Sundries

I've been a bad blogger lately -- sorry 'bout that. It's been a busy summer.

Spent the weekend in the south Puget Sound with family, but got out before the blazing heat came. Fun times on Hartstine Island for the annual family reunion. Pictures of adorable children will be coming soon.

The summer ultimate league is done for another year. My team started off 0-4, but won 4 in a row and lost 12-10 in the semifinals. It was a fun year, especially as the team got better with each game. Unfortunately I pulled my right calf muscle in the last game so I'm hobbling around this week, threatening my other summer sport...

Ninjustice softball is going well. We are 6-3, in second place in the spirited Coed E Division D with three games to go. I haven't pitched very often this year, preferring to try other positions. I think I like first base, actually. And third base.

Oh, I just remembered that I still owe a Peru recap. Okay, it's on the list.

What else. Can't help but become discouraged when I see the country focused on the arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates when you've got so many serious issues to worry about. For the record, Obama was right that the Cambridge police acted stupidly. The man was arrested for disorderly conduct -- which by definition must occur in public -- in his own house. I don't doubt that Gates acted stupidly as well, but that's not a crime. How this became a big issue, I have no idea.

And, I almost forgot: we are now Palin-free. I don't know why she quit -- I certainly don't believe her braintwisting rationale that she's doing it for Alaska. But I do know this: her quitting actually is good for Alaska. Sean Parnell and I don't agree on much, but I'm confident he's focused on governing the state, not fighting tabloid wars or twittering about Ashley Judd. She's done with Alaska politics, which is great news for Alaskans. Unfortunately (or happily, maybe) for those of you in the lower 48, you're about to see a lot more of her.

"What are you two buttheads doing in my house?" To that, apparently, one of the young men said, "Who are you calling buttheads?"

Yep, another Alaska crime that makes the front page of the ADN.

Let's run through the checklist:

• Is there a gun involved? Check. Two, in fact. Bonus points for surprise concealed Glocks.
• Alcohol? Check. Bonus points for an astounding .418 blood alcohol level.
• Young hooligans? Check. Bonus points for buttheads.
• Was the whole fracas over home furnishings? Check. But I'm sure it was a lovely ceiling fan.
  

Ding ding ding! This crime qualifies as front page news!

Match made in heaven

You know I take every chance I get to poke fun at my soon-to-be-former governor. You also know that I am a grammar dork who loves ruthless copy editing. That's why this is awesome.

Peru pics

At long last the pictures are up. The slideshow is below (warning: it's 230 pics long), descriptions still to come. . .

The Blob

There's some kind of weird organic goo floating off the northern coast of Alaska. No one knows what it is, but apparently it eats geese.

"From the air it looks brownish with some sheen, but when you get close and put it up on the ice and in the bucket, it's kind of blackish stuff ... (and) has hairy strands on it."

Whoa.

Back in the USA

My trip to Peru (the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu) is over, and it'll take a couple days to sort through the pictures... but they're coming. It was an awesome time.

While I was gone you might have noticed that my governor quit. This is great for Alaska, because since she returned from the campaign trail she has been less focused on governing and more focused on... other things. As a consequence she has been an ineffective leader, and if that was the best she had to give to the state, she's right that it's best for Alaska that she move on. I've never heard a politician admit before that she isn't good at her job, so she'll just quit; it's refreshing. And mavericky. I actually wish more politicians would quit once they realized they weren't good at it.

She'll reap immediate benefits by earning big bucks from her book deal, speaking engagements, and probably a TV show, all without the pesky task of governing. I can't fault her for the choice. But if she thinks quitting mid-term qualifies her to run for higher office, well, I guess I'd like to see her try.

A little break

I'm heading out into the world for a week, so there probably won't me much happening here for a little while. Hopefully when I'm back I'll have some good stories and pictures.

Happy Fourth, everyone.

Grrrrrr.

From Sarah Palin's Twitter feed:

AKGovSarahPalin Our asst AGs had KEY role in protecting rights as a state vs 9th Circuit in cases re: DNA evidence & Kensington Mine development/new jobs
about 4 hours ago from TwitterBerry

I'm getting the feeling she didn't read the opinion.