Wednesday, December 26, 2007
VIDEO BAR
I've changed the Video Bar. I hope you enjoy the selections of beagles, bunnies and clydsdales!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Alaskan Independence Movement
Mary Alice,
Thank you for wanting to post this on your blog. You have our permission to "spread the words" so to speak.
Alaska, Legal State or Sovereign Nation
By Dexter and Lynette Clark
History, a subject which is on the required learning list starting in elementary school, it is mostly written and edited by those in power. The textbooks are selected using government guidelines. It is no secret that these texts often contain mistakes. Oral histories have recently found favor, or at least qualify for graduate student projects. Until now, if it wasn't written down, it didn't happen.
Our study whether or not Alaska is a valid, permanent member of the Union of States, is limited to treaties and information available in books or other publications. Video tapes and official internet sites are also referenced. The authors have first-hand knowledge of the formation of the Alaskan Independence Party because they were there.
A reveiw of history will give a portrait of America's role in Alaska's becoming a member of the Union.
Some proponents of Nation Status for Alaska go back to the questionable sale of Alaska, by Russia in 1867. By what principles were they in a position to sell? The right of discovery overlooks the indigenous native population. Besides, explorers from other countries actually "discovered" more of Alaska than the Russians. Right of conquest? It is safe to say that 99% of Alaska's aboriginal Indians and Eskimos never saw a Russian let alone somehow lost their birthright to one. Russia's strongest legal claim to Alaska was based on the ownership of several five acre parcels ceded to the Russian Orthodox Church for missions by local tribes along the coast in Southeastern Alaska. Some of these outposts became the towns of Sitka, Kodiak, and Wrangell.
Most Americans were not convinced that the purchase of such remote real estate was a good idea. Hence the terms; Seward's folly or Seward's icebox, William H. Seward being the Secretary of State who negotiated the deal. Until then, all other territorial acquisitions were contiguous lands with open expectations of ultimate statehood. Thus began the era of colonialism for the U.S. setting a precedent for the taking of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands and other possessions.
As soon as the Treaty of Secession was signed and even before Congress appropriated the $7.2 million purchase price, a military government was set up in Sitka. Many years of virtually total
neglect followed. It was a lawless territory. There was no legal title to land. Violent criminals often went unpunished. The Army imposed order on native and white civilians, but only within the proximity of their six forts. The Natives were often exploited by the underpaid soldiers who were so far from home.
Foreshadowing the impact of the discovery and development of Prudhoe Bay petroleum, the world's whalers whacked the whale population to extract their oil a hundred years before crude oil replaced it. They brought guns, alchohol and contagious diseases to the Natives along the coast. Like wise, the fur seal population was decimated by California business concerns and the Seattle fishing industry laid claim to the richest salmon fishery in the world.
The much publicized discovery of gold during the 1890's prompted another rush to Alaska. The Army now provided valuable protection to the stampeders and began to explore the land. By 1905, their Engineers began to pioneer trails which eventually became roads. As Army Rule followed these roads, conflict was inevitable.
More mineral activity, near the Copper River at McCarthy, resulted in the government's un-explained denial of coal mining rights. The frustrated local residents, in what became known as the "Cordova Tea Party", shoveled imported Canadian coal into the bay on May 4, 1911.
Law was slow in coming. In 1912 the Congress granted Organized Territory status to Alaska, appointed a Governor and provided for an elected Territorial Legislature. A non-voting "observer" delegate to Congress was authorized.
The nature of this relationship was very onerous to the citizens of the new territory. American citizens pointed to the U.S. Constitution and the rights guaranteed there-in. The ominous parallels of the grievences that led to the Revolutionary War became more obvious with time.
The federal government's policy towards native populations had changed drastically after the end of the Indian Wars. Since the Department of War no was longer needed to battle the Indians into submission, the Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, was called upon to "assimilate" or indoctrinate them. All native children were required to go to schools where they were forbidden by federal law to speak their native language. The failure of this doctrine became evident when only a very small percentage of Natives were able to fulfill the Statehood voting requirement of being able to read and write English.
Statehood was debated for decades before becoming a reality. The residents of the territory thought maybe statehood would result in self-determination. The election was held August 26th, 1958 and on January 3rd, 1959, Alaska was officially a state.
In less than 15 years many Alaskans were thinking statehood might have been a grave mistake. They felt cheated by the broken promises of statehood. "We thought we would be masters in our own house." summed up their complaints.
The Alaska Independence movement can be traced back to the federal government's incidental or intentional changing of one half of a word. In the early 1970's, the US Congress was struggling to pass the legislation necessary to clear title for the rights-of-way required to build the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline System (TAPS). But because the Arab oil embargo had America in the throes of an energy crisis, the necessary laws were fast-tracked and passed. The pipeline project was also granted defense priority status to speed things up.
At about the same time, Alaskan gold miners Joe Vogler and Fred Wilkinson were utilizing their off-season to repair mining equipment in the warmth of Joe Vogler's shop near Fairbanks. Fred Wilkinson is a third generation Alaskan, born and raised in the gold fields. Joe Vogler, who was educated as a lawyer, had passed the bar in Kansas before moving to Alaska in the early forties. Having lived in Alaska longer as a territory than as a state, their conversations were often more about the politics of the fledgling state than their quest for, or the price of, gold.
Both men were charter members of the local "Cuss & Discuss" club which met informally over lunch several times a week. Maybe five today, fifteen tomorrow, of this last frontier's founders gathered like family, mostly during the cold, dark, winter months. Starting with coffee and the weather, more serious issues like politics were saved for dessert. These rugged individualists were beginning to feel the squeeze of the state and federal land grabbing authorized by the Statehood Act.
On the morning history will call the beginning of the Alaskan Independence Party, Joe Vogler and Fred Wilkinson revived the overnight coals in the shop wood stove, and reviewed the morning news waiting for the shop to warm up. Joe Vogler's curiosity about the TAPS defense priority and further careful reading of the pipeline right-of-way revealed that the language normally used in such a transaction was altered ever so slightly. Normal and customary rights-of-way are described as being so many feet "...either side of the center line." The right-of-way for TAPS reads; so many "...feet, either side of the pipeline..." The TAPS pipeline is four feet wide and almost 800 miles long.
In January 1973, as the final challenges and disputes were settled by the judicial sustem, TAPS got the green light with the unusual rights-of-way wording intact. The outright theft of these 400 odd acres was the last straw for Joe Vogler and his friends. These federal government actions divided Alaska politically, like the pipeline divided Alaska, physically, simply by changing half of a word,
When Joe Vogler shared his thoughts with the lunch bunch, they felt like the fabled "last straw" had just been dropped on their backs. This was not a bunch of wild-eyed radicals, but mostly conservative businees people educated in, and believing in, the much studied and often quoted American Declaration of Independence. Many of the abuses by King George that the colonists listed as the "long train of usurpations" were being felt daily by these citizens. The
reaction of the small group was to formalize their organization and Alaskans For Independence was born.
AFI held regular public meetings. Officers were chosen. Joe Vogler was elected chairman. Committees dug into the mountain of paper generated by Alaska's transition from territory to state. Investigation of the statehood vote found more irregularities than the 2000 Florida primary. Ensuing research revealed some interesting history.
Ever since the acceptance of the United Nations Charter by the U.S. Senate and its Proclamation by President Harry S. Truman, May 29, 1945, the United States was obligated to, and had been been dutifully reporting, under Article 73, that Alaska was one of many "non-self-governing territories" under their rule. The final report for Alaska had been sent in 1959.
Why hadn't any Alaskans ever been contacted by the numerous U.N. commissions that were responsible for the oversight of Alaska Statehood status? Was the U.S. involved in a deliberate collusion to keep Alaskans in the dark about the proper procedures. Which government had jurisdiction? The scant documents available locally raised as many questions as they were able to answer.
So Joe Vogler and his wife, Doris, headed for New York and the U.N. Dag Hammerskjold Library. Digging for gold had become Joe Vogler's passion, now his legal training helped them dig through another mountain. This one spawned by bureaucratic newspeak.
