Teen dies because Ammosexuals do not understand gravity.

Courtesy of Fox 47 News:  

Nearly a week after being struck in the head with a bullet that fell out of the sky in Hammond, Indiana, 13-year-old Noah Inman died this weekend, the Hammond Police Department announced on Sunday. 

According to the Hammond Police, the boy was outside playing basketball with a group of children around 9:30 p.m. July 1 when he suddenly fell. Witnesses believed the boy was having a seizure and immediately called for an ambulance. 

At the hospital, doctors found the boy was struck from a falling bullet. 

"The Hammond Police Department would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to the Inman family. We wish you peace to bring comfort, courage to face the days ahead, and loving memories to forever hold in your hearts," Hammond Police Chief John Doughty said. "Our hearts go out to you in your time of sorrow. When reason fails, pray for peace. We will be praying with you." 

It is believed that the gunfire came as part of a pre-July 4 weekend celebration.

I don't know, maybe it's just me, but shouldn't there be at the very least some education about the idea that "what goes up must come down" before allowing some nimrod to buy a gun?

Where do these knuckle draggers think the bullet goes after being fired into the air?

Oh that's right, into an unsuspecting teenager's skull. 

Happy 4th of July!

I am not typically somebody who gets all caught up in over the top patriotism on days like this.

But this year is different from times past.

This year I really feel that my country is under siege and that it is the duty of every citizen to stand up against the tyranny which is spreading like a cancer throughout the land.

We are under attack.

Perhaps not physically, though I fear that will come, but intellectually, emotionally, and, dare I say, spiritually.

I don't mean the kind of spirituality that they talk about in church, I mean the kind of spirituality that makes you feel connected to the land on which you live, and the people who live there with you.

These last eight years I have felt a kind of kinship with my fellow countrymen that I had not felt for many years, if ever. A feeling that we were all moving forward together. Perhaps not all at the same pace, but moving all the same.

I do not feel that any longer.

And the loss of the feeling has left an emptiness that I never knew I had before.

So today we may celebrate the freedom that our forefathers fought for lo so many years ago, while also remembering that the fight for freedom is never truly over. And that fact has never seemed more real than it does today.

For this Fourth of July weekend Americans were protesting for a new kind of independence, from Donald Trump.

Happening Now. Impeachment March at Piedmont Park coincides with Anti-Trump marches nationwide. #fox5atl pic.twitter.com/jx3lgjlPd3

— Aungelique Proctor (@aungeliquefox5) July 2, 2017

Courtesy of NBC News: 

People gathered in cities across the United States on Sunday, two days before Independence Day, to call on Congress to impeach President Donald Trump. 

In Los Angeles, they carried a black coffin draped in red, white and blue flowers, topped with a hand-written sign: "The Presidency 1789-2017." 

In Austin, Texas, they marched from the state Capitol to City Hall, tussling with counter-protesters along the way, and in downtown San Francisco, a chant made their goal plain: "What do we want? Impeachment! When do we want it? Now!" 

As in many other cities, protesters were greeted by supporters of the president in Austin. 

"There's no reason at this point to impeach the president. He's committed no crimes. There's no reason," Jake Lloyd, who backs the president, told NBC station KXAN. "I don't think they understand what impeachment is." 

The "impeachment marches" added to the fledgling effort among lawmakers who have invoked the "I" word. 

Among them is Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who first called for Trump's impeachment for obstruction of justice on the House floor on May 17 and who repeated his call to hundreds of protesters Sunday in Austin.

statesman: UPDATE: Verbal confrontation but no arrests at ‘Impeachment’ march https://t.co/0CJnf7iHia pic.twitter.com/Eqz8vSmCPX

— Austin Fox. UT (@myfoxaustin) July 2, 2017

 Boy that Donald Trump rally knows how to energize Americans, doesn't he?

By the way I USED to think that the idea of impeachment was frivolous and unlikely, but the further we get into this catastrophic presidency the more I think that he may not only be possible, but also necessary.

There is also talk of invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office.

Section four of which states the following:

Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Up until this point nobody has ever pulled the trigger on this, and the 25th Amendment has only come into play after an assassination of a sitting president, so this would be breaking new ground for sure.

