Open Thread
Everything is melting around here. I can even see my lawn. But here’s one I snapped about a week ago when everything was still Winter Wonderland.
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[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Chris Lynch, NECC. NECC said: MudFlats Blog: Everything is melting around here. I can even see my lawn. But here’s one I snapped about a week… http://bit.ly/dMzHHC […]
There isn’t a new open thread yet, but please, Alaskans, take note:
BACKGROUND: The Alaska Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing Wednesday, January 19, from 6 -9 PM at the Challenger Learning Center in Kenai to determine if the State of Alaska will allow coal strip mining through a salmon stream in the Chuitna watershed near Tyonek and Beluga in Upper Cook Inlet. This is a turning point in Alaska history; if the State allows mining through a salmon stream here, they will do it anywhere.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Write a Letter-to-The-Editor, submit comments, and come to the Public Hearing! See below for contact information. Comments must be submitted to DNR by 5:00pm January 19, 2011.
DETAILS & TALKING POINTS: The Chuitna Citizens Coalition and Cook Inletkeeper petitioned the Alaska Department of Natural Resourses (DNR) in January 2010 to designate salmon streams in the Chuitna River watershed as “unsuitable” for coal strip mining. Despite the economic importance (download a PDF of the report) of salmon to the Alaska economy, there is no law that prohibits mining through a salmon stream. Equally important, these is no available technology to successfully restore a wild salmon stream once it’s been strip mined. If the state requires timber operations to maintain buffers around salmon streams, coal stripping should have stream buffers too.
PacRim Coal, a Delaware Corporation owned by Texans Dick Bass and William Herbert Hunt, is the project proponent of the Chuitna coal strip mine. PacRim has submitted many of its permit application documents to develop the Chuitna coal strip mine, which would extract and export to Asia 12 million tons of coal annually over the 25 year life of the project.
The State has never permitted the complete destruction of a salmon stream for a mining project, and doing so at Chuitna – simply to provide dirty energy supplies to China – will set a horrendous precedent for Pebble and any other project that pits renewable salmon resources against non-renewable minerals.
Governor Sean Parnell has stated he will never trade one resource for another Yet PacRim will remove 11 miles of wild Alaskan salmon waters for dirty coal. It’s time for the Governor to stand by his commitment and protect wild Alaska salmon habitat.
PacRim Coal’s ‘Fish and Wildlife Protection Plan’ states: “Some fish habitat may be impacted indirectly, but most impacts are anticipated as direct; approximately 17.4 km of total stream-channel habitat will be removed during the mining operations.”
The Department of Fish and Game recognizes Middle Creek (Stream 2003), the steam PacRim plans to remove, as important to salmon. This would set a statewide precedent: if you can mine through and completely remove this salmon stream then NO SALMON STREAM IS SAFE.
This level of impact will fundamentally alter the underlying hydrology to a point were stream reconstruction is fundamentally impossible. Middle Creek (Stream 2003) which produces 20% of the Silver Salmon for the entire Chuitna Watershed will be destroyed.
Responsible mining does not remove or destroy salmon streams, PacRim’s mining plan is not responsible development. PacRim has not provided a single example of a strip-mined salmon spawning and rearing habitat that has been restored to pre-mining productivity.
ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARING:
When: Wednesday, January 19, 6 – 9 PM
Where: Challenger Learning Center, 9711 Kenai Spur Hwy, Kenai Alaska
SUBMIT COMMENTS:
Email: [email protected] Mail: Chuitna River Watershed Lands Unsuitable Petition, Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources, 550 W 7th Ave, Suite 920, Anchorage, AK 99502.
WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
Anchorage Daily News: [email protected] (175 Word Limit)
Peninsula Clarion: http://clarionextras.com/forms/Letter.htm
Homer Tribune: [email protected]
Homer News: [email protected]
Juneau Empire: [email protected]
Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman: [email protected]
MORE INFORMATION:
Visit http://www.chuitna.org
Obviously, I’m WAY out of state, on an island off the other edge of the continent. If you’re close enough to attend, please do so. I’d be willing to write a letter to the editor, but don’t think my opinion would carry much weight with Alaska papers. If I’m wrong about that, let me know. Health and peace.
