Read about the ridiculous fees the State of Alaska (under former half-Gov. Sarah Palin and now) requires citizens to pay for public information!
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Thank you!
Though many of us suffer from Palin Factor Fatigue, it is irrefutable that there is a nagging curiosity to have the question answered, ?How in the world did Sarah Palin become so popular and why do we still need to hear about her?? My book answers these questions in detail and urges us all to be vigilant. She is one of a small pool of ?rising stars in the republican party? as John McCain stated as recently as January 25, 2009 on Fox News Sunday.
As unbelievable as her meteoric rise was we cannot delude ourselves, turning our backs once again, into thinking that she and those like her are going away. This woman is joined by millions of loyalists whose perception is that she was persecuted in the media, stifled by McCain, and mocked by liberals - and now the theocratic conservatives are regrouping with a vengeance!
"Blue Oasis" began in 2005 in its Blogger format (now an archive) and became possibly the first Alaska Blog on Progressive Politics. At the 2008 Democratic National Convention, Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis was honored to represent Alaska as the state blog.
Transition--Community Blog
In September 2008, Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis moved to a Soapblox Community Blog format. Readers can become full participants by registering on the blog to comment and write "diaries." Diary titles appear on the right sidebar for folks to read and provide comments. Blog editors may choose to move some of these diaries to the front page.
While this Community was formed specifically with Alaska in mind, all "friends of Alaska" are welcome as members!
**Note about registering** Scroll down the right side until you find the link to register. Then, just follow the instructions!
**Note about comments** To comment on a story, click on the heading and then look for the "comment bar" at the bottom (it's light grey, I can't seem to change it). I believe the font color NOW permits you to see the "post comment" text.
YOUR BLOGMISTRESS
My name is Linda Kellen Biegel and I am a former 15-year Federal employee. Thirteen of those years were spent working for the US Army Corps of Engineers. I am also semi-retired from the Alaska music scene (singer, sound tech, stage manager, logistics).
When the blog was chosen to represent Alaska in the DNCC State Blogger Pool at the Denver Convention, I attended with the help of Alaska Real blogmistress, Writing Raven and my daughter Morrigan. On August 29th, one day after Barack Obama's inspiring speech at Invesco Field , my life took another turn as it did for all Alaska bloggers when Gov. Sarah Palin was chosen to be John McCain's VP running mate. Since then, I've either assisted or have been interviewed by media from the UK, Italy, Australia and Germany as well as national media outlets such as Wall Street Journal, NY Times, ABC Good Morning America's Kate Snow, National Journal, Dallas Morning News, LA Times, and NPR.
Presently, I work as a freelance writer, PR, event coordinator, community organizer, wife to computer programmer Josh and mother to 11-year-old Morrigan. Our family especially enjoys our summers in Alaska where we get to subsistence set-net fish Sockeye salmon as well as halibut fish/whalewatch in the family's homemade aluminum boat, "The Neverdone" (when it's working). We reside in Anchorage, Alaska.
Origin of "Celtic Diva"
I've used "Celtic Diva" as a screen name since the early 1990's on Web TV.
"Folks have asked about my Celtic heritage, especially in light of my name. What they don't realize is that I'm adopted. I was born Valerie Morehead of the Clan Muirhead. I was adopted at three-months-old by the Kellens. I always "knew" I was Celt even before really knew. I was drawn to all things Scottish, especially music. That's why my parents eventually told me at age 16."
"Linda is well-known in Alaska & beyond as the prominent progressive political blogger Celtic Diva of Celtic Diva?s Blue Oasis. But back in the day, the early 1990s, I knew her as Linda Kellen, a member of the local folk/rock band Sky is Blu, which amongst other things performed in at least a couple or so of the annual women?s show Celebration of Change, in which I also performed. And if you don?t already know, let me tell you: Linda is one fine damn singer."
I went on after the break-up of "Sky is Blu" to perform with various Alaska musicians and work with national folks like Bo Diddly, Coco Montoya, Debbie Davies, Taj Mahal, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Bad Company, Creedence Clearwater, Carny Wilson, etc...
A bee on Dragon Tongue Stonecrop in my rock garden
August 2010
(Scroll down to find posts.)
(Please register to participate in diaries and comments! We'd love for you to join our Community!)
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But first, let's see a real one...President Obama and his daughters pardoning some turkeys and sending several others to the less fortunate. He includes a Thanksgiving message...it's nice to see him smile:
Now, the train wreck:
Remember when I innocently attended this event at the Turkey Farm in order to buy a bird for Thanksgiving?
Talk about the gift that kept on giving!
(Click on the turkey to see the less-appropriate pictures and the post.)
HERE is the follow-up story when the whole thing went viral.
So believe it or not, I actually just roasted chestnuts to use in the dressing I'm bringing tomorrow. I feel so Currier and Ives! (I'm also bringing Dutch apple pie, cranberry sauce and pumpkin bread if I have time.) We're driving out to Palmer for early dinner tomorrow...and it's snowed like crazy so I should get gorgeous pictures.
We'll see the in-laws on Friday morning and, sadly, attend a funeral in the afternoon. Posting may be a bit sporadic over the next couple of days.