Here's what they found: First in Resolution 742 VIII of the General Assembly (11/27/53) and then again in Resolution 1469 XIV(12/12/59) "...the documentation and the explanations provided..." (by the U.S.) to these committees determines that the people of Alaska were deemed to have effectively "exercised their right to self- determination" and have "freely chosen" their present status.
They chased down the obscured guidelines for these determinations. Every pertinent resolution laid down certain conditions to insure that colonial governments didn't just impose their rule on their territories and report to the U.N. that the specifications had been met. One pivotal point remains in the AIP platform to this day. General Assembly Resolution 742 (11/27/53) and the attendant committee reports prescribes that the inhabitants of non-self-
governing territories be given three of four choices: 1) Remain a Territory. 2) Become a separate and Independent Nation. 3) Accept Commonwealth status. 4) Become a State. The ballot on April 24, 1956 had offered statehood, yes or no?
The Voglers' conclusion was certain and the question they asked was, "Did the United States deliberately avoid their U.N. obligations in order to direct Alaska away from any course except
to statehood?"
Back in Alaska, AFI committees had found some other questionable procedures involving the vote.
The ballots were printed in English which excluded many of the aboriginals.
The election was held in August which is at the height of a very short season for miners, farmers and fisherman.
Illegal electors, the 77,000 military and their dependents, were allowed by act of Congress to vote as residents without losing their established overseas status with all its benefits. The
miltary prescence in Alaska had never decreased after WWII. There were educational meetings about the vote on every base. In an article in the Fairbanks Daily News Miner of 4 August 1958, the military personnel in Alaska were given as 41,000 with 36,000 dependents. One can hardly imagine any active service personnel or their spouse voting against the wishes of the United States. The final vote was 40,452 'yes', 8010 'no' on admission into the Union.
At every turn the people's right to "freely choose" their political affiliation was stymied. Timing was not considered. The indiginous population was not properly represented. The electors were not fully informed of the election terms, were denied the right to consider any questions except yes or no on the statehood ballot, and were kept completely ignorant of any rights under the U.N. Charter as inhabitants of a non-self-governing territory.
Once the group had the evidence to prove that the statehood vote was probably illegal, the next step was obvious. Set about to right the wrong. How to proceed? Peaceful and lawful means were the only acceptable rules of engagement. Despite awareness of H.L. Mencken's famous saying, "If voting really worked, it would be made illegal.", the ballot box was chosen over the bullet box.
Since Joe Vogler was a Jeffersonian Democrat and many of the clubs members were loyal Republicans, AFI was non-partisan at first. Their common ground: All believed strongly in the Constitution, Bill of Rights and the principles of our Founding Fathers. The rights promised in those documents were slipping away. In reference to those signers of the Constitution, Joe Vogler once said; "Those men, if there's any awareness of the excesses of the federal
government in the retention of federal lands, the fires of hell will be cool breezes compared to the torment in their minds as to what has happened to their handiwork."
With donations from 1500 card carrying members, AFI placed a full page advertisement in the May 9, 1978, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner with this banner headline: A VOICE IN THE LAND. ALASKA INDEPENDENCE PARTY. The article announced candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor, the arrival of the end of the two party system in Alaska, and possibly, the beginning of the independent Nation of Alaska. It would be six years before the state recognized this
organization as "The Alaskan Independence Party".
In the 1982 election, the AIP ticket was headed by Mr. Vogler. The results of that election and a challenge by Mr. Vogler to state election requirements brought a 1984 court decision that placed the AIP on the ballot and lowered the percentage of votes required for state recognition of politcial entities.
With State's Rights as the main issue, Joe Vogler carried the party banner again in 1986. Because their candidate received almost 6% of the vote statewide and nearly 20% in the Fairbanks area, AIP continued their Recognized Party status.
Even before the spring of 1990, Joe Vogler had declined the AIP nomination to run again. The dream was kept alive when a politically savvy Walter Hickel (Interior Secretary under Nixon)
accepted the party's nomination with Jack Coghill as the Lt. Governor candidate. Running a campaign based on the AIP's platform of Alaska First, the pair were elected.
At the January 1991 inaugural, the AIP faithful were jubilant. Now we had the state's top office in our control, or did we? Although both former Republicans had hastily changed their voter
registration cards, all of their people who were experienced at running a political machine were of the "Grand Old Party" mind-set.
The Johnny-Come-Lately rank and file members wanted to play the politics as usual game, even if this meant blackmail or dirty tricks.
When asked by Governor Hickel what "he wanted", Joe Vogler replied, "I only ask that you run Alaska as an Alaskan."
Lawsuits alleging violations of the Statehood Compact were filed. A few AIP members were given commisioners positions and the rest were asked to give the new administration time.
After two years, Joe Vogler was curious enough about Wally Hickel's interpretaion of his wishes to travel to the capital at Juneau for a face to face meeting. An eye witness reported that the meeting grew confrontational and ended with the Governor chasing Joe Vogler
out of his office brandishing the office stapler like a club.
In mid April, hundreds of his friends gathered near Fairbanks to celebrate Joe Vogler's 80th birthday. For most of them it was the last time they saw the guest of honor alive.
Joe Vogler had lived alone with his four dogs and a watch goose since his wife's death a year earlier. Sometime during the Memorial Day weekend, Joe Vogler disappeared. That Monday, it was discovered that his dogs had been locked in the house for several days. There was no trace of Joe Vogler.
Not satisfied with the authorities who insisted that Joe Vogler had wandered off into the woods grieving for his wife, some friends of Joe Vogler immediately organized a Search Committe, raised money and hired a private investigator.
It took five days of mass call-ins to the governor's office before Joe Vogler's house was finally declared a crime scene. Still no trace of Joe Vogler.
It was eighteen months before Joe Vogler's body was found in a shallow grave near Fairbanks. A "wannabee biker" named Fred West revealed the grave site and took the fall in a plea bargain.
Joe Vogler's disapearance and subsequent murder were investigated by the A&E network's City Confidential program entitled "Mining For Murder" which originally aired in September, 1999.
There are many theories as to what really transpired that day in May, most involve conspiracy and government participation before or after the fact. We may never know, for sure what did happen, but no one in Fairbanks believes the official story of a burglary gone bad.
The big question, would Joe Vogler's death end the Independence movement. The simple answer is: NO.
Countless civilizations have risen and fallen on this planet for a myriad of reasons. Sometimes a natural disaster, more often than not, its war. Remember Russia sold remote Alaska to boost a war ravaged treasury. In our own country's history, when the far-off colonists broke away, Mother England was busy with the French.
"History repeats itself." has been observed so many times, its uncertain who said it first. Alaska's history is just getting started. It is the natural destiny of Alaska to one day be a
separate country. The chain of events that take us to that day have already begun. Only the timeline is uncertain.
Already foreign owned businesses are extracting the lion's share of resources from Alaska. British Petroleum controls Prudhoe Bay and the Pipeline. Internationally registered cruise ships dominate the tour business on land as well as at sea. Recently opened world class mines are operating under the auspices of world-wide mining companies. The salmon fishery has been so depleted by offshore catchment that the village subsistence users have had to fly in
commercial dog food to feed their dog teams.
Alaskans will only take the abuse of their natural resources by the international mega corporations for so long.
Alaskans could and should be running our state as an independent country before officially separating from the Union.
Alaska has already developed a national identity. The Alaska Railroad is state-owned, yet runs as a "for profit" corporation.
Its a natural step to create the Alaska Oil Company and begin the transition to the "owner state" depicted in our state constitution.
The people of the state have the financial resources to do it also. The multi Billion Dollar Permanent Fund would be better invested in Alaska's destiny than in the stock market. The Native Corporations created by Congress have grown into successful ventures with assets
in the billions of dollars.
What about protection from foreign invaders?
Military defense bases can and would be leased to the U.S. military with approval of the area residents. Remember how they responded in Kuwait?
To some the thought of Alaska's future as an independent country is scary, to others it is thrilling.
In the meantime, the thought of us "taking our star off the flag" should shake up Washington, D.C.
