High times in Alaska now...

Alaska is the third state to legalize marijuana. Oregon will soon make four. However you feel about weed, it's not the job of the government to protect adults from themselves. That is a liberal position, not a conservative one.

Via TIME:

On Tuesday, Alaska’s new marijuana law officially goes into effect, which means that as of Feb. 24 recreational weed is now a legal substance in three states. Oregon is set to follow in July.
Adult residents in America’s northernmost state are now able to personally consume weed in their homes — as well as grow up to six plants — and confidently be on the right side of the law. If they get pulled over for expired tags and have up to an ounce of weed on their person, the latter is no longer going to get them in trouble. (So long as they haven’t been toking and driving.)
Consuming weed in public remains illegal. As Cynthia Franklin, director of the state’s liquor control board, said on Monday “People will not be legally lighting up out in the park tomorrow.” Should someone feel compelled to celebrate the occasion in public, they’re looking at a $100 fine. In the hopes of keeping everyone informed and behaving, legalization-advocacy group the Marijuana Policy Project will also be launching ads on the sides of Anchorage buses with messages like “Consume responsibly” and “With great marijuana laws comes great responsibility.”
Keep on reading…

Alaska Senate race looks up for Republicans...

Polls show Begich is very vulnerable...

Via The Washington Examiner:

Alaska is one of seven states which have a Democratic-held Senate seat up this year and which voted for Mitt Romney in 2012. Nate Silver of 538 and Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post's The Fix rate the seat, held by former Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, as the least likely Republican turnover of the seven; 538 rates Begich's chances at 55 percent. Stuart Rothenberg rates it as toss-up/tilt Democrat, while Charlie Cook, slightly more bearish on Begich's chances, rates it as one of five pure toss-ups.

Others may move in that direction given the latest polling from Rasmussen Reports. It shows an even race, 44 percent to 44 percent, between Begich and Republican challenger Dan S. Sullivan, and perhaps a bit surprisingly, Republican Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell leading Begich 47 percent to 44 percent.

Interesting: Palin gets praise for her time as Alaska Governor...from Democrats

Change...

Via Anchorage Daily News:

But now the Palin legacy is being burnished, if not a little airbrushed, by a seemingly unlikely source: Democrats. The reason is oil.
Palin was elected governor in 2006 on a pledge to clean house after revelations of oil-industry corruption in the state Legislature, and in 2007 oversaw a sweeping overhaul of policy that included big new taxes on oil profits. But this year Gov. Sean Parnell -- Palin's lieutenant governor, and successor after her resignation in 2009 -- led a drive in the Republican-controlled Legislature to repeal the Palin tax package, arguing that it discouraged new exploration. That is a big issue in Alaska, where oil taxes pay for 90 percent of the state's general fund budget.
But that was not the end of it. Opponents of the new law gathered enough signatures this spring and summer to put the issue on the statewide ballot next year. They want voters to repeal Parnell's new tax plan and replace it with Palin's old one.
And that has stirred up a very strange political cocktail: Democrats leading the repeal effort have every incentive to make the Palin years under her oil taxes look good, while Republicans and many business leaders, in supporting the new system, are pulling in the opposite direction. The Palin era, they say, was a glass half empty at best.

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2013/11/28/3202456/palin-legacy-lies-at-the-heart.html#storylink=cpy

Global Cooling Alert: Fairbanks Alaska Sets New Record Low This Week

If the global warming fraudsters can use anecdotal evidence, so can the deniers.

FAIRBANKS, Alaska — Alaska’s second-largest city is used to cold weather, but few residents expected record-breaking cold this early in the season.

Shawn Ross has lived in Fairbanks his entire life and says few people were prepared for this severe of a cold snap in mid-November.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (http://bit.ly/uxJMlG ) reports that for the second time in three days, Fairbanks set a new low temperature record on Thursday. A temperature of 41 degrees below zero — the first 40 below temperature of the season — was recorded at Fairbanks International Airport at 6:29 a.m.

The National Weather Service in Fairbanks says that broke the old record of 39 below set in 1969.

Obama's Oil Drilling Duplicity

In May, President Obama wanted to fast-track oil drilling in Alaska.

(May 14, 2011) – President Obama will open Alaska’s national petroleum reserve to new drilling, as part of a broad plan aimed at blunting criticism that he is not doing enough to address rising energy prices.
The plan, unveiled in Obama’s weekly radio address Saturday, also would fast-track environmental assessment of petroleum exploration in some portions of the Atlantic and extend the leases of oil companies whose work in the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic Ocean was interrupted by the drilling moratorium after last year’s BP oil spill.

Of course, it's June now and oil prices have subsided a little.

(June 16, 2011) – The Obama administration today said a proposal from House Natural Resources Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) to expedite oil and gas leasing and energy infrastructure permitting in an Alaska reserve could force federal regulators to flout environmental laws and includes a costly, redundant resource assessment.
Mike Pool, deputy director of the Bureau of Land Management, also announced the agency will hold lease sales in the National Petroleum Reserve, known as NPR-A, in December 2011 and each year after, making good on the administration’s mid-May promise to expedite development in the 23-million-acre reserve.

So Team Obama's idea of expediting something is to take action seven months later? Only a government bureaucrat would believe that is a fast-track. In private industry, it would get you fired for laziness or incompetence.

Miller Has a Big Lead in Three Way Alaska Senate Race

It looks like most of Lisa Murkowski's write-in campaign support is coming from Democratic nominee Scott McAdams' supporters. Miller is ahead by 15%.

From RealClearPolitics:

A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows Alaska Republican Senate nominee Joe Miller with a surprisingly comfortable lead over incumbent and write-in candidate Lisa Murkowski.

In the poll, Miller had the support of 42 percent of Alaska voters, while Murkowski was just slightly ahead of Democratic nominee Scott McAdams with 27 percent. McAdams finished in third place with 25 percent.

From Rasmussen:

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) Declares Write-in Campaign and calls Joe Miller's Views "Extremist"

Alaskan Republican voters rejected Sen. Lisa Murkowski for being too much of a RINO. She reacts by proving their point and declaring an Independent write-in campaign this November. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has effectively ended her political career in the Republican Party.

The Hill reported:

Declaring that Alaska “cannot accept the extremist views of Joe Miller,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said Friday that she intends to run as an independent write-in candidate this November.

Murkowski called her decision “a difficult one,” but cited “an outpouring of support from Alaskans all over the state” as a primary driver of her decision.

Miller Leads McAdams for Alaska Senate by Six in First Post Primary Poll

Rasmussen has a post primary poll in the Alaska Senate race. Republican Joe Miller holds a six-point lead over Democrat Scott McAdams.

Rasmussen reported:

The latest statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters shows Miller attracting 50% of the vote, while McAdams earns support from 44%. Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate and two percent (2%) are undecided.

Sarah Palin Resigns. Preparation for 2012? (Video)

Sarah Palin is resigning as Governor of Alaska.

Palin stepping down (video)


From KTUU:

Palin did not say what the future hold for her, but many think she is preparing for the 2012 Presidential race.

Gov. Sarah Palin will resign her office in a few weeks, she said during a news conference at her Wasilla home Friday morning.

Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will be inaugurated at the Governor's Picnic at Pioneer Park in Fairbanks on Saturday, July 25, Palin said.

There was no immediate word as to why she will resign, though speculation has been rampant that the former vice presidential candidate is gearing up for a run at the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

Palin made the announcement flanked by Parnell and most, if not all, of her cabinet.

Parnell ran unsuccessfully against Rep. Don Young in the Republican primary last year.

The stunning announcement by Palin opens the floodgates for the 2010 gubernatorial race. Speculation that Palin might not seek re-election had fueled further conjecture of who might run.

Alaskans not buying Defense Secretary Robert Gates' assertion NK missiles are not a threat

Alaskans are becoming very concerned about North Korea's missile program. NK is preparing to launch another round of missile tests. Some of these missiles have a range of 4000 miles and put Hawaii and much of Alaska in range. From AP via Breitbart:

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Alaskans are concerned over the prospect that North Korea is getting ready to test a long-range missile that could reach strategic targets in their home state.

And they're not buying Defense Secretary Robert Gates' assertion during a visit this past week to one of Alaska's many military installations that the missile is not a threat to the United States.

"I think we would definitely be a target because of the oil and the military," said Dale Walberg, owner of a small greenhouse business in Eagle River. "They are just so secretive. What do we really know?"

There's been no direct threat against Alaska or anywhere else, but the missile North Korea is believed to be assembling for a test may have a range of 4,000 miles, putting Hawaii and much of Alaska within reach.

Alaska's two largest cities, Anchorage and Fairbanks, have both Air Force and Army bases. There's also Fort Greely, home of the Missile Defense Complex. The U.S. plans to store 26 ground-based missile interceptors in silos at the base, about 100 miles south of Fairbanks.

Other high-profile potential targets would include Prudhoe Bay, the nation's largest oil field, or Valdez, the terminus of the 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline.

DOE Stimulus Strings Could Cost Thousands of Dollars Per New Home

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin vetoed the $28.6 million in federal stimulus funds because of concerns about the strings that would be attached. Now, those strings are becoming more clear and Governor Palin was right to be concerned.
From the Office of Governor Palin:

June 5, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) confirmed today there are strings attached to stimulus package funds. DOE is now inviting states to comment on a draft document that they developed for measuring and demonstrating compliance with those strings attached to universal building code provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Last month, Governor Sarah Palin vetoed the $28.6 million in federal stimulus funds tied to adoption of building codes by municipalities.

DOE has repeatedly stated some energy funds are directly tied to the statewide adoption of new federal energy-efficiency codes. [Section 410(a)(2); March 12, 2009, DOE Guidance Manual, p.8, p.10, 25-26, p.33-34, Attachment 3; April 24, 2009, DOE Guidance Manual, p.8, p.10, p.25-26, p.33-34.] The codes in question are the 2009 International Conservation Code for residences and the 2007 American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers’ code for commercial buildings throughout the state.

As there is no statewide energy code, compliance by all local jurisdictions would include even Alaska’s 114 second-class and mostly rural communities. Full compliance with the strict new codes, which regulate even the type of lighting that can be installed, would cost Alaskans thousands of dollars per new home or renovation.

“We took issue with Washington's universal building codes mandate and said they were unacceptable for Alaska,” Governor Palin said. “Eventually, bureaucrats at DOE admitted the requirements were ‘not appropriate’ and offered funding if I would just push the codes on all our communities. I believe in local control, so I said no. Now, in the most recently issued statement on the subject by DOE, the requirements are back, clearer than ever.”

Is your Congressperson a top "pig?"

Citizens Against Government Waste is out with its annual "Pig Book." This is a list of lawmakers whom the group considers the nation's most prolific porkers. Sadly, two of the top five "porkers" in the Senate are Republicans. The top five Senate list is: Thad Cochran(R), Dan Inouye(D), Roger Wicker(R), Robert Byrd(D) and Tom Harkin(D). The top "porkers" in the House of Representatives are Hawaii Democratic Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Mazie Hirono. You would think living in the paradise of Hawaii would be it's own reward, but Hawaii was second on the list of earmarks on a per capita basis. Alaska was number one. To her credit, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has tried to refuse some federal money, but her State Legislator and Democrats are up in arms. Here is the story from Foxnews.com.

Lawmakers asked for nearly $20 billion in earmarks or "pork-barrel projects" in their homes states in 2009, a nearly 15 percent increase in funding from last year, according to a prominent taxpayer interest group.

At a press conference Tuesday featuring both costumed and live mascots, including two Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released their annual Pig Book, detailing the thousands of special projects lawmakers requested for 2009.

"Despite repeated claims by members of Congress that earmarks have been reduced, the Pig Book belies that claim," said CAGW President Tom Schatz, who noted that this year's spending bill also included 221 anonymous earmarks amounting to $7.8 billion of the spending that no lawmakers took credit for.

Vindicated Ted Stevens urged to run against Sarah Palin

Former Senator Ted Stevens is being urged to run against current Governor Sarah Palin if she seeks reelection. Stevens was recently vindicated by the Justice Department. He lost his Senate seat because of a corruption conviction. Stevens and Palin don't exactly like each other. My money is on Palin.

Ted Stevens should run against Palin, Alaska Republican says
Posted: 04:37 PM ET

From CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Now that the corruption case against former Sen. Ted Stevens has been dropped, Alaska Rep. Don Young wants Stevens to run for governor — a move that would set up a Republican primary between the veteran lawmaker and Sarah Palin, if she decides to seek a second term in 2010.

"Personally I'd like to see him run for governor, and that's my personal feeling," Young told the Alaska Public Radio Network on Thursday. "So, we'll see what happens down the line. He probably won't, but I think that would be a great way to cap off a great career as being the governor of the state of Alaska."

Stevens will be 87 years old by the time the next governor takes office in January 2011.

Other top Alaska Republicans, including Palin and Alaska GOP chairman Randy Ruedrich, said Thursday that Democratic Sen. Mark Begich should step aside so a new vote can be held now that the charges against Stevens have been dropped by the Justice Department. (excerpt) read more at cnn.com

Alaska's volcano erupts

After several weeks of close watching, Alaska's Mount Redoubt has finally erupted. The danger to Alaska's populated areas is unclear, but the ash cloud is close to the larger cities of Alaska.
Watch Mt. Redoubt live
Volcano cam 1
Volcano cam 2

Alaska volcano Mount Redoubt erupts 3 times

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska's Mount Redoubt volcano has begun erupting.

Geologists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory say the volcano erupted three times late Sunday and early Monday, with the largest eruption sending a plume of smoke some 50,000 feet above sea level.

Mount Redoubt is roughly 100 miles southwest of Anchorage.

Geophysicist John Power says "this is a fairly large eruption, close to the larger cities in Alaska."

He says no cities have yet reported any ash fall from the volcano, but noted that it's still early. (excerpt) read more at google.com/hostednews/ap