Nick Jans is one of Alaska’s better writers. His pieces in Alaska Magazine and elsewhere are always well-written, evocative of Alaska and frequently poignant. WC didn’t know he was a contributor to USA Today, but his recent piece in that newspaper is so good that WC is passing it along to WC’s long-suffering readers.
Unlike the Wasilla Princess, Nick Jans is the real thing. He’s lived in parts of Alaska that Palin has never heard of. How about this line:
Most of the [Palin’s] show’s escapades bear scant resemblance to the activities of most outdoors-oriented Alaskans. In fact, about half of the Palins’ “adventures” are guided trips aimed at mass-market tourists. You won’t find many Alaskans on those theme park rides, which require no skills beyond a pulse and the ability to open your wallet.
Ooh. Burned.
Not only does Jans dissect, slice and demolish Sarah Palin’s pretensions to being a Mama Grizzly, a seasoned outdoors woman and huntress, he does so in a way that places his points in an important, larger context.
Sarah Palin’s Alaska is just back story rather than substance. But when our candidates can also produce poll-tested commercials, trot out ghost-written websites and deliver telepromptered speeches — all financed by unlimited special interest money — Americans are essentially casting votes for fictional characters. This is not an indictment of one Sarah Palin. It’s an indictment of the system.
How’s that for reality?
WC would give a lot to be able to write like that. Well done, Mr. Jans.
Wickersham's Conscience 
You’re better. Seriously.
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WC is going to have a glass of wine; all this flattery is going to his head.
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My favorite lines from Nick Jans’ article was: ‘Since orchestrated reality is about all anyone can expect from Palin — who is uniquely unavailable in unfiltered form to the “lamestream media”‘
Definitely a nice shot at Sister Sarah’s garishly printed brittle plastic exterior over vacuous hollow shell.
You and Nick J. have different writing styles. Yours is 3rd person sardonically erudite commentary. Nick’s is 1st person no beating around the bush commentary.
You’re both very good.
As it happens, I enjoy both the brutal upfront body slam (Nick) and the slick twist of razor wit that doesn’t get notice until just afterward (you).
{hehe}
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WC, I so appreciate your writing skills. You and Jans each have a Stegner-like quality to your writing. And, uou both seek a spot-on message.
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