Anchorage Daily News

SOMETHING MISSING? ... The following is verbatim from an amicus brief in the Exxon Valdez case on behalf of the Legislature and Alaska's former governors, in support of the damaged fishermen still waiting for their money. This is the part where the legislative lawyers explain who they represent:

"Amici include all the living former Governors of the State of Alaska. The Honorable Walter Hickel served as Governor of Alaska from 1966 to 1969 and from 1990 to 1994, and from 1969 to 1970 served as Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior.

"The Honorable William Sheffield served as Governor of Alaska from 1982 to 1986. The Honorable Steve Cowper served as Governor of Alaska from 1986 to 1990. The Honorable Anthony Knowles served as Alaska Governor from 1994 to 2002."

Hmmm. Have the state lawyers forgotten someone? Ear understands why Gov. Miller isn't there -- everyone forgets him. He is still alive, right? But isn't someone else missing?

SARADISE ... It was a trash talk festival last week but all the earish stuff on the speech-scheduling flap ended up in news stories. All The Divine Appendage can do is footnote:

1) If you haven't listened to it yet, check out Sarah live on the Bob and Mark morning show Tuesday. Be warned, BM says bad words while the gov giggles in the background. It's truly astonishing and will certainly be played by Sarah's opponent in her next election race.

2) That stuff aside, Ear's favorite part was Sarah sharing a family moment.

Governor: "... Man, I realized last night I've got to be really careful in what I say here at home. Piper heard me griping about Lyda's actions on this to Todd, and Piper, she looks at me and she says, 'Can you pull her hair?' ... I'd better just zip my lip and not talk about things like that in front of a kid."

Ear found it on palintology.com. You can link to the whole thing at adn.com/ear.

ONE MORE QUESTION ... Is it too soon to award Lyda Green the Frank Murkowski Public Relations Trophy? Even when Frank was right, he managed to look bad.

BLOAX? ... Ear doesn't know what to make of an announcement that federal informant and former Alaska Commissioner of Corrections Frank Prewitt has written a book about the political corruption cases, cleverly titled "Bridges to Nowhere." An elaborate description showed up on a local blog and someone claiming to be a publicist e-mailed Ear that the book is real and being shopped to publishers.

"The story begins in 2004," the promotion says, "when the author finds himself a 'person of interest' to a federal investigation. To clear his name, the author agrees to 'cooperate' in exchange for leniency over crimes the federal government knew he didn't commit.

"While the events invite serious reflection about our system of government, the actual conspiracies unfold more like a season of Desperate Housewives Go to Washington ..."

Earwigs dismiss it as phony and even the credulous appendage thinks it's most unlikely.

Check out whatdoino-steve. blogspot.com and decide for yourself if it's just another blog hoax.

ON THE AGENDA ... For the Mat-Su Assembly meeting last week:

"Resolution Serial No. 08-009: A resolution objecting to the inflammatory and false dropout factory label assigned to Wasilla High School by Johns Hopkins University."

Yeah, that'll help the dropout problem.

CHOW HOUNDS ... Remember the long-time executive chef who lost her job at the Mansion when Sarah decided to live mostly in Wasilla instead of Juneau? Stefani Marnon was first reassigned as a "constituent relations assistant" in the governor's office and later to the state museum.

Earwigs report she's finally landed where they really appreciate a good chef: the Legislative Lounge.

Lawmakers were smacking their lips in anticipation, according to Sen. Kim Elton's newsletter.

WHENEVER ... State workers in Barrow got the following memo one day last week: "Due to severe weather conditions and at the request of Governor Palin, all State of Alaska offices in Barrow are closed until further notice. The situation will continue to be monitored.

"Employees are required to leave contact numbers with immediate supervisors. Once weather conditions have improved, employees will be notified and expected to return to work. ..."

It was signed by Commissioner of Admin Annette Kreitzer.

Seems like a good thing. It was like minus 45 with wind chill. But a far north earwig reports that no "further notice" has yet been received.

Despite the temptation, most employees came to work the next day, Ear is told.

OUT AND ABOUT ... Was that our Lisa Murkowski chowing down on catfish and collard greens -- or something ethnic-- on Thursday at Catfish Haven on Boniface? That's what earwigs report.

A GOOD DEED ... Moose Lodge 1534 is hosting a raffle and silent auction Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. for ADN letter-writer and one-time congressional candidate Dave Carlson, 68, who lost his Spenard home of 25 years in a fire on Thanksgiving. Spaghetti dinner is $5.

FUN WITHOUT INDICTMENTS ... A terribly clever earwig and her friends came up with some Alaska nursery rhymes over the holidays, inspired perhaps by a little grog. Here are a few:

Hulking Ted Stevens

Sat for some seasons

Giving the money away.

In the Girdwood arena

They served a subpoena

Scaring Ted Stevens away.

And:

Hey diddle dollar

The Governor's daughter

Went to the Senate to play.

Bob Penney's land

Came to her hand

But she had to give it away.

SPACED ... One of the new designers on "Trading Spaces" this season is Juneau carpenter Thad Mills. See his "me" video at tlc.discovery.com/fansites/tradingspaces/meet-the-crew/meet-the-crew.html.

Ear had a little trouble with his claim to have kung-fu'd a bear, but it's aimed at Outsiders who will believe anything, so ...

AND FINALLY ... A fun factoid: A birdnerd earwig reports that all 50 eagles involved in the fish gunk incident -- the 20 who died in Kodiak and the 30 that came to the bird treatment center -- are male. A lesser appendage might engage in sexist speculation about females being the brighter of the sexes in any number of species. But maybe the girls were just on diets after the holidays.

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

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