On the trail to doom high in the Alaska Range/Craig Medred photo
Dear pussy bedwetters,
Times are tough in Alaska. Global warming is over. The next Ice Age is on the horizon. The oil rush is history. You’re not going to get rich quick like you thought you would.
You’re probably only going to freeze to death in the dark. So here’s some advice: Leave.
The Alaska Highway runs south as well as north. The airlines will be as happy to fly you out as they were to fly you in. You and those jets engines can whine all the way to wherever it is you prefer to live.
No one will hold your leaving against you. To live in Alaska, you have to be tough. We understand. It can crush the weak and dishearten the strong.
Now, I know you might have taken offense as being called a pussy bedwetter. It’s not the nicest of terms, but if the shoe fits….
And the phrase does have an interesting history. Alaska hardman Roman Dial muttered it to a bunch of hard people years ago in the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic because they didn’t want to leave the shelter of a remote Wrangell Mountain cabin to risk life and limb on the trail in a summer blizzard.
Let that sink in: A summer blizzard.
Yes, a friggin’ summer blizzard.
Alaska is a hard land for hard people.
You are not one of those people, and you never will be.
You will not do the Classic – an event that makes the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race look like a ride to Nome in a heated dog sled. You don’t have what it takes. It’s OK. None of us are perfect.
There’s a nice, civilized niche for you somewhere, and mobility is one of the great things about 21st Century America. If you don’t like it here, it’s easy to pack up and move. We understand if you’ve decided Alaska was a bad choice.
It is sort of hell disguised as Disneyland. It looks picture perfect until you move in.
My Hillside neighborhood is textbook. The views of the Turnagain Arm, Cook Inlet and the Aleutian and Alaska range mountains beyond are to die for. People drive up here. They see a house for sale. They fall in love. They buy.
And then they find out they’ve entered the real-estate equivalent of marrying Nick from the Netherworld or Helen from Hades. First the hungry grizzly bear jumps the dog and eats it in the yard, and then the black bears show up to try to break into the house.
About the time that ends, the moose get cranky. The falls winds start blowing 100 mph. The roads turn into luge runs. And they discover most of their neighbors can’t drive in winter.
So they either leave, or they pay for a Trumpesqe, electrified wall topped with razor-wire around the property to keep out the bears, a bunker to live in when the winds start to howl, and a Humvee in which to make the commute to town.
Or at least that used to be how it worked.
Now it would seem a few simply proceed to engage in nonsensical whining, as in Alaska “you gave criminals more rights than me. I’m a little surprised that you did not try harder to protect the jobs of those who pay for your streets and those who protect your streets. I’m a little surprised by how little you value your police officers, paramedics, teachers, oil workers and fishermen.”
What the hell does any of that even mean? Is the nanny state now supposed to protect even the jobs of oil workers and fishermen in an economic recession? Does any sane person really believe criminals have “more” rights than the rest of us?
Maybe “as many.” Maybe in trying to protect the rights of the accused, we’re treading too lightly. Maybe we should become more of a police state. Maybe we could hire an army of Robocops to drive up and gun down the bad guys any time they appear.
But more rights? If you think that’s the case, go stick up the nearest bank or credit union, wait for the cops to get there, and see what happens. It’s possible they could handcuff you and drag you off to a dirty jail cell, but hey, more rights….
One can only guess they’ll take you to Girdwood for dinner high above the clouds at the Seven Glaciers Restaurant before renting you a room at The Alyeska Hotel where you can spend your days watching free movies on the telly and living high on room service while you await trial.
And if convicted of bank robbery, you know, it’s off to the swank Beverly Hills Hotel back in California (home for a lot of you) to serve out your term in five-star comfort.
Doesn’t that sound so much better than the hell you’re living in now Mrs./Mr./Ms. Alaska Wannabe:
“…Drive-by shootings in the better parts of town. Not to mention your bitter attitude between Halloween and Mother’s Day, the extra money I pay for skin lotion during those months, tanning, happy lights, two sets of tires every year, airline tickets.”
Yes, and it’s all true. I read it on the internet. Terrifying.
To paraphrase Bill Murray, “Salmon sacrifices! Moose and bears living together! Mass hysteria!”
“Internet,” you say; “Fake news!”
No, no, no.
It might have been fake news on Fakeback. But the Anchorage Daily News yanked the story out of Fakebook and vetted it. The biggest newspaper in the state put its imprimatur on this tale.
