| |
|
Monday, April 14, 2003
|
|
Last year was such a success that we just have to do it again this year. There are a few rule changes, so be sure to read them:
Rules:
- The participant must guess the date the ice goes out of the Lagoon.
- Each participant gets only one guess.
- Date for entries closes at 11:59 PM ADT on April 25th, 2003.
- A guess consists of just a date - no time. I refuse to install a timing tripod on the Lagoon.
- I will check the ice several times each day.
- ALL the ice must go out. It sometimes goes out in chunks - but chunks don't count.
- Participants must supply their e-mail address. This is so I can contact you if you win.
- If more than one person guesses the winning date, each winner will get a full prize - up to 4 winners. If there are more than 4 winners, the winning 4 will be selected based upon earliest entry into the contest.
- All judge's decisions are final and I (Steph) am the judge.
- Ah - the prize. It's a good one - a $25 gift certificate to Amazon.
Voting:
- Voting will be done through the comments feature.
- The comments button for this post is after the last photo.
- Click on the comments button and submit your vote.
- The cool thing is that everyone will be able to see everyone else's vote - hopefully there will be a lot of them.
Notes and Hints:
- Last year the ice went out very late, May 10th.
- Last year's winners were Brad Yeary and Erin Wheeler.
- I walked over the entire Lagoon last Tuesday (April 8th). I decided that was the last day I'd risk walking on the ice. I have not seen anyone else on the ice since then.
- Dogs are still safely running on the ice. (But I won't let Clemmie out on the ice (over-protective Mom and all of that...).
- The section of Chester Creek just East of Spenard Road is mostly open. For you non-Anchorage-ites, Chester Creek feeds into the Lagoon.
- If I got to vote, I'd vote for May 2. (Same date I voted for last year.)
- Below are a few pictures of the Lagoon's current state:
 A view of the entire (or most of the Lagoon).
Picture taken at Noon ADT on April 14th, 2003.
 A closeup of the ice taken on the edge of the Western Shore.
Picture taken at Noon ADT on April 14, 2003.
CLICK ON THE COMMENT LINK RIGHT BELOW TO VOTE:
8:35:00 PM 
|
|
At last - some good news on the electoral front. Mark Begich, by a whopping 18 votes, won the Anchorage Mayoral election.
In the past, I have not been a Mark Begich supporter: I have some trust issues and he is certainly no friend of GCI. However, our current mayor, George Weurch, is an incompetent abomination. And in my case, it's personal - Weurch, with his crony, Bill Sheffield the current Anchorage Port Director (and former impeached Alaska Governor) want to bulldoze the nose off of Government Hill's Brown's Point Park and one block of houses - including my house - for a wider road into the Port of Anchorage. So, I have a deeply personal stake in this election.
There are two obstacles in the way of Begich becoming Mayor:
- Mayor Wuerch will ask for a recount - who wouldn't? 18 votes is a squeaky thin, but a typical Alaska vote margin. This is definitely a state where every vote really does count.
- Ken Jacobus, a Republican electioneer (as opposed to a regular good guy Republican as exlemplified by Mom, Phil, or Charles), has filed a suit in federal court challenging the new law that lowers the winning percentage from 50% + 1 to 45% + 1. This could be an issue. It will be interesting to see. At this point in time, I am of the belief that Republican electioneers will stop at nothing to get their man (or occasionally, woman) in office. Case in point, Florida in 2000. They are also so damn righteous and shamlesss about it. Jacobus even stated that if Weurch had won with 46% of the vote, he wouldn't have filed suit. So don't give me this crap about right vs. wrong. It's just shameless electioneering. And just once, I'd like to beat them at their game.
Of course, to be fair, Republican electioneers learned everything they know from those Democrats of yesteryear, Richard Daley and Huey Long.
8:02:59 PM
|
|
 Another special guest appearance by a beer on Wine of the Night: Stone Ruination IPA. A super hopped-up beer. To quote the press release, "it weights in at a 100+ IBU's (International Bitterness Units - whatever that is). I have to say that I didn't find it bitter - just really really hoppy and loaded with alcohol: 7.7%. This beer will definitely put hair on your chest. It is an entertaining bottle. It's called Ruination because it will "ruin your palate for anything else." Which is true - it really blows away your taste buds. I enjoyed it - but I'm too much of an alcohol wimp to drink it regularly. If I wasn't such a wuss, I think I could develop a taste for it.
Isn't the label great!!!!
7:39:38 PM
|
|
|
© Copyright 2005 Stephanie A. Kesler.
Last update: 3/5/2005; 8:31:54 PM.
|
|
|
The Slat Rat's Favorite Blogs
The Slat Rat's Favorite Techie Blogs
The Slat Rat's Bookpile
|
|