But then again Donald Trump is clearly mentally ill, and if there were ever an appropriate time for something like this, now would be it.

A number of Republican Senators are begging Mitch McConnell to cancel the August recess for fear of what they may face from constituents this 4th of July after failing to make progress on a health care bill.

Courtesy of WaPo: 

An even larger group of Senate Republicans suggested Friday that McConnell should scale back or cancel the chamber’s month-long August recess, given the lack of progress they have made on not just health care but a tax-code overhaul, spending bills, the debt ceiling and a budget resolution. 

Senate Republicans David Perdue (Ga.), Steve Daines (Mont.), Joni Ernst (Iowa), John Neely Kennedy (La.), James Lankford (Okla.), Mike Lee (Utah), Mike Rounds (S.D.), Luther Strange (Ala.), Dan Sullivan (Alaska) and Thom Tillis (N.C.) sent McConnell a letter Friday asking him to shorten or cancel the August recess so they can get more done. 

“Delivering meaningful results was never assumed to be easy, but the millions of Americans who placed their confidence in our leadership expect our full and best effort,” the 10 senators wrote. 

Republicans are steeling themselves for attacks on their health-care negotiations over the July Fourth recess, with progressive activists planning to pressure any members of Congress they see at public events. Most GOP senators were keeping their plans close to their vests, though a handful, including Cassidy, Ted Cruz (Tex.), Susan Collins (Maine), Jerry Moran (Kan.) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) have announced town halls or parade visits. 

Collins, a vocal critic of the current Senate draft, had publicized just one scheduled appearance — in the 1,300-person town of Eastport, Maine, near the Canadian border. 

At (Louisiana Senator Bill) Cassidy’s town hall at the Living Faith Christian Center in Baton Rouge, he tried to make the case for transitioning Medicaid recipients into private insurance. But constituents interrupted him repeatedly, prompting him to chastise them for being rude. 

“I’ll tell you what’s rude — kicking 22 million people off of health care in this country,” said a man in the front row after the senator recognized him to speak. 

The audience erupted into cheers. 

Reminding Cassidy, a medical doctor, of his stint treating patients at a hospital for the uninsured, the man continued: “You worked at Earl K. Long for many years. You know what people are like at their lowest.” 

Senate Democrats are staging events aimed at highlighting how the Senate’s draft bill could hurt health-care delivery in their home states. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) is visiting at least two rural hospitals over the break to underscore the impact of proposed funding cuts.

Yeah I bet these GOP Senators are absolutely dreading these 4th of July events.  

I think that Alaska's two senators are only planning on attending the parades, but I have little doubt that they will be inundated with demands that they protect Medicaid and work to expand health coverage up here.

I especially think that is true of Lisa, who many see as being much more likely to reject the GOP plan, and who is the subject of a lot of anti-repeal advertising on our local radio and television stations right now.

Happy Independence Day Bitchez!!!

As many of you know we Alaskans celebrated our independence day yesterday.

But for those of you who had to wait an extra day, Happy Fourth of July and remember what my father always said:

"Godammit Ass-eyes throw the firecracker before it blows off one of your stupid fingers. Jesus are you sure you're my kid?"

Miss ya Dad!

Now where have we heard the term "fish picker" before?

Courtesy of Bristol's Instagram Web Server:

Best way to spend the 4th .. My fish picker 

As you all undoubtedly remember it was Todd who first used that term as quoted by ADN in reference to the birth of Trig:

"You can't have a fish picker from Texas," said Todd.

And now it looks as if it is Tripp, and not Trig who got the job as "fish picker."

I also cannot help notice that Bristol has strategically placed Tripp in front of her baby bump. Is that to discourage internet sleuths from attempting to discern the stage of HER pregnancy?

Hillary Clinton aides use rope to corral reporters during parade appearance.

Clinton advance aides create a rope line for the press, moving with the candidate pic.twitter.com/9S7CpVt7x4

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) July 4, 2015

Courtesy of ABC News:  

At the Fourth of July parade Hillary Clinton marched in Saturday in Gorham, New Hampshire, reporters following the candidate were kept -- and at moments, dragged -- behind an actual moving rope line. 

