Anonymous blogger outed by Alaska lawmaker

Representative Mike Doogan (D-Alaska) took revenge on an anonymous blogger after she criticized him for being a jerk to his constituents.  Doogan took it upon himself to disclose her identity — sort of.  He got her first name right, anyway.

The blogger, host of The Mudflats blog (and winner of the ’08 Blogger’s Choice Award) responded:

It said in my “About” page that I choose to remain anonymous.  I didn’t tell anyone why.  I might be a state employee.  I might not want my children to get grief at school.  I might be fleeing from an ex-partner who was abusive and would rather he not know where I am.  My family might not want to talk to me anymore.  I might alienate my best friend.  Maybe I don’t feel like having a brick thrown through my window.  My spouse might work for the Palin administration.  Maybe I’d just rather people not know where I live or where I work.  Or none of those things may be true.  None of my readers, nor Mike Doogan had any idea what my personal circumstances might be.  But that didn’t seem to matter.

The story is making rounds on the internet, and non-anonymous bloggers appear unimpressed with the Doog’s revenge.

“Disgusting,” wrote Shakesville’s Melissa McEwan.  “I honestly don’t even have the words to describe how furious this shit makes me.

The Huffington Post notes that “Doogan has consistently expressed vitriol toward new media and what he sees as the death of real journalism.”

Good thing no one cares about anonymous blogging here in Humboldt County.  Heck no, we like debate based on substance.

True left

Oh, Los Bagels, your salty slugs are the best and your community support warms a lefty heart.

Instead of celebrating itself at its upcoming 25th birthday bash, Los Bagels is throwing a party to support Planned Parenthood, Green Wheels and Humboldt Baykeeper.

Serious lefty cred at this event.

Show your face here and you’ll probably get added to some sort of list at Security National.

Banana lemon twist

When life hands you lemons, stuff your face.

Push Poll Pressures Eureka

New York pollsters are hitting the Humboldt Bay area seeking intel on residents’ election proclivities.

But prepare for a head-squeeze — the choices are as narrow as the ding-dongs pushing the poll.  They ask if you’re:

• Pro-Growth or No-Growth?
• Jobs or Environment
• Rail Road or Recreation
• Conservative or Liberal

Step right up.  Fit yerself into puppet master’s box.

And just to keep your mind jiggled, some questions rival the brown acid.

Want Murl Harpham for City Council?  How ’bout Bonnie Neely?  Anything’s possible!

Pollsters want to know how favorable or unfavorable you find entities such as:

• Humboldt County Planning Commission
• Eureka City Planning Commission
• Humboldt Board of Supervisors
• Eureka City Council
• Humboldt Bay Harbor Commission
• Dennis Hunter
• Bonnie Neely
• Ron Kuhnel
• Jeff Leonard
• Larry Glass
• Nancy Flemming
• Chris Kerrigan
• Paul Gallegos

Final questions ask for age and number of years in Eureka.

Eureka Co-op Remodel?

Tom on KGOE reports that plans are a-hatching for a $200,000 remodel of the still-new Eureka co-op.  He says a meeting tonight at the Wharfinger will discuss the plan.

Given the state of the economy, and the relatively recent grand opening, one questions the timing and necessity of such a project.

Sure, the place looks like a prison in Disneyland, but it’s functional.  What else matters in these desperate times?

[Image source]

JEFF BARRETT: Forester? Yeah, right!

Speaking of former Maxxam minions and where-are-they-now, the California Board of Forestry has made a mockery of itself by christening ex-Scotia Pacific honcho Jeff Barrett as Registered Professional Forester No. 2896.

Scotia Pacific suffered the same bankruptcy and dissolution as Pacific Lumber after years of liquidation logging toppled the timber giant.  Such practices were rigorously defended by Barrett and fellow Maxxam apologist Steve Horner.

Barrett and Horner loathe California’s logging regulations.  So it’s side-splittingly hilarious to read the BOF’s toothless promise that Foresters “shall protect the public trust through the regulation of those individuals who are licensed to practice the profession of forestry.”

But we in Humboldt County know that “shall” means “maybe.”

Following the Palco/Scopac downfall, we wondered if Barrett was updating his resume.  And so he was.

A recent job application has him boasting the ability to squeeze every dollar out of corporate clear-cuts by “increase[ing] revenues per unit of harvest by about 15%.”  Such maneuvers “helped delay the bankruptcy,” he said, but “could not prevent it.”

