Sarah, Part II, Alaska Facts

Alaska was discovered by Vitus Bering, a Dane in the employ of Russia, in 1741. I didn’t check, but I guess he discovered the Bering Sea, so he would ultimately be responsible for the Deadliest Catch on Discovery Channel. That's good. If he is also responsible for Ice Road Truckers, that's not so good.

The U.S. bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million. The 1880 census reported a population of 33,426 who were presumably included in the purchase.
The Prudhoe Bay oil and gas reserve was discovered in 1968. The Alaska pipeline was completed in 1977. It is 800 miles long and it cost $7.7 billion.

Native Alaskans include Eskimos, Indians and Aleuts. Inuits are Canadian Eskimos. Canadians are not voting in the US election this year. Just sayin'.

Alaska is dead last among the states in agriculture.

Alaski is number one among the states in commercial fishing and commercial fishing reality TV shows.

Petroleum and natural gas are Alaska’s most valuable industry.

25% of Alaska’s oil royalty goes to the Alaska Permanent Fund. The fund pays “dividends” annually to residents. The 2007 payment was $1,654. To qualify you have to live there all year and intend to stay, or at least declare that you intend to stay.

Government is Alaska’s major employment source. Hmmm....may be another reality TV show here. How's Wilderness Moose Tracker Pipeline Rangers sound? Discovery Channel, you know where to find me, let's talk...

The population of Alaska in the 2000 census was 629,000.

Tomorrow, we’ll look at Sarah.

Sarah, Part 1

The Matanuska-Susitna Valley is formed by the Matanuska River Valley and the Susitna River Valley. The Mat-Su is over 23,000 square miles in size and includes the towns of Palmer (population 4,500), Houston (population 1,200), Big Lake (population 2,635) and Wasilla (population 5,469). The valley is bordered by the Alaska Range, the Talkeetna Mountains and the Chugach Mountains.

The Mat-Su was settled in the 1930’s as part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal by homesteaders known as the Matanuska Colony, an agriculture colony of 202 families.

The town of Wasilla, established in 1917, is a little over 12 square miles, 43 miles from Anchorage. The population is approximately 85% white, 5% Native American, 4% Hispanic, and 6% multi-racial. Included in the rounding is .59% black. That equals 32 black people.

The breakdown of Wasilla’s 1,979 households includes 50% married couples, 14% female head of household, 31% non-families and the last 5% apparently undecided.

35% of Wasilla’s population commutes to work in Anchorage.

Wasilla was incorporated in 1974.

In 1994 a vote to move the capital of Alaska to Wasilla lost, 116,000 to 96,000.

Wasilla has a Wal-Mart. It is Alaska’s largest store. In 2002 it sold more duct tape than any other Wal-Mart in the world.

Mapquest says it is 4,312 miles from Wasilla to Washington, D.C.

Today, Wasilla, tomorrow, some Alaska and Sarah Palin facts.

Football Recap Week 2

After two Saturdays of careful analysis and expert consideration (make that "considering the inputs of actual experts"), the result has been much ado about nothing in our college football wagering world.

South Carolina -9 1/2 @ Vanderbilt
This was a shwwwiiiing and a miss. Vandy covered the 9 1/2 by16 1/2...they won 24-17.
"L"

Akron Zips @ Syracuse -5
The Zips won 42-28, and I won, too.
"W"

Northwestern -6 1/2 @ Duke
NU goes 2-0 to start the season with a 24-20 win. A loser for me with the spread, almost a loser for the 'Cats when they allowed a closing seconds TD...that was called back.
"L"

Miami OH @ Michigan -14 1/2
Michigan won 16-6, a winner for me as I said Miami would stay inside the spread.
"W"

Miami FL @ Florida -21
The Gators 26, The Hurricanes 3. Winner!
"W"

Central Michigan @ Georgia -23.5
Georgia is the real deal. The slapped around CM 56-17. This wasn't my plan...
"L"

Stanford @ Arizona State -14 1/2
My call: "ASU is gonna put a beatdown on them this week." They did, 42-17.
"W"

Four wins, three losses this week. After a 4 and 5 opening week, we're back to even, 8 W's and 8 L's. Still better than my 401K, but all we have to show for two weeks' efforts is entertainment.

Football Picks, Week 2

There's soooo much to pick from in week 2! We're starting at 4 up, 5 down from week 1. Fortunately, there were a couple of late adds to the investment portfolio to avert a week one financial crash.



South Carolina -9 1/2 @ Vanderbilt
We had winners on each of these last week, and now they're matched up against one another. South Carolina was quite convincing, they're the pick in this matchup.

Akron Zips @ Syracuse -5
The Zips beat the spread in week 1 against Big10 pretender Wisconsin, while Syracuse was slapped around by Northwestern. I follow Akron 'cause I like the name, and I like them to take Syracuse.

Northwestern -6 1/2 @ Duke
Both winners in week 1, NU is looking to avenge a loss to Duke last year in Evanston. They may be playing in the blow by of a hurricane down there. I like the 'Cats.

Miami OH @ Michigan -14 1/2
Miami lost to Vandy last week and Michigan lost its home opener to Utah. Miami will be inside of the spread. Michigan was pathetic last week.

Miami FL @ Florida -21
A fun intrastate brawl in the Swamp, this is must see TV. Floriday will pile it up.

Central Michigan @ Georgia -23.5
Downers Grove's own Chuck Lefevour, the CMU QB, gets the big stage as his team takes on national title contender Georgia. I think that CMU raises a national eyebrow by staying close.

Stanford @ Arizona State -14 1/2
Jim Harbaugh's Cardinal used up their current ration of overachieve last week. ASU is gonna put a beatdown on them this week.

10 Worst Corporate Reputations

Yesterday we had the 10 Best Corporate Reputations. Today, the other side of the mountain, Harris Poll's 10 Worst Corporate Reputations.
10. Daimler Chrysler
A year after Daimler bought Chrysler, the combined companies' market value was the same as before the purchase. That meant Chrysler had no value. It has since been spun off and is apparently teetering on the verge of bankruptcy...again. They've made some great vehicles over the years, invented the minivan (and sold millions of them), the Viper, the Prowler. I had 2 Chryslers, beautiful cars, but junk.
9. General Motors
Their market share appears to finally be done shrinking, and there's a handful of GM cars that are world class. Why don't folks love 'em anymore? I had a few...including a Chevy V7.
8. Chevron Texaco
Imagine, an oil company that people don't like...
7. Ford
The worst marketer of the Big 3 American auto makers. Ford F-150, the most popular vehicle over the last zillion years. It must be fashionable to say you hate American car companies.
6. Sprint
Bought NEXTEL and messed it up, dumbasses. We switched to Verizon. A lot of others switched, too.
5. Comcast
Comcast is the reason people subscribe to Direct TV.
4. Exxon
I instinctively want to put "Valdez" after Exxon, or "announces record profits".
3. Northwest Airlines
I thought they were out of business already.
2. Citgo
Another oil company that people don't like.
1. Halliburton
These guys are an oil company and more, they've done business in countries they're not allowed to be in, bribed government officials, received no-bid contracts 'cause they're hooked up in Washington, and more. They're the poster boys for screw everybody big business.

Let's review: the Big Bad 10 has the three American automakers, three oil companies, the cable TV company, a cellphone company, an airline and a grand corporate pirate. The Good 10 has three computer/internet companies, three food/beverage companies, Honda, Google, a conglomerate and Johnson & Johnson.

On personal experience, it's hard to argue.