Bristol’s natural talent gets her a job offer
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2011/01/phoenix_radio_station_offers_b.php
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-tea-party-20110105,0,4057564.story
‘Tea party’ freshmen embrace status quo
After campaigning against D.C.’s ways, new Republican lawmakers quickly turn to lobbyists and fundraisers.
Bwahaha-bwahahaha!
See new post. AKM needs some mudpuppy loves and kisses.
Got my espresso machine today!
Yay! I bet it’s a beauty!
When should I be there?
Gore Vidal responds (through a spokesperson) to Michelle Bachmann’s comment: “She”s too stupid to deserve an answer.”
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/gore-vidal-michele-bachmann-too-stupid-to-deserve-an-answer.php?ref=fpb
Wow, it’s by Nick Jans, too. Thanks for the heads-up!
Sorry if this has already been posted. Shannyn just read it on her show.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2011-01-06-column06_ST_N.htm
One would assume that real hunters around the country would see through her gun handling skills. As I’m not a hunter and don’t like guns, it just makes me like her even less. She’s not hunting to feed her family. If they had to depend on her for their food, they would have starved long ago – of maybe she actually would have learned how to load and shoot by herself.
Read Field & Stream online, to see what actual hunters think of her non-existent skills. The juicy parts are in the comments.
That was fantastic…and in USA Today (one of the few newspapers that Palin has said that she reads).
Arizona Death Panels in action. And the Palins want to move there?
http://www.npr.org/2010/11/11/131215308/arizona-budget-cuts-put-organ-transplants-at-risk
http://azstarnet.com/news/science/health-med-fit/6489389b-cea0-5dca-b1ff-33396ccabbea.html
And the deaths begin.
We’re supposed to have a flurry tonight, then the area will get 3-6″ starting tomorrow morning. I love the snow, but then, I don’t drive.
The man who Coulter referred to with the ‘r’ word is eagerly awaiting Palin’s response.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cenk-uygur/ann-coulter-vs-sarah-pali_b_805193.html
We are expecting more snow in Iowa today. Hopefully it is “light”. But, I find it puzzling to see flocks of geese flying North! Is this a sign of some kind? Seems a little early for this I think.
Maybe not – we’re having a warm winter so far. It was supposed to be colder – not so, says the Juneau resident. But there is no such thing as global warming in any shape or form – just remember that and don’t bother to notice the details or any such pesky things.
i saw the same thing in Ohio last week LacyLady. i was amazed. New York was covered over in snow and the sun had melted everything in Ohio. i was looking at newly green grass and geese flying north and bit east of north. bless their little geese hearts they were saying “”WONK! Wonk! wonk! Bubbles! spring is soon coming! be gladsomely glad!”
“spring is soon coming!”
Clearly those geese don’t live in western NY!
We usually wait until late April before we even start looking for spring, and even then it’s with great caution since some of our worst snowstorms often happen in March and April. In a typical year, the great piles of snow along the edges of the Wegman’s parking lot will finally disappear just in time for Memorial Day!
There’s a hot item over on IM going around re: Todd and Anchorage massage therapists. Any feet on this story?
If there is, leave it to PG and IM to develop or spread the story since they just eat this stuff up. I’ll wait til if and when it’s more than a rumor, then have my chuckle.
Hehe………
I don’t believe in leaving others to do the dirty work, if you are going to enjoy the fruits!
In this case, I already know Todd is a sleazy flirt. The person I know about was really icked out by him. As with most guys who do this kind of creepy flirting, it’s a pattern and it’s not going to stop no matter where he is, or even how close to his wife and family he is. My joy, if his sleaziness gets outed, is in knowing that women he has grossed out will be somewhat vindicated. I couldn’t care less about Todd himself, or his completely dysfunctional family.
