Anchorage Daily News

EDITORIAL

Our view: Cancer fight

Alaska has been improving anti-cancer programs but needs tougher laws to discourage smoking.

COMPASS

Clear-cutting part of park for golf driving range bad idea

After many months of community controversy, Anchorage has the opportunity to do the right thing for Russian Jack Springs Park. Of the four development scenarios now under consideration, two would allow improvements to existing golf facilities without clear-cutting trees.

EDITORIAL

Our view: Pentagon is off base

Pentagon's new limits on "combat-related" compensation are outrageous.

GREGG ERICKSON

Should Permanent Fund managers stick to philosophy?

In late August, Sarah Palin flew off on her nine-week campaign for the nation's second-highest office. During those nine weeks the Alaska Permanent Fund lost $8 billion, including more than $1 billion from the supposedly untouchable principal.

DAN FAGAN

Music now soothes, but sports annoy

Most of the time, whether driving or at home, I'll have the Anchorage classical music station on. I like the soothing sound of violins playing in the background. I don't know much about classical music but recently I've taken a liking to the ambiance it creates. It's relaxing.

EDITORIAL

Our view: Russian Jack

The city should not build a driving range where now there are trees in Russian Jack Park.

POINTCOUNTERPOINT

Exxon has wasted decades when it could have drilled

Despite the protestations of some critics, Commissioner Tom Irwin's recent decision to deny Exxon's ice road permit application is important to protect the state's sovereignty. Exxon has asked the commissioner to reconsider his decision, but their public representations about "work plans" and "drilling programs" are misleading. Their current Point Thomson public relations campaign is designed to redirect the public's ire toward the Department of Natural Resources. The fact is, Exxon has wasted decades while Point Thomson oil lay undeveloped.

POINTCOUNTERPOINT

Exxon takes leap of faith with Point Thomson field

It's time for Alaska to move forward with developing the Point Thomson gas field, time to work together and trust each other again in order to provide jobs and stability and take a critical step toward development of our North Slope gas.

STEVE HAYCOX

Feast myth draws on our better angels

At Thanksgiving dinner yesterday, many of us, especially those with young children, will have invested a moment's time in curiosity about how such a tradition got started, where it came from. As it happens, the Thanksgiving origin story isn't as clear as it used to be, perhaps a result of historians complicating received culture with intrusive questions.

CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER

Market economy is out, political is in

In the old days if you wanted to get rich, you did it the Warren Buffett way: You learned to read balance sheets. Today you learn to read political tea leaves.

EDITORIAL

Our view: Give thanks

For everyone at the table and the chance to light a candle

ALASKA ALMANAC

Not all share today's bounty

Some Thanksgiving numbers to think about

COMPASS

Don't let temporary frustrations of daily life spoil your joy

It was a beautiful fall day. Church was over and we were on our way to the park. My wife packs great road- trip lunches -- each item delightfully delicious. Even so, pre-eminent for my kids and me is the finale. On this particular trip it was Mint Milano cookies. My daughter, Sarah, was 3. While she was eating her second cookie, we informed her it would be her last.

EDITORIAL

Our view: Insurance nightmare

Fixing Medicare would be one big step on the road to real reforms in the nation's health insurance.

ELISE PATKOTAK

Hoist a turkey leg in thanks to our bizarre life in Alaska

Since I'm not really what you would call a holiday kind of person, if forced to choose a holiday to celebrate, I always choose Thanksgiving. It's about food, family, insane after-dinner board games, and a long night of sleeping off a turkey high. No gift shopping involved, no strange looks from the gift recipients. What's not to love?

EDITORIAL

Our view: Natural gas bargain

Cook Inlet gas suppliers and exporters should remember enlightened self-interest, keep Alaska prices within reason.

COMPASS

Don't close book on Sen. Stevens just because he's guilty

The editorial pages of the Anchorage Daily News this past weekend summed up the differences of Alaska's, and America's, political ideology.

COMPASS

Anglo American's record doesn't bode well for Alaska

Anglo American, one of the world's biggest mining corporations, wants Alaska's permission to build a massive gold and copper mine in the headwaters of the top salmon-producing rivers in the Bristol Bay region. As a scientist who has studied mining for more than 25 years, I believe the threats posed by Pebble loom larger than any mine developed in the last 30 years in the United States.

EDITORIAL

Our view: Acting mayor

The job of acting mayor goes to Matt Claman, unless the Assembly decides otherwise.

ALAN BORAAS

It's time for a new approach to ANWR

Ironically, Ted Stevens' defeat by Senator-elect Mark Begich could pave the way for the exploration and eventual development of oil extraction in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that the former senator so fervently desired.

COMPASS

Bailout would only sustain US auto industry's stupidity

This country needs a low-car diet, and the so-called bailout of the auto industry is corporate welfare at its worst. What kind of business would invest $25 billion to prop up the auto industry with no strings attached? The same one that is throwing $700 billion at the problematic credit industry -- the U.S. government.