Rural Update – News from the Flood Zone
The unprecedented flooding on the Yukon River has wiped out riverside homes and buildings, devastating the village of Eagle with enormous chunks of ice and raging floodwaters. Residents were able to escape but had to leave their homes and most of their possessions behind. Mudflatter Yukonbushgrandma who is a frequent commenter here on The Mudflats was right in the thick of things in the flood zone. This is her story. I will post updates as they become available. Right now, she and her husband are staying with friends on higher ground, and they are safe. Our thoughts go out to…
Palin Cancels Friday Night Date With Dog Barbecueing Jew Counter.
You know….sometimes when I type headlines, I really really wish they weren’t true. I cannot emphasize enough how much that is the case in this instance. No matter how much I bang my head on the desk, this guy just won’t go away. First let me start with a disclaimer. Perhaps I should have said “former dog barbecueing jew counter” because those things happened a long time ago. So, you know… if you’re inclined, you can just move beyond that fact and let bygones be bygones. Hey, we all did crazy stuff in our youth. I’m sure there are many former dog…
Rural Update from Ann Strongheart in Nunam Iqua
What a year it has been so far! First, we have our brave, courageous, and selfless Elder Nick Tucker of Emmonak. Nick’s letter brought to light the crisis of not only Emmonak but also many Bush villages. Then, wonderful Mudpups, bloggers and generous people across the nation and around the world stepped in to help get Dennis Zaki to Emmonak. About that time, I found The Mudflats blog and the magnanimous Mudpups who wanted to help. The disastrous lack of a salmon run on the Yukon and across Alaska led to a crisis of tremendous proportions. Then an early freeze…
Ballast and BS, Brought to You By Chevron.
It’s Earth Day, and according to the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey, only 31% of American adults believe their fellow countrymen are environmentally aware. Sounds about right. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Americans rate Earth Day as at least somewhat important, including 28% for whom it is Very Important. Yet while most Americans value Earth Day, just 21% plan to do something special to celebrate Earth Day. I am among the 21%. I am going to celebrate Earth Day by talking about … water ballast in oil tanks! You just knew I couldn’t let Earth Day pass without talking about Drift…
Palin Explains Ross’ Defeat – It’s the Bloggers, Stupid.
We all know that Governor Palin was quite taken with the idea of having Wayne Anthony Ross as her new Attorney General. He apparently had all the things Alaskans look for in a candidate for the head of the Department of Law. “I believed I knew what Alaskans wanted when I selected an individual who is a strong backer of 2nd Amendment rights, a staunch supporter of the state Constitution and a defender of life,” Governor Palin said. “Wayne Anthony Ross supports responsible, ethical development of Alaska’s rich resources. And we all know that for the first time ever, a…
Bedtime in Alaska – Daily Roundup
Trees Sighted on the Lower Yukon! When Rep. Mike Kelly (R) from Fairbanks suggested that if people in rural villages were cold, they should just “cut wood,” people in villages like Emmonak might have been scratching their heads, wondering about the secret location of all this wood. But now, Nunam Iqua resident Ann Strongheart has discovered trees right in the bustling heart of downtown Nunam Iqua. I’ll bet that purple one will burn real good. And if they run out of food again, and get hungry, I hear that there are lots of unicorns that hang out in the…
“Let Them Cut Wood” in the Forests of Western Alaska.
The legislative session ends today, but the fun continues right to the bitter end. Residents of rural Alaska were interested to note that Rep. Mike Kelly (R) from Fairbanks (who won the election by one vote), is irritated with the idea of appropriating state energy assistance money to rural Alaska and suggested that people shouldn’t rely on state aid, but instead should “cut wood.” If you are picturing the rural villages of Western Alaska with dwellings nestled among stands of large hardwood trees and dense foliage, you may now disavow yourself of that supposition. In places like Emmonak, which has a few scrubby alders,…