Iditarod Dreams

The Iditarod makes me cry--especially watching the ending at Front Street in Nome, Alaska. (they show this live on TV in Alaska).
But I do not cry out of sadness for the doggies or something like that. No, I cry because the Iditarod sled dog race--1,000 miles through remote Alaskan wilderness is just so incredible. These mushers don't sleep, get hit by trees, suffer broken bones & illness--some of the most adventurous athletes I have ever seen.
And the craziness of the trail--moose, wolves, half frozen rivers, -40 degree temperatures. It's so wild and primitive. And just about 70 humans a year try this sort of thing.
Compare that to the millions upon millions sitting at their desks , sipping coffee, driving a Honda home after work to watch CSI on TV--that's about as adventurous as most Americans get.
But here is this great sled dog race-- completely wild and difficult. It touches my heart that dreamers everywhere can still pursue this sort of crazy challenge--that everything hasn't been made boring and safe. And one can still dream of a wild and beautiful world.....

Why do Sled Dogs Keep Running???

I know there are quite a few animal groups out there that despise the really long Alaskan sled dog races--like the Yukon Quest and Iditarod. Mostly because these crazy races have dogs running about 1,000 miles in approximately 10 days. The leader's dogs often only sleep about 7 hours per day and run almost 17 daily. That is nuts!

It is true that dogs get injured (but so do almost all the humans), and that their lungs take a toll (as do human marathon racers). And their paws need constant ointment and booties to keep going....so the question is:-- is this some kind of dog abuse?

Some make the claim--"well the dogs didn't volunteer for the race-- the humans make them do it." But I ask: what dog anywhere really has a choice about anything?? (except for one of my nutty dogs that wandered in from the street as a stray, refused to leave and is now our dog!) I mean, does any dog request to be a latch-key dog--left alone in a crate for 9 hours while their owners toil at work??

And then some people keep up the old notion that the dogs are whipped to keep going. Nice try--used to happen (that's the truth) but so many people now watch the race & times have changed that you really couldn't get away with it....

So why do these doggies run like this??? Well I think I have the answer--simply because I have a crazy Alaskan sled dog at home.

She is the weirdest thing ever. Somewhat feral & wild. Obsessed with competition and pack order. She always tries to show off and would never say no to a sprint race . She stays up for days on end if we are on a road trip...always excited about more excitement. We know this crazy animal would run until she dies--it is in her blood.

Not only does she love the spirit of competition, she wants to do whatever the "alpha" wants to do. Not to please him I think, but just to be like him. So as long as the musher is awake and the dogs know what they need to do--they will keep on running...these are not the same dogs you find in the lower 48, they can't be compared.

Worst Week for Alaska Wolves

As long as I have lived in Alaska now, I have never seen such a ridiculously bad week for the Alaskan wolves.
First of all, Denali National Park and various organizations had requested the Alaska Game Board to extend the wolf buffer outside Denali Park. In other words--wolves that are watched (and even radio collared) in Denali would be able to roam outside park boundaries without fear of trapping. But no, the Board of Game voted instead to REDUCE the buffer for the most viewed wolves in Alaska--hence increasing the chance for them to be trapped instead of having a tourist photograph them. The crazy part of this, is the reasons the "so-called-adults" on the Alaska Game Board gave for this decision.
One reason: "Why would someone from New York want to see a wolf that comes right up to a tour bus?" Secondly: "The feds and wildlife organizations have pushed us too far". So in effect they are saying--we will not protect these wolves because:
A) we are too narrow minded to understand city people.
B) out of spite to the Feds.
Next comes the appointment of the new head of Alaska Wildlife conservation--who's only mission is to maximize species for hunting them down--and therefore more wolf shooting (known as predator control).
Lastly, the Alaskan wolves themselves decided--"well hey, everyone hates us this week anyway, so lets do a heinous act to show just how bad-ass we really can be". And they proceeded to eat a lower 48 school teacher that was out jogging in a remote Alaskan village. My condolences to the family. But note to anyone coming to Alaska--you can not jog around predators (or even loose dogs) they have a chase instinct! I wish someone could have warned the poor girl.

The Alaska Department of Wildlife Conservation needs to be contacted, as well as the tour companies (www.Princesslodges.com & www.Graylinealaska.com) two of the biggest with financial stakes in wolf viewing, especially around Denali. They need to lobby the state to protect opportunities for tourists to view wildlife.

The Trouble With Sarah

I had expected to eventually hear the unsettling news that Sarah Palin was going to consider a presidential run in 2012.
It's not only her lack of experience and good education that I find troubling, but I know what she truly believes, as I have had the joyful (?) experience of living near her hometown, and being under her "get up and run away" governorship...

