Levi Johnston's campaign to get back into the Palins' good graces has taken a surprising turn: Following little sister Mercede's claim that Bristol Palin's pregnancy "was NOT an accident!" Levi apparently threatened to disown Mercede if she didn't shut up.

[This is what 10 p.m. looks like at Cook Inlet in Alaska, about 27 miles south of Anchorage. Bet it's not 100 degrees there, either. Pic via AP]

Our favorite non-pecker-showing Alaskan babydaddy Levi Johnston tells People that some of his claims about the Palin family last year were lies. "I publicly said things about the Palins that were not completely true," he says. What are those things?

The Alaskan town of Wasilla is home to some pretty amazing people, like Sarah Palin and Levi Johnston. And now the town's Alaska Distillery is rolling out a new Smoked Salmon Flavored Vodka. The first batches were described as "greasy."

Levi Johnston has successfully marketed his "brand" after impregnating Bristol Palin. But what of his sister, Mercede, who impregnated no one? When will somebody pay her for being tangentially news-related? Soon, probably, now that she has a funny blog.

The author moved in next door to the Palins, as part of his research for a book on Sarah. Wasilliness ensued — she built a giant fence and accused him of spying on her kids. He says that's ridiculous.

Perhaps because an offshore oil well is destroying the Gulf of Mexico, today President Obama will extend a hold on applications for Arctic drilling until the end of the year. Alaska lawmakers are not happy. Meanwhile, Top Kill continues. [NYT]

Journalist Joe McGinniss is writing a book about former Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin. He's also renting the property next door. Can you guess how Palin responded in her inevitable Facebook annoucement? That's right: Passive-aggressively.

Sarah Palin may have competition for the worst politician in Alaska. Meet Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski: She single-handedly blocked a measure to raise the amount of money oil companies are liable for in an oil spill.

Matthew Schneider, a 22-year-old production manager who worked on the show, is one of many charged in a drug bust in Alaskan fishing center Unalaska. He is still on the run, and he's implicated other show employees of drug running.

With Americans already pissed about the Gulf oil spill, Shell is worried that a legal challenge by a bunch of hippie environmentalists will crush the company's chances of ruining the Arctic Ocean. They're asking the court to hurry up. [AP]

The guy who hacked Sarah Palin's email is in court and could be in some pretty deep shit. Daughter Bristol took the stand yesterday to talk about Fox News and crazy Alaska boys and losing her cellphone. It's a tear-jerker.

Word came this morning that two networks, A&E and Discovery, are fighting over quitting governor Palin's proposed reality series about her native homeland, the Alaska. Which she would host. If this thing actually goes to air, what'll it be like?

To keep herds of caribou well stocked for hunting season, a few brave men will kill 80% of the Yukon border's wolf population by helicopter this week. Makes sense. [NYT]

Life on the D-List visited Alaska last night, and Kathy Griffin spent five straight minutes laying into Sarah Palin, whom she says she invited to the show. In town for the Iditarod, Kathy said she ice-fished with Levi, too.

Remember when someone hacked Sarah Palin's email address (by guessing her security question) and we posted her hacked emails and everyone threw a fit? The Alaska Dispatch just did the same thing!

On October 30th, Levi Johnston predicted to the Guardian that he and Bristol Palin would be "going to court" over custody of their son, Tripp. Prophetic! Less than a week later, Bristol secretly sued him for full custody of Tripp.

In a radio interview, Palin endorsed those who question Obama's national origin. Her rationale? "That weird conspiracy freak thing that Trig isn't my real son." Those jerks wanted to see Trig's birth certificate—now she must see Obama's.

Struggling Alaskan newspapers have come up with a new revenue source that could well become a model for the whole industry: Being paid restitution by a Hollywood studio that used your paper's name without permission to advertise an alien movie.

UK Guardian reporter Ed Pilkington went to Anchorage to interview the 19 year-old babydaddy of Tripp Palin, Levi Johnston. There's audio, and some fairly interesting insight from Johnston on the Palin family and his Vanity Fair article, which was "retaliation."