Note to our governors: Alaskans Come First

 

Note to our governors: Alaskans come first

WALLY HICKEL
COMMENT

Published: July 25th, 2009 05:13 PM
Last Modified: July 25th, 2009 05:13 PM

As Sean Parnell is sworn in today as governor, all Alaskans should wish him well. He has much on his shoulders that can determine the success or failure of Alaska's economy and our quality of life for years to come.

He has announced plans to run for election in his own right next year, and a dozen others are eyeing the job. In the year ahead, it will be up to the Alaska people to decide who is best qualified.

During nearly 60 years of involvement in Alaska politics, I have observed those who wanted to "be Governor" and those who wanted to "do Governor." Some seek the job for personal benefit; others to provide leadership. There's a big difference.

To judge the most qualified, Alaskans have a road map in our constitution. Unlike most U.S. governors, our governor has extraordinary powers including the appointment of all cabinet officers, judges, boards and commissions and the line item veto to edit state spending.

If the Alaska economy is to prosper, our governor can't just be a politician. He or she must be a leader and must govern Alaska not as another state of the union but as an Owner State. That, too, is rooted in our constitution.

In a keynote address to the Constitutional Convention in 1955, Bob Bartlett, Alaska's delegate to Congress, focused the 55 convention delegates on the need to incorporate in our constitution how to make Alaska economically successful and sustainable.

He told the delegates that if we succeeded in winning 100 million acres in the Alaska Statehood Act (a fight I took on starting in 1952), our constitution must address how to manage and protect those lands and resources.

He warned against two kinds of resource exploitation from Outside: (1) corporations that come, take and leave nothing for the Alaska people, and (2) those who lock up our resources so as not to compete with their holdings elsewhere.

These sobering comments prompted the delegates to write a remarkable Natural Resources Title (Article VIII), the only one like it in the nation. It mandates that the Alaska government must develop and conserve our lands and resources for the "maximum benefit of its people."

In so doing, they created the foundation for our Owner State, a rare combination of commonly owned lands and resources and a democratic political system. And they made it abundantly clear that our governor is pivotal to its success.

As you listen to the candidates in next year's election, don't buy the slogans from the South 48 that don't apply here.

The most important economic issue will be how to get our North Slope natural gas to market. Those candidates who campaign for a "private sector project" have fallen in a trap. That's the last thing we need.

Corporations have their own constituencies, their stockholders. That doesn't make them bad. It's the way business works. But Alaska's governor must ensure that our people are the beneficiaries and must not let the private sector determine our fate.

I had to face this in the 1960s. The oil industry was pulling out of the North Slope when I was elected governor in 1966. I had to force Atlantic Richfield to drill at Prudhoe Bay when they told me they were leaving. "You drill or I will," I warned.

My trump card was the Alaska Constitution: "It's our land and our oil," I explained.

And as interior secretary in 1970 I told Humble Oil (Exxon) that I would tell the American people they were planning to torpedo the trans-Alaska pipeline for their own corporate interest. Our country desperately needed energy and jobs, and the public outrage would have been intense. In both cases, the companies changed course. It was my job to make sure they made decisions that would benefit the needs of the people and not just the bottom line.

With that kind of understanding and intervention both Gov. Parnell and those who follow can truly be successful as governors of our Owner State.
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Walter J. Hickel served as governor of Alaska from 1966-1968 and from 1990-1994 and as U.S. secretary of the Interior from 1969-1970. Founder of the Institute of the North, his latest book is "Crisis in the Commons: the Alaska Solution." He can be reached at wjhickel@gci.net..