BIO
Dexter Clark and his wife Lynette have been involved in the Alaskan Independence movement since 1980. They co-authored "On Golden Ground" a collection of their gold mining adventures in the Alaskan bush country.
bibliography,
Alaska and Statehood, A Factual Primer, by Joseph E. Vogler
United Nations Charter
Alaska, The Last Frontier, by Henry W. Clark
Communicating Across Cultures with Father Michael Oleksa (KTOO Television Juneau)
aip website (www.akip.org)
state of ak website (www.state.ak.us)
Mining for Murder (Arts & Entertainment Network)
Thank you for wanting to post this on your blog. You have our permission to "spread the words" so to speak.
Alaska, Legal State or Sovereign Nation
By Dexter and Lynette Clark
History, a subject which is on the required learning list starting in elementary school, it is mostly written and edited by those in power. The textbooks are selected using government guidelines. It is no secret that these texts often contain mistakes. Oral histories have recently found favor, or at least qualify for graduate student projects. Until now, if it wasn't written down, it didn't happen.
Our study whether or not Alaska is a valid, permanent member of the Union of States, is limited to treaties and information available in books or other publications. Video tapes and official internet sites are also referenced. The authors have first-hand knowledge of the formation of the Alaskan Independence Party because they were there.
A reveiw of history will give a portrait of America's role in Alaska's becoming a member of the Union.
Some proponents of Nation Status for Alaska go back to the questionable sale of Alaska, by Russia in 1867. By what principles were they in a position to sell? The right of discovery overlooks the indigenous native population. Besides, explorers from other countries actually "discovered" more of Alaska than the Russians. Right of conquest? It is safe to say that 99% of Alaska's aboriginal Indians and Eskimos never saw a Russian let alone somehow lost their birthright to one. Russia's strongest legal claim to Alaska was based on the ownership of several five acre parcels ceded to the Russian Orthodox Church for missions by local tribes along the coast in Southeastern Alaska. Some of these outposts became the towns of Sitka, Kodiak, and Wrangell.
Most Americans were not convinced that the purchase of such remote real estate was a good idea. Hence the terms; Seward's folly or Seward's icebox, William H. Seward being the Secretary of State who negotiated the deal. Until then, all other territorial acquisitions were contiguous lands with open expectations of ultimate statehood. Thus began the era of colonialism for the U.S. setting a precedent for the taking of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands and other possessions.
As soon as the Treaty of Secession was signed and even before Congress appropriated the $7.2 million purchase price, a military government was set up in Sitka. Many years of virtually total
neglect followed. It was a lawless territory. There was no legal title to land. Violent criminals often went unpunished. The Army imposed order on native and white civilians, but only within the proximity of their six forts. The Natives were often exploited by the underpaid soldiers who were so far from home.
Foreshadowing the impact of the discovery and development of Prudhoe Bay petroleum, the world's whalers whacked the whale population to extract their oil a hundred years before crude oil replaced it. They brought guns, alchohol and contagious diseases to the Natives along the coast. Like wise, the fur seal population was decimated by California business concerns and the Seattle fishing industry laid claim to the richest salmon fishery in the world.
The much publicized discovery of gold during the 1890's prompted another rush to Alaska. The Army now provided valuable protection to the stampeders and began to explore the land. By 1905, their Engineers began to pioneer trails which eventually became roads. As Army Rule followed these roads, conflict was inevitable.
More mineral activity, near the Copper River at McCarthy, resulted in the government's un-explained denial of coal mining rights. The frustrated local residents, in what became known as the "Cordova Tea Party", shoveled imported Canadian coal into the bay on May 4, 1911.
Law was slow in coming. In 1912 the Congress granted Organized Territory status to Alaska, appointed a Governor and provided for an elected Territorial Legislature. A non-voting "observer" delegate to Congress was authorized.
The nature of this relationship was very onerous to the citizens of the new territory. American citizens pointed to the U.S. Constitution and the rights guaranteed there-in. The ominous parallels of the grievences that led to the Revolutionary War became more obvious with time.
The federal government's policy towards native populations had changed drastically after the end of the Indian Wars. Since the Department of War no was longer needed to battle the Indians into submission, the Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, was called upon to "assimilate" or indoctrinate them. All native children were required to go to schools where they were forbidden by federal law to speak their native language. The failure of this doctrine became evident when only a very small percentage of Natives were able to fulfill the Statehood voting requirement of being able to read and write English.
Statehood was debated for decades before becoming a reality. The residents of the territory thought maybe statehood would result in self-determination. The election was held August 26th, 1958 and on January 3rd, 1959, Alaska was officially a state.
In less than 15 years many Alaskans were thinking statehood might have been a grave mistake. They felt cheated by the broken promises of statehood. "We thought we would be masters in our own house." summed up their complaints.
The Alaska Independence movement can be traced back to the federal government's incidental or intentional changing of one half of a word. In the early 1970's, the US Congress was struggling to pass the legislation necessary to clear title for the rights-of-way required to build the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline System (TAPS). But because the Arab oil embargo had America in the throes of an energy crisis, the necessary laws were fast-tracked and passed. The pipeline project was also granted defense priority status to speed things up.
At about the same time, Alaskan gold miners Joe Vogler and Fred Wilkinson were utilizing their off-season to repair mining equipment in the warmth of Joe Vogler's shop near Fairbanks. Fred Wilkinson is a third generation Alaskan, born and raised in the gold fields. Joe Vogler, who was educated as a lawyer, had passed the bar in Kansas before moving to Alaska in the early forties. Having lived in Alaska longer as a territory than as a state, their conversations were often more about the politics of the fledgling state than their quest for, or the price of, gold.
Both men were charter members of the local "Cuss & Discuss" club which met informally over lunch several times a week. Maybe five today, fifteen tomorrow, of this last frontier's founders gathered like family, mostly during the cold, dark, winter months. Starting with coffee and the weather, more serious issues like politics were saved for dessert. These rugged individualists were beginning to feel the squeeze of the state and federal land grabbing authorized by the Statehood Act.
On the morning history will call the beginning of the Alaskan Independence Party, Joe Vogler and Fred Wilkinson revived the overnight coals in the shop wood stove, and reviewed the morning news waiting for the shop to warm up. Joe Vogler's curiosity about the TAPS defense priority and further careful reading of the pipeline right-of-way revealed that the language normally used in such a transaction was altered ever so slightly. Normal and customary rights-of-way are described as being so many feet "...either side of the center line." The right-of-way for TAPS reads; so many "...feet, either side of the pipeline..." The TAPS pipeline is four feet wide and almost 800 miles long.
In January 1973, as the final challenges and disputes were settled by the judicial sustem, TAPS got the green light with the unusual rights-of-way wording intact. The outright theft of these 400 odd acres was the last straw for Joe Vogler and his friends. These federal government actions divided Alaska politically, like the pipeline divided Alaska, physically, simply by changing half of a word,
When Joe Vogler shared his thoughts with the lunch bunch, they felt like the fabled "last straw" had just been dropped on their backs. This was not a bunch of wild-eyed radicals, but mostly conservative businees people educated in, and believing in, the much studied and often quoted American Declaration of Independence. Many of the abuses by King George that the colonists listed as the "long train of usurpations" were being felt daily by these citizens. The
reaction of the small group was to formalize their organization and Alaskans For Independence was born.
AFI held regular public meetings. Officers were chosen. Joe Vogler was elected chairman. Committees dug into the mountain of paper generated by Alaska's transition from territory to state. Investigation of the statehood vote found more irregularities than the 2000 Florida primary. Ensuing research revealed some interesting history.
Ever since the acceptance of the United Nations Charter by the U.S. Senate and its Proclamation by President Harry S. Truman, May 29, 1945, the United States was obligated to, and had been been dutifully reporting, under Article 73, that Alaska was one of many "non-self-governing territories" under their rule. The final report for Alaska had been sent in 1959.
Why hadn't any Alaskans ever been contacted by the numerous U.N. commissions that were responsible for the oversight of Alaska Statehood status? Was the U.S. involved in a deliberate collusion to keep Alaskans in the dark about the proper procedures. Which government had jurisdiction? The scant documents available locally raised as many questions as they were able to answer.