The rope, which two Clinton staffers held on to on either side, was meant to give Clinton space as she walked down the parade route, but photos of reporters being dragged behind the rope as she marched have gone viral on Twitter.

I saw this yesterday and have to admit that I was kind of shocked.

I mean it is one thing to have a roped off area for reporters to stand during an event, but quite another to use a rope to herd them down the street like cattle. 

Ultimately I am unable to really defend this action, and think it is really bad optics and not at all helpful to the Clinton campaign.

Does anybody else have a different opinion on this?

You know perhaps Dakota Meyer does belong in the Palin family.

Courtesy of Meyer's Facebook page: 

Celebrating 4th of July and wanted to make a toast with all of my brothers and sisters on social media. 

Here's to all the men and women who have sacrificed for our great nation. May we never forget why we are able to live in the greatest nation on the planet. For those who gave all.

Yes let's honor the military men and women who gave their all, by disrespecting their flag and getting wasted on the 4th of July.

Perhaps somebody should remind Dakota that he is the recipient of a freaking Medal of Honor! Deserved or not, certain people look up to him.

You know in this whole pregnancy brouhaha I really want to be on Meyer's side, after all I know what the Palins can do to people. But you know he is making it really, really hard to give a shit.

And finally a 4th of July message from someone who actually understands the importance of the occasion, President Obama.

Now THAT is an inspiring 4th of July message.

In fact considering the last week, this might be the best 4th of July that President Obama can remember.

However the President refuses to call this last week, his "best week ever." That label goes to another week from his past:  

President Barack Obama said Tuesday that last week – when he won historic victories on trade, health care and gay rights – was “gratifying,” but he stopped short of calling it his “best week ever,” as some pundits have. 

“In terms of my best week … now my best week I will tell you was marrying Michelle, that was a really good week. Malia and Sasha being born – excellent weeks,” Obama said during a joint news conference with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

Now that is a smart man.

Well for this American that last week was pretty damn special, but I also have to agree that it cannot hold a candle to the day that I held my newborn baby girl for the first time.

And I want to thank this President for helping me to keep a promise I made that day to help make the world a better, safer, and more tolerant place for my daughter to live.

Gather round kids, Sarah Palin is going to tell us the meaning behind the 4th of July.

Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue moron's Facebook page:

Happy Fourth of July! This day epitomizes what is unique and beautiful about the greatest nation on earth, our own America. Countries are normally based on geography or ethnicity, but ours is based on ideas that bind us together and were declared in writing on this day in 1776. On that day we were united. It is time for that unity again, so that we may stand again. (Does she mean the unity that she is always trying to undo with partisan political attacks against liberals, and our Commander-in-Chief?)

To explain to the next generation what those essential, exceptional ideas are, ask a child to look closely at a handful of loose change and read what’s written on our coins: E Pluribus Unum. In God We Trust. Liberty. These are the notions our nation was built on, and they are still true and necessary today. Divided from these precepts our nation will fall. (Actually E Pluribus Unum was only officially added to our coins in 1873, almost a hundred years after the country was founded.)

This Fourth of July, we celebrate our Founders making their desire for liberty plain by declaring their independence from Britain’s King and his burdensome government. May that same unifying desire and courage to fight for God-given sweet freedom be our driving force today. (Yeah God didn't give us our freedoms, our ancestors fought for them. That's actually what today is all about.)

God bless you all and God bless our United States of America! 

- Sarah Palin

You know the fireworks in Anchorage have been cancelled this year, and there are restrictions all over the state, but I bet there will still be a noisy display coming out of the Palin compound this evening fueled by alcohol, another unwed pregnancy, and long festering animosity.

All I know is that if I happen to be anywhere near Wasilla this evening, and I might be, I am going to keep an eye out for any flying wedding rings, or loud explosions of temper.

Personally I will be headed down to the parkstrip today to catch the 4th of July parade, and see if I can find that awesome corndog stand again.

Speaking of Conservatives this was the most popular float in the Norfolk, Nebraska 4th of July parade.

