OUR GUY IS (GULP) GOOD . . . Ear was stunned to learn from GovTrack, a nonpartisan Web site that tracks Congress, that Don Young, Congressman for All Alaskans Who Voted for Him, is the "most successful Congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives."
Apparently Our Don has sponsored more bills that became law than any other congressman over nearly 20 years. And, in fact, he was No. 2 on the list of both congressmen and senators, bettered only by Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah.
Don has had 56 of his bills signed into law since 1991, according to GovTrack. Since Young entered Congress in 1973, he has had 68 pieces of his legislation signed into law. You can check for yourself at www.govtrack.us.
WORK RELEASE . . . Who says the state lacks effective rehab programs for not-quite ex-cons?
The Legislature is renovating the old Scottish Rite Temple, next to the Capitol in Juneau. Guess who's doing the floors?
Yep, Pete Kott, once speaker of the state House and formerly the personal property of Bill Allen (soon to be an inmate himself).
Earwigs report he was picked by the contractor as a subcontractor. Well, we've never heard a complaint that his floors were crooked.
A MYSTERY . . . Darlings, didn't you love state gas line czar Harry Noah's explanation for "resigning?" He had to tend to family farming interests Outside. None of that lame spend-more-time-with-family stuff for high-powered Harry.
But here's a question Ear can't answer: How did representatives of a giant Chinese construction company learn of the resignation at least four days before it was announced here? Some Alaskans in China on business got the news from their Chinese hosts; they called home only to be told it hadn't happened. And then it did. Spooky.
ON THE MOVE . . . The state employee Web site says we've hired former AG and current Mat-Su Mayor Talis Colberg as a worker's comp hearing officer.
Good catch. He should add a bit of class to that office, no? And he gets to keep his mayoral job too. Past Mat-Su mayors have worked as a real estate agent, a senior center manager and a dentist, among other vocations.
OLD, BUT STILL GOLD . . . Everybody's all twisted up fact-checking Sarah's book, "Going Rogue." Darlings, who cares? The Rogue has more spin than Oklahoma in tornado season. Earwigs who know better just flip through it in the bookstore, looking for good lines. Here's Ear's favorite so far:
"If any vegans came over for dinner, I could whip them up a salad, then explain my philosophy on being a carnivore: If God had not intended for us to eat animals, how come He made them out of meat?"
Not original, but good for a smile. Unless you're a vegan. The meatless blogosphere has gone bananas over the quote.
NOT ALREADY . . . The New York Post had a snippy item about Levi Johnston acting like an ass while boarding a plane, allegedly pushing ahead of coach peons to take his seat in first class, along with Jason Alexander (George, of Seinfeld fame), an actual celebrity, who behaved like a gentleman.
Ear questions the item because there's no mention of Levi's size-triple-X handler, Tank Jones, but who knows? Read it for yourself. The link is at www.adn.com.
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS . . . In its search for new digs, the Legislature heard from Ear's favorite Good Morning Newspaper, which has a top floor available for lease, in case lawmakers want to move in. ADN editor Pat Dougherty seemed to like the idea better than legislative leaders.
You can make up your own joke.
OUT AND ABOUT . . . Seen relaxing with friends at the Buckaroo Club last weekend, Ethan Berkowitz. Earwigs report the evening included a heated tete-a-tete with lefty blogger and KYES TV host Shannyn Moore. What was that about?
And speaking of Shannyn, her show Saturday featured John Bitney, Ann Kilkenny and Andrew Halcro, a trio dubbed the "Palin death panel." And Ear thought death panels were just a figment of Lovely Sarah's imagination.
GETTING EVEN . . . Don Muller, owner of Old Harbor Books in Sitka, told the Sitka Sentinel he plans to donate his profits from "Going Rogue" to Defenders of Wildlife, an organization that opposed Palin for her support of state predator-control programs.
NOT ENOUGH MILES . . . An earwig reports spotting former Gov. Murkowski on an inbound flight recently. Frank was in coach, in a middle seat, no less. Someone asked him if he planned to buy a copy of his successor's book. He said no.
Ear is willing to bet one or two of his daughters will check it out for him.
AAAAGGGGHHHH . . . Here's a press release Ear didn't finish, about an academic available to speak:
"In his talk, (he) touches on the enigmatic fascination with Palin, the contrast between those who like her and those who do not and what she tells us about American politics ..."
Compiled by Sheila Toomey. Contact Sheila at ear@adn.com. Find Ear online at www.adn.com.
