Pet Food Recall should be Wake up Call!

All pet owners are aware of the recent pet food recall. The information seems to indicate that the deaths are caused by some sort of substance that got into the meal at the Chinese factory. Whatever the substance it, there's a good chance it's banned in the U.S.A.!

Here's the paradox that drives me batty: how come American consumers can buy products from oversees (especially China) that don't meet USA health & safety standards. Sure, there are bogus rules on the books, mostly about "choking hazards", but what about how the products are MADE, or what is in the factory, where does the fuel come from and what about emissions......?
Do most American consumers even realize that their kids toys from China get sprayed with pesticides, paint is sometimes lead based, and most Third World factories certainly have sanitation standards that would make the average American parent faint! (And let's not even begin the child labor topic....)

Do consumers ever add 1 + 1 and realize that one of the reasons factories move oversees is because they no longer have to follow USA health & environmental guidelines?? Sure, that's mush cheaper for the consumer--but at what overall cost???
So let's hope the recent pet food scare will help open some eyes--the same regulations are needed here and oversees ! Learn that paying more is ok--it could save lives!

Is There Blood on Your Wal-Mart Shorts?

What blood? How did it get there?
Well of course I am using the term figuratively as folks refer to "blood" meaning someone died for that product.
It's easy to conceptualize a violent diamond trade or drug lords killing one another to get their products to market. But what about those little Easter baskets that say "Made in China" or your kids cheap spring shorts from Wal-Mart??
Child labor is really just the tip of the iceberg. Dig even deeper and look- where does the coal and oil come from that runs the machines for those factories?? Where does their electricity come from?
Any layperson can pick up a recent Time magazine and read how the Chines coal mines are some of the most dangerous in the world. Hundreds if not thousands die to get that coal. Then there is the Chinese oil that comes from violent Darfur--or the unregulated factories that pour toxins into the Chinese water system.....
So how much blood is really shed for Americans to have the cheapest garments possible???
A quote that I recently saw says it best: "The American 'everything is disposable' mentality unfortunately extends to the Third World as well."

Old Fashioned Simplicity

I moved to Alaska to chase the rapidly receding Wilderness. By accident I also stumbled upon another thing I forgot I was looking for: simpler times.

As a child I was a HUGE fan of the Laura Ingalls books (never liked the show--ruined all my imagined images). What I loved about these stories was the way happiness could be found only by listening to Pa's fiddle or making maple candy in the snow. The Christmas story of the children being ecstatic to receive only pennies, oyster crackers & ribbon candy is burnt into my memory. It resonates with my understanding of where our sense of joy comes from and it's not our modern lifestyles and material goods that make us happy.

Luckily Alaska has a "frontier" spirit. Sometimes it can mean really backwards thinking, but usually it's a good thing. This kind of old fashioned friendliness and helpfulness just can't be experienced elsewhere. Whenever a car breaks down at the side of the road folks rush to it as if it were a sport to help out! My husband and I could only laugh, when we ran out of gas and were offered rides by three different people - in a matter of 10 minutes!

Then there's the appreciation of simplicity. Not that Anchorage doesn't have it's own big city problems, but if you drive 30 minutes away from there you can still leave the car unlocked. Or folks will talk to you about berry picking, making jam or canning salmon. I love the fact that our grocery store has a huge section of canning supplies and jelly jars and this is taken very seriously!! Fishing isn't done for sport as much as it is to fill the freezer.

If only I could keep those cell phones at bay, but they have followed me here as well........

The Worst Thing About Alaska

I love living in Alaska, but my biggest issue of contention is the so called "Department of Fish and Game". They do many good things for our fish and monitor hunting, however they continue to pursue a policy of wildlife management through death.

The current lunacy is the so called "predator control" program also known as "wolf kill". In order to ensure that Joe six-pack has a moose to kill, they spend state money to chase and kill wolves from airplanes. The logic being that wolves eat moose, thus they are our competitors for meat. I mean what is this - the 1800's?? Even crazier--they now want to do it by offering a bounty and may perhaps use helicopters.

There are only 7,000-11,000 wolves in Alaska, and considering this state is gigantic, that's really not that many. Most wildlife viewers have never seen a wolf in Alaska!!! That's what makes me angry, that my right to have ample opportunity to see a live wolf is destroyed. (Not to mention that wolves are against being killed as well.)

It's hard to imagine that Alaskans have actually voted (twice!) to end this craziness. But the Alaska governor & Game board supersede the democratic consesus of the people. What a shame!

