My panelists this week:

Lennie Moran who was attacked with a machete in 2007 and Alaska State Trooper Alfred Borrego who was the first officer to respond to the attack.
-Senator Hollis French, AK State Senator and 2010 Democratic Candidate for Governor
-Dr. Monique Karaganis, Anchorage Pediatritian
-Vince Beltrami, President of the Alaska AFL-CIO

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5:

Our next live taping will be on January 7, 2010.  We’d love to have you be part of our live audience.  Email us for tickets at mooreupnorth@gmail.com

There is a brand new Moore Up North airing Saturday, 4pm on Channel 5 – KYES.  Don’t miss it, here is just a taste…yum!  Thanks Dennis Zaki for putting this together!

The Shannyn Moore Radio show will not air tomorrow, but will be back after the first of the year!

“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” ~Norman Vincent Peale

Wishing you all the Merriest Christmas.

“Call me, STAT!  This is Dennis”

Well, that’s one way to find out you are on Sarah Palin’s enemies list.  Yesterday morning, while working on my Shanta Claus projects and prepping for my television show, Dennis Zaki called.  He and Jesse Gryphen of the Immoral Minority, had driven to Sarah Palin’s Wasilla book signing.  Why? Well, it’s like storm chasers in Nebraska…only they’re train-wreck chasers.  Me?  Well, I’m busy these days and have had Palin fatigue since before most people have even heard of her.

Don’t get me wrong…Thanks Sarah!  It’s just that I really wasn’t interested. Two weeks ago, I had press privileges at her book signing at Elmendorf AFB that was closed to the public.  On that day, I was busy figuring out if my hair was oily, normal or dry.  Truth be told, I’m just not that into her.

Dennis and I have been friends since the Corrupt Bastards Club Trials.  He’s one of my favorite Hardy Boys. I met Gryph last year; we fight about half the time…the rest we spend laughing.  I’ll ask Sarah Palin to sign my copy of Going Rogue after it wins the National Book Award for best fiction…it’s richly deserving.  Besides, I’m having the “Under the Bus” folks sign it instead; John Bitney, Anne Kilkenny, Andrew Halcro, Lyda Green, Walt Monegan, Trooper Wooten, etc.  It’s just more honest.

Gryphen and Zaki were booted from the event.  My name was on the list to boot if I showed. There’s a fourth unknown and unwelcomed guest..who could it be?  Oh, yeah, fellas…the troops are fighting for Palin’s right to ban us from a public event!

When the Anchorage Daily News reported on the “Homecoming” event for Palin with the “flocking” of 750 people to the “public” event at the publicly funded Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center with the publicly funded Wasilla Police Officers working security, they made a tiny mention of the bumped bloggers.  Nearly 2,000 people showed up for an indoor football game earlier this year at the same complex. Twice as many citizens of Wasilla have become members of the Mat Su Valley Sportsman’s Association as showed up for Sarah Palin’s glorious homecoming.  In “Real America” Palin attracted thousands of teabaggers.  In “Real Alaska,” the tea bagger capitol and Palin’s hometown, there were more people shopping at Wal*Mart.

The ADN also failed to mention that H1N1 virus vaccines were also being administered at the same time as the book signing. Good Lord, if only there were a vaccine for Palin’s word salad.

Whoopie Flippin’ Doooo!  Hell of a homecoming, did she get another crown?

You could find out what Alaskans really think of Sarah coming home judging by the comments on the Anchorage Daily News website…Oh wait…the ADN decided to ban public comments on the article.

Dennis Zaki, Linda Kellen-Biegel, Jeanne Devon and myself all passed the White House Security checks to attend the “closed to the public”troops only speech by President Obama a few weeks ago.  The only threat to Sarah Palin by the Alaska Bloggers is the truth. Yes, it’s scary.

I guess “Real Alaskans” aren’t allowed near an “author” who once asked a librarian if she’d ban books. Oh, the irony…or is it ion-ry…either way, I’ve been Palibanned!

You are invited to the final taping, this year and this decade, of Moore Up North with Shannyn Moore! 

Come on down to Bernie’s Bungalow Lounge TONIGHT, 5:30pm (half hour later than normal) for Shannyn’s Health Care Show! 

