performing gun with great reliability.

If you need a good piece of Soviet engineering at a good price, grab yourself an ENIC Type 08, a good all around gun whose only flaws are minor points in aesthetics, which are overshadowed by high performance.

Visit the North end of the New Jessie armory to find the Type 08 at the ENIC vendor in New Jessie.

Heather and I had the chance to sit down with the amazing folks with Repower Alaska earlier tonight.

The group is currently focusing on a “New Years Resolution” campaign that consists of Alaskans getting together and taking a moment to record a video message about how they plan to support renewable energy and reduce their carbon footprint in the new year. I think it’s a fine idea.

They’re a great group of people, keen on new ideas presented over a pint.

And pints are my calling card.

Here are a few pictures from their first get-together, at Bernie’s Bungalow. The pictures are dark, because, well, I didn’t want to be the jerk who used a flash in a crowded room.

Continued success, my friends!

For more information, check out Repower Alaska’s Facebook page.

I want the conservative opinion, as well as the liberal, and all between on this. If you would do so, please watch this video, at least for the first five minutes, which set up the statements below. Read the corresponding conversation, and give me your thoughts. I’m into opening a dialogue, and I believe that a major question was posed here, and I want to continue the conversation.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/34352230#34352230

(I’d embed the video, but MSNBC is not working with me tonight)

First off, Dick Cheney needs to shut up. I know that this statement might set an offsetting precedent for some, but I mean it in no disrespect to conservatives. I don’t view Dick Cheney as a conservative. I don’t buy that he believes in fiscal conservatism, budget hawk conservatism, Goldwater conservatism, Buckley conservatism, and I definitely don’t entertain the thought that he is, in any way, a so-called true believer. I believe in my heart that Dick Cheney is a one-man-for-himself capitalist who has bastardized the party possibly to the point of illegitimacy (please do not confuse that to mean the death of conservatism). He has manipulated policy in a way that solely serves himself, and close allies, and casts aside the fate of anyone and everyone who is not connected within that small inner-circle. I have seen, through friends and family, that this isn’t the entirety of the party, nor reflective of the many populist movements wishing to convey their messages of discontent. But those voices who indeed speak for the conservative movement within this country need to get louder, and speak to bigger issues than obstruction and hatred of government; hatred towards Obama.

I bring this up only to give context to how I view the person who applied the treasonous phrase “Giving aid and comfort to the enemy” to the President of the United States.

Here’s where discussion should come into play. How many people really believe that President Obama has violated the US Constitution, Article 3, Section 3:

“Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.”

Because here are my thoughts. I think that the same people who are rallying behind Cheney, saying “Yeah! Obama is guilty of treason!” have effectively detached themselves from reality.

I believe that this is the same mentality that allows people to march in 18th century patriot costumes and participate in tea parties against taxes, invoking the words of our founding fathers, and assuming that they are speaking for our ancestors. The audacity for people who live in modern day America to stand up and arrogantly take on the mantle of our founding fathers is disturbing to me. There is no realism displayed when dressing up in a costume and arguing against government, and then alleging it to be in league with our nation’s founders, who risked everything, including their lives (and those of their children), not to prevent taxation, but to stand up and say, “If we’re going to live here and be taxed, we need to have a damn say in the matter.”

These folks weren’t just complaining about what tax dollars were put towards. They were saying they were willing to put down their lives for a fighting chance to have a stake in it. There is no link to that within today’s reality. This is self-conceptualization. These are people who are patting themselves on the back for their ancestors’ bravery. Don’t speak for them. You’re doing both parties a disservice.

Likewise, this “Obama treason” mentality falls in line with folks who play war games on Xbox. There is a noteworthy group of people who truly believe that there is no distinguishable difference between killing someone in a video game, and killing them in reality. If you don’t see this as a problem, I think you need to. It is a good thing to recognize humanity.

Similarly, you see this disconnect with people offering up signs touting “Chairman Maobama,” or drawing the Hitler-stache on the President’s face. These are people who have never dealt with the reality of death, or, if they have, have never taken it seriously, or walked away with a sick interpretation of it’s impact. Anyone who can conflate the Holocaust with one approximated year of Barrack Obama needs to go to a better school. Probably one that isn’t taught by your parents.

This concept is also prevalent with secessionists. Most people who subscribe to secessionist parties don’t actually want secession. They just want the threat; it’s their negotiation chip. Just as most militias prepare for the revolution, but don’t actually want the revolution to happen. Secession? Revolution? It means the unavoidable end to society as we know it. Put down the Fred Meyer or Carr’s card. It’s a cool t-shirt that doubles as a great conversation piece, but would be a disservice to generations to come. Those dreaming about post apocalyptic realities are not exhibiting compassion; they are promulgating destructive fantasies that will facilitate, or further, a culture of hate, desensitization, and detachment. And as much as conservatives adore looking gravely at the deficit and lowering their heads, worrying for their children, grandchildren, etc… None of these grand statements will improve the situation. If the world really is flat now, can you imagine what a death sentence would be served if we split up our country? Or turned to mob rule?