What's the Point of a Hectic Lifestyle?

After moving away from the East Coast, I quickly forgot that not everyone in this country has the time to vegetate in front of the TV or suffers from chronically bored syndrome. Yes, that's right--there is also the opposite end of the spectrum: the frazzled, hectic lifestyle people.

In my opinion the busy lifestyle families are quite perplexing. I completely understand that there are folks who are seriously struggling to pay the mortgage or keep their cars running-and those folks are working their tails off. But my issue is with the "hectic by choice" people.

A "hectic lifestyle by choice" person is one who has the illusion that their family will only be happy if they have a home that is at least 2000+ square feet, with 2 flat screen TV's, shiny new cars and all the latest fashions with gadgets in tow. Thus they refuse to take any vacations and work their tails off, outsource the kids, and run around with stress levels that keep the cardiologists in business.
Hasn't anyone heard of the happiness index? We as humans are practically pre-programed to hit a happiness set point. That means happiness goes up and it goes down, but you can't push the threshold any higher than the set point. In other words, there is no scientific evidence that killing yourself for your career will ever make you or your family happy. (actually I have read that Tibetan monks are able to raise their happiness set point, but of course that doesn't come from joining the rat race)

What's most bizarre is the bitching and moaning people with plenty of money (by that I mean roof over head, car and food on table) keep engaging in by saying "they can't make ends meet". Yikes--those ends are all an illusion. Who the heck really needs a McMansion?? So you can burn up utilities and feel isolated from each other?? Or what about keeping up on fashion-- The whole fashion industry is a farce, brainwashing insecure people to spend money. People say they want to look good--well then decide what "look good" means and stop changing it every year!! Does it make any sense whatsoever to spend money on fashion, if all you do is want to burn your old photos once you realize you looked like a freak 10 years ago??

Of course none of it makes sense to me. So this rat is out of the race.

The Way Alaskans Love Their Animals

As I am originally from the East Coast, my move to Alaska brought about many surprises. One of these surprises was the cynical attitude towards anything "warm & fuzzy" including animal rights. For example, PETA is considered an organization run by sissy pants bed wetters. The only time I have even seen PETA on a bumper sticker in Alaska is in the context: PETA "people eating tasty animals".... Or how about a Christmas card with a picture of a little girl holding a hunting rifle crouched by a dead reindeer. The caption reads: "only seven more to go- Merry Christmas!"

Yes, this shocked the pants right off my sensible yet snooty East Coast self. It appeared a bit cruel. It seemed especially odd because one can easily see that Alaskans love animals. I have yet to meet a non-pet owner here. Jacked up pick-up trucks come to screeching halts if a dog even thinks of crossing an Alaskan road. So what gives?

I think I have figured it out: Alaskans like their animals wild and treat them that way. What passes as "humane" elsewhere just seems silly in Alaska. Pets don't wear rain coats here, sit around getting fat, or wear bows. So many folks back East want their dogs tame, goofy and content with a squeeze toy. But Alaskans celebrate the wolf in their dog. They want dogs that hunt like mad and run like the wind. Even reindeer aren't primarily considered Santa's helpers, but accepted as sausage material or great entertainment when they run loose & wild during reindeer races.

This difference in opinion probably explains why people outside of Alaska and Alaskans are constantly butting heads when it comes to animal issues. Even I have come around to the Alaskan way of thinking. I'm quite proud when my dog can kill a mouse and understand her roaming behavior better when I consider her a wolf.

I completely support treating animals well, but what's the fun if they all become gentle Disney caricatures ?

Dog Blog

I'm watching my sleepy sled dog Tinga, as she lies on her warm bed. She comes from the local pound, rescued from imminent death. Although one would think the Alaskan dog pounds are full of over bred huskies, they're not. The most common abandoned pooch here is some type of lab mix, usually the black ones. Believe it or not they only have room to stay at the pound for a week, then the unmentionable happens. It is a gruesome truth that they transport hundreds of dogs to the dump each year after they are euthanized.
I bring up this sad fact to put some perspective on the first Iditarod dog dying today. A husky from a sweet woman's kennel perished without warning (while resting). She immediately dropped out of the race to grieve. This particular musher is a fanatic about her dog's care and has a website dedicated to each dog's progress. I feel so badly for her, and know she must be beating herself up over it. Nevertheless, this dog lived a good life full of love, running and fun.

