April 1st Open Thread

Unlike Keith Olbermann my project took 5 mins

djemi (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 8:12AM EST (link)

Known as djemi on twitter

And did anybody see this one

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200903u/netanyahu

“If I can’t shoot rabbits,then I can’t shoot fascist”
“With age, comes Wisdom, but only if you are paying Attention, son” my ‘Old Man’
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Radio Said Ted Stevens Exonerated; Is This A Joke???

Swamp_Yankee (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 8:24AM EST (link)

Is this an April Fool’s joke. It said Holder dismissed on grounds of prosecutorial misconduct. If this is real, that attorney need to g oto jail. This has to be a cruel joke, right?

If not, shame on all the Republicans for jumping on the anti-corruption bandwagon. All a Democrat has to do is scream corruption and it will be fact because Republicans will wash their hands clean before any taint sticks to them. Its an easy way to destroy Republicans.

Ted Stevens may be somewhat unethical. I dont care much. Card check, cap and trade, Durbin doctrine and Obama’s budget all mean so much more to me and this country. What I wouldnt do for one more vote in the Senate right now.

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Here's the ADN story on Stevens' charges being dismissed.

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 8:28AM EST (link)

http://www.adn.com/news/politics/fbi/stevens/story/743906.html

See folks, I wasn’t making it up about how rotten the investigation and prosecution were.

In Vino Veritas

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I saw that

mom2oneson (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 8:35AM EST (link)

and came here to see if you posted a commentary.

Does this mean he is a Senator now?

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Demand a Special Election

Swamp_Yankee (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 8:40AM EST (link)

Begich would never have won without having power abused on his behalf.

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Don't see how we get "overs."

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 8:45AM EST (link)

I suppose in the unlikely event that we could actually prove a direct connection between the prosecutors and the DNC, AK Democrats, or the Begich campaign, we might do something, but really only the Senate can remove a Senator during his term. I can’t imagine what you could do to be removed from the Senate if you are a Democrat, well other than vote with the Republicans maybe.

Get revenge here at home? You betcha!

In Vino Veritas

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Chicago invented cement overshoes

civil truth (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 10:56AM EST (link)

What are Alaska’s preferred techniques for settling scores? Or are these “trade secrets”. Certainly, Alaska has so many place one could dispose of the “evidence” so to speak, especially if you know a way to escapeFAA surveillance.

The greatest evil…is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice. Hence, naturally enough, my symbol for Hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or the offices of a thoroughly nasty business concern. -C.S. Lewis

http://www.gmsplace.com/

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Can We FINALLY Learn...

alaskaescapeartist (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 8:50AM EST (link)

…to stop throwing our own people overboard?

I’m anxiously awaiting some comments from the “holier-than-thou” around here who claimed we had to purge ourselves of “corruption”.

Say what you want about Stevens… it would sure as hell be nice to have his vote nowadays.

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I've chipped my teeth on the lynch mob

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 8:58AM EST (link)

here for years. Not everyone by any means, but certainly a lot wanted to throw him under the bus as soon as the investigation came to light, didn’t even need the indictment or conviction. We have met the enemy and he is US!

In Vino Veritas

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Well I'll make you this promise, Achance

Dave_in_Fla (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 9:22AM EST (link)

From now on, when the lynch mob mentality forms like this, I’ll be posting, “Remember what happened with Stevens”.

“If they were merely incompetent, then at least SOME of their actions would have been to the benefit of the country.” – Joe McCarthy

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We're going to be tested on this, Dave.

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 9:32AM EST (link)

For the next four years, hopefully only four, it is going to be a crime to be a Republican office holder. I’ve often said here that with a small team of auditors and investigators, I could put any officeholder in America in jail; I’m serious about that, and I believe the Red states are about to be invaded by the federal government.

In Vino Veritas

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RE: Ted Stevens - We committed fratricide. [AKA Achance was right.]