So Joe Vogler and his wife, Doris, headed for New York and the U.N. Dag Hammerskjold Library. Digging for gold had become Joe Vogler's passion, now his legal training helped them dig through another mountain. This one spawned by bureaucratic newspeak.
Here's what they found: First in Resolution 742 VIII of the General Assembly (11/27/53) and then again in Resolution 1469 XIV(12/12/59) "...the documentation and the explanations provided..." (by the U.S.) to these committees determines that the people of Alaska were deemed to have effectively "exercised their right to self- determination" and have "freely chosen" their present status.
They chased down the obscured guidelines for these determinations. Every pertinent resolution laid down certain conditions to insure that colonial governments didn't just impose their rule on their territories and report to the U.N. that the specifications had been met. One pivotal point remains in the AIP platform to this day. General Assembly Resolution 742 (11/27/53) and the attendant committee reports prescribes that the inhabitants of non-self-
governing territories be given three of four choices: 1) Remain a Territory. 2) Become a separate and Independent Nation. 3) Accept Commonwealth status. 4) Become a State. The ballot on April 24, 1956 had offered statehood, yes or no?
The Voglers' conclusion was certain and the question they asked was, "Did the United States deliberately avoid their U.N. obligations in order to direct Alaska away from any course except
to statehood?"
Back in Alaska, AFI committees had found some other questionable procedures involving the vote.
The ballots were printed in English which excluded many of the aboriginals.
The election was held in August which is at the height of a very short season for miners, farmers and fisherman.
Illegal electors, the 77,000 military and their dependents, were allowed by act of Congress to vote as residents without losing their established overseas status with all its benefits. The
miltary prescence in Alaska had never decreased after WWII. There were educational meetings about the vote on every base. In an article in the Fairbanks Daily News Miner of 4 August 1958, the military personnel in Alaska were given as 41,000 with 36,000 dependents. One can hardly imagine any active service personnel or their spouse voting against the wishes of the United States. The final vote was 40,452 'yes', 8010 'no' on admission into the Union.
At every turn the people's right to "freely choose" their political affiliation was stymied. Timing was not considered. The indiginous population was not properly represented. The electors were not fully informed of the election terms, were denied the right to consider any questions except yes or no on the statehood ballot, and were kept completely ignorant of any rights under the U.N. Charter as inhabitants of a non-self-governing territory.
Once the group had the evidence to prove that the statehood vote was probably illegal, the next step was obvious. Set about to right the wrong. How to proceed? Peaceful and lawful means were the only acceptable rules of engagement. Despite awareness of H.L. Mencken's famous saying, "If voting really worked, it would be made illegal.", the ballot box was chosen over the bullet box.
Since Joe Vogler was a Jeffersonian Democrat and many of the clubs members were loyal Republicans, AFI was non-partisan at first. Their common ground: All believed strongly in the Constitution, Bill of Rights and the principles of our Founding Fathers. The rights promised in those documents were slipping away. In reference to those signers of the Constitution, Joe Vogler once said; "Those men, if there's any awareness of the excesses of the federal
government in the retention of federal lands, the fires of hell will be cool breezes compared to the torment in their minds as to what has happened to their handiwork."
With donations from 1500 card carrying members, AFI placed a full page advertisement in the May 9, 1978, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner with this banner headline: A VOICE IN THE LAND. ALASKA INDEPENDENCE PARTY. The article announced candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor, the arrival of the end of the two party system in Alaska, and possibly, the beginning of the independent Nation of Alaska. It would be six years before the state recognized this
organization as "The Alaskan Independence Party".
In the 1982 election, the AIP ticket was headed by Mr. Vogler. The results of that election and a challenge by Mr. Vogler to state election requirements brought a 1984 court decision that placed the AIP on the ballot and lowered the percentage of votes required for state recognition of politcial entities.
With State's Rights as the main issue, Joe Vogler carried the party banner again in 1986. Because their candidate received almost 6% of the vote statewide and nearly 20% in the Fairbanks area, AIP continued their Recognized Party status.
Even before the spring of 1990, Joe Vogler had declined the AIP nomination to run again. The dream was kept alive when a politically savvy Walter Hickel (Interior Secretary under Nixon)
accepted the party's nomination with Jack Coghill as the Lt. Governor candidate. Running a campaign based on the AIP's platform of Alaska First, the pair were elected.
At the January 1991 inaugural, the AIP faithful were jubilant. Now we had the state's top office in our control, or did we? Although both former Republicans had hastily changed their voter
registration cards, all of their people who were experienced at running a political machine were of the "Grand Old Party" mind-set.
The Johnny-Come-Lately rank and file members wanted to play the politics as usual game, even if this meant blackmail or dirty tricks.
When asked by Governor Hickel what "he wanted", Joe Vogler replied, "I only ask that you run Alaska as an Alaskan."
Lawsuits alleging violations of the Statehood Compact were filed. A few AIP members were given commisioners positions and the rest were asked to give the new administration time.
After two years, Joe Vogler was curious enough about Wally Hickel's interpretaion of his wishes to travel to the capital at Juneau for a face to face meeting. An eye witness reported that the meeting grew confrontational and ended with the Governor chasing Joe Vogler
out of his office brandishing the office stapler like a club.
In mid April, hundreds of his friends gathered near Fairbanks to celebrate Joe Vogler's 80th birthday. For most of them it was the last time they saw the guest of honor alive.
Joe Vogler had lived alone with his four dogs and a watch goose since his wife's death a year earlier. Sometime during the Memorial Day weekend, Joe Vogler disappeared. That Monday, it was discovered that his dogs had been locked in the house for several days. There was no trace of Joe Vogler.
Not satisfied with the authorities who insisted that Joe Vogler had wandered off into the woods grieving for his wife, some friends of Joe Vogler immediately organized a Search Committe, raised money and hired a private investigator.
It took five days of mass call-ins to the governor's office before Joe Vogler's house was finally declared a crime scene. Still no trace of Joe Vogler.
It was eighteen months before Joe Vogler's body was found in a shallow grave near Fairbanks. A "wannabee biker" named Fred West revealed the grave site and took the fall in a plea bargain.
Joe Vogler's disapearance and subsequent murder were investigated by the A&E network's City Confidential program entitled "Mining For Murder" which originally aired in September, 1999.
There are many theories as to what really transpired that day in May, most involve conspiracy and government participation before or after the fact. We may never know, for sure what did happen, but no one in Fairbanks believes the official story of a burglary gone bad.
The big question, would Joe Vogler's death end the Independence movement. The simple answer is: NO.
Countless civilizations have risen and fallen on this planet for a myriad of reasons. Sometimes a natural disaster, more often than not, its war. Remember Russia sold remote Alaska to boost a war ravaged treasury. In our own country's history, when the far-off colonists broke away, Mother England was busy with the French.
"History repeats itself." has been observed so many times, its uncertain who said it first. Alaska's history is just getting started. It is the natural destiny of Alaska to one day be a
separate country. The chain of events that take us to that day have already begun. Only the timeline is uncertain.
Already foreign owned businesses are extracting the lion's share of resources from Alaska. British Petroleum controls Prudhoe Bay and the Pipeline. Internationally registered cruise ships dominate the tour business on land as well as at sea. Recently opened world class mines are operating under the auspices of world-wide mining companies. The salmon fishery has been so depleted by offshore catchment that the village subsistence users have had to fly in
commercial dog food to feed their dog teams.
Alaskans will only take the abuse of their natural resources by the international mega corporations for so long.
Alaskans could and should be running our state as an independent country before officially separating from the Union.
Alaska has already developed a national identity. The Alaska Railroad is state-owned, yet runs as a "for profit" corporation.
Its a natural step to create the Alaska Oil Company and begin the transition to the "owner state" depicted in our state constitution.
The people of the state have the financial resources to do it also. The multi Billion Dollar Permanent Fund would be better invested in Alaska's destiny than in the stock market. The Native Corporations created by Congress have grown into successful ventures with assets
in the billions of dollars.