Palin needs to be taken down for her politics and public bullsh1t like wrecking Alaska’s image – but others disagree and feel it’s all fair game. I believe some have stepped over the line, so they can do their thing without me around to cheer them on.
It’s probably a red herring anyway – to hide something else more egregious.
The only odd thing is it has been several weeks since $P has inserted Her$elf into the public spotlight. Unusual for her.
Ann Coulter’s use of the ‘r’ word is making the rounds. Everyone is wondering when Mrs. Palin will strike since she is so offended by democrats who use that term.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/06/ann-coulter-retarded-msnbc_n_805135.html
Still waiting Sarah (as this was in the news yesterday)…still waiting…still waiting…still waiting…………..
I don’t think she’ll say a thing, even if someone asks her about it. She’ll come up with some reason that it’s OK. She’s such a hypocrit and definitely not the advocate that her son needs.
Do you know as much a a Teabagger? Don Young? Boehner? Let’s see.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/0106/How-much-do-you-know-about-the-US-Constitution-A-quiz/Famous-phrase
I scored 14 out of 15 (forgot Jefferson wasn’t there)… beat that Tee Pee-ers. (and it was pretty easy)
I got the same score, missed the same one. Also noted in the comments on their page that there are 27, not 26 amendments. Or maybe the quiz was written before 1992 and should be updated.
Well, I was all cheery about commenting on the weather, but since I with my Dad right now who won’t even talk about these topics…feeling a little discouraged.
Anything we can do for you?
The Republican House is going to repeal healthcare bill. What idiots. “The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office’s most recent estimate says that the Democratic health measure would reduce the deficit by $143 billion over the coming decade, savings that would disappear if the law is repealed.” Republicans counter that that figure is unrealistic. – Even if it was half of that amount, it sure would be something.
I read somewhere that the Cons are planning to get rid of the CBO and leave budget analysis up to one committee member. Probably Paul Ryan who I recall was left speechless by President Obama when he tried to spout his flawed financial plans during that meeting last year.
Welcome back to vooddoo economics. We’re in trouble.
A political stunt if ever there was one. And they are not allowing any ammendments by the Democrats. Gee, that sounds very transparent and shows honesty in governing. I assume that by this heavy handed beginning it’s a sign of what the next two years will be. My only hope is that some of those Dems and independents who didn’t bother to vote last November will wake up before 2012 and get out there to send this latest batch of rethugs home, for good.
Has anyone else here in Alaska seen the latest pro-Pebble Mine commercial yet? It features a young woman, presumably an Alaska Native, who proclaims that she is going to walk “from the site of the mine to Bristol Bay.” Three days and 58 miles later, she’s only halfway there. Well by all means then, that settles that. Start digging, boys. Because there’s no way that a gazillion gallons of toxic waste is going to walk that far to contaminate the waterways of a major commercial salmon fishery. Everyone knows that toxic waste is too lazy for that, and will probably give up after just a few hours. Sheesh!
Whenever a company has to resort to meaningless stunts like this to support their position, you can be pretty sure they’re on the wrong side of the issue. Oh yeah, didn’t Palin support this project, too? Case closed.
I take constant action (at least monthly, often more) to stop Pebble from ever becoming reality. Toxic sludge in an earthquake zone? Mining waste adjacent to the most productive salmon run anywhere? I know greed drives people nuts, but this is beyond nuts. What kind of cataclysm is required to wake these people up? Does every waterway on Earth have to resemble the Gulf before they get their priorities in order?
We have only one small planet to share, with each other and with every walking, flying, creeping, swimming, or burrowing creature, plant, fungus, bacterium, and virus. We don’t have another Earth to murder. I don’t believe environmental destruction is the end of the world. It’s the end of US, and many other life forms. Surely, that’s not “what G-d intended.”