If the newspaper owned by the pioneering Binkley family that traces its roots back to the Klondike Gold Rush thinks it this bad in Alaska now, it’s bad. Bad, bad, bad!
This is the AK-pocalypse.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Get out. Flee. Run for America.
And don’t let the door hit you in the ass.
Categories: Commentary
FYI, ADN ran a counter op-ed to the initial one just a few days afterwards.
https://www.adn.com/opinions/2018/04/16/alaska-theres-no-way-im-breaking-up-with-you/
Alaska would be better off as a Russian territory. At least oil could be drilled and pumped, and pebble could be mined without the need for 20 years of environmental law suits.
You should get out your kayak and hop to it, Paul. It’s not that far to Russia. You can see it from Sarah’s back porch.
Some good points Bill . Aside from ethical issues about income tax ,My thought is government rarely is effective making anything so money is better in personal people’s hands as they are the ones who make economy work. Efficiency, productivity, personal choice ect . Perhaps a balance of all things is Answer ? Very very moderate income tax with a hard cap that alows partially people to choose where it’s spent , moderate user fees – moderate sales tax – more on luxury items . Massive Reduction on allowable land /home taxes by boroughs, with a huge push for incentives to Alaska creating value added products before export . I’m sure some creative people could come up with viable solutions beyond anything I have mentioned. I challenge them to do so ! How to get concepts implemented seams the hard part .
Well, your ethical issues on income tax sound a bit like “Lonnie Vernon” (especially the slavery part). We all know where he ended up going off the rails with his thinking.
As for folks choosing where their money is spent, AK doesn’t allow dedicated funds so I suspect anything like that (besides being unworkable) would not pass constitutional muster.
Finally, as far as government not working, just how would you get things like roads, ferries, etc. Private sector wouldn’t in a million years get a single road built. Maybe you don’t think public schools are needed, but they wouldn’t exist without taxes. Public safety might be handled by everyone hiring bodyguards but that seems a bit asinine, to me. Govt. is the only way to handle some things society feels it needs (you can elect your reps. to decide on these needs) and while you may be on to something about govt. not being able to make things, they do make some nice license plates (have you got your Iditarod finisher’s plate?).
Ramey,
Just so you know,
It looks like the state wide educational budget for all school districts is a whooping 1.5 BILLION….nearly half of the annual state budget.
In the Mat Su borough…
Almost 86 percent of your property taxes goes to schools.
So, SCHOOLS are the “elephant in the room”.
Do not expect a guy like Dunleavy to change this paradigm as he is retired from school district.
https://education.alaska.gov/schoolfinance/budgetsactual
Contractors like us are low on the state totem pole.
Without a bargaining union it is hard to have a seat at the political table in AK.
And just so everyone knows…roads in AK are build by the private sector.
Companies like QAP…and Cruz, inc are privately owned.
The state bureaucrat awards the contract, but all work is done by private contractors.
To make the concept I floated functional,A cap on the amount of income tax that people were able to decide where it was spent might be needed to assure no one had excessive influence on government. I personally think income tax is a questionable idea at all . Except when kept to a minimum. As it appears to open a can of worms socially. That has effects worldwide. I m o
16 th alows for income tax. Wording is broad. Obviously allows taxing of income. But Doesn’t specifically say different rates for different people. There lies a fairness problem that I was questioning.
Hi Bill . Interesting Hammond for income tax . my thoughts on income tax is it usually targets productive people. I need to do research but I question if that unfairness factor (each person taxed differently) is constitutionally allowed under federal and state constitution. Does anyone have a link where the question has been legally settled ? Why should one person pay more than an another ? Forced to Shoulder a larger burden? Sure the argument can be made the strong / rich should carry larger burden because they can . Enforcement of that is questionable. A fair concept in my opinion is each person is taxed equally after age 21. Or perhaps 30 . When they could have graduated college. My thought is income tax is a watered down form of slavery . To eliminate some of that issue a direct choice as to how money is spent by government would be a good start . A form as to how the tax should be divided. Each person gets to choose where their money goes . Sort of a direct voting. Of course a certain amount/percentage would automatically be needed to sustain very basic infrastructure roads ect and minimum government. Just a thought that would reinfranchise people. It’s very possible in this era. Just a thought that might be more palpable to some .
