TAKE A LETTER, PLEASE . . . All right, fess up: How much time did you spend this week typing names and phrases into one of the magic searchable indexes to Sarah's 24,000 emails -- starting with your own name, of course?

Ear tried, really.

"Halcro" brought up "What a dumbass he is."

"Tina Fey" produced a suggestion from Pat Galvin that Sarah go on Saturday Night Live and play Tina interviewing Sarah played by Tina. "Baby jogger" revealed that Sarah's staff was able to find one for a scheduled photo shoot with Trig.

OK, there were some fun ones. Here's Ear's favorite exchange so far, a behind-the-curtain look at the formulation of a state resource development policy:

Sent Aug. 23, 2007 8:16 p.m.

From Gov. Palin to Lite Gov. Sean Parnell

"Subject: Pray for wisdom ... for us, for the team ... And may God's will be done with His resources."

Response from Parnell, 8:26 p.m.

"I just pulled into my driveway after having prayed for wisdom for you in this. Thankful we serve the same Creator. Also, thank you for including me in the discussion. It meant a lot to be able to participate."

ALMOST DONE . . . Exhausted (and bored) from searching Sarah's emails, The Luscious Lobe decided to burn some actual shoe leather and check the status of the Tom Anderson-Lesil McGuire divorce (filed in Palmer, perhaps to keep it off our radar screen). The details are sealed but it looks like everything is settled -- except custody of their son. Trial on that was set to begin Tuesday, but on Thursday it was canceled and a hearing set for Sept. 13 to decide if a trial is necessary.

That's usually a sign the parties are close to an agreement, always a good thing when kids are involved.

As for Tom, he's out of prison and almost free -- in his parents' custody and restricted only by a curfew until his formal release date of July 30. An earwig reports spotting him and his son last Saturday at the pony ride in Wasilla City Park.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION . . . Coastal Television, which owns Channel 4, the local FOX affiliate, and manages ABC Channel 13 plus the CW affiliate, is going to put a FOX station on the air in Juneau, according to Coastal GM Scott Centers. Poor d'Ear Juneau isn't FOXified at present, he said. (OK, maybe not in those exact words).

Coastal already runs two Juneau stations. The FOX outlet will be a new station, he said, called FOX 4 Juneau (MJUD), and will run the same programming as the Anchorage station, including our news, to start with.

Centers said he will hire a local manager and one of his or her tasks will be to develop local news content for the Juneau audience.

OUT AND ABOUT . . . Spotted Friday at the Arctic Play- groundz on Arctic Boulevard off Northern Lights, former Palin pitbull Meghan Stapleton with her two daughters -- Isabella and recent adoptee, Ji Ji, from China. Friends say Meg and husband Eric Steenburgh waited five years for approval to adopt before getting Ji Ji, who will be 2 in November.

Wadda ya know, said one earwig, "Some people actually do quit politics to spend more time with their families."

For those who may not have run across it, Arctic Playgroundz is a clever business concept that combines a coffee house with an indoor playground for kids 6 and under.

A QUESTION . . . Are the Republicans punishing Senate President Gary Stevens for refusing to go along with their proposed tax gift to the oil companies by passing a redistricting plan that forces him to run for his seat three times in four years? (He ran in 2010, will run in 2012 for a two-year seat and then, if he wins, he'll be up again in 2014).

The Redistricting Committee was mostly Republican. Ear called the man accused of "masterminding" the plan.

"If I wrote that plan," said GOP boss Randy Ruedrich, "it would be better."

Ear will just note that the current redistricting plan passed 5-0.

OUT AND ABOUT II . . . Spotted at the Morris Thompson Memorial Golf Tourney in Fairbanks on Thursday and Friday, a fundraiser for the Doyon Foundation: Trond-Erik Johansen, Conoco Phillips Alaska president; former senator and power lobbyist Al Adams; the Tok twins, Ethan Schutt (VP-CIRI) and Aaron Schutt (COO-Doyon); Doyon board Chairman Orie Williams; former ASRC president, Bobbi Quintavell; Mike O'Connor from Peak Oilfield; Brian Nerland of KeyBank; and Marissa Flannery of Sonosky, Chambers.

REAL HARDBALL . . . Game 6 of the Stanley Cup? Phooey. A bunch of wimps compared to the congressional baseball league that pitted Team Begich against Team Murkowski on Monday. Lisa's team, "The Deadliest Catch," was down 24-10 at one point. (No, darlings, it wasn't a pitchers' duel.)

Then, starting in the top of the seventh, Mark's team, "Manifest Destiny," slumped and Lisa's guys knocked in the runs until the score was 24-23, with Lisa's top slugger on deck. With two outs, Sluggo slammed a sinking line drive at left fielder James Feldman, who made a spectacular bare-handed catch to seal the win -- and tore up his hand.

Blood, pain, hospital, no stitches. Feldman is a Begich staffer and son of Marge and Jeff Feldman (attorney to the stars). Earwigs who keep score report the Begich team is now 4-0 for the season.

Compiled by Sheila Toomey. Message Sheila at 257-4341 or ear@adn.com. Find Ear online at www.adn.com/ear.