Courtesy of Journal Star:

 Parade committee member Rick Konopasek said the float wasn’t meant to be any more offensive than a political cartoon would be. The only restriction for entering a float is that it can’t be considered morally objectionable. That basically translates to a ban on nudity to sexually explicit messages, Konopasek said. 

“We don’t feel its right to tell someone what they can and can’t express,” he said. “This was political satire. If we start saying no to certain floats, we might as well not have a parade at all.” 

Konopasek and parade announcer Wally Sonnenschein said the outhouse float was the most popular one in the parade, and the three judges awarded it an honorable mention. 

“It’s obvious the majority of the community liked it,” Konopasek said. “So should we deny the 95 percent of those that liked it their rights, just for the 5 percent of people who are upset?”

Look, another place I am never planning to visit. 

Update: Oops sorry folks. I did originally think this was Virginia, but it's Nebraska. 

I have fixed it now.

Sarah Palin's 4th of July was so much more red, white, blue and star spangled than everybody elses's. So take THAT haters! Update!

These are pictures from Palin's latest Facebook post of her entire family looking as if Francis Scott Key threw up all over them.

Here is the tect she banged out with her forehead to go along with them:

Happy Independence Day from everyone of us at our family reunion today -- celebrating at the grand patriotic Coeur d'Alene parade!

Looks like fun. You know, unless you are are sickened by an over the top display of faux patriotism that is.

I celebrated the 4th of July right here in Alaska with my fellow Alaskans.

I did not dress like an American flag, shove sparklers up my ass, or try to have sex with an apple pie, but I think I was sufficiently patriotic.

Why is Sarah Palin dressed all in black, when everybody else is wearing as few clothes as possible?

But then again I am not selling myself as the spokesperson for the return to American exceptionalism (Whatever the hell that is!) like some people we know.

Update: Yes if you Google "Coeur d'Alene and racism" You might come to understand why it is so attractive to Palin and her clan.

Sarah Palin's super patriotic passive aggressive 4th of July shout out.

Wearing her "With every step I am disrespecting our flag" shoes.

Courtesy of the red, White, ans Blue moron's Facebook page:

Happy Fourth of July, America! Never forget what Thomas Jefferson called “the Spirit of 1776” – a sentiment rooted in the abiding belief that all men are created equal and desire freedom. Reagan invoked that same spirit in his famous speech “A Time for Choosing” when he urged us not to “abandon the American revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capitol can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.” 

(Translation:  Happy freedom day you small town living patriots, and fuck all of you elite intellectuals who keep fact checking me and pointing out my ignorance for all to see.)

Today and every day, let’s remember the “Spirit of 1776” and celebrate Independence, not government!  

(Translation: "Let's totally celebrate the spirit that formed this great country, but not the government the Founding Fathers came up with to run it.")


May that love of liberty burn in our hearts and renew our commitment to restore and preserve all that is good and strong and true about America. 

 (Translation: And what is good and strong and true in America is that there are certain people who deserve to have rights, and certain others who simply do not. You know who you are!)


 - Sarah Palin (Translation: RAM.)


Palin's ghostwriter also includes a quote from Ron Paul which kind of makes me think she is seriously considering the idea of the Tea Party breaking off and forming its own political party.

Which would, in my estimation, be just about the greatest thing to happen to this country since Paul Revere rode through the streets ringing those bells and warning the British that they weren't going to be taking away our arms.

Okay I know that might confuse a few of you who did NOT sleep through tenth grade history, so here let Stephen Colbert explain exactly how that took place.

By the way I just returned from attending the 4th of July parade downtown where I got the chance to see my Senator. Mark Begich, walking down the street while being greeted by friendly waves from bystanders, and numerous floats promoting diversity and Alaska's commitment to human rights.

It made me very proud of my state, and very proud of my country.

Ted Nugent claims that people who hate him, hate America. Because you know THAT makes perfect sense.

Courtesy of Raw Story:  

On Tuesday, Ted Nugent called the mayor of Longview, Texas “clueless,” “dishonest,” “racist,” and claimed that he had “bamboozled the good citizens of Longview.” Last month, the town withdrew its invitation to have him headline its annual July 4 Fireworks and Freedom Celebration. 