What about protection from foreign invaders?
Military defense bases can and would be leased to the U.S. military with approval of the area residents. Remember how they responded in Kuwait?
To some the thought of Alaska's future as an independent country is scary, to others it is thrilling.
In the meantime, the thought of us "taking our star off the flag" should shake up Washington, D.C.
BIO
Dexter Clark and his wife Lynette have been involved in the Alaskan Independence movement since 1980. They co-authored "On Golden Ground" a collection of their gold mining adventures in the Alaskan bush country.
bibliography,
Alaska and Statehood, A Factual Primer, by Joseph E. Vogler
United Nations Charter
Alaska, The Last Frontier, by Henry W. Clark
Communicating Across Cultures with Father Michael Oleksa (KTOO Television Juneau)
aip website (www.akip.org)
state of ak website (www.state.ak.us)
Mining for Murder (Arts & Entertainment Network)
Friday, July 27, 2007
Slogging Through Surveys
Well my friends, just finding good Surveys on line is a 40 hour a week job. Let me save you some time, OK?
Anytime, anywhere in the Ad the word CASH is spelled with a dollar sign, CA$H, flee! Flee to the Lake for safety! Anytime, anywhere the word FREE has an asterisk, like this, FREE*, head for the hills, run, run!!
SurveySpot is straight forward, kinda fun, usually hooks me up with what looks like legit Business Surveys. And the look of the Web is cute, lil' doggy paw prints.
TikTik cash can be at times OK and annoying. They send you an e-mail and sometimes you do get paid just for clicking onto an Ad and hangin' around long enough to make the computer believe you actually read the thing. Sometimes, however, once you click on the Ad in the e-mail, you have to actually sign up for something. Oh sure, "You can always cancel" as soon as you get the "whatever" at the Special Introductory Price and get good money for having signed up for the "Special Offer" but what a pain in the butt!
I am tellin' yunz, to make any kind of living from on line surveys is a full time 40 hour a week job!
I do it for fun, and hey if I really do win that "SuperPrize" of $$$$$$ well that's just frosting on the cake.
"PaidE-MailsFromGetPaidToTry" is only slightly less annoying than TikTik.
Vindale Research is good, I don't expect to actually get paid anything. But if you like the idea of being among those quoted by Talking Heads and Researchers on TV and Radio that, "......40% of Divorced Women over the age of 45 prefer.....", well, you get the idea.
Don't EVEN try to slog through winning a FREE* (there's that asterisk) : lap top computer, iPhone, luxury vacation, Gift Certificates for Target/Kmart/a Famous Restaurant or FREE* Gift Certificates of any kind.
Now, with some of the surveys that tell me I'll get money or points or whatever if I sign up for just one, or two, offers, I look for any offers of e-Newsletters. Yeah, my mail box gets filled with stuff and some of it is interesting. But I usually "unsubscribe" as soon as the first e-Newsletter arrives.
Opinion Outpost is another one that looks legit. Oh yeah, and Polling Point also looks to be serious.
OH yeah, with some of the Survey Sites that have pages of little boxes of offers for which you choose "yes" or "no", just scroll all the way to the bottom and you might find the option to SKIP, so do that, scroll and look for the SKIP before you spend time clicking on "No" several dozen times.
Not all the Offers are bogus. I am pleased with the "Learn a Language" CDs. But that's just me. There may be offers that you really want and that is cool. Just, as ALWAYS, with ANYTHING, read the Fine Print, taking the time to read the entire Survey Ad AND the "Terms and Conditions" will save you a LOT of time and Frustration later.
Well, in closing it is possible to make real Money, I can see that based on my experience so far. But it IS a lot of work, you will be spending LOTS o' hours at your computer. Yeah OK the upside is you don't have to get dressed, you can take breaks anytime you want, and, well, it's a pretty good hobby for insomniacs!
MaryAlice
Anytime, anywhere in the Ad the word CASH is spelled with a dollar sign, CA$H, flee! Flee to the Lake for safety! Anytime, anywhere the word FREE has an asterisk, like this, FREE*, head for the hills, run, run!!
SurveySpot is straight forward, kinda fun, usually hooks me up with what looks like legit Business Surveys. And the look of the Web is cute, lil' doggy paw prints.
TikTik cash can be at times OK and annoying. They send you an e-mail and sometimes you do get paid just for clicking onto an Ad and hangin' around long enough to make the computer believe you actually read the thing. Sometimes, however, once you click on the Ad in the e-mail, you have to actually sign up for something. Oh sure, "You can always cancel" as soon as you get the "whatever" at the Special Introductory Price and get good money for having signed up for the "Special Offer" but what a pain in the butt!
I am tellin' yunz, to make any kind of living from on line surveys is a full time 40 hour a week job!
I do it for fun, and hey if I really do win that "SuperPrize" of $$$$$$ well that's just frosting on the cake.
"PaidE-MailsFromGetPaidToTry" is only slightly less annoying than TikTik.
Vindale Research is good, I don't expect to actually get paid anything. But if you like the idea of being among those quoted by Talking Heads and Researchers on TV and Radio that, "......40% of Divorced Women over the age of 45 prefer.....", well, you get the idea.
Don't EVEN try to slog through winning a FREE* (there's that asterisk) : lap top computer, iPhone, luxury vacation, Gift Certificates for Target/Kmart/a Famous Restaurant or FREE* Gift Certificates of any kind.
Now, with some of the surveys that tell me I'll get money or points or whatever if I sign up for just one, or two, offers, I look for any offers of e-Newsletters. Yeah, my mail box gets filled with stuff and some of it is interesting. But I usually "unsubscribe" as soon as the first e-Newsletter arrives.
Opinion Outpost is another one that looks legit. Oh yeah, and Polling Point also looks to be serious.
OH yeah, with some of the Survey Sites that have pages of little boxes of offers for which you choose "yes" or "no", just scroll all the way to the bottom and you might find the option to SKIP, so do that, scroll and look for the SKIP before you spend time clicking on "No" several dozen times.
Not all the Offers are bogus. I am pleased with the "Learn a Language" CDs. But that's just me. There may be offers that you really want and that is cool. Just, as ALWAYS, with ANYTHING, read the Fine Print, taking the time to read the entire Survey Ad AND the "Terms and Conditions" will save you a LOT of time and Frustration later.
Well, in closing it is possible to make real Money, I can see that based on my experience so far. But it IS a lot of work, you will be spending LOTS o' hours at your computer. Yeah OK the upside is you don't have to get dressed, you can take breaks anytime you want, and, well, it's a pretty good hobby for insomniacs!
MaryAlice
Friday, July 20, 2007
Thank you's
OK, I promised "Slogging Thru On-Line Surveys" and that will be up coming. But first I gotta practice what I preach.
I sent individual, personal e-mails to certain friends saying THANK YOU for the FWDs they send to me! Some folks see such things as "Bulk Mail Junk". Well, I don't, I feel happy to be included in my friends' lists. Those e-mails are at times Silly, Funny, Inspiring, Thought Provoking. So I told my friends how much those e-mails just "make my day".
It's sad really, Folks rarely bother to say thank you, yet don't waste a nano second saying how annoyed they are. Oh well, all that anger and negativity is their Gunny Sack of Sorrow to carry around, not mine.
So, you are wondering, if this gal says she refuses to carry that gunny sack, why does she seem to be obsessing about it? Perhaps I'm obsessing about it, only because I really want to get the message out. Maybe I'll cause some readers' eyes to open up and thereby help them to drop their Gunny Sacks.
Well, it is around noon here in Alaska Land, don't know what time of day it is wherever you are, so I'll just wish you a happy, blessed and peaceful Time :D
I sent individual, personal e-mails to certain friends saying THANK YOU for the FWDs they send to me! Some folks see such things as "Bulk Mail Junk". Well, I don't, I feel happy to be included in my friends' lists. Those e-mails are at times Silly, Funny, Inspiring, Thought Provoking. So I told my friends how much those e-mails just "make my day".
