Careful what you wish for -or- now you've done it

In his current poll (or in a poll if he changes it), Ishmael asks:
"Will this icy hell of a winter never end?" Today the temperature shot up to the mid 30's, our normal temperatures, starting the thaw-freeze that make our winters here in Kodiak so treacherous.
Up until today our weather has been glorious and the town has been painted in winter white. Now the rain has come. It was bound to happen, but it was sure nice while it lasted. Along with the rain and warm temperatures come the big puddles. Our multi-factioned (state, borough, city) gov'ments can come up with many ways to spend money on big projects, but we can't have storm sewers
that work, so get out your xtra-tuffs, or you'll be in up to your shins.

Speaking of our multi-faceted government's penchant for big projects, it is reported today: "The cost of a large boat travel lift facility in St. Herman Harbor has risen to $18.1 million, a substantial increase since it was first proposed in 2004 when the price tag was $6.6 million. " The pool went from 6 to 14 million, Woodland Acres paving district tripled, who knows what the final cost on the cop shop/jail will cost. Geez, if only my pay increased at the rate of gov'ment project cost estimates, easily going up 2.5 times in a couple of years, I'd have to get a wheel-barrow to carry that much lettuce home from the bank.

Meantime, be careful out there, and if you do slip and crack your tailbone, you know who to blame, that other Kodiak blog, not me, not me.

More from the Mirror

TORCH FIRE BURNS TRAILER, FAMILY OK

“The residents were thawing a pipe with a torch and caught some insulation on fire,”said Bayside Fire Department acting fire chief Bob Himes. “It spread quickly.” Thehome was collapsing when the first engine arrived. “People need to be extremelycareful with thawing pipes, not to use open-flame torches,” he said.

VICTIMS OF MOBILE HOME FIRE SEEK DONATIONS

A family of six lost everything, including their dog, when a fire burned their trailer to the ground Sunday evening. The trailer was not insured, said Red Cross volunteer Kathy Nussbaum.The fire came dangerously close — but did not touch — a nearby shed, which held a large propane tank. “The paint was melted off the side of the shed but the propane tank did not blow up,” Nussbaum said. “That would have been bad.”

This is what you would call an example of smartness? Yes?
Now these dog killers want you to bail them out.  
Heck, they never should have been in the gene pool in the first place.
If you want to donate your money, give it to someone who will put it to good use, like flying off to Rio de Janero for a fun weekend.

Merry Christmas from Kodiak

 No, you are not reading the title wrong, it is Christmas in Kodiak.
Alaska was purchased from Russia and many russian influences
still abound.  Many residents of Kodiak follow the orthodox faith,
commonly called Russian Orthodox though it is part of the
Orthodox Church of America.  The orthodox celebrate Christmas
on what westeners would call the 12th day of Christmas, or the
Feast of the Epiphany.  

One of the fun traditions is called "Starring" where they take a
mock-up of a star and go to peoples homes to announce the
birth of the Christ child, then they sing some hymns, and then
they eat.  On to the next home, announce, sing, eat.  Many
households sign up to be on the tour, which gets to be an
endurance event.

Of course to keep warm it is good to have handy a libation,
how about a "White Russian Christmas"
1 1/2 oz Vodka
3/4 oz Kahlua
3/4 oz Light Cream or Milk

Mix the vodka and kahlua together then float the cream on top. Add ice if desired.

To make this a Christmas drink (red and green)
first add a little snow (coconut)
and some red caviar and chives sprinkled on top.

за ваше здоровье (Na zdorovje)

 

Island Time

 Some places are described as "laid back", Jamaica
comes to mind, other places have a relaxed attitude,
perhaps "Cabo San Lucas", here in Kodiak we call it
"Island Time".  Things happen at thier own pace,
so don't sweat it, mon. Eryting b irea.

We are so relaxed here that we even make recliners
for our dumpsters. While in other communities the
dumpsters are hard at work, here we make a nice
Barca-lounger out of snow so the dumpster can sit
back and relax.

Inside the Post Office

Many of you see the Perspective daily at the Post Office,
where I have been gainfully employed for over 20 years.

When I arrived at work this morning I noted that today's
mail had yet to arrive (a not infrequent event on the island).
I asked the boss, "So what is their excuse this morning?"
He told me, "There was a problem at the plant."
Note: Mail comes from a processing plant in Anchorage.

So I asked, "How many dead?"

Life in Kodiak

Kodiak Daily Mirror Headlines:

January 2: lead
KODIAK TO MAINLAND FIBER-OPTIC CABLE COMPLETE

January 3: above the fold
NEW FIBER-OPTIC CABLE DAMAGED OFF NARROW CAPE

At least the warranty hasn’t expired.  

Need I say more?

Just one more reason to live in Alaska

Today I received my PFD application in my mailbox,
as well as a reminder from the PFD division online.

What is a PFD? PFD stands for the Permanent
Fund Dividend. A fund set up from oil revenues
which are invested and pay a dividend to each and
every Alaskan resident of more than a year. Voters
passed a constitutional amendment in 1976 to establish
the fund which began paying dividends in 1982.

When I lived in the contiguous US, I used to pay
income taxes to the state where I earned my living.
Now the state pays me just for living here. Isn’t
that grand?  

Governess Palin Vetos Same Sex

Why are we concerned about who is having sex with whom.
Isn't this a privacy issue, or is it?  

Governess Sarah Palin used her power of veto on HB 4001.
Former Gov. Frank Murkowski had called his last special
session for the legislature to pass a bill to grant state employees
benefits to same sex partners as called for by the State Supreme
Court. The legislature voted to try to block the courts action
with HB 4001. Governess Palin tried to straddle the issue
saying that she opposes the court action, but that she was bound
by her oath of office.

Governess Palin, take a stand. Straddle politics is not the way
to govern, it is a cop out. The Perspective wonders why there
is all this fuss about who does what to whom. Is this issue
about homophobes in Alaska and not alienating the voters,
or is it a veiled way to reduce state spending, by denying benefits.

In a possibly related event, state retirees who chose to go south
will be denied cost of living benefits.  So there.

 

Book Review: The Only Kayak, by Kim Heacox

The Only Kayak, a Journey into the Heart of Alaska, by Kim Heacox, ISBN: 1-59228-715-8

“The Only Kayak” is one man’s Alaskan experience, from what brought him here to what made him stay. Many Alaskans wish that they would be the last people let into the state. We come here for the wildness, but as more and more people come some of the wildness leaves. While we might struggle with the effect of our arrival, most crave the comforts of some bit of civilization.

Kim Heacox, who came to Alaska as a Forest Service Ranger and settled in Gustavus Alaska, bemoans the coming of progress, even as trees are killed to publish his books and build his two storey house. He even discusses this paradox in later chapters. The book is enjoyable as one man’s struggle to come to terms with his own impact on Alaska. It features many gleanings of other writers who are well worth reading. In the end it does get sappy, but worth the read.

 

Happy New Year

As the sun rises on a new year in Kodiak Alaska (9:54am)
it is time to record some weather information for this
emerald isle.  They say that our island turns green in 
the summer from all the rain, but we don't get nearly
as much as SE Alaska.  Rainfall for 2006 was 64.56 inches.
Lucky for us we have had a beautiful winter with seasonal
snowfall (since July, go figure the NWS) of 49.4 inches.