Friday, August 21, 2009
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Eagle, Alaska Flooding
Well, flooding isn't really the word for it. Bulldozed by Yukon River ice is more like it.
Eagle has always been my favorite spot in Alaska. I've always said that if I had one minute to pick where I would live the rest of my days up here, Eagle would be that place.
I first visited the fair, First Class City (and Village) in the late '70s when I was in the Coast Guard in Tok.
Well, this year "Springtime in Alaska" ain't no 40 below. It's been HOT in the Interior and the Upper Yukon is on an ice jam rampage.
The pictures are heartbreaking.
Eagle has always been my favorite spot in Alaska. I've always said that if I had one minute to pick where I would live the rest of my days up here, Eagle would be that place.
I first visited the fair, First Class City (and Village) in the late '70s when I was in the Coast Guard in Tok.
Well, this year "Springtime in Alaska" ain't no 40 below. It's been HOT in the Interior and the Upper Yukon is on an ice jam rampage.
The pictures are heartbreaking.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Catching Sophie’s Killer: Cold Case Investigators Search For New Clues
Were you a UAF student in April, 1993? Did you live in Bartlett? Know somebody who was? Then you probably remember this story. Know something? THINK you know something? Then please call AST. They would love to talk to you!
From the Alaska State Troopers:
Sunday, April 26, is the 16th anniversary of the murder of Sophie Sergie, a 20-year-old from Pitkas Point who was found dead in a dormitory at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks in 1993. In the past few years, Cold Case Investigators have diligently sorted through old case files and gathered new information; however, they need the public's help in finding new leads and eliminating others in order to find Sophie's killer. Soldotna-based Cold Case Investigators Jim Stogsdill and Lindy Minnick, aided by other Cold Case investigators within the Alaska Bureau of Investigation, Tim Hunyor and James Gallen, are trying to track anyone who was at UAF dormitory Bartlett Hall at the time of Sophie's death in the very early morning hours of April 26, 1993.
“We’d like everybody who was residing at Bartlett Hall in the spring of 1993, just simply call up and say, ‘Hey, I was
there, I was in whatever room number, this is what I heard, this is what I saw, this is what I heard people speak of afterwards,’”
Stogsdill said. “We can filter all that out.”
Interviewing people who might have something to add to the timeline leading up to Sophie’s death has been a challenge
from the start. Her murder occurred right around finals. Students quickly left for the summer, some of them never to return for
another semester at UAF. Investigators have the difficult task of tracking down people, some of whom have moved Outside or
joined the military in the almost 16 years since Sophie’s death.
Anyone who was in the area of Hess Commons or the Moore, Bartlett and Skarland Halls on April 26, 1993 can contact
Stogsdill at (907)260-2716; Minnick at (907)260-2710 or lindy.minnick@alaska.gov; Gallen or Hunyor in Anchorage at
(907)269-5611; or UAF Police Investigator Steve Goetz at (907)474-7721.
Contact Beth Ipsen at (907)269-5654, (907)351-5191 or elizabeth.ipsen@alaska.gov for more information, or for a copy of a videotaped interview with Investigator Jim Stogsdill.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Amen!
The old priest lay dying in the hospital.
For years he had faithfully served the people of the nation's capital.
He motioned for his nurse to come near.
"Yes, Father?" said the nurse.
"I would really like to see Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi before I die", whispered the priest.
"I'll see what I can do, Father." replied the nurse.
The nurse sent the request to them and waited for a response.
Soon the word arrived. Harry and Nancy would be delighted to visit the priest.
As they went to the hospital, Harry commented to Nancy , "I don't know
why the old priest wants to see us, but it will certainly help our images."
Nancy couldn't help but agree.
When they arrived at the priest's room, the priest took Nancy 's hand in
his right hand and Harry's hand in his left. There was silence and a
look of serenity on the old priest's face.
Finally Nancy spoke. "Father, of all the people you could have chosen,
why did you choose us to be with you as you near the end?"
The old priest slowly replied, "I have always tried to pattern my life
after our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
The old priest continued... "He died between two lying thieves. I would like to do the same."
For years he had faithfully served the people of the nation's capital.
He motioned for his nurse to come near.
"Yes, Father?" said the nurse.
"I would really like to see Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi before I die", whispered the priest.
"I'll see what I can do, Father." replied the nurse.
The nurse sent the request to them and waited for a response.
Soon the word arrived. Harry and Nancy would be delighted to visit the priest.
As they went to the hospital, Harry commented to Nancy , "I don't know
why the old priest wants to see us, but it will certainly help our images."
Nancy couldn't help but agree.
When they arrived at the priest's room, the priest took Nancy 's hand in
his right hand and Harry's hand in his left. There was silence and a
look of serenity on the old priest's face.
Finally Nancy spoke. "Father, of all the people you could have chosen,
why did you choose us to be with you as you near the end?"
The old priest slowly replied, "I have always tried to pattern my life
after our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
The old priest continued... "He died between two lying thieves. I would like to do the same."
The BOTH BARRELS Archive
Take a trip down memory lane and root around in the archives. Plenty of Tim Treadwell, Ted Stevens and other more arcane stuff in there. So if you are new to the blog, please feel free to see what you can see.
Trina is in Paris!
Trina Landlord, aka Eskimo to the World is in Paris, no doubt comparing the City of Lights (no, NOT Anchorage) to the Great White Way. So lucky!
Writing Raven's Earth Day Resolutions
As is my wont, on matters better understood and elucidated by those much wiser than myself, I once again defer to Writing Raven at Alaska Real:
So Earth Day kinda snuck up on me, and I do try and recognize it in some way. For several thousands of years, the Native people of this continent did a pretty good job of being responsible with the earth. But I think we're slipping, big time now. "Taking care of the land" should not be a past value, and I don't think it totally is - yet.
But today, I didn't really do anything because I forgot about it until about noon today. I also got to thinking that every Earth Day I reflect on how I SHOULD be doing more, and down the way not that much happens.
So today I actually reflected on WHY that's usually a fail. And I came up with two pretty obvious reasons:
1) I start too big. Somehow, overnight, I believe I'm going to change all my habits? As utopian as that is... that's a set up for a big fail right there.