A fellow (Malcom Forbes) has been a proponent of a “flat tax” for longer than I remember but it has gone nowhere. The argument, as I understand it, is that the greater the income the greater requirement to keep the system that made that income possible. While the individual plays a significant part in making “income”, the system also plays a big part in allowing it and its the paying the system part that makes the flat tax unfair IMO.
Progressive income tax has evolved to one where each pays his “fair share.” Problem is nobody can agree as to what’s fair. My main argument for a personal income tax in AK is so non-resident workers (miners, fishermen, etc.) get to pay their fair share. And another nice thing about an income tax is that the income is available (no income, no tax), unlike other taxes (property).
An old fisherman in Cordova once told me that he had years where he paid big taxes and years with almost none-he preferred the years when he paid big taxes.
My guess is we will be looking at this (after election year) as our CBR is fast running out of $.
Chris! Something we agree on . No income tax ! I back you 100% many reasons! Still waiting for you to present your proof that Hammond wanted dividend to be primarily used for running government. In his words . I already did reasearch so it’s unlikely you will find backing for your statements. Hammonds friends have many interesting things to impart . At least one was very forward thinking. All the same I’m hoping you educate me a bit more. I figured out the fastest way to win this discussion- he who has the most junk cars in the yard has seniority and is the winner ! Pictures required! Also if bill yankee reads this please keep up the good reasearch and comedy with Steve . I no longer read the comics ! You guys are awesome!
Rayme, Jay Hammond was in favor of both high oil taxes and a high PFD but in all fairness he was also in favor of an income tax (he felt losing it on his watch was his biggest blunder).
Glad you find humor in Steve and my back-and-forths, as I aim to please here. But I have to tell you that i’m worried about Steve’s health. He shows up nearly every day mounted on his high horse, to shed his biases on everything from unions to homeschooling to husky tethering, and I can hardly wait for the political season to start.
Problem, as I’m reading it, is that his horse is so high that the air is too thin where he resides. It’s altering his judgement now even though his logic has always been suspect. In fact Steve is getting right up there, in the thin air, with chris.
My feelings are that Steve just needs to catch a few salmon off his back porch to make things right again. Might take some serious flooding in Willow to get some cohos spawning in the bar ditches to get him off his horse and making his dream of a fishing lodge in Mat-Su a reality.
In the meantime we’ll keep up the comedy show.
Bill,
My health is fine.
I bike over 10 miles a day.
A realator is probably the only person who will help me with my mistakes one day.
I do need to stop writing back to you though.
Take care.
P.s.
I do not like dog lots!
Sorry for this late reply. You have identified your problem – Hammond-worship. Jay was just a man with his own biases and self-interests. Same with Wally Hickel. There is no reason to put either up on an alter.
Don’t you think it is quite interesting that no one dares to question the Dividend? Except me?
I will take credit for it. The rest of you people are BRAINWASHED!
Are R Smyth and AKVoucher the same person? They both tell me to do my research when they lose the argument! I did my research! That is why I won the argument.
Who says you are the “winner” Chris??
Maybe it is not worth arguing a mute point?
Sorry,
That should read “moot point” that Chris has of ending the PFD to float our bloated unsustainable state budget.
Chris,
This is still a Democracy and you are welcome to run for office.
Ending the PFD can be your platform.
I am certain you will find out that you would not “win” in Nov. with that agenda…
Therefore it is not worth arguing the hypothetical situation any further.
smyth_r – I can answer all your questions. You will be surprised that I do have the answers.
I was born here in the winter of ’56. At the old Providence Hospital on L Street.
It was a cold f’n March back in ’56 and the swaddling clothes they wrapped me in were not that great.
Later on they tried to fix my cross-eyedness with 2 surgeries before the age of 4.
Traumatized as I was – I grew up into a kind, generous, helpful, and compassionate person.
Steve , due to careful research and history books I agree with most of what you said . Appears sad but true . I hope more people tie the public information together like you have . I haven’t decided if the mess is on purpose or accident but the effect is the same. Craig does us all a good service by pushing people to become informed. It’s sad the majority of journalism is in such disrepair. We need clear truth not misleading twisted propaganda. It’s So hard to milk the clean facts from news in this era.
23 comments so far!
This place is coming back to life…good job Craig.
Thank Heavens we can stop talking about Iditarod!
Time to turn to bear stories or ?? maybe one more story about ‘ol blackass.