NO RSVP REQUIRED FOR THIS EVENINGS SHOW!  Audience members admitted on a first come first serve basis.  Doors open at 5pm!

The program will be broadcast this Saturday, December 26, on KYES Channel 5 and also posted online.

Thanks for your support!

While taking a “break” from right-wing radio world today, I relaxed in the arms of NPR. Ah, some real news relief…WHAT?
PolitiFacts announced Sarah Palin’s big win: BIGGEST LIE OF THE YEAR! My heartfelt congratulations to the FORMER governor, I know she worked very, very hard to win.  I’m just waiting for the “best work of fiction” nomination for Going Rogue.

Of all the falsehoods and distortions in the political discourse this year, one stood out from the rest.

“Death panels.”

The claim set political debate afire when it was made in August, raising issues from the role of government in health care to the bounds of acceptable political discussion. In a nod to the way technology has transformed politics, the statement wasn’t made in an interview or a television ad. Sarah Palin posted it on her Facebook page.

Her assertion — that the government would set up boards to determine whether seniors and the disabled were worthy of care — spread through newscasts, talk shows, blogs and town hall meetings. Opponents of health care legislation said it revealed the real goals of the Democratic proposals. Advocates for health reform said it showed the depths to which their opponents would sink. Still others scratched their heads and said, “Death panels? Really?”

The editors of PolitiFact.com, the fact-checking Web site of the St. Petersburg Times, have chosen it as our inaugural “Lie of the Year.”

Please read the reasons and runners up HERE.  Again, congratulations!

I wept while watching this special comment by Keith Olbermann.  Frustration, exhaustion, and anger; my own mirrored.  I wondered if “loss of hope” would some day be considered a pre-existing condition.  I agree with Keith and with Senator Bernie Sanders, better to have no bill than a bad bill.  The current bill is a bail out for insurance companies.

Senator Lisa Murkowski is against any healthcare reform.  I encourage Senator Mark Begich to vote against it as well.  Mandatory Insurance With No Public Option; No Deal. Not to mention the mandatory insurance I’d have to buy wouldn’t provide a woman’s right to choose.  You have got to be f8$@ing kidding me.

Are you willing to give up? I’m not.  Dr. Howard Dean said it best, “The Public Option is already a compromise.”

Part 1:

Part 2:

Tonight’s assembly meeting hit a full tilt when the so called “Socialist Six” removed a member of the “Fascist Five” as their chair.

It’s so difficult for me…you have no idea.  Oh, wait for it…no, it’s about damn time.  Debbie Ossiander has behaved like the awkward girl in high school who got to sit with the jocks at lunchtime because she kept their water bottles full and cleared the lunch trays.  Please know this comparison has nothing to do with the physical appearance of Ms.Ossiander, but rather her pathetic and pandering perfomance.

During the much debated Ordinance 64 that sucked up much of our summer, Ossiander allowed bus loads of Wasilla-billies to testify their hate against the GLBT citizens of Anchorage.  Ordinance 64 would have added those citizens to an already existing protection to prevent discrimination in housing, education and employment.  Ironically, already provided protection; Religion.  The “Red Shirts” vs. “Blue Shirts” found sympathy in the red wearing chair. When the ordinance passed, Debbie Ossiander could have been the over-riding vote to new Mayor Dan Sullivan’s veto.

Weeks and weeks of bad behavior and a witch hunt on former mayor, Senator Mark Begich were tolerated by the chair.  Bill Starr and Dan Coffey are consummate bullies.

Anchorage has lost a great public servant with the retirement of Bart Mauldin, the MOA Purchasing Officer.  His service was lauded tonight and he left to a standing ovation.  As one assembly member told me, “they are dropping like flies.”  No one wants to stay on with a mayor running for Senate 2014.

The mayor is refusing to fully fund the city and running for Grinch by laying off 60 city employees.  He has made his choice, and by the time the citizens of Anchorage are standing in the voting booths in a few years, they will make theirs.

Debbie Ossiander doesn’t leave the chair without a legacy.  She could have taken a stand against hate.  She didn’t.  If you think I exagerate with the word “hate”…watch this…see if you have a better word.

