Alaska’s Rural Villages in Crisis – Update.
Here’s an update regarding the rural crisis in Emmonak, Alaska that has recently been revealed. You can read the original posts HERE, and HERE.
The Alaska Report Goes to Emmonak Thanks to YOU!
Thanks to generous contributions to the effort, many coming from Mudflatters, Dennis Zaki of The Alaska Report has raised enough money to pay for travel to Emmonak and other remote villages, to talk to locals on camera, and capture footage for use by the national media. Dennis needed $2000 for his ticket, and will distribute the rest for energy relief when he arrives in the bush. As of this writing, there is $6283. in the account! His ticket is booked and he heads out for Bethel tomorrow, then on to Emmonak. Thank you for making this possible. As we have all learned this election season, getting cameras in the right place, bloggers on the same page, and under-reported stories to the national media can do great things.
To donate to Dennis’ trip and direct relief for village residents, click
Media Coverage of the Crisis in Rural Alaska
The coverage of this story is travelling up the media chain, from a local paper in Bristol Bay Alaska, to Alaska bloggers, to national blogs, and now to nice coverage in the Anchorage Daily News as a news story and as an example of the blogging community banding together to raise humanitarian issues that the Palin administration refuses to address.
Rachel Maddow will be on the phone with Cary Carrigan tomorrow morning at 8am Alaska Time on KUDO 1080am to talk about this issue. We are hopeful that other national media sources will pick up on this. I was apparently wildly misinformed about this. (waving to Rachel Maddow with sheepish grin) Please accept my humble apologies to all who were inconvenienced. (hangs head)
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski Speaks Out
Today, Alaska’s Senior Senator Lisa Murkowski delivered eloquent and heartfelt opening remarks at the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in Washington D.C., and addressed the crisis in Emmonak. She placed the letter written by Emmonak resident Nicholas Tucker that began the recent discussion into the record. Talking about the gift of fuel that some native villages accepted from Hugo Chavez, Murkowski said,
It is truly tragic that Alaska Native Villages must depend on Venezuela for their safety net. Does our nation not owe a trust relationship to these people?
Full Transcript – lisa-murkowski-statement
Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Bob Poe Speaks Out
“I was deeply affected when I heard Nick Tucker from Emmonak speak today about the desperate situation in rural Alaska – the choice between food and warmth is one that we, as Alaskans, should never let our neighbors have to make.”
Mr. Poe went on to remind us that anyone who was paying attention knew this situation was coming, and that there are very large and very complicated issues that we will have to tackle as Alaskans to ensure that situations like this never happen again.
The Response from Governor Palin and Her Administration
“Alaska Newspapers Inc. published the letter on its Web site earlier this week, and statewide public radio followed with an interview. By Wednesday, the story of Emmonak’s plight was spreading across the blogosphere, and state officials and others were scrambling to figure out what was going on. “[ADN - 1/15/09]
And what about Alaska’s Rural Advisor? What do they have to say? Oh, that’s right. There isn’t one. That office has been vacant since mid-October, and nobody in the governor’s office seems to know when it will be filled.
And what about the Rural Subcabinet that the Governor told us about back in October, and formally announced a couple weeks ago? You know, the one mysteriously being headed up by Attorney General Talis Colberg? They’re going to review the situation on Friday. Comforting.
Any words of concern or support from the Governor herself? The Chief Executive of a state whose people are having to choose whether to put their children to bed cold, or hungry? Anything?
Not a peep.
On a Personal Note:
It has been amazing and wonderful to watch how progressive bloggers, radio, and other news sources have risen up to discuss this situation, and put the crisis in Emmonak and elsewhere into the national discussion. The conversation is not over yet. Voices that have not been heard for a long time have far to travel.
Also, it has been extremely moving to witness the incredible and spontaneous outpouring of donations and good wishes from readers of this blog and others, and from the wider community. When watching the news, or reading about the tragedies of the world, it is easy to fall prey to the feeling that there is nothing we can do. But the power of words, and the instantaneous and far-flung reach of the internet have proven that there is something we can do. We are all human, and in the end, that is all we need to feel empathy when others suffer, if we stop and pay attention.
I will continue to post updates and photos (if we’re lucky) from Dennis Zaki as he travels to western Alaska villages telling the story of the people, and asking why this was allowed to happen.
…kinda funny that SP complains about bloggers…yet they are ahead of her in taking care of the rural folks in AK!
I cannot thank you enough, AKM! You and the Mudpups are the best little (and not so little) community outside of my own, that is so near my heart. Power to the “pathetic, lonely, anonymous bloggers”, the First Amendment, people to people diplomacy, and democracy! Change we can believe in, and CAN DO together!
Way to go — I’m so proud of all of you. YES WE CAN! Together we can make it happen…..
Beautiful and moving AKM! Brought me to tears.
Lisa Murkowski has been doing the right thing for a while. When she was in the Alaska Legislature, retail alcohol businesses bitched about her raising the taxes on alcohol. She stood tough. She will do well for Alaska, lord knows we can’t depend upon caribouBarbie.
Someone call from Emmo and say they are Saxby Chambliss, she’ll hop on a plane without makeup. Little Trigg in tow.
The airlift is on Monday. With any luck, things are already happening in the Bush. Wouldn’t it be a fine thing if nobody watching the inauguration was cold or hungry?
So Palin fiddles and whines while Alaska freezes!
There’s the small Christian duty to love you neighbor as yourself. While I don’t think anyone expects anyone else to be perfect at fulfilling that commandment, many of us expect those that profess to be Christians to at least make an effort. I haven’t heard that she even drops a penny or two in the Salvation Army kettle. Does she volunteer? Donate money or goods? Perhaps she got credit for donating those campaign silk chonies!
Well, well, well… Palin is making brownie points and proving her superior ability as “executive of the state of Alaska” right and left, isn’t she. It must be very reassuring to her supporters to know that she takes such great care of the people in her own state. How could anybody possibly be opposed to her running the whole country?
Ok, back to reality. I am SO glad that the people are getting help, and I would really like to see Palin be held responsible for her continuous refusal to do her job.
I too, am excited that people have come together from all over the US to help people that they do not know. Why must people in this country have to make these choices? We were the greatest country in the world.
We have had 8 years of “Compassionate Conservatism” and it looks like you guys will get 4 more through Palin.
Isn’t it wonderful what Christian and a “CC” will do for others.
It is truly tragic that Alaska Native Villages must depend on Venezuela for their safety net. Does our nation not owe a trust relationship to these people?
Lisa M.
Again, why is she seeking help at a national level while the state has BILLIONs in reserve? Why is this not a state thing first and a national second?
Or why is Palin not requesting any kind of assistance through through the earmarks that are slated to help Alaska to build an infrastructure of roads to get to these villages? According to reports she is not asking to use all they monies slated for Alaska and will not release the reports of requests she is making?
Palin must be made to answer these question to you her people and to the rest of us in the lower 48.
I’m snarky, it’s -22 and I can’t sleep!!!! Sorry
This is such awsome news, AMK. I put my $10 in the mail this morning, but am so glad that others were able to get it there faster. I simply have tears of joy in my eyes. I know there is much more that needs to be done, but just to think that so much was raised in under 12 hrs. That is the kind of “power with” the people that bloggers and other internet communities can have. It gives me so much hope and inspiration.
Palin’s too busy getting ready to go to DC- ostensibly for the inauguration but really to speak to “Pro-Life” groups in the area- campaigning at state expense once again- to give a damn about some Alaskans in need. The fact that her rural advisor position- not that it would be filled by anyone other than a crony- remains vacant after 4 months while she adds PR staff to her Anchorage office says it all.
The people of Emmonak are not going to make Palin President, no matter what she might do to help out. So why bother, she thinks. She could even donate some of her ill-gotten per diem to help people out who really need the cash, but again, why bother?
I am living in a rural village and while my situation isn’t as dire as some others, I did find myself searching the cabinets for food to mix and match. WHile i was in no danger of starving I wondered about the others in my community. So i started to listen and learn.
I am fortunate to have one of the jobs in town that pays well, and I also have a warm cabin. And because of the tiny size of my cabin, I have enough wood and oil. Other people went through their wood pile quickly and @ -64 I would hear chainsaws going.
As for oil, if I remember correctly, i paid over $500 plus for 100 gallons heating fuel. I don’t know what its like for other more remote villages but thats a lot for some people to pay and also why I have no problem accepting Venezuela’s offer of heating oil. Which is currently being distributed again.
I listened while young kids (ages 12 on up) talked about wanting and needing to go out to the wood yard. This is dangerous because your survival rate would drop if a snow machine quits or freezes miles outside of town.
My village is one of the largest in our area and we do have a grocery store but the prices are high so paying for the basics is kept to a minimum. I will be flying to Fairbanks soon to stock up on groceries and other necessities such as clothes, cleaning supplies, trash can bags, dish soap, dog food and so forth. I also heard 2-3 other people also planning trips to stock up on food. That is just today, in a span of 15 minutes.
I’m writing this to say, ‘thank you’ for your contributions to the other rural communities. While my community came through in relatively good shape (with the exception of tons of frozen water and septic systems) there are other smaller and more remote villages that needed awareness of their situation.
Thank You.
Actually, this year Sarah’s State of the State address might likely be pretty interesting.
Stuff Like — the State’s Great (ceptin’ all the hungry/freezing people I don’t care to know about). Or, Budget’s Great (ceptin’ I haven’t yet submitted one). Or, Oil’s at an all time high (ceptin’ it’s not!) Or, BO Stimulus funds are going to come to improve our economy (ceptin’ I didn’t ask for any money much).
Really, so MANY possibilities, hope someone tapes it. Think you all better stock up on the popcorn. Wink Wink!
Look at the prices quoted in this:
http://washingtonindependent.com/10629/rural-alaska-and-high-energy-costs
That is a scandal! And look there, people have moved but are they any better off now? And is it not better to fix the root of the problem rather than its effects?
I complain if my Cheerios cost more than 2 Euros (today USD 2.63) and fuel has gone down to about 1.19 Euros (1.59 USD – this is city, usually more expensive than rural in Europe) and we still feel the crunch…..
Thanks to you Village Reader!
It’s good to hear directly from someone so close to the situation. I hadn’t considered that getting firewood (wet at that) could be such a dangerous trek. Stay warm! Best wishes.
What about Food Stamps and other Federal aid programs? What role are these playing in this crisis?
Well, lets see in rural Ak if you are low-income and 1 person you can get $326
2 persons $598, 3 persons $857, 4 persons $1088, this from the AK State Food Stamp website. Seems like a lot to those of us that live next door to a WalMart, right? Well what if the nearest WalMart is 1300 air miles away? Now, just where are you going to spend those Food Stamps?
No statement/response from the Calista Corporation or Emmonak Corporation??? Unbelievable.
Hot off the press at the ADN.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/656185.html
FYI: State rethinks disaster call for Emmonak
Village Reader said: “I will be flying to Fairbanks soon to stock up on groceries and other necessities …”
At the risk of sounding nosy, could you satisfy a curiosity of mine? Is that typical for people up there? Or do they have to stock up during summers (presumably before their dividend check arrives) and then hunker down during the winters? What kind of miles would a trip like that be one way, is it commercial flight, or those little float planes. What might be a typical commercial flight cost? I know when I make a 2-mile, monthly run with my little pickup the groceries take up a lot of space. Alaska Airlines now charges for a 2nd piece of luggage.
Sorry for all the questions, but I’m having troubles visualizing how people do it up there, given the weather conditions during the winter.
I will say that last year when I took a cruise to Alaska, one tour guide (IIRC she was from Georgia) made the comment abpit even though people down in the Lwr 48 might hate Walmart and not want them moving in – Walmart did deliver to them, so was a hugely needed store for them to get basic necessities.
Still, that was summer in Ketchican. A whole big difference to this situation I have no doubt. Plus, this is the bush country as well.
It’s unbelieveable to me as I watched 155 people removed in 90 mins from a downed plane in the Hudson River, and felt the miracle of what can be done when people work together, that the villiagers in AK, who have been asking since mid Oct for assistance in what they knew would be a disaster this winter were still this week having to decide between heat and food.
The news reporters told us that hemothermia would have killed those on the plane within hours had they not been the focus of all those who went to their aid. I can’t even imagine how hard it must be for people living where it is -50 and lower, cut off by weather from sources of food and heat.
How can the Gov and her office turn a deaf ear to these villagers? It is just unbeliveable….well, then again, she is so busy doing what exactly????
I just love reading the questions people have, or their visualizations of certain aspects of living in of Alaska. It’s like moving here all over again, 30 years later. It’s refreshing, and fun – and it challenges me to think of a good answer that is clear and correct, and sometimes I find I’ve been lazy and have forgotten the answers over the years. It’s a good exercise for us here in AK to remember how unique our lifestyles are, wherever we may be (like Juneau, with no roads, just planes and ferries). Many areas are only accessible in the winter via ice roads, or frozen water. The mountains are huge, the water and tides are strong and high, the tundra goes on forever… Wherever you are, everything is well… larger than life.
