Moon

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Alaska Newspapers Inc, Phooey On You!

We basically only have one paper that covers this region, The Arctic Sounder, owned by Alaska Newspapers, INC. It sells at the store once a week for $1. You used to have the option to read it on their website for free in PDF form, so basically it was just like reading the actual paper, pictures and all, except that it's electronic and free.

So last October, they decided that they were no longer going to offer the PDF Version for free, but will soon be offered again for paid subscription. I'm sure they were probably losing money on the deal, because frankly the paper is not worth $1.


I guess they figured that doing this would force people into having to actually buy it instead. You know what? I have not bought one single paper since this has happened....except for the last time they had one of my photos in it. Why would I want to buy a paper that has hardly anything relevant to our region in it? Really, it should be called the Barrow Sounder.

I know a person who complained about the lack of Kotz content and she was told that if she would like to improve content she should submit some articles. Wait a minute....Alaska Newspapers EMPLOYS a reporter for the Kotzebue region who is PAID to take photos and write articles. The problem is that AK Newspapers, cuz they are cheap bastards for whatever reason , has decided that it is not necessary to have this reporter stationed in Kotzebue. I can't lay the blame on the reporter, after all how effective is it to have a reporter living 550 miles away from the area they cover? I don't mind sending them some photos every now and then so there is at least SOMETHING in the paper from Kotzebue, but I sure as heck don't get PAID for the time and effort I put into the stuff I contribute.

So you know what, Alaska Newspapers, INC. Your lucky there are people like us, here and in Barrow, that are willing to take your photos and write your stories, because if you had to depend only on your ""Hired Help" your paper would be skinnier than it already is.

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Sun

taken 1/2/09 3:15-3:20pm

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Nose Bidet Anyone??

"What the heck is a nettie-pot?" my mom asks me.

"A what...I have no idea what you are talking about." I tell her.

"You know, on your nasal spray post, some guy suggested you try a nettie-pot" She said.

"I dunno" I replied, "I guess I'll google it". I said.

Well let me tell you my friends, this...........




.....a Neti Pot!

What the heck? Does anyone else find this photo...well...a tad disturbing? And people make fun of ME about my nasal spray. I was freaked out. And then I burst into fits of hysterical laughter. And then I squinted at the photo and thought "OMG, is that water going up one nostril and out the other?!?!?!" So back to google I went. I googled "neti pot" and then clicked the images button. Holy cow! The water DOES go in one nostril and out the other! Does that freak out anyone else besides me? Kind of like that kid in the middle school cafeteria who used to snort spaghetti noodles up his nose and cough it up through his mouth.

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Confession

I'm all about keeping it real, so I have a confession to make. I suffer from rhinitis medicamentosa. In layman's terms that means I am a nasal spray junkie.

Don't laugh, I'm serious. I think my office mates are contemplating an intervention. I can't stand it when my nose is plugged and now I have spiraled into the abyss of nose spray hell. It is the monkey on my back.

I have nasal spray in the living room, in my backpack, on the night stand by my bed, and on in my desk at work. One time I was at the airport in Anchorage headed back to Kotzebue and I realized that I had left my nasal spray in the hotel. I thought I could hack it, after all we would be in Kotzebue in a couple hours....but all I could think about was my stuffed up nose. I lasted for about 15 minutes before I was desperate. I headed to the EuroCafe praying that they had some. Much to my relief they had a Afrin. I'm so pathetic that I didn't even bat an eyelash at the fact that it cost $13 for that tiny little bottle.

It's a very sad thing.

By the way....the first person who can tell me what movie that picture comes from wins a prize :)

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Eyeball Steaming Cold.

It's a bit chilly out today. Even the dogs don't want to go outside. Yeah I know, it's colder in other parts of Alaska, -39F in Fairbanks, -49F in McGrath, -58F (-58C)in Fort Yukon. I've lived in Alaska for a while now and have experienced many temperatures between 100F and -56F and I can say this....once you hit -31F (-35C) it's all just friggin' cold.

One time I was staying out at camp on the Noatak River. The temp never went above -56 for 3 days or -40 for the next 5 days after that. I was standing outside watching my breath billow out of my mouth. If you breath through your nose at that temp your nostrils will stick together. I held my breath but I could still see steam coming from my face, so I thought that maybe it was coming from my nose. I covered my nose and my mouth but I could still see steam. It was then that I realized it was my eyeballs that were steaming.

How to Make Pickled Beluga

A while back I posted a photo of some pickled beluga muktuk that a friend was selling at one of the craft bazaars. I love pickled beluga and I had some beluga in the freezer so I thought I would make some. I thought maybe one or two of you might be curious how it's made.



Start out by boiling your pieces of muktuk. I boiled mine for about 35 minutes or so. The best way to tell if it is done is to stab it with a knife. If the knife goes through pretty easily then it is done.




Next you dump it out into the sink. Rinse it off with hot water and then leave it there too cool off for a while.




While the muktuk is cooling you can cut up some carrots and onions...




and cauliflower and jalapenos.




Cut the beluga into bite size pieces.




When pickling things like beluga, salmon or herring I use a 1:1 ratio of vinegar and water. More vinegar than that has a tendency to make things mushy.




I don't do anything special to the brine like boil it or add sugar. I just layer all the ingredients including the pickling spice into the jar and then pour the vinegar and water mixture over it until it is covered. Then you cap the jars and put it in the fridge. After it sits for a couple days it's ready to eat.





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Noatak 120 Final

1. John Baker- 13 hours, 49 minutes, 35 seconds.

2. Ed Iten- 13 hours, 50 minutes, 8 seconds.

3. Quin Iten- 14 hours, 16 minutes, 9 seconds.

4. Keith (or is it Heath?)Caro- 14 hours, 16 minutes, 51 seconds.

5. Robert Nelson- 15 hours, 30 minutes, 11 seconds.

6. Darin Nelson- 15 hours, 37 minutes, 6 seconds.

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Kaija and Rush

This is Rush. My loveable, sweet, cognitively impaired, spotty mutt. He doesn't have a mean bone in his body. He would let Hannibal Lector in the house and hope he had something to eat. He is six and a half months old.




This is his "Food! Food! Food! FOOOOOOOD!!!!" face. There is not a moment in the day that goes by when he doesn't think that he is starving to death.




This is Kaija the Karelian Bear Dog. Guard dog extraordinaire. Vanquisher of Mice. She's my girl. Isn't she pretty? She is smart... oh yes she is...she's my smarty girl...woogie woogie woogie...errr...*cough*...anyway. Kaija will be 2 years old at the end of January.




Rush loves Kaija.




Kaija likes to bite Rush's legs, chew on his collar and steal his toys....but other than that she loves him.





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Happy New Year!

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