When the invitation was revoked, Mayor Jay Dean said that Nugent’s concert “didn’t really fit what we trying to put together, a family oriented program…and I confirmed with his thoughts that that probably wasn’t the right act. And I still feel that it was the right decision. It just didn’t fit with what we were trying to put together.” 

On Saturday, Nugent told the Forth Worth Star-Telegram that the real reason for the revocation of the offer was that Mayor Dean is racist. “I hear from reliable sources that the mayor is a racist and was offended that my band performs mostly African-American-influenced music,” he said. 

“Everyone knows ol’ Uncle Ted is the ultimate Independence Day rockout with the ultimate all-American, soul music, rockin’ soundtrack of defiance, liberty and freedom. We shall carry on. We are the good guys. Clueless, dishonest people like the mayor are the bad guys.”

So its racism that is keeping Nugent from playing his 4th of July gig in Texas? And here I thought racism wasn't good for anything.

Nugent also dropped this bomb:  

“Those that hate me are following the Saul Alinsky playbook on how to dismantle, fundamentally transform the greatest nation and quality of life the world has ever known,” he continued. 

“Those that hate me hate America, plain and simple.” 

Wow, I had no idea I hated America. Now I feel bad. 

Beer company in hot water for omitting mention of God while using quotes from Declaration of Independence. Turns out they were following the guidelines.

Courtesy of ABC News: 

In the ad, which has an Independence Day theme, an actor says, “All men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” The Declaration of Independence states ”…that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” 

The ad has aired for about three weeks focusing on the July Fourth holiday, but the company is still receiving angry comments posted on its Facebook page. 

“I guess I should not be surprised that a company, interested only in profit, would rewrite American history for commercial gain,” wrote one Facebook user on Samuel Adams’ Facebook page. “However, abusers of history will no longer receive any of my money to support their censorsed [sic] advertising campaigns.” 

In a statement, the Boston Beer Company says it was just trying to follow a code implemented by the trade group, The Beer Institute, which is based in Washington, D.C., and represents 2,800 breweries. 

“We adhere to an advertising code, established by the Beer Institute – a beer industry trade organization - that states, ‘Beer advertising and marketing materials should not include religion or religious themes’,” according to a statement provided by a Boston Beer Company spokeswoman. “We agree with that, and we follow these guidelines and approach our marketing with the utmost responsibility.”

Yeah you know, believe it or not, SOME beer drinkers don't really want mentions of God during their beer commercials. Sort of takes the fun out of over imbibing don't ya know.

The company was following the advertising guidelines so fuck them for doing so, right?

I mean does anybody really think that the forefathers would give a rat's ass that a beer company chose only a part of the Declaration of Independence for their commercial? Hardly. After all how many times does a beer company even mention the document?

No the only people who would even notice something like this are the brittle, overly defensive idiots who think that religion should be inserted into every nook and cranny of our country. Which is NOT what the Founders intended.

Besides how much damage to beer sales do these idiots really think they can do by throwing a fit over this? After all their queen already told college students not to drink this beer.

Protestors use Fourth of July holiday to voice their concerns over domestic spying by NSA. Update!

Courtesy of CNET:

About 500 people met in Union Square to listen to a number of privacy advocates and civil liberties groups discuss Fourth Amendment rights as they stand today, in light of recent revelations about the U.S. government's spying capability. 

According to the organizers, Independence Day is a poignant day to protest in support of citizens' constitutional rights for protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, which they claim have been eroded under both the Bush and Obama administrations.

You know I have been against this whole program since the Bush administration first pushed through the Patriot Act after 9/11.

However I have to say that as much as it bothers me to know that my e-mails and phone records are being cataloged by the government for use against me should I do something that for some reason makes me a "person of interest," the fact that the same types of programs are being used around the world puts things in a somewhat different perspective for me.

Recently we learned that France has its own massive data gathering program as well, just like many of its European neighbors.

So living with that reality I am not sure how America could NOT be carefully monitoring communications coming in and out of the country.

