It's kind of encouraging that a progressive Democrat won the Anchorage's mayoral race by a 2-1 margin.

A progressive Dem and by that margin? Wow.

Don't you guys get MSNBC up there?

but I think he's trying to be inclusive and CNN seemed like a compromise. Maybe next term he can go all MSNBC on us.

IMO, MSNBC does a poor job of presenting 'news'. The main evening shows tend to all talk about the three or four hot issues over and over and over. I kind of hate to say this but they need to take a few lessons from Faux as far as the format of their shows, as it is they're only going to attract people like us and that's just preaching to the choir. They really need to become attractive to a middle of the road audience as far as presenting more news and general interest stories (from a left-leaning viewpoint).

In any case, while CNN is far from perfect they're a damned site better than Faux.

Only marginally better than Fox...

in Anchorage and a number of other little spots in the Kenai Peninsula. Incredibly beautiful state/country.

Something about that flag though. Beautiful.

I still get kind of teary-eyed every time it's sung. I'm happy to report that both verses were sung yesterday at the inauguration.

Eight stars of gold on a field of blue,
Alaska's flag, may it mean to you,
The blue of the sea, the evening sky,
The mountain lakes and the flowers nearby,
The gold of the early sourdough's dreams,
The precious gold of the hills and streams,
The brilliant stars in the northern sky,
The "Bear," the "Dipper," and shining high,
The great North Star with its steady light,
O'er land and sea a beacon bright,
Alaska's flag to Alaskans dear,
The simple flag of a last frontier.

2nd Verse of Alaska's Flag Song
-- Words by Carol Beery Davis


A Native lad chose the Dipper's stars
For Alaska's flag that there be no bars
Among our culture. Let it be known
Through years the Native's past has grown
To share life's treasures, hand in hand,
To keep Alaska our Great-Land;
We love the northern midnight sky,
The mountains, lakes and streams nearby.
The great North Star with its steady light
Will guide all cultures, clear and bright,
With nature's flag to Alaskans dear,
The simple flag of the last frontier.

that had a story about "America's newest state-- Alaska!" The first person to use that book was already in high school by the time I got around to using it *LOL*

Anyway, the story contained a couple of songs about Alaska. Unfortunately, I can only remember some bits and pieces of them. One went to the tune of "My Darling Clementine"

"...lived a miner, ninety-niner, making bread with sour dough

Sourdough Charlie, Sourdough Charlie, Sourdough Charlie was his name
Though he's lost and gone forever
True Alaskans bear his name"

The other song went to the tune of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"

"Alaska's flag is filled with stars
The Dipper points the way
To where the North Star holds its place
A steady shining ray"

by former Anchorage mayor Jack Roderick (1972-1975)

and the new mayor is definitely an improvement over the old one. Baby steps...