I hate that commercial, too, because I see what you see: emotional manipulation.
We should get a couple of kayakers to go there and produce a video refudiating that commercial.
Start up at the headwaters, paddle down to Bristol Bay. 120 miles? I have done 60 miles in one day in my raft — which moves more slowly than the deeper current. I’m guessing a spill at the mine area would reach Bristol Bay is less than 24 hours.
The title of this piece is the saddest statement yet as to Palin’s influence in America:
Sarah Palin proves lying can be very effective
By Greg Sargent
Some folks on the right are excited about an article in The New York Times today reporting that the Obama administration, in a sudden shift, has decided to nix those fabled “death panels”:
The Obama administration, reversing course, will revise a Medicare regulation to delete references to end-of-life planning as part of the annual physical examinations covered under the new health care law, administration officials said Tuesday.
The Times bluntly notes that politics helped drive the Obama administration’s decision, because the “renewed debate over advance care planning threatened to become a distraction” to the administration’s campaign pushing back on the House GOP’s push to repeal health reform.
And so conservatives are approvingly pointing to the Times pice as evidence that Sarah Palin, the primary author of the “death panel” formulation, “won” this debate. The New York Sun went so far as to suggest that the nixed provision be renamed “the Palin patch.”
Amusingly, however, the very same Times article that’s being widely cited by conservatives today also contains a delicate reminder that Palin’s “death panel” formulation, which was echoed by conservatives and Republicans for months, is a flat out lie:
During debate on the legislation, Democrats dropped a somewhat similar proposal to encourage end-of-life planning after it touched off a political storm. Republicans said inaccurately that the House version of the bill allowed a government panel to make decisions about end-of-life care for people on Medicare.
It’s an interesting and rather revealing definition of “victory.”
By Greg Sargent | January 5, 2011; 4:38 PM ET
Categories: Health reform
Palin is the LCD and sadly, they appear to be the majority of Americans.
“The Obama administration, reversing course, will revise a Medicare regulation to delete references to end-of-life planning as part of the annual physical examinations covered under the new health care law, administration officials said Tuesday.”
This is not good news. But you know what? EVERYONE should have that conversation with somebody in their life AND put their wishes in writing. Terri Schiavo ring any bells? That situation could have been prevented.
http://abstractappeal.com/schiavo/autopsyreport.pdf
Sorry–here’s a link to the autopsy report.
Now, those of us who have NOT filled out our living wills, etc.–get going!
Second that here. It’s very important to have a Living Will or Advanced Directive for Health Care. Your family may not be allowed to make any decisions for you, even if you have discussed it beforehand. It has to be in writing.
I have a cousin whose husband was keep on machines for over a year because the Fundies would not allow the family to make decisions about his care.
Some of the Con busy bodies believe that all measures have to be taken to keep a body going and do not believe that anyone should have a quiet, peaceful parting from this earth.
I don’t get it. Don’t these asshats WANT to go to Jesus? Why delay?
Got mine done a short while back. I guess I’m guilty of having or creating or participating in having or creating a death panel. I feel better. My sons know specifically what to do with dad’s ashes and where and when they are to be spread. They also know that as I have required very little of them,this one time I respectfully request their prescence and want someone to play Dreamboat Annie on a cello to send me on my next voyage. Of course by then,Rethugs may have banned good music.Or funerals.
If anyone needs help understanding end-of-life planning or needs to know how to create a living will, the best source may very well be a local hospice. The one here has a social worker that can meet with you and discuss these issues at no charge. They have information and forms. And they are experts in dealing with families in these situations. I feel better knowing that my children will never have to make these decisions for me.
Hospice was sooo wonderful helping me with my dad last year. He had signed a DNR in Oct ’09 then revoked it in Jan’10 then Feb came around and he was landing in the hospital about every fourth day – I was taking care of him & mom and getting exasperated/exhausted.