It’s closing in on the year mark for President Obama. And it’s been, probably, the most partisan year of my life. Isn’t it about time to move back towards reality? Towards the center? Isn’t it about time we started evaluating policy for its merits, rather than its political affiliation? I, for one, love talking with conservatives, so long as they listen. I can be convinced, so long as you provide the better argument. Can you say the same?

So, it’s your call. What do you think? Is society getting to a point where we can challenge each other and share our common goals; respect our differences and similarities without resorting to calling each other fascists or communists?

Can we, as a people, move away from Cheney?

What a mess.

December 1st marked the launch of a Facebook page entitled “Hold Mayor Dan Sullivan Accountable” aimed at discussing issues regarding Anchorage’s new administration, which has presented itself not without controversy as it assumes its role. The social networking site’s own description states:

“Are you upset with Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan’s politically motivated decisions? Was Mayor Sullivan wrong to veto Ordinance 64 (Equal Rights Ordinance) into Law? Was he wrong to collect over $12,000 in pay for the time he was mayor-elect? Senator Begich didn’t do that. Was he wrong to close the public Library for 30 days? IS he wrong to keep firetrucks in their firehouses, unable to protect the citizens of Anchorage, possibly reducing response times and damaging our homes? IF you believe Mayor Sullivan is wrong to cut vital city services or veto specific Anchorage Assembly Ordinances, join this Facebook group and show Anchorage we want to move forward not backwards.”

Over the next two days, the site collected over two hundred names, prompting a KTVA piece:

This fired up some conservatives who immediately started a “Hold Mark Begich Accountable!” page, which has mustered 15 members thus far, and prominently displays Senator Begich in a photo addressing a crowd that was described by Bent Alaska via Facebook update:

“[J]ust noticed that the FB group ‘Hold Mark Begich Accountable!’ (created in reaction to the new ‘Hold Mayor Dan Sullivan Accountable’ group) is using my photo of Mark and his son at Pride Fest 08 for the profile pic and describes the photo as ‘true colors.’ Surprise (not): the anti-Begich crowd is openly anti-gay!”

Next up in the reaction to the Facebook political wars is a filing of a complaint sent from Republican candidate for state House District 22, Jason Cline, to APOC claiming that:

“[T]he Alaska Democratic Party created a facebook page titled ‘Hold Dan Sullivan Accountable.’ The page states that it is ‘Not affiliated with any political party.’ Immediately after creating the site a message was sent out on an official party communication platform, by a self identified party intern, announcing the page and asking party members to join the website. Party leadership was aware of the activities and clearly supported them as demonstrated by Party Chairwoman Patti Higgin’s post on the site, just hours after the site was created, attacking Mayor Sullivan… These activities clearly violate APOC regulations requiring political parties to openly identify themselves as being behind such sites with a ‘Paid for by’ box.” [AlaskaRepublicans.com]

The issue at stake here is that Christopher Jenkins, who created the Sullivan site, is an intern with the Alaska Democratic Party. Furthermore, the claim put forth is that Cline either took or attained screen shots that present evidence that Jenkins used the party’s email list to contact people soliciting support for his page. To compound the issue, the complaint alleges that Party Chair, Patti Higgins, was both complicit and supportive.

Higgins did, in fact, comment soon after the page was put online, offering: “I wonder what economic impact we suffered from Mayor Sullivan’s impulsive decision to cut bus service on the busiest shopping day of the year? How much did this cost minimum wage earners who suddenly had to find another way to get to work?”

The Alaska Standard smelled red meat. Two minutes before six am this morning, we were greeted with the headline on the conservative blog entitled “Alaska Democrats Violate APOC Laws,” which keenly observed their commonly practiced inclination to side with due process.

“[T]he beauty of local elected officials is that, ideally, they are non-partisan public servants. Their passions should be with the business of running the city, not the partisan politics that plague state and national government. City Hall should be the hall of the people, not an arena for partisan battles.

This deception by the Alaska Democratic Party is a betrayal of the public trust. When party leaders speak, we trust that they are speaking the truth as they know it, with all the passion of their convictions. When they work to deceive, it serves nobody and continues the denigration of the public’s trust in our political system.”

Apparently, the Alaska Standard didn’t see anything wrong with casually applying the title of “party leader” to Jenkins. But, Eddie Burke rarely needs convincing. He invited Casey Reynolds, who initially sent out the press release advertising the APOC complaint, and Jason Cline, onto his show earlier this afternoon.

Reynolds began the attack:

“When a political party or organization sanctions these things and obviously lends their name and their weight as well as their official party communications platform like the Democratic Party’s website, they should take credit for a website, and as we saw this is an intern for the democratic party using… the democratic party’s resources, and so it shouldn’t be listed that it says no party affiliation… In order for elections and for public discourse to really be done accurately, groups have to be out in the open about who they are and what their intentions are, and this is just a continuing trend of what’s called astro-turfing, you know, trying to make something seem like it’s a naturally occurring movement from citizens getting together when in fact it’s not, this is a democratic party initiative created by one of their interns in order to look that way, and that’s what’s troubling about it.”