Martin Knight (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 8:59AM EST (link)

Say what you may on this … but I’m beginning to think that there is a very valid reason why Republican moderates collapse at the first shot from the other side.

They know other Republicans won’t have their backs.

At the very least, Republicans should be affording other Republicans the benefit of the doubt, the notion that one is innocent until proven guilty.

We didn’t do that here.

And we lost a Senate seat because of it.

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Not just moderates, Martin.

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 9:10AM EST (link)

It is a real problem for anybody associated with a Republican government; officeholders, staffers, consultants, supporters. You cause the slightest controversy and you are sentenced to the outer darkness. If you’re a staffer or appointee and get fired by the Democrats when Rs lose an election, you are on the street. The Rs have few places they could put you to begin with, and then they don’t want you around because you got fired. What the Hell did they expect to happen to a Republican when the Democrats take over? That’s why most high-level career government employees are either Democrats or D-leaning NPs; they know the Republicans dislike and distrust them just because they’re government employees and they know the Democrats will fire them if they even think Republican thoughts when the Rs are in power.

In Vino Veritas

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It's not just gov workers

mom2oneson (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 3:08PM EST (link)

Immature people are like that outside of politics too. Some people refuse to stand up for someone when it’s uncomfortable or not popular, I see this type of cowardice all the time.

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Stevens was not Exonerated

youthgrunt (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 9:16AM EST (link)

They US Government decided to give up after the prosecution was found to be either inept or downright corrupt themselves. This does not mean that Senator Stevens was not corrupt himself. Others can argue that. He was clearly a problem for the Republicans even when he wasn’t under corruption charges due to his love of pork.

Also, he is not returned to the Senate because he lost his election. Now, it turns out the election happened just a few days after his conviction (that will shortly be thrown out).

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One man's pork is another's needed infrastructure.

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 9:29AM EST (link)

I’m not wasting keystrokes on that issue with people who have no comprehension of my state.

That said, give me a DC jury and I’ll convict a white, western, Republican Senator of whatever charge you want me to convict him of.

Unless you’re in the residential construction industry, I defy you to get within thirty or forty percent of the actual cost of any remodel project. Sen. Stevens almost never saw the project and frankly is in Alaska so little that he would have little comprehension of residential construction costs. He paid every bill he was presented with, paying over $180,000 for the work that the government “estimated” might have been worth $230,000. In Bill Allen, the government has an old man who has lost everything and who will say anything the government wants him to say to keep charges from being brought against his family and to try to get a reduced sentence for himself.

I believe the origina intent of the charges against Sen. Ted Stevens were to try to force State Sen. Ben Stevens, his son, to cop to something to save his father. Ben didn’t cop. Whether it proceeded from there out of momentum or for some more nefarious reason, I don’t know, but I know what I suspect.

In Vino Veritas

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I am not arguing that

youthgrunt (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 10:13AM EST (link)

he was guilty or not. Your argument is persuasive. I’m just saying that what happened (or is happening right now) is not an “exoneration” per se. It is saying far more about the Federal Government and its lawyers than it says about Stevens.

Was the trial in DC or Alaska? My recollection is that the Constitution would have required this to be tried in Alaska–not that we care that much about what the Constitution says.

We might have some disagreements regarding “pork” or “infrastructure” (I would say that there is little of the infrastructure spending that the Fed’s do is actually Constitutional).

It certainly looks like politics up your direction is more bare knuckles than it is here in quiet Indiana.

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No, the trial was in DC

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 10:43AM EST (link)

They specifically went for those chickens@#t ethics report charges so they could try it in DC.

I have several ancestors in unmarked graves in VA and elsewhere over trying to prevent the federal government from financing “improvements” in the states, among other reasons. The battle to keep the federal government out of infrastructure spending was lost in 1865.

In Vino Veritas

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The trial was in D.C.

civil truth (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 10:46AM EST (link)

…which is the origin of Art’s statement that any D.C. jury will convict a Republican on the grounds of being a Republican.

