Madeline (Giles) DeJournett is the Advance writer for the North Stoddard Countian. A retired high school English/history teacher, she spent 32 years teaching in 5 schools in Missouri and Alaska. These days, she lives quietly with a menagerie of wild and domestic animals on 52 secluded acres in the remote Tillman hills south of Advance. She graduated from Dexter High School in 1960 and Southeast Missouri State in 1964. She can be contacted at advancensc@sbcglobal.net.

Palin Portfolio: Hot or Not?

Posted Thursday, September 11, 2008, at 6:12 PM

In keeping with my current series of Palin Portfolio Pictures, I am posting another photo of the Alaska governor/GOP V.P. candidate, despite insinuations from my more critical fellow bloggers that I might not be treating the subject seriously.

I'm sure you will admit that this photo, which is obviously from a later date than the frivolous "eye candy" photos of 1984, is of a much more serious sort. (except for the legs, possibly)

The building in the background is of the kind popular in Alaska - a log cabin similar, though smaller, than the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce Building, which sits between First Avenue and the Chena River, right next to the bridge.

Upon our arrival in Fairbanks in May, 1969, we were told that the Chamber had once employed a GOAT to do the grass trimming on the sod roof of the chamber cabin. I was sorry not to have seen that quaint form of lawnmower...

But I digress...

I cannot add any quaint details about the motorcycle... These vehicles were not plentiful in Alaska when I lived there, primarily because there were only about 4 months of the year when they could be driven. Snowmobiles, on the other hand, were far more practical, since they could function in the other 8 months of the year - so the expense could be better justified. Still, at the salaries which one could earn in the Far North, many residents could afford to buy whatever they chose.

I did have one student who managed to get his cycle to school in the dead of winter, especially for a speech that he was giving in one of my speech classes. It sat in regal splendor in my room all day, gazed at in silent reverence by hoardes of young men, who came into the room without a word, mezmerized by the gleam of chrome.

The student was from Dothan, Alabama and suffered from the same ailment as many of the kids who had been transplanted to the Far North. He was painfully homesick.

Oops, I have digressed again, haven't I???

Oh, well, now it's time to close this blog, and I fear that I have made no political statements!!! For shame, Madeline! How dare you get off the topic and talk about log cabins and motorcycles and homesick kids, when there are far more important issues at hand???

What influence will Sarah Palin have on the election?

Will the "Second Dude" change his rugged outdoor lifestyle for the rugged indoor lifestyle of the Washington D.C. jet set?? Will he trade in his Arctic Cat for a Lincoln Towncar Stretch Limo??

Will librarian's glasses become the rage among the Miss Universe pageant crowd?

Will Palin propose goat-powered grass removal from the highways, byways, overpasses and public grounds of all Federal buildings??

Will the nation see a return to log cabin construction?

Will the nastiness of this election so turn off voters that they move to the Alaskan wilderness in droves?

Stay tuned as Madeline probes the truly controversial (and serious) issues of our time...

...or not.

Comments

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MD, it is obvious that the only thing Super Sarah might not look good in is a gunny sack dress. She is already on her way to helping cure a serious malady afflicting American women -- they don't realize how sexy glasses can be. Raising awareness about that would be a long lasting contribution to American society.

There is a lot more to her than looking good in dresses, glasses, gowns ...(gunny sacks?!). I found a news article that after cutting 13% from the Alaska state budget her approval rating was over 90% -- the highest of any governor (and possibly any public official) in the U.S. Republicans AND Democrats in Alaska love her. Can you imagine what would happen if Gov. Blunt cut 13% of the fat from Missouri's budget? Ain't going to happen so no use fantasizing.