Interesting. So, now we’ve jumped to the assumption that this was a grand scheme concocted by the Democrats. And has someone been watching the health care debate coverage on MSNBC this summer? Where have I heard this before? Let’s return real quick to the post this morning by the Alaska Standard:

“[This] is a blatant attempt by the Democratic Party of Alaska, to deceive the public into believing this is a ‘grass-roots’ type effort simply to show the Mayor that the public disagrees with many of his decisions. However, it is clear that this is a deliberate and coordinated attempt by Alaska Democratic Party officials to affect a future municipal election in their favor.”

Hmm. Eddie Burke? What say you?

“So, the Democratic party’s been busted trying to make themselves look like, hey, look at this young sixteen year old kid, oh look at him, all apple pie and mother and Chevrolet, and he’s a thug. I mean, that’s all there is to it.”

A thug? Seriously. A thug?

So, we’ve got a 16 year old astro-turfing, grass-roots, thug who the Democratic party chose above all others, who might have political ambitions or existing notoriety or established charisma, to stand up, fulfill the prophesy and reclaim the throne of a progressive Anchorage agenda; to be their Frodo against Sauron; their Harry Potter to pit against Voldemort.

And they think that we’re the ones drinking the Kool-Aid.

As was brilliantly stated earlier today on Celtic Diva’s blog:

“DAN SULLIVAN IS NOT A CANDIDATE.

APOC deals with issues of disclosure regarding 1) public officials currently in office (public officers file financial disclosure forms at the end of the year) and 2) campaign finance.

This complaint is alleging violations of campaign finance law.  As Dan Sullivan JUST became mayor in July, there is NO CAMPAIGN and he couldn’t file as a candidate for the next election even if he wanted to.

Therefore, not only is there no money involved in any of this anyway, there’s no violation of campaign finance law.  You would think, as a candidate, Jason would know this.

Seems to me he just filed a REAL ‘frivolous complaint!’”

And this is the reality. Jason Cline, as stated earlier, is running for State House District 22 against Sharon Cissna, who has held the seat since 1998. I’ve written about her before on this blog, and am happy to repeat that I am absolutely amazed by her dedication to her position, her district, and her state. I implore you to read more about her, in detail, and about the trip she took down the Tanana and Yukon Rivers this past spring to connect with Alaskans and help better understand the plight of rural Alaska. Or you can read about her UMedFest program, which is a health education event aimed at working with youth in our communities, and has enjoyed four years of success in Anchorage. Or you can take Eddie Burke’s description of her: “a nice lady who’s environmentally whacked out.”

Cline knows that this is more about getting his name out there than anything else. When asked directly by Burke what he hoped this complaint would accomplish, he reported:

“There was a clear call to action in the end of the message that [Jenkins] sends out which is ‘Let’s stand together and let’s move our city forward, and let’s take back Anchorage’ which was the big point, and there’s gray areas in what parties can send on political communications in terms of influencing elections, and so, due to the non-monetary cost of facebook messages and the off-election time it’s kind of difficult, there’s a lot of gray area, but if nothing else comes of this other than the democratic party’s a little more watchful of the communications that they’re sending out and the value of putting their name behind things like this, I’d be happy with that.”

Look, quite honestly, I’d like to end this toxic meme that has been permeating local politics with an unrivaled fervor lately: End this call to take the city back, the state back, the country back. It’s ridiculous, it doesn’t win anyone’s affection, and it just divides us even more. Stop it. Both sides.

As for Christopher Jenkins, I can’t claim that I know whether or not he used the Democratic Party’s email lists or solicited support for the page using his position within the party. I can say for sure that he contacted me through facebook the night before the page went online and told me about it. He was connected to me through a mutual friend who is not affiliated with the Democratic Party in any official capacity, other than voting for the ticket, which I can’t even claim with any certainty, though I’d be remiss if I didn’t call it a safe hunch.

Jenkins told me to check out the page. I did. I told him it looked great; I don’t think it’s a secret that I’m not the Mayor’s biggest fan. He vetoed a few things that I cared pretty deeply about. End of discussion. I didn’t even know Jenkins was an intern until today, as all hell was proceeding to break loose. It has been presented to me that I am not alone in this fashion of being introduced to the page.

This is an unfortunate situation, and if he did use the party lists or his official email without consent, it was a rookie mistake. And, honestly, what other sort of mistake would you expect from a 16 year old, bravely venturing into the ugly world of partisan politics in Alaska? If he did so with the knowledge or, although I severely doubt it, instruction of people within the party, shame on them. That would be an absolutely horrible abuse of power and relationship to a teenager who is attempting to do what both parties rattle on and on about: getting involved.

