Showing posts with label Alaska. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alaska. Show all posts

PostHeaderIcon Gov. Sarah Palin withdraws from governorship of Alaska



Sarah Palin, the lightning rod of political intrigues since she run for vice-presidency in the last election announced that she was stepping down as Alaska governor to avoid being a “lameduck’ public official. In a press conference in her hometown in Wasilla, Alaska, Palin said she will not seek re-election. Instead, she will devote time in private life---a decision she planned way before because she wanted to work and support a variety of unspecified political causes. In July 26, 2009, she will turn over her duties to Lt.-Gov. Sean Parnell.

The upbeat and articulate governor spoke of the culture of hate and personal destruction which she experienced on the hands of her political opponents and the bias media. Soon after she ran for vice-presidency a team of political manipulators came down to Alaska to dig dirt about her---too rapacious and unfair to even drag her innocent children to the political discussions in order to discredit her. Many of the innuendoes about her family had been unworthy of serious consideration.

A total of 15 frivolous ethics accusations against Palin by her political opponents were lodged at the expense of taxpayers’ money which all turned out to be in her favor. According to her, to defend herself on those baseless accusations, she had to uselessly spend half a million dollars which could have paid for meaningful espenses.

Money expended to discredit Palin could have helped pay for salaries of government workers. The nonsensical and wasteful effort which defamed individuals like her exposed a new breed of Americans who harbor self-deluding "moral rectitude" that frustrate the public.

With Palin's popularity and potential to be a presidential candidate in the next election, the good-looking former beauty queen which makes the Democratic Party uneasy do not lack criticisms from her harsh detractors. In spite of being a strong woman and conservative mother, she had been unjustly reviled as an "empty shell" in spite of her remarkable public record as governor of Alaska which didn't pale with the track record of Pres. Barack Obama.

A Republican bet against the questionable Obama administration, many speculate her decision to withdraw from governorship is a step towards her plan to run in the next presidential election. (Photo Credit: Infacinatorin) =0=

============================================================

PostHeaderIcon Imminent eruption of Alaska’s Mount Redoubt reminds us of Mayon and Pinatubo



The snow-capped Mt. Redoubt in Anchorage, Alaska is showing signs of restiveness that makes eruption probable. Residents living close to the 10,200 foot volcano are on alert as they set aside gears and provisions for the imminent volcanic eruption. Having seen showers of ash and pyroclastic debris in the past, the people there prepare masks and goggles, the first line of defense to protect their eyesight and breathing.

This isn’t unfamiliar to our kababayans in Bicol where Mt. Mayon displays periodic volcanic activity which forces the evacuation of villagers from its slope and gulleys. The PhilVolcs and government officials coordinate with the community to avoid loss of life and property during such emergency.

Farther north in Luzon Island of the Philippines is Mt. Pinatubo also blows its top with tons of lava and subterranean debris shooting up in the air. Ash deposits and later lahar destroy towns along its path.

In June 1991, the Mount Pinatubo brought hardship and misery in the neighboring provinces of Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga. The eruption forced indigenous tribesmen, the Aetas, to scamper from their mountain dwellings as volcanic debris rolled and covered lowland settlements, reaching as far as the environs of Manila. Pinatubo’s gigantic eruption destroyed crops and agriculture land, countless homes and villages making it one of the biggest eruptions in memory. (Photo Credits: Blastard; DiffusedPixel; US Geological Survey PD) =0=

Mount Mayon and Mount Pinatubo




==========================================================

PostHeaderIcon Alaska's Largest Newspaper Endorses Obama

Earlier this week when the New York Times endorsed Obama for president, Republican sympathizers jokingly feigned shock and disbelief, calling it good for a few good laughs. Who will endorse who next? FoxNews and News Corp. endorsing McCain? NBC to finally officially endorse Obama?

But this one will probably stun rather make the GOP laugh. Citing the need for a steady hand to handle America's crisis, Alaska's largest newspaper, Anchorage Daily News, endorses Barack Obama for President.

Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee, brings far more promise to the office. In a time of grave economic crisis, he displays thoughtful analysis, enlists wise counsel and operates with a cool, steady hand. The same cannot be said of Sen. McCain.

While still maintaining that Palin would be ready to assume the job of a Vice President, present serious problems like economic meltdown, two deadly wars and a deteriorating climate crisis would be stretching their governor beyond her range. The editorial concludes that putting Sarah Palin a heart-beat away "from the leadership of the free world is just too risky at this time."

This endorsement from the Alaska newspaper certainly throws everyone into genuine surprise and disbelief, given that Sarah Palin is the governor of the State with purported 80% approval. If at all significant, this highlights McCain-Palin ticket's continuing trouble with the mainstream media on issues that matter.

Read the Anchorage Daily editorial here.

PostHeaderIcon Sen. Barack Obama gets a match in Gov. Sarah Palin

Soon after the Sen. John McCain announced his vice presidential running mate in the coming US elections, Americans turned their focus to a dark horse from Alaska, a 44 year old woman of understated fame who was brave enough to bring her fifth pregnancy to term which she knew had Down’s Syndrome (aka Mongolism, Trisomy 21 .) With a laudable reputation of cutting down corruption in her jurisdiction, Palin appeared to be a remarkable counterbalance to McCain's moderate stance, a complement to his wide experience and advance age.

A mother of 5 children who enjoys fishing and hunting with her husband and eats mooseburger, Palin is a fighter against interest groups. Her conservative opposition to abortion and gay marriage is diametrically against Sen. Barack Obama’s liberal proclivities. She favors gun rights, capital punishment, sexual abstinence, and oil drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR.)

Criticized for her inexperience and being young like Obama, Palin has a longer hands-on experience in politics than Obama, having started as a two-term Wasilla mayor commencing in 1992 and then later as the youngest governor of Alaska in 2006 who defeated incumbent Republican Frank Murkowski in the primary and former Democrat governor Tom Knowles in the general election

Being governor, Palin has more latitude in decision-making which affects the day-to-day lives of her constituents compared to Obama, a Harvard-educated senator from Illinois elected on 2004 who often handles more focused duties in legislative committee away from his constituents. Strong in vision and promises, Obama, a staunch critic of Pres. George Bush’s Iraq policy and a proponent of universal healthcare is relatively a blank slate that perturbs the undecided voters.

Obama’s godly persona and redemptive “message of change” for America which attract young voters and many liberal Hollywood stars match the beauty and intelligence of Palin, a former Miss Alaska finalist and basketball guard with a plebeian family background. While the Obama breaks the glass ceiling of being the first Afro-American candidate, she carries the distinction of being the first woman ever nominated as veep in the GOP ticket.

As November 4 winds up, the undecided segment of voting public is on watch for the factor that will make them choose. With multiplicity of issues to consider, they have a lot to learn about the candidates. Campaigners from both sides of the political aisle scramble for the pros and cons of candidates to sway for votes.

It remains to be seen whether Palin, a “non-denominational” Christian of Pentecostal background will continue to chip away the loyal supporters left by Democrat Hillary Clinton away from Obama and his veep running mate John Biden to the side of the Republicans, Vetted by hard-hitting Democrats who snipe on Palin’s 17-year old pregnant daughter, the Republicans put their bets on Palin---hoping that no major surprise would come up to tarnish her name. =0=

Topics/Categories

Feedjit Live Blog Stats

Topics/Categories

Add to Technorati Favorites

Ateneo de Naga HS Batch 74

ABS-CBN News

GMA News.tv

Philippine Commentary

Inquirer Breaking News