I’ve just donated 25 dollars. I presume this will go towards oil now that Dennis Zaki has his airfare.
Thanks AKM for highlighting this story and best wishes to the Western Alaskans from Ireland.
I can’t be the only person from outside the US to have contributed to this appeal! I don’t know if the country of origin would show throught the PayPal thing, but I’m sure there are many people from around the world that are aware of the situation in Emmonak and other villages and made a contribution… The interest in this story is wider than you think!
Regina, Treignac, France
The comment from Irishgirl Rosebud appeared while I was typing. There you are, we’re moved by this story outside the US as well.
I seems that the one person not moved at all is a certain Governor…
Thank you so much for the update and all your time and work to get this issue out to others. Did my part with a contribution and posting on my blog and sent an email to Rachael Maddow and few other news folks also.
Getting much needed heat and food to those in need is of course the main concern, but second on the list it is so important to hold Sarah Palin accountable for lack of compassion and total disregard for people in her state. She is not qualified for any public office, and this situation is another example.
Hey, Irishgirl and regina!
I’m not surprised, even during Katrina so many people from around the world showed their support. I believe there were other world wide posters offering support here, too.
Many thanks! This is a Human-2-Human event where most give a darn, unlike the bureaucrats. If the bloggers managed to get the bureaucrats off their rumps, embarrassed the crap out of them, while providing faster aid, then it is money well-spent!!!
@Regina,
I was thinking exactly the same thing. Great minds…
Like Peaceful Granny, I mailed a contribution stipulated to be for oil.
I suspect there will be many more of us who used snail mail. I don’t have a Pay Pal account and I don’t like giving out credit card numbers on the phone. Not because I’m afraid the people I give it too will misuse it but because cordless phone transmissions can be picked up on other electronic equipment.
@Visitor: Actually, Calista Corp. which owns Alaska Independent Newspapers, Inc, is packing pallets of donated food items right now, to fly out to the villages with their newspapers. (They palletize their newspapers to fly them out.) Donations of dried or canned food can be dropped off at their corporate HQ in ANC. There’s a PDF about how to help on the AK Independent Newspapers homepage, but I can’t get it to dl right. Maybe you’ll have better luck.
@Kath from Seattle: Yep, people stock up before freezeup for winter groceries. They also spend the spring hunting waterfowl, the summer fishing and the fall moose hunting and berry picking, to fill freezers. That’s not counting spring seal hunting and whaling or winter caribou hunting. Or fishing under the ice in the winter. (It’s regional, what folks hunt/fish/eat.) There’s a book called, “Always Getting Ready.” It means always getting ready for winter. Here’s a link with a good synopsis of the book and of subsistence living:
http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/archives/eskimo/index.shtml
Maybe Village Reader will come back and tell you more.
Slightly OT, but Martha Unalaska Yard Sign (01:31:56) comments above reminded me of a bush pilot clip sent to me which I think many here will enjoy. It does help illustrate the vastness and challenges of this great land we call home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaqhTn7xB8E&NR=1
Every thing is peachy keen in Sarah’s mean,petty,vindictive mind.I hope that her cellmate is a Native who likes girls.
@AKaurora,
Great video. I loved the scenery and that 84 year old pilot is something else!
AKM – we will hear some “peeping on” Jan. 19 when SP goes on faux news with Beck……..actually it will look and sound like two loons in heat……
AKM – YOU ROCK!!!
I personally think that Palin running for VP was one of the best things that could’ve happened for Alaska, this blog as well. It’s catapulted Alaska into the spotlight like nothing ever could have. BTW, I also sent a copy of my DKos diary to Rachel yesterday morniing titled: Urgent. An Immediate American Tragedy by tristan57
OT – Just watched Peggy Noonan on Morning Joe….she was at the dinner with Obama at George Will’s house. She could/would not discuss substance , but the superlatives were grudgingly coming out bigtime !! ” calm , intelligent , informed , nice guy , listens , no surprises…” Change And Hope indeed!! They replayed the video of Obama literally bounding up the steps and into the “den of wolves”. Obama ain’t scared of shit !!! Bush…….well , his sorry ass record speaks for itself .
“It’s a blessed day. It’s like angels have landed on Earth.” Nick Tucker. Thank you AKM and Bloggers for leading the way. It gives us lurkers a chance to participate in helping others where we could not do so as easily on our own.
The expressions of concern and empathy on this blog and others, followed by real action from people everywhere is like a warm breeze. Thanks again to all.
Thanks, AKM. I’m so grateful help is on the way and so proud to be a mudpuppy.
Sarah, peepless, clueless, spineless. Even if she puts all those RNC clothes on EBay, the Sarah boinkers pay out the a$$ for them, AND she donates all the proceeds to the Rural Authority, Sarah has finally met her Waterloo. Hallelujah!
OT Sarah Palin comment. I turned on morning joe this morning because I’d heard they’ve been having Sarah Palin lovefests. Yup. The editor of “More” magazine was touting their Sarah Palin issue asking “Is Sarah Palin a Plus for Women?” Her answer was yes (though she did make a comment about Sarah hanging herself with her words, to her credit). The conclusion? That Sarah Palin has given disenfranchised women the belief that in order to succeed in politics and public life you don’t need to have a good education, marry the right man, etc. You just need to be young, beautiful, and scrappy. Yes, comparing her to Hillary in a very snarky way, and dismissing just about every female politician out there. I was appalled. Very appalled.
On a happier note, I’m not letting hubby leave for work today without writing that $10 check for the village. He can be a bit passive aggressive when it comes to my rescue requests (I once tried to get him to use his company vehicle to go to a ranch and rescue 30 starving puppies and he simply became a master of avoidance. NOT THIS TIME. I have his checkbook right here and I’m not making his coffee until he writes the check).
womanwithsardinecan – Did you see Peggy Noonan ?? What could she say bad ?? It was killing her to tell the truth about meeting Obama !! She was asked if she had ever met him and she had to pause before she said “No”. All that dismissve writing for naught , huh, Peggy ???
Do you really expect anything from the ho (Sarah Palin) from Wasilla? She is way too busy booking “Pity Party” time on the new Glenn Beck Show on Fixed News. Does the ho even work an 8 hour day in Alaska?
See, you must understand that all Republicans are psychopaths and do not know how to govern. All they know is how to destroy things with their words and their missiles.
REPUBLICANS DO NOT KNOW HOW TO GOVERN. Remember that in 2010 and 2012. Thank God the Dems are in charge now. You filthy flying monkey Republicans can sit in the corner and pout while the adults put this country back together again after you have destroyed it.
Oh and by the Palin (I know you read this blog), It’s the “Democratic Party”, not the Democrat Party you little disrespectful ho.
Austin
OT but just wondering after watching about a minute & a half of Bush’s Good Riddance Speech, (all I could take), why he has such a “Texas” accent… is it just an affectation or what’s the deal. As mentioned by Wille, Bush isn’t a real Texan, he was born in Maine & went to Yale so just wondering. My daughter lives in Texas & no one around there sounds like him. Just being a little snarky & really glad to see him go.
Anybody else put off by Bush’s weird facial expression during that speech? OT, yes, I know. But he looked like he was going to break into a smirky grin at any moment, as though he thought the entire speech was a joke (well it was, but I’m not sure he really gets that).
What’s with that braindead SusanPW in the adn comments on the newest village story? It’s all about Obama? HUH? The only people with an Obama obsession are people like her. Do we have a Palin obsession? Sure we do. Because she isn’t acting like a governor and is as far from a public servant as you can get and still be in this universe. Is Obama acting like a PE and public servant? You betcha he is. And he’s working constantly to do something for this country. It’s like comparing apples and sea kittens. Somebody go smack that idiot. I’m tired of registering to talk to morons. No point. Gotta go find my zen spot.
womanwithsardinecanNo Gravatar (06:11:14) :
What’s with that braindead SusanPW in the adn comments on the newest village story?
———–
It’s probably Sarah, President Wannabe.
Thank you for the posting AKM. Again you display why you took the #1 Political blog spot.
Please let me hear this story today. I don’t like being this angry.
phoebe – Bush moved to Midland,Tx. when he was 3.
Ratfish says: The fact that her rural advisor position- not that it would be filled by anyone other than a crony- remains vacant after 4 months while she adds PR staff to her Anchorage office says it all.
Does this mean Sarah has finally run out of cronies? That could be interesting.
You can count another foreign mudpuppy who donated.
Uhm, expatriate, no never really lived in States, foreign, well no I do have an american citizenship, uhm WHATEVER – my 10$ on their way from Germany…
Does wordpress.com allow donation buttons… Gotta find out.
Kate – The job will take a smart and compassionate person who understands varied and complex issues . Sarah Palin does not know anyone who has those qualifications. A person who could do the job – obviously would not work for her !!
austintx, yes, Noonan is a loon. She was fawning all over the Palin thing, talking about how Sarah has turned women’s politics on its ear by being young, beautiful (“BEAUTIFUL!!!!!”) and scrappy. As though none of those particular qualities have ever been seen in women’s politics, and as though they are more important than intellect, a solid education (heaven forbid!), and a desire to serve. Two women came to mind for me when I heard this drivel. One a politician, one a political commentator. Can you guess which two? Both are rolling over in their graves. I’m talking about Barbara Jordan and Molly Ivins. Can we compile a list and send it to the Morning Joe show?
Noonan may be a loon, but she thought Palin was trash from the very beginning, letting it slip out as early as the RNC:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/03/peggy-noonan-mike-murphy_n_123647.html And later, she criticised her “on purpose” as well. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122419210832542317.html
@womanwithsardinecan (05:25:56) :
Hope hubby got his coffee.
It seems only fair to me that the people in theses out-lying areas where the cost of fuel and food is so high, should be getting a bigger piece of the Permanent Fund pie.
Thing that strikes me about the state’s response is the lack of recognition that any crisis may be in progress. Why do they need to re-invent the wheel by starting a “fact-finding” mission? It just seems like more of the same old denial that appears to define the Palin administration.
Was checking out the AP Wire a bit ago… nothing there about the Alaska food/fuel situation.
btw – for those of us in the Lower 48 (not a dirty term, I assure you), the Obama campaign has designated Monday, Jan 19 as a Day of National Service, with the recommended service project being a food drive. Why not contact your local and state Democratic offices and suggest some of the collected food be sent to Alaska? Just send them an email with the mudflats URL, or copy and past a few of the items into your email and then hit that “send” button. To ensure that no email goes unnoticed, send a few emails to the same people.
You can get your state and local email addresses from the DNC national website or thru the Obama campaign website.
womanwithsardinecanNo Gravatar (06:55:32) :
austintx, yes, Noonan is a loon. She was fawning all over the Palin thing, talking about how Sarah has turned women’s politics on its ear by being young, beautiful (”BEAUTIFUL!!!!!”) and scrappy. As though none of those particular qualities have ever been seen in women’s politics, and as though they are more important than intellect, a solid education (heaven forbid!), and a desire to serve.
_____________________________
A few months back, Monica Crowley described Palin as the political equivalent of Ann-Margaret’s “kitten with a whip.”
If looks are the only determining factors to being a good leader, then there’s a ton of women in this country who are more qualified than Palin – including, I suspect, several mudpuppies.
austintxNo Gravatar (06:32:32) :
phoebe – Bush moved to Midland,Tx. when he was 3.
________________________
Young gw spent most of his formative years outside the state of Texas, including long stints at a private school in massholechusetts and long summer months at Walkers Point in Kennebunkport, ME.
Irishgirl Rosebud, yes, he did. I handed him checkbook and pen when he walked into the living room. When he finished I turned on the coffee water.
Palin to unveil her energy plan today, speaks at 9:00 Alaska time. Do you think she”ll address the villages?
@ womanwithsardinecan
You are so wily – I get a picture in my head of the pickup truck full of 30 rescued hounds and I’m sure he did, too. Coffee is a really good bargaining tool, also, too?
SP is having a terrible time trying to change her stupid speech habits – I’ve noticed that now she’s trying to say “if you will” in place of several also and toos and getting it all balled up. The governor should just shut her mouth, and step up to job she’s not doing for us here. I’m going to weary quickly at her blatant game of doing ONLY what is going to benefit her bid for the national village idiot (the spot is vacant now, have you heard?).
I think a nice letter of gratitude is well deserved to Lisa. we need to show we appreciate her assistance in this matter. Lisa isn’t so bad, sure there are minor things about her that don’t sit right by me, but when compare to the governor. Lisa’s is GREAT!
The Alaska media has NOT been fair to her. Like they have been to SP????
My Wasilla High honor student received a trip to DC due to her high academical achievement, She got to go to Lisa’s senate office, Lisa’s staffers took a picture of her in Lisa’s seat
and Lisa developed it, autographed it and mailed back to my child “it was so nice of her.” Lisa is alright in my book..
Sarah’s too busy workn and workn on that ol state of the state speech for next week and oh yeah, gettn ready to be on Fox monday also.