-- Posted by FJGuy on Thu, Sep 11, 2008, at 7:49 PM

Madeline Dejournett's response:
FJ, take a look at that building behind her. Is that the old Chamber of Commerce building in Fairbanks? It looks much smaller than I remember. I googled the topic and couldn't find anything but big tall buildings - no trace of that beautiful log cabin. I'm sure it outlived it's usefulness.
I don't fantasize about big budget cuts like that, because it always means that someone gets hurt.
Hey! He already did that, FJ! Only problem is -- he cut it from the mental health, Medicaid, and the poorest residents in the state.

Been there, done that! Only he didn't end up with a 90% approval rating.

-- Posted by goat lady on Thu, Sep 11, 2008, at 9:19 PM

Madeline Dejournett's response:
According to Wikipedia: As of July 24, 2007, Blunt had a 48% approval rating.
I guess if you squint real hard, you could consider him "hot," too!

-- Posted by goat lady on Thu, Sep 11, 2008, at 9:21 PM
GL, get real!!!

MD, the banner in the background says Q99.7, which is an FM station in Wasilla. The small cabin looks like it could be a food stand, and the Alaska State Fairgrounds is only about 10 miles from Wasilla, so that is where it could be. The photo was definitely taken in the summertime.

-- Posted by FJGuy on Thu, Sep 11, 2008, at 10:16 PM

Madeline Dejournett's response:
Oh, yeah, no bare legs hanging out in the winter - or even in the fall...or spring...or at night after the sun goes down in the summer....In fact, shorts are about as useful as motorcycles up there...
Thanks for the logical observation, FJ. I'm sure you're right - the photo may have been taken when she was mayor of Wasilla - or when she visited there as governor.
You guys are insane to type that IF anyone makes a cut and trims the incredibly ridiculous amounts of waste, someone gets hurt. That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Education is a great example of NEVER being cut....expenditures ONLY increase EACH year and I am not seeing improvement. You may. You know what happens when schools get targeted and their students take home a letter to their parents saying their school is targeted and now they area able to choose to go to a different school if the family so chooses???????????????? That school gets $40,000.00! So lets get this straight....bad scores, labeled due to poor performance, families allowed to go elsewhere if they want, and the school gets 40GGGGGGG's. HOw stupid. Vote for President Obama. He is going to grow this government like we have never seen and ALL you problems will be solved.

All that said....Blunt is the most incompetent sorry *** excuse for a Gov. I have seen. Glad he is a quitter.

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Thu, Sep 11, 2008, at 10:57 PM

Madeline Dejournett's response:
Well, at least we agree on one thing, hoon!
Re: what influence Palin will have on this election - this has become the most interesting race in my long (though sometimes poor) memory. I wonder whether McCain's appeal to the moderates will be lessened by his choice of a much more conservative running mate. His team has probably struggled with which group they need more.

-- Posted by gardengirl on Fri, Sep 12, 2008, at 10:37 AM
Cool....sometimes it is fun to be insane.

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Fri, Sep 12, 2008, at 10:38 AM
hoon, do you think Blunt was worse than Holden? I don't think so.

-- Posted by BonScott on Fri, Sep 12, 2008, at 7:02 PM
NO, not at all. Just not happy with many of Blunt's decisions, stances, lack of communication (Robbin C will like that reference), and general performance as a younger politician. Also, WTF is up with quitting? But to be direct about your question, NO worse than Holden, who, when he walked into a room, the lights seemed to dim.

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Sat, Sep 13, 2008, at 6:46 AM
Too many problems, the world can't solve.

Too many people, no-one wants to be involved.

Lack of communication - back off!

-- Posted by robbincrosby on Sat, Sep 13, 2008, at 9:40 PM
MD - "I don't fantasize about big budget cuts like that, because it always means that someone gets hurt."

Yeah, everybody gets hurt except the taxpayers...

-- Posted by Kevin71 on Sun, Sep 14, 2008, at 6:09 PM
Who's this Blunt guy?

-- Posted by Jim Morrison on Thu, Sep 18, 2008, at 1:27 AM
You're kidding, right?

-- Posted by goat lady on Thu, Sep 18, 2008, at 9:26 PM

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