Ultimately, Jenkins may have to give up one of the two positions he now holds; either administrative control of the Facebook page, or his internship with the Democratic party. It isn’t a win, either way, for either camp, and shouldn’t be celebrated as such. Eddie.

It should also be noted that Mike Dingman, who wrote the piece for the Alaska Standard quoted earlier, might wish to question his involvement and level of vitriol in this specific situation as well. Dingman, after writing his scathing and inflammatory article, posted this comment on the “Hold Mayor Dan Sullivan Accountable” Facebook page:

“Hey look, you’ve made the press again. Good job violating APOC Laws! You’re definitely doing a good job learning how to be a Democrat!”

Christopher Jenkins is 16 years old, yet, amazingly, unlike you, he’s known enough to keep quiet during this explosion of partisan attacks from both sides, which has to be extremely stressful on him.

Any chance you could be less of a dick?

And Jason Cline should really think about how he chose to introduce himself to the main stage; by using rules which he all but admitted don’t apply to this situation in an attempt to get his name put in bold, if only for a brief fifteen minutes. For someone who’s campaign website states “I will work across party lines, while holding firm to my core principles,” this is a hell of a way to start.

As Burke ran out of time and had to wrap things up, Cline chimed in:

“Hey, thank you Eddie, and can I just plug my website really quick? JasonCline.com, that’s Jason C-L-I-N-E dot com.”

********UPDATED:********

(from my friend David Shurtleff, reporting on the newest comments from Jason Cline)

“I went to APOC and talked with their people, and the complaint will most likely be rejected on the fact that because it doesn’t influence a particular election, they are allowed to do this. This will ultimately serve as a reminder for the democrats that party communications should be labeled as such.”

Right. That’s what you want people to be reminded of. Not Jason C-L-I-N-E dot com running against Sharon Cissna in House District 22. Right.

[The blogs listed at the end are listed for informational purposes and are not affiliated with the video - other than this one. Not that I think any of them would mind. I just put them in there because when I'm looking for info, that's where I go!]

The UA Board of Regents are meeting on the UAA campus this week to discuss budgetary matters with students. In addition, a group of students from Fairbanks plan to attend in support of amending the non-discrimination clause to include sexual orientation. And, so, of course, Jim Minnery of the Alaska Family Council has once again gone into hate-heat like it’s spring in Texas. The irony here is that the board of regents are not comparable to elected officials who tend to squirm when facing reelection in the wake of the Tea Party insurgency. The Board consists of appointments that tend to last as long as the board members wish them to, are not up for a vote, and only result in termination or resignation if the board decides so.

Thus, if hellfire, damnation, and demonic possession through fashion sense are the topics left in the board members’ inboxes, one might suspect that rather than the “quaking in the boots” effect intended, Minnery’s minions might just end up supremely pissing them off. We should all voice our support, but probably not by blunt force stupid to the head, as is usually the case with the Alaska Family Council. We should all let our support be known. Just… Respectuflly, calmly, and in the pursuit of equality.

Here’s the latest from Minnery’s super fun hate camp:

“We have learned that activists in the homosexual movement are attempting to convince the University of Alaska Board of Regents to change the university non-discrimination policy so as to give special recognition to homosexuals. If successful, individuals engaging in homosexual behavior will be afforded the same recognition as members of racial and ethnic minorities.”

Oh, the horror. And, really? We’re riding the “special” train again?

“This is just another attempt by homosexual extremists to demand public affirmation for their lifestyle. It is also the same tactic used this past summer in the Municipality of Anchorage to force AO-64 on the citizens of Anchorage. We prevented our freedoms from being infringed then by standing together. Let’s do it again.

The University of Alaska is a state institution that is supposed to serve all Alaskans”

Equally?

“Therefore, it should be subject to the same laws that apply to ALL state agencies with respect to discrimination. The university’s anti-discrimination policy should mirror the policy that the Legislature sets for ALL state entities. Nothing more, nothing less. If they wanted, the Alaska Legislature could prohibit discrimination based on ’sexual orientation.’ The legislature has wisely chosen not to do so, for good reason — because homosexuality has to do with behavioral choices, rather than a characteristic such as race that is in-born.”

Apparently sociology isn’t Minnery’s thing. Looking past the I’ve-been-locked-in-a-bomb-shelter-for-thirty-years use of the term “in-born”, the actual concept of “Race” is largely a social construct. You might be thinking of “ethnicity,” or you may just be dreaming about jogging again. And behavioral choice? Do you wake up in the morning and thinking about sleeping with men twenty times before making the choice not to? Sexual orientation and identity isn’t religion; it isn’t a choice.

“Many colleges and universities across the country have adopted policies on ’sexual orientation.’ These policies are advocated in the name of creating an open, tolerant, and ‘welcoming’ environment on campus. In reality, these policies are often used to muzzle free speech and discriminate against Christian student groups who may want to speak against homosexuality. Any speech or advocacy AGAINST homosexual behavior is deemed to be ‘hate speech’ and therefore it is branded as ‘discrimination’ against persons based on sexual orientation. It is a back-door attempt to crush freedom of speech.”