And in fact that appears to be the attitude of most Americans:

One month after the Guardian’s first story, which revealed an order from the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court authorizing the NSA to collect the phone records of every Verizon customer, there has been no public movement in Washington to stop the court from issuing another such order. Congress has no intelligence reform bill that would rein in the phone-tracking, or Internet monitoring, or cyberattack-planning, or any of the other secret government workings that Snowden’s disclosures have revealed. 

And as for the protests which inspired this post? Well I am not so sure how serious they are about  this issue either.

And of course my favorite.

Somehow I think that both his privacy and his penis are safe.

As of right now I have to admit that I am less concerned about what information the government is gathering, and MORE concerned about the information contained on those laptops (or hard drives if you prefer) that Snowden spirited out of the country with him.

I would like to see him back here in America, along with that stolen information, so that the government can start doing some damage assessments (Since we KNOW that both China and Russia have every bit of data that Snowden brought to their countries) and putting in safeguards to make sure another security leak like this does not happen in the future.

(Photos courtesy of Buzzfeed.)

Update: By the way, if you re concerned with what information the government has  gathered about you specifically, there is a way for you to find out.

Sarah Palin celebrated America's Independence Day by quoting song lyrics and hitting people up for cash.

Apparently RAM is so busy toiling over Palin's new upcoming book about how the liberals broke Christmas, she does not have time to write Palin's Facebook posts right now. So Palin has taken to having somebody (Piper?) put text on images for her, and then post them to Facebook.

The image above of her and country singer Lee Greenwood, has "God Bless the USA" emblazoned across the top and these lyrics from his big hit "Proud to be an American" on the bottom:

And I'm proud to be an American, 

where at least I know I'm free. 

And I won't forget the men who died, 

who gave that right to me.

But right below those words is the address for SarahPAC, which, of course, is placed there to essentially ask for donations.

Palin also has ANOTHER picture posted today of her pretending to read the Declaration of Independence taken during her famous road trip to oblivion back in 2011. At the bottom of the photo is, you guessed it, the address for SarahPAC. (BTW that trip was paid for by SarahPAC. What a coincidence that it is now being used to grift MORE money.)

 Palin's Twitter account also has two tweets directing followers to those Sarah PAC pimping images.

So essentially Palin's Independence Day message is "God Bless America" now pay me!

But for what? Palin is NOT an actual politicians facing an upcoming election for which she needs funds. Nor is she a person whose life was impacted by a terrible injustice who is trying to raise money to bring about change through politics like Gabby Giffords.

No instead she is a disgraced politician, and once fired, and now rehired, Fox News pundit so terrible that they will only allow her six minutes of airtime in an attempt to limit the amount of stupid that she vomits into the homes of their viewers.

So by what right does she have to be asking for the hard earned money of the American people? She used to at least pretend she was going to run for national office, but even her MOST ardent admirers don't really believe that anymore. She also seems to have no real agenda besides calling for a return to "time tested truths" and "common sense," both of which are nonsensical terms that mean nothing.

So is the only reason she is asking for money because in the past people gave it to her, and she is now simply conditioned to grift? Is she like that family dog who was once fed from the table and refuses to leave during meals because it might happen again, or something might drop on its own?

If so how pathetic is that?

Now as you know I am only a liberal and therefore not a "rill" American, but it seems to me that it is extremely distasteful to use such an important national holiday to beg for cash that you do not really need.

I mean what kind of person would not find that offensive?

Oh right, what was I thinking?

(You know I think I saw that guy while I was camping out around Wasilla.)

Sarah Palin channels Paula Deen ("Racists, party of two!") for the 4th of July celebration. You know, IF Paula Deen got all of her recipes off the internet.

Courtesy of Alaska's own Paula Deen's Facebook page:

The beauty of catching some of our Alaskan species with fins is the amount of meat harvested with each fish. Rod and reeling red salmon, or, my favorite, a big (or even not so big) halibut ensures you've got a few dinners taken care of even when feeding a bunch of people. 