Chris Nyman . Perhaps you have not had enough to make do or make ends meet at times ? Fill us in what it’s like ? Have you forgotten what it’s like when you don’t have enough to survive with dignity? I for one saw the genius in hammonds method . Invest for future. Share with future and current residents. I have compassion for the people who don’t get their full dividends. Yeah grown ups can support themselves mostly. It still makes a difference though. Let’s say you make 20 k a year . 2 k comes from dividend . = 10% . So that’s huge . What’s huge about it is a person usually needs a certain amount to financially function. Let’s say between 10 k and 50 k . Above that is fairly easy living. Below that is hard . So proportionaly the less you have the more important each penny is . Especially under 10 k . As that’s near minimum for functional survival. So you are saying let people with nothing suffer . 2 k is way more important to low income people than is first thought. You cut 2 k from someone without enough to survive and you directly say go suffer. Single parents with children usually. If you reasearch how people use a dividend the variety is huge ,the people I know that have limited resources use it on food , current college , clothes and investment for their children’s future- college or direct investment to give a leg up , gas , repairs, parts , needed items . Sure some buy nonessential items but that helps everyone by supporting merchants. A chunk of cash in one piece is hard to come by for disadvantaged. Maybe not so important for gov walker who carelessly robbed Peter to pay Paul ,as walker makes tons of money so hey what’s 2 k ? Let’s take it from people that can’t stand up for what’s needed . As that’s so much easier than developing permanent enlightened solutions. Why on earth give it to government who can’t manage their money in responsible fashion. They had massive surplus for years and spent frivolously. My siblings and I budgeted our dividend to the penny . It was very important in our lives as children. I know there are people who need that money as much or more than I did as a child. People without money do not have the resources to even leave the state or as you put it make more space at your fishing hole . The Alaskans I grew up around were generous , helpful , kind and compassionate. There for one another. To my understanding that is and was one of the codes of the north . To my understanding it epitomizes the Alaskan Spirit.
Ramey,
I feel U.
For ten years, I used my dividend towards my annual small business expenses like insurance, bond and equipment.
When our family lost over 4K a year with dividend cuts, that directly affected my ability to stay “self employeed”.
Alaska is seeing Globalism collapse our local economies and this is by design.
“Austerity Measures” are going on around the Western Globe and strike right at the heart of “middle class life” in America.
Walker and his banker friends with Rogoff’s help have destroyed much more than they have built.
Walker will leave us in the cold while he is over in China or Japan having a good old time on our state’s fading dollar.
We cannot allow the Globalists to collapse our natural salmon runs.
Many hatcheries like the one in Gulkana are run by outside people…the person running that hatchery is from the UK and focused on commercial harvest in the ocean….not sustainable practices like personal harvest or protecting the remaining natural runs.
AK needs a real leader to go down to Juneau and “knock heads” these puppets of Washington, DC and E.U. do not have our best interests at heart.
There is still plenty money flowing through Juneau it is just their budget which is fucked IMO.
For Pete’s sake Steve, the Gulkana hatchery is not run by outside people. You appear to be getting your information from Don Trump’s tweets, or at least subscribe to his theory of shooting from the lip.
PSWAC runs that hatchery, like several other hatcheries in PWS. And “focused on commercial harvest in the ocean” you just pulled out of your ass!
You must just wake up with the red-ass at something you appear to have dreamt up during the night.
Sure Bill…
I got a “red ass” for the Globalists destroying my homeland.
Stephen Hilton who manages the Gulkana Hatchery is from UK.
Went to University in Edinburgh, UK.
Did not arive in AK until recently.
Is he a US citizen?
Doubtful.
Just like my neighbors from Scotland and Norway…
Folks are happy to exploit the resources in AK, but do not wish to become US citizens.
Where does this leave our children in a country who is looking to communist partners for their next big project?
Did U forget what BP and Shell have done to our state budget (think tax credits).
You just cannot think outside the box…of which the cardboard looks wet, soggy and collapsed IMO.
Who gives a rats whether manager for PSWAC is a us citizen. And AK has a lot of workers who only recently came to the State. By the way, we also have salmon permit holders who are from foreign countries-you would insist that they become citizens? On what grounds? Whew!
What is your point?
Perhaps it is that this person born in UK needs to be put into some sort of internment camp so he doesn’t taint our salmon runs!!?? Heheh!
You must lie awake at night thinking up this shit.
Bill,
U continue to say “I lie awake at night”…
Untrue.
Like most of your beliefs.
Yes, it matters when residents (of state and country) face up river closures and daily limits while enriched salmon runs are managed for outside foreign interests.
