Inktrails from Alaska

Alaskans! Stop the Daylight "Savings" Time Madness!

This first Monday of DST I'm now getting up in the dark. I've been there. Done that. Am tired of it. I've had enough dark, thank you very much. All winter I've been getting up in the dark. I don't need to sacrifice my daylight for Daylight "Savings" Time.

The benefits of DST are often said to save energy and money. Not in Alaska. It's cold. I have to start my car up (after plugging in in for at least a few hours) when it is cold, before the day warms up, which wastes energy, big time. I have to turn on lights to see what I'm doing. Instead of being a big boon, it's a big pain in the ass.

Light is coming back at a rate of 7 minutes per day. By June 21st we'll have nearly 24 hours of daylight. We don't need DST. It doesn't make sense here.

During the winter it gets dark, and we lose light until we have only around 2 1/2 hours of official daylight a a day. Changing the time isn't going to make the sun shine longer.

Some small group of business people feel disadvantaged because of our time zone, and want DST to make their contacts with the Lower 48 work better with their schedules. Look folks, we all live in this time zone. Grow up. If you need to call the East Coast by a certain time then you get up and make sure you call them by the required time. If you can't deal with that, then maybe you need to move back to the Lower 48. 

When I have had to call Ireland I get up early and make the call. That's an eight hour difference. I'm sure you folks can handle a four hour difference.

When DST was invented there was no internet. Communications now are cheap and easily accomplished even with most cell phones. There is no reason for every citizen of Alaska to suffer because some business person can't get it together to call Outside at the right time.

I urge everyone to call their representatives and ask them to stop this madness. Watch this space for a petition.

Marijuana a "Performance-enchancing" Drug? Get Real!

Iditarod Launches Drug Testing of Mushers

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Every human competitor now running the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race will be tested for alcohol and illegal drugs on the trail for the first time in the history of the 1,100-mile race - a change defending champion Lance Mackey believes is directed at him.

"I know for a fact," said the three-time winner.

Mackey, who has been open about using medical marijuana on the trail, on Tuesday was among the early front-runners in the race, which began with 71 teams Sunday in Willow. (Please click on the link to read the whole article.)

Mackey Seeks 4th Win in Iditarod Sled Dog Race

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Both knees are shot, injected with synthetic cartilage until he can have surgery next summer. His right arm is still healing from a major operation to fix a staph infection. He continues to deal with other side effects of cancer. (Please click link above to read entire article.)

If anyone has a use for medical marijuana it's Lance Mackey. He's a certified, card-carrying user of the same, and with good reason: he's a cancer survivor. If it were me with all the physical issues he has right now, I'd be home eating popcorn and watching movies. But Mackey is a doer, not a watcher. Even though he is allowed to take his cancer pills, which contain the active ingredient in marijuana, he isn't going to. He says he can't take the chance. I agree.There would be no way for the drug testers to distinguish between the pills and actual marijuana use, even though it's legal for Mackey to use marijuana.

From what I can tell the Iditarod is one mean, nasty, cut-throat race, where people lie and connive to get others thrown out of the race. I've seen it in years previous and I'm sure we'll see it again. Four mushers have complained that Mackey's use of marijuana gives him an edge. Right. Marijuana, it just makes you super strong and fearless, able to stay awake for hours on end, right? Yeah, right. You can go for extended periods of punishing physical activity with marijuana, right? It's laughable!

How many people do you know who use marijuana so they can sleep at night? So that they can deal with the nausea caused by cancer drugs? How about ADD people who self-medicate with marijuana so that they can stop being so hyper?

How many people know guys who still live in their parents' basement and smoke dope and watch video games in between shifts at the nearest convenience store? I mean honestly, marijuana is the most NON-performance-enhancing drug of them all! It's the