Time Immemorial - In Palmer Tuesday Evening

Time Immemorial
A play by Jack Dalton and Allison Warden

A Palmer Arts Council & Job Corps Collaboration

DATE: Tue Feb 22 & Wed Feb 23

TIME: 7 pm - 9 pm

LOCATION: Job Corps Gym

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Tickets are on sale at Fireside Books/Palmer and Pandemonium Books/Wasilla. Prices are $10 for students and seniors (65+); $15 for Adults.
Tickets will be available at the door.

Time Immemorial, written by Dalton (Yup'ik) and Allison Warden (Inupiaq,) is a clever retelling of how the world was made. The play trails Tulu and Miti (Raven and Eagle) as they move through time, reborn over and over again as brothers, sisters, spouses, a parent and child, a grandmother and grandson, a wife and husband.

The Anchorage Daily News said, "Time Immemorial is a resounding story about what it means to be human, to have hope, to absorb and generate change. Here, compassion transcends time and reaches through generations."

Glenn Beck Conspiracy Generator

Gotta love this site - the Glenn Beck Conspiracy Theory Generator. Here are four I generated myself.

Bahrain Ready to Ignite

Saradise Lost - Book 5 - Chapter 38 - Is The State Sitting on Palin's Emails to Wait Out the Statute of Limitations? - Updated

Andrew Halcro broke the news this morning, followed by others - Frank Bailey's book is finished. A manuscript has been mailed out without authorization from the author or his collaborators, and bits are being published. Jeanne Devon from The Mudflats was one of Bailey's collaborators, and writes about the experience at her blog. The Anchorage Daily News and Alaska Dispatch are covering the manuscript's contents and unauthorized release.

The item that caught my eye most, though, is this one, posted at Jesse Griffin's Immoral Minority:

In BLIND ALLEGIANCE TO SARAH PALIN: A Memoir of our Tumultuous Years, Bailey explores such key events as Palin’s gubernatorial victory, Troopergate, illegal coordination with the Republican Governor’s Association, never-before-revealed scandals such as a judicial appointment as payoff for a favorable child custody ruling for Palin’s sister.

That, I believe, is a serious felony in the State of Alaska. Could it be that the State, by holding onto Palin's emails for so long - they say the emails will be released in May - is covering up this crime and others by the Palin family until the statute of limitations makes prosecution improbable or impossible? If that is the case, then we need to see the emails the state has on why they're holding onto her emails.

Update - Saturday 1:00 a.m:

In the long, detailed Anchorage Daily News article on the leaked manuscript, Sean Cockerham quotes Christine Johnson from the Alaska Court System, stating Judge Morgan Christen's role in the custody case was "very limited."

So far, it appears both the Alaska Dispatch and the Anchorage Daily News first got their copies of the manuscript from Joe McGinniss, whose own book on Palin has a publisher, unlike Bailey's. McGinniss isn't returning a lot of calls, so we don't know why he did it, other than he thought the manuscript was somehow becoming widely available, so felt obligated to help pass it on.

How thoughtful.

image - The Immoral Minority

Is Madison the USA's Cairo? - RT TV

So This is America?

Ray McGovern, ex-U.S. Army intelligence officer, career CIA analyst, intelligence briefer to presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush, attended a speech given Tuesday in Washington DC by Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. Clinton's speech was titled Strategic Dialogue with Civil Society. It was the keynote speech at a State Department-sponsored series by that same title. She described how lone dissenters, speaking truth to power in countries around the world, are making a difference:

In the last weeks, we have seen their courage on display in the streets of Tunis and the town squares of Cairo. We have watched with great anticipation as they have stood up for their rights and aspirations.

As she spoke these words, standing up in the audience, as is his right in the United States of America, was Ray McGovern. He turned his back to her and stood silently. He has done this before, as is his right in the United States of America.

Or is it?

As he stood there, two security guards came up, grabbed him, thrust him about, and dragged him from the room. As he was being forcibly removed, he shouted, "This is America?"