And I didn’t follow too closely, but I assume the Feds argued that Stevens had committed his alleged crime while in working Washington and therefore got a D.C. venue – specifically because they knew the D.C. jury pool and knew they’d never convict in AK on such flimsy charges.

The greatest evil…is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice. Hence, naturally enough, my symbol for Hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or the offices of a thoroughly nasty business concern. -C.S. Lewis

http://www.gmsplace.com/

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I never doubted the "Bridge" was a good idea, just that....

JLenardDetroit (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 2:47PM EST (link)

as usually happens, especially when Big Government money becomes involved, that it becomes EGO over needs…. The Bridge became this huge spectacle rather than an “adequate” Bridge to handle current needs (BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY) yet be big/good enough to handle some future growth. Part of the point of having that Bridge, later dubbed as the “Bridge To Nowhere” was that there was/is an Airport there!!!!!! Once a greater ease of through-way existed additional Economic development of the Airport and/or the area of other kinds WOULD occur!

The biggest issue, of course, was that if it was a good idea it should have been paid for by AK residents – that would have kept the Project in more “reasonable terms” as residents would have been in a better position to keep its local Politicians in check and challenge the “Need of the Bridge” over the Ego’s of the Engineer, the Politicians looking to put their name on the Bridge, etc…. IF Federal monies (like matching funds) were to be used it should have been done under the normal process’ not the Earmarking process, IMO. Stevens really can hardly be blamed completely, however, for doing what so many other Congress-critters did/do, but was foolish to be doing so in such grand dollar amounts and fashion while Conservatives/Republicans were making issues of Earmarks!

This EGO issue happens all over, as I said especially when the perceived bottomless pit funds of Federal Govt. are involved. Grand spectacles are created to flaunt ego’s rather than create something that is more than just SAFE/SOUND/EFFECTIVE enough to get the job done. In MI the Zilwaukee Bridge (which the opening paragraphs of that link to Wikipedia does actually cover [briefly] the boondoggle the thing became/is) fits that/those examples!

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doh... link error... here it is...

JLenardDetroit (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 2:51PM EST (link)

doh… forgot to put the link-address in…. this works Zilwaukee Bridge

Regards from NoMoTown (the MOTORlessCITY)
“Liberals, looking to do for^? America what they’ve done for^? Detroit! which is DESTROY IT!”
“I think, therefore I am Conservative”
“Conservative by choice, Republican by necessity”
“You can lead a Liberal to the Truth/Facts, but you cannot make them THINK!”
“Romney [No, not my first choice] does NOT have a MORMON problem. He has a, far too many Americans; these days; are MORONS problem!”
Follow @JLenardDetroit

(RS:Help) (JLD) (Hollyweird) (Brain-deads) (SPIN-cycle) (Obamaocare) (Party of kNOw) (Conservatism) (TEApeats) (respectful) (message) (Warning: Children Will Die!!)
Heil “O” Hell No Obamao is NOT MY PRESIDENT! “No U won’t”
I want “O” to FAIL (here, here, & whole Diary (Ofail) here, is why)
“The first Liberal was Satan” – a Rush caller (other Quotes)

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He was "Politically Exonerated"

alaskaescapeartist (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 9:33AM EST (link)

Only, too late.

If that is a distasteful justification for saying he should still be in the Senate, then fighting to win back our democracy is not going to be any more pure or pleasant.

Sadly, it is to the point I would cast my vote for a conservative felon before a law-abiding liberal.

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If the GOP had spent their time reducing major budget items

Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 9:43AM EST (link)

rather than obsessing on puny pork projects, many of which are good, we would still be in power.

Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson

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You are so right, GC!

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 9:49AM EST (link)

We labelled ourselves the big spenders and porkers; most of that, almost all, was Red on Red violence. Then when it resonated, the Ds piled on; they were smart enough not to start it since they live in a glass house. So, the Stupid Party gave the government back to the Evil Party.