2) I'm not really that specific. "Recycle more." "Use less energy." Uh, right. Not ,only is it kind of copping out, there's no accountability, even to myself.
So I've gone over some very small, very realistic changes I know I can make and instead of making them, "change these for the rest of your life" kind of moves, I'm going to commit to them until the end of the summer (Sept. 1.) Then, re-evaluate. My small changes include:
1. Do not purchase DVD's, or physically rent them.
Benefits: Save on packaging, the energy to create the physical DVD, save on gas. I will download any movies I want to rent or purchase, and if it's not available on iTunes... well, I'm SOL. I think it's something I can survive.
2. Do not purchase anything from the grocery store if I'm not using a reusable bag.
I started something like this last year, and even have all the bags, but kept forgetting them, and shrugging it off for a "I'll remember next time." So, for grocery shopping only, if I don't have the bags, I'm not walking in. Benefits: Save on plastic AND paper, landfills not as full.
3. ONLY use environmentally conscious cosmetic brands
I'm halfway to this goal, as the brand I prefer for my basics is pretty much there. But I looked up one of the items I use every day, and... yikes. I checked it on Skin Deep cosmetic database, and holy crap. I'm basically washing my face with toxins... which seems a little self-defeating as well. So only earth-friendly brands. This includes my shampoo, shower gel - the works. Benefits: Not putting freaky hormone-ridden stuff on every day, save on packaging, supporting companies with a green conscious.
4. I will dispose of any medications correctly
I didn't even know this was a problem until I was made aware of how BIG a problem it is recently! Not disposing of medications correctly can mean a lot of things, like danger to yourself or children by accidental poisoning, but it can also (and DOES) get into the water systems, and doesn't come out. This goes into our drinking water, but it can also effect salmon (and other wildlife) populations. You can check out proper disposal here from the State of Utah (hey, they popped up first.) Benefits: Non-poisoned drinking water and oceans, less chance of poisoning.
So that's it. It seems like so little to me, but this year I'm focusing on small changes, and succeeding small, instead of focusing on big, and failing hard.
So Earth Day kinda snuck up on me, and I do try and recognize it in some way. For several thousands of years, the Native people of this continent did a pretty good job of being responsible with the earth. But I think we're slipping, big time now. "Taking care of the land" should not be a past value, and I don't think it totally is - yet.
But today, I didn't really do anything because I forgot about it until about noon today. I also got to thinking that every Earth Day I reflect on how I SHOULD be doing more, and down the way not that much happens.
So today I actually reflected on WHY that's usually a fail. And I came up with two pretty obvious reasons:
1) I start too big. Somehow, overnight, I believe I'm going to change all my habits? As utopian as that is... that's a set up for a big fail right there.
2) I'm not really that specific. "Recycle more." "Use less energy." Uh, right. Not ,only is it kind of copping out, there's no accountability, even to myself.
So I've gone over some very small, very realistic changes I know I can make and instead of making them, "change these for the rest of your life" kind of moves, I'm going to commit to them until the end of the summer (Sept. 1.) Then, re-evaluate. My small changes include:
1. Do not purchase DVD's, or physically rent them.
Benefits: Save on packaging, the energy to create the physical DVD, save on gas. I will download any movies I want to rent or purchase, and if it's not available on iTunes... well, I'm SOL. I think it's something I can survive.
2. Do not purchase anything from the grocery store if I'm not using a reusable bag.
I started something like this last year, and even have all the bags, but kept forgetting them, and shrugging it off for a "I'll remember next time." So, for grocery shopping only, if I don't have the bags, I'm not walking in. Benefits: Save on plastic AND paper, landfills not as full.
3. ONLY use environmentally conscious cosmetic brands
I'm halfway to this goal, as the brand I prefer for my basics is pretty much there. But I looked up one of the items I use every day, and... yikes. I checked it on Skin Deep cosmetic database, and holy crap. I'm basically washing my face with toxins... which seems a little self-defeating as well. So only earth-friendly brands. This includes my shampoo, shower gel - the works. Benefits: Not putting freaky hormone-ridden stuff on every day, save on packaging, supporting companies with a green conscious.
4. I will dispose of any medications correctly
I didn't even know this was a problem until I was made aware of how BIG a problem it is recently! Not disposing of medications correctly can mean a lot of things, like danger to yourself or children by accidental poisoning, but it can also (and DOES) get into the water systems, and doesn't come out. This goes into our drinking water, but it can also effect salmon (and other wildlife) populations. You can check out proper disposal here from the State of Utah (hey, they popped up first.) Benefits: Non-poisoned drinking water and oceans, less chance of poisoning.
So that's it. It seems like so little to me, but this year I'm focusing on small changes, and succeeding small, instead of focusing on big, and failing hard.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Drugs, Guns and Money (These are a few of my favorite things...)
Seriously, though, lets talk about Mexico.
Our sunny south of the border friend is in a serious downward spiral for as many reasons as Carter has little liver pills, not the least of course the out of control drug game.
Some argue that the arrest and killing of a number of kingpins have had the same effect as the death of Tito (Marshall, not Jackson) in the former Yugoslavia.
Others suggest that the rampant corruption in, say it with me, "Mexican Law Enforcement" is the cause, although I must say that any man who risks beheading for a few hundo a month is my kind of guy (maybe Mexico and Iraq should have a law enforcement exchange program...)
The United States is the biggest market in the world for illegal drugs. All roads point North. It was interesting to hear on the radio the other morning that about 14% of Americans represent the consumer sector for illegal drugs. That was a surprise. However, it is an interesting corollary to the percentage of the population that controls the wealth, too!
President Obama was in Mexico recently, talking drugs, guns and money. Mostly guns.
Yesterdays Washington Times had an interesting editorial, to which I link:Obama's Gun Lies and shamelessly quote:
On Thursday, while on a visit to Mexico, the president continued his Blame America First tour. "This war is being waged with guns purchased not here but in the United States," he said, referring to the drug wars that are tearing apart our neighbor to the south. "More than 90 percent of the guns recovered in Mexico come from the United States, many from gun shops that lay in our shared border."
