The year is such a big one for politics. I am amazed how many people are extra involved. One friend describes it as "Democrat fever," and is finding that people are eagerly digging deeper than usual to win. And there are already payoffs.

One of the most important things to happen this last week was Kofi Annan has finally gotten the battling factions in Kenya to sign a peace agreement. I was watching a segment on Current TV about the situation in Kenya and it was really worrisome. Some thought it could turn into another Rwanda, though others felt Kenya would pull itself together before it sank that low. But the truth is, one of Africa's more stable nations nearly collapsed into a bloody civil war. Kofi Annan has for now eased the crisis and could deserve a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. The chaos in Kenya had a personal connection for me because some of my loans through Kiva were in the areas of Kenya where the fighting was taking place. As I write here, the situation there was really bad and many of the businesses I loaned to in Kenya may no longer exist.

Lots more below the fold!

I have reported many times about how the Republican Parties in Ohio, Missouri and Kentucky were about the most corrupt political establishments in America. One that I have been missing is the Alaska Republican Party. I think it is time I turn northward to discuss what is going on in Alaska.

At the epicenter of Alaska corruption seems to be the Alaska oil services company Veco Corp. Veco, until its recent buyout, was an oil pipeline service and construction company. Perhaps Veco would like to be best known for the fact that it carried out a great deal of the clean up efforts after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. But this is not the only thing they were known for. They were known for illegal influence on Republican politicians.

For those who are focused on Congress, you might be surprised to learn that Alaska may be among our best shots at picking up one Senate and one House seat. Keep an eye on Alaska. Republican corruption has been exploding, with four State level politicians arrested, some pleading guilty. One Alaska Senator and their single House Rep are also  implicated. This gives us a great shot at winning the state. Alaska may turn blue this year if we pay some attention to it.

On a personal note, I have a new scientific paper coming out in the Journal of Cell Biology. This comes from work I did more than two years ago! My current work is going slower, but overall looks promising. I hope to write up my current work within a year.

This week I discuss the Bush family's endorsement of John McCain, re-enforcing my assertion that McCain offers nothing but a Third Bush term. I also discuss Republican corruption in Alaska and voting irregularities in NYC. And I continue to highlight local events in all the states where I have had a good number of readers. I also highlight some peace rallies, alternative energy events and impeachment events around the nation. Don't forget to visit an advertiser or two and if you want more, please visit Culture Kitchen.