This caught my eye in one of the ADN articles:
“An Emmonak reference popped up in a letter from U.S. Rep. Don Young as well Thursday. Young, writing to the Environmental Protection Agency, described the village heating oil costs as well over $7 a gallon. He told the EPA it ought to waive fuel production limits at a North Pole refinery to ward off a future fuel crunch and resulting ‘humanitarian crisis.’ ”
___________________
Is there a relationship between the supply barge being frozen out and fuel production limits, or is The Dung being his usual fatuous self again? Doesn’t appear to be any relationship between the two. Will waiving fuel production limits actually provide affordable heating oil to the Yukon River Delta villages? Or will this just give BP more money in their wallets?
Man, I’ve just spent a morning getting beat up on Daily Kos but this finally made the rec list after droogie took the meme and ran with it. It took us 3 days n 5 diarists but it’s there now. Checks are in the mail if you can believe pathertic, anonymous bloggers.
I emailed our money order out this morning…received all monies collected from my family and friends..
I signed it from BLPB’s/ Michigan (Bored, lonely pathetic bloggers)
I didn’t want to give out any of my personal information…..
BLPB’S : A group that I am now a proud member of!!
This isn’t doing a whole lot for SP’s supposed “energy smarts” platform – can’t wait to hear how she twists this one up to blame everyone else and take credit for whatever she can. Could we just save some time and tatoo the infamous L on her forehead? I would so love that and just the thought is sending me into giggles. Off for coffee.
It is amazing at how much money was raised in such a short amount of time. Can you imagine what the financial response will be to Sarah’s next political goal? All these pathetic anonymous bloggers and commenters will open their wallets as far and as wide as possible in order to fill the coffers of her competition. Sarah is toast. The GOP might say they adore her, but behind her back they are saying something quite the opposite. Basically, the GOP is distancing itself from Sarah as best they can, without abandoning her altogether. I wonder how Sarah will spin this Emmonak disaster into another media attack on her and her family? Watch for it.
Kudos to Senator Lisa for her compassion and for keeping her promise to serve the ENTIRE state of Alaska.
Tristan57 – It was a joint effort at Kos – YOU brought attention to it, Droogie gave it an extra boost. I commend you for your effort – without it there would not be a new diary up today. The new diary is getting loads of attention, and many promises of donations. You rock Tristan.
Lisa for President.
hello fellow bloggers! I read in an article today that the state rethinks disaster call in Emmonak. I read it, with optimism, but still cant help but think that in such a crisis they waited until today, to have a “meeting” about what to do.
Now, after many of the bloggers have sent help they are finally meeting. I hope that it isnt on the condition that, We better address this, so they wont say we are not doing our job. Or,,, wouldnt it be horrid if the state takes the credit, for what the bloggers have done.
I couldnt help but think about Bob Poe, and his program and his experience. Did you all know, that the program he started VMI, dealt with doing business in Rural communities. That he was trying to educate the native people to be able to address things that are challenging to Rural Alaska?
In the article it mentions anonymous bloggers, and that we are mostly left leaning bloggers who raised money for the village and accused Palin of inaction.
Although, that seems to me to be very condescending, there is still one fact. That we didnt lie, and that emmonak did receive help, not from the state, but from the bloggers.
So good job!
Thank you Lori in LA but, it ain’t for me. Native Americans need all the support they can get and especially in a resource rich state like Alaska that they have native rights to. This situation is so inexcusable on so many levels.
I simply want to say that I am impressed with the funds and assistance raised for Emmonak by Mudflats and other blogs and all the anonymous bloggers that Gov. Palin deemed pathetic. I am taking this opportunity to teach my six year old about Alaska, going to the library for some books and explaining that the villagers need our help. We will scrounge up a donation to send in, too.
Also, because someone posted that Gov. Palin would be on Glenn Beck’s show Monday, I bravely googled the show and found that he has an “Ask Sarah” e-mail form where viewers can submit questions. I don’t want to promote the show but, wonder if he will ask her about the crisis in Emmonak, or the lawsuit against protecting beluga whales or the Healy Coal Plant sale or any of the other controversies I’ve seen mentioned here on Mudflats?
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/20256/
Martha Unalaska Yard Sign: After I got him to write the check for the village I asked him what he’s doing for MLK day and inauguration day. Looks like he’s going to help me pick up litter on inauguration day. I’m trying to connect with the community center to help wash dishes or something for their Bowl of Beans benefit on MLK day, but I’m such a lame recluse that I waited until the last minute to start calling around. I gave away so many cans of food during the pre christmas food drives that he glares at me now when I look like I’m going to bust into our earthquake emergency food for more donations. I guess I have to stop until next month, when I can sneak out a few more cans. I think he was mostly annoyed because I gave away his last two power bars. And I’ve got two more old coats I can give away at the benefit.
I miss having my vacuum hot pot that I used to use to take soup and tea out to the homeless on cold nights. It broke.
Can’t you see? It is soooo much more important for people to understand that Bristol and levi are not high school drop-outs (uhhhh, okay, honey, if it makes you feel better to believe that!)…… or that Sarah feels Tina Fey and others “exploited” her during the election. Any of that comes *way* before governing the State of Alaska and ensuring her constitutents are safe. Anyone who doesn’t understand why, doesn’t understand Sarah Palin at all.
AKM: “But the power of words, and the instantaneous and far-flung reach of the internet have proven that there is something we can do. We are all human, and in the end, that is all we need to feel empathy when others suffer, if we stop and pay attention. ”
Thanks for this post ~ and all the others. This seems to be a great mission statement for you and the Team Mudpups.
ATF (08:21:33) :
It is amazing at how much money was raised in such a short amount of time. Can you imagine what the financial response will be to Sarah’s next political goal? All these pathetic anonymous bloggers and commenters will open their wallets as far and as wide as possible in order to fill the coffers of her competition. Sarah is toast.
_________________
It’s called comeuppance, American style.
womanwithsardinecan: you denied your other half his hot cup of coffee this morning?? oh, girl… that’s cold. really cold.
I figured it out, I figuuured it oooutt. Will have a button up on my blog tonight for donations. I am so ooooo pleased.
Thanks for pushing the issue. Makes me think (and figure stuff out).
THANKYOU ALL
Gardenslug (08:41:11) :
I simply want to say that I am impressed with the funds and assistance raised for Emmonak by Mudflats and other blogs and all the anonymous bloggers that Gov. Palin deemed pathetic.
” anonymous bloggers=We the People”, and thanks to the internet, LESS pathetic than previously estimated.
no, I merely withheld it until he signed the check. heheheheh. I rewarded him by putting his favorite cheese on his ham sandwich for work.
@ womanwithsardinecan
Kind of OT…
Good for you! I haven’t found an event through signing up on the Obama site, so like you – I’ve got to come up with something quick for MLK day. The litter thing doesn’t work well here this time of year – litter is mushy or frozen and mostly buried in snow and glare ice. Plus the liklihood of getting run over by sleepy winter drivers in the dark by picking up litter along the highway go up by about 1000 percent!
AKM – it would be fun to do a post on what Mudpuppies are doing for MLK service day! (and then I can steal someone else’s great idea without shame since that’s what my gov does).
Help – any ideas?
“The editor of “More” magazine was touting their Sarah Palin issue asking “Is Sarah Palin a Plus for Women?” Her answer was yes…..Palin has given disenfranchised women the belief that in order to succeed in politics and public life you don’t need to have a good education, marry the right man, etc. You just need to be young, beautiful, and scrappy.”
I would have to agree on one level. Sarah Palin has proven that you can be mediocre, self-absorbed, and undereducated and still be governor of a state. Whether or not that is a positive thing, the Alaskans will have to tell us in the next election. Whether the GOP believes she has any future in politics will be made clear as the 2012 election approaches, and they weigh the risk of having her as a candidate vs. the time bomb that could blow up in their faces whenever Sarah opens her mouth and tries to put together a coherent thought.
Whether she has succeeded in public life is questionable. She does put on a really good show….some buy the hype, some see right through it. I personally consider her right-wing, intolerant “platform” (and the planks that make up her platform! LOL*) unacceptable and dangerous for our diverse and complicated nation.
*if you don’t understand this, google search for the transcript of the interview Palin did this fall with James Dobson of Focus on the Family, where she clearly had no idea what the Republican evangelical “platform” even WAS.
Here’s a Katrina type question, doesn’t the National Guard have air support that can make it into these villages? And if so why does it take a committee to study the issue, can’t a Gov, or a Senator or someone, “make it so” with a simple phone call?
Just put my check in the mail for Emmonak specifying for fuel or food. I have to say I have been totally stunned the past few days. I thought Sarah Palin had sunk the lowest she possibly could have as a human being, but her blatant disregard for “her” people who are freezing and starving is totally beyond belief. If this does not wake up the population of Alaska that both Sarah Palin and Talis Colberg need to be removed from office, quite frankly I don’t hold out much hope. Look how quickly Illinois moved to deal with Blago.
My only consolation in all this is that Sarah Palin must feel like the complete, incompetent fool she is after complaing about all the “whining, anonymous bloggers”. It must be very hard on an ego the size of hers to realize that bloggers basically had to step in and do the job the people of Alaska hired her to do. Would not want to be her staff or her family now. I can just see her ranting and raving like the mad woman she is.
Look forward to an update later AKM. Thanks again for all you have done and are doing.
Kath from Seattle (01:19:35) :
Village Reader said: “I will be flying to Fairbanks soon to stock up on groceries and other necessities …”
At the risk of sounding nosy, could you satisfy a curiosity of mine? Is that typical for people up there? Or do they have to stock up during summers (presumably before their dividend check arrives) and then hunker down during the winters? What kind of miles would a trip like that be one way, is it commercial flight, or those little float planes. What might be a typical commercial flight cost? I know when I make a 2-mile, monthly run with my little pickup the groceries take up a lot of space. Alaska Airlines now charges for a 2nd piece of luggage.
=============================================
It is typical to fly to a larger village (Fairbanks or Anchorage) to stock up on supplies. Supplies being everything. Food, Clothes, fishing etc, shells, trash bags, toothpaste, etc. EVERYTHING. ALthough the internet has helped tremendously.
How often do we fly in? It depends on the person and their financial situation. I am able to fly more often then others and therefore able to keep stocking my cabinets, my parents and brothers. Typically, a person shops for not just themselves but others also. Some only go in the spring and then the fall. There is some I know who almost never fly out and do ‘Bush Orders’ through the stores. These ‘Bush Orders’ can have a high handling cost.
Our dividends help and I did use the 1200 heating fuel check to buy oil. A cord of wood can cost 150 to over 200 dollars. That is 4×4x8 feet. Add on another 100 for someone to cut it and it can get expensive. I am lucky that I own my own chainsaw and can get my own wood.
- Our gas cost came up to 8.00 gallon and I think it’s down to 6 or 5. A bag of chips (I can’t afford) is about $7-9.00. There is sales in our grocery store and it can be worth it to buy there but overall you save more (even with airfare)if you go to Fairbanks or Anchorage.
- By the way, we did think Palin was just trying for a photo op when she gave EVERYONE a 1200 check. Babies received one. I enjoyed getting one but I also know, just because we have money (state) doesn’t mean we should toss it away. A 1200 per household or just adults should have been implemented.
“What kind of miles would a trip like that be one way, is it commercial flight, or those little float planes. What might be a typical commercial flight cost?”
It depends on where you are at. There are some commercial flights to the fairly larger remote village/towns but generally it is mostly done my small planes. In my area, Navajo’s and Caravans are the norm. Once in a while a 1900 will fly in. These planes hold anywhere from an average of 5 up to 12 (1900 plane) people. Typically the cost is about $250 – $300+ round trip. Your allowed anywhere from 40-80# of baggage. You pay extra per pound anywhere from .30 – $1.00
However, as mentioned, my village is larger then others and we are just an hour away from Fairbanks. There are some villages that pay up to a 1000 or more just to get to Anchorage. My friend lives in one of those villages. My area, the most I believe is 350 the farthest small village. Probably wrong.
I hoped this helped.
Thank You for your interest
I’m very happy to see dKos has the relief effort on the Rec list. Good job doogies and Tristan.
I am seriously at a loss as to Palin’s response here. I would think just for the Political mileage she would be on the news at least giving lip-service to the problem to pick up some easy positive PR.
She really is a piece of work. I can’t imagine how ANYONE thinks she is the answer to anything. What has she ever done to recommend her for any position of leadership? I mean seriously?
Wouldn’t it be nice to just once see Sarah Palin do something compassionate, something spontaneous, something intelligent, something humane, something that wasn’t about HER, but was actually about the people of the state she was elected to govern?
Just once????
The more I hear about Sarah Palin and whenever I hear anyone say she is any kind of legitimate Republican frontrunner (ie: Noonan, Scarborough etc.) I just scratch my head and wonder who is pulling Sarah Palin’s strings? She is obviously someone’s puppet. What or who is that something? How influential is her rightwing fundie coalition? Are there really a lot of extreme right-wing shadow groups in this country who prop up empty-headed blow-up politicians who ‘look’ good but are completely lacking in substance, morality and deep intelligence and therefore can be easily manipulated?