We might still make our beloved Tinga into a sled dog after all. She does love to run--but what to do about those sensitive paws? The cold does bother her toes. She's mastered the art of "three legged pooping" so one of her sensitive paws doesn't have to touch the cold snow. Booties would fix that....

Is Nationalism a Form of Racism??

Are local lives more important than those in the distance?
Do we care if a Mexican drinks contaminated water and dies prematurely in Mexico? But what if the same person had become a United States citizen, eaten some infected food and then died here. Does it make the death more significant?

If American children were found to work 14 hour shifts, 7 days a week and beaten while sewing cheap jeans--wouldn't we freak out?? Would anyone buy the jeans?

Yet in China, Bangladesh and so many other countries that is how our clothes are made. Is it ok to buy the clothes as long as those are not American children??

These types of questions always puzzle me. Obviously the logic would extend to war, international disease and suffering, even immigration.......

I can not figure it out: are human beings only able to be empathetic to those they perceive as locals or equals? Is self-interest at play? Worried that it may happen to you?? Or is indifference to global suffering a form of racism?
(Of course this is not an attitude unique to Americans, but probably ubiquitous internationally) It is just a piece of the puzzle that makes up the human condition.

Those Noisy Humans

If someone seeks peace and quiet, then logically they move from the city to the suburbs, right? Yet, today's suburban dwellers willingly compete in the "noisiest neighbor" competition. Not by having loud, raucous parties, but simply by caring for their ridiculous lawns and driveways. The status symbols of choice have become the boisterous lawn machines, snow blowers and the worst contender of all--the leaf blower.
I'm not sure if these crazy machines prove you are well off financially or simply that you are too out of shape to actually rake or shovel.
So where's a quiet-seeking soul to live? Well then you move to the country.
Ha, ha. The rural countryside is sprouting it's own set of noisy toys. Especially in Alaska --noisy recreation is where it is at. TV ads constantly seduce folks to "tear it up" outside, either in their ATV or snowmobile. It's as if everyone has developed the mentality of a five year old boy with their first Tonka truck. Heaven forbid someone actually practices mobility by using their feet--that might lead to weight loss and fitness. And what would we do without all that noise?? Think?

Humans fall, dogs keep standing

Today is the fourth day of the Iditarod sled dog race. Most of the mushers claim the conditions are worse this year than ever before. Cold nights in the -30 range and icy, bare, trails.
The Alaskan nightly news shows live footage of the racers and their teams entering some of the checkpoints. The dogs look good-but the humans are pretty beaten! Two of the very best mushers have already quit--citing broken bones (from falling) and therefore felt they couldn't care for their dogs that well. A musher from Wisconsin even broke a leg, but he keeps on going--claiming he's come too far to quit!
These folks are the craziest athletes I know of! The injured dogs are always pulled out of the race, but the humans are free to keep on killing themselves...!
Did I mention that the distance of this race is almost 1,200 miles? That's as if someone chose to go by dog team from Minnesota to New York. Plus, the mushers don't sit in the sleds--they often are hanging on for dear life or actually running behind the sled! Mush on!

The Howl of the Iditarod Sled Dog

It's that time of year again, the Last Great Race, commonly known as the Iditarod. Personally, I love following the race and the travails of the mushers. We always watch the teams line up before heading on their journey to Nome. It's quite exciting to cheer on the howling dogs and their brave human counter parts.

What's funny is that there are quite a few animal lovers out there that can't stand the sport of sled dog racing. In my opinion these fears and concerns are sometimes misguided and not really based on seeing the dogs run.

Some of the common misconceptions I have heard:

1- The dogs are forced to run. Does any dog owner really feel they can force their dog to do anything?? And no, the dogs are never, ever beaten. Teams sometime do "quit" and the musher has no choice but to withdraw from the race.

2- The dogs health is compromised. Actually, this is one point where animal rights groups did help convince Iditarod officials to carefully monitor the dogs health. These days the dogs are checked over by vets continuously--but the humans are left to bleed, lack sleep & run with broken bones. Dogs are "dropped" from the race continuously, which actually upsets the dogs--they want to keep running! Plus, to keep their stamina up the dogs are fed amazing treats: like fresh steak and salmon.