There’s a chance to redeem herself, Debbie Ossiander could vote to over-ride the mayor’s budget veto.  I hope she does the right thing.

New Chair Patrick Flynn and Vice Chair Mike Gutierrez were elected by secret ballot and will hopefully bring some civility back to an assembly in much need.

This week’s show was all about FISH and the slow rationalization-read PRIVATIZATION of that resource.  In fact, fisheries are the only resource in the United States that is privatized!  This week, my guests were:

Dr. Carol Ann Woody is a USGS Fishery Biologist based at the Alaska Science Center in Anchorage.  Dr. Woody specializes in evolutionary ecology of fishes, conservation biology, predator/prey co-evolutionary relationships, molecular genetics, resource selection modeling and wildlife ecology. She is a past president of the Alaska Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.

Shawn Dochtermann is a 30 year commercial fisherman.  When not fishing, he serves as vice president of the Alaska Jig Association and Secretary of the Crewmen’s Association based in Kodiak.  Shawn is a member of the Alaska Independent Fisheries Marketing Association-a Bristol Bay salmon advocacy group.

Tim Smith is a commercial fisherman, Biologist and pilot.  He is president of Nome Fishermen Association.

And joining us in segment 4, is Stephen Taufen. Stephen is a former high level corporate accountant, heroic whistle blower and founder of the Groundswell Fisheries Movement.

This is such an important topic that is completely undercovered and undereported if at all.  Here are some great organizations that are making a difference:

Cook Inlet Keeper

Renewable Resources Coalition

Trout Unlimited

Contact our legislature: Alaska State Senate and Alaska State House.

By Elstun W. Lauesen

Why is Dan Sullivan not telling the Truth about his budget, the cost of government and the financial condition of our City? I will deal with that question after I cast light on the Mayor playing fast and loose with the facts.

Contrary to Sullivan’s assertion, the budget that was approved by the Assembly last year did match current revenues, to do otherwise would be illegal and Mr. Sullivan knows it. The comments he made in today’s (12/8/09) Anchorage Daily News are tantamount to a criminal accusation, and he should apologize! When revenues posted a decline in January, adjustments were made to the budget by Acting Mayor Claman that included millions in ‘give backs’ by the unions. What had been a $17 M shortfall was reduced significantly to a $9 M deficit by the time Dan Sullivan took office in July. Thank you, Acting Mayor Claman. In September the Mayor announced that $5 Million of the remaining deficit disappeared because of the improved performance of the Stock Market, which has risen 3,500 points since the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Thank you, Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress. By the 3rd Q of this fiscal year the financial condition of the City has improved significantly. How much? We won’t know until the Sullivan Administration books them and then without a doubt, Dan Sullivan will become a paper “hero” to his uninformed supporters. These revenues will not appear until AFTER this ’smoke and mirrors’ budget passes, which it certainly will. Folks, the only ‘deficit’ is the one caused by Dan Sullivan through his refusal to fully fund the budget. Sullivan’s budget is over $10 M UNDER the tax cap. Dan can’t blame THAT on the Assembly.

So why is Dan Sullivan is not telling the truth about his budget and the financial condition of the City? Because he wants to do three things: he wants to attack employee bargaining units, he wants to reward his wealthiest supporters with tax cuts and he wants to strip our government of its ability to rationally regulate and manage growth and development, which offends Mr. Sullivan’s philosophy of laissez faire capitalism. Sullivan wants a KABATA-friendly AMATS, compliant community councils and a ‘hear no evil’ planning and zoning body.

What kind of vision is contained in the Dan Sullivan budget? A vision based on fear and regressive policy. That is not the vision I want guiding Anchorage into the second decade of the 21st Century.

Oh, so many parts….This weeks guests are:-Bob Shavelson, the executive director of Cook Inlet Keeper www.inletkeeper.org   -Elstun Lauesen, contributing author to Going Rouge: An American Nightmare
-Eric Croft, an Anchorage attorney and five term member of the Alaska State House.

Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three:

Part Four:

Part Five:

Part Six:

It’s buckle your seatbelt Saturday! 

First up: 

Moore Up North on KYES Channel 5 Statewide at 4pm 

Photo by Jeanne Devon, 2009 Muckraker of the Year!