It's sad really, Folks rarely bother to say thank you, yet don't waste a nano second saying how annoyed they are. Oh well, all that anger and negativity is their Gunny Sack of Sorrow to carry around, not mine.
So, you are wondering, if this gal says she refuses to carry that gunny sack, why does she seem to be obsessing about it? Perhaps I'm obsessing about it, only because I really want to get the message out. Maybe I'll cause some readers' eyes to open up and thereby help them to drop their Gunny Sacks.
Well, it is around noon here in Alaska Land, don't know what time of day it is wherever you are, so I'll just wish you a happy, blessed and peaceful Time :D
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Senior Breakfast
Hey, I got this funny FWD from a good friend:
We went to breakfast at a restaurant where the "seniors' special" was
two eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast for $1.99.
Sounds good," my wife said. "But I don't want the eggs."
Then I'll have to charge you two dollars and forty-nine cents
because you're ordering a la carte," the waitress warned her.
You mean I'd have to pay for not taking the eggs?"
My wife asked incredulously.
YES!!" stated the waitress.
"I'll take the special."
"How do you want your eggs?"
"Raw and in the shell," my wife replied.
She took the two eggs home.
DON'T MESS WITH SENIORS!!!
We've been around the block more than once.
Send this to the Seniors in your life...I'm sure they'll appreciate it!!
We went to breakfast at a restaurant where the "seniors' special" was
two eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast for $1.99.
Sounds good," my wife said. "But I don't want the eggs."
Then I'll have to charge you two dollars and forty-nine cents
because you're ordering a la carte," the waitress warned her.
You mean I'd have to pay for not taking the eggs?"
My wife asked incredulously.
YES!!" stated the waitress.
"I'll take the special."
"How do you want your eggs?"
"Raw and in the shell," my wife replied.
She took the two eggs home.
DON'T MESS WITH SENIORS!!!
We've been around the block more than once.
Send this to the Seniors in your life...I'm sure they'll appreciate it!!
Yeah I'm Ranting
But Hy, these Webdings Are Cool! So, like, I send e-mails to my family to keep them up to date on news, you know. I send FWDs that are funny, inspiring, "Brighten yer day" sorta thing. Do I ever get a "thanks for brightening my day"? No. But let me send one itty bitty teeny FWD that I failed to pass by SCOPES for veracity, or something not PC and WOW do I hear about it, along with insults like, oh, hypocrite!
Folks just don't bother to say "Thank you" these days (oh Lawdy have Mercy am I channeling that old fart from 60 Minutes?)
As you may or may not know, I am certified Crazy. I find that rather "freeing". I mean, now when I say what ever pops into my head, however looney it sounds, friends and relatives just give that insincere I-Hope_she_isn't_going_ to Explode_a_Spleen look :D As RockHound said in the movie "Armageddon" "Embrace the insanity"!
So, I see my Psychiatrist the other day. We chat a bit. He asks me why do I think I'm doing the things I'm doing. DUH? I look this guy in the eye, I put on my best Madelyn Kahn Imitation and I say, "You went to Standford on a I-got-more-brains-than-god Scholarship, ditto George Mason, you been in this gig for 25 years, and YOU'RE asking ME?"!! I think that every time a Shrink or Therapist asks you that question, you know, "...what do you think about...." you should respond with, "MY fee is double whatever YOUR fee is, for answering questions" ROFLMAO!!
It is true that the EMTs and Firemen in this town are handsome hunks, but I gotta think of a better way to meet them than looking up from the floor after another attempt to immolate myself. Gotta love that word, immolate, I learned it from Mr Spock in that Star Trek Episode in which these 2 planets where fighting their war by computer, and if your town got "hit" you had to report to this place to get vaporized.
Am I really the only Original Trekkie in the Cosmos who really digs "Enterprise"?? Just when those idjuts decided to cancel the Show was around the "Star Trek History of the Future" timeframe of the beginning of the Romulan Wars. geeeeesh why did DS9 have all the glory, with The Dominion Wars?
Have I actually heard some say that they are getting burned out on all things Star Trek? Huh? For a True Trekkie, well, that's like looking for a woman who says "No, thank you, I've had enough chocolate, I really don't want another pair of shoes, I have all the handbags I need" !!
I just watched the DVD "Snakes on a Plane", loved the movie. It got me to thinking, all those things that law abiding AirLine Passengers are NOT allowed to carry on board are the very things that could have killed many of those snakes! Like, my aerosol can of hairspray and a Bic Lighter. Or, how about a few bottles of cologne, that would mess up those snakes' sense of smell for those pheromones. Pepper Spray?? Yup, our GuvMint forbids us law abiding folks from carrying around things, stuff, we can defend ourselves with, so only the Bad Guys have 'em! UH, Hello?
Oh, in case you're worried about my family getting pissed off because I am venting on this very public forum, don't. They never read my Blogs, never even read or contribute to the Family Home Page and Web Site I had set up so we could communicate.
Yup, it is true that sometimes the Best Family is the Friends you choose :D
yaaawwwnn time for my midnight snack then beddy by.
Next post will be Adventures in Slogging Through Get Paid to Take Surveys!!
So have a good day Webdings laugh alot decodethis if youcan!
Pebble (remember the contest to name the baby of Fred and Wilma Flintstone?)
Folks just don't bother to say "Thank you" these days (oh Lawdy have Mercy am I channeling that old fart from 60 Minutes?)
As you may or may not know, I am certified Crazy. I find that rather "freeing". I mean, now when I say what ever pops into my head, however looney it sounds, friends and relatives just give that insincere I-Hope_she_isn't_going_ to Explode_a_Spleen look :D As RockHound said in the movie "Armageddon" "Embrace the insanity"!
So, I see my Psychiatrist the other day. We chat a bit. He asks me why do I think I'm doing the things I'm doing. DUH? I look this guy in the eye, I put on my best Madelyn Kahn Imitation and I say, "You went to Standford on a I-got-more-brains-than-god Scholarship, ditto George Mason, you been in this gig for 25 years, and YOU'RE asking ME?"!! I think that every time a Shrink or Therapist asks you that question, you know, "...what do you think about...." you should respond with, "MY fee is double whatever YOUR fee is, for answering questions" ROFLMAO!!
It is true that the EMTs and Firemen in this town are handsome hunks, but I gotta think of a better way to meet them than looking up from the floor after another attempt to immolate myself. Gotta love that word, immolate, I learned it from Mr Spock in that Star Trek Episode in which these 2 planets where fighting their war by computer, and if your town got "hit" you had to report to this place to get vaporized.
Am I really the only Original Trekkie in the Cosmos who really digs "Enterprise"?? Just when those idjuts decided to cancel the Show was around the "Star Trek History of the Future" timeframe of the beginning of the Romulan Wars. geeeeesh why did DS9 have all the glory, with The Dominion Wars?
Have I actually heard some say that they are getting burned out on all things Star Trek? Huh? For a True Trekkie, well, that's like looking for a woman who says "No, thank you, I've had enough chocolate, I really don't want another pair of shoes, I have all the handbags I need" !!
I just watched the DVD "Snakes on a Plane", loved the movie. It got me to thinking, all those things that law abiding AirLine Passengers are NOT allowed to carry on board are the very things that could have killed many of those snakes! Like, my aerosol can of hairspray and a Bic Lighter. Or, how about a few bottles of cologne, that would mess up those snakes' sense of smell for those pheromones. Pepper Spray?? Yup, our GuvMint forbids us law abiding folks from carrying around things, stuff, we can defend ourselves with, so only the Bad Guys have 'em! UH, Hello?
Oh, in case you're worried about my family getting pissed off because I am venting on this very public forum, don't. They never read my Blogs, never even read or contribute to the Family Home Page and Web Site I had set up so we could communicate.
Yup, it is true that sometimes the Best Family is the Friends you choose :D
yaaawwwnn time for my midnight snack then beddy by.
Next post will be Adventures in Slogging Through Get Paid to Take Surveys!!
So have a good day Webdings laugh alot decodethis if youcan!
Pebble (remember the contest to name the baby of Fred and Wilma Flintstone?)