3- Dogs sometimes die. Yes, it's an unfortunate truth. I think about 2 dogs die during the race each year. But put this in perspective--80 teams with 16 dogs each is 1,280 dogs!!! Professional human athletes die during training, or even the average Joe can have a heart attack when shoveling snow. Don't even get me started about dogs dying, because there are so many dogs dying globally each day--being eaten in China or beaten in other nations. Have you ever seen the emancipated dogs wandering around South America ?

4- The mushers do it for money. Ha. Even when mushers do win the bigger prizes, they barely ever even break even. The cost of feeding your team all year, fixing sleds & dog trucks, getting to competitions, entry fees and food drops all add up to quite a sum. Mushers are usually dreamers and dog lovers. They do it because it is an enchanting lifestyle and they love being around their dogs.

5- Sled dogs have a lousy life, tied to dog houses or transported in dog trucks. Well to honestly answer this one, you would have to ask the dogs. If dogs around the world were administered surveys-- would they say they prefer to get fat on the couch? Be homeless vagabonds? Or live in snow country as a sled dog?? I don't know. I do know these dogs love to run and they usually get to run every day, even in the summer.

We adopted a sled dog mix from the pound and her need to run is maddening! Even if some think it's wrong to breed these runners, I think it's wrong to breed cockapoodles or whatever those funny looking lap dogs are. When mushers do breed extra dogs, most folks are happy to take a good sled dog off their hands.

Lastly, I don't know how many people know that the "modern" Iditarod race (not the serum run) came about to encourage the dying tradition of dog mushing in Native villages. This is a sport that gives people pride. It is a solemn tradition that was threatened by the popularity of noisy, gas guzzling snowmobiles. If there is one thing that meshes well with the serenity of the wilderness, it is a sled dog team trotting through the snow, not its modern replacement the snowmachine...

The Chronically Bored

I don't know how many other people think it is a problem, but I think it's about time we tackle the issue of the chronically bored. It is one of the most common complaints I have heard all over the United States- "I'm bored!"

Of course it makes good economic sense to keep kids bored, because the more free time on their hands, then the more toys they need. Not to mention sports uniforms, equipment, clubhouses, and youth centers. Luckily, video games have shortened their attention spans so much that free activities like exploring the woods, or camping have become boringly obsolete.

Yikes- then you grow into a teenager and instead of worrying about helping with the farm or working for a living (like in the days of yore) there is now plenty of time to pursuit more important stuff. Oh you know, like hounding your classmates for wearing crappy clothes, displaying your breasts on the Internet, or figuring out how to attach more cell phones to your ears. That still leaves plenty of time for cyberbullying!

Boredom spreads like a plague and I am noticing that as our lives become easier & more "convenient" adults are increasingly joining in on the childish "I'm bored" chant as well. Often though it is only a muffled whimper, easily hushed by transferring their boredom into obsessive TV & DVD watching.

So what gives?? Is it that we have lost the appreciation to enjoy the little things in life?? Should everyone be growing their own food, building their own house ?? Does convenience breed laziness??? Do we need to struggle more??

A very sad article I read a few years ago spoke about the troubles in a Native village up here in Alaska. The teens were struggling with a high suicide rate. The article mentioned how some sort of substandard club house was built for the teens and on the wall the graffiti said: "I'm so bored I want to die". Boredom was actually identified as a cause of depression. Of course the Native issue is very complex. Yet it can be inferred, that by the "white folks" taking away the meaning behind their traditional lifestyles, they are struggling with ways to fill the void.

I just don't think more video games, shopping malls, extreme sports, or TV channels are going to eliminate boredom. The free market solution to boredom creates more boredom...........

Chasing the Wilderness

Ok, where do I even begin??
Simply put, I can not enjoy the idle pursuits of suburbia. I am perplexed by the droves of people that seem only to be interested in shopping malls, fashion hand bags, and their big-screened TV's. Even worse, they choose to surround themselves with the "comforts" of badly built cookie-cutter McMansions. I am reduced to smiling politely at these folks and keep wondering what is wrong with me?? Why don't I want these things??
Yet I do know what I want. It is the pursuit of the wilderness. Luckily, my spouse and I did escape the East Coast and settled in Alaska years ago.
Now the joke about Alaska is--the suburbanites have come here too. They are rapidly building their beige houses in neatly parceled subdivisions. Insisting that more Old Navy's and Wal-Marts be built. The trees here get slaughtered at such an alarming rate, that they don't even use chain saws anymore--just bulldozers that push the tree carcasses into big piles that are then set afire.
Nevertheless, the wilderness is still here. Therefore so am I.