We had a blast hauling in halibut in Homer a few days ago, despite the cold rain and queasy waves for which Cook Inlet is notorious. (Queasy waves?) Todd flew his Cessna 185 alongside the Inlet, then on to Pedro Bay, then the next day we drove the scenic Seward Highway to Anchor Point's salt water, also part of Cook Inlet. The kids and their friends have gone back and forth between work schedules to different fishing grounds this summer, and they're helping fill the freezer with organic protein for winter! It's the best. I especially love the halibut, and for weaklings like me, it takes a few of us working together to hike the heavy white meat over the railing to gaff and club it. Then tradition calls for a whole group to sit around a bonfire once ashore to watch one pro (that wouldn't be me) do all the filleting while we eat. (Yes it is a Palin family tradition to sit on their ass and make one person do all the work.)

Even more fun than the catch is having the crowd in the kitchen try different ways to cook it. The goal on the water may be to catch the big one, like an 80 lb. king or a "barn door" halibut, but IMHO the best eating is a smaller halibut pulled fresh out of the water and dipped right into the beer batter. (Sounds like she just leaves the heads on and bites right through the spinal column. Yum yum!)

It doesn't really take a village to catch a fish. (Whoa, is THAT a dig at Hillary? Better watch your shit missy, that is a fight you could never win!) But it's fun to have one to eat it up. Here's how the girls and their friends cooked this weekend's fish, and I invite you to try this perfect recipe for wild rhubarb pie as an accompaniment. We stayed in a cabin on the Inlet with an old abandoned garden out back, and even without any horticultural care the perennial bushels of rhubarb never seem to go away. So I hacked stalks of this tart leafy plant to feed our village... er, the crew... in Wasilla. I used my mother-in-law's simple, delicious pie crust recipe (see below) and tried a rhubarb filling recipe I found on the internet. (Live in Alaska your whole life and have to find a rhubarb pie recipe from the internet? Gee just like the pioneer women did.) It was heavenly. Piper put together a collage to show you some before and after shots of the outings, along with a few randoms (see below).

Something different but still maybe par-for-the-course for us: Bristol took her paycheck from starring in a recent episode of "Celebrity Wife Swap" (She and Willow had a ball working with Joan and Melissa Rivers on the episode! Really!) and bought a pontoon. (Oops, I originally read that as poontang. My bad.)(You can spot it festooned with a big bright American flag in the background of one of Piper's collages.) 

(You know it has been awhile since Bristol received a check for being the worst dancer in DWTS's history, and she takes her first big payday since and buys a boat? Nice to see she learned fiscal responsibility from her mother.)

So we finally felt like tourists out on our lake putzing around – no gill nets, cork lines, lead lines, chaos – just floatin' in slow motion. All we're missing is the heat! I'm glad our girls are learning mechanical skills and a general knowledge of "how stuff works" with their acquiring of various pieces of equipment and large used toys for their Alaskan lifestyle. I respect the hardcore, real world skills needed to keep things running. 

Enough sport fishing for now though, or as Todd says,"Enough playing with our food," because our commercial fishing season soon peaks. The guys have headed over to Bristol Bay to slay salmon at our sites while I stay back awhile to get Piper to basketball camps, do some work for FOX, finish my Christmas book, then travel Outside for various events.

Have a great pre-Independence Day week. Take time to appreciate the bounty we're blessed with on God's green earth. I encourage you to get outdoors, breathe it all in, and be thankful! (And once again if you're not sure how to "breathe it all in" here is a helpful video for ya.)

Yeah I think we can all agree that this was written without any professional assistance. "Floatin' in slow motion" and "without any horticultural care" are pure unadulterated Palinese.

Palin then offers two recipes, one for Todd's mother's pie crust (Along with a link to the filling recipe she found on the internet) and the other for beer batter halibut in which she suggests that you get a store bought box of beer batter mix and then provides these helpful directions, "Follow instructions on the box of mix." (My God, my mouth is watering already.)

What's even more humorous is that she is afraid that her instructions for making pie crust are TOO wordy so she offers this explanation, "forgive the elementary instructions – they're written for my Taco Bell-addicted kids and their peers."    Which essentially calls her out on the fact that her children are used to eating fast food, and don't follow instructions well.

Yeah, like we did not already know that.

I think this post was also important in that Palin wants to put to rest those rumors that she is now essentially living full time in Arizona by showing her doing "Alaska things" and talking about how much she loves doing them. (When we ALL know she hates it up here and has always wanted to get the fuck out.)

