I. Through the late spring and summer of 2008, my son Alex played lead guitar (shown above, playing at the Snow Goose in Anchorage) for the Alaska-based band, Static Cycle. He then left the band to go to college in California, while they went on to do a national tour. Two of the band members, Jared Navarre (the band's founder and lead singer) and Dennis Smith (drumset and vocals) are former students of mine from UAA. Static Cycle is one of the most popular Alaska rock bands. Their most recent videos, one of them featuring Bristol Palin as some sort of female Knight of the Rose of the North, are well produced.Here's Jared's description of Inside This World of Mine:
The band shot the music video for the single in two very wintery locations, the first being a Ice Museum in Chena, Alaska, with additional footage shot on top of an actual ice glacier. Bristol Palin, “Dancing With The Stars” contestant and the daughter of former governor of Alaska and Vice President Candidate Sarah Palin, makes a cameo within the video portraying the role of “Mother Nature.” The video world-premiered on E! and has been featured on Entertainment Tonight, NY Daily News, Examiner, The Huffington Post and many Hollywood gossip outlets.
Here's a video on the making of Inside This World of Mine:
And here's the final product:
II. A couple of local blogs, Alaska WTF and Immoral Minority, are covering the breaking story that Todd Palin may somehow have either been drawn up in the FBI's Operation Cross Country - their nationwide drive which aims to rescue young girls from sex trafficking - or was a client of some of the massage practitioners caught up in the stings in Alaska. According to the e-mail I got on this the other day:
My sources reveal that a massage therapist and computer technologist, Shailey Tripp, of Wasilla, AK had an affair with Todd Palin that lead to her arrest March of 2010. According to the tenants in the building of her offices, they saw Todd come and go often and heard noises that sounded like some one was having sex. It was the same tenants who called the police on her.I don't know Shailey. She did ask to be my friend on facebook sometime last year. And I know people who know her. One thing irks me, though, about comments to this story at IM, and to stories like this - stories that people think reflect negatively on Wasilla - is the way people who have never been in the local area negatively characterize all of us here collectively.
Out of those interviewed , most wanted their names to remain anonomous [sic] and some indicated that other reporters and news crews were asking the same questions as recently as Nov. 2010.
The most important aspect is that it appears Todd had many massage therapists he visited all over the Anchorage area and out in the Wasilla areas. He apparently would visit these ladies and pay them for sexual favors. As of yet this has not been verified.
So is this information true? The only person who can validate that so far is the woman who was arrested, Shailey Tripp, as far as we can tell. We have not been able to contact her to verify any of this information but our search has lead [sic] to her possible whereabouts in Wasilla, Alaska.
That irks me, but I'm also irked when people characterize sex workers so negatively. Authorities should be checking these parlors for people who are forced to work at them, or who are under age, or who are undocumented aliens. Aside from issues like that - work place quality issues - the sex industry should be as legal here as it is in Nevada. If Todd needs to hire somebody to satisfy him because Sarah can't, that should basically be an issue between the two of them.
This comment, made at Immoral Minority this morning, deserves a reprint:
I have been a good friend of Shailey's for years and all of you should be ashamed of yourselves. She is a wonderful person and none of you have any idea what you are talking about. You don't know the whole story yet you are not only judging her harshly you are making up crazy conspiracy theories. Sounds like some of you need to get a life.Todd could consider visiting someone like Stormy Daniels. She's certainly more interesting, more humane, than Sarah:
27 comments:
You made my day! LoL! From
Louisiana with Love
I said as much on Palingates.
Prostitution should be safe, legal, and well-regulated.
The issue is definitely between Sarah and Todd, but since Sarah is touting her wonderful marital relationship as part of her appeal to "real Americans," any chink in that fantasy should be revealed.
And since prostitution IS illegal in Alaska, if the first dud is partaking, he shouldn't be let off the hook while these women are prosecuted.
Ms. Tripp may be a great lady, and she may also be a prostitute. This is ok. If Tawd was partaking of something illegal, no matter how ok I think it is, he should be in just as much hot water as the women.
I don't think that what he does with his wee-wee is even his wife's business. That she tries to make herself look like she has it all makes her look silly and it is our business when she is the fraud we know her to be.
I agree that the "John" or, perhaps in this case, the "Todd" too often get off the hook, especially if they are well known.
good grief, is it that SP can no longer have babies, so they 'farm' it out to the younger girls...
this whole bee's hive of paylin behavior *along* with their friends...wow.
