Homer Alaska - Announcements

This week, the mayor of Topeka, Kan., proclaimed his city would be known as "Google." Apparently it's part of some move to lure the big Web company's business to Kansas. The Betster's grasp of computer technology is a bit shaky, but it looks like Topeka wants to build infobot farms — you know, a place to house those little critters that crawl through the series of tubes looking for information. Something like that, anyway.

It's a good thing civic activists didn't glom on to this strategy during prior Homer campaigns to lure business here. We might have wound up being named "George Ferris" or "Fred Meyer" — or, in keeping with the first-name tradition started with Homer Pennock, just "George" or "Fred."

Actually, Fred would be a fun name for a town. You'd have the Fred Police Department, the Fred Harbor and the Fred City Council. We'd be the Fred News, with headlines like "Fred says no to new sales tax" or "Fred swamped by 3-inch tsunami."

Maybe more towns should use a distinguished citizen's first name. Imagine if we had called our capital "Joe" instead of "Juneau." Things might be a lot mellower. You'd giggle at headlines like "Legislators leave Joe for oil talk" or "Palin says goodbye to Joe."

Yup, J.E. Guillbault had it right in 1896 when a bunch of sourdoughs had to come up with a name for the settlement on the Spit. "Why not call it 'Homer' after you, Pennock?" Guillbault said. Whatever you call us, Homer's a great town with the coolest name in the state where, as always, there's fun stuff to do, like some of these Best Bets:

BEST HER STORY BET: Homer's women are so wonderful, it takes more than March 8, International Women's Day, to celebrate their achievements. Women's Day events run all this month, starting with "Piece by Peace," an art show opening today at Latitude 59. Check out the show during regular business hours from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. See more details online at www.homernews.com.

BEST AND ANOTHER THING BET: Rep. Paul Seaton isn't going off on a Washington, D.C., junket during the busy 90-day legislative session. He's visiting Homer to check in with the people who matter: his constituents. Share ideas and ask questions at an open house 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday at the Legislative Information Office.

BEST BIG TALENT BET: Sometimes Homer gets lucky and snags some mighty fine musicians on their tour through the Pacific Northwest. Don't miss the Peter Rowan Trio playing at 8 p.m. today at the Down East Saloon. Whether playing with Jerry Garcia or the Bluegrass Boys, he's been pleasing audiences since the 1960s. Tickets are $32 at the Down East or the Homer Bookstore — if there are any left.

BEST THEY'RE BACK BET: Mud Bay looks a bit like May these days with a flock of rock sandpipers feeding on the tides. See more birds and learn the hot spots with this month's First Saturday birding expedition, sponsored by Kachemak Bay Birders. Meet at 11 a.m. in the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center parking lot.

BEST BOTH SIDES BET: Can the justice system sometimes execute innocent people? Can a murder victim's family find forgiveness and healing without capital punishment? Hear Curtis McCarty speak about being wrongly sentenced to death and Bill Pelke speak on how he came to forgive the woman who killed his grandmother in a talk sponsored by Alaskans Against the Death Penalty at 7 p.m. Monday at the Homer Council on the Arts.

Homer's Best Bets