Not surprisingly, Barrett’s science cred usually comes with quotation marks to denote the laughability of the term when applied to him.  As noted by local resident David Simpson who observed the bankruptcy proceedings in Texas:

Jeff Barrett, PL’s Vice President and chief ‘scientist’ testified next…He was eminently polite and managed to escape with a shred of his dignity still in tact.

Simpson added that Barrett’s “science had often been impugned.”

Barrett was named as vice president of Maxxam subsidiary Scotia Pacific on April Fools Day 2005.  Too bad the joke was on Humboldt County.

Milk carton mug shot

Caroline Titus over at the Ferndale Enterprise tipped us off that the paper’s coverage of the sorry-ass scandal at the Humboldt Creamery is on-line.

This cartoon is wonderfully/terribly appropriate.

Beer & Bread to beat the recruiters

Below is a notice from the Redwood Peace & Justice Center.

The Redwood Peace & Justice Center’s Beer and Bread tasting will benefit the defense fund for Measures F and J, passed by Eureka and Arcata voters to protect children from military recruitment, which the Federal Government challenged in December.

Proceeds from this year’s event on Friday March 27 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Vets Hall, at 1425 J Street will also go to the Humboldt Committee for Conscientious Objectors/GI Rights Hotline. The HCCO/GI Rights Hotline volunteers advise and support young people with military issues.

Measure F in Arcata and J in Eureka, passed by voters in the November Elections, are now being challenged by the Federal government’s Department of Defense and Department of Justice claiming the local initiative violates the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution lending priority to Federal laws that conflict with state and local legislation.

Micro brews can be sampled and discussed with brewers from some of the finest breweries in Northern California and Southern Oregon including Lagunitas, Sierra Nevada, Six Rivers, Mad River, Lost Coast and Eel River.

The Co-op will be providing bottles of unusual selections, seasonal brews and special surprises!

Breads and spreads of all stripes will be featured at the tasty event. The North Coast Co-op Bakery, Los Bagels, Brio, Tofu Shop, Wildberries, Wild Flower Café and Ramone’s are among the bakeries, delis and cafés donating to the event.

SAVED: Coroner remains elected position

Jill Duffy expresses appreciation for outgoing coroner Frank Jager before voting to keep the office independent.

Humboldt County Supervisors voted 4-1 to leave the coroner’s office the way it is.

Supervisor Clif Clendenen cast the lone vote in favor of consolidating the coroner with the sheriffs department.

Before the vote Supervisors heard strong objection to county staff’s argument that consolidation would save $65,000.

Supervisor Duffy, whose absence at the last hearing on the coroner consolidation led to today’s vote, called the money insignificant and said it should not be the determining factor.

County Administrative Officer Loretta Nickolaus stuck to her guns. “We’re strapped for cash more than ever before,” she said.  “I know there will be savings the first year.”

David Elsebusch urged supervisors to adopt part of the Hippocratic oath, “do no harm.”  He said considerable harm will be brought to the citizens if supervisors remove the public’s right to vote for a coroner.

“This is a bit of an emotional issue for some folks,” said Supervisor Jill Duffy in response to the strong comments at the podium.

Supervisor Lovelace said he didn’t see a “compelling need” to consolidate the offices and cautioned against making the move in a “reactionary mode” brought about by the retirement of Coroner Frank Jager.

Supervisors will now begin the recruitment process to appoint a coroner through 2010.

The war for Bonnie’s seat

Bonnie Neely

Humboldt County Supervisor Bonnie Neely will face an army of competitors in the next election, according to sources.

The latest contender may be Eureka mayor Virginia Bass, whose Republican supporters think Neely should be removed because she’s “been there too long.”

Eureka City Councilman Jeff Leonard is also a contender for Neely’s position, according to popular rumor.  And blogger Richard Marks might go for Round 2.

Mayor Virginia Bass

While rumors circulate about challenges to Neely’s seat, the longtime incumbent faces a controversial vote at today’s meeting:  whether to consolidate the Humboldt County coroner with the Sheriffs’ Department.

Neely supported the consolidation last time around while fellow Supes said “no”.  Based on public comment it appears Humboldt residents oppose Neely’s need to remove citizens’ right to chose their own coroner.

As for Bass, time will tell whether she’ll sacrifice corporate drug pushing for a career on the Board of Supervisors.

Maybe some Paxil will help decide…’cause like, who cares when you can pop a couple prescriptions and watch some sitcoms …

[Yawn]

Long live Republican drug abusers like Rush Limbaugh whose chemically-charged values are missing from local politics…

Mommy?  Where’s my blankie..and my Oxycontin?