No. Unless you’re referring to cases where there is physical violence, threat of physical violence, or attempt to incite violence. That actually is hate speech and should be muzzled. Have you been to UAA Jim? The right-to-life club hands out fliers with a revolver aimed at a fetus. We’re not in any danger zone that threatens the suppression of free speech, nor is anyone impeding the free exercise of religion… Unless it’s hate speech. You’re the one asking people who are otherwise in no way affiliated with UAA to flood board member inboxes and voicemail, and if that doesn’t work, barge into a board meeting and scream bloody murder. Again.

“NOW is the time you can make a difference by contacting each member of the Board of Regents and ask them to not consider such a significant and harmful change to university policy. Remember, the University of Alaska is the property of the People of Alaska. The Regents are ultimately accountable to the very same… People of Alaska… YOU!

Make your voice heard. Make a difference. It only takes eleven phone calls and/or eleven e-mails. If you don’t have time for that…contact as many as you can. Please click HERE for contact information for the UA Board of Regents.

The Board of Regents will be meeting in Anchorage, November 30th through December 1st, at the campus of UAA, so there is no time to waste. If this issue is not considered then it will be considered at the next meeting in February but the Board of Regents needs to hear from you NOW.

Thanks again for your support. Your involvement in our culture makes this organization possible.”

And what culture is that, exactly?

The bottom of the mailer contains this link which takes you to a recruitment page for a faux-college video called “Indoctrinate U; Our Education, They’re Politics,” and finally ends in uniformity with this humble plea:

“Standing firm for your religious liberties is an effort we take seriously and is an undertaking that simply put – requires resources. If you are in a position to do so… please consider financially partnering with our ministry by making a secure on-line contribution today.

Standing for families… in His name !

Jim Minnery – President

Alaska Family Council”

*Sigh*

Finals week just got a whole lot dumber.

Österreichs Banken müssen offenbar nicht auf die Bermudas oder die Britischen Jungferninseln auswandern, um beim Fiskus Geld zu sparen.

Hierzulande finden sie ihre eigene Steueroase vor. Selbst in Zeiten von Rekordgewinnen “zahlen sie immer weniger Steuern”, wie die Arbeiterkammer (AK) aufzeigt. “Dennoch werden die Banken in einer Krisensituation wie der aktuellen mit Steuergeldern gestützt”, sagt Wirtschaftsprüfer Günther Robol im Gespräch. Die Institute kommen derzeit in den Genuss eines beinahe auflagefreien Bankenpakets. Dem Staat entgehen Millionen.

Effektiv 7,4 Prozent Steuern

Der AK zufolge haben die österreichischen Banken 2007 statt des nominellen Körperschaftsteuersatzes von 25 Prozent effektiv nur 7,4 Prozent vom Gewinn an Steuern gezahlt. “Fakt ist, dass der jährliche Steueraufwand wesentlich unter dem Körperschaftsteuersatz von 25 Prozent liegt. Das ist natürlich zu hinterfragen”, unterstreicht Robol.

Nach Angaben der AK ist die Steuerlücke in den vergangenen Jahren gewachsen. Effektiv seien die Abgaben der Kreditinstitute von 13,02 Prozent im Jahr 2004 auf 7,41 Prozent im Jahr 2007 geschrumpft.

Das Verhältnis zwischen explodierenden Gewinnen und dem Körperschaftsteueraufkommen klaffe “immer stärker” auseinander. “Eine Lücke besteht nur in der wissenschaftlichen Seriosität einer AK-Studie”, entgegnet Harald Waiglein, Sprecher von Finanzminister Josef Pröll, auf Nachfrage.

If you are a living, breathing person (at least as it is currently defined) who resides in Anchorage, Alaska, you have noticed a tension in the air over the past year. It started with the election, which pit neighbor against neighbor on a more pronounced platform than ever before, with both our own Governor making headlines as she toured the lower 48 on the Straight Talk Express, and Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich taking on Uncle Ted for his Senate seat. Most people had never even known that profound differences in ideology existed from one mailbox down the street to the next. But all of a sudden, things were looking a lot different, and many people did not care for it one bit; shocked at the reality they had unintentionally unearthed. The predisposition that many of us had to stop when someone has a flat tire, or to be ready to break out the jumper cables when you see someone looking distraught, staring at their old car in the Fred Meyer parking lot, seemed to wither away and devolve into public screaming matches over health care, stimulus money, equal rights for our LGBT, growing homelessness, the city budget in Anchorage, among a host of other divisive topics. All of a sudden, the sense of community that we’ve all shared with each other – the neighborly convictions that have defined Alaskan hospitality – have turned into angry sneers seen in the rear view in reaction to whatever bumper stickers are placed on your car and therefor define you. The times are changing, and they are changing quickly. But, for all the tension that already exists, and has been mounting…

You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

Meet Christopher Kurka, a 22 year old Eagle River resident who quietly submitted a proposal for an initiative to Lt. Governor Craig Campbell back in August, which Campbell approved in late October, allowing Kurka to begin collecting the 32,734 signatures needed to get the initiative placed on the ballot for Alaskans to vote on. The topic? Kurka seeks to afford constitutional rights and protections to the unborn. And, if successful, our state constitution would be amended to reflect that, causing a maelstrom of possible, and probable, implications.

