SPELCHEK . . . What's wrong with this message? Sorry, guys, but there's no way the ad people can blow this off as a "typo." Sequestration appears to have forced the layoff of editors everywhere. See below for more examples.
SPELCHEK TOO . . . Isn't anyone paying attention? In addition to the Begich misspelling, check these other glitches:
Earwigs who actually read that shiny "Education Action Report to the Community" being widely distributed by United Way got an unintended laugh from the much touted list of 10 "simple, yet surprisingly meaningful ways adults can show their support" of youths. The goal is to get kids to stay in school and thus increase the graduation rate to 90 percent by 2020.
You've seen the "list of 10" advertised: "Smile at me. Expect the best of me. Learn my name ...," etc. The report is a super classy production, beautifully designed, in full color, with lots of charts and graphs, on expensive paper. Probably cost a zillion dollars.
So how come no one noticed the list of 10 contains only nine items.
You can see it at 90by2020.org.
This third glitch is just annoying: The May newsletter from the Anchorage School District promises information on "Early enrollement."
LOL . . . The latest name to float out of the mist for Republican lite guv next year (yes, the primary's not until next year and they're already massing) is House Majority Leader Lance Pruitt of Anchorage. Could the speculation be based on the fact that the letter Lance filed with APOC doesn't specify what office he plans to run for, and is filed in the name of "Pruitt 2014" -- an affectation generally eschewed by returning legislators?
On the other hand, odds are it all means nothing.
Still, an LOL choice would be fun: Lesil Or Lance. According to APOC online records, Lesil hasn't filed for anything yet.
NO CLUE . . . Earwigs report getting called by pollsters floating former UA chief Mark Hamilton's name as a possible "Independent" Begich opponent. Also Tony Knowles and Andrew Halcro.
So, are disaffected Democrats looking for someone to take out their own guy? Weird.
KUDOS . . . It happened two weeks ago but still seems worth a hat tip: Rep. Mia Costello and her husband Andrew Billings are the first inductees into the Alaska Swimming Hall of Fame.
Mia set eight state records in high school. She went on to swim for Harvard and has a spot in that school's Hall of Fame. She was the first Alaska swimmer to qualify for the U.S. Olympic trials.
Who knew? And guess who was second: Billings.
A GOOD IDEA? . . . When you're trying to get the Alaska Bar Association to do you a favor, maybe you shouldn't include the following in your three-page letter requesting special treatment:
"I acknowledge that I tried to sunset the Bar Association ... last Legislative Session ..."
From a May 14 letter to the organization's board of governors, copied to everyone in the Legislature, signed by Tom Obermeyer. Tom says he has spent 129 days of his life and thousands of dollars over 29 years trying to pass the Alaska Bar exam.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK . . . A witness describing how an injured driver, later arrested, tried to flee the scene of a spectacular accident Tuesday on Bragaw near DeBarr:
"He tried to make a, I guess, a limp for it when he heard the sirens."
WE'RE NO. 1 . . . Juneauites are celebrating news that their McDonald's Quarter Pounders were the most expensive in the country last year.
OK, maybe not celebrating.
As reported by nerdwallet.com, three Alaska cities made it onto the list of the 10 most expensive places in the country to buy a Quarter Pounder (that's with cheese). Juneau was first, Anchorage fifth and Fairbanks sixth. The consumer website uses its QP Index to track the cost of living in U.S. cities.
Hey, burger shmerger. Who cares about that? What news reports failed to notice is that three Alaska cities also made the top 10 most expensive places to buy beer: Fairbanks was fifth, Anchorage eighth and Kodiak ninth.
Now, that's serious.
Compiled by Sheila Toomey Message Sheila at ear@adn.com or 257-4341.
By SHEILA TOOMEY