MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

Overshadowing even the raucous debate over oil taxes in Alaska has been the destiny of Maggie the Elephant, who has long inhabited the Alaska Zoo – located a few blocks from my home. In Anchorage, I live near the zoo. During legislative session in Juneau I wonder perhaps if I am in the zoo. Whatever, Maggie has now been transported to a sunny new home in California courtesy of TV persona Bob Barker and an Air Force C-17, and appears to be most happy (but it’s difficult to read elephant expressions). Congratulations Maggie.

Before Maggie’s move south, a newsperson asked me if I thought Maggie would be happier in California than in Alaska. To which I answered, “I don’t know. I’m not an pachedyrm therapist.”

Well, if Maggie is happy, so am I. Now if we could get all the warm sunny states – especially the hot ones – to return our seals, walruses, polar bears, and other northern critters to the comfortable cool climes of Alaska, the world would be a better place.