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
A Dear Friend Crosses the Veil
A Dear Friend, ten years younger than me, crosses the Veil. Here is the Obituary:
Senior Master Sergeant Severino L. (Noel) Reyes, died peacefully, under medical care, June 07, 2007. Visitation will be Sunday from 2:00-6:00 pm followed by a wake service from 6:00 to 7:00 pm at Northís Memorial Chapel; 242 Orange St. Services will be held Monday, June 11, 2007 at 2:00 pm at the Holy Family Catholic Church on Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene under the direction of North's Funeral Home. Noel was born February 11th 1961 in Quezon City, Philippines to Filomena and Pedro Reyes. He and his wife Janet M. Reyes were married in Reno NV. on December 29th 1983. An avid and perpetual student, Noel received his Masters in 2004 leaving behind his goal of obtaining a second degree in Information Management. Joining the Air Force in 1988, Noel proudly served the United States for 18 1/2 years on active duty as an Aircraft Maintainer, most recently serving as the Maintenance Operations Flight Superintendent in the 317th Air Group, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. Noel is remembered by his passion for outdoor activities, his generous smile, and call to leadership as a mentor whose humble nature offered his Airmen praise and a sense of humility. As a competitive runner Noel had planned to run in the 11th annual Air Force Marathon in September. His love for music led him to sing in the Holy Family Choir for nine oíclock mass each Sunday. He is survived by his wife Janet, his step-son Miguel (Shahla) Rivera, San Diego, CA; his mother Filomena Reyes, Antipolo, Philippines; his brother Daniel (Annette) Reyes and their children Cameron and Olivia Orange County, CA; his brother Benjamin (Carina) Reyes and their daughters Eena and Keesha, Antipolo, Philippines; his brother Rolando (Susan) Reyes and their children Isabella and Jonah, Sun Valley, CA; his brother Rafael (Grace) Reyes and their daughter Sophia, Antipolo, Philippines; and his sister Maria Gracia Reyes, Antipolo, Philippines. He was preceded in death by his father Pedro Ongpin Reyes. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Air Force Aid Society by mail at The Air Force Aid Society, Inc.Suite 202241 18th Street, South Arlington, VA 22202 or by visiting www.AFAS.org The family wishes to extend a special thank you to the staff at Hendrick Medical Center Critical Care Unit and Hendrick Hospice Care Unit for their loving care and attention.
When Jan and Noel, AKA "Janoel" were here in Alaska, we sang together in the Choir of Saint Patrick's Church. They are (I refuse to say "were") a wonderful couple, always cheerful and helpful. Noel has a resonant bass voice that is surely a welcome addition to the Angelic Choir!
Senior Master Sergeant Severino L. (Noel) Reyes, died peacefully, under medical care, June 07, 2007. Visitation will be Sunday from 2:00-6:00 pm followed by a wake service from 6:00 to 7:00 pm at Northís Memorial Chapel; 242 Orange St. Services will be held Monday, June 11, 2007 at 2:00 pm at the Holy Family Catholic Church on Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene under the direction of North's Funeral Home. Noel was born February 11th 1961 in Quezon City, Philippines to Filomena and Pedro Reyes. He and his wife Janet M. Reyes were married in Reno NV. on December 29th 1983. An avid and perpetual student, Noel received his Masters in 2004 leaving behind his goal of obtaining a second degree in Information Management. Joining the Air Force in 1988, Noel proudly served the United States for 18 1/2 years on active duty as an Aircraft Maintainer, most recently serving as the Maintenance Operations Flight Superintendent in the 317th Air Group, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. Noel is remembered by his passion for outdoor activities, his generous smile, and call to leadership as a mentor whose humble nature offered his Airmen praise and a sense of humility. As a competitive runner Noel had planned to run in the 11th annual Air Force Marathon in September. His love for music led him to sing in the Holy Family Choir for nine oíclock mass each Sunday. He is survived by his wife Janet, his step-son Miguel (Shahla) Rivera, San Diego, CA; his mother Filomena Reyes, Antipolo, Philippines; his brother Daniel (Annette) Reyes and their children Cameron and Olivia Orange County, CA; his brother Benjamin (Carina) Reyes and their daughters Eena and Keesha, Antipolo, Philippines; his brother Rolando (Susan) Reyes and their children Isabella and Jonah, Sun Valley, CA; his brother Rafael (Grace) Reyes and their daughter Sophia, Antipolo, Philippines; and his sister Maria Gracia Reyes, Antipolo, Philippines. He was preceded in death by his father Pedro Ongpin Reyes. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Air Force Aid Society by mail at The Air Force Aid Society, Inc.Suite 202241 18th Street, South Arlington, VA 22202 or by visiting www.AFAS.org The family wishes to extend a special thank you to the staff at Hendrick Medical Center Critical Care Unit and Hendrick Hospice Care Unit for their loving care and attention.
When Jan and Noel, AKA "Janoel" were here in Alaska, we sang together in the Choir of Saint Patrick's Church. They are (I refuse to say "were") a wonderful couple, always cheerful and helpful. Noel has a resonant bass voice that is surely a welcome addition to the Angelic Choir!
Friday, May 4, 2007
Happy Friday
I can hear the birds singing, not too far away, but they haven't come to my back deck yet :(
On other news, my son took me to the Mall where we had lunch; Korean dumplings, Sushi and some soup that was spicy and delicious! Then we went to the Aquarium store there in the Mall where my son bought an aquarium set for his Cichlid "Fat Tony" that has been living in a bowl. And he bought for me another gold fish. This one is a beautiful metallic gold Fancy Fan Tail, still on the small side so she wasn't very expensive. Madelyn (the Fan Tail) and Marty (the Bubble Eye) make quite a cute pair! Of course I don't know what sex each really is!
I laughed and remarked to my son, it seemed odd to be lunching on raw fish just before going to buy one for a pet LOL
The Aquarium Store had gotten in some more Bubble Eyes, but they were still "in quarantine" to make sure they were OK before putting them in the Tank to sell. In another 2 weeks or so my son will buy one of those Bubble Eye for me. I think that 3 fish in the Tank will be good.
I watched a movie tonight, "Collateral Damage". Good movie.
Don't know if I'll watch The Kentucky Derby this year. I really loved "Smarty Jones", talk about perfection in horse flesh. Won the first 2 races of The Triple Crown. I watched the video, the close up, on TV of the last race of the Triple Crown and I am convinced that the jockey on "Smarty Jones" was surreptitiously pulling back on the reigns, not flapping them, or whatever the word is, to spur the horse on. And THAT is why Smarty lost x(
And then, last year, that magnificent horse (darn I can't remember it's name) broke it's leg. All that really pisses me off.
On the other hand, it could be fun to watch The Derby this year to see Queen Elizabeth and all the pomp and ceremony that goes along with the Derby, with or without a Royal present. I love that stuff, Pomp and Ceremony and Fancy Hats!
So, when did wealthy parents, of Social Stature, stop teaching Class and Culture to their daughters? I am speaking, of course, of that Gauche Brat Paris Hilton. My gold fish have more Genuine Class than Miss Hilton!
It's bedtime, and let's see what Saturday, May 5th, brings! Cinco de Mayo!
Oh, BTW, May 5 is the one year Anniversary of my divorce. I get to share my Anniversary of Freedom with an entire Nation :D
MaryAlice
On other news, my son took me to the Mall where we had lunch; Korean dumplings, Sushi and some soup that was spicy and delicious! Then we went to the Aquarium store there in the Mall where my son bought an aquarium set for his Cichlid "Fat Tony" that has been living in a bowl. And he bought for me another gold fish. This one is a beautiful metallic gold Fancy Fan Tail, still on the small side so she wasn't very expensive. Madelyn (the Fan Tail) and Marty (the Bubble Eye) make quite a cute pair! Of course I don't know what sex each really is!
I laughed and remarked to my son, it seemed odd to be lunching on raw fish just before going to buy one for a pet LOL
The Aquarium Store had gotten in some more Bubble Eyes, but they were still "in quarantine" to make sure they were OK before putting them in the Tank to sell. In another 2 weeks or so my son will buy one of those Bubble Eye for me. I think that 3 fish in the Tank will be good.
