Budget Analyst Makes Good

The past couple of months I've had the pleasure of corresponding via email with Bob and Lee Grogan formerly of Juneau and presently of Franschhoek, South Africa. Bob was a budget analyst colleague of mine at the Division of Legislative Finance and Lee taught at the State's correspondence study program.

They subsquently moved to Sun Valley, Idaho and at some point began spending time in South Africa. Sounds like they are two mighty happy expatriates.

Bob was always an inveterate doodler - who amused us all with cartoons depicting the politicians of the day. He is now a serious landscape artist and art teacher - and President Pro-Tem Emeritus of the Elmer Lindstrom "Is There Life After Government Service Association" - (LAGASS).

Bob's work includes landscapes of Alaska, Idaho, and South Africa. Check-out his website at:
http://robertgrogan.com/

Moonrise with Oaks by Robert Grogan

In other news, Alaska and national political pundits are all atwitter over the dismissal of criminal charges against former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens. The Republicans, of course, are portraying this as complete vindication of Uncle Ted - that he was railroaded. This is not an opinion I share. The Attorney General's finding of prosecutorial misconduct should not lead one to conclude whether Uncle Ted did or did not, in fact, commit the offenses for which he was convicted. What really worries me is that the incompetence of the prosecutorial team may well derail other ongoing investigations including that of Uncle Ted's dirtbag son, Ben.

Meanwhile, our Governor continues to demonstrate a less than sure-footed talent for dancing on the national political stage. I was amused by a recent article in Politico wherein her partisans suggest her problems all stem from poor staff work: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20603.html

A much more obvious explanation, in my mind at least, is simply that she is a light-weight her own self...and at the end of the day naked ambition and a certain animal magnetism are no substitutes for substance. Although there is certainly plenty of glaring contrary evidence in many quarters that suggests I may well be wrong about the no substitute part. Hah!

Finally, a delightful picture from today's Oregonian taken at Portland's new service animal training center.

Wichita, a guide dog in training. This looks like one mighty trustworthy dog!

Well, off to the elders. It's quite nice today and I may take my life into my own hands and attempt to replace the cap on the chimney of the folk's wood stove. I usually change the cap every six weeks or so; but there's been snow and ice on the roof for months and I have been unwilling to risk life and limb. There is now a clear path to the chimney. We had to stop burning wood a couple of weeks ago - when the chimney and cap get too dirty smoke will back-up into the living room whenever you open the woodstove's door.