A wish for all of you: When thinking today about the things I'm most thankful for, you guys came to mind immediately. You have helped me many times with stories, ideas, research, etc...all of which were wonderful. Of course, your willingness to pitch-in and help when it was most needed still leaves me in awe. However, the thing I'm most grateful for is the emotional support so many of you have shared through comments, Facebook messages, emails, etc...I'm not always the best about responding due to sheer volume but realize I appreciate each and every message.
I hope all of you have a beautiful, loving holiday surrounded by people who love you. And thank you for everything.
What does a fresh-off-the-farm 30-lb turkey look like before it gets eaten?
A lot like this:
My herb-encrusted bird--the herb combination is a secret!
I went back to Triple-D to pick up my turkey order on Thursday (when I took the photo on top of the page) and had a long talk with the owner, Mr. Schmidt. It seems that a lot of really nasty folks (he believes they are all from the lower-48) have called him to:
- ream him for how the birds were slaughtered (their method is universally considered the most humane and the cleanest--their turkeys are considered kosher).
- ream him for the fact that they raise turkeys at all (K--I really dislike PETA)
- give him some general insults, especially directed at his unfortunate employee who was doing his job by killing the turkeys.
A friend sent me a story from Crooks and Liars where they superimposed the Triple-D employee's picture in some famous backgrounds. He understadably sent it to me because it was funny! However, when I started reading the comments I realized that I'm getting awfully tired of these lower-48 folks busting on a farmhand just for doing his job!!
Has anyone mentioned that the huge percentage of his time is spent raising the turkeys and doing other jobs around the farm, while a very small percentage of time is spent slaughtering them?
As far as I'm concerned, since slaughtering them is a required step in order for one of them to "get in ma belly" for Thanksgiving, I'm really OK with it! As a mid-western part-time farm girl, it pisses me off to watch supposedly "progressive" folks shamelessly ridiculing a member of the working class for which Democrats are supposed to be the champions.
And yes, I probably unintentionally contributed to that by posting the pictures...but who knew that this would turn into such a media frenzy? My original idea behind this was to support the farm and encourage others to do the same. Of course, where our Governor and her crack media staff are concerned, any photo-op can become a gaffe machine!
We are going over to my brother and sister-in-law's house for Thanksgiving Dinner shortly. However, we couldn't resist the turkey we made for tomorrow and had some for breakfast. Oh...my...God...that is absolutely the most tender turkey I've ever had in my life!!!!
I found out that the Schmidts have a number of turkeys left over to sell for Christmas. They will be cutting the huge ones (some are up to 46 lbs) in half and selling them that way. So show your support for a local business and buy some poultry with no antibiotics and no hormones!
(**UPDATE 3** There have been developments, covered in THIS NEW POST.)
The pardoned one and the pardoner
Today was one of those weird days where Governor Palin and I actually agreed on something. It was only one thing, but it was something.
Her press people stated that the reason she had this "turkey-pardoning" was to highlight Wasilla's Triple D Farm, the premier poultry farm and hatchery in Alaska.
I'm a huge proponent of the "Locavore" philosophy (eating locally) and I'm all for supporting local farms. I especially support them when the meat-producers (like most of the farms in Alaska) grow their animals without use of hormones or antibiotics.
And I was quite impressed with the Triple D turkeys. I put one on order for pickup next week and I encourage folks to go to their website and do the same. Pickup for the birds is Monday and Tuesday.
Of course, I don't believe for a second that the "good of a local business" was the primary reason Gov. Palin had her first-ever turkey pardoning. She's in withdrawal for the media and came up with this at the last minute. The folks who worked there said they just found out about it last night. Plus, look at the amount of make-up on her face in the top picture and look at what she's wearing in this next picture:
IT'S 11 FRIGGIN DEGREES! She never used to dress like a Barbie doll at Alaska outdoor events...she'd dress normally so she could stay and talk to people. Now, she talks to the media and runs off.
I think KTUU angled it a bit that way on purpose. (Note to Governor Palin's staff: Did you not think that...just maybe...the camera crews would be salivating to get a shot to the network that so perfectly fit the lower-48 "Palin stereotype?")
Here's the video (and my friend at Mudflats has a great review of her "pardon"):
And here's the picture from my more straight-on vantage point.
I couldn't see from where I was very well so I just waited to snap pictures after the video cameras got out of the way. I didn't know what the funnel was in the back (I could only see the one on the left at first)...and then the cameras moved.
Yikes!
***************UPDATED******************
UNBELIEVABLE...The Governor's Office is now claiming that THE GOVERNOR DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON BEHIND HER!!!!! She used Entertainment Tonight as the vehicle to spread that bit of misinformation...these are the folks she wouldn't let in her house several weekends ago!
Give me a break! There is NO WAY she couldn't have known! Her assistant, Kris Perry, was running around and Dept. of Corrections Commissioner Joe Schmidt was even there!
****UPDATE 2****WKRP IN CINCINNATI "TURKEY BOMB"**
Over at Pam's House Blend, one more blog mentioned the old "WKRP" Thanksgiving episode, which I thought of right away when this happened. WKRP in Cincinnati was my favorite show back in the day...I lived in Cincinnati when it was on the air...one of the best comedy shows ever!