In Vino Veritas

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Bridge to the Airport

Skanderbeg (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 9:56AM EST (link)

Art, could you maybe brief the readership on the story behind that bridge – it was pork, but it wasn’t really to “nowhere?”

I’ve been to Ketchikan, and because that area is a rugged archipelago, fitting in an airport is quite a trick. The Ketchikan airport is actually on another island, across Tongass Narrows from the town/city. You have to get to and from the airport on ferry boats.

If there’s a place where a bridge actually makes some sense, that’s one of them.

I’d rather have no pork. But if the objective of “stimulus” is to “make work,” this project seems like it has more-than-zero merit….

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Catching a flight in Ketchikan....

alaskaescapeartist (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 10:12AM EST (link)

can be an adventure. Your characterization is correct.

I am originally from Sitka, another community in SE AK, which had a similar, albeit less challenging situation. A bridge was constructed back in the early 70′s. It was a drastic transformation for the town.

Imagine your local airport surrounded by a giant moat with no bridge.

I would like to know how many Fed/State dollars are used to subsidize the ferry shuttle in Ketchikan. In addition, since the airport is currently isolated from the rest of the community, it would be interested to see what studies have been done to ascertain the positive economic impact of a bridge “to somewhere”.

Sheesh… this Steven’s story is opening some old and painful wounds. I hope things are learned from it.

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But is it the proper role

youthgrunt (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 10:14AM EST (link)

of the Federal government to build this bridge?

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As much as it is the fed's business to build roads

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 10:19AM EST (link)

in your district.

In Vino Veritas

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No argument there

youthgrunt (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 10:39AM EST (link)

But I try to vote for candidates who don’t favor the use of Federal money to do so. In Alaska I would have been looking for someone to oppose Stevens on this issue alone.

The real issue of “pork” in my mind is that it is largely money redirected to unconstitutional projects. As Republicans, we have failed the smell test because we have repeatedly shown that we are not serious about controlling spending and living up to our standards of what the Government should be spending money on. Stevens was made (fairly or not) into a pork king. If he wasn’t, then he should be defended on that count.

But if we get into the argument that “this was an important infrastructure project” then we are no better than the Democrats. We must have higher standards than that.

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We can feel good about ourselves in the minority.

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 11:49AM EST (link)

If we could run on a National platform of no “internal improvements” and get ourselves elected to a majority, then fine, we can be pure. Until then, if we say we aren’t going to do that wasteful spending stuff, we’ll just get beaten by somebody who says, “I’ll bring home the bacon for you.”

I don’t think we got beaten by the spending or the porking. We got beat because, inter alia, the Ds did a very effective job of labelling us as corrupt and linking the spending to corrupt purposes or play for pay enterprises. Play for pay is what they tried desperately to hang on Sen. Stevens and his son and they sure got a lot of people believing it, but with half the FBI up here for two or three years they couldn’t even go for an indictment on anything like that. They finally just went for the chicken charges that just got thrown out.

In Vino Veritas

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There's no federal subsidy for operation

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 10:21AM EST (link)

of the KTN ferries, or the AMHS ferries. The Alaska ferries get federal highway construction money for building them, but all operations are with State or local funding.

In Vino Veritas

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You pretty much summed it up, Skanderbeg;

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 10:16AM EST (link)

KTN is the only place I’ve ever missed a plane for reasons that didn’t involve a woman! Greenies love ferries because they hate roads, but unless you’ve dealt with them, you have no idea how expensive the things are to operate under American law. Even an horrendously expensive road or bridge has a lower lifecycle cost, including the road or bridge maintenance. KTN, like Juneau, is wedged tightly against and in some places clinging to the side of the mountains; there is no room to expand and there is no room for an airport, so the airport is on the next island. In Alaska, air travel isn’t just for vactions or pressing business travel; everything moves by air in most places, only heavy or bulk goods and those that are not time sensitive move by surface transport. In fact, here in Southeast Alaska, no two communities are connected either to each other and only Haines and Skagway at the northern end of Southeast are connected to the continental road system. In KTN, like Juneau, everything that comes in or out goes by plane or boat.