Finally the Hospice nurse was able to help him sign a DNR stating if he was going to become a vegetable-brain he didn’t want extraordinary measures.
Soon we were at the hospital again and he couldn’t breathe (CHF) but he didn’t want to die.
His regular doctor was so angry (I think he was grieving, too, because he loved my parents) but the doctor in the hospital was able to get my dad to see that the next best thing was to be intubated to breathe (he didn’t want a tube). Dad just wanted me to get drugs and put him down like a horse or dog: “Can’t you just put me to sleep?” I felt so sad for him – we treat our sick animals better than the elderly in this country.
After three nights our doc sent us home for him to die (I had a bottle of morphine to help the breathing). The home health nurse wanted to put him on all the oxygen and pills again, but this time I had the courage to say, No, comfort measures only.
I was able to look up the LD50 for the morphine so I could understand that I wasn’t killing him because I didn’t have enough for a lethal dose. When the lasix couldn’t make his kidneys function then I called the hospice nurse and she was able to advise me, plus she came out to turn off the defibrillator but it was still more than 24 hours before he passed.
I held him when he died and I was allowed to help the hospice nurse wash him before they picked up his body for cremation.
Long story short, it is fully ignorant and short-sighted to refuse to discuss the issues of end-of-life planning – it really does not help anyone, especially not the ones who have to help carry the process of a person who is terminal.
Hospice is wonderful, especially the volunteer hospice programs (there are paid ones, too, so look around).
Thank you for sharing your story, and I am sorry for your loss. It was very brave and noble of you to care for your dad that way.
Thank you for sharing your story, and condolences (I know how hard it is to lose ones dad, mine died when I was 13 and he was four years younger than I am now).
I had a friend who had no relatives nearby (and even if they’d been near, he didn’t get along with them), and asked me to be his health care proxy. When he got esophogeal cancer (from all the Fosamax on top of all the alcohol and bad diet) and was hospitalized, I could NOT get his doctors to prescribe sufficient pain meds until I got him moved to hospice care (which was in the same hospital).
They respected my instructions, all based on his wishes, and he died peacefully, with a morphine drip ever present to ease the way.
Can you post a link to this article? Truly sad news. Sarah has been somewhat quiet lately, was enjoying the reprieve.
Here’s a link:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2011/01/a_victory_for_mendacity.html
Someone should remind them that people are now dying because of Gov. Brewer’s real death panels in Arizona. I am so sick of the republicans lying and getting away with it and setting the course of the country. It’s time for Democrats to stop being so polite.
I heard on Olberman that a second person waiting for a transplant in Arizona has died because they were not able to pay for the surgery. I don’t know how Jan Brewer can sleep at night knowing that she effectively condemned that innocent person to death and deprived his/her family of their loved one for purely political motives.
If it wouldn’t cause the family so much additional pain, I would love to see them confront Brewer and make her face what she done up close and personal. Force her to explain to their faces why she thought that their loved one’s life and the lives of the other people on the waiting list were not worth less than 2 million dollars. She is truly a despicable creature.
There is a state legislator who will be introducing a new bill to restore funding for the transplant program…AND she’s found a source of revenue for it as well. I hope it passes unanimously.
I heard that. It’s just a shame that two people and their families had to go through all this pain with no recourse for justice. Every time I see Brewer I want to spit.
These are the people that get into a lather every time someone says the word ‘abortion’ – claiming that all life is sacred and in need of our ‘protection’.
Yikes.
You’re absolutely right. And Brewer was one of the not-even-in-the-case-of-rape-or-incest supporters. I’m not sure she even wanted to allow it to save the life of the mother.
I suppose that the pain of forcing a 12-year-old go through a traumatic and potentially life-endangering pregnancy to give birth to her father’s child is acceptable because that clump of cells is precious. However, that already-living person who needs a kidney but can’t afford the surgery that the state would have paid for a year ago…well it’s just too bad for them and their families and they just should not have gotten sick in the first place.