It is completely untrue that 90 percent of guns recovered in Mexico are from America. The Mexican government separates guns it confiscates that were made in the United States and sends them here to be traced. U.S. weapons are easy to identify because of clear markings.
Of the ones sent here to be traced, 90 percent turn out to be from America, but most guns recovered in Mexico are not sent here so are not included in the count. Fox News reported that 17 percent is a more accurate number.
It's a good editorial. Read it!
Our sunny south of the border friend is in a serious downward spiral for as many reasons as Carter has little liver pills, not the least of course the out of control drug game.
Some argue that the arrest and killing of a number of kingpins have had the same effect as the death of Tito (Marshall, not Jackson) in the former Yugoslavia.
Others suggest that the rampant corruption in, say it with me, "Mexican Law Enforcement" is the cause, although I must say that any man who risks beheading for a few hundo a month is my kind of guy (maybe Mexico and Iraq should have a law enforcement exchange program...)
The United States is the biggest market in the world for illegal drugs. All roads point North. It was interesting to hear on the radio the other morning that about 14% of Americans represent the consumer sector for illegal drugs. That was a surprise. However, it is an interesting corollary to the percentage of the population that controls the wealth, too!
President Obama was in Mexico recently, talking drugs, guns and money. Mostly guns.
Yesterdays Washington Times had an interesting editorial, to which I link:Obama's Gun Lies and shamelessly quote:
On Thursday, while on a visit to Mexico, the president continued his Blame America First tour. "This war is being waged with guns purchased not here but in the United States," he said, referring to the drug wars that are tearing apart our neighbor to the south. "More than 90 percent of the guns recovered in Mexico come from the United States, many from gun shops that lay in our shared border."
It is completely untrue that 90 percent of guns recovered in Mexico are from America. The Mexican government separates guns it confiscates that were made in the United States and sends them here to be traced. U.S. weapons are easy to identify because of clear markings.
Of the ones sent here to be traced, 90 percent turn out to be from America, but most guns recovered in Mexico are not sent here so are not included in the count. Fox News reported that 17 percent is a more accurate number.
It's a good editorial. Read it!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Either, Or, Both
It's not like I'm an anonymous blogger, or anything.
So I'm wandering around the new Denai'na Center in Anchorage earlier this week (Tuesday, to be precise) and I got the impression there was a social worker convention going on - everybody had on these big buttons reading OCS Yes!Well, once I realized that most of the people wearing the buttons were old white men (and yes, I suppose I am one, too) it dawned on me that it WASN'T a social worker convention.
As me and my com padre were driving up we saw a sea of hardhats gathered outside the convention center, chanting "Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho" this and "Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho" that, to nobody in particular (to nobody, actually) cheered on by a Ursus Maritimus riding in a horse-drawn coach (no methane worries there, eh?) who looked for all the world like Kusko the Kapeq Dog.
"Watch this," I told Norman as I rolled down my window and went into drive-by gear...
"Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Why Don't You Hire Some Eskimos" I yelled. The crowd quieted, looking confused. "The Governor keeps telling our kids to get jobs on the Slope," I continued. "How do they do that?"
Finally a woman piped back, "Join the Union and go to work."
Never one to leave the last word up for grabs, I finished with "Yeah, if you give them more than 5 minutes to sign up for an Apprentice Program!"
See, in the "Good Old Days" when the "Good Old Boys" ran things the apprenticeship ads in the papers said you had to have all completed paperwork in hand and present yourself at the union hall between 2:37 pm and 2:53 pm or you would not even be considered for entry. Things obviously have changed, but there is always room for improvement, particularly in getting more Alaskans into jobs on the Slope.
But I digress.
The social worker convention seemed like the early morning social event of the year. Luminaries filled the hall and the lobby. I saw Governor Bill; wanted to be (still does?) Governor Johnne; wants to be Governor Bob; the current Governor (well, I didn't SEE her, but I think I heard her voice through the open doors as she gave the Secretary of Interior a Piece of Her Mind); Lisa, Mark and Don (and Lu, who was looking very good, I hasten to add); Ethan Berkowitz; Emil Notti; Mead Treadwell (hey Mead, call me!); gosh, and a LOT of people I never recognize but I am sure are important.
Or not.
Anyway, half the crowd was wearing these OCS Yes! buttons. Big, round, garish creations that signified support for exploration and ultimate development of offshore gas and oil resources in Alaskan federal waters.
Then the other half was wearing slap-on stickers reading "Protect Alaska's Oceans."
So I'm standing in the line for free coffee compliments of Alaska's oil industry when the lady behind me, well dressed with her back turned, catches my attention.
"So the thing I don't understand," I tell the back of her well-coiffed head, "is why half the people here are wearing OCS Yes buttons, half are wearing Protect Alaska's Oceans stickers, but noone is wearing BOTH!"
She turns and says, "Excuse me?"
So we chatted, I asked if she was in the "petroleum industry" and she said "OCS, Yes" (I jokes, she had on a button but she only said "Yes") and I asked what part and she said "oil and gas" and I thought, "well, duh!" She said that one of her colleagues was wearing both a button and a sticker, and I asked if her colleague was a scientist. She owned up that he pretty much was.She, on the other hand, was a "negotiator."
Well, I asked that question to almost everyone I spoke to, oil n gasser, environmentalist, politician. They all were taken aback at the concept that one could wear BOTH hearts on their sleeves.
We hung out with a few of the locals, catching up with friends and relatives....
Then we saw Randy.
My com padre on this trip was none other than Our Yup'ik Republican, Norman (recent candidate for the Alaska State Senate).
"Hey Norman, lets go talk to Randy," I said and off we went, chasing him down the escalator until we got his attention. After I muttered the secret masonic recognition phrase he cordially greeted us as brothers in arms.
A disgusted Vic Fisher races upstairs to the world of free hats and coffee.
He spoke warmly to Norman, even as he endorsed Norman's successful opponent in the race as a fine conservative in his own right.
I took a few snaps for posterity and then got down to business.
"Mr. Ruderich," I said, "Half the people here are wearing OCS Yes buttons, half are wearing Protect Alaska's Oceans buttons, but noone is wearing both."
