Remembering MLK Jr. with Steady Loving Confrontation
Meet Lynda Blackmon Lowery. Late last year we talked with Mrs. Lowery for our new film, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy about her first time meeting Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and what his words meant to her. Her mother died when she was only 7 years old, from that point forward she became committed to making sure that not another child would lose her mother because the color of her skin. So when she heard Dr. King speak the words of “Steady loving confrontation” she became committed to the Civil Rights movement. At 14 years old she marched…
Open Thread – Alan Rickman’s Last Wish
I usually hate ‘click-bait’ headlines, so I apologize for this one. But when Hans Gruber and Severus Snape asks you to do something – you do it. Before Alan Rickman passed away Alan Rickman recorded this plea for help making this video go viral. Watch it, and let the voice that could send chills down Harry Potters spine explain why you must. Oh and after you’ve done that, be sure to tune into the Democratic Debates tonight… that is if you’re not watching the NFL playoffs or Downton Abbey.
Bird of the Week – Surf Scoter
The third and last scoter that breeds in Alaska – or North America for that matter – is the very cool Surf Scoter. With the white neck patches and that extravagant white and orange bill, it’s very easy to identify this species. This medium-sized sea duck breeds in boreal forest lakes of northern Canada and Alaska, and during nonbreeding periods is widely distributed in nearshore marine habitats along both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America. Surf Scoters are aptly named. They forage in the surf, diving in and out of the waves. They are very strong swimmers, diving as…
Hillary Is Off Target To Attack Bernie On Guns
Carl Johnson has a juris doctorate from the University of Minnesota Law School and practiced law in Alaska for 10 years Now that the race is tightening, Hillary Clinton is increasing her attacks on Bernie Sanders regarding his record on gun control. Starting back in October and as recently as this week, she notes how she and President Obama while in the Senate voted against a bill that would grant blanket immunity to gun manufacturers from law suits. In contrast, she claims, Bernie Sanders voted in favor of the bill. Simply put, Hillary Clinton is not only lying but, as…
Bird of the Week – White-winged Scoter
This week we’ll look at another Scoter, that slightly obscure clade of ducks that breed in Alaska. This week, the White-winged Scoter. The drake White-winged is easily identified by the lovely white line under their eye, the orange bill with a black knob, all against an overall dark body. The white wing of their name are sometimes not visible when they are on the water. In flight, however, it’s another excellent field mark. Of the North America’s three species of scoters (White-winged, Surf, and Black Scoter), all of which inhabit Holarctic waters, the White-winged Scoter is the largest and best known, in…
Watch for Aurora Click Bait
Every once in a while over the last month or so, I have been seeing worrisome queries on aurora interest pages on Facebook. It all started with a classic click-bait headline, “2016 Is Your Last Chance to See the Northern Lights Before They Vanish.” How accurate is this? Is this true? These are some of the questions that introduce the post to others. The very easy, accurate and simple answer is, “Absolutely not. It’s complete hogwash.” Of course, once you click on the article, you get a rather perfunctory explanation of the solar cycle, and how the sun’s activity peaks…
Open Thread – The Alaska Highway
It’s a new year and so I figured it’s time to bring back the weekly open thread posts. I want to know from everyone what their New Year’s resolution is – and how long they think they will last. My resolution is to stop spending all my extra money on camera gear and related accessories. I’m betting I’ll last a month. Completely unrelated to my question, here’s a fun video I found a while back discussing the creation of the Alaska Highway. January 4th, 2 years ago I was driving this highway during the Polar Vortex, shockingly I survived without…
The Weekend Off – News You Missed
Alaska ADN – Of moose and men: A brief history of domesticated moose in Alaska Long before Jack Carr was noticed for raising two pet moose, he was already famous. An Alaska mail carrier at the turn of the 20th century, Carr spent his days crisscrossing the territory by dog sled, delivering mail between the Last Frontier and the contiguous United States. AP – Family spokeswoman: Alaska plane crash was a suicide The death of a man whose plane clipped one building before smashing into another in the heart of downtown Anchorage was a suicide, a spokeswoman for his family said. There’s…
Bird of the Week – Black Scoter
We’ll start the New Year with a new duck. Most Alaskans are unaware of the clade of scoters, genus Melanitta. That’s okay, science doesn’t know very much about them either. The Black Scoter is one of the three scoter species that breed in Alaska. The Black Scoter drake in breeding plumage is easy to identify: it’s the only black duck with two-thirds of the top if its bill – technically, its culmen – bright yellow and the rest black. Black Scoters breed in coastal zones and less commonly up the Yukon and Tanana drainages. WC has found nesting birds on…
The Weekend Off – News You Missed
Alaska The Guardian – Record high Arctic temperatures in 2015 having ‘profound effects’ on region The Arctic experienced record air temperatures and a new low in peak ice extent during 2015, with scientists warning that climate change is having “profound effects” on the entire marine ecosystem and the indigenous communities that rely upon it. Newsminer – Near-hurricane force winds expected near Delta, Alaska Range Two storms packing winds of 50 to 90 mph are aiming for Delta Junction and Alaska Range passes today through mid-week. AP News – Alaska’s Inuit link steady food supply to environment health Alaska Inuit hunter John Goodwin for…