Join Shannyn and her guests: 

Anchorage International Film Festival Founder Tony Sheppard and Australian Filmmakers James Harkness, writer, producer and director of Birthday and Natalie Eleftheriadis, Actor and producer for Birthday which makes its world debut at the Anchorage International Film Festival on Monday, December 7 at 5:30pm at the Bear Tooth Theatre Pub. 

Shannyn’s panelists are (left to right in picture): 

Bob Shavelson-Director for Cook Inlet Keeper 

Elstun Lauesen-contributing author for Going Rouge and a Rural Development Specialist 

Eric Croft-Anchorage attorney, former mayoral and gubernatorial candidate, a 5-time elected representative to the Alaska House of Representatives from 1996-2006 and Springsteen fan 

******************************************************************************************************************** 

ON AIR! 5pm-7pm AST/9pm-11pm EST

Immediately following Moore Up North, join Shannyn’s live radio show on KBYR Smart Radio AM700 from 5pm-7pm AS T/9pm-11pm EST 

Stream the show here. 

Live blogging on The Mudflats 

Call the show at 907.274.5297 

******************************************************************************************************************** 

Top off the night immediately following The Shannyn Moore Show with the 2009 Muckrakers Ball!  

Cook Inlet Keeper will be honoring the 2009 Muckraker of the year, Jeanne Devon of The Mudflats.  

Shannyn Moore will be the emcee.  

The ball will be at Rumrunners Downtown from 7pm-10pm TONIGHT. 

Past Recipients are: 

2007 Ray Metcalf 

2008 Dr. Riki Ott

Rumrunners is located at 4th and E Street Downtown Anchorage

$10

What is it about “not liking drama” and being the biggest drama magnet on the planet? Good Lord, one more week on the “Bigger The Hair The Closer To Gawd” tour…how much more fresh hell will we endure?

The Mall of America’s public relations director apologized Wednesday to former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin after internal notes and comments were released to the Associated Press as the mall’s guidelines for covering her book tour stop next week.

Among the supposed guidelines: Reporters would need to address Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, as governor, and foreign reporters would be banned.

Note to the Mall of America and Sarah Palin: YOU AREN’T THE GOVERNOR.  YOU QUIT.  STOP USING A POST YOU WALKED OUT ON TO MAKE YOUR SELF FEEL SHINY.  Oh, did you know foreigners read books? Yes, they do! Maybe even yours…mmm, money!

To make myself feel better about the toe stepping Mall of America, I watched this bit of fun. 

Thanks, Lizz!

A Tank, a Candidate, a Radio Dude and a Scientist…lovely.  I had so much fun with this panel.  Hope you enjoy this week’s Moore Up North.

My thanks to Tank Jones, Ethan Berkowitz, Steve Heimel and Rick Steiner.

If you’d like to attend this weeks live taping at Bernie’s Bungalow, please email mooreupnorth@gmail.com for tickets.

Part ONE:

Part TWO:

Part THREE:

Part FOUR:

Part FIVE:

Part SIX:

State wide broadcast at 4pm Saturday KYES Channel 5.

If you’d like tickets to this weeks live taping, email mooreupnorth@gmail.com

Ethan Berkowitz, Steve Heimel and Rick Steiner.

Security provided by Tank Jones.

Right after Palin’s appearance on Oprah, I was a guest on Ron Reagan Jr’s radio show.  I had joked that I had a better chance of having Thanksgiving with Levi Johnston than she did.  I wasn’t sure what to say when I was invited a few weeks ago.

My day was full of my family and fixings…and a few hours at the home of Rex Butler.  Here a few pictures. I promised not to write what we talked about.  Entertainment Tonight was filming, but when the cameras were off, so were the brakes.

Catch my interview with Tank Jones on Moore Up North, Saturday 4pm on KYES Channel 5.  He made me blush more than once and explained “swagger.”

I keep getting that “an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind” sort of feeling…

and I don’t mean that in a “genocide to follow” sort of way. 

I have so much to be thankful for…my eyes get wet when I try to list them all.

Enjoy.

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” ~G.K. Chesterton

The ADN has posted some Going Rogue blow back from Palin’s legislative director, John Bitney.

Here is the clip of the panel’s response when an audience member asked: “Is Palin sane?”