Randy didn't miss a beat.
"Well," he began, "Those are a bunch of code words. The ones wearing the stickers are really anti fishing."
WTF?
He started onto a fine rant (Your erstwhile correspondent didn't think to press play on the recorder :( ) about how all we have to do is "eliminate" the Democrats and everything will be OK.
Norman and I looked at each other..."eliminate the Democrats," eh? Talk about your monotheistic point of view!
Well, Norman suggested that most of the people who voted for him were more of a Libertarian bent and Randy agreed with the veracity of that observation ("People in Rural Alaska just want to be left alone" - editors note: No shit, Sherlock)and then he started off again about polls and statistics about Rural support for Unions or some such truck.
Sheesh.
Me and Norman tossed back a couple of lifesavers hoping for a crucial sugar rush, shook Randy's hand once more, then headed back to whatever dreamworld we had been so (no pun intended) Ruderich'ly awakened from.
Oh yeah, I got lots of hats, too.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Transparency? What transparency?
from the Electronic Frontiers Foundation:
In Warrantless Wiretapping Case, Obama DOJ's New Arguments Are Worse Than Bush's
Commentary by Tim Jones
We had hoped this would go differently.
Friday evening, in a motion to dismiss Jewel v. NSA, EFF's litigation against the National Security Agency for the warrantless wiretapping of countless Americans, the Obama Administration's made two deeply troubling arguments.
First, they argued, exactly as the Bush Administration did on countless occasions, that the state secrets privilege requires the court to dismiss the issue out of hand. They argue that simply allowing the case to continue "would cause exceptionally grave harm to national security." As in the past, this is a blatant ploy to dismiss the litigation without allowing the courts to consider the evidence.
It's an especially disappointing argument to hear from the Obama Administration. As a candidate, Senator Obama lamented that the Bush Administration "invoked a legal tool known as the 'state secrets' privilege more than any other previous administration to get cases thrown out of civil court." He was right then, and we're dismayed that he and his team seem to have forgotten.
Sad as that is, it's the Department Of Justice's second argument that is the most pernicious. The DOJ claims that the U.S. Government is completely immune from litigation for illegal spying — that the Government can never be sued for surveillance that violates federal privacy statutes.
This is a radical assertion that is utterly unprecedented. No one — not the White House, not the Justice Department, not any member of Congress, and not the Bush Administration — has ever interpreted the law this way. (more...)
In Warrantless Wiretapping Case, Obama DOJ's New Arguments Are Worse Than Bush's
Commentary by Tim Jones
We had hoped this would go differently.
Friday evening, in a motion to dismiss Jewel v. NSA, EFF's litigation against the National Security Agency for the warrantless wiretapping of countless Americans, the Obama Administration's made two deeply troubling arguments.
First, they argued, exactly as the Bush Administration did on countless occasions, that the state secrets privilege requires the court to dismiss the issue out of hand. They argue that simply allowing the case to continue "would cause exceptionally grave harm to national security." As in the past, this is a blatant ploy to dismiss the litigation without allowing the courts to consider the evidence.
It's an especially disappointing argument to hear from the Obama Administration. As a candidate, Senator Obama lamented that the Bush Administration "invoked a legal tool known as the 'state secrets' privilege more than any other previous administration to get cases thrown out of civil court." He was right then, and we're dismayed that he and his team seem to have forgotten.
Sad as that is, it's the Department Of Justice's second argument that is the most pernicious. The DOJ claims that the U.S. Government is completely immune from litigation for illegal spying — that the Government can never be sued for surveillance that violates federal privacy statutes.
This is a radical assertion that is utterly unprecedented. No one — not the White House, not the Justice Department, not any member of Congress, and not the Bush Administration — has ever interpreted the law this way. (more...)
Some GREAT News!
ALL RIGHT, TOKYO! It's Official!
CHEAP TRICK TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM
Good a time as any to reprint MY ALASKAN CHEAP TRICK ADVENTURE (originally posted on the Cheap Trick message board in 2007)
“I hope you don’t mind that we brought some sunshine,” Rick Nielsen told a roaring crowd in the Alaska State Fair’s Borealis Theatre on Friday night (August 23, 2007). Cheap Trick had indeed brought the Midwest heat wave to Alaska…
My Alaskan Cheap Trick Adventure began earlier Friday morning as fog lifted from the Bethel Airport and my wife and I boarded Alaska Airlines Flight 42 to Anchorage where we would pick up a car, and my daughter and her boyfriend, and drive north to Palmer. It was the usual hour long, 500 mile run from Western Alaska to the state’s largest city, with clear weather all the way, giving us beautiful views of the Alaska Range as we flew over.
Now, the place I live, Bethel, is a community of a little over 6,000 people. I drive 5 miles to work every day. The plan of the day for Friday was to make the 40 mile run to the Fair up the Glenn Highway, a trip I hadn’t made in years. I was fully expecting to feel a little asphalt culture shock.
We set out and after years of considering 50 miles per hour FAST, I rediscovered the fact that on Alaskan highways the posted speed limit is a suggested minimum. 65 really means 80…We got to Palmer, in the heart of the state’s Matanuska Valley in no time at all.
Once we got into the Fairgrounds (our reserved seats included Fair admission) the first place I looked for was the Borealis Theatre, venue for the day’s long awaited event. You see, Cheap Trick was supposed to play at the Fair in 2005 but cancelled much to my disappointment. Today was making up for it!
I had emailed Trick Int’l about the possibility of a Meet and Greet, but they said it wasn’t happening, so as soon as I could I started scoping out the route to backstage.
Let me tell you, this venue is GREAT for a fan. The visual access is wonderful. I was able to see through the fence to the stage as it was set up, and even watch the full-bore soundcheck performed by the crew.
As I walked around the fairgrounds I could hear one of the crew saying “two, two, yuup” to test the mikes, and later, although I wasn’t there, it sounded like the Boys Themselves were warming up.
The backstage area is very nice, very Alaskan. This cabin first had a sign that said “Cheap Trick Dining Hall” and later it simply read “BC.” Once more, a view of the back stage.