CoastZone - Alien Abduction & EMP Attacks

July 14, 2009          www.coasttocoastam.com

	Streamlink Audio
	Alien Abduction:   In the first half of Monday's show, abduction investigator Budd Hopkins discussed his new memoir, in which he explores his life as an artist, and as a pioneer in the field of UFO research. During his decades long investigations, he mentored both David Jacobs and John Mack, who took divergent views on the alien presence. Hopkins said abduction cases suggest a physical reality, with people having scoop marks where the aliens have taken skin samples. Often times abductees report missing time, he detailed, and aliens implant screen memories in them, so people might recall seeing owls, for instance, rather than ETs.
	Hopkins finds it unlikely that the government would be staging abductions, as such ET encounters date back to the 1920's. Describing how alien abductions could be investigated if there were greater resources, he outlined a scenario in which mobile vans could be sent to places where abductions have taken place, to psychologically & medically assist people, and collect evidence. He also commented that efforts to send faxes and communications about UFO/ET issues to congressional representatives are counterproductive, as this generally just leads to humor pieces in the press, rather than the subject being taken seriously.   EMP Attacks: Appearing in the second half of the program, Professor William Forstchen talked about how an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) attack could disable the power grid over large swaths of America. If fission bombs were detonated above the country, a gamma ray burst would trigger an electromagnetic disturbance, knocking out the infrastructure below it, he explained. Such effects have been demonstrated with high altitude nuclear tests such as Starfish Prime, and can be seen on a smaller scale in this video clip showing what happens to a Ford Taurus that gets zapped by EMP... cont.
	Tuesday Bookworm: The recently released Outbreak! The Encyclopedia of Extraordinary Social Behavior collects hundreds of panics, manias and scares over the centuries, such as 1841's Swiss Preaching Epidemic which was marked by country-wide hallucinatory sermonizing. For more, check out this Q & A with the book's co-author, Robert Bartholomew. Today in Strangeness: Though technically still legal tender, the United States withdrew the large denomination bills of $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000  from circulation on July 14, 1969. On this date in 2003, the US government finally admitted the existence of ' Area 51.'   Tonight's Show & Streamlink Chat, Tues. July 14th:   Streamlink members are invited for a Live Chat with George Noory tonight. Stop by the Chat Room at at 8pm PT/11pm ET to join in the fun and get the inside scoop from the man behind the microphone.   Then, on Coast to Coast AM,  filmmaker and paranormal researcher Travis Shortt will discuss his extensive work on Mothman sightings around the world, as well as different cultural/religious interpretations of winged creatures, messengers, and the appearance of other seemingly supernatural entities. Author L.A. Marzulli and filmmaker Charlie McCracken will join in the conversation.

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CoastZone - Lunar & NASA Secrets

July 8, 2009        www.coasttocoastam.com

	Streamlink Audio
	Lunar & NASA Secrets:   On Tuesday's show, C2C science advisor, Richard C. Hoagland discussed how a current NASA return to the Moon has already led to a major new confirmation of the "lunar dome model," and shared evidence for the existence of a "secret space program." As explored in his book Dark Mission, he contended that NASA is actually the originator of Apollo Moon landing hoax theories. They co-opted a fake conspiracy to supplant the real conspiracy-- that there are ancient artifacts on the moon, and that humans are the 'ETs' who have traveled to other planets in the past, he detailed.
	A clandestine group has secret technology such as antigravity and free energy, which has enabled setting up bases on the Moon, Hoagland continued. A recent infrared/thermal photograph of the Moon's south pole taken by NASA's LCROSS spacecraft was leaked, and he suggested that yellow perimeter lines in the image are evidence for huge domes on the lunar surface.   Now that a number of nations are sending craft to the Moon, an upcoming crater impact mission being staged by NASA in October could be an attempt to vaporize artificial domes to cover-up evidence of secret space missions over the last 40 years, Hoagland hypothesized. For more, see Part I of Richard's report, The Smoking Gun?
	Video Fix: SCRATCHbot, a newly developed rescue robot with artificial whiskers, may one day be used to locate survivors of natural disasters or people trapped in buildings. Watch a short video as the rat-like robot feels its way around. Today in Strangeness: On July 8, 1947 the U.S. Army announced it had recovered a crashed flying disc near Roswell, New Mexico. Quickly afterward they retracted the story, and said it was actually a "weather balloon." On this day in 1951, the city of Paris celebrated its 2,000th birthday. Tonight's Show, Wed. July 8th:   Writer and physicist Russell Targ will discuss his history creating the Remote Viewing program at the Stanford Research Institute during the Cold War, as well as his relationships with the late Bobby Fischer and Ayn Rand.

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Iditarod Special Bulletin

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June 26 2009

We Hope You Enjoy The Volunteer Edition of the Iditarod ERunner!

