
Then I noticed this in Blogger Buzz.

So Mirk, if you drop in here, you'll know why I haven't dropped into your site for a few days. Don't know if the malware is your problem, but I can't get in.


This case is being prosecuted by trial attorneys Nicholas A. Marsh and Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, headed by Chief William M. Welch, II, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph W. Bottini and James A. Goeke from the District of Alaska. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigative Division.
United States Attorney - Later Years
Other prominent United States Attorneys served this district. Joseph W. Kehoe (1934-1942) gained recognition as a watercolor artist of Alaskan scenes. Warren N. Cuddy (1929-1933) founded the First National Bank of Anchorage, one of Alaska's two largest banking enterprises. Ralph Julian Rivers (1933-1944) was Alaska's first elected Representative in Congress, serving from 1959 to 1966. Theodore Fulton (Ted) Stevens was appointed in Fairbanks from 1954 to 1956 and later elected Senator in 1968. Michael Spaan (1981-1989) served the longest term as a United States Attorney for this district. He also personally tried the longest criminal case in the history of the state which resulted in RICO, fraud, and extortion convictions of two well-known lobbyists and political brokers. Spaan also gained widespread reputation for this vigorous enforcement of laws designed to protect Alaska's rich fishing grounds.
McKay's many legal victories include a unanimous Alaska Supreme Court decision aboutFor more go here.the people's right to know the details of legal-settlement payments after a public institution such as a school district gets sued.
McKay's fingerprints are all over Alaska's open meetings and open records law and its interpretation, be that testifying at hearings, arguing in court, leading open-government workshops, publishing open-government handbooks, or offering legal advice to a reporter, an elected official or just an average citizen.
He's taught communication law at the University of Alaska Anchorage since 1984. He has helped train Russian journalists. He's defended educators punished for exercising their free speech rights. And on and on.

His legal interests are centered on complex civil litigation and trial practice. He is particularly interested in plaintiff's medical malpractice and litigation that involves the use of scientific or technical expertise. Ray graduated cum laude from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1981. He has an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Texas at Arlington. He has also attended and completed the Trial Practice Institute of the National Criminal Defense College at Mercer Law School.
Rubin & White in 2003. Her prior experience includes a successful career as a criminal defense attorney at the Alaska Public Defender's Office and the Office of Public Advocacy. In this capacity she gained valuable trial skills. Before that, she served as a law clerk for Judge Eric Sanders on the Alaska Superior Court. She is a member of the Criminal Pattern Jury Instructions Committee, the Alaska Trust Board of the Alaska Trial Lawyers Association and the Planning and Zoning Commission.



You can hear this piece on the Tlingit's use of Devil's Club on an NPR site with Quetzel Levine.
The Tlingit have turned to devil's club for a list of ailments you wouldn't wish on an enemy: from coughs and colds to stomach ulcers, tuberculosis and hypoglycemia. Tribe members steep it into teas, mash it into salves, chew, sip and steam it. It's also used to ward off evil. The plant, dubbed the "Tlingit aspirin" has not been approved for medicinal use by the Food and Drug Administration.

White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda)
White Baneberry is also known as Doll's Eyes.
Plant Type: This is a herbaceous plant, it is a perennial which can reach 80cm in height (31inches).
Leaves: The leaves are alternate. Each leaf is divided.
Flowers: The flower parts are not discernable with the naked eye and are up to 1cm wide (0.4 inches). They are white. Blooms first appear in mid spring and continue into late spring. Numerous filaments obscure the petals and sepals.
Fruit: Conspicuous white berries, sometimes red, in a terminal spike on thick pedicels. The shinny white berries have dark spots hence the vernacular name or Doll's Eyes. The name Bainberry refers to the fact that the attractive berries are poisonous.
Habitat: Rich woods.



Rose hips have been an important food for all Native American tribes where any kind of roses can be found. Most of them are very sweet. They are extremely high in vitamin C, much more so than oranges, for example. Dried, they keep well, and will always be available in winter. Rose hips have a tangy, yet sweet, flavor and can be used fresh, dried, or preserved. The simplest use is to steep them for tea. Rose hip syrup, puree, jam, jelly, and sauce can be used as is or as a flavoring in other recipes.from Jolene Adams

I thought about it. You're giving away prizes all day and making everybody happy. I really can't complain. Honestly, my whole take on it has turned around now. Now I think you couldn't do better. Here's a car, here's some money. And it's not even your money. You're giving away money and getting credit for it. I feel like a congressman. I'm like the junior Ted Stevens.
Stevens is known for his blustery, sometimes combative demeanor in public.
But behind the scenes, he's acted as a dealmaker in an increasingly fractious Senate, orchestrating compromises and pushing legislation through committee.
Stevens' work on the Appropriations Committee, pushing earmarks to fund his projects and backing those of other senators, may help explain why Democrats aren't celebrating his potential fall.
COURT FILINGS: Ex-legislator had only been named in news reports.
Published: August 30, 2007
Last Modified: August 30, 2007 at 02:24 AM
In a court ruling this week, a federal judge identified former state Senate President Ben Stevens as an alleged co-conspirator in a bribery scheme involving legislators and oil field services contractor Veco Corp.
Though news reports named him months ago, it was the first time Stevens has been so named in a court document.
The development was just one of the intriguing pieces of information popping up in court filings as the public corruption trial of former Reps. Pete Kott and Bruce Weyhrauch approaches. It's set to begin Sept. 5.
"The evidence which the United States will present at trial will show that state Senator A is, in fact, Ben Stevens," U.S. District Judge John Sedwick wrote.
The indictment against Kott and Weyhrauch says Senator A conspired with them and two Veco executives to benefit the company.
In particular, the document describes a June 5, 2006, telephone conversation between the senator and former Veco chief executive Bill Allen. In the phone call, the two agreed that Weyhrauch came to support oil tax legislation favored by Veco because Allen had promised him legal work for the company. Weyhrauch is a lawyer.
Go to ADN for the rest of the story.

Nature has endowed the Sundew with the unique ability to capture and digest insects. This carnivorous habit allows these plants to thrive in nutrient deficient soils and supplement its diet with animal protein. The sundews have a wide range; about 100 recognized species with new varieties being discovered that were not known to exist only a few years ago. This genus has seven North American representatives. They frequent the acid soil of pine barrens and peat bogs and are often found growing along with other Carnivorous Plants.
Sundew leaves have numerous tiny tentacle-like projections. At the end of each is a mucilaginous secretory gland. This gland secretes a droplet of sparkling fluid which gives the plant its dew-drop appearance. Insects, upon being attracted to the plant through odor and color, become stuck to the mucilage. With this stimulus, the tentacles begin to slowly enclose the victim. And later, in about an hour, the entire leaf itself may be bent over its prey. It has been found that these plants only respond to objects of nutritional value and not to sand, paper, or water.And truly if you look at the picture carefully, the black boggy water is visible. Below you can see the larger bog area around Fish Lake.





We were at an air force base. A C-130 I believe.