The show was scheduled to start at 7:30, gate at 6:30 so I was getting ready to skulk around the back entrance when what to my wondering eyes should appear but a but a familiar face in a bright blue jacket. I said “Hi Rick” as he walked past and he replied with a “How’s it going,” or somesuch. I was stunned. I pulled my camera out and grabbed my wife and started down the midway. As we went, a fellow concertgoer I had spoken with earlier (he admired my Rockford t-shirt) said “Your lead guitarist is right in front of you.” I spotted the bright blue at a distance and began to make tracks.
Soon enough we caught up with the greatest songwriter of all time who was gracious enough to share a few words and let me get a couple of pictures with my wife.
“This is a pretty wild place,” he observed, and I of course blurted out what a big fan I was and how I was glad they made it after their cancellation (ho hum) and then I told him I was from Western Alaska and he asked me what I did there and I said I had lived there for nearly 30 years and he said “You didn’t answer my question!” So I told. Then I told him my wife is Yup’ik Eskimo and he, very classily replies “Oh, you pick pretty!” Then he said he was part Sioux, a small part. By then the manager ( I think, you’ll see the back of his head soon) came back and handed Rick a pork chop on a stick, and we left him to munch out and head to the show.
But first I had to take one last look backstage to see if anyone else interesting was there. Whoa! There was Tom on his cell phone.
Well, time to go in the gate before the rush.
The Borealis Theatre is a very intimate setting with some great seats, some sucky seats and a gorgeous grass amphitheatre for festival seating. Julie and I were in Row E, just below Stage Right.
There was plenty of behind the scenes activity on the stage for us to watch. This gentleman gave all appearances of being the manager; he’s the one that got Rick his pork chop.
I don’t know how well, on a BIG stage, you are able to see stuff like this, and for obvious reasons I titled this photo Second Best Job in the World.
Well, here’s Bun E.’s kit, and a shot of Stage Left.
One last check of things and We Were Ready!
Much to the delight of the Alaskan crowd Rick paid us tribute by walking out at the opening with a fur hat on. I of course was too slow on the shutter to catch his fashion debut!
Bun E. punched in, Robin strutted,singing Hello There, Rick took the band into Big Eyes which was a real workout for Robin and Tom. And here’s Rick finishing it off.
Yes, it was the now standard concert playlist and we loved every second of it!
One of my favorites and a CT classic, Oh Candy was a reason for Rick to bring out the Checkerboard. By now Robin has unbuttoned his leather jacket and will soon lose it completely. Here’s Tom playing Oh Candy. After the song Rick handed his axe to a lady in the front row, then after a minute or so he said “Oh, I thought you were my cousin” as he took it back.
Rick’s birthday present to his son, Welcome to the World was next (Robin had a lyrics sheet for it at his feet).
After If You Want My Love they whipped out a fine rendition of Come On Come On Come On and Robin finally gave in to the Alaska heat! “>Tom never took off HIS jacket!
A couple of lucky ladies got to hold some of Rick’s guitars. He told this one to keep it. I remember some of the audience chanting “Run, Run” as one lady wondered what to do. Rick says “There are only two ways to get a guitar. One is to BE me. The other is…I’m thinking…”
Rick intro’d Tom and I Know What I Want with his yellow plexi. It was a real treat seeing Tom belt it out. Here are Robin and Rick backing Tom as Bun E. laughs at something… And here is one more of Tom singing.
Rick waved his ’88 with Bun E.’s picture on it, made a little patter and then HUNG IT FROM THE LIGHT BAR! Luckily, Ricks tech rescued Bun E.
Lucky fans, these. Rick saw their shirts and, suggesting they were newlyweds, invited them up on stage to “consummate your marriage.” And up they went.
Here’s a little something for the ladies out there…
And here’s a little something else…
"Mother told me, Yes she told me I’d meet girls like you, She also told me Stay Away, You never know what you’ll catch..."
Oh man, here’s Robin saying Good Night! Is this the end of the show? Then I saw Rick’s technician re-loading the semi-automatic mic stand with more picks! So I knew better!
This time I didn’t miss! The malaqi (Yup’ik word for fur hat) looked great on Rick, even if it was a little warm! But he wore it through the first half of Dream Police. Here he is. Ladies and Gentlemen, Alaska’s Finest (at least on August 24th!) Could this guy be Rick’s biggest fan?
Except for the shots with my wife and daughter, this is one of my favorite pictures as Cheap Trick sings Goodnight... And here’s the finale’.
‘Bye, Rick.
Like I said, the back stage is really accessible, and so is Cheap Trick! I saw my wife and daughter and her boyfriend and a couple of other people down past the gate and there was Bun E. shaking hands through the chain link. I stuck my hand through the barbed wire and Bun E. shook it and warned me, “Don’t cut your hand!” Then he apologized for having nothing to sign or sign with. I then whipped out a Sharpie pen and a stack of notecards and he generously moved down to the gate to sign and smile! He told us he would “send over the rest of the guys.” Thanks, Bun E.!
Lo and behold who should stroll up but Robin in his Greek fisherman hat (pulled down way to low). He signed my wife’s t-shirt and a couple of notecards, made some small talk and headed back in.
During the concert my wife said “I should have given him (Rick) my necklace.” She makes a lot of Alaska native handicrafts, including Yup’ik dance necklaces, so when he came out to say Hi she took off her beaded necklace and gave it to him.
You can see it under the strings of his hat here as he signs her shirt. Rick also singed a few autographs, including an old Dream Police 45 dust cover, which really caught his attention. He asked the guy, “Where did you get this?”
Tom didn’t make it out, but he did spend some time talking to a small boy and his dad who got backstage, and I don’t know how many people leave a concert with all 4 autographs LOL.
All in all it was a great trip. Final score- Picks: 5 for me, 5 or 6 for my wife, a new black hat for me, a t shirt for her, 3 autographs and great pics.
Rick told the crowd at the end, “Maybe we’ll see you next year.” We all sure hope so.
The next day I felt like all the air had been let out of me!
When I got back to work on Monday a coworker, bobbing her head asked if I “rocked out?”
I replied, simply, “I sang myself hoarse.”
As we say out here, Quyana Tailuuten (Thank you for coming), and thanks for being so gracious to your fans!
