Currently Sarah Palin's Twitter feed is AKGovSarahPalin and the customized page features a conservative glamor shot. But in a couple weeks, she'll need another. Any suggestions?

Leah Burton–the author of the book TheoPalinism: The Face of Failed Extremism and creator of the blog theopalinism.com whose testimony about Wayne Anthony Ross led to him being passed over as Alaksa attorney general has a good take on Palin’s resignation, based on her perspective as a Palin watchdog. We spoke a right after Palin's speech. Says Burton:

She is prepping to start a "full court press" nationally to whip up her base into a frenzy! This is going to get ugly… Anybody who thinks she going away is crazy.

On MSNBC Andrea Mitchell is reporting that Palin won’t be running for higher office, per sources, and has told party officials to basically move along, nothing to see here. So does this mean Palin has to give back all the PAC money. Or can she use it to buy some new clothes?

Burton feels Palin wants to stay in the spotlight and is

mad that Newt and Mitt can run around while’s she’s stuck in Alaska.

 And Todd Palin told FOX News that Sarah Palin will concentrate on

"doing the things for Alaska and the country" that she is passionate about and cannot do as governor with the limitation and constant opposition she deals with within the state.

Palin's claims that she’s resigning to save the state from having to spend money of ethics violations, coupled with her tragic waaaaaagn over mean-spirited jokes at her family, plays into religious ideology. Burton explains:

She took on the role of persecuted martyr along with anointed prophetess warrior from the Old Testament.

Creepy megolmania!

Meanwhile, Gov2b Sean Parnell is a member of Palin’s church, and Burton feels Palin will be advising him. Ugh.

KTUU in Alaska reports that Sarah Palin has announced that she is resigning as governor:

Gov. Sarah Palin will resign her office in a few weeks, she said during a news conference at her home Friday morning.

Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will be inaugurated at the Governor's Picnic at the end of the month.

Earlier reports had her simply not running again for governor, leading to speculation she would look at a higher office.

Um, maybe this whole dominionist theology thing doesn't work so well...And you know it looks really bad if it's the pressures of the office vs her family. Obviously, not matter what her gender, Palin's not cut out to be POTUS or VPOTUS.

Meanwhile let's play GUESS THE SCANDAL!

Going to a Tea Party this weekend? Worried that a Taxed Enough Already tank just won't stand out in the crowd?  If Revolutionary War costumes seem just too stifling--all that polyester, ugh!--then a thought provoking nutjob tee shirt like this one celebrating the Federal Enslavement Management Agency, to which you can add your own fringe trim, might be just the thing. Or consider honoring that great defender of traditional family values, Mark Sanford with a witty top or thong.

I especially like the slogan that proves home schooling works:

Do you feel SAVER now?

Along with being an action movie with lots of guns and car crashes, The Taking of Pelham 123 is also a tribute to civil servants, union members and vets. It a desperate race against time and New York traffic, cops get wiped out in motorcycle  spills and nasty pile-ups, while a disgraced  MTA director (Denzel Washington) tries to keep the bad guys from killing hostages on the captured train car.

The mayor is a comic pompous douche, a combo of Giuliani and Bloomberg, and it takes him well into the movie to figure out the actual past of the nasty train hijacking mastermind–something seriously we in the audience had pegged within his first conversation with Washington’s character Walter Garber.

John Travolta plays the evil hijacker with colorful depth and glee, though seriously neck tattoos on ex-cons is a sort of a cliché and telegraphs too much info. My first thought was “He must be pulling the heist in order to afford some lengthy sessions with Dr.Tatt-Off, ink removal expert to the stars.” Travolta’s Ryder is able to pull truths out of both Garber and the mayor, shocking and embarrassing them and their co-workers, as Garber and hostage negotiator Camonetti (John Turturro) struggle to keep the passengers alive as the deadline approaches.

This is a far better movie than I anticipated, deeper, more nuanced and less clichéd than the action classic Die Hard, which is the Best Christmas Movie Ever but then again, it’s twenty years later.  Modern touches like web casting come into play along with universal characters like the world most annoying girlfriend

"Do you love me?"

"Now is not the time!"

"Just say yes. It takes less time that to say now is not the time."

Facepalm.jpg, sister, your bf is being held hostage on a train using his laptop and  Bluetooth to get give out some info, and you want to dissect your relationship? Sheeesh.
 
Garber’s humanity comes into full force has he reveals himself as a beleaguered civil servant and unwitting hero. He also is forced to admit his wrongdoing in a rough scene that displays Washington’s subtle acting skills, countering the more bombastic Travolta.

And in the end, it is the heroism and dedication of the police and the MTA that saves the day. It’s a workingman’s movie where the bad guys and morons have glassed in offices, custom made suits and kill for money, while the little guy saves the day.

Alaska state senator Hollis French--who, as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee oversaw last year's Troopergate investigation of Sarah Palin--filed a letter of intent today, letting folks know that he's interested in running for governor of Alaska.

Wow, is he in for some grieving, even though Gov GILF has not announced if she will seek another term. Maybe Palin will hold an exorcism and try to have him cast out Alaska through prayer circles. Afterall he is a Democrat, which to Palin may be worse than being a blogger or a witch!

Meanwhile, Anchorage Daily News also reports  the Troopergate investigation of Palin that the governor herself initiated has cost the state $187,797, and that the ethics complaints against Gov. Sarah Palin and her staff, including Troopergate totaled nearly $300,000 over the past year.

Wow, and to think her RNC-sponsored wardrobe only cost half that...

OMG, have I just reached an age where like everyone is old enough to die? What has been in the stars this week?  Karl Malden, who I grew up watching on The Streets of San Francisco, has died in his home at age 97.

Malden's film roles showcased his versatility as a character actor, from the husband in Babydoll, the priest in On the Waterfront and Omar Bradley in Patton, to his Oscar winning role playing  Mitch in A Streetcar Named Desire, the role originated on Broadway. Malden's cop role on The Streets of San Francisco made it natural for him to become the face American Express in teevee commercials, reminding people "Dont leave home without it."

Malden, born Mladen Sekulovich in Gary Indiana, got his first taste acting in Serbian plays produced by his father in the church and in Serbian patriotic organizations, often playing a villainous Turk with a huge black mustache.  He won a scholarship to DePauw University, changed his name to Malden, and began stage work, though during World War II, where he served as a non-commissioned officer in the 8th Air Force.

Malden's life is a true American success story. The son of immigrants, he learned English, worked hard, and became a success in his chosen field. Though not a leading man, he worked steadily, adding depth and flavor to cast of any film in which he played. Rest in peace.

Oh the hubris. McCain spawn Meghan McCain has high hopes that her life story will make it to the big screen, even though the book isn't due out for nine months, she's already playing fantasy casting couch, the NY Daily News reports:

I want Hilary Duff to play me. I think she's really hot - hotter than me - but I'd still want her to play me..Bradley Cooper is so hot. If he can be in it, he will. I'm obsessed with [his film] The Hangover!

She's even written a chapter about Sarah Palin! So someone could play Sarah Palin in the movie of the book about her life! Only Meghan doesn't know who! OMG!

Miss McCain claims her book is a lot like Tori Spelling's sTori Telling and along with being a memoir, talks about

 what it means to be a progressive Republican in the party today.

Would that mean pro-choice, pro-LGBT rights, pro-union, pro-civil marriage equality, repeal of DOMA and DADT?