Remember WTO protests in Seattle years ago?
This was their whole point.
We are loosing control of our resources as citizens.
Remember years ago folks WANTED to become u.s. citizens…
Now, they are not so sure.
Visa only…leave the mess when I am sick of cold or wife is over it.
Why cannot someone from UAF or UAA manage these hatcheries?
We have thousands of students graduating college and looking for jobs.
Most are leaving state.
We are left with mostly uneducated population.
H.S. level at best or GED.
This is not our national trend just so U know.
Alaska has an attitude problem and you know quite a bit on this subject.
HooBoy Steve. Why can’t you manage those hatcheries?
Well, they happen to be owned by PWSAC and they have chosen their own manager for their own reasons, that you would second guess. Why!??
The guy has cred and PSWAC hired him, end of story. Because he was born in UK he somehow works for “outside foreign interests?” The guy is an employee, does what he is told, and has not a thing to do with where he was born. Nobody cares whether/not this guy wants to become a US citizen.
You have plain wigged out here! Must come in your dreams IMO.
Quite a screed Ramey. I will simply say that the Dividend is not “intended” as a social welfare program nor is it the constitutional purpose of the Permanent Fund. Right now the House of Representatives has proposed a $3.4 billion deficit budget. The Senate last night has voted for a $3.25 billion deficit budget. These deficits are unsustainable and are draining the Permanent Fund and the CBR. Were it not for the $1 billion in the budget for Dividends this year, we would have a sustainable budget. Every Alaskan receives the benefit of a fully funded State government so its not like you don’t get your share of the benefit of the PF even without the Dividend.
The Dividend is a Cancer on our State and I am being kind, generous, helpful, and compassionate by telling you the truth.
Chris,
Maybe you should check your math skills?
If the deficit is 3.25 billion and the PFD is 1 billion, you still have over 2 billion deficit.
That is not sustainable.
What about almost 1 billion in tax credits to oil producers?
U do not mention that?
What about state pensioners and their draw on budget?
What about 100 million or more to China for a pipeline we have not seen?
How about the tens of Billions in PF invested in Japan and China?
It seems you have found an urban niche uneffected by the globalists austerity on our state’s economy.
That is good.
Many unions are strong and sucking budget through state contracts.
This system serves the few and not the majority.
The state reps are closer to the foreign Oligarchs than the local Peasants that is for sure.
Disregarding the Dividend and the 2nd year of school funding – the deficit would be $2.25-2.40 Billion you are correct. A “sustainable” draw on the earnings of the Permanent would be (I say) 4% which equals $2.6 Billion this year. The Legislature planning on drawing 5.25% and another $700 million from the CBR.
These other issues you mentioned are important but are out of my political control. I am stating the facts from a fiduciary responsible Trustee point of view.
And don’t ever question my math skills again – I will mop the floor with you! haha
Also Ramey, Do you or any of your loved ones use expanded Medicaid (I do). Do you have children in school? Do you like having State Troopers? State ferries? Maintained roads?
Do you like not paying State income or sales taxes? The State government is far from perfect but these things are legitimate purposes of government – unlike the Dividend.
Chris . Do your Math ! Do your reasearch ! Government is a known money waster . It’s better in personal hands of public that will use it for direct needs ! You can look this up . Using questions as to what I like personally won’t get you far in providing information or proving your points . You are regurgitating easily disproved over used talking points . As to myself I want no roads and no government hardly at all . I think our schools are 95% waste of money. Abe Lincoln was well educated from mostly personal reading. Obviously an extreme example . It’s provable that for most families children would be more mentally sound and smarter ,better humans if taught at home by parents from quality books. Most social ills would go away. Medical is can of worms I don’t have time to address . It’s imperitive it gets an overhaul. It would take a book to write about dealing with medical system repairs . What I like or don’t like or use matters little. It’s interesting perhaps but what matters is what benefits humans and the world in general especially Alaskans in my opinion. Were you there when the pfd was developed? Did you speak to Hammond ? Have you reasearched him and his close friends who developed the permanent fund ? Their thoughts and writing? Provide some proof as to what the pfd and the fund was for . In their words . My understanding it was for general welfare and future of Alaska and it’s people. Show me the truth if you will . When government upgrades its financial responsibility and works as hard for its people as many of my friends do for their families then I may change my mind on who uses the dollars most efficient. If you read discerningly, public information ,You will understand my concept. I’m not saying government isn’t needed I’m saying walker usurped power from the people played a part in squandering resources and didn’t use his intelligence to find and implement methods beyond rob peter pay Paul . Alaska government has squandered our resources since its statehood as far as I can understand and especially since the oil boom . Prove me wrong Chris . Thanks!
