Thursday, December 27, 2007

NEW YEAR’S FIREWORKS CANCELLED

For many years the City of Kodiak has planned semi-annual fireworks, one on New Year’s Eve, and another on Independence Day. Seldom in the 7+ years that The Kodiak Perspective has resided in Kodiak, have both displays gone off without a hitch. Often the shows are cancelled due to weather, rescheduled, cancelled again, rescheduled for a later holiday, cancelled yet again, until the public forgets that there was supposed to be a show.

In a preemptive strike, the folks at the City of Kodiak have pre-cancelled the firework show to ring in the New Year 2008. Mayor Caroline Floyd confirmed that there will not be a show next week, weather permitting or not.

“Boo Hoo” to the City for denying us this pleasure during the long nights that we endure during the winter months. It is a bright spot that we look forward to, get disappointed, look forward to again, and get disappointed again, and spoils the betting pools on when the show will finally happen. The book makers of Kodiak are in for a lean year.

THE RETURN OF LAKE KALOZ

After an extended construction season which saw new water mains and storm sewers along Lower Mill Bay Rd, Rezanof, and Center Ave, commonly known as the “Y” today’s balmy temperatures showed us what we got for our tax dollars: The Return of Lake Kaloz at the confluence of the Rezanof Straits and the Straits of Mill Bay.

Temperatures soared today to 37.9 degrees Fahrenheit, and some raindrops caused much of the sludge in and lining the roadways to recede. The inland waterways follow the canals dug in the pavement and bypass the storm sewer system, causing a lake at the “Y” on Center Ave.

Doesn’t this make you feel good about the sifting traffic patterns this summer and the jolting that vehicles took along the washboard roadbeds of summer construction?

The “walk ways” along the side of the roads are still impassable so pedestrian traffic has to share the rivers with vehicular traffic often resulting in splashed leggings and soaked socks.

Way to go, city and state planners, who conceived this farce of infrastructure repairing/replacing. We still appear to have the same problems as before this work was undertaken.

It should be noted that some may say that the project has yet to be completed, and conditions may improve when the final “permanent” paving is in place, but The Kodiak Perspective is sceptical. Please prove him wrong.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

AREA 51, REPORTS OF A FLYING OBJECT

Area 51 outside Roswell, New Mexico is thought by many to be the sight of a UFO crash, and a secret military base doing research on UFO technology.

Last night there were many sightings of an object flying in this restricted air space, sometimes seeming to hover, and changing directions with amazing speed. A single red light was spotted from the nose of this aircraft which appeared long and dark.

Satellite technology from NORAD captured an image of this nighttime intruder. . .




Amateur radio enthusiasts trained parabolic microphones on the object and recorded a signal from the craft, as it flew from sight: “MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT

Sunday, December 16, 2007

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

Recently the Kodiak Daily Mirror had a letter from a grass-roots campaign suggesting that political campaigns be financed by the government. There have been many calls for reform over the years because the amount of money to run for office has become so large that only well funded candidates have any chance of getting their messages heard. It is also believed that the big money leads to political corruption.

The Kodiak Perspective is leery of turning over political money management completely to the government, there is already a check box on the IRS form 1040. This power has the potential for the government to hand select who will be able to mount a campaign. A dangerous thought! Should the government decide who can run?

Political fund-raising is one way to measure the ground swell of support, look at the fund raising efforts of Doctor Ron Paul, someone written off as having no chance, but his message seems to be very popular, even more so than some of the first tier candidates.

With the media largely ignoring these campaigns, funding of a candidate is the best way for people to show support and get the message out.

The problem may not be campaign finances, but rather coverage by the press, who largely dictate who’s name is before the public. With so many media outlets, it is a shame that only front runners get the coverage.

The recent popularity of Mike Huckabee is a good example, largely written off, he has only recently gotten air time after a surge in the polls.

While campaign finance may be part of the political problems in this country, it is not the only problem. Turning to purse strings over to the government, and creating another layer of bureaucracy, doesn’t sound like a good solution. Nice try, but let’s give it some more thought.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

REINDEER GAMES

Ish of Kodiak Konfidential has challenged The Perspective’s list of reindeer names, specifically Donder, who is sometimes mistakenly referred to as “Donner”. The Perspective believes this simplification is because it is easier to say, but having “Donner” in the party might lead to disaster if they got stuck in a snow storm.

The names of Santa’s reindeer were first revealed in a poem in 1832 by Clement Clarke Moore commonly know as “The Night Before Christmas". For a discussion of the reindeer names see this informative website.

For additional information on reindeer, The Kodiak Perspective consulted Two Hot Girls in the Shower, here is what they have to say:

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

NORAD TRACKS SANTA

NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) is teaming up with the folks at iGoogle for a kinder gentler approach to a certain visitor entering our nation’s airspace.

The NORAD Tracks Santa website, is filled with activities for children leading up to the big night, and will use Google Earth and Google Sky to track the Fat man and his flying reindeer. (Quick: name all eight).

Since the end of the cold war, there is less to do at NORAD, and we have yet to see signs of an Al Qauda Air force or missile technology, so why not turn to happier thoughts at this magical time of year.

Visit the North pole to see the latest buzz and what those elves are up to and learn about Google Earth.

Have you named the reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, and Blitzen. Bonus if you also include Rudolf who only works on foggy nights.

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

Nothing can get The Kodiak Perspective into the Christmas spirit faster than freshly fallen snow. Yesterday was beautiful here in Kodiak and the fresh blanket of white had The Perspective singing carols all day,

Unfortunately the Christmas spirit comes to a crashing halt when after shoveling the sidewalk three times and enjoying the satisfaction of keeping things neat and tidy, the snowplow comes around the neighbors truck that is parked on the street and deposits all the slushy mess onto the cleaned sidewalk. Now you are moving dirty, slushy, heavy snow, and it is not as much fun.

Two thoughts come to mind:
One is that in other places The Perspective has lived there is a snow parking ban. When the snowplow has not cleared your street, you may not park on the street. This eliminates the problem of an extra heavy load of snow on the walks of those of us who live down street.
The other is, why did the city of Kodiak decide to put the sidewalks abutting the streets? Other places The Perspective has lived there were tree lawns, a buffer of green between the street and the walkway. Even without this buffer, maybe the plow could clear to the “fog” line and make it easier on those of us who walk. There are many people who walk in Kodiak, and with the sidewalks covered with chunky street refuse, they are forced to walk on the streets, subject to traffic and getting splashed by unnoticing drivers.

Mister Snowplow driver please help us out. We appreciate your being called out at all hours when the snow falls, and a little courtesy to the walkers would be a wonderful Christmas present. Thank you.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

WEB COMIC STRIP


The internet has a lot of content, much of it easy to miss.
This is an example of from a site that the Kodiak Perspective visits.
Please visit Partially Clips to see more.  Click on the image to see it full size.