All in all this is one of the more unintentionally humorous postings from her Facebook account, and for once she did not attack the President, the media, or Liberals. (Well she did take that one swipe at Hillary. But what can you say? She's a horrible bitch.)

P.S. Oh and before I forget, I must mention that mixed in with "Piper's collage" are numerous pictures of Tripp smiling for the camera, because, you know, Mercedes is a liar. (Don't tell me she doesn't read here!)

Teabaggers almost gets Colorado parade cancelled after threats to bring "evil black" rifles with them while they participate. Good going morons!

Supporters of Joe Miller carrying assault weapons during parade in 2010.

Courtesy of TPM: 

A tea party group's vow to march with guns in a Fourth of July parade has caused panic in a small Colorado town. 

The Southern Colorado Patriots Club announced that its members would march with guns in the annual Independence Day parade in Westcliffe, Colo. to "make a statement that we still believe in our Constitution" to protest new gun control laws in the state, the Denver Post reported. A flier distributed by the group urged members to come to the parade with unarmed rifles. 

"All rifles welcome especially the evil black ones," the flier read. 

The announcement prompted the Custer County Chamber of Commerce, the event's sponsor, to cancel the parade as nervous citizens circulated a petition to stop the club. Donna Hood, president of the chamber, abstained from the vote to cancel the parade but told the Post that the matter has "polarized this community in a week." The parade was ultimately saved when the Town of Westcliffe agreed to pick up the sponsorship tab.

You know I am ALWAYS amazed that these dipshits think that carrying around assault rifles and pistols on their hips  impresses ANYBODY over twelve years old.

I mean if you want to let others know that you are a terrified little man with a tiny penis, couldn't you just have a t-shirt made or hand out business cards informing people of your shortcomings?

I mean why scare parents just trying to enjoy a day out with their children?

If you need THIS to make you feel like a man, then manhood has clearly passed you by.

Time for a July 4th hike up my favorite mountain.

One of my all time favorite places in Alaska is a local hiking trail which leads to the top of Flattop Peak.

Last year I made this hike about fourteen times during the summer.

Due to some unforeseen complications concerning my job, I have not been able to make it up even ONCE this summer. So since today was a holiday, and there were no phone calls to worry about, or projects that required my immediate attention, I decided to set aside about an hour and half and commune with nature. (Fortunately for me, this nature is only about a ten minute drive away from my house.)

The first part of the hike is called Blueberry Loop and even it can be a little taxing for those unaccustomed to steep hikes over rough terrain.

As you see in Alaska you can ALWAYS find someplace that does not yet realize that it's summer time. ("Hey snow, its' freaking July! Melt already!")

This sign lets you know that you are leaving the easy trail and that it is time to put on your big boy (or girl) pants.  I have climbed this peak hundreds of times so I am filled with confidence that I wll fly up the mountain. (And by "fly" I mean stumble over rocky outcroppings like an Alzheimer's patient, while sweating profusely, and using wildly inappropriate language.)

This is where it starts (That's right "starts") to get more difficult.  I often see families with small children heading up this trail. They are usually still smiling and getting along well at this point but another hundred yards or so up the trail that happy family dynamic starts to fall apart. (If you want to hike up without hearing the sounds of crying or complaining children and impatient parents, you have to go on a weekday.)

I call this the halfway mark, though in fact it is actually a little more than halfway.  However this is where the hike gets serious as you can see from the sign. People have fallen and had to be rescued or, in some cases, even suffered a fatality. (One of my great fears in life is that I will fall and have to be helicoptered down the mountain. I would NEVER live down the humiliation.)

Seriously is somebody adding more rock to make this damn thing higher?

The view from the top.

Breathtaking don't you agree? Though considering that I was still sucking wind and trying to slow my heart rate when I took this picture I did not exactly need the view to take my breath away.

Still, in my opinion it is one of the most beautiful views in Alaska!  And the fact that you have to risk life and limb to see it only makes it more so.

Well time to head back down.

Oh did I tell you that the descent is the most treacherous part of this particular hike?  Wish me luck!