C’mon Sarah. Tell your several PR people, that you are starting to look bad here. You don’t want to make this your own personal Katrina.
Peaceful Grammy -Remember early in the campaign when SP said she was in charge of the National Guard ? The real Commander said “No , I am “…….then he retracted and was promptly promoted……..not sure who can make “the call” up there.
Thank You from a Village ReaderNo Gravatar (09:25:26) :
Thank you, Thank You from a Village Reader. Fascinating and helps me somewhat wrap my head around the challenges of ‘Bush living’.
@Martha: Excellent Idea on the ideas for volunteering!
@Peaceful granny, That is a good point, the National guard. The men from Alaska who serve are dedicated and many were the first to be sent to Iraq. I only hope that they are able to go to the Rural villages to help.
Granny–I don’t think Alaska has an air guard unit or if they do, they don’t have the type of plane needed.
HOWEVER, in a similar situation (early freeze freezing out the barges) the USAF DID supply the villiages of the north slop back in the mid/late 70’s. There was simply no other way to get the “stuff” there. They used C-130 cargo transports. I’m sure, cuz the DH, then a young lieutenant copilot, was one of the guys who did it. This was active duty USAF, not Air Guard.
Alaska ANG does have C-17 and C-130 cargo type a/c. I don’t know if the C-17’s can land (they are made to land in rough terrain) BUT C-130’s (with skis, from a NY ANG unit) even land in Anarctica. Both type of a/c are airdrop capable as well. Yes, you can air drop big stuff, even fuel bladders if you have to.
Duh, I should have removed my first sentance, since I googled and found what I needed to know. The one thing I DON’T know is if the birds are deployed or still in AK. A lot of Guard/Reserve units are not at “home” now due to the needs in Iraq/Afghanistan.
@austintx, “not sure who can make “the call” up there.”
Now that’s the real heart of the issue isn’t it. No one knows who is in charge of anything, so blame and shame can be passed out freely, but little gets done. Such a waste. [shaking my head, and about to start pounding it on my desk]
Visitor (00:58:58) :
“No statement/response from the Calista Corporation or Emmonak Corporation??? Unbelievable.”
————–
Puzzled by this … not enough here to understand what you mean…your intent?
here is Calista/Emmonak on-the-ground- response to this crisis…
which should not have been allowed to become a crisis. These neighbors pointed out the problems they now have as probable- months ago
http://www.thetundradrums.com/docs/EmmonakVillageAid.pdf
————–
see my sisters today- hey unalaska roadsign and sardine…!
Looking over comments at adn story about ghastly gov/state re-thinking …
(snark alert- not sure they can REthink what they didn’t think to begin with…)
there is something starting to appear which Alaskans need to duke out in public soon.
There is a generalized set of notions about
1- this is a native problem
2-this is a personal responsibility issue
3- this is the logical end of villages as the lifestyle is unsustainable…
4-etc
that runs through so many of the comments .
These notions are part of why there was not enough movement- soon enough- to avoid crisis.
These notions or similar ones underly many losses of rural ways all across America.
The losses of family farms to factory farms, working waterfront on the east coast to development- so many more.
The solid decent way of life which we lose with each defeat of this type is the what we everyday folks really want the most…
Gardenslug (08:41:11) :
I posed two questions: one about Emmonak (naturally), and the other about her rosy budget forecast based on $70+ per barrel of oil. I also pointed out that these were the types of questions any governor would expect to answer (snark).
I will hold my nose Monday and watch…
PS. I signed my name and home town proudly:-)
@Martha Unalaska Yard Sign (09:02:51) :
I think that SAGA is ending their supplies drive on Monday as their part of the Day of Service activities: http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/011609/reg_378021388.shtml
Maybe you can call SAGA and see what they need for help that day. I think they’re also listed on the MoveOn.org list of activities for that day too.
from shoeho
(partial quote)
“This was active duty USAF, not Air Guard.
“Alaska ANG does have C-17 and C-130 cargo type a/c. I don’t know if the C-17’s can land (they are made to land in rough terrain) BUT C-130’s (with skis, from a NY ANG unit) even land in Anarctica. Both type of a/c are airdrop capable as well. Yes, you can air drop big stuff, even fuel bladders if you have to.”
Please correct me if I’m wrong (it happens often enough anyway), but isn’t it the Governor of a state that has to make the request of that state’s Guard units?
As for active duty USAF assistance – wouldn’t that have to be a request to the President – *from* the Governor’s office before it could be put into place?
Thinking back to Katrina (and the ‘93 floods here), I seem to remember that even to get the Nat’l Guard, the request had to go through the federal channels (& originating from – you guessed it, the Governor’s office)?
One other thought: I don’t know that the governor in this case will feel shamefaced so much as irritated that 1. She’s been put in a bad light, and 2. that it was those nasty, lowly pathetic bloggers that provided such impetus to the story.
“whiny anonymous” Mudflatters…. = WAM!!! We’ll hit her over the head with it so many times she’ll have to actually respond!!!
Way to go WAMs….What’s next?
Nan–there are two ways of doing it. If the birds are in AK, they kind of “belong” to Sarah. She can tell them (within budget constraints, and other stuff) to haul whatever up to where ever because of an emergency. It kind of depends on what is considered an emergency. This kinda sounds like one to me, but then again, I’m 5000 miles away.
Say, the only fuel storage place in a village caught fire. NO FUEL because it all burned up. Sarah could tell the trusty air guard to fire up the engines and haul some up there.
Now, as I said, I have NO idea if the state ANG planes are anywhere near AK at this time. They could well be closer to Bagrum AFB.
So…yeah, she can, if the airlift is available. Would she? Dunno. I’ve got to say, that using the Guard for emergency purposes USUALLY gets gov’s good press. Makes them look like “take charge” leader types.
The ANG can also be federalized, but that’s kind of not something they do (other than for war type rotations) under even extraordinary circumstances. Mostly, the POTUS would threaten to do if the gov didn’t get off their keester and do something. I don’t think even SARAH is dumb enough to let this one get that far. I’m sure her PR flacks are out there testing the temp of the waters as we blog.
BTW, as for using the Guard, Charlie Crist (and Jeb before him) and Rick Perry over in Texas do it all the damned time for hurricanes. We tend to rather like it.
From ADN article:
http://www.adn.com/rural/western/story/654652.html
“adn.com/rural/western/story/654652.html
Emmonak leaders hoped the state would declare a fuel emergency in the village when an early freeze the kept the barge carrying heating fuel and gasoline from arriving in October. But state officials said such declarations are reserved for natural disasters, such as a storm destroying village fuel tanks.”
The comments from fellow AKrs on this article is as tho they failed to realize this village did not…receive their winter heating oil supply.
But NOW we have a AK state response…
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/656185.html
State rethinks disaster call for Emmonak
LETTER: Teleconference on tap; other villages are being checked.
By KYLE HOPKINS
khopkins@adn.com
Published: January 15th, 2009 11:43 PM
has state officials reconsidering a long-simmering request to declare a financial disaster in the region.
….”I’m just now today getting information in from surrounding villages,” said Tara Jollie, director of the state Division of Community and Regional Affairs.
——————————————
The state is just now…hearing about this.
…the whole world is watching.
OT, but, did anyone catch Rachael Maddow on KUDO this morning? I can’t get the feed. She was scheduled to talk with Carrigan about Emmonak.
AKM???
I’ve been reading Mudflats for months and I just wanted to say you folks are fantastic. I’ve sent a check via snailmail (marked for food or fuel – let the folks there choose the best use).
I am so horrified that Ms. Former Beauty Contestant Sarah is so lost to honor and decency that she doesn’t seem to notice or care that people in her state are suffering. I guess she doesn’t consider the bush areas to be part of her “real America.” And Hi, Donna – I have a hunch there are a lot of Michigan bloogers reading.
CRFlats, I listened for a while around 8:00 a.m., but Cary was talking with Bob Poe at the time.
Ripley – Sarah serves it up………we devour……..no telling what she is cookin’ up……..that is what makes her fun !!
Shoeho
Ok, thanks. It makes sense. I thought I had read somewhere during Katrina or some disaster, that they had to *ask* for it to be official (and forthcoming).
Thanks for the clarification. I appreciate it. (But what a bother that it still comes down to the Gov getting the ball rolling.)
shoeho – yep -Perry went right around FEMA to help in Galveston .
MichiganderBerta–I have a feeling the native villages tend to vote “blue.” So, NO I’m sure she doesn’t consider them her peeps. I seriously doubt the quote from Ghandi, “You can judge a society by how they treat their weakest members, ” has much of a place in her brand of politics or religion.
Except when she was trotting out poor little Trig, that is.
Martha–Oops, it was on http://www.usaservice.org, not MoveOn: http://www.usaservice.org/page/event/search_results?orderby=zip_radius&zip_radius%5b0%5d=99801&zip_radius%5b1%5d=50&country=US&limit=100&radius_unit=miles
CRFlats(10:16:41) :
OT, but, did anyone catch Rachael Maddow on KUDO this morning? I can’t get the feed. She was scheduled to talk with Carrigan about Emmonak.
________________________________________________
Ditto from Colorado in the Lower 48- let us know what transpired. In the meantime, I may go back to adn and blast some of the #@!~*&! posters who seem to feel it’s the villagers’ fault that they are cold and starving…
I am so proud of AKM and all the anonymous bloggers. It was almost like being in the 60s again…community action rocks. Not quite the same as marching in the streets, but close.
Why doesn’t the first dud fly in some supplies for the people of Emmonak? He owns a plane? He is of native Alaskan descent, isn’t he? Why hasn’t he done anything to help them? Why hasn’t he said anything about their plight? He/she love to tout the fact that he is a native…but only when they think it will help them politically (ya think).
NAN, usually, like AustinTx says, they “ask” FEMA most of the time.
This has more to do with funding (ie, will the Feds pay the eventual bill, rather than the state) than the legality of the Gov calling out the Guard.
RP and our FL Govs have been through this so danged many times they just act first and ask for the bucks later–and most of the time they get it. In FL, these days, we mostly just let FEMA do the clean up after the fact, we have our own stuff to get us through the first week or so after a disaster. Practice, unfortunately, leads to knowing what to do.
Ummm, that word should be ‘bloggers’ – sorry!
COalmostnative–you rock. And you’re 100% right. Seriously, who the #$%^ CARES how/why it happened? It’s HAPPENING NOW. Fix the problem, then make sure it doesn’t happen again by having some sort of safeguards in place!
It’s not just Emmonak that is struggling it’s the entire Yukon Delta. I live in Nunam Iqua, a village that is 25 miles south of Emmonak. Not only are we faced with the same issues as Emmonak but our crisis is harder because we no longer have a store here. Our trading post colapsed several months ago, so we have no place here to get groceries. So not only are we struggling between choosing heating fuel or food we have to spend even MORE MONEY to buy gas to travel upriver to Emmonak or Alakanuk to even get food. Which is very expensive when you have pay $7.20 a gallon for gas. It takes atleast 6 gallons of gas just to travel by snowmachine to Emmonak or Alakanuk to even get groceries. So that takes that much more money away from what we have to spend on heating fuel and food. We try to reduce our heating fuel costs by using our wood stove but then are we really saving money? because we still have to spend money on gas to go and get wood for our wood stove.
Everyone, especially Govenor Palin, needs to realize that it’s not just Emmonak residents that are suffering! We need help in all of the YK Delta villages!
Hey, I am a villager in a small town in Alaska who moved and it wasnt easy. I cant imagine how much it would cost to move a huge family.
OT though, One day we will have a leader in office who is able to lead us like Barack, that would be Bob Poe. if you havent heard, Ashford and Simpson re-wrote ( speaking of re-doing) a song, entitled Solid as Barack.
check it out on Huffington post!
“http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashford-/huffpost-premiere-solid-a_b_158275.html
Maybe anyone can make “a call” in Alaska, as long as Palin eventually gets “the credit”.
And BTW thanks for all the great links to Bob Poe’s campaign. Bet we NOT SO bored, EMpathetic bloggers can make a difference there, also too!
Struggling in Nunam Iqua (10:35:59) :
I hope everyone understands it’s more than one village; I did. Maybe the money will get passed to more places. I’d post your comments on adn- they would have more value than my Lower 48 ranting at idiots who can’t get it’s a crisis…
The really bizarre thing about all this is….The Iron Man begins Feb 8…you know, the gas power machine race that goes across AK???…the one sorta trying to compete with the next better known race….the Iditarod which was about bringing AID to a remote isolated area in need???
…all sorts of supplies are sent out for the above in advance.
mustang – yupper – I pointed that out a few threads ago…….
Oh, the irony.
The Iron man race begins 2/8…the gas machine race across AK that tries to compete with the Iditarod…which celebrates the run of AID to a remote area in AK.
I guess SP et al are getting ready for the big race…
opps…1st post went away, I posted 2nd and then saw the 1st one show up.
Ill wait longer from now on.
more coffee.