Although both the Lt. Governor and Attorney General Dan Sullivan said that this does not seek to outlaw abortion or overturn Roe v. Wade, the intent of such a proposal, and admittedly it’s author, is exactly that. The summary for the bill, suggested by Campbell, reads: “This bill would extend legal person status to the pre-birth stages of human development. Under this bill a legal person would be recognized starting from the point of conception through birth and until death. This bill would not amend or repeal existing state law regulating abortion, but could impact some areas of the law to extend rights prior to birth.”

“The state responsibility is to protect our rights, and the most fundamental of those rights is the right to life. So what we’re doing here is asking the people of the state to sign this initiative, to get it on the ballot, and then to vote for it, so the unborn will be recognized as a person just like the rest of us,” Kurka told KTUU back in October.

His argument seeks to change the most common framing of the debate around abortion. Just this past week, we’ve seen the fairly publicized battle between Catholic Bishop Tobin and Patrick Kennedy heat up regarding whether or not pro-choice Catholics should be allowed communion. On MSNBC’s Hardball, Chris Matthews interviewed Tobin and made this statement:

“What should be the penalty for a young woman, or a girl even, to have an abortion, and if there’s no penalty for it, are you really outlawing it?”

His broader point was that it is one thing to take a personal, moral stance against abortion because it conflicts with your own individual world view or ideology. But, to this point, we have not impacted other people who may

from KTUU

have a differing belief, nor have we imposed sanctioned against people for ending a pregnancy, because while we may disagree on the practice, the majority of Americans do not feel that the act is a criminal one. It is a deeply troubling decision a would-be mother must make; but we have not felt that it is one she should serve time for.

This initiative seeks to change this policy. It seeks to make abortion criminal, and would seek to prosecute women who terminate pregnancies for murder or manslaughter. And the implications could be a lot further reaching. Despite the Lt. Governor’s explanation that finds the proposal acceptable; that it does not seek to “amend or repeal existing state law regulating abortion,” it would have to, if written into law. If constitutional rights are afforded at the point of conception, which is the specific aim of Mr. Kurka’s efforts, then we could very easily be looking at the abolition of choice, contraception being made criminal, rape and incest resulting in children born into horrendous and often violent living conditions, among countless other concerns. And we would be forced to try in a court of law those who performed and/or underwent abortions as murderers. I hate to sensationalize the radical implications that could possibly ensue, but this is the exact wording of the proposal. This is in no way a hyperbolic account of possible outcomes.

Jeffrey Mittman and the ACLU also find the language in the proposal to contradict the law unconstitutionally.

“The ACLU is supporting a lawsuit filed this week by plaintiffs that include Vic Fischer, a former Democratic legislator and delegate to the state constitutional convention. The suit argues that Lt. Gov. Craig Campbell shouldn’t have certified the measure and seeks to stop the sponsors from collecting signatures to get it on the ballot.” [ADN]

“To me, it looks like they are trying to return us to back-alley abortions,” Clover Simon, Alaska vice president of Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest told the Alaska Star.

As Matthews and others point out, thus far the Catholic church as a whole has not gotten behind this sort of legislation, and hesitate when suggesting the idea of prosecuting women for undergoing the procedure. But fetal personhood proposals are popping up all over the country, in states as red as Montana, blue as California, and confused as Florida.

Be assured, we will see many in our religious community jump on board, especially in the wake of the troubles getting the needed signatures for the “Parental Consent” law petition trumpeted by the Alaska Family Council.

The Focus on the Family off-shoot, led locally by Jim Minnery, has been frantically attempting to meet the required number of people to sign their support which would force minors to notify their parents when they sought to terminate a pregnancy. This is the result of a similar billed which passed in 1997, but was struck down in 2007 when the Alaska Supreme Court found the law unconstitutional, citing their stance that sharing this information with parents violated the privacy of their teenage daughters. While a parental notification and consent law might sound beneficial, as a first impression, it loses merit when taking into account that Alaska ranks as the worst state in the union when it comes to rape, and in addition, according to Health and Human Services:

Since 1976, Alaska has ranked in the top five states in the nation for the highest rate of reported rape per capita. In 1993, Alaska ranked 1st in the nation: highest per capita incidence of rape.
Alaska has 6 times the national average of reported child sexual assault.
1 in 4 girls before the age of 12 and 1 in 6 boys before the age of 18 nationally will be sexually assaulted.
Fairbanks Health Center surveyed 419 clients over a 3-week period and found that 24% reported physical abuse in the past 6 months while 39% reported some form of sexual abuse (1995).
In 3 out of 4 reported cases, the victim knew the offender, the most commonly reported type of sexual abuse is a father who commits incest with his daughter–usually the eldest daughter.
As many as 4 out of 5 offenders were sexually assaulted as children.
One-third of incest victims’ mothers were sexually abused as children.
Alaska’s rape rate is 2.2 times the national average overall.

