BIDEN STILL FRIENDS WITH PALIN (N.Y. Times politics blog): VP-elect Joe Biden appeared with Obama before governors today and in his remarks referred warmly to Gov. Sarah Palin. "Since the race is over, no one pays attention to me at all," Biden said. "So maybe you will walk outside with me or something later and say hello to me."
Also: Obama, Biden greet, joke with Palin (The Hill's Blog)
NEAR-FUTURE BLEAK FOR SOUTHEAST HALIBUT FLEET (Juneau Empire): For the third year in a row, Southeast Alaska fishermen are faced with a cut in the halibut catch limit. On top of that, halibut prices may go down next year. "People are not kicking the doors to buy halibut this year," said Mike Erickson of Alaska Glacier Seafoods Inc.
Also: Fisheries council robs Joe Sixpack in halibut vote (Craig Medred, Anchorage Daily News)
FORMER TROOPER PROMOTES ‘THE ART OF SHOOTING' (PoliceOne.com): Jeff Hall, a former Alaska state trooper and now a trooper trainer, is the leading proponent of law-enforcement use of the martial art of hojutsu. He writes, "If you consider principles rather than tools, shooting is clearly a martial art. Stance, balance, focus, execution and follow-through are the same, whether the hit is from a reverse punch or a pistol. We must master each of these elements of the technique before we can fight effectively." Hall traces his interest in hojutsu to 1999 in Fairbanks, where he met a Japanese martial arts master and watched him learn to shoot targets proficiently in just a few minutes. Hall's hojutsu Web site is here.
CRABBY ENTREPRENEUR (The Scientist, U.K.): International biotech mogul John King credits his eight years of experience as a Bering Sea crab fisherman for his business success. "The most important thing I learned [as a crabber] was to be comfortable taking risks," says King. "[And] with fishing, you really develop this aggressive hunter-gatherer attitude about getting your share. That's an important thing in business."
ALASKA NATIVES EXPLORE 50 YEARS OF STATEHOOD (KYUK Bethel): The Native perspective on Alaska turning 50 years old is the topic of meetings being held around the state, sponsored by the First Alaskans Institute. The institute plans to create a DVD from the meetings in order to share a different view on Alaska's statehood.
DON'T GET YOUR CAR WASHED WHEN IT'S BELOW ZERO OUT (Alaska Magazine): Alaska Magazine publisher Andy Hall recalls a January prom night 30 years ago when coping with his frozen car put the chill on his date.
EXPLORING LOW-IMPACT HYDRO POWER ON PENINSULA (KBBI Homer): Homer Electric Association is partnering with Wind Energy Alaska to study whether or not low impact hydroelectric sites will work at four locations on the Kenai Peninsula.
EAGLE DOGFIGHT OVER HOMER (National Geographic): A photo by Jose Hernandez of bald eagles fighting in flight for a fish over the Homer Spit is a winner in the National Geographic 2008 International Photography Contest.
B.C. CONTAINER PORT MAY BOOST ALASKA EXPORTS (CoastAlaska): A recently opened container port in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, offers new export opportunities for Southeast Alaska. But a system is not yet in place for shipping the region's goods to the terminal.
ALASKA'S FIRST 'FAIR TRADE' SHOP OPENS (KTUU): GrassRoots in Midtown Anchorage is unlike any other store in the state -- from the quirky products it sells right down to the business model it uses to stock the shelves. But none of the items for sale are Alaskan-made, as there are few certified fair trade producers in the state (with video). The GrassRoots Web site is here.
PALMER MAYOR TO REMAIN PART-TIME JOB (Valley Frontiersman): Some residents of Palmer are fuming after city council voted down an ordinance seeking to reinstate Mayor John Combs' full-time pay and benefits.
Also: City council should hold true to Palmer voters (Frontiersman editorial)
PALIN DOES GEORGIA: WHAT DOES IT MEAN? (Washington Post "The Fix" blog): Appearances like yesterday's are only part of the puzzle for Palin as she seeks to make herself viable on the national scene in 2012. "Today, her political strength is like unfocused electromagnetic energy: fascinating, cool to watch, very powerful but very unstable," said GOP consultant Phil Musser. "If she can focus this energy into a laser beam, she can greatly improve her own long-term prospects. If she can't and continues to makes gaffes, and appears overeager in terms of ambition, her power will fizzle out."
Also: Rove says 'marketplace of ideas' will decide Palin's fate (CNN's "Political Ticker" blog)
WATCHDOG GROUP ATTACKS CAMPAIGN CLOTHING (The Associated Press): Gov. Sarah Palin wasn't the only U.S. election candidate with donor-financed duds. A watchdog group says in a complaint filed today with the Federal Election Commission that at least five campaigns bought clothing.
NO ARRESTS IN GROWING NUMBER OF JUNEAU GRAFFITI INCIDENTS (Juneau Empire): Graffiti has been an ongoing problem in Juneau but has widened to the entire city and picked up in the last year especially. Police Sgt. Tom Bates told the city Assembly an Anchorage-style ordinance is not the way to go.
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM RECENT NEWSREADERS:
Biologist scares Alaska-bound swans away from lead (The Associated Press)
When 'The Great Influenza' Shut Down Ketchikan (SITNews)
‘Spirit' bears subject of animated film (Vancouver Courier)
Navy SEAL candidates learn to fight the freeze (Kodiak Daily Mirror)
Papa Pilgrim's Alaska: The darkest place (Outside)
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