You know, the people who are Natives there deserve so much better than they are getting. 4000 years of history dictates that.
here in CT, the Native Americans have reclaimed their land… unfortunately, they built casinos. Still, it was theirs to start with and now they have it back. Tax free.
Perhaps once there is a native Commission in Alaska, they can start to stand up and reclaim their lands. Get some political power. Become a force of their own. It will take years, but it’s doable.
CO almost-
“I may go back to adn and blast some of the #@!~*&! posters who seem to feel it’s the villagers’ fault that they are cold and starving…”
—————
I had to walk away from those comments for a bit…
Re:subsistence lifestyle sustainability
The sustainability issue IS NOT subsistence.
It IS the one -style-fits-all paradigm of oil power- which must be transported everywhere- here, at great cost and vulnerable to complete interruption due to weather etc. Alaska will never have the usable highways etc to move materials that others are so used to. Regional solutions to transportation of materials are in their infancy and power solutions for areas best served with locally available sources – wind, water, etc – are spotty or non-existent.
This is not meant to be snarky though it may sound like it.
(I am trying to finish calls to my own native corp to follow up calls I made to Calista so I need to go)
These folks on the outer coast ARE native , most of them. But the issue is not a native issue at many levels.
The layers and layers of Alaskan attitudes and politics concerning rural (all rural) and urban (not urban anywhere else but as urban as we have ) futures are floating to the top right now…some of em are pretty ripe, some are threads for hope .
If this gets cast as a mostly native issue it will die when spring comes.
Alaska Pi (10:59:57) :
Thanks for the info. There are others who have jumped into the fray and are “whacking” the idiots who have no compassion for their fellow man…
CRFlats(10:16:41) :
OT, but, did anyone catch Rachael Maddow on KUDO this morning? I can’t get the feed. She was scheduled to talk with Carrigan about Emmonak.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That’s what I was checking on also. Maybe I’ll find more when I run home for lunch.
I am so proud of all the community service I have seen. Too bad the people who could REALLY help, aren’t yet.
I also listened for Rachel this am on KUDO and did not hear anything broadcast…. waited for two hours.
What’s up? Anyone?
Thanks. Doing everything I can as to writing, calling and hoping that MSM will take a stand on this glaring travesty. To think that Monday is a day of service. I wonder how PissAnt Palin will capitalize on that!
Oh, right, there is G. Becky Boy at Faux.
Wish I had Obama’s reticence. I don’t. I am too damn mad.
Struggling in Nunam Iqua (10:35:59) :
“It’s not just Emmonak that is struggling it’s the entire Yukon Delta.”
—————-
Hang in there. We know. We’re working hard .
We’re having a hard time getting co-ordinated info.
Is anyone doing overview co-ordination?
AFN? Calista says other corps are stepping up…who? where?
Hugs won’t keep you warm- but I’m sending em anyway!
Hang on.
We are one race and it is called
the Human Race !!!
This is Awesome !!!
Co almost
“…There are others who have jumped into the fray and are “whacking” the idiots who have no compassion for their fellow man…”
———————–
Oh- goodo! I posted a couple remarks (under my adn -nym) but was getting sick to my stomach over the BS appearing. Gotta go make calls.
@Alaska Pi, you are right. The issue isnt a non-native vs. native, we need to make a stand that this has to do with Human rights. Every person in Alaska is entitled to a decent place to live that is warm and safe.
Although, the make up of the population is mostly native, let us not forget that this isnt an issue of “Race” and if so, Our politicians will brush it under the table.
The issue shouldnt be, who this is , it should be about working with short, and long term solutions! Now that the rest of the US is looking at us, it will be interesting to see how this is handled. Here is a t hough, how about we move the capital to Emmanok? :O Do you think SP would take the time to do her job if she had to do business from any rural community?
I am reposting this with permission from a fellow blogger at Margaret and Helen’s site. Things that make you go Hmmmmm
_____________________________________________________________________
“You are not going to believe this, but I just called the Sacred Heart Church in Emmonak to try to make a donation and he asked to get my number because “I am on a conference call right now with Sar….with the State of Alaska.” Do you think that all of us horrible anonymous bloggers might be making a difference and shaming her into doing something.”
When I asked if I could post it here the fellow blogger responded with this:
“No problem. I can’t be absolutely certain that he was actually talking to her, but that is sure what it sounded like. He started to say it and then switched to Alaskan State Government. We’ll see what comes of it.
Layla at Alaska Newspapers was really nice and she was touched by the support and how far reaching it is becoming.
I tried the city and council numbers, but the would pick up and then become disconnected. I am wondering if they are possibly part of the conference call too.”
_____________________________________________________________________
I am thinking that maybe SP if it was her might just be getting some phone calls from MSM trying to verify information? Could we be close to going National?
Just wondering.
Hello sister Alaska Pi, you must be off work today. I also had to walk away from the horrible adn comments. Truly sickening. Alaska Real has a nice response to them.
Struggling in Nunam Iqua (10:35:59) : I’m glad you spoke up. I think many of these good folks know that many villages are in trouble, but most of us don’t even know the names of your villages or where they are located. That’s what the useless pathetic Alaska government should be doing–compiling a list of all the villages, contacting all the aid organizations and village elders and advocates, etc.
How about a group of people go knock on the Palins’ door and ask for all of the moose in their freezer? I dare ya!! heh. Maybe they have some sea kittens in there too. And if they have any dry or canned milk in their pantry, ask for that too.
Message to “womanwithsardinecan”…You are a hoot!!! Thanks for the comic relief.
mt – Put in a high-end mall out there and she’d be there in 2 shakes of moose tail !!
Yesterday, I was appalled at the adn.com comments. I actually wrote about it here. CRFLATS helped to shed some light on the mentality of the people who write on adn.com’s website. Those type of callous people have the same attitude toward all of those that are less fortunate than them.
Thank God for left wing bloggers…
Don’t know if this has been posted yet, but the fabulous Droogie from Daily Kos has done a great article on AK’s problems, with a bit of Palin snark thrown in for good measure. has loads of comments and they are sending donations’
YAY!!
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/1/16/102821/811/81/676218
here she goes again!
UK Lady, if I hadn’t insulted the whole Kos community, droogie wouldna done shyt
Struggling in Nunam Iqua (10:35:59) :
“It’s not just Emmonak that is struggling it’s the entire Yukon Delta.”
—————-
Yes, you must speak out. Ignore the ignorant, and keep educating them. The ADN comment crowd needs to be ignored. Go directly to the writers at ADN, they all have their e-mail addresses published after each article. Your story needs to be heard. We will do our best here and more widely.
The AFN convention in Anchorage in October (attended by nearly 5,000 Natives) was devoted to this issue. I don’t think others besides the Native community really took it to heart how bad the situation is. It will take many, many people to gather around to really bring this to heart.
And if that doesn’t work, we grab ‘em by the short hairs!
I’m writing a check and putting it in the mail today….
with one of my left over OBAMA stickers slapped to the back of it
OT but a little levity:
When I first moved to NYC and would listen to the radio, I would hear about UConn basketball and think “why are they talking about Yukon all the way out here?” Then I realized they were talking about the University of Connecticut’s basketball teams. Being from CA, I was thinking more West Coast….They sounded the same on the radio.
CR Flats-
” It will take many, many people to gather around to really bring this to heart.
And if that doesn’t work, we grab ‘em by the short hairs!”
—————
Amen, neighbor.
Yes, we will.
Are they the UConn Huskies???
@Alaska Pi (12:37:25) :My Dad, on the Aleut side of my family, used to get a kick out of my bleeding heart liberal rants. He said, “you grab ‘em by the short hairs, and their hearts and minds will follow”.
I think the reason the GUV suddenly will be taking an interest has little to nothing to do with the situation, or really, anything we say or do. But it does have something to do with the fact that a recently announced competitor for her job, candidate Bob Poe, reacted and spoke up.
Well, now we’re tugging where it hurts.
“”Actually, this year Sarah’s State of the State address might likely be pretty interesting.
Stuff Like — the State’s Great (ceptin’ all the hungry/freezing people I don’t care to know about). Or, Budget’s Great (ceptin’ I haven’t yet submitted one). Or, Oil’s at an all time high (ceptin’ it’s not!) Or, BO Stimulus funds are going to come to improve our economy (ceptin’ I didn’t ask for any money much).
Really, so MANY possibilities, hope someone tapes it. Think you all better stock up on the popcorn. Wink Wink”"
Kath, you forgot the “also”s I mean, what is a Palin speech without the randomly placed “also”s scattered in the middles, beginnings and ends of her fragmented sentences? You Betcha!!
In response to the link Gardenslug provided @ (08:41:11) , I sent this message to Glenn Beck:
“During the 2008 election campaign, why did Sarah Palin run AK state business from her Blackberry, or have her assistant traveling with her delegated to do this, instead of turning over the AK reins of government to her Lt. Governor?
During October 2008, her Rural Advisor quit, and helping the AK rural villages with planning for predicted severe winter weather was neglected because the position hadn’t been filled, even after she returned to AK after the election.
Now there’s a plea for help from one (and there are probably more NEEDING help) rural village running out of food and fuel due to weather conditions and failed delivery methods.
Why didn’t she know about this problem and do something about it before the situation became so dire?
I’m asking this question because I’m an American voter who’s interested in Sarah Palin’s future national political aspirations.”
@CRFlats (12:45:24) :
I like your pop’s way of putting it!
My mom, the Aleut side of my family , has always said ‘Alaskans seem to think they are immune from the mistakes made Outside, I wonder when they will realize we are all human beings..?”
Til yesterday… Ma has been very ill and only yesterday was she up to talking on the phone for my daily call. I could hear the oxygen machine going . Ma asked if we were fine here in Juneau with our avalanche power problem thingy and when I assured her we were she piped up in a voice I remember as the one you- were- about- to -get -grounded- for-something-voice of my youth and said ” How are you going to shut that woman up?! How are you going to make her do her job?!”
I think you are right about Mr Poe and the gov…
Today when I call I will tell her about your dad… heheh
Mirth- I haven’t felt mirth for awhile in relation to the gov. Mirth
I think someone should contack cnbc (Maria Bartolova?) she went to Alaska and did a report on Sarah a while back, let her know what is going on in her new friends state!
Here’s a funny/cool twist. I was so appalled at the lack of response to what’s happening in the villages that I mouthed off about it to my mother, who is about as fundamentalist as it’s possible to get. I don’t normally express myself about things I find appalling because chances are she’s going to take exactly the opposite stance. I did this time, though, and I’m glad I did. Turns out she was as appalled as I was, and asked if I’d send information to her church’s office. Our quickly cobbled together plan is this: Her church collects a free-will disaster-relief offering for the villages. The money is transferred through Channels to a sister-church in Alaska. The money is turned into fuel and supplies and hotfooted out to the villages. Cool, eh? What I particularly like about it is that it taps into something that I personally have been having a hard time remembering in all the furor surrounding evangelicals and fundamentalists and their plans for world domination–and that’s that many of the people in those church’s are still people, and have hearts that can be touched by need. So if all goes well the fundamentalists in my mom’s church will be helping to pick up the ball so badly dropped by the fundamentalist in the governor’s office up there.
Frikken state wide crisis and the governor is noticebly, remarkably, yet expectedly absent! Might be attributable to frikken IQ!
Tristan57
Kudos and thanks, just read all the comments on Kos.
I am so proud to be part of the Mudflats. I have been here since the McCain ironically picked that horrid woman to run as VP. She scared me sh*tless. I was so happy to find Mudflats who helped me stay sane during the campaign.
Again and again, I have watched the wonderful people here help others in straits. My heart is bursting with the outpouring of caring, compassion and sincere concern that is being displayed here to people who are strangers but are in need of help. Such humanity!!! It just enhances my belief that there is hope in this world for a better tomorrow.
If only SP had learned about humanity and compassion along the way, maybe Alaska would not be going through this awful time. But that’s neither here nor there, because together we have and making a difference. I realized that together, we can move mountains. Again I say I am so proud to be a member of Mudflats.
Nothing would make me happier than to see SP impeached. Maybe we can help pull that one off too!! Im off to donate, again.
Go to State of Alaska home page, click on :governor Sarah Palins putting Alaska first newsletter” click Dec ‘07, I would post but don’t know how to! She says Christmas is a season for goodwill and hope to spread across Alaska, from our smallest villagers to our largest cities, and to brighten even the darkest, coldest winter nights, we are so blessed to live and work in a state rich in resources and opportunities. Ha, she is the only one with opportunities!!!
If any media cameras were able to make it to far flung Emmonak you can bet Palin would make it out there to get her purty face on the TV, you betcha! She is out of touch and out for herself. For shame!!
I say again: Impeach the scaliwag. She is atrocious!!!
UK Lady, everything needs to go to the needy. but thank you.
@Bodie P (13:12:59) :
“Here’s a funny/cool twist”
——————-
Majorly cool twist! And happy you got to have a moment with your ma that made sense for both of you.