All pics @2007 by Mark E. Springer, ask if you want to use them for something.
CHEAP TRICK TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM
Good a time as any to reprint MY ALASKAN CHEAP TRICK ADVENTURE (originally posted on the Cheap Trick message board in 2007)
“I hope you don’t mind that we brought some sunshine,” Rick Nielsen told a roaring crowd in the Alaska State Fair’s Borealis Theatre on Friday night (August 23, 2007). Cheap Trick had indeed brought the Midwest heat wave to Alaska…
My Alaskan Cheap Trick Adventure began earlier Friday morning as fog lifted from the Bethel Airport and my wife and I boarded Alaska Airlines Flight 42 to Anchorage where we would pick up a car, and my daughter and her boyfriend, and drive north to Palmer. It was the usual hour long, 500 mile run from Western Alaska to the state’s largest city, with clear weather all the way, giving us beautiful views of the Alaska Range as we flew over.
Now, the place I live, Bethel, is a community of a little over 6,000 people. I drive 5 miles to work every day. The plan of the day for Friday was to make the 40 mile run to the Fair up the Glenn Highway, a trip I hadn’t made in years. I was fully expecting to feel a little asphalt culture shock.
We set out and after years of considering 50 miles per hour FAST, I rediscovered the fact that on Alaskan highways the posted speed limit is a suggested minimum. 65 really means 80…We got to Palmer, in the heart of the state’s Matanuska Valley in no time at all.
Once we got into the Fairgrounds (our reserved seats included Fair admission) the first place I looked for was the Borealis Theatre, venue for the day’s long awaited event. You see, Cheap Trick was supposed to play at the Fair in 2005 but cancelled much to my disappointment. Today was making up for it!
I had emailed Trick Int’l about the possibility of a Meet and Greet, but they said it wasn’t happening, so as soon as I could I started scoping out the route to backstage.
Let me tell you, this venue is GREAT for a fan. The visual access is wonderful. I was able to see through the fence to the stage as it was set up, and even watch the full-bore soundcheck performed by the crew.
As I walked around the fairgrounds I could hear one of the crew saying “two, two, yuup” to test the mikes, and later, although I wasn’t there, it sounded like the Boys Themselves were warming up.
The backstage area is very nice, very Alaskan. This cabin first had a sign that said “Cheap Trick Dining Hall” and later it simply read “BC.” Once more, a view of the back stage.
The show was scheduled to start at 7:30, gate at 6:30 so I was getting ready to skulk around the back entrance when what to my wondering eyes should appear but a but a familiar face in a bright blue jacket. I said “Hi Rick” as he walked past and he replied with a “How’s it going,” or somesuch. I was stunned. I pulled my camera out and grabbed my wife and started down the midway. As we went, a fellow concertgoer I had spoken with earlier (he admired my Rockford t-shirt) said “Your lead guitarist is right in front of you.” I spotted the bright blue at a distance and began to make tracks.
Soon enough we caught up with the greatest songwriter of all time who was gracious enough to share a few words and let me get a couple of pictures with my wife.
“This is a pretty wild place,” he observed, and I of course blurted out what a big fan I was and how I was glad they made it after their cancellation (ho hum) and then I told him I was from Western Alaska and he asked me what I did there and I said I had lived there for nearly 30 years and he said “You didn’t answer my question!” So I told. Then I told him my wife is Yup’ik Eskimo and he, very classily replies “Oh, you pick pretty!” Then he said he was part Sioux, a small part. By then the manager ( I think, you’ll see the back of his head soon) came back and handed Rick a pork chop on a stick, and we left him to munch out and head to the show.
But first I had to take one last look backstage to see if anyone else interesting was there. Whoa! There was Tom on his cell phone.
Well, time to go in the gate before the rush.
The Borealis Theatre is a very intimate setting with some great seats, some sucky seats and a gorgeous grass amphitheatre for festival seating. Julie and I were in Row E, just below Stage Right.
There was plenty of behind the scenes activity on the stage for us to watch. This gentleman gave all appearances of being the manager; he’s the one that got Rick his pork chop.
I don’t know how well, on a BIG stage, you are able to see stuff like this, and for obvious reasons I titled this photo Second Best Job in the World.
Well, here’s Bun E.’s kit, and a shot of Stage Left.
One last check of things and We Were Ready!
Much to the delight of the Alaskan crowd Rick paid us tribute by walking out at the opening with a fur hat on. I of course was too slow on the shutter to catch his fashion debut!
Bun E. punched in, Robin strutted,singing Hello There, Rick took the band into Big Eyes which was a real workout for Robin and Tom. And here’s Rick finishing it off.
Yes, it was the now standard concert playlist and we loved every second of it!
One of my favorites and a CT classic, Oh Candy was a reason for Rick to bring out the Checkerboard. By now Robin has unbuttoned his leather jacket and will soon lose it completely. Here’s Tom playing Oh Candy. After the song Rick handed his axe to a lady in the front row, then after a minute or so he said “Oh, I thought you were my cousin” as he took it back.
Rick’s birthday present to his son, Welcome to the World was next (Robin had a lyrics sheet for it at his feet).
After If You Want My Love they whipped out a fine rendition of Come On Come On Come On and Robin finally gave in to the Alaska heat! “>Tom never took off HIS jacket!
A couple of lucky ladies got to hold some of Rick’s guitars. He told this one to keep it. I remember some of the audience chanting “Run, Run” as one lady wondered what to do. Rick says “There are only two ways to get a guitar. One is to BE me. The other is…I’m thinking…”
Rick intro’d Tom and I Know What I Want with his yellow plexi. It was a real treat seeing Tom belt it out. Here are Robin and Rick backing Tom as Bun E. laughs at something… And here is one more of Tom singing.
Rick waved his ’88 with Bun E.’s picture on it, made a little patter and then HUNG IT FROM THE LIGHT BAR! Luckily, Ricks tech rescued Bun E.
Lucky fans, these. Rick saw their shirts and, suggesting they were newlyweds, invited them up on stage to “consummate your marriage.” And up they went.