Did I mention that she’s despicable?
Wy can’t Alaskans learn to drive properly?
Since October, spouse and I have enjoyed the company of three moose – a cow and two calves who always came into our area to browse the wilds.
Yesterday morning I saw troopers on the highway – momma and a baby had been hit.
Last night as I drove up to our house, there is sibling lmoose dead in the road.
It does not take a rocket scientist to know winter, plus snow, plus hungry moose means caution.
I was told by emergency people that 900 (nine hundred) moose are killed on the peninsula every year by cars. And this makes it OK?
Plus, 900 moose is a lot of stock to lose.
Ironic about how people complain about wolves depleting the moose population.
I guess mankind, once again, is never responsible for the problem.
I am so mad, and sad.
Please drive with care and caution.
Anyone know what the statewide numbers are? Number of moose killed by humans, by all means (hunting and accidents), and the number of moose killed by natural predators (wolves, bears, etc)?
Many years ago the paper made a big deal about the numbers of moose killed by the railroad – workers clean the tracks, of course, for the trains, but the moose like the easy walking and don’t know how to get out of the way. RR took a lot of action to reduce kills but it hasn’t translated as well to POV operators.
Wonder if my fellow pups who are inclined to stop the death penalty would mind emailing the Governor of Illinois. We have had a moratorium for ten years, and that could be ending w/o action. This lame duck group we have is something else. Help if you can. Thanks!
Here is the message from Daily Kos – Illinois:
http://www.dailykos.com/tag/illinois
Illinois could end the death penalty by the end of the week
by EmmaWA
Tue Jan 04, 2011 at 09:30:29 AM PST
A month ago, a bill that would end the death penalty in Illinois (SB 3539)passed out of committee. But before the bill could come to a vote, the legislature adjourned. As of yesterday, this lame-duck legislature is back in session.
If you live in Illinois: tell your representatives that you support ending the death penalty.If you don’t live in Illinois: contact the governor! Let Governor Pat Quinn know that the whole nation is looking for his leadership now.
Illinois has had a moratorium for 10 years. What have we learned from it? Only that the death penalty still risks executing innocent people. It doesn’t do anything to keep communities safer. It is applied unfairly. It costs millions more than alternatives. And, despite what we are sometimes told, the death penalty fails to meet the needs of murder victims’ families.
Okay. Thanks.
I don’t want you to think we is uneddicated hear in Ioway,but,we lead the nashun in raisin hawgs and the raisins make ’em taste funny. I feel learnt enuf to tell youall that the picshure shows sumpin frozen. Yes I is homeskoold.
Are the raisins all on the outside? Can you pick them out?
Are raisin hawgs all brown and wrinkly?
Do they plump up when ya put ’em in warm water?
I’m going to be heading to bed with all sorts of sadz for the raisin hawgs.
( and, truth be told, a little nauseous imagining the oatmeal cookies that would be made from such )
Happy Epiphany Day, everyone!
And special wishes to my new mudpup friend in Juneau, whom I recently just found out is married to a cousin of one of my very best friends in high school – in Florida!
Previously, I had connected up with the wife of a fellow who worked with my son. Geeez, AKM, those mudpuppies of yours are everywhere!
Of course, we are everywhere! Why do you think I sign on as FTD? …;-)
coffee cup clink to you both:~)
Now, I know – Hah!
FTD – every time I see your screen name I hear one of my favorite movie lines . Care to guess ?
Melting in Alaska in January? How can that be? We are still frozen and covered with snow here in the Upper Mojave Desert. What the heck?
Yup. My front yard looks like Deer Park, WA, in the summer. Green lawn, rotten snow, just a bit of ice on the driveway. Treacherous as hell on the roads with sliding stops. We were supposed to get four snowstorms last week but two became rain. Temps supposed to drop tonight back to the single digits but that means no new snow so the landscape will be ice-brown yuck.