@nswfm CA (12:36:27) : and CRFlats (12:39:22) :
I think they are the Huskies, which always makes me laugh when I hear it, as it does sound like Yukon Huskies, which makes so much more sense…
I just sent a really rude email to the whiny gov. Since I am not an Alaska resident anymore it will probably go straight to the circular file without being read. If some poor staffer is forced to read the emails from Outside, he or she is either laughing, crying, or giving notice after this week of bombardment.
califpat (13:21:19) :
I am so proud to be part of the Mudflats. I have been here since the McCain ironically picked that horrid woman to run as VP. She scared me sh*tless. I was so happy to find Mudflats who helped me stay sane during the campaign.
Again and again, I have watched the wonderful people here help others in straits. My heart is bursting with the outpouring of caring, compassion and sincere concern that is being displayed here to people who are strangers but are in need of help. Such humanity!!! It just enhances my belief that there is hope in this world for a better tomorrow.
——————————————–
I know what you mean.
I was profoundly shocked to read of the plight of some people in Western Alaska. That is what made me donate. It was not a desire to highlight SP’s inability to govern, but it has crossed my mind since then.
Bloggers in pj’s aren’t that bad. Yes we can!
YUP. It’s amazing the power we “anonymous bloggers” wield! SP and others do need to fear us. We will reveal their lies and bring the truth to light. POWER TO THE BLOGGERS!
Sarah hasn’t called a press conference yet? She called one to whine about bloggers. But no-show for Alaska natives in need, eh? She pays public relations people to make her look good. Do her PR people know how bad this looks??
womanwithsardinecan (13:43:52) :
I’m laughing at your posts….nevermind the cheese in his sandwitches!
Sandwich?
Since my two links in one comment sent it to moderation, and I want Martha to get this, here’s the place where you can find the info on Day of Service activities in your area: http://www.usaservice.org
It appear the “Alaska political blog” has disappeared from the Anchorage Daily News website. The comments were always about 80-20 against Palin.
Coincidence or a result of SP’s war on the media in general and the ADN in particular?
Maybe someone knowledgeable about ADN can comment.
Hmmm
I can still find it: http://community.adn.com/adn/blog/24417
A comment from ADN on the crisis:
brandy_ty wrote on 01/16/2009 12:54:39 PM:
something to think about, for so long someone said we have to be this way and we have to talk like this, and we have to wear this to mke it in todays world. WHY?, we were happy, tribes never worried about the way we talked, or how we lived, when the someone came,,,, tribes looked out for one another, every tribe had a messenger, they were to send and recive messages from other villages. I’m from tyonek, and we use to put up fish for our closes Villages that needed it.
—–
That’s what decent people (do in bold). They look out for one another, because what goes around, comes around.
Isn’t first dud TP part Yupik? He gets free health insurance and such? Has a plane and some Iron Dog? Didn’t want a fishpicker born in Texas? Coudn’t he SEND A MESSAGE TO HIS DIPSHIT WIFE?
What does she need? Semaphores? Sorry, I forgot you can’t see them through her smoke and mirrors. No amount of PR bs from her new staff is gonna save her rear on this one.
Time to impeach ms-saxby-chamblis-helpin’-screw-the-little-people-I-wear-peach-to-my-impeachment gov.
They have no bread. Let them eat cake! May the guillotine fall hard on her neck.
As a long time resident of a western state prone to wildfire, flood and other disasters, I can’t comprehend a governor so out of touch with the needs of constitutents, and who wasn’t at the scene by helicopter within hours publicizing and participating in the relief effort, calling out the National Guard, and seeking federal disaster relief.
Sarah Palin is a piece of work. Since the GOP tried to sell her as the govenor with the 80% approval rating, keep the pressure on to expose her for what she is. ..
I am sorry AK has to bear the brunt of her mismangement, but her elevation to national office would be a complete disaster.
George Bush’s legacy……..
He made the election of Barack Obama possible.
Thanks
so while Empress Sarahivillia plays her violin, Alaska burns, or in this case, freezes.
Has the great Empress spoken yet?
I felt pretty bad last night after posting so many things while angry, but today, reading the update here and seeing that still, the ignorant think it is OK because suddenly it is just about “some natives”…I don’t feel so bad.
I’m glad to see others are thinking what it is like to be in another’s moccasins and paying attention to the fact that this is an issue about humans, not black or yellow or red, or even colored those one thing on the outside and white as snow in the inside.
Mitakuye Oyasin
I don’t care for the slide show, but I love the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8LzOXVsC70
Yay Alaskans! Wonderful community!
Yeah, don’t be waiting to hear from Caribou Barbie. She so obviously doesn’t like people of color and has an abysmal track record with indigenous rights.
Get rid of her and get someone representative of the warm Alaskan community!
@ InJuneau
Thank you! I found SAGA listed on the service sight right after you told me and I’ll call the event leader tonight. I had to run to work – thanks so much. I thought I had checked everywhere but it must have been there under my nose. Do you have plans of your own for Monday?
FYI
Weather forecast for the entire state is bad right now. Y/K Delta area where Emmonak and many other villages are, have a blizzard warning. On the north gulf coast of Alaska where I am, we are getting hit hard with the “Pineapple Express” warm winds from directly south, and heavy rain with gusts of 80 and more.
Hope Denise Z of Alasak Reports has a safe flight into the area for the photo/video report.
First off, being here in Maine, I am some disappointed in this friggin cold air mass that has settled upon us straight from Alaska!! It’s COLD here. And I blame all of you for it…and the Canadians too.
Secondly, I’ve been intrigued and appalled by the Sarah Palin phenomena since she was first introduced as a candidate for the Vice Presidency. As a godless person, this appointment put the fear of God in me that a respected presidential candidate would nominate such a clearly an incompetent person to such an office. But the crowd went wild. At times I felt sorry for her. I don’t think she’s a dumb person, but clearly in over her head, and probably pushed and prodded along the way since before the beauty contest, and suddenly found herself on a national stage. And it wasn’t Atlantic City, although I was stunned and disillusioned at the number of people in our country who were willing to treat our presidency as such a contest. But her venomous attacks, clearly scripted on her teleprompter, stirred up such divisiveness and hatred in her campaign, I began to dislike her and distrust this simple woman from Alaska.
The whole baby thing intrigues me; from the eleventh hour medical report on the eve of the election, to the new grandchild who has never been seen. I am from a small town in Maine and I find it amazing how this town has circled their wagons around this family who are obviously hiding something. I’ve never seen a Grandma in Maine not wanting to show off her first grandchild.
So, I’ve Googled my way into the several blogs covering Alaska over the past several weeks.
I like Alaska. You’re rural like us, and cold too it’s all kind of like gossiping on the fence post.
I was struck by this week’s news of the crisis in Emmonak, and was moved to send a Paypal donation that morning.
Thanks for making it so easy.
It’s not all about the babys.
It’s about a level of self righteousness and ultimately a poor beauty queen who has been convinced that she is able to lead and govern.
I don’t blame Sarah. I believe her when she says she is a regular person…a “Joe six-Pack” type of gal.
It’s the people around her who have built up visions of grandeur, from John McCain and the Republican party to the people of Alaska who voted her into office to the people of Wassila who voted her for Mayor.
But I hope Sarah Palin becomes the lesson we all learn when we enter a political rally or a voting booth. Please vote with your head and not with your heart.
Just a thought: wouldn’t it be supremely ironic if someone in RUSSIA sees what is going on and sends a planeful of aid into the Alaskan airspace?
@Martha Unalaska Yard Sign (14:26:56) :
You’re welcome. Not sure of any plans yet…I just can’t seem to think that far in advance this week!
@the problemchild (a jerk,also) (14:35:12) :
Heh, heh, that would be funny!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmonak,_Alaska
Whoever is running the Wiki page (interesting figures!! median income ZIlch and then think about the crazy prices for expenses they have) has got the emergency and the blog reaction to it on there.
As Bob Dylan said …..times they are a……changing………….mean season is over Ms Palin!!!!!!!!
AKM, regarding Rachel Maddow, I distinctly heard Cary Carrigan say, “Yeah, I’m talking to her at 8 a.m.” – maybe he was just recording an interview, or maybe he didn’t mean to let it out on air, but I definitely heard it.
I also heard CC talking about Hollis French being on her show while she’s away, I believe on the Demo Memo but I didn’t catch the day. Is the Demo Memo on at 4.30 pm on Fridays? And would that be today?
I don’t know when the Demo Memo is, although it might fall into part of CC’s programming. Here’s the link to the program schedule, from which it’s impossible to tell when DM would be…: http://www.kudo1080.com/programming.asp
I just called the city office and made a very small donation because it was all I could afford. I hope everyone who can chip in a little will do so. Every little bit counts.
I absolutely LOVE Rachel Maddow and she is the reason I started listening to progressive radio. I understand this:
Rachel Maddow will be on the phone with Cary Carrigan tomorrow morning at 8am Alaska Time on KUDO 1080am to talk about this issue. We are hopeful that other national media sources will pick up on this. I was apparently wildly misinformed about this. (waving to Rachel Maddow with sheepish grin) Please accept my humble apologies to all who were inconvenienced. (hangs head)
What I don’t understand is why I am NOT hearing it on today’s show because I KNOW it has been brought to her attention.
Don’t EVEN try to talk me down.
It’s going to be another angry night at the Whabbit’s house.
the problemchild (a jerk,also) (14:35:12) :
Just a thought: wouldn’t it be supremely ironic if someone in RUSSIA sees what is going on and sends a planeful of aid into the Alaskan airspace?
************************************************
And if Putin should rear his head (and offer help)? We’ll be there to defend this country from the likes of him! by golly, also.
LisaW
This is how a little bit helped a lot in 1981. The organization based on a bet is going from strength to strength:
“In 1981 Karlheinz Böhm undertook a bet in the ZDF TV show “Wetten, dass…?” that “not one in three viewers would donate a German mark, Swiss franc or seven Austrian schillings for the needy people in the Sahel zone (Ethiopia).” Karlheinz Böhm won the bet and nevertheless flew to Ethiopia with about 1.2 million Swiss francs in October 1981. On 13 November 1981 he founded the relief organisation Menschen für Menschen (People for People) in Germany.“
CRFlatsNo Gravatar (14:58:19) :
the problemchild (a jerk,also) (14:35:12) :
Just a thought: wouldn’t it be supremely ironic if someone in RUSSIA sees what is going on and sends a planeful of aid into the Alaskan airspace?
************************************************
And if Putin should rear his head (and offer help)? We’ll be there to defend this country from the likes of him! by golly, also.
————–
I guess it would guarantee Sarah sending out the National Guard.
There are so many celebrities that are so generous these days…..maybe Oprah or her likes would be interested in the dire Alaskan situation.
CRF & Lance
Why not.
I just sent Gov. Palin an e-mail saying this:
As always, as a lower-48-states resident, I’m sending this message because I am interested in Gov. Palin’s future plans for possible national political office.
That being said, I suggest you look at the updated Wikipedia entry for Emmonak, Alaska.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmonak,_Alaska
Particularly the part about the “Winter 2008-2009 Crisis”.
SillyWhabbit, Seattle, WA (14:58:00) :
It’s understandable if Rachel, together with the rest of the MSM, is waiting on some hard news from from the front (from Mr Zaki) before commenting on it. We just have to trust her judgement.
KaJo: you are so much more polite than I am.
Demo Memo is always friday, 4:30. Todays guest, Hollis French
Write to these people and ask them why they aren’t reporting on the crisis in Alaska…
cnnnewsroom@cnn.com, countdown@msnbc.com, hardball@msnbc.com, nightly@nbc.com, phil.griffin@nbc.com, steve.capus@nbc.com, Jeff.zucker@nbcuni.com, rfournier@ap.org, a.latour@wsj.com, a.murray@wsj.com, darren.mcdermott@wsj.com, j.fry@wsj.com, kudlow@cnbc.com, wsj.ltrs@wsj.com, abrams@msnbc.com, advocate@thebulletin.us, byork@nationalreview.com, byork@thehill.com, ccrawford@cq.com, comments@mclaughlin.com, ElRushbo@eibnet.com, evening@cbsnews.com, Foxreport@foxnews.com, ftn@cbsnews.com, gretawire@fox.com, Hannity@foxnews.com, hemmer@foxnews.com, hume@foxnews.com, igcolonel@hotmail.com, irena.briganti@foxnews.com, jocelyn.austin@foxbusiness.com, Joe@msnbc.com, joetalkshow@aol.com, letters@charleskrauthammer.com, lou@loudobbsradio.com, me@glennbeck.com, mitch.davis@foxnews.com, netaudr@abc.com, Ontherecord@foxnews.com, oreilly@foxnews.com, race08@msnbc.com, richard.white@foxnews.com, robert.finnerty@foxnews.com, Special@foxnews.com, stu@glennbeck.com, suzanne.scott@foxnews.com, ureport@foxnews.com, weekendlive@foxnews.com, AndyMart20@aol.com, bsmith@politico.com, lindamuller@buchanan.org, LouDobbs@cnn.com, jake.tapper@abc.com, rachel@msnbc.com, info@ap.org, nightline@abcnews.com, 2020@abc.com, earlyshow@cbs.com, 60minutes@cbsnews.com, ftn@cbsnews.com, info@cnbc.com, comments@foxnews.com, Colmes@foxnews.com, dateline@nbc.com, today@nbc.com, newshour@pbs.org, ombudsman@npr.org, phil.boyce@citcomm.com, letters@latimes.com, readers.rep@latimes.com, news-tips@nytimes.com, senioreditor@nytimes.com, editor@usatoday.com, wsj.ltrs@wsj.com, wsjcontact@dowjones.com, letters@washpost.com, ombudsman@washpost.com, letters@newsweek.com, letters@time.com, letters@usnews.com, info@ap.org, tips@upi.com, fair@fair.org
Kajo (15:13:25) : All I can say is “awesome”!!
