OOOPS . . . Remember that time you accidentally sent an email to someone you didn't mean to send it to? Those slips can be so embarrassing but, really, who hasn't done it.
However, say you're the Alaska Bar Association. Who do you definitely NOT want to accidentally send a congrats-you-passed-the-bar-exam email to?
Right. Tom Obermeyer.
The holder of the Alaska record for taking the bar exam more times than anyone ever, Obermeyer apparently took it again in February, with predictable results. As Ear understands it, the bar association emailed a list of those who passed to those who passed.
So far, so good.
Then they emailed a follow-up congratulations note, which was supposed to go to the same group -- those who passed. Alas, someone hit the wrong button and it went instead to everyone who took the exam. They quickly discovered the error and sent out a third email, apologizing to those who failed for sending them a congrats message.
Tom, bless his heart, says he only got the middle message and "therefore, as far as I am concerned, I have been licensed until I receive notice in writing to the contrary." Apparently, the list of those who passed and the correction note vanished into the ether before getting to his email basket.
Tom immediately packed his short-lived joy, his disappointment when learning the (alleged) truth, and 28 years of assorted grievances in a letter to the justices of the Alaska Supreme Court, the bar association Board of Governors, the Legislature, Judge Morgan Christen, our new member of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Alaska Judicial Council and -- well, you get the idea.
POLITICS . . . Ear would love to share some tidbits but, really, does anyone know anything? Everyone's occupied raising money and even the Divine Appendage can't keep track of who's running against who. (Yes, it should be whom. Get over it.) A forlorn earwig stuck in Juneau reports former Labor Commish Click Bishop was there this week, telling people he's running for the new Fairbanks Senate seat -- he filed for the primary last week -- and expects his main competition to be former legislator Ralph Seekins. Ralph apparently has once again tired of the car business.
Meanwhile, the governor named Click's replacement at Labor: It's Diane Blumer, whose resume indicates she's been around state government forever, so presumably she's not one of those government-hating Republicans.
GOP REDOUX . . . Are the state Republicans really going to hold Act II of their convention on June 9 at the Anchorage Christian School gym? Yes, they are. A memo Friday from Randy Ruedrich made the rumor official. Earwise, this could be great. The best tale floating around is they're going to vote to enforce a "purity test" against GOP candidates. Ear should be so lucky.
A QUESTION . . . Why did our esteemed governor suddenly decide not to answer any questions from legislators during the Q&A part of his Make it Monday talk at the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce this past week? Only from the public, the moderator announced.
Is it possible he spotted a minefield question from Sen. Hollis French about the expected boom in shale oil discoveries on the North Slope? The speculation is the governor didn't want to talk about positive developments in the Alaska oil industry because, well, only bad things are supposed to happen since we refused to gift them with lower taxes.
Earwigs report French was there to defend the Senate's honor, in case Parnell launched another attack.
COME ON DOWN . . . Perry Green, furrier, poker champ, political godfather, etc., hasn't quite mastered the concept of "retirement." He and Carl Brady are opening a new restaurant in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Perry describes it as a stadium sports bar bistro -- which translates to 10,000 square feet, with 90 televisions, a somewhat upscale menu and female-friendly presentation. It's going to feature "the largest 3D TV they make."
The restaurant will be the first anywhere where customers will be able to send in iPhone (or whatever) footage of themselves "in action" that can be shown on the big screen (after being vetted for propriety, of course).
"It seemed like a fun thing to do," Perry said. "I needed a challenge ... Everybody pines for retirement but if you truly love to get out there and interface with people, you want something that gives you a little aggravation to get you up in the morning."
Sept. 1 is the grand opening.
ON THE MOVE . . . Det. Glen Klinkhart, who investigated some of the city's most famous murders, is taking early retirement from APD to run his expanding Internet security firm, DigitalSecurus. And to promote his new book, "A Cybercop's Guide to Internet Child Safety." He's a loss to the public payroll.
Terza Poe, wife of failed governor candidate Bob Poe, is the new co-chair of the Alaska Sea Party, the group looking to get an initiative on the August ballot restoring the Alaska Coastal Zone Management Program.
Compiled by Sheila Toomey Message Sheila at ear@adn.com Find Ear Sunday evening at www.adn.com/ear.
By SHEILA TOOMEY
Anchorage Daily News