Sarah has a strong fundamental belief that good jobs (i.e good pay, good money) solves all social ills. I can't argue with her point that in most cases, especially here in the Matanuska Valley of Alaska, people with money don't start meth labs, shoot their neighbors, or rob liquor stores. She makes a valid point. Her theory just doesn't fly outside a "go and grow" state like Alaska or Texas or any other huge state filled with natural resources. Sarah has most of her experience in Wasilla, where she was all for huge ugly box stores and development galore. This can only be achieved when land is plentiful and cheap. Once you build the super Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Target and a bunch of Mc Mansions where do you go from there?

Or take the good paying natural resource jobs--like oil and minerals. Does this kind of work hold promise 50 years from now? Construction is huge here too--but when you have paved over all the country what then? Her economic theory works--for now--but is not sustainable in the long term. And how do box stores help small mom & pop shops that go out of business or "good paying manufacturing jobs" right here at home? Sarah herself is often spotted at Wal-Mart (at least up until last year). But what does Wal-Mart do for Made in USA manufacturers?? Puts them out of business, that's what.

I would love to hear her explain herself on this. How do you develop these "good paying, low-education jobs" in states that have little land left?? (like NJ) Especially when the factories shut down because you are buying your own crap from China.

Why Should I Facebook You?

Over the Holiday season I did an outrageous thing--I tried to make one on one contact with a few old acquaintances by sending apparently old fashioned email. Not a mass email have you, but individual correspondence asking how they have been.
Well, I guess that was just too difficult for some to muster. I did get hastily written replies, but usually with a: "well if you really want to know what I am up to--join facebook and check my page"....
Unbelievable. Everyone has become such a delusional "rockstar" that it is in no way considered pretentious to suggest that everyone should be following their impersonal web updates. Before the internet this would be equivalent to someone saying--"well if you really cared about my life: buy my autobiography."
The really silly thing is, that all these bozos putting all their personal details on Facebook don't seem to understand human nature. At least half of your friends and or acquaintances are probably making fun of your facebook info at any given time. Saying stuff like: "why did she put that photo out there" or "why did they move to that house?", "who lets their kids on a bike without a helmet"...etc...doesn't everyone know people just get a kick out of judging one another???
Of course any old letter or email could be made fun of as well, but in my opinion when it is more personal and delivered only to the receiver--then it is simply "sharing", but when you post on facebook or send out tweets--it sort of crosses into "bragging"--and thus more scrutiny.

Quit Your Job and Help Your Fellow Americans

This is my shout out to all those stressed out two income families, driving around in their Yukon SUV's on their way to their high pressure careers....why is mom and dad both working if you clearly have no financial struggles???
As crazy as it sounds--but when everyone wants a job (even if they don't need one) that raises the unemployment rate. People hate to admit it, but not every American family actually needs to work two jobs to put "food on the table". I know plenty of families where mom and dad work, even with incomes way above $100,000 a year simply because staying home is "boring". Or maybe they think it's lazy to bake cookies and volunteer for the PTA, or usually they just like a bit more money.
Of course it can be argued--that no matter what, two income families do pump money back into the economy either through being in a higher tax bracket or buying their endless supply of McMansions (I don't care what Time magazine writes, I feel the McMansion lifestyle is still alive and well) So that argument is fair enough.
BUT I still can't help but notice that if an affluent mom or dad quit one of their careers, presto! A job would open up for some man or woman that needs to make a mortgage payment in a zero income family...

What is this Wrong Path You Speak of?

I recently heard one of these right-wing zealots complaining about America going down the wrong path and how all our children will be ruined.
So I proceeded to look up some poll numbers and what have you, to get more clarity about this. What I found online was mostly Obama bashing brought forth by statistically insignificant Fox news polls. Usually a rampant fear of "progressive socialism". When I dug a bit deeper into what people really mean by this, I found it interesting that nobody is comparing this bogey man to Cuba or China, but call the evil plot "European style socialism".
How funny is that? It's like saying :"watch out or you will all become Canadian!" (As we all know Canadians have three heads and live in caves). I understand that the USA is a great economic force in the world--but do our financial markets really ensure the well-being of the average American Joe?
I wish the average Joes and Janes could all get a plane ticket to "this Europe" they fear so much for a few weeks. Travel the train system, eat at some cafes and talk to the locals about how "miserable" they are with socialized medicine and more government intervention.
Then Joe and Jane could more accurately discuss this big fear they have. Otherwise, it's like a small child's fear of Santa Claus. The big red suit scares them more than the positive idea of actually receiving a gift.