Thomas V. Van Flein - CLAPP PETERSON VANFLEIN TIEMESSEN THORSNESS
Mr. Van Flein also represents physicians, dentists, and other health care ... Grandstaff v. State, 171 P.3d 1176 (Alaska App. 2007) (counsel for amicus ...
www.akcplaw.com/thomasvanflein.asp - Cached - Similar
its nearly humorous thinking
how so many of us tried to figure out who these babies *were*.
at this point they couldve originated from oh so many different sperm deposits.
the whores of baby-lon.
I loved all 3 of your videos, Phil. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Phil - I've been following this as well - my comment is more about what the email has stated.
It states that Todd had an "affair" with Shailey Tripp. An affair is not normally how visiting a prostitute is described.
It's not about the sex Phil, it's the blatant hypocrisy by the Palins. They love to tell everyone how perfect they are - and if this is true, the entire marriage is just a sham and another lie.
I won't judge Ms. Tripp - but if it was an affair truly, then there is much more to this story if it is true as it relates to Todd and his relationship with Sarah.
What a bizarre combo of a post. Your son and his band. Todd's prostitute story. Huh.
Good for Static Cycle to bring on-board Bristol Palin. Honestly, I had never heard of this band as anything other than a Christian band, until all the media attention on Bristol's cameo. Definitely good marketing, good for them.
One of the "most popular Alaska rock bands"? Not in secular Alaska. I have heard of and been to Melissa Mitchell, Photons, Backstrap, Lulu Small, Pamyua, Ken Peltier, Whipsaws, The SpamTones, Paul Rosenthal, Doc South's Old Timey, Gael Force, etc etc. Shucks, I went to both George Clinton and the Funkadelic concerts!
Perhaps in the Conservative Christian crowd. There's quite a large group who around from Kenai to Wasilla to attend the Christian rock concerts that come to Alaska, that Static Cycle is associated with. "Approved" music and lyrics by Alaska youth pastors.
Shailey Tripp. Poor young woman needs to just be left alone. Unless she's excited about all the attention and this is her big moment for stardom?
But Phil, where did you get this: "Todd Palin may somehow have either been drawn up in the FBI's Operation Cross Country - their nationwide drive which aims to rescue young girls from sex trafficking"?
That wasn't in the circulated email. What makes you think that?
There's far too much playing coy. People are just getting ridiculous. I think Sarah Palin absolutely should run for president. You bet. It's the American way. More power to you if you think that God means her to be the president.
And then we can finally be done with all this nonsense.
There are some very formal complaints down the road. There's a whole bunch of us Alaskans that are sick to death of the shenanigans in State administration, extraordinary obfuscation, and ongoing endless avoidance of accountability.
"What makes you think that?"
-- not from the e-mail.
Regarding Static Cycle, I'll stand on what I wrote. Their following goes beyond the kids who show up for the Xian rock stuff.
No problem. Good music well-played is good music, regardless of genre.
Personal preference. I'm not a fan of Christian heavy metal. But it is hugely popular on Alaska's military bases.
But anyway, back to this business about Todd being a target of Operation Cross Country. I just can't find anything about this. There's just this post reposted in several national sources.
Are you willing to disclose anything at all?
But Phil, where did you get this: "Todd Palin may somehow have either been drawn up in the FBI's Operation Cross Country - their nationwide drive which aims to rescue young girls from sex trafficking"?
That wasn't in the circulated email. What makes you think that?
That's just Phil making shit up again.
I posted some actual facts on here (like 900 bucks worth of happy endings to the Palin/Parnell cmapaign) and he scrubbed them....
Nice touch.
You just can't help yourself, can you Phil ?
EdwardTeller July 3rd, 2009 at 3:36 pm
4
I’ve updated my Oxdown diary:
Update: This just in my inbox, from a source connected sometimes to CNN:
“Here’s a quote I got from law enforcement here in Alaska yesterday afternoon regarding Palin “a criminal indictment is pending authorization.”