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Friends of Seymour Club Newsletter - Make a Splash

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July 2, 2009 Friends of Seymour Club July Newsletter A monthly newsletter for Alaskans, presented by the Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) and this month's sponsor, the Alaska SeaLife Center. Win an Alaska SeaLife Center Encounter for Two! Take a Quick Quiz Answer three easy questions about the Alaska SeaLife Center by July 28, 2009, and be eligible to win general admission and an Encounter Tour for Two, retail value $198. Choose from Puffin, Octopus or Marine Mammal Encounters. Answers found online at www.alaskasealife.org. Everyone wins with the Alaska SeaLife Center! With an ID and Friends of Seymour (FOS) Club Card, Alaska residents and their visiting friends and relatives (VFRs) receive 50% off admission and tours; not valid with any other discounts or coupons. Advanced reservations recommended on tours. Check out the latest Friends of Seymour Discounts Make a Splash! Finding wilderness by way of water can be a refreshing and exhilarating way to enjoy the dog days of summer. Ranging from the relatively easy-going Matanuska River to the guaranteed-to-get-you-wet Class IV and V rapids of Six-Mile Creek, whitewater rafting is rip-roaring fun for those not afraid to get wet! Kayaking on a glacier-fed lake is another fun adventure, especially at stunning Eklutna Lake where you can arrange to have a bike waiting for the return trip. If floating down a river while staying dry is more your style, take a shorter, smoother ride down Eagle River or canoe among glaciers at Spencer Lake. To discover more on summer fun, explore www.Anchorage.net/summer. Photo Credit: Jody Overstreet Seymour's Tip of the Month Glaciers Galore! Take the Chugach Whistle Stop to remote Spencer Glacier for a recreational experience unlike any other. Enjoy a day of rafting, canoeing, or a narrated 1.3-mile hike with a U.S. Forest Service ranger. Traveling by car? Check out these roadside glaciers. Bear Paw Festival - July 8-12, 2009 Community is at the core of the time-honored Bear Paw Festival, held annually in Eagle River since 1986. Organized by the Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce, the theme for 2009 is "Excali-Bear and the Knights of the Paw." The 5-day Festival promises to be as family friendly as ever with the Teddy Bear Picnic, Carrs Ice Cream Eating Contest, Outhouse Races, Chalk-a-Palooza, Slippery Salmon Olympics and more. The 2009/2010 Friends of Seymour Club is presented in partnership with 26 Glacier Cruise and Phillips Cruises & Tours. Friends of Seymour and Klondike Club Members always receive a 20 percent discount on the regular adult fare. The 26 Glacier Cruise operates daily May through September from Whittier, Alaska aboard the most luxurious high-speed catamaran in Southcentral Alaska. Visit www.26glaciers.com. Congratulations Becky M., winner of the June prize

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Sarah Palin 4th of July post from facebook

Happy 4th of July from Alaska!Share
Today at 3:55pm
On this Independence Day, I am so very proud of all those who have chosen to serve our great nation and I honor their selflessness and the sacrifices of their families, too.

If I may, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the last 24 hours and share my thoughts with you.

First, I want to thank you for your support and hard work on the values we share. Those values led me to the decision my family and I made. Yesterday, my family and I announced a decision that is in Alaska's best interest and it always feels good to do what is right. We have accomplished more during this one term than most governors do in two – and I am proud of the great team that helped to build these wonderful successes. Energy independence and national security, fiscal restraint, smaller government, and local control have been my priorities and will remain my priorities.

For months now, I have consulted with friends and family, and with the Lieutenant Governor, about what is best for our wonderful state. I even made a few administrative changes over that course in time in preparation for yesterday. We have accomplished so much and there's much more to do, but my family and I determined after prayerful consideration that sacrificing my title helps Alaska most. And once I decided not to run for re-election, my decision was that much easier – I've never been one to waste time or resources. Those who know me know this is the right decision and obvious decision at that, including Senator John McCain. I thank him for his kind, insightful comments.

The response in the main stream media has been most predictable, ironic, and as always, detached from the lives of ordinary Americans who are sick of the "politics of personal destruction". How sad that Washington and the media will never understand; it's about country. And though it's honorable for countless others to leave their positions for a higher calling and without finishing a term, of course we know by now, for some reason a different standard applies for the decisions I make. But every American understands what it takes to make a decision because it's right for all, including your family.

I shared with you yesterday my heartfelt and candid reasons for this change; I've never thought I needed a title before one's name to forge progress in America. I am now looking ahead and how we can advance this country together with our values of less government intervention, greater energy independence, stronger national security, and much-needed fiscal restraint. I hope you will join me. Now is the time to rebuild and help our nation achieve greatness!

God bless you! And I look forward to making a difference – with you!

Sarah.

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