The most amusing part of the hoopla over the big engagement is the assertion by some bloggers that Sarah paid Levi to propose. Ear thinks a better question is: Are the kids giving Mama a cut of the hundreds of thousands of dollars they are surely getting from US magazine and "Entertainment Tonight" for exclusive rights to this chapter of the soap opera?
FLYING FACTOID ... The "Barefoot Bandit" has the same Seattle lawyer Vic Kohring had -- John Henry Browne.
YIKES ... Darlings, check out this video from last weekend's Bear Paw Festival, Eagle River's popular summer celebration. Joe Miller supporters showed up to march at what is billed as a friendly-family event with a big black Hummer and packing heavy heat.
Yes, d'Ears, that's just what we need: a tank in every garage and an assault rifle in every hand.
Here's the link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAGdoBcnjWQ
SIGNS OF THE TIMES ... Everyone's getting tense as the primary draws near. Neighbors report the Lisa Murkowski sign in Mead Treadwell's yard has disappeared, after his endorsement by the tea partiers. Mead says he's not supporting anyone in the U.S. Senate primary and is friends with both Miller and Murkowski. He says Miller used to be his lawyer.
And down in Juneau, an earwig reports a Hollis French sign has blossomed in Jim Clark's yard. Jim was Gov. Frank's chief of staff and not a Democrat. (Of course, it's also Ms. Clark's yard.)
NEW WHEELS ... Oh, d'Ears, was that Gov. Parnell in a wheelchair, being pushed through the Seattle airport by his bodyguard? Not to worry. The gov told a bunch of nonprofit ladies at a Jens' lunch Thursday that he hurt his knee running but is already healed and back on track.
A QUESTION ... So where's the magic touch -- and money -- of Sarah Palin in the governor's race? She's making noise in the U.S. Senate race but is quiet as a mouse re her former ballot-mate, Sean Parnell.
ON THE MOVE ... Artist and gallery owner Julie Decker has been hired to run the big Mountain View arts project, part of the massive neighborhood renewal plan that's been going on for years and seems to actually be renewing that community.
• Reporter Margie Bauman, who recently left the Alaska Journal of Commerce, has signed on with Alaska Newspapers.
• And yes, the David Postman quoted in all those news stories about Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen planning to leave most of his money to charity is the same David Postman who was a political reporter for Your Favorite Good Morning Newspaper for many years. He's now Allen's chief flak.
WELCOME TO THE WORLD ... as we know it, Porter Martin Hopson, first grandson of guv candidate Bill Walker and wife Donna, born Monday in Anchorage. Porter joins a sister, both children of Bill's daughter Lindsay Hopson and husband Greg Hopson.
Alas, too young to vote in the primary.
STRANGER VIEW ... The Skagway News compiles notable tourist comments in its column "Heard on the Wind." Ear blames the following on all those Outside weather maps that put Alaska in the Pacific Ocean next to Southern California:
"A tour driver pulled off the road at a photo stop on the pass after crossing the border into Canada. Everyone got out except a young woman and her father. She said to him, 'Here, I thought Alaska was an island. Now I find out it's part of Canada.' " See www.skagwaynews.com for the column.
WRITE CHOICE ... Much-ballyhooed writer David Vann, author of "Legend of a Suicide," is the promised star for the 49 Writers Retreat at Tutka Bay in September. He was reportedly born on Adak.
Compiled by Sheila Toomey. Message Sheila at 257-4341 or ear@adn.com. Find Ear online at www.adn.com/ear.
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