I saw a documentary called "Grizzly Man", about the self-proclaimed
"friend of the Grizzly Bears"......Tim Treadwell.

He didn't strike me as someone who would live in the wild, as he did for
12 full seasons.......only to be killed and eaten, by a Grizzly, in his
13th season. (Along with his girlfriend). I kind of admire the
dedication he had for the bears, but, at the same time it bordered on
obsession. As some of the film footage shows, at times he seemed
more interested in his own goals, rather than the well being of the
Grizzly bears themselves. Even some Alaskan wildlife officials had
similar opinions, one of them even saying........"he got what he
deserved". At first, I thought that was a bit harsh, but the more I
think of it, I think he was probably right.

What do you think? Any opinions of Tim Treadwell? Fraud, or,
sincere man?

Jack.

Here we go with the predator control controversy again. The same
basic issue is evidently being debated--whether wolves and bears
should be "hunted" from the air as a measure of population control.

In Anchorage, the bear control problem is getting more noticeable,
with several hikers and bike riders attacked by bears along Campbel
Creek; and I guess the bears are just as uncontrollable other places.
Now Anchorage Mayor Begich has closed at least one trail as a result
of multiple bear attacks.

Personally, my opinion on predator control is based more on bear
control than wolf, as the bears are terrific killers of moose and
state laws seem to protect, not control them. Should have no license
required to hunt bears, except in parks, monuments, game preserves,
etc.. Let tourists deal with them there.

My shocking, revolutionary method of controlling bears and wolves: a
dart delivered from the air (!!) loaded with a chemical that
sterilizes, preventing reproduction but not affecting behavior
otherwise. bookburn

On the local Ch. 2 news tonight, Vic Vickers candidacy for the
republican senatorial nomination was described as strongly
anti-Stevens, thus could be a ploy the democrat candidate, Mayor
Begich, is bringing in for the anti-Stevens publicity, resulting in
more votes for Begich, less votes for Stevens.

But, Shazam!, what if it's going to work the other way, that votes for
Vickers in the republican nomination will not be votes for Dave
Cuddy, so Stevens then has a better chance of surviving the primary?

Question: if Stevens and Cuddy have an equal percentage of votes,
does Vicker's candidacy tip the balance in favor of Stevens or Cuddy?
I'm thinking some anti-Stevens votes will go to Vickers that would
otherwise have gone to Cuddy.

Wouldn't Begich prefer to run against Stevens, an 84-year old
reprobate under federal indictment and senate ethics probes , instead
of the educated banker, Cuddy?

Considering what happened to Murkowski in the last primary, I wouldn't
be surprised if this primary will see another fall of the mighty, come
primary or regular election, despite the believers in "Uncle Ted." bb

test

A week ago gas was only about 12%% above the national average here in Fbks,
yesterday it's about 15%% above the national average even though the absolute
price has dropped a little.. I the past, long past, its has been close to
the national average. Somebody please tell me why this is? (Other than they
can get away with it). Retail gas sales should be regulated by the state
just like anyother utility in a market where there is virtually no
competition. Yes, I'm talking to our state rep's. Please, you do the same.

plowak

Definition of a Union:

A combination so formed, especially an alliance or confederation of
people, parties, or political entities for mutual interest or
benefit....

If you belong to the Chamber of Commence.You belong to a Union that is
against raising the Minimum wage. The Chamber lobbied congress against
raising the Minimum wage. .

Millwright Ron
www.unionmillwright.com

Jobs are moved over seas to the cheapest labor cost and less
government control..... Does that mean that we who work with our
hands,our brains and our hearts have to make third world wages? Does
this mean that we have to work in a unsafe environment? Do we have to
sacrifice our health, our bodies and our loved ones?
There is always someone who will work cheaper, with less safety
and less concern about our environment.
Just look at big business..... The owners of mines,factories and
companies who are fined or arrested each year for pollution,safety
violations,harassment,lying,endangering their employees.
The Ceo's that steal hundreds of millions of dollars from their
companies and stock holders. If you think Unions are corrupted? You
hand better take a good look at big business.

Today we need organization of Labor more than ever......

Unions .... "The people who brought you the Weekends"

Union Millwright and Damn Proud Of It
Millwright Ron
www.unionmillwright.com

It sounds like another stall by Exxon, when we hear of the Supreme
Court not accepting the case on interest payment by Exxon, but in fact
it seems to be the opposite, that the Federal Court of Appeals will be
left to address the question.

I thought the courts of appeal tried cases before them going to the
Supreme Court, but evidently Exxon tried to skip over the federal
Ninth District Court of Appeals.

But the good news, what I've been counting on all these years of
waiting for Exxon to pony up the original settlement while they've
been stalling and having the use of the money--is that they will be
paying the interest earned on the settlement amount, as well as the
principal. What I'm hearing is that the interest amount is about
equal to the principal.

I just wish Exxon would also have to pay the compound interest on the
interest and principal, which would drive home the "punitive" aspect.
Of course, those foxes at Exxon are probably laughing about the US
dollar not having nearly the buying power now as 25 years ago.

bookburn

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/newsreader/story/491359.html
Our goose-bump summer could repeat for decades. A Baltimore Sun reporter who
blogs about weather took a question about Alaska's chilly July and
interviewed Gary Hufford, the regional scientist for the National Weather
Service in Alaska.
Hufford has been hounded for the answer and offered it quickly. The facts:
June and July in Anchorage both averaged 2.5 to 3 degrees below the
long-term temperature averages. July in Fairbanks averaged 60.6 degrees,
almost two degrees below normal. And August is averaging 51.4 degrees, a
whopping 7.7 degrees below the long-term norms.

The cause: A shift to what climatologists call the cold phase of a cycle in
the North Pacific Ocean called the "Pacific decadal oscillation," or PDO.
The arctic low, a persistent feature of the far-northern atmosphere that
usually hangs out near Greenland, has shifted west to the northeast corner
of Siberia, bringing cloudy skies, three summer snowfalls, bad blueberries
and slow salmon returns.

One last sobering note: "When these PDO phases shift, they tend to do so for
decades, not the 4- to 7-year cycles typical of the El Nino/La Nina cyclings
in the tropical Pacific. The Icebox State could be in for a long haul."

It has rained almost every day for weeks now. This is an extreme
shift in weather for the interior. I just read an article in the
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner about the changing weather patterns in
Greenland. Article after article about the changes in weather and the
melting of Arctic and Greenland Ice are appearing in the media. It
looks like we are truly experiencing global warming and the effects of
this. Perhaps we are experiencing the Malthusian principle that will
solve the problems of over population in the next ten to twenty
years.

Something has definitely gone wrong. Our kids are really going to get
angry about this, but it is too late to change things unless all
nations can come to some type of agreement and that will be difficult
if not impossible since the rich ones have already industrialized.
How do the rich nations tell the poor nations they can't industrialize
and become rich like the USA, Europe, China, and India did?

In the mean time, I guess we can expect more rain. If I were a
tourist I wouldn't even consider visiting this part of Alaska.