I watched a movie tonight, "Collateral Damage". Good movie.
Don't know if I'll watch The Kentucky Derby this year. I really loved "Smarty Jones", talk about perfection in horse flesh. Won the first 2 races of The Triple Crown. I watched the video, the close up, on TV of the last race of the Triple Crown and I am convinced that the jockey on "Smarty Jones" was surreptitiously pulling back on the reigns, not flapping them, or whatever the word is, to spur the horse on. And THAT is why Smarty lost x(
And then, last year, that magnificent horse (darn I can't remember it's name) broke it's leg. All that really pisses me off.
On the other hand, it could be fun to watch The Derby this year to see Queen Elizabeth and all the pomp and ceremony that goes along with the Derby, with or without a Royal present. I love that stuff, Pomp and Ceremony and Fancy Hats!
So, when did wealthy parents, of Social Stature, stop teaching Class and Culture to their daughters? I am speaking, of course, of that Gauche Brat Paris Hilton. My gold fish have more Genuine Class than Miss Hilton!
It's bedtime, and let's see what Saturday, May 5th, brings! Cinco de Mayo!
Oh, BTW, May 5 is the one year Anniversary of my divorce. I get to share my Anniversary of Freedom with an entire Nation :D
MaryAlice
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Where are my little birds?
Last Summer I nailed a bird feeder to my back deck, and they all came, uh, pardon the expression, flocking: chickadees, redpoles, nuthatches, even Steller Jays. But, this Spring, my back deck is very quiet :( I put all their favorite seeds in the feeder, no predators, such as cats, can get up here, so, where are my wild, winged friends?
We've been hearing in the news about bees disappearing.
This morning I heard no cheerful wake up songs and even now, they are nowhere to be seen.
I am worried. What could this mean? Impending mondo earthquake? Massive Solar flare?
I am telling you, this is just not natural that the little wild birds that loved "Chez Chickadee" all last summer and thru the Winter, are not here now.
We've been hearing in the news about bees disappearing.
This morning I heard no cheerful wake up songs and even now, they are nowhere to be seen.
I am worried. What could this mean? Impending mondo earthquake? Massive Solar flare?
I am telling you, this is just not natural that the little wild birds that loved "Chez Chickadee" all last summer and thru the Winter, are not here now.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Spring is here
Our days are warming up to the 50's, people are cleaning up their yards and the City has "Free Dump Days". SkiJor Teams go out to the trails to clean up the dog poop from a Winter of cross country skiing the trails with their dogs. Everybody in Anchorage gets in on the Spring Clean up: Scouts, families, Rotary, Corporate Managers!
You get a bright orange vest, a stash of bright orange heavy duty trash bags, all from the Municipality. Then you and your group go along the roads, the highways, the neighborhoods to pick up the trash. Just leave those filled bags along the roadside and the Municipality picks them up.
Really gives us a sense of Community here in Alaska. There's none of "....well that's not my job" when it comes to taking care of our beautiful City and our Wondrous State.
Today is a gloomy Spring day, maybe it will rain and wash away the soot and sand of Winter.
My hurtin' body sure tells me that the Weather is changing. Gardeners, who started their plants, flowers, vegies, indoors from seed, are beginning to set them out during the day to harden them off.
The general rule of thumb for planting is: the end of May or when the leaves on the Birch trees are the size of mouses ears!
There are mostly pussy willows along the back of where I live, and the soft little kittens are on the trees now. :)
Lunch time! L8TR G8TR
You get a bright orange vest, a stash of bright orange heavy duty trash bags, all from the Municipality. Then you and your group go along the roads, the highways, the neighborhoods to pick up the trash. Just leave those filled bags along the roadside and the Municipality picks them up.
Really gives us a sense of Community here in Alaska. There's none of "....well that's not my job" when it comes to taking care of our beautiful City and our Wondrous State.
Today is a gloomy Spring day, maybe it will rain and wash away the soot and sand of Winter.
My hurtin' body sure tells me that the Weather is changing. Gardeners, who started their plants, flowers, vegies, indoors from seed, are beginning to set them out during the day to harden them off.
The general rule of thumb for planting is: the end of May or when the leaves on the Birch trees are the size of mouses ears!
There are mostly pussy willows along the back of where I live, and the soft little kittens are on the trees now. :)
Lunch time! L8TR G8TR
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Pebble Mine Project
One hot topic around all of Alaska is The Pebble Mine Project.
Anti-Pebble Pollster Releases Poll Showing 79% Statewide Support For Pebble
ANCHORAGE—A statewide poll conducted for the Alaska House Finance Committee shows that 78.8% of Alaskans support moving forward with environmental studies to determine whether the Pebble Project should be developed. Hellenthal and Associates, which also is the Alaska polling firm of record for the highly visible, anti-Pebble Renewable Resources Coalition, interviewed 403 Alaskans for the survey, asking questions that ranged from budget priorities to state ownership of an Alaska gas pipeline.
Included in the survey was a question asking respondents if they favored or opposed “going forward with environmental impact studies for the proposed Pebble Mine to determine whether or not the mine could be developed in a responsible manner.” Only 19% of those interviewed opposed the project moving forward, while 2.6% were undecided with respect to Pebble.
Truth About Pebble
Is another link to give more details about the Project.
In a nutshell, a Canadian Mining Company has found an area, a very large area, with Highly Profitable Deposits of gold, silver, and other precious "Noble Metals". Now, this area is very near a pristine Fishing Lodge, with wondrous views, This IS an area of Alaska that is, unlike the Tundra Moonscape of the area of ANWAR under which the oil deposits lay, beautiful, with abundant wildlife, flora, crystal clear streams....you get the picture (I hope).
I am confused. The area of ANWAR that the Oil Companies want to use and drill is, truly a Tundra Moonscape. The "footprint" would be tiny. Nobody lives there, no body would want to live there because it is desolate. The "Urban Sprawl" argument is downright ludicrous. Yet Democrats and Liberals and Greenies are screaming Bloody Murder about any drilling there.
"The Pebble Mine Project" however will be located in an area of Alaska that, well, to be succinct, SHOULD have Democrats and Liberals and Greenies screaming "Bloody Murder". Why aren't they?
MaryAlice
Anti-Pebble Pollster Releases Poll Showing 79% Statewide Support For Pebble
ANCHORAGE—A statewide poll conducted for the Alaska House Finance Committee shows that 78.8% of Alaskans support moving forward with environmental studies to determine whether the Pebble Project should be developed. Hellenthal and Associates, which also is the Alaska polling firm of record for the highly visible, anti-Pebble Renewable Resources Coalition, interviewed 403 Alaskans for the survey, asking questions that ranged from budget priorities to state ownership of an Alaska gas pipeline.
Included in the survey was a question asking respondents if they favored or opposed “going forward with environmental impact studies for the proposed Pebble Mine to determine whether or not the mine could be developed in a responsible manner.” Only 19% of those interviewed opposed the project moving forward, while 2.6% were undecided with respect to Pebble.
Truth About Pebble
Is another link to give more details about the Project.
In a nutshell, a Canadian Mining Company has found an area, a very large area, with Highly Profitable Deposits of gold, silver, and other precious "Noble Metals". Now, this area is very near a pristine Fishing Lodge, with wondrous views, This IS an area of Alaska that is, unlike the Tundra Moonscape of the area of ANWAR under which the oil deposits lay, beautiful, with abundant wildlife, flora, crystal clear streams....you get the picture (I hope).
I am confused. The area of ANWAR that the Oil Companies want to use and drill is, truly a Tundra Moonscape. The "footprint" would be tiny. Nobody lives there, no body would want to live there because it is desolate. The "Urban Sprawl" argument is downright ludicrous. Yet Democrats and Liberals and Greenies are screaming Bloody Murder about any drilling there.
"The Pebble Mine Project" however will be located in an area of Alaska that, well, to be succinct, SHOULD have Democrats and Liberals and Greenies screaming "Bloody Murder". Why aren't they?
MaryAlice
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