Homer's best bets</MCC HEAD>

Story last updated at 1:36 p.m. Thursday, March 18, 2004

Homer's best bets

Photo by Ben Stuart, Homer News
Agony of the feet
The Coal Point men's league basketball team catches its breath after a game last weekend at the high school gym.

Can you hear that clickety-click-click sound? That's right, oh you citizens of Latitude 59 degrees, on the big roller coaster ride of Earth's revolution around the sun, we're coming up that last big hill toward the equinox and coasting toward summer. Thanks to atmospheric refraction, the angle of the planet toward the sun, and some other complicated stuff concerning elliptical orbits, etcetera, already we have emerged into the light.

Sunrise today: 7:09 a.m. Sunset: 7:20 p.m.

That's a whopping 12 hours and 29 minutes of moments when good ol' Sol peeps above the horizon. Hey, throw in civil twilight that subtle glow in the sky before sunlight bursts over the mountains and a working drone like the Bester can walk the Betster's canine companion in daylight before headin' to work. There's even daylight after quittin' time to take a beach stroll before sunset.

Which means those who worship salmon won't be heading out into darkness for the big Winter King Salmon Tournament this weekend. Cold and miserable as it might be, at least we have some sunshine to enjoy these Best Bets:

BEST RED CARPET AND SEARCHLIGHTS BET: A film premiere in Homer? Get out the gold lame dresses and tuxedos. The films "Coiba: A Savage Paradise" and "Life on the Beach: Among Friends and Anemones" premiere at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. Tickets are $10 for Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies members and $12 for adults, $5 for children under 12. Refreshments will be served.

BEST FRESH, FEISTY AND FUN: Winter kings, that is. Hey, what did you think the Betster meant? Rev up the downriggers, crank up the outboards head out to the bay, and hope you win the first fishing tournament of the season. It's the annual Winter King Salmon Tournament, which explains all those big boats being hauled out to the Spit. Lines go in at 8 a.m. and come out at 4 p.m., and the biggest salmon caught wins 15 percent of the $100 entry fees collected. Don't want to risk the fun of spring-time seas? You can also place side bets.

BEST TIME-CHALLENGED BET: Oops. The Betster was so eager to relive those teenage years that "Teens" got listed ahead of its time. The Community Conversation is this Friday, March 19. Former teenager Deland Anderson and current teenager Hannah Harrison facilitate the discussion on life as a teenager, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Pratt Museum.

BEST FAN OUT BET: District 35 Republicans held their caucus last month, and now it's the democrats turn to rally round the party. The District 35 Democratic Party Caucus is from noon-4 p.m. March 20 at Kenai Peninsula College in Soldotna. Meet at Homer Real Estate on Ocean Drive at 10:30 a.m. to car pool.

BEST SUGAR RUSH BET:They're baaaack! Put the Atkins Diet on hold. Cheat on the South Beach regime. How can you possibly resist those yummy, delicious Girl Scout cookies? Look for the girls around town or at shopping center booths, and load up at S'mores and Thin Mints.

BEST WASSUP, GET HIP, YO, BET: Urban poetry? Hip hop dance? Multi-cultural multi-ethnic performance art? Or a bunch of artistes from the Bronx pullin' a fast one on we rubes out in the hinterlands? Hey, who cares? It's Universes, a whatever-dude ensemble performing at 8 p.m. at Alice's Champagne Palace. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $18 for KBBI and Bunnell Street Gallery members.

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