Interestingly, the KTN bridge is collateral damage. The Rs started pounding Young about it and the Knik Arm bridge in Anchorage, then the Ds piled on especially our “good friends” on the Left Coast. The Knik Arm Bridge is necessary to a plan to dramatically expand the Port of Anchorage so it can become an entrepot for medium-fast shipping from the Orient to the interior US. ANC’s position on the Great Circle route to the Orient is as useful for ships as it is for airplanes. The Left Coast ports REALLY don’t want that competition. Ultimately, the earmark was removed, but the funds came to Alaska as a part of the federal Transportation funding. Then Gov. Palin, who has no use for Southeast Alaska, decides to make herself an anti-pork hero by killing the KTN bridge. The much more expensive Knik Arm Bridge continues to be funded but thus far that funding seems only to pay for salaries for those fortunate enough to be appointed by the Governor to be the project’s “management.”

In Vino Veritas

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A Superb Synopsis... well done

alaskaescapeartist (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 10:23AM EST (link)

nt

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Thank you! nt

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 10:27AM EST (link)

In Vino Veritas

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Bridges....

Skanderbeg (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 11:03AM EST (link)

Well, unless something has changed, those Ketchikan airport ferries sure aren’t posh. When I was there 10+ years ago, I noted that they were actually second-hand Lake Champlain Transit Co. (!!) ferries – one of them still had the “Ethan Allen” nameplate on it.

Anyway…. is the Knik Arm bridge still going forward? Haven’t been to Anchorage in a few years – was just wondering where the two landing points will be….

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Same ones, far as I know.

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 11:37AM EST (link)

I was through there on the way to SEA last week and saw one from the plane. An American bottom with a union crew operating under American maritime law, specifically the Jones Act, doesn’t have to be posh to be horrendously expensive.

The only remaining American ship-building is for publicly owned ferry systems, West Coast and Pacific/Alaska shippers subject to the Jones Act, and the military. The cost of an American bottom is many multiples of the cost of a similar displacement ship built even in high-cost Scandanavia. Then since they’re all either public or third sector, they’re all unionized. I thought the Alaska tankers would be the very last ships in the World to be union since the producers don’t much cotton to that union stuff, but now even they have at least union engineering staff, don’t know about the deck officers and crew. ‘Course, you know how that works: since the Greenies so hate Alaska oil generally and tankers specifically, the only thing the Marine unions have to do is link up with the Greenies and drive the company to distraction unless the company agrees to unionize. That unholy alliance is what prevents us from having a road from Juneau to Haines or Skagway and what got us those God-awful fuel guzzling high speed cataraman ferries that can’t run half the time in the winter because they’re too delicate for the sea conditions.

The traditional American system of shipping on shares still survives intact but it isn’t the old system of the crew getting shares of the voyage’s profits. Now it is the crew getting shares of however much money can be gotten by whatever means.

There is still an appropriation for the Knik Arm Bridge and there is a planning and managment staff, which reads like a list of who’s who among friends of prominent Republican politicians. I don’t know what they’re doing besides collecting fancy, fancy salaries. The desired landing points are somewhere behind Government Hill north and east of the port and Pt. McKenzie, across the Arm. They have a new ferry that they’re trying to operate there, but last I looked still hadn’t gotten past all the permitting hassles. Adding the beluga whale to the endangered list is a real problem for both the ferry and a potential bridge.

In Vino Veritas

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Knik Bridge

Skanderbeg (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 12:01PM EST (link)

I did a little digging after I wrote that. That’s I guess still a bit up on the air, but I get the basic idea.

If it happens, one wonders if there will be residential development on the other side as well. Anchorage is so badly constrained by the mountains and all the federal land. But from the maps (and my memory), the other side is basically a mud flat region.

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There's good land over there.