Here are two pictures of him, taken at the hospital where he had his injuries from being assaulted by Clinton's stooges treated:
I find it fascinating that some of the news coverage of Clinton's speech about human rights, the rights of assembly and genuine grievances people may have against their governing figures, omitted any mention of this hugely ironic scene. This Bloomberg article fails to mention the assault on McGovern. Even the youtube posted above calls him a "heckler," when he said nothing to HRC, and only spoke to protest his manhandling.

McGovern has been charged with disorderly conduct.

Dr. John Corvino, the "Gay Moralist," at UAA Tonight - Is Homosexuality Immoral?

--- by Heather Aronno | published originally at the Alaska Commons and Bent Alaska

There’s a lecture title worthy of a few head turns. When I first saw the poster, I felt a little, nauseous pit form in my stomach. I thought, “is UAA actually bringing in an anti-gay speaker?” Fortunately, I paused long enough to read the description before I flew off the handle.

With a combination of humor, sensitivity, & intellectual rigor, Corvino examines the most common arguments against homosexual conduct.

Whatever your sexual orientation, moral perspective, or religious conviction, this program will invite you to rethink some of the “easy assumptions” that often characterize the debate over homosexuality.

A visit to the UAA Student Life & Leadership website provided a little more information: “Dr. John Corvino, a.k.a. “The Gay Moralist,” is a writer, speaker, and philosophy professor. For over 15 years he has been traveling the country speaking on gay rights. Combining philosophy, sensitivity, and humor he has challenged all sides of the debate about homosexuality and morality.”

During my first year at UAA, I was pleased to learn that many departments and student organizations coordinate a series of events every February called “Healthy Sexuality Week.” And being that Alaska now rates ninth in the country for its rates of gonorrhea, it’s probably a good idea to focus on healthy sexuality. As part of the events for every year that I’ve attended there has been a notable speaker, come to help make up for our lack of comprehensive sex education. For the past two years, columnist and personal hero Dan Savage has been our guest of honor. (Some of you may remember when the Anchorage Press carried Dan’s Savage Love column. Do you miss it? Send the Anchorage Press an email and let ‘em know.)

This year, Dan gets a break and Dr. John Corvino will be taking the stage. I asked a few UAA students for their opinions on the lecture and its subject matter:

“Homosexuality isn’t really immoral or a threat to marriage. Divorce is probably a bigger threat to marriage than homosexuality.” Eric – Business Management Major

“I have no problem with it. I have friends that are gay. I might potentially take part in [the lecture], depending on what they end up talking about. I don’t mind that kind of discussion. That actually sounds pretty interesting.” Mike - Psychology and German Major

“To me, it doesn’t matter because I see them just as another human being, who has a different opinion than my opinion. It doesn’t affect me at all.” Simon – Undergraduate

“I’m not really biased. It’s a good topic to get people talking about it, because most people are shy in this day and age. It’s not that they don’t have an opinion, they’re just scared to voice it. At least he’s opening up the question for discussion. If I don’t have class at the same time, I might attend.” George – Management Information Systems Major

“I don’t have a problem with homosexuality. I have family members who are [gay]. I have friends who are. It doesn’t bother me at all.” Tim – Electrical Engineering, Computer Systems Engineering, and Mathematics Major

“He looks pretty cute. Too bad he’s gay.” Heidi – International Studies Major

Now, that’s just a small sample of UAA students who happened to be in the Student Union when I was asking questions. I didn’t have anyone who spoke against homosexuality that I chose not to include; all of the students I spoke to indicated they had no issue with people being gay. (Except for Heidi. Ah well, she’s not the only girl stuck pining after an attractive gay man. I’ve had a crush on Neal Patrick Harris for years.) But for every student who is comfortable talking about their gay friends, family members, selves, there are other students who may very well benefit from hearing a different perspective on the morality/immorality of homosexuality. I encourage them to attend.

I’m looking forward to Dr. Corvino’s lecture. I hope some of you will be able to join me.

* * *

“Is Homosexuality Immoral?” with Dr. John Corvino

Presented by UAA Student Activities. American Sign Language interpretation will be provided for this lecture.