I agree with you about sex workers. Often they get their start as some kind of slave. Young girls run away from home and someone gets them hooked on drugs to control them or kids/women are kept prisoners. In Nevada prostitution is only legal in very limited rural areas and only in brothels. I lived next door to the head of security at Mustang Ranch in Reno and worked with some of the prostitutes at Harrahs. I worked on the streets in San Francisco in the 70s trying to unionize prostitution and to try to legalize it for many reasons, so it can be regulated to reduce STDs, to reduce sex slavery for profit, and to get legislation to help those who are trapped in that life. I also worked with prostitutes on the street as a health care professional. Most of the prostitutes I have known are nice people. Why was the one selling sex in this story arrested and not the John? The reason people find this story so interesting and want it exposed is the holier-than-thou Palin attitude and this story is very interesting to me becasue her name is "Tripp".
I also find it odd that everyone thinks Wasilla is the only place that has problems. I tried to get them to do something about the meth labs when I lived in the Homer area and now they are all upset and surprised there is so much meth there. I live in Soldotna now and there is a huge drug problem. Drugs, prostitution and backwards, ignorant people are spread throughout Alaska and all over the lower 48 and it is not a recent development. People point the finger at Wasilla because Sarah tried to make it seem like the All American town because she was Mayor.
Thanks, Celia. A lot.
To anon @9:11
How DO YOU KNOW the ICEBERG is still not going to happen?
Until you know STFU!
Phil one small issue. Massage Therapists are not sex workers! Often sex workers will try to legitimize themselves and call themselves massage therapist, but they are not!
They are sex workers...Massage Therapist are health Practitioners.
Here is part of a comment I left at IM this is what I think MIGHT of went down:
However there is one point, well several I would like to bring up here...
Remember long, long ago there was a rumor that Toad cheated on Sarah and she went over the house and slashed the woman's tires? Idle Gossip I know but considering her Son did that to so many school buses...?
Then when her sister going through a divorce the Heath-Palin clan did their damnest to get Molly's husband arrested... "Troopergate" anyone?
Sherry Johnson arrested for "dealing drugs"? (Set up anyone?)
Then....Levi, Levi speaks out to 2 mags and suddenly all the cops after him???
So...I've given but a FEW examples, is it a stretch to think that if Toad was having a affair with a massage therapist, she (Sarah) would get her arrested for prostitution?
I rest my case.
Now as everything with the Paylins is always more complicated and not what it seems...I have to wonder WHY this email was sent to all of you?
This could be a rag trying to flesh out a story? Or leaks coming from the GOP, we have been waiting for THAT to happen.
Anyway If it is another case of Screeh's abuse of power, its time for the Alaskan bloggers to Buck up! She has abused her power in Alaska. Alaska as a state is huge but its population less than San Francisco, for example. Its the equivalent of a petty tyrant running SF! Since MSM won't go there it up to the citizen bloggers to get the truth.
Not into the Christian or Satanic music scenes. Who cares?
On Shailey and her "john" Todd, I hope she is smart and does the Julian Assange thing, issue a statement that says, "If anything happens to me, I have info/photos/videos that will be leaked by several other sources".
We all know what happened to David Vitter's Madam.
Another sharp and witty comeback from the Cyrstal Cali Girl.
Touché !
People, people, she wasn't charged with prostitution, she was charged with maintaining a place of prostitution, a big difference.
Until one of these brilliant bloggers actually go down to the courthouse to look at the case file, it's all just speculation, something that the author of this blog is very good at.
Phil, you're on the faculty over at UAA, don't you get fee tuition as well ? It would really behoove you and your blogger friends to go see Pagano or somebody over in the J Dept about taking or auditing a J-101 class, you know, like Introduction to Reporting.
When it comes to doing actual work in order to verify facts, Phil and the "Progressive" bloggers of Alaska fail miserably.
I'd suggest to you Cali girl that you do your own homework and don't rely on the half-assed work of the Alaska Bloggers.
Touche’ anon@ 6:ooam
You are right the charge is "maintaining a house of prostitution".
My bad :(
But it really doesn't matter what she was charged with b/c my point being Screech's abuse of power...if this is the case.
And...as much as I would love to trot down the courthouse or whatnot, without flying a couple of planes and a boatload of $$ that is not possible so I do have to trust my Alaskan blogger friends :)
Now I know that Screech has told you palinbots to Verify but how many of you verify her???
Did you see the crazy RT she did yesterday?
WTF?
Before you chastise anyone else to verify facts start with yourself about Verifying Sarah Palin.
Her whole first book was lies (factchecked) and book two was also,too and failing miserably...
Don't bag on others to what you fail to do yourself...
Yes, the Ft. Wainright military show for troops and ChangePoint Church concerts were very well-attended.