Here’s a little something for the ladies out there…
And here’s a little something else…
"Mother told me, Yes she told me I’d meet girls like you, She also told me Stay Away, You never know what you’ll catch..."
Oh man, here’s Robin saying Good Night! Is this the end of the show? Then I saw Rick’s technician re-loading the semi-automatic mic stand with more picks! So I knew better!
This time I didn’t miss! The malaqi (Yup’ik word for fur hat) looked great on Rick, even if it was a little warm! But he wore it through the first half of Dream Police. Here he is. Ladies and Gentlemen, Alaska’s Finest (at least on August 24th!) Could this guy be Rick’s biggest fan?
Except for the shots with my wife and daughter, this is one of my favorite pictures as Cheap Trick sings Goodnight... And here’s the finale’.
‘Bye, Rick.
Like I said, the back stage is really accessible, and so is Cheap Trick! I saw my wife and daughter and her boyfriend and a couple of other people down past the gate and there was Bun E. shaking hands through the chain link. I stuck my hand through the barbed wire and Bun E. shook it and warned me, “Don’t cut your hand!” Then he apologized for having nothing to sign or sign with. I then whipped out a Sharpie pen and a stack of notecards and he generously moved down to the gate to sign and smile! He told us he would “send over the rest of the guys.” Thanks, Bun E.!
Lo and behold who should stroll up but Robin in his Greek fisherman hat (pulled down way to low). He signed my wife’s t-shirt and a couple of notecards, made some small talk and headed back in.
During the concert my wife said “I should have given him (Rick) my necklace.” She makes a lot of Alaska native handicrafts, including Yup’ik dance necklaces, so when he came out to say Hi she took off her beaded necklace and gave it to him.
You can see it under the strings of his hat here as he signs her shirt. Rick also singed a few autographs, including an old Dream Police 45 dust cover, which really caught his attention. He asked the guy, “Where did you get this?”
Tom didn’t make it out, but he did spend some time talking to a small boy and his dad who got backstage, and I don’t know how many people leave a concert with all 4 autographs LOL.
All in all it was a great trip. Final score- Picks: 5 for me, 5 or 6 for my wife, a new black hat for me, a t shirt for her, 3 autographs and great pics.
Rick told the crowd at the end, “Maybe we’ll see you next year.” We all sure hope so.
The next day I felt like all the air had been let out of me!
When I got back to work on Monday a coworker, bobbing her head asked if I “rocked out?”
I replied, simply, “I sang myself hoarse.”
As we say out here, Quyana Tailuuten (Thank you for coming), and thanks for being so gracious to your fans!
All pics @2007 by Mark E. Springer, ask if you want to use them for something.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
"shocking display of fealty to a foreign potentate"
EDITORIAL: Barack takes a bow
The president shows fealty to a Muslim king
In a shocking display of fealty to a foreign potentate, President Obama bowed to Saudi King Abdullah at the Group of 20 summit in London last week.
Mr. Obama later said in Strasbourg, France, "We have to change our behavior in showing the Muslim world greater respect." Symbolism is important in world affairs. By bending over to show greater respect to Islam, the U.S. president belittled the power and independence of the United States. (more)
The president shows fealty to a Muslim king
In a shocking display of fealty to a foreign potentate, President Obama bowed to Saudi King Abdullah at the Group of 20 summit in London last week.
Mr. Obama later said in Strasbourg, France, "We have to change our behavior in showing the Muslim world greater respect." Symbolism is important in world affairs. By bending over to show greater respect to Islam, the U.S. president belittled the power and independence of the United States. (more)
White House: No bow to Saudi
"The White House is denying that the president bowed to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia at a G-20 meeting in London, a scene that drew criticism on the right and praise from some Arab outlets.
"It wasn't a bow. He grasped his hand with two hands, and he's taller than King Abdullah," said an Obama aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity." (more)
"It wasn't a bow. He grasped his hand with two hands, and he's taller than King Abdullah," said an Obama aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity." (more)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Anonymity Outed
Here's the basic story line. Someone in Anchorage (I guess) has been writing a blog called The Mudflats and has been using the nom de plume "Ak Muckraker."
Said Ak Muckraker is a fine writer, and since the Republican Convention this summer has ammassed quite a following.
Obviously an unassuming individual, the affectionately abbreviated AKM has preferred not to let loose with a public persona, and as I suggested in a previous post that may be for good reason, reasons AKM has also noted on occasion.
So, popular Alaska blogger pisses off not only the Governor but, somehow, Representative Mike Doogan (D-Spenard) who, a retired journalist himself (I have always known him as a columnist and honestly don't recall ever reading a hard news piece written by him, although one supposes he did do a little honest scribbling in his youth) has his own experience with anonymity. Speculation fluriates like Redoubt ash in a snowstorm and suddenly, mystery writer Doogan does a little "sleuthing" on his own (time paid for by the Alaska Treasury...?) and identifies AKM to the "public", or at least people interested enough in his point of view to subscribe to his email newsletter.
Once again, I must defer to the also anonymous Writing Raven and this mornings entry on Alaska Real, Mudflats, meet Publius, Junius and Boz.
Said Ak Muckraker is a fine writer, and since the Republican Convention this summer has ammassed quite a following.
Obviously an unassuming individual, the affectionately abbreviated AKM has preferred not to let loose with a public persona, and as I suggested in a previous post that may be for good reason, reasons AKM has also noted on occasion.
So, popular Alaska blogger pisses off not only the Governor but, somehow, Representative Mike Doogan (D-Spenard) who, a retired journalist himself (I have always known him as a columnist and honestly don't recall ever reading a hard news piece written by him, although one supposes he did do a little honest scribbling in his youth) has his own experience with anonymity. Speculation fluriates like Redoubt ash in a snowstorm and suddenly, mystery writer Doogan does a little "sleuthing" on his own (time paid for by the Alaska Treasury...?) and identifies AKM to the "public", or at least people interested enough in his point of view to subscribe to his email newsletter.
Once again, I must defer to the also anonymous Writing Raven and this mornings entry on Alaska Real, Mudflats, meet Publius, Junius and Boz.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Committees of Jurisdiction
I noted a couple of comments during President Obama's recent press conference on March 24..