So, maybe being legally forcing kids to tell dad that they’re pregnant after he just lost his job and has been drinking all month isn’t the greatest idea.

Most Alaskans get this, even if they do not agree with abortion. But the Alaska Family Council is determined to curb choice at every turn. Minnery’s AFC newsletter:

“You’ll find more info on our website at www.alaskansforparentalrights.org but suffice it to say that we need roughly 40,000 signatures and to date – we are about 10,000 short of that mark.  We have only a few precious weeks to get the remaining signatures and we are simply not going to reach our goal without more churches stepping forward.”

With the story about this new fetal personhood initiative, which would take care of the parental consent notification as well as the larger issue, the website advertised above is already offline. They can’t get the signatures one way, so they’re on to try their luck with a different extreme. I don’t think it’s too mavericky to assume that Wal*churches like Prevo’s Anchorage Baptist Temple will follow suit as the knowledge of this initiative begins to circulate.

As for Christopher Kurka, his fight goes on. In a bold display of creepy disconnect (that may ring all too familiar with many in Anchorage), he tells the Alaska Star: “This is what I enjoy. Some people have a favorite football or basketball team they cheer for. For me, this is my sports team, and I am a dedicated fan.”

PÖFF - Pimedate Ööde Filmifestival, 12.11 – 6.12 2009,  erinevad linnad, Eesti

BIFFF – Brussels International Fantastic Films Festival, 8. – 20. 04 2010, Brüssel, Belgia

Logod on loomulikult pärit festivalide kodukalt.

I have a friend who needs the community’s support. And we need his leadership.

A few months ago, while waiting for the start of the True Diversity Dinner, collecting myself in preparation for hosting the event, a stranger walked over to where I was sitting and randomly handed me a note card containing the names of every elected official in attendance. I was aware of most of the names, and had already planned on mentioning everyone. But there were a few important people who I had no idea had shown up, and all of a sudden, there they were, neatly compiled on the note card now sitting in front of me. This gentleman knew very well – better than I did – that it’s easier than you might think to blank on names while on stage (or during Katie Couric interviews), and he didn’t want me to leave anyone out; wanted to make sure the event went smoothly. Even after years of experience on stage, I had managed to space on a general rule. That’s how I met Christopher Constant. He had my back even before I knew his name.

Well, now Christopher wants to stand up for this community. He’s tired of the LGBT community being Jerry Prevo’s punching bag. He believes in this city and this state and thinks it’s about time that we drag that stubborn right foot out of the dark ages. Yesterday, I received this email from him:

“Please come support the effort to organize a campaign to elect an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender Alaskan elected official. To the best knowledge of everyone I know, Alaska has never elected an OUT gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender candidate elected to public office. NOW IS THE TIME.

I (Christopher Constant) have been invited and given a scholarship to the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute’s candidate and campaign training coupled with the 25th annual LGBT International Leadership Conference in San Francisco, Dec 2 – Dec 6, 2009.

I was awarded a $1,200 scholarship for the training. I have invested my own treasure substantially. I am hoping you can come and share a small bit of your treasure to help cover the rest of the cost. I could use your help.

People have asked what seat I am planning to run for. This effort is bigger than me. It is about electing a candidate. It may be me, but I have no plans in the next two years of running. Instead, I intend to take the time to organize so that when 2012 rolls around, the effort has more chance of success.

http://www.glli.org/training/candidate_campaign
http://www.victoryfund.org/files/conference2009/glli.html

I have consulted with APOC and because this campaign is neither connected with a specific candidate nor a specific piece of legislation, I don’t have to say ‘Paid for by’ anybody.”

This is a huge step forward for our community. Leadership needs to be built from the bottom up, or else you end up with a few folks, who were already at the top, in control of those at the bottom. Alaska is known for it’s established, corrupt leadership; in government and religious institutions alike. We have a lot of great people working to change that, but they need our committed support, as well as a steady flow of reinforcements. This is an uphill struggle against very well rooted opposition, as many here in Anchorage most recently saw over the summer during the battle for equality, which failed due to fear mongering from certain radio personalities, bused in masses from Wal*churches like the Anchorage Baptist Temple, Change Point, and the Independent Baptist Church of Wasilla, and a final veto from a Mayor who knows a little something about dynastic privilege.

There is a good chance that we will lose some key seats on the Assembly this April if we don’t start to dig our heels in and fight back against the “sky is falling” mentality that is already spreading faster than the lies that created it. This is a time to connect with each other, strengthen bonds, educate, prepare. It takes a strong character to have the courage to vocally stand up and fight, but that’s exactly the medicine that we so desperately need.

You may not know him yet, but Christopher Constant already has your back.

