FOOD FIGHT ...Twits who speak in 140-word bursts are having fun following posts by Rick Gorka, a flack for the Mead Treadwell campaign. According to Gorka, The Other Dan Sullivan has blocked him from reading his Twitter posts.
Ear doesn't understand why one would block another on Twitter. Is it likely to contain secret information?
Anyhow, earwigs report the Treadwell folks have re-branded TODS "Ohio Dan," to honor TODS' home state (but not in a good way).
"All I wanted to ask him is his opinion on the Browns/Bengals game this weekend," read Gorka's Friday jibe.
Turns out TODS' family is well known in Cleveland; an Oct. 17 story in the Plain Dealer is headlined "Cleveland's Dan Sullivan runs for U.S. Senate -- in Alaska."
Hmmm, "Cleveland Dan" is actually more euphonious than "Ohio Dan."
Truth is, Ear could care less about this stuff. Half the politicians in Alaska come from somewhere else. Of course, when they run for office, they usually start with an assembly seat or the Legislature, but whatever.
Still, there is one really important question raised by TODS' Ohio roots:
Where does he stand on the Denali vs. McKinley debate?
WALK ON THE WILD SIDE ... There's lots of grumbling these days by Anchorage Democrats about Rep. Mike Hawker having fun sticking them in dumpy little offices around downtown while the Fourth Avenue Legislative Information Office is renovated. Hawker is the current "Mr. Mean" of the Legislative Council, which runs administrative stuff for the majority.
Earwigs report Rep. Les Gara is trying to make the best of it, noting he and his staff have been given two desks in the same building as Tank Jones, bodyguard to the stars. (Readers with trivia-rotted brains will recall Tank bodyguarded Bristol's baby daddy, Levi Johnston).
"I've always wanted a heavy" to deal with Republicans, Les said. Or words to that effect.
Attorney Rex Butler, who is also located in the building, confirmed that: "Yes, they (Republicans) have to walk past Tank's office to get to him (Les)."
They also have to walk past lobby ads for "Tank Jones Investigations" that ask, "Is your partner ... CHEATING?" and promise a discreet tail job if you hire them.
Bet a few lawmakers are tempted.
ON THE MOVE ... J.J. Harrier is moving from his post as vice president of communications for the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce to manager of commercial marketing for the newly expanded GCI.
WELCOME TO THE WORLD ... as we know it, Eden Avery Bickford, born Nov. 6 in Anchorage, first child of Taylor and Dani Bickford.
Taylor's a director of the Strategies 360 public relations firm. Grandpa is lobbyist Frank Bickford.
TALKING HEADS ... The new talk radio station in the Valley signed on as promised Thursday and -- surprise -- there in the evening drive-time slot was former lawmaker-lawbreaker Tom Anderson, interviewing pols like Sen. Mark Begich, gubernatorial candidate Bill Walker and new AHFC boss Bryan Butcher. Tom, the former Mr. Lesil McGuire who now lives in the Valley, moved from a successful daily show on KOAN in Anchorage to the coveted 5 to 7 p.m. commuter gig on KVNT (K-Valley News Talk). Both stations have the same owner.
Speaking of KOAN, The Divine Appendage had a horrifying auditory hallucination this week. Ear tuned in to hear Shannyn Moore and found wacko Republican groper Herman Cain in her slot. Weird.
CLASS NEWS ... An earwig revisiting 1982 reports Huey Lewis stuck a needle in a touchy local issue during his concert here last Saturday. About two-thirds through the music, Huey said he'd been reading in the newspaper about the tennis courts vs. hockey rinks controversy.
"Well, I say let's just settle this right here, he suggested. "How many people say tennis courts ... how many for ice rinks?"
Ice rinks won overwhelmingly.
Huey then played "Workin' For a Livin'."
AND FINALLY ... Because it's the law, a Sarah Palin update: Her new book is out, described by salon.com as "Palin's grievances with a culture that acknowledges that not everyone celebrates Christmas."
The unfriendly review says Our Sarah predicts Romney will be president some day, claims she thought about us (Alaskans) fondly on Christmas 2008, before later dumping the governorship for fame and cash -- OK, maybe she didn't put it exactly that way -- and shares with readers her recipe for Rice Krispies Treats.
Ear dozed off at this point so you'll have to read the rest yourself.
Compiled by Sheila Toomey Message Sheila at ear@adn.com
Sheila Toomey
a href="mailto:ear@adn.com">ear@adn.com