• Date & time: Thursday, February 17, 7:30-9:30 PM; doors open at 6:30 PM
• Location: UAA Wendy Williamson Auditorium
• Cost of admission: This event is free to everyone.
• Info: Dr. John Corvino, a.k.a. “The Gay Moralist,” is a writer, speaker, and philosophy professor. For over 15 years he has been traveling the country speaking on gay rights. Combining philosophy, sensitivity, and humor he has challenged all sides of the debate about homosexuality and morality. Dr. Corvino holds a Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin and is currently Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Wayne State. He has written over 100 articles and opinion pieces, wich have appeared in regional and nationally at the online Independent Gay Forum and in numerous academic journals and anthologies.

• Further information: UAA Student Activities, or this event’s Facebook page

A Message from Our Alaska Congressional Delegaton - Updated

Dear low-income Alaskan,

We know times are tough. We know many of you saw your savings and home values hurt by Wall Street recklessness. We also know that, with official unemployment above 9 percent, it is tough to find a job, and many have been forced to choose part-time employment that lacks benefits. But as a result of extending the Bush tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, the budget deficit has grown.

So, despite your problems, you are going to be “asked” to sacrifice. Your president is planning to cut $2.6 billion from Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps people afford keeping their homes warm during our long, cold winter in Alaska, despite the fact that due to the economic downturn the number of poor people needing help has increased significantly.*

As a result of your going without heat next winter, we will be able to afford almost one whole week of fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost about $468 million a day. Although when you add in the many hidden costs like increased long-term veteran’s health care due to the conflicts, your sacrifice is probably only really going to cover maybe half a week.

We hope you understand that when we had to choose between providing basic necessities to our Alaska constituents or fighting about five more days in Iraq and Afghanistan because of whatever we here in D.C. make up to justify it, and the Alaska media prints as we send it to them without changing a word, we clearly just had to choose the wars over you.

Sincerely,

Your Alaska Congressional Delegation

* Update: Julie Hasquet from Sen. Begich's office has asked that I specifically mention that Mark does not support cutting LIHEAP funds. How effective Sen. Begich will be in this matter remains to be seen.

As for cutting funding for our grossly expensive, wasteful, illegal and immoral wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which might pay for more amenities in the USA, she and the good Senator have nothing whatsoever to say.

Yesterday, Sen. Begich voted against renewing provisions of the Patriot Act, siding with Rep. Don Young. Sen. Murkowski, typically, voted to continue erosions of your freedoms, as she always does.

[s/ - hat tip to Jon Walker]

On Bill Weimar

Bill Weimar's deportation from Mexico and detention in Texas, awaiting extradition back to Florida, to face charges in child sexual battery, has prompted a few people to get hold of me, either asking for information about Weimar back in the 80s and 90s, or to inform me that my "friend," Bill Weimar, has been arrested.

I worked for Allvest, Inc, a company Bill started with a few other investors in 1985. I worked at the Cordova Center from 1986 through early 1993, as a security shift supervisor, case manager, Program Coordinator, Program Director and - finally - as Bill's Executive Assistant. I would not have described him then as my friend, nor would he have characterized me as one of his. The last time we communicated was probably in 1996 or 1997. He wanted me to do something for him. I told him I couldn't put it into my schedule.

At that time, Bill had a lot of "friends." He was ubiquitous at Democratic Party candidate fundraisers. He would have me represent him at some GOP fundraisers for candidates he wanted to influence through his cash or checks.

His friends then included Tony Knowles, Bill Sheffield, Max Gruenberg, Ramona Barnes, Ed Dankworth, Frank Pruitt and many other Democratic Party politicians and apparatchiks.

As I've written before, in the early 90s I warned him against getting close to either Jerry Ward or Bill Allen. He seldom took my advice, and the pressure he put on my colleagues in Allvest administration to disregard my advisory memos and comments during staff meetings had a lot to do with my being glad to leave the company in 1993.

Weimar's role in demobilizing the liberal faction in the Alaska Democratic Party in the year or so before construction of the oil pipeline has had long-term implications, which haven't been written about since that time, to my knowledge. In one of my earlier essays here on him, I described his role in the changing business environment in Anchorage and Alaska at the close of the 1980s:

The person most responsible for economic growth in Southcentral Alaska at the end of that decade was Joseph Hazelwood. At least two of the major figures in the ongoing Department of Justice investigations into Alaska political and business corruption owe a lot of their rise to Hazelwood: Bill Allen and Bill Weimar.

Weimar and his partners had already started Allvest Laboratory when the Exxon Valdez hit Bligh Reef. What had been a fairly small urinalysis sampling service grew rapidly in the 1990-91 series of measures I call the "post-Hazelwood reforms." The expansion possibilities became so overwhelming in early 1991, I was called away from my regular post as Program Coordinator of the Cordova Center, to help Matt Fagnani, Allvest Lab's then-director, conduct educational programs among crews of the Alaska Marine Highway System in Alaska, Washington and Oregon.

Few people outside the merchant marine realize how profoundly Hazelwood's misconduct changed their profession. And subsequent drug test requirements throughout the transportation industry owe the skipper of the Exxon Valdez their thanks for more stringent standards, which have probably saved hundreds of lives, if not thousands. There's a bit of irony there, I'm sure.

Teaching merchant mariners how to get their shipmates to piss into little bottles while they are being closely observed was even more difficult than teaching them how not to screw up the chain of custody paperwork that makes the sample valid. Essentially, what the post-Hazelwood reforms forced upon this industry, where crew-mates become family during weeks or months at sea, broke into that family structure. It was like telling these people to throw their traditions of trust and judgement out the porthole.

Fagnani, who was very definitely a "Friend of Bill," is still in the pee testing business.

Weimar, in the way he networked his way through our corrupt politics to become five times richer than Pete Zamarello ever was, wasn't much different than a lot of people with businesses doing large-scale contracts with the State of Alaska or the Municipality of Anchorage. There are people out there right now, manipulating our politicians through money, as I write. And they will continue to get away with what Bill did, what Bill Allen did, what Pete Zamarello did.

Weimar, like anyone under indictment, has yet to go to trial or plead out, before we can call him a sexual predator. I've always known him to be crooked and lacking in a deep moral anchor, but as I've already written, these charges surprised me somewhat.

Once again, though, to make it perfectly clear - I was never, unlike many, many currently prominent Alaskans, a "friend of Bill" Weimar.

Here's the description of the first of several confrontations between Bill and me that ultimately led to my being shunned by my colleagues at Allvest:

My low point with Weimer was during the time of Cordova Center expansion. He was converting the large parking garage at the bottom of the building into new, expanded and integrated administrative and common areas. It was a good idea. The execution was awful, though.

The building itself, 130 Cordova Street, is questionably constructed on a hill that is sure to slide down into the Ship Creek basin if we have another Good Friday-level earthquake. One contractor told me that Pete Zamarello (who had the building constructed in the 1970s as condos) built it to see how far he could go, in terms of testing Anchorage building permits.

During the 1991-92 expansion project, in early February, the building's heating system had to be disconnected and rebuilt. The hundred or so residents in the building only had a very few electric heaters to heat their rooms. A big cold wave hit, and the rooms got so cold that residents and staff kept the faucets running all the time.

I brought up the problems with Weimer. He laughed, saying that the residents could complain all they wanted. If the Department of Corrections closed the center down until the heat was back on, they'd have to go back to prison, so he felt they'd keep quiet.

He was right.

From a Valentines Day 32 Years Ago

Seattle conceptual artist James L. Acord, who died on January 8th, had two favorite holidays - Halloween and Valentines Day. Every year, for almost 35 years, he sent out homemade cards on both of those special days. Some of them, like the one at left, were individually hand-made. Sometimes he xeroxed copies, sometimes he had them printed up from linoleum block cuttings.

The one at left was sent in early 1979 to Judy from Barre, Vermont, where Jim was working as a granite carver in one of the giant sculpture studios there.

Happy Valentines Day, Jim.

And to all his friends.