I’ll personally be donating $100 to his effort, and it would mean a lot to me, personally, and a lot of other people if you came down and showed support as well. Twenty bucks, five bucks; a beer and well wishes. Whatever you can afford.

Monday night, 6-8pm at Mad Myrna’s, 503 East 5th Avenue, downtown Anchorage.

I truly hope to see you there.

[Cross-posted from Anonymous Bloggers]

Ice piled up during the Fall Flood at Nunam Iqua 11/11/09

Happy Thanksgiving from Ugashik!!  Well Thanksgiving is here and I spent last night not only preparing food for Thanksgiving dinner but also calling every household in Nunam Iqua.  I called to not only wish them all a Happy Thanksgiving but also to check on everyone and see how they were faring so far this winter.

Unfortunately I did NOT receive good news.  I was able to reach 23 out of the 36 household and out of those 23 families that I did talk to 22 were already struggling and requested help again with food to make it through the winter.

This is due to the fact that on November 11, 2009 Nunam Iqua experienced a Fall Flood.  As you can see from the picture above and the one below this flooding wreaked havoc on the Yukon River ice.  The flooding brought in massive amounts of sea ice from the Bering Sea that unfortunately is still clogging the Yukon.  Several people lost their fishing nets they had set under the ice and a couple of families even lost their boats during the flood.

With all of this sea ice still in the Yukon River at Nunam Iqua it has caused a hardship on the residents.  Normally during the winter families will go out onto the river and place fishing nets under the ice to catch fresh fish.  But due to the mess of sea ice currently in the Yukon this has become very difficult if not impossible to do now.   Fresh fish caught under the ice with nets is a large staple for families during the winter.

Now if y’all will recall this past summer not only did the ADF&G restrict commercial salmon fishing on the Lower Yukon but also subsistence fishing was restricted to less than half of what is normally allowed.  These restrictions led to very poor subsistence fishing and lead to families not being able to put away the much needed dried and smoked salmon families depend on to make it through the winter.  Additionally due to the poor commercial fishing season a lot of families lost the majority if not all of their income that would normally be generated from commercial fishing.

So now the problems in Nunam Iqua are compounded twice over.  Lack of dried and smoked salmon were put away during the summer due to the restrictions PLUS now families are not getting the fresh fish they rely on due to the flooding.  This is already causing a hardship on families in Nunam Iqua this winter.

You can see the ice on the Yukon piled up in the background

So again I am asking for your help!  I need help with getting food to the needy families in Nunam Iqua.  As most of you will probably recall last winter I organized an adopt a family for the winter food drive.  I complied a list of every needy family in Nunam Iqua and their addresses, family size and needed items.  Then WONDERFUL people from all over not only Alaska but the entire United States and Canada and around the world adopted these families and sent them flat rate boxes of much needed food and supplies directly to their post office boxes.

I have again complied a list of the needy families in Nunam Iqua and I am hoping that y’all will be able to help me get food to them.  Since I am wintering in Ugashik this year I will not be able to accept food and distribute it like I did last winter.  So this is why I will only be doing the adopt a family for the winter food drive this winter.

If you would like to help and can adopt a family for the winter please email me at nunamiquayouth@yahoo.com I will then match you with a family in need at Nunam Iqua and provide you with their name, address, family size and needs.

Quyana in advance to anyone who is able to help!  I will never be able to thank y’all enough for your continued help and understanding in my peoples time of need.

Again Happy Thanksgiving and Quyana Cakneq!

Ann Strongheart

writing in loving memory of my beloved Segundo!

While traditional hospitals seem to slow down around the holiday season, this year they are moving full steam ahead.  There are new jobs opening and interviews taking place while we’re eating our turkey.  If you’re on vacation for the holiday, don’t forget to have your phone with you so that you don’t miss any new travel nurse positions that might be just right for what you’re looking for.  Also, as we talked about last week, you don’t want to miss that phone call from the nurse manager!

This Week’s New Positions Include:

ICU in Fort Worth, TX

Peds in Miami, FL

ER in Wynnewood, PA

ICU in Gainesville, FL

L&D in Orangeburg, SC

PICU in Mesa, AZ

MS/Tele in Conroe, TX

L&D in Modesto, CA

ER in Chinle, AZ

ICU in Sebring, FL

MS in Billings, MT

NP in Columbia, SC

ER in Tampa, FL

ICU in Grants, NM

OR in Ketchikan, AK

Od tego się “filmiku” się wszystko zaczeło:

siedziałem w nocy i zobaczyłem nowy film Rogvista – postanowiłem zebrać wszystkie ciekawe  filmy z YT

i innych zasobów w jedno miejsce gdzie ludzie czujący i myslący podobnie mogli by je łatwo znaleźć

Wiecej informacji na temat Żołnierzy Wyklętych

http://podziemiezbrojne.blox.pl/html

Polish Underground Soldiers 1944-1963 – The Untold Story

http://www.doomedsoldiers.com

quick story below: