AndrewHalcro.com -

Dude...we're getting the blog back together

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:08:12 -0700

I am going to ease back into the blog over the next few months and posts will be infrequent. If you'd like to get on our mailing list to be alerted any time there is a new blog posting, please let me know.

Andrew's Weekly Shouts......

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:57:50 -0700

A quick scream of random thoughts and events....

Julia O'Malley is quickly becoming my favorite read in the Anchorage Daily News.

Her June 27th column about the harsh responses she receives from readers who disagree with her opinions touched a nerve.

O'Malley wrote, "Rule No. 1: spelling doesn’t count. Rule No. 2: the more personal, the better. And, capital letters and exclamation points are GREAT! Like this: “you need to repent … you are living an UNGODLY life and you will be MUCH!!! HAPPIER!!!”

It made me recall one of my favorite emails I received from the 2006 Gubernatorial campaign:

name: Donna Figel
email:

message: THE FIRST AND ONLY THING I WANT TO SAY TO YOU IS CUT YOUR EYE BROWS YOU LOOK LIKE THE DEVIL. THERE IS THINGS CALLED BEAUTIY SHOPS SPEND A LITTLE MONEY AND GET THE CUT AND SHAPED OH AND IM NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR YOU PALIN IS WHO I WILL BE VOTING FOR LOLOL

The email touched all the bases O'Malley described; bad spelling, very personal and in all caps.

On June 28, Congressman Don Young filed for re-election.

According to his statements to the media when he filed at the Division of Election, Young stated that Americans should be concerned with the "awesome" debt accumulated in recent months and how the country will pay for reforms.

On June 30, 1974 which was Young's first year in Congress the Federal Debt was $475 billion. As of June 18, 2009 the federal debt stood at $11 trillion.

In the eight years under a Republican President, including the years when Young was Chair of House Transportation Committee, the accumulation of debt doubled from $5 trillion to over $10 trillion.

His concerns about the accumulation of debt seems like finding fiscal religion 36 years and $10.5 trillion too late.

Great Summer Reads.

One of the nice things about stepping away from the blog has been the time I've had to read some fabulous books. I highly recommend the following:

Ramras & BP Stock: Much ado about ignorance

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:11:33 -0700

July 1, 2009: The recent accusations of conflict of interest against Rep. Jay Ramras (R-Fairbanks) by a rabid Palin supporter and host of a pro Palin website deserves...ney, demands a closer look.

GM: Taxpayers behind the wheel

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:51:46 -0700

The View From The Balcony: Time to hit "Reset"

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:51:04 -0700

April 28, 2009: When I made the final decision a few weeks ago to quit my talk radio show and retire the blog, I thought about how I'd explain it to my listeners and readers. It's not a difficult explanation, in fact I've been thinking about the need for change for awhile.

Re-Election 2010: Why Palin bails out

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 18:46:39 -0700

April 27, 2009: With a 2010 re-election campaign about to come knocking on the door of Governor Sarah Palin, the lyrics to the classic rock song "Should I stay or should I go" by the Clash are probably rattling around in that head of hers.

Retro Blog: The blogger on the grassy knoll

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:00:18 -0700

October 10, 2008: After months of hiding from the truth, I'll finally admit it; I was the blogger on the grassy knoll.

I am to blame for the entire Troopergate scandal and the ensuing investigation into if Governor Sarah Palin abused the power of her office by firing former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan because he wouldn't fire her ex brother in law, State Trooper Mike Wooten.

Retro Blog: Palin-occhio?

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 07:24:49 -0700

June 23, 2008: It's one thing if Governor Sarah Palin wants to advocate for her gas pipeline plan called AGIA, but it's completely another when she stoops to misleading the press and the public.

Retro Blog: Predicting the trainwreck

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:35:07 -0700

(1/18/09) Last Tuesday, Anchorage's acting Mayor Matt Claman dropped a bombshell on local taxpayers by announcing the city could be as much as $17 million short for their 2009 budget needs. This announcement came just weeks after Claman and other Anchorage assembly members said city finances were strong enough to approve costly new labor agreements.

AnchorageTube...a leader is born

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:55:55 -0700

http://www.anchoragetube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=cb3860f2a6d4b38c6490

Retro Blog: An Afternoon on my talk radio show

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:43:14 -0700

October 18, 2008: See cartoonist David Horsey's fabulous work @ http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/horsey/

Retro Blog: The GOP is losing the battle for brains

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:01:43 -0700

November 16, 2008: "There are any number of reasons for the Republican Party's defeat on November 4th. But high on the list is the fact that the party lost the battle for brains. Barack Obama won college graduates and postgraduates, John McCain did best among uneducated voters in Appalachia and the South." The Economist 11/15/08

Retro Blog: Doogan, in-state gas, the car rental analogy

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:57:57 -0700

July 10, 2008: On Wednesday morning during legislative discussions on the recently announced in-state bullet line rolled out by Governor Sarah Palin, Rep. Mike Doogan did what he does so well; summarize a situation in a concise sentence.

Retro Blog: Pondering Parnell versus Young

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:46:37 -0700

March 17, 2008: On Saturday, the Alaska State Republican Convention came to a close without disappointing those who desired a flair in their party politics.

On Friday, the convention began with Governor Sarah Palin encouraging convention delegates to embrace change and kick the old guard to the curb. She was followed by Lt. Governor Sean Parnell, who took the podium and quickly announced he was going to challenge 18 term Republican Congressman Don Young.

Retro Blog: Time to take a stand

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:35:18 -0700

August 23, 2006: On the morning of April 18, I sat in the Captain Cook lobby coffee shop with Sarah Palin comparing campaign trail notes. The evening before we had both attended a candidate's debate in Fairbanks at the University of Alaska, and over the previous weeks had attended a total of four major candidate forums together from Kodiak to Juneau.

As we talked about the campaign, Sarah Palin made a comment I'll never forget.