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 12:11PM EST (link)

It was the site of one of the ill-fated farming projects back when we were being Blue-eyed Arabs. I think all the farmland they cleared and sold over there is now back in State hands. The State has a minimum security prison farm over there and there is a dock for ocean-going ships that call there for logs and wood chips.

No doubt if it could be made into a twenty minute commute, which the bridge would make it, rather than an hour or two, it would become a primary bedroom community for Anchorage.

In Vino Veritas

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SkanChance Land Inc.

Skanderbeg (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 12:31PM EST (link)

Hmm, how likely is this project? Should we set up a land company and starting buying the place up?

Well, I don’t know what the local ying-yanging will/would involve around Anchorage, but just in raw terms Anchorage could use some expansion room. That hemmed-in situation is a big crowding and housing-cost headache.

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I sometimes think nobody in Alaska knows how

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 1:08PM EST (link)

to actually make a project or a development work. The only thing they know how to do real well is get the government to fund something then pay themselves a real good salary and do lots of travelling and elbow rubbing until the money is gone. Then they become the biggest promoter of the next big failed government project. Alaska is lttered with stuff like the farm initiative, the Delta barley project – and the Priz Brau brewery that was going to use Alaska barley, the Matanuska Maid dairy, the Palmer slaughterhouse, the Seward Grain Terminal and ship yard, the KTN shipyard. All of them are either memories, ruins, or running totally on State subsidies.

I used to be awful when I first moved there in ’74. It was hardly realistic to commute even from Eagle River. The Glenn Hwy was a twisty two lane road that could be a real adventure in winter. Even with a 4WD, I needed a real good reason to drive that 12 miles. With four or more lanes all the way to Wasilla, commuting is realistic but a fifty or sixty mile commute in Alaska in winter ain’t my idea of fun!

All the old boys own stuff over there, through a front company or proxy if they’re in politics. It’s not so locked up as it once was, you don’t have to be invited to buy something, but I suspect all the inside tracks are already occupied. I actually don’t think the project will get past the Greenie opposition and there’ll be no possibility of any relief in this Administration. Besides, Gov. Palin wants it, so BHO ain’t likely to let it happen.

In Vino Veritas

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That's the smartest thing you've EVER written GC.

mbecker908 (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 3:02PM EST (link)

We should be looking to eliminate departments not whine about a “bridge to nowhere”. I’d much rather eliminate the “Education to Nowhere” Department than a bridge.

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Right, not like Ayers was innocent when he got let off...

JLenardDetroit (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 2:34PM EST (link)

okay, bad example (actually, not a bad example, but certainly not a valid comparison is what I was inferring/joking)

Most RedStaters tried to hold the Innocent Until Proven Guilty line which is always an uphill battle with a Republican vs. MSM (it’s not R vs Truth/Prosecutors… it’s R vs MSM and Democrat hit teams)….

Regards from NoMoTown (the MOTORlessCITY)
“Liberals, looking to do for^? America what they’ve done for^? Detroit! which is DESTROY IT!”
“I think, therefore I am Conservative”
“Conservative by choice, Republican by necessity”
“You can lead a Liberal to the Truth/Facts, but you cannot make them THINK!”
“Romney [No, not my first choice] does NOT have a MORMON problem. He has a, far too many Americans; these days; are MORONS problem!”
Follow @JLenardDetroit

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Heil “O” Hell No Obamao is NOT MY PRESIDENT! “No U won’t”
I want “O” to FAIL (here, here, & whole Diary (Ofail) here, is why)
“The first Liberal was Satan” – a Rush caller (other Quotes)

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Stevens discussion now has a FP Diary of its own....

JLenardDetroit (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 3:17PM EST (link)

For your consideration: Martin Knight’s: Fratricide and Ted Stevens … after reading these comments here in the Open Thread you may want to consider jumping over there for further discussion in that Diary specific to the Topic!?!?