" I’ve said that we’ve got to have a serious energy policy that frees ourselves from dependence on foreign oil and makes clean energy the profitable kind of energy."
and
"And what we have to do is invest in those things that will allow the American people’s capacity for ingenuity and innovation, their ability to take risks but make sure that those risks are grounded in good products and good services that they believe they can market to the rest of the country, that those models of economic growth are what we’re promoting"
So it should be clear from the Presidents comments that he continues to encourage "Yankee Ingenuity," as well he should. The shining city on the hill should offer everyone the highest quality of life possible, at the least cost to the overall environment. Yes, there will always be shipbreakers in India, Pakistan and China, but fewer and fewer of those hulks should be VLCC's and ULCC's. Energy independence and the efficient utilization of renewable energy, and the increasingly efficient utilization of non-renewable energy is not a new idea.
With this in mind I would respectfully suggest that Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Mark Begich, pose questions like this to the Secretaries of Defense, Energy and Commerce, in their respective Committes of jurisdiction.They might also want to ask the Presient himself. After all, he is promising a new openess and transpaarency to government.
"In line with the goals and objectives of the Obama Administration, the Congress and the American people, will you (Mr. Secretary) commit to a thorough declassification review of technical intelligence, classified patent applications, government funded research and development and archival matter relating to any and all topics regarding the use of energy in all its forms (excluding of course properly classified Restricted Data and Formerly Restricted Data and munitions information) in a manner that permits the public to view and use it to promote inventiveness and innovation?"
Or something like that. The point is that the US Government has an incredible amount of information on energy utilization (think fuel cells instead of litium batteries for cars, for example) locked up that if turned loose on an unsuspecting world could result in an economic and technical revolution rivalling the microcomputer and internet!
Look at how long we've been screwing around with laser ignition. Lets see what the governemnt has, let people do their own messing around in university labs, basements and garages. One can only imagine the sorts of breakthroughs we might see ove the course of the next 10 or 15 years!
" I’ve said that we’ve got to have a serious energy policy that frees ourselves from dependence on foreign oil and makes clean energy the profitable kind of energy."
and
"And what we have to do is invest in those things that will allow the American people’s capacity for ingenuity and innovation, their ability to take risks but make sure that those risks are grounded in good products and good services that they believe they can market to the rest of the country, that those models of economic growth are what we’re promoting"
So it should be clear from the Presidents comments that he continues to encourage "Yankee Ingenuity," as well he should. The shining city on the hill should offer everyone the highest quality of life possible, at the least cost to the overall environment. Yes, there will always be shipbreakers in India, Pakistan and China, but fewer and fewer of those hulks should be VLCC's and ULCC's. Energy independence and the efficient utilization of renewable energy, and the increasingly efficient utilization of non-renewable energy is not a new idea.
With this in mind I would respectfully suggest that Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Mark Begich, pose questions like this to the Secretaries of Defense, Energy and Commerce, in their respective Committes of jurisdiction.They might also want to ask the Presient himself. After all, he is promising a new openess and transpaarency to government.
"In line with the goals and objectives of the Obama Administration, the Congress and the American people, will you (Mr. Secretary) commit to a thorough declassification review of technical intelligence, classified patent applications, government funded research and development and archival matter relating to any and all topics regarding the use of energy in all its forms (excluding of course properly classified Restricted Data and Formerly Restricted Data and munitions information) in a manner that permits the public to view and use it to promote inventiveness and innovation?"
Or something like that. The point is that the US Government has an incredible amount of information on energy utilization (think fuel cells instead of litium batteries for cars, for example) locked up that if turned loose on an unsuspecting world could result in an economic and technical revolution rivalling the microcomputer and internet!
Look at how long we've been screwing around with laser ignition. Lets see what the governemnt has, let people do their own messing around in university labs, basements and garages. One can only imagine the sorts of breakthroughs we might see ove the course of the next 10 or 15 years!
Kinda gives you a sense of perspective, doesn't it?
Hey - At least he's anti-death penalty...
Since I can't say any of this better, I'll just link to an excellent post on the subject of yesterdays nomination (is it in writing yet?) of Wayne Anthony Ross as Alaska Attorney General.
The always amazing Writing Raven posts at Alaska Real with the killer (and true) headline: Palin says final farewell to the myth that she cares about Native people.
Wayne Ross has been a thorn in the side of Rural Alaska and has never been able, or it appears, willing, to defend his positions in any forum requiring honest debate that I have ever seen. He has cut a fat egotistical hog as the mouthpiece for the professional hunting industry in Alaska. I won't begrudge him as a 2nd Amendment supporter, since I am one as well, and I was at least slightly heartened to read in the ADN this morning that he is anti death penalty (and yes, as a staunch Catholic, anti abortion as well, so he is consistent in THAT regard).
What bothered me most listening to the wind whistle past the microphones yesterday was the absolute lack of mention (if indeed unreported) of the Governors marching orders to Ross on, umm, ENFORCING THE LAW!
Well, actually I might (when I find some time) be able to shed a little light on the lack of interest by the Palin administration on things like violence against women. She is on record as saying some, to my mind, pretty provocative things on the subject...so stay tuned.
The always amazing Writing Raven posts at Alaska Real with the killer (and true) headline: Palin says final farewell to the myth that she cares about Native people.
Wayne Ross has been a thorn in the side of Rural Alaska and has never been able, or it appears, willing, to defend his positions in any forum requiring honest debate that I have ever seen. He has cut a fat egotistical hog as the mouthpiece for the professional hunting industry in Alaska. I won't begrudge him as a 2nd Amendment supporter, since I am one as well, and I was at least slightly heartened to read in the ADN this morning that he is anti death penalty (and yes, as a staunch Catholic, anti abortion as well, so he is consistent in THAT regard).
What bothered me most listening to the wind whistle past the microphones yesterday was the absolute lack of mention (if indeed unreported) of the Governors marching orders to Ross on, umm, ENFORCING THE LAW!
Well, actually I might (when I find some time) be able to shed a little light on the lack of interest by the Palin administration on things like violence against women. She is on record as saying some, to my mind, pretty provocative things on the subject...so stay tuned.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)