Cali Girl - Here's some perspective for you. I could go down to the courthouse if I so desired, and who knows, maybe next week if I get some time I will.
I've been around these parts for a while, have a history in the news business, and understand what it takes to be a professional reporter.
Munger, Zaki, Griffin, Moore and I'd even through in Aufrecht at times, seemingly don't understand the concept of verifying sources.
It's kind of critical, even for a blogger, because to this trained eye it diminishes what credibility they have.
I'm no Palin supporter, believe me, and a lot of Phil's friends who knew Palin back in the day when she was on the City Council, are my friends too.
For Phil's sake, and the rest of them, it behooves them to accurately portray what's going on, and not run every rumor which happens to land in their in-box.
Confirming sources, it's kind of important.
Anon@4:47
Well that would be awesome you go down there and check it out!
We would all love to hear about it, and also the NE, Star,USA today,Vanity Fair, RollingStone etc.
My hair goes up on my neck when you say..."'m no Palin supporter, believe me" That is usually a dead ringer for a palinbot, so if I'm suspicious you'll have to excuse me...
I still ask you...How is it that you (and have a history 'in the news') determine that the AK bloggers are not reporting accurately???
If you do have sources, the Ak bloggers and EVERYONE else would love to hear it! Also,too...you could make a killing...none of the #LSM wants to report it and if you have sources you could make BANK! I say go for it!
(But please tell us where & when it will be reported)
Cali Girl - Believe what you want,
I've watched this whole Palin phenomenon unfold with the rest of you, and I too am abhorred by the thought of this woman.
My point is that the bloggers credibility is diminished when they don't do their due diligence.
It only hurts their own credibility and gives the enemy, in this case Palin, more ammo to fire back with.
Bloggers play an important role in this new media, and there are some good ones out there, no doubt.
That's why it pains me to see yet another rumor started on this blog, and then perpetrated onto other blogs such as AlaskaWTF and IM.
Call me a concern troll, call me whatever you want, Phil knows by my IP addy who I am, and with his graciousness he still allows me to post here.
There are a lot of places to dig for information, if you live in Alaska and have a library card, the ZJ Loussac library in Anchorage has a fantastic resource available on line, newspaper and print archives, some going back to the 70's in some cases. You can research stories in the ADN going back to about 1986 or so.
There are APOC records, property and tax records in the Mat Su and Anchorage, business licenses and corporations in Alaska, PFD and hunting license recipients, Guidestar (for tax info on non profits, an invaluable resource) on and on.
Verifying sources, it's kind of important in this business.
Although Phil scrubbed it, Ms. Tripp gave a $900 in-kind contribution to the Palin/Parnell 2006 Governor's race.
Check it out for yourself
Coincidence, or not ?
You might also note that she filed for bankruptcy in Alaska in 2002.
anon@5:00am
Very peculiar - you claim to be a hot shot journalist yet you post under "anonymous"?
Personally I think the "Todd visits a hooker" story is just that - a story. It's the bright shiny object being used to distract people from the rampant speculation/rumors and knowledge that Todd is and has always been gay.
Although it doesn't matter to me, it does explain his marriage to Ms Palin (was she pregnant with Track via Curtis Menard Jr before he dumped her?) as "cover". Is he her beard?
Again, it doesn't matter. Except her entire meme is built upon her happy family values - and her Domestic Goddess garbage. No one cares that her husband is GAY / but if he is, her Marriage From God is a lying hypocritical sham just like her.
SHE stuck our faces in her family's business - we didn't go looking. Every day, it is her and her wonderful Family Values horror that is the Heath/Palin Dysfunctional Brat Pack. That makes her a hypocrite of the first order.
It's not about the charges/conviction against Shailey Tripp - it's about the way the Palins present themselves as having Perfect Family Values while acting like the Beverly Hillbillies on Meth.
I haven't scrubbed or removed comments to this thread.
Phil Munger
Todd Palin's prostitute is listing her items on E BAY to sell!!!!
Her website shaileytripp.yolasite.com and her EBAY link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260756997380&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT
EAMAILS and CLIENT LISTS!!!
This is the email I purchased from Shailey Tripp,
> ----- Original Message ------
-- On Wed, 11/29/06, wrote:
> From: <_______@gci.net>
> Subject: Re: thank you.
> To: "Shay"
> Date: Wed, Nov 29, 2006, 9:11 AM
> Shailey,
>
> Nice to meet you. Thank you for your time.
> Todd
>
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