Regards from NoMoTown (the MOTORlessCITY)
“Liberals, looking to do for^? America what they’ve done for^? Detroit! which is DESTROY IT!”
“I think, therefore I am Conservative”
“Conservative by choice, Republican by necessity”
“You can lead a Liberal to the Truth/Facts, but you cannot make them THINK!”
“Romney [No, not my first choice] does NOT have a MORMON problem. He has a, far too many Americans; these days; are MORONS problem!”
Follow @JLenardDetroit

(RS:Help) (JLD) (Hollyweird) (Brain-deads) (SPIN-cycle) (Obamaocare) (Party of kNOw) (Conservatism) (TEApeats) (respectful) (message) (Warning: Children Will Die!!)
Heil “O” Hell No Obamao is NOT MY PRESIDENT! “No U won’t”
I want “O” to FAIL (here, here, & whole Diary (Ofail) here, is why)
“The first Liberal was Satan” – a Rush caller (other Quotes)

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Redundancy: Gamecock in The Azores and his obligatory April Fools' Day column-LINK

Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 8:25AM EST (link)

http://www.redstate.com/gamecock/2009/04/01/the-azores-the-obligatory-gamecock-april-fools/

Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson

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Obama declares himself King, Pelosi changes her name..

Patrick_Murdock (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 9:06AM EST (link)

Obama declares himself King, Pelosi changes her name to Nancy Pelosi-Chavez, Tyrant of the House.

http://www.patrickscartoons.com

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Death Tax remains

red4ever (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 9:10AM EST (link)

I so wish this was a joke. In his new “budget” Obama continues the death tax at 45%.

Yes, the money you managed to save from previous government grabs can then be taken from you after your death. Sorry, the government got its chance the first time I earned this money. No second bite at the apple.

I wonder what Malia and Sasha think about not getting all the proceeds from investing Mommy and Daddy’s book profits.

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.
Dante

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Open thread mean any concern or topic?

penguin2 (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 9:20AM EST (link)

I am hoping someone will be able to give me some feedback on this. Unfortunately, can’t link the site, but I am referring to the Strata-Sphere, by AJStrata, easily Googled. I read his columns and find many of them to be knowledgeable and thoughtful. But, I do not understand why he is down on conservatives. Today he has a posting annoyed with our side again, re: the NY-20.

I’ve read what he thinks is wrong with the right, but I need some balance from some of the best on our side to give me perspective and perhaps understanding about why he is saying what he is. Is there merit in his arguments? Are we okay with the course we’ve set?

Thanks to anyone who can take the time to share their knowledge and thinking on this.

Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God. – Benjamin Franklin
When Good stands up to Evil, Evil blinks. – Vassar Bushmills

Conservative Education: Suggested Reading List

Activists Taking Action: Unified Patriots

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I love much of what Strata writes and he is one of Rush's personal links, but

Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 9:35AM EST (link)

He appears to have much hostility toward social conservatives and I think he was pretty far left on illegal immigration. But I read him regularly. He has been right on with respect to the wars, especially. He has a lot of inside info.

Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson

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Thanks "gamecock" I'm glad I didn't walk into a minefield.

penguin2 (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 10:29AM EST (link)

I I think he is pretty smart and I get a lot out of reading him, but it has concerned me when he is beating up on the conservatives. We are getting beat up from all sides, the left, the right and from the middle.

Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God. – Benjamin Franklin
When Good stands up to Evil, Evil blinks. – Vassar Bushmills

Conservative Education: Suggested Reading List

Activists Taking Action: Unified Patriots

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I want Global Warming back!

Achance (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 9:37AM EST (link)

It is the first of April and my yard looks like a scene from the movie “The Day After,” literally windowsill deep snow and my driveway looks like a tunnel. 175 inches so far this season and still more forecasted. Plus, unlike most years, we’ve had almost no warm, rainy spells to melt the snow so most of it is still laying around. Here’s today’s Juneau Empire story: http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/040109/loc_420719560.shtml

In Vino Veritas

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If liberals really cared about the homeless and the heating bills of the poor

Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 9:44AM EST (link)

they would advocate a stimulus bill that would give every American an SUV.

Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson

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Bi-Partisanship Disease looks to expand McCain/Feingold and destroy Political speech further....

JLenardDetroit (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 3:04PM EST (link)

sure, I could do the further research and write a full Diary (which I, or someone else, probably still will do) on this, but…. Id rather just toss it out here now as the story is just breaking (as of yesterday) and get peeps quick thoughts as Democrats and Republicans again catch that Bi-Partisan Disease and attempt to create another BAILOUT. Redistribution of your Tax dollars to their campaigns!

Bi-Partisan support is underway to potentially introduce the next phase that many of those behind, or supported knowing they could use the cover to expand to their own ends (the usual Democrat INCRIMENTALISM ways) to grab more power and ensure their re-election campaign coffers would be filled. Now they would be filled with your Tax dollars. Whether you like a Politicians politics OR NOT, you will be funding all campaigns – if these who seek to further restrict YOUR RIGHT to exert your First Amendment Rights and Spend Your Money as “YOU” see fit by supporting a Candidate of your choice to the amount of your own money of your choice!

Of course they are SPINNING the legislation. They say it is NOT “your” Tax dollars, but that the legislation will impose a “Special” Tax on Government Contracts that will be paid by Business. Of course, all Business Taxes are paid by the Consumers and therefore us – it is really our money (that those Taxes are comprised of) in the end that they will pad their Campaign attack ad budgets against OUR CANDIDATES with.

ARE YOU READY TO CALL YOUR CONGRESS-CRITTERS TO OPPOSE THIS??

Regards from NoMoTown (the MOTORlessCITY)
“Liberals, looking to do for^? America what they’ve done for^? Detroit! which is DESTROY IT!”
“I think, therefore I am Conservative”
“Conservative by choice, Republican by necessity”
“You can lead a Liberal to the Truth/Facts, but you cannot make them THINK!”
“Romney [No, not my first choice] does NOT have a MORMON problem. He has a, far too many Americans; these days; are MORONS problem!”
Follow @JLenardDetroit

(RS:Help) (JLD) (Hollyweird) (Brain-deads) (SPIN-cycle) (Obamaocare) (Party of kNOw) (Conservatism) (TEApeats) (respectful) (message) (Warning: Children Will Die!!)
Heil “O” Hell No Obamao is NOT MY PRESIDENT! “No U won’t”
I want “O” to FAIL (here, here, & whole Diary (Ofail) here, is why)
“The first Liberal was Satan” – a Rush caller (other Quotes)

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Poll: Tell NBC In God We Trust

redneck_hippie (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 4:36PM EST (link)

should not be removed from our currency.

87% of responses say No, we should not remove the words “in God we trust”.

Vote and surprise the NBC pinheads!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10103521/

Activists Taking Action: Unified Patriots

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MSNBC Poll: Grade Obama - give him an "F"

JLenardDetroit (Diary) Wednesday, April 1st at 4:44PM EST (link)

and if you have not done so yet, please visit this MSNBC Poll – Grading Obama to not let the Lefty-loons pad that vote!

Regards from NoMoTown (the MOTORlessCITY)
“Liberals, looking to do for^? America what they’ve done for^? Detroit! which is DESTROY IT!”
“I think, therefore I am Conservative”
“Conservative by choice, Republican by necessity”
“You can lead a Liberal to the Truth/Facts, but you cannot make them THINK!”
“Romney [No, not my first choice] does NOT have a MORMON problem. He has a, far too many Americans; these days; are MORONS problem!”
Follow @JLenardDetroit

(RS:Help) (JLD) (Hollyweird) (Brain-deads) (SPIN-cycle) (Obamaocare) (Party of kNOw) (Conservatism) (TEApeats) (respectful) (message) (Warning: Children Will Die!!)
Heil “O” Hell No Obamao is NOT MY PRESIDENT! “No U won’t”
I want “O” to FAIL (here, here, & whole Diary (Ofail) here, is why)
“The first Liberal was Satan” – a Rush caller (other Quotes)

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