Ramey, back off on the mindless rhetoric. I know its fun to throw it out there but one must have the mental discipline to focus on the crux of the biscuit ( as Frank Zappa once said). I don’t trust the government with the money any more than you do. BUT the Dividend is fatally flawed. It forces us towards taxing productive and hard working Alaskans to sustain the government thievery.
Hilarious, real and insightful. You gotta be the best commentator/journalist in the state. Moved up 5 years ago and still adapting, but not complaining. Best place I’ve ever lived. Best , most interesting people to0.
as a journalist, Robert, i have to agree. the interesting characters and the strange stories that make up the 49th state kept me here when i had much better job offers elsewhere. i was probably foolish for not taking them, but i have no regrets. i love this place despite it’s many issues, and it has plenty of issues.
To be fair the piece you’re referring to was an opinion piece by an ADN reader, not the opinion of the ADN itself. There, one and all can see it, I’ve defended Pravda, excuse me, the Daily News at least once.
I was doing labor relations for the State last time; there was plenty of wailing and gnashing of teeth back then and not a few “pussy bedwetters.”
We were stupid back then too; the whole TAPS endeavor was a geopolitical maneuver to flood the oil market and break the OPEC price paradigm. Anyone who knew anything about oil and politics knew that and had to be able to see that if it worked the US oil price paradigm would be broken too. Yet, we spent and planned as if $30+/bbl. oil was going to go on forever. The US/British/Norwegian plan worked, oil went in the toilet, and we went from “blue-eyed Arabs” to penury almost overnight.
Fortunately, back then we hadn’t yet ramped up GF spending to “spend the last dime” level. To his eternal credit Gov. Hammond kept his foot on the brake, and even in Sheffield, who wanted to spend more, the Legislature wouldn’t spend more. My introduction to State labor relations was defending the State after the Legislature refused to fund the last year of Sheffield’s 84-86 sweetheart contracts with the unions.
Unfortunately, this time Alaska had no brakes. We were guilty in the SFY 2006 Budget; Palin was out there promising everybody pink Bubble-Up and Rainbow Stew. Then she gave away money like a drunken sailor, Parnell continued it. Now the unions own the government and they ain’t giving anything back unless it is pried from their cold, dead fingers. We are destined to live in interesting times.
Yessir Art, Hammond felt that a newly created job in Alaska wouldn’t pay for itself, after the personal income tax was lost on his watch. Alaska needed to build schools for his kids and they would all collect PFDs, without paying any State taxes. And that’s still the way things are today, so while we may collectively like what Hammond preached we haven’t changed a bit, other than having budgets that brought in jobs.
Now that they (jobs) are leaving the whining is getting shrill.
Hammond’s only argument for keeping the personal income tax was that it did give the State good income statistics (hardly a reason for paying the tax, especially when the money from TAPS was coming in by the truckload).
I don’t recall any attempt at reducing the tax level to almost zero in order to keep those income statistics-it might have flown if only to keep deductions to Alaska pols.
And you know this how, Mr. Chance? The piece in question was a Facebook post solicited by the ADN to use in its pages without comment. If the ADN didn’t agree with the post, why would it solicit it?
To be fair to Jay, he knew the leg would override his veto of the repeal.
Didn’t know it was solicited. I take back my defense and my record of never saying anything good about the ADN remains intact.
Art: i know you can find something good to say about ADN. i know i can. they cover breaking news well. they’re generally well intentioned. i bet if i made a list i could come up with at least 10 good things to say about ADN starting with a big number 1: I’M GLAD WE STILL HAVE A NEWSPAPER!
Craig,
Nice try to subliminally slip in that “Global Warming is Over”…
What would Roman Dial say to that?
He would probably say the 4 hottest years on record for the last 136 years of data collected were: 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015.
https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201513
That shows a current trend of warming.
So too does the lack of sea ice in the Arctic.
As for going south on the highway…well…that is another story.
Some days “America” starts to look real good.
I probably can get a fresh Alaskan salmon in Boulder quicker than I can find one in Willow this summer.
Strange days ahead for sure.
End the Dividend and watch ’em go. Poor babies – best of luck to them – more space at the fishin’ hole for me!