Good resource to send to MSM for “background data”.
@empish (15:55:12) :
Thanks. I knew some Anch. area mudpup would know…I can’t get the live feed on this computer to listen in, but maybe from the other one.
I really think the blogs are three days ahead of the MSM. So maybe by this weekend the story will get picked up…or at least I hope so.
phoebe – Sean Penn comes to mind.
State launches effort to study Emmonak woes
http://thearcticsounder.com/news/show/4594
Deadline for donations of food to help Emmonak
thebristolbaytimes dotcom
@Aussie Blue Sky (16:38:49) :
Rather a day (or few months) late and a dollar (or a few hundred thousand+) short…
Sure, do we really think she’d been on this all week? I thought she’d been talking to Esquire and all manner of other “media” that would listen to her complain this week…
InJuneau (16:45:22) :
Yoo betcha she’s been asking for reports and updates every day – especially from the blogs.
Aussie Blue Sky (16:46:56) :
Also?
InJuneau (16:47:56) :
Also too.
——————————————-
Baby diapers also needed in the Bush, for those donating.
Diapers for Bush ???………that was too easy!!
Now just wait and see how concerned she is when the pictures of starving natives come onto the blogs. Palin should be ashamed as well as her staff who make excuses for her ineptness. Why is Todd not on this? I thought he was partly native.
Come now Jolie, You think that’s believable? I see that all you cronies have either taken internship in Lying 101 from your boss or are like your boss totally clueless about people and the world. This situation is being treated as a priority by SP! Give me a break, if it was a priority to SP none of the tragic situations these people find themselves in would be taking place. She would have foreseen the problems and would have taken action long time ago. She had no intention of addressing the Native’s problems because they were not important to her. Only now that a spotlight has been foisted on the dire situation, she wants us to believe that she has been huddled up with her cronies desperately searching for a solution. Come now, Jolie, youve got to come with something better than that. Read My Lips!!!!! I Do Not Believe you or Sarah!!!!
Remember the email that Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan sent out on 07-12-2008 after Governor Sarah Palin fired him?
“…Given the gathering storm of a questionable fishing season and the escalating price of fuel in our state, there will be serious stress placed upon communities and residents who will struggle with the coming winter’s challenges. Last week I had asked our Troopers and Fire Marshals to outreach both to these communities and to your departments in a cooperative effort to mitigate issues that will arise like: theft; domestic violence; substance abuse; suicide; and, accidental death; that all can come from sinking reserves of fuel, money, and hope.
Monegan warned her.
Yep. Moneghan sure did warn her. But she was too busy having the hots for Wooten.
Welcome to the flats, Mikey from Maine. What county you from?
I had donated toward the fuel costs yesterday, but it went down to 4 miserable degrees here today in KY, I felt cold all day. I kept thinking of all those hungry families in even worse cold in AK, it is hard to imagine. Our grocery has great dry soup mixes so I decided to run out and buy a bunch…I ended up with those, mac and cheese, sweet potato mix, bean soup mixes, drink mix, popcorn, brown rice etc. and will mail them out tomorrow. Hope the tribal council has a big PO box!!!
I cannot begin to imagine the heartache of having to watch your own child go to bed hungry.
Do you think they need pet food? Or maybe dry baby cereals? If anyone knows please post. I can get more things tomorrow.
I was watching the news today about how the Israeli govt. has prohibited journalists from reporting inside Gaza. They are finally allowing some in, but only because the reports will be buried under all the inauguration news. Unfortunately, it appears that the crisis in rural AK might be suffering from the inaugural blizzard. Keep shouting about it. I post links everywhere I can.
Good luck to all.
Carolina Girl(20:55:35) :
Not only the Inauguration, but continuous coverage of the the plane crash in the Hudson. I’m glad everyone is safe, but it’s time to move on…
i am not going to read all the comments because it’s late and past time to bed.
i just want to add my piling on to what i must imagine must be a fountain of vituperation in the thread above with regard to that nasty piece of work who calls herself “governor of alaska.”
has anyone mentioned the $1200 checks?
how stupid could a person be to give away all the extra money and not keep some back for an “unexpected event” like this apparently is for that moronic individual who misappropriates her place.
if this is the way she governs a small state, i shudder to think what would happen to the country under her maladministration.
anyone circulating a recall petition up there? do alaskans have any avenue for recalling their numbskull governor?
best wishes to the people of alaska.
well, i read some comments …
anyone concerned about out-of-staters’ right to email la palin — don’t worry about it, email away.
non-alaskan americans have every right to barrage palin with correspondence, because lisa murkowski is trying to get FEDERAL money — your tax dollars — to cover palin’s malfeasance. the minute they start asking for MY money to pay for oil for alaskans, all bets are off. palin boasted throughout the campaign that she was as an “expert in energy.”
okay, energy expert palin, why are people in your state literally freezing?
From ADN, here’s Palin the Super Governor’s response:
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/657452.html
We’re looking into it?! It didn’t fit the definition of a disaster in the fall?!
What a crock…
@ grewingk
@ Village Reader
@ AKaurora, with the Bush Pilot Youtube
@ anybody else I might be overlooking
Wow and thank you all for truly an education! I’m sure many of us Outsiders got a much needed eyeful of facts. I knew times were bad in all those villages, but your information gives much more insight into HOW & whys of the dire situation and how the system operates. TY so very much for answering my many questions!
- -
Jellybeans said: “Kath, you forgot the “also”s I mean, what is a Palin speech without the randomly placed “also”s scattered in the middles, beginnings and ends of her fragmented sentences? You Betcha!!”
Spewed coffee all over my monitor! ROTFLMAO
- -
CRFlats: Your Dad’s comment, “you grab ‘em by the short hairs, and their hearts and minds will follow”.” I’m saving THAT for posterity, what a hoot!
Alaska Pi: Loved the story about your Mom too! Sending positive vibes in her direction.
Can I share a YouTube I ran onto lastnight! I think you ALL would appreciate. A few months old, but too funny (especially the part about wearing bikinis in Alaska).
Hockey Mama for Obama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh9BmNuqeiQ
“Lispy camera [sorry]. Hockey mom and piano playing moose sing out against Palin. “
BTW, changed my name. I’m old & fat & “scrappy” really fits me, like SP.
SP said she got voted into public service because she took on the big oil companies in Alaska. I really dont think so. She is definitely working with the devils for self profit and she is not caring about the Native Alaskans. Watch the ignorant spin she tries to put on this dire situation that she has so ineptly handled. There should be a preconceived list as to all she will blame for this catastrophe.
So while bloggers all over the world are sending donations, raising consciousness, and getting some news coverage and actual aid up to the villages, the Gov’s office is studying the situation….and will get a report out some time next week…is that about it?
I look forward to AKM’s update tomorrow. You rock, AKM and bloggers all over the world that tune in here too…
I have an idea… but it depends on the U.S. Postal Service…
How much does it cost for a package to go to the villages? If regular mail service is provided, then why don’t we set up an “Adopt a Native Family” and one of use or several of us could “adopt” a family to help out this winter? Can we get a “roster” of those in need with their addresses? I am always leery about sending money to an organization or group as you never know if the ones in need really get the money. Case in point is that in most charities, only 30% of donations actually go to help the needy as the rest goes to the charity employees. Can anyone help with this idea? Obviously we can’t send hazardous materials so fuel would be out of the question, but dry goods and canned goods, etc., could be sent directly to a family in need.
Peaceful Granny – Sarah is buying time……..she is leaving the state for the CPAC soiree and Beck lovefest. Dodging and deflecting just like a ………er ……..high-school drop-out!!!
If the governor had actually been following and working on this crisis all week, I would expect her newly hired Self Promotion Team, I mean Public Relations Team, would have been spinning pictures and stories of her hard at work all over the place.
hmmmmm….
Hi Mike from Maine! Waving to you from across the border.
Just commenting on WV Democrat’s idea about sending items. I think a big part of the problems faced in the remote villages is that everything has to be flown in. I doubt that mail service is particularly regular or reliable, and the need is for now. Can anyone in the know comment on this?
Here she comes to save the day!!!!!
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/657452.html
“Palin said Friday that any suggestion of inaction from her administration is wrong. “Both the lieutenant governor and I have offered to fly out there and see what we can do personally,” she said.”
“see what we can do personally” ? How about save the airfare and donate it instead?
My son-in-law is a postmaster and I just called him and posed this question to him. He is going to find out schedules and all for me and said he’d have my answers on Monday or Tuesday. He said that to his knowledge, mail delivery is made regularly by air and limits on packages are the same in AK as they are here in WV as it is still domestic mail. Will report back to this thread when I learn more.
While I love all the attention this is getting, the hue and cry has been spread far and wide. Please give us running updates on the amount of contributins made to date. I know they’re coming from as far away as France and Germany and it seems thousands of checks are in the mail. God, I love the bloggisphere!! (shit! just dropped my jelly doughnut on my jammies! MOM!)
God Bless Nick Tucker and everyone trying to actively do something about this. Which would exclude Governor Palin, as she is too concerned with lining up her next People Magazine interview and lay the groundwork for her 2012 bid. Walter Monehan warned her about this (see the post by Vistor 16 places up from this one), and she fired him. She’s been going off about ‘anonymous bloggers’ for months now, yet they’re the only ones taking action and getting the word out. So basically everyone that gets it and is doing something is on the opposite side of action from Palin. The woman is a moron, her dropout family are morons and it’s only a matter of time before Alaskans finally take the wool off and see this woman for what she really is, an opportunistic two-faced politician who cares not for the concerns of anyone outside of her mirror, with the exception of when state problems/issues can be turned into a photo op (with little or not concrete action taken afterwards). She is concerned with optics and managing her image, not in taking care of the business of the state, which means the fates and lives of ALL Alaskan citizens. There should have been an emergency declared, fuel shipped in by National Guard and the Red Cross invited to help (they can’t without executive invitation). This is a TRAVESTY that it got to this point and a SHAME that this village will have been saved not by the government, but by ‘anonymous bloggers’, in our underwear and living in our parents basement, spewing our opinions like there’s something called free speech or something (the NERVE of some of us…).
Tristan57(06:19:35) :
Please give us running updates on the amount of contributins made to date. I know they’re coming from as far away as France and Germany and it seems thousands of checks are in the mail.
——-
The contact information for the person coordinating the paypal donations coming from this site appears to be liquidal at liquidalaska dot net. I think you would have to contact each of the Village of Emmonak, the Bristol Times, and everyone else who has been accepting donations for the villages to find out what the totals are so far. It’s pretty diffuse. I know at least $20 came from Canada
Nero fiddled while Rome burned, Sarah fiddles while Alaska freezes and starves to death. But at least her crusade against ‘anonymous bloggers’ and the Trig rumours is going long and strong…way to pick you battles, Sarah! I’m sure having international coverage of your own citizens freezing and starving to death will do wonders for your 2012 run!
Aussie Blue SkyNo Gravatar (15:17:42) :
SillyWhabbit, Seattle, WA (14:58:00) :
It’s understandable if Rachel, together with the rest of the MSM, is waiting on some hard news from from the front (from Mr Zaki) before commenting on it. We just have to trust her judgement.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aussie
MOST RESPECTFULLY…I disagree on the waiting.
How do you look at a freezing starving child and say, “Hang on honey, lets get some pictures first?”
ANY HUMAN in DIRE NEED, needs action NOW!
I don’t have any more money to give. I’m looking at a huge heating bill here as well. I have a 65 year old parent I live with on a very fixed income, I am late on student loans, I’m going in to work in ten minutes because I NEED the overtime.
If all I can do is agitate the pot and make noise as to why this isn’t being reported yet, then at least I am doing something.
It’s very much like the 8 years I spent ranting over George Bush. People would say “Why?, Why don’t you just accept it and shut up?”
Well, simply put, I never wanted to have someone ask me, “Well, yeah and what is YOU fluffing do about it?” and not have an answer.
So I don’t mean to seem disrespectful, but aside from telling EVERYONE I know and trying to make people aware…I don’t know what else to do, but waiting to me does not seem to be the answer.
PS sorry for the typo and thanks for the email addresses, I will use them.
SillyWhabbitNo Gravatar (08:05:57) :
“If all I can do is agitate the pot and make noise as to why this isn’t being reported yet, then at least I am doing something.”
————-
Bravo! Not so silly, are you Whabbit?
CRFlatsNo Gravatar (12:39:22) :
Are they the UConn Huskies???
YES, and I am a proud Alum of the University of Connecticut!
Go Huskies!!!
Hi there,
Is it true that I hear now Sarah Palin is now scheduled to appear on the Glen Beck show on FOX for 1/19/09? Isn’t this being scheduled with the legislative session to begin on January 20? It seems like there are an awful lot of challanges up there in Alaska and that the people would be better served by Palin doing the people’s business and making them her priority rather than this endless self promotion.
Thank you.
Regards,
Dave
Hilarious that SP says that’s just not true that they aren’t doing thing – THEY OFFERED TO FLY OVER THERE AND SEE IF THEY COULD DO ANYTHING. As if by landing there some miraculous solution would occur. She sounds dumber every day!
As for the whole jammy blogger population, bless us everyone for forcing people like SP to defend their non-actions. People are tired of excuses!
I’ve sent this e-mail to all the addresses posted earlier:
“Why aren’t you reporting on the humanitarian crisis in the Yukon Delta, in Alaska?
I would have thought that a major crisis in Governor Sarah Palin’s state would be big news, as she’s always making the headlines.
As she has been very slow to respond to the desperate appeals of the Native Alaskan villagers, starting to study the situation two whole days after the so called anonymous bloggers raised more than $7,000 through an internet appeal, could it be that the MSM doesn’t want to give her bad press? After all, she may be slow to respond to appeals from the natives of her own state, but she’s very quick to respond to “unfair” coverage by the media!
So that you don’t rely on anonymous bloggers’ sources for your hard fact stories, this is a link to the Anchorage Daily News:
http://www.adn.com/rural/western/story/654652.html
To get some background on this story, some anonymous bloggers as well:
http://progressivealaska.blogspot.com/2009/01/alaska-blogs-covering-situation-in.html
People from around the world responded to the bloggers’ appeal and are wondering why this is not being reported by the MSM.
Thank you,
Regina Guard, Treignac, France”
OK I hope this doesn’t get me in trouble but someone asked about sending boxes to the villages. We do receive regular postal mail here. It can be pretty slow depending on when the planes can get here but usually only a few days or a week behind. If you would like to send a box here you can. I run the Nunam Iqua Program for Youth Center here in Nunam Iqua. You can see references to us online. If anyone would like to send a box I can make sure it gets to the needy families here.
Just send it to:
Nunam Iqua Program for Youth
c/o City of Nunam Iqua
P.O. Box 26
Nunam Iqua, AK 99666
If you have additional questions please feel free to email me directly at nunamiquayouth@yahoo.com.
Thank you in advance for any help you are able to provide.
Ann
Project Director/Supervisor
Nunam Iqua Program for Youth
Well said Whabbit!
WV Democrat (06:12:28) :
My son-in-law is a postmaster and I just called him and posed this question to him. He is going to find out schedules and all for me and said he’d have my answers on Monday or Tuesday. He said that to his knowledge, mail delivery is made regularly by air and limits on packages are the same in AK as they are here in WV as it is still domestic mail. Will report back to this thread when I learn more…….
WV:
We can receive USPS mail packages just like anywhere else. We only have problems with FEDEX and UPS these packages take for ever or never make it. So packages should be sent via regular mail.
And just to clarify the reason why I posted above about hoping I wouldn’t get in trouble is b/c technically I need to ask the City Council before I jump into something like this, but we need the help NOW we can’t wait until the next meeting. And I can’t imagine that they would say no. They have always readily agreed when I was able to get help for our village. The Youth Program was able to bring in new coats for every child here right before Halloween with help from Coats for Kids, and we gave out Christmas presents thanks to Toys for Tots.
So thanks for asking the questions about USPS and I hope that you got your answers. For whomever it was that posted about “ADOPT A NATIVE FAMILY” I will try to get permission from the families here to provide their names and addresses and family size and needs to anyone/organization that would like to help. If anyone would like that information once I comply it you can contact me at nunamiquayouth@yahoo.com
I know there have been references to scams so please feel free to look us up online. Nunam Iqua Program for Youth. I was featured on NAC, Native America Calling last year addressing underage drinking in the Bush. And we are listed with the State of AK as one of their grantees. So you can verify the mailing address and email adress I provided.
Thank you again for all of your help!!!
Ann
AKM,
If you think it’s not appropriate to publish the e-mail I sent to the MSM, it’s ok.
I realy want to help the villages, and if we get rid of the governor in the process, so much the better.
But if I post anything that may be unhelpful, you’d know better, you know the territory…
I don’t expect this one to appear, but I can’t see a way of sending it privately.
Cheers!
I was totally impressed when I received Barack’s thank you letter in the mail after the election; gonna frame it even if it is a form letter. But, just imagine my amazement when sitting here in Tallahssee. FL when I received a letter labeled “From The Office of The Governor of Alaska”!!! and, the letter is signed by none other than Sarah herself (last thing I ever wanted in my house).
I get a FREE Travel Guide!
How much more rediculous can things get? Native Alaskans starving and freezing and they can spend the money to mail me spam and offer a free travel guide.
Seriously, are these people trying to set the record for public stupidity? Call the Guiness Book folks so that they’ll stop! They won already! I’m honestly dumfounded, words frikken fail me.
Tristan57No Gravatar (10:48:03) :
OMG! Guess Sarah’s fired or run off the competent people in the Gov’s office. LOL.
For Tristan57 –
Just imagine my amazement when here in St, Paul, MN, I received a letter labeled “From The Office of The Governor of Alaska”!!! and, the letter is signed by none other than Sarah herself (last thing I ever wanted in my house).
A FREE Travel Guide???
How much more ridiculous can things get? Native Alaskans starving and freezing and Sarah and AK State Govt. spend money to mail me unwanted and unasked for junk mail. To keep her name out there?????
Do you suppose that these were sent to EVERYBODY in the lower 48?????
Grandma,
Color me gobsmacked, dumbfounded, befuddled, whatever. This inanity totally escapes me. How do these frikken people get elected!?!!?
Ripley in CT (08:18:41) :
CRFlatsNo Gravatar (12:39:22) :
Are they the UConn Huskies???
YES, and I am a proud Alum of the University of Connecticut!
Go Huskies!!!
**************************************
Wouldn’t that be a nice connection? If you have an alum organization that could be contacted. The folks in the real Yukon (Emmonak and other small villages are in the Yukon/Kuskokwim River Delta, referred to as the Y/K Delta) need help.
re: Ann
And just to clarify the reason why I posted above about hoping I wouldn’t get in trouble is b/c technically I need to ask the City Council before I jump into something like this, but we need the help NOW we can’t wait until the next meeting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would think as a private citizen, you are able to act on your own. If not blame the crazy whabbit and say she was going nutty.
I agree, you, we, all need to act now. Thank you because THAT is what just made me finally melt down. NOW!!! That’s what I’m talking about!
I know what it is like to suffer greatly and have no one help you. I suppose that is why I am freaking out. Maybe I am reacting to an insane situation with a normal fluffing reaction. Sarah “The Gash” Palin could take a lesson in humanitarian actions.
You’re right AKM “insert preferred insult here” works just as well as your “the worm”. AND I LIKE having the title tied to her name every single time I use it. VERY cathartic!
OK, I complied a list of everyone here in Nunam Iqua. I spoke to all but one household here and Have a list of what is needed. I got permission for my Youth Center to receive/distribute any donations that come in. So they can be mailed to:
Ann Strongheart
Nunam Iqua Program for Youth
c/o City of Nunam Iqua
101 Mudd Street
P.O. Box 26
Nunam Iqua, AK 99666
OR if you would like to send boxes directly to needy families I have a list of families including their family size and needs and their PO Box #’s you can email me at nunamiquayouth@yahoo.com if you would like a copy.
Here is a list of things that are desperately needed, since we have no store here in Nunam Iqua we are really struggling to get food and groceries here.
If you would prefer to send a check you can make it payable to:
City of Nunam Iqua
and send it to the above address.
Here’s the list:
Diapers Sizes 1, 3, & 6
Similac Advanced Formula Powder
Canned Evaporated Milk
Dry Powdered Milk
Powdered Eggs
Crackers ( Sailor Boy Pilot Bread unsalted tops are the most used here)
Rice (minute rice)
Noodles
Peanut Butter
Honey
Jam
Juice
TOILET PAPPER (everyone is running out)
Flour
Sugar
Coffee
Cereal
Crisco
Coffee Creamer
Pancake Mix
Tea
Canned Vegetables
Dried Fruit
Instant Soups
Ramen Noodles
Cup a noodles
Just basic pantry staples. Even salt, pepper, etc.
Thank you in advance for any help you can provide. We greatly appreciate it. Our weather is getting wierd here, it got really hot here last night up to 36 degrees, if it keeps up we will be unable to travel upriver by snowmachine to get food, b/c the river will be unsafe to travel on.
Again if you have any questions or what more information please feel free to contact me at nunamiquayouth@yahoo.com
Sincerely grateful,
Ann
Struggling,
I appreciate the info and will be emailing you later tonight as I am typing this while I am fixing a nice dinner in a warm home in WV which makes me feel guilty. Do you have any info for the other villages?
You other Mudflatters should get on this as well. Sending food and paper goods via US Mail will be best as even if you send money, the way I understand it, there are few if any places to purchase food.
Thanks….
Thank you for the update! It’s very good news. My Alaskan and Alaskan-adjacent family and friends are all upset about this (my dad is particularly peeved about the ongoing neglect of the natives).
I called the office in Emmorak yesterday and gave a donation. The people I talked to were very nice and very charming and I wish them the best.
It’s sad that any random anonymous blogger in pajamas armed with only a keyboard and a credit card has done more in five minutes to help these First Alaskans than Palin and her $200,000 wardrobe have done in two years. You guys need a new governor.
Good luck you guys…
Ann, Please post as a diary on Daily Kos. Also, contact the Emmonaks. they should be willing to share and they’re going to be over-flowing with contributions from everything I’ve heard.
I posted earlier (two days ago) and thought I’d check in. We just met a couple from Alaska. They said Anchorage was not a great place to live. They chose to live way out in the country. I told them about this situation. They said it happens a lot up there. They said that during the warmer seasons, their village (sometimes they lived in places where there were less than 10-15 people, and sometimes up to 500 or more) would collect wood, cut it, and store it for times just like these. They had oil as well, but it was not reliable and was costly.
They insisted that small villages in remote areas need to always use extra time in preparation for the winters. I read one comment above describing how they would burn up expensive fuel to go out and get wood for their wood burning stove, thereby taking money away from food and heating oil, etc. I told the couple from Alaska (husband is Native from Alaska) about this comment and they said that the village needed to be more organized. They needed to put a foodbank together with storable food for the community. That’s what they did. They had a hard time believing that this current crisis just “happened.”
While they agree that aid is necessary right now, the people in remote areas need to be even more vigilant and prepared than those in larger towns. They also had their “general store” collapse, more than a few times. They did have to take a few snowmobiles to a nearby village to get some supplies, especially food. But after the one time, they prepared for the winter during the good weather times of the year.
He was curious as to how the people were able to produce an income for living and other necessities and, if they didn’t work, what they did to share in the responsibility of winter preparedness.
Don’t count on politicians for a permanent fix. The people need to come together and ensure their village’s survival through local gathering of resources as well as bought goods. They are also the ones who’s responsibility it is to link up with others and apply for government aide, programs, grants, etc.
He, being Native Alaskan, also said that he still feels connected to his ancestral roots as he has family there and returns each year to visit. But economic necessity brought him to the lower 48. And now that his own children are grown (and live here in Hawaii and in Alaska), he is content to live a simple yet “wealthy” life here in Hawaii.
I, having never been to Alaska (we hope to visit soon), can’t speak for anything that is happening up there. But I can speak for similar conditions that are happening here. Again, while we don’t have the life and death struggle of your winters, there are so many in the small town I live in who can not afford to even get out of sight.
Leaving is not an option. There is an extremely high incidence of diabetes, alcoholism, other drug use, especially “ice.” It seems endemic in these areas where most live with little hope. 80% of the people are on public assistance of one kind or another and the beaches are filling up more and more with families without a traditional roof over their heads.
Yet the government does very little. O’ahu is not a big island and it might surprise you to know that clearly 80% of the one million people on this island have never been out here. We get the landfills, but not infrastructure improvements. I walk to the store and even though I’ve lived here most of my life I still will get robbed every now and then by meth’ed out kids. I know who their families are and they pay me back and apologize, but so many of the kids are so hooked on drugs that they’re out of control. THEY HAVE NO HOPE FOR THEIR FUTURE.
Clearly, your state government, the one that can keep the money for a bridge to be built to nowhere, with federal assistance, can help the remote, lower income areas in Alaska. I was always under the impression that Alaska gave their citizens a lot of money each year. Shows ya how little I know.
Surely things are looking up more by now. As the couple we met on the beach this morning said: go after it and don’t stop until something is in place that will ensure your survival as a village and be ready to go to work to get it done. He’s hard core all the way.