Alaska Ear

• "Guess Sarah's declared WAR on the Department of Law."

• "Prosecutors are already adjusting to the new regime. Having good aim is now a defense in gang shooting cases."

OK, not great. Remember, they're from lawyers.

Here's Ear's prediction: WAR is going to surprise his critics.

MEDIA DRAMA ... Moaning and whining was heard in the land Friday after Rep. Mike Doogan, former Daily News editor and columnist, published the name of a popular local blogger in his constituent newsletter. The blog, The Mudflats, is one of the better efforts Ear has seen -- nicely written, delightfully opinionated and fun to read if one is of the liberal persuasion.

The woman who writes it, whose name is apparently Jeanne Chilton Devon, made a big deal about remaining anonymous. Doogan, whose name appeared at the top of every outrageous opinion he ever wrote, disapproved.

As Ear understands the debate, Mike says if you're going to mouth off publicly in an effort to influence the politics of thousands of people, you need to let people know who you are -- identity being an element in evaluating the worth of opinion.

As quoted on the Alaska Dispatch Web site (run by reporters Amanda Coyne and Tony Hopfinger) Chilton Devon says she didn't want her name known because, "I might be a state employee. I might not want my children to get grief at school. I might be fleeing from an ex-partner who was abusive and would rather he not know where I am. My family might not want to talk to me anymore. I might alienate my best friend . . . Maybe I'd just rather people not know where I live or where I work. Or none of those things may be true."

There's more. You can check out themudflats.net or Alaskadispatch.com for yourself.

So, now you want to know what once-anonymous (but not very) Ear says, right? The Divine Appendage says, Chilton Devon is a volunteer in the political blog business. If you can't take a punch, don't get in the ring.

BUMPER SNICKER ... An earwig claims to have seen this bumper sticker on a local vehicle. Ear has doubts, but it's fun nevertheless: "Asking politicians to fix the economy is like asking OJ to find the real killers."

A QUESTION ... Did Reps. Max Gruenberg and Jay Ramras really bond across party lines to provide animal crackers for House Resources Committee members to munch on as they discussed Rep. Bob Lynn's bestiality bill?

Earwigs say it's true, that Max keeps Costco-sized jars of them in his office for visitors.

MAYORAL NOTES ... Have you seen the Sheila Selkregg ad answering the Eric Croft ad about how the city and the School District should share equipment? Did you think Eric volunteered to run across the parking lot with the plunger? Yeah, right.

So who is it?

"The wig was very itchy," said Selkregg consultant Ivan Moore.

You can see the ad on YouTube if you missed it on TV.

• Which sitting mayor has skied the Tour of Anchorage in the fastest time? That would seem to be Matt Claman. Our acting mayor finished 24th out of 40 in the grueling 50-K this year, skiing in the 40-49 age division.

His time was three hours, 14 minutes, 54.6 seconds.

He clocked an even faster time in 2006, finishing ninth of 40 with a time of two hours, 59 minutes 13.3 seconds.

Ear is told Tony Knowles did the Tour when he was mayor. Others may have done it, but not while in office.

• Did you know you can search Google Maps to find your polling place? (See adn.com/ear) And when you do, the directions suggest you go to your listed polling place and "Vote for Walt Monegan."

Pretty smart.

FLYING FACTOID ... Senator Lisa was bragging again this past week about how much money Alaska is raking in from that stimulus package she voted against. This time it's $3.6 million for health centers around the state. Ear really doesn't get her point.

ON THE MOVE ... Bernholz and Graham, a well-known local PR agency, is being bought by Jennifer Thompson, who currently handles the firm's day-to-day operations for Mike Porcaro, who bought it in 2001 from co-founder Robbie Graham. The sale is effective April 1.

Graham is going to stick around a while, says a press release, but has already moved into a field called "public diplomacy," which appears to be soft-sell international messaging. (Aren't we allowed to call it propaganda anymore? Or schmoozing?). Graham is already working with Harvard University (and living with Craig Medred).

WHEN AND WHERE ... Since you asked, that new documentary, "You Own Alaska!" can be seen on GCI Channel 1 on Saturdays, Sundays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. through April. It will also be shown on public television's 360 North, Channel 15 in Anchorage, dates and times depending on availabilities.

It's an Institute of the North (Wally Hickel) product directed by Marla Williams ("The Aleut Story").

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Compiled by Sheila Toomey. Find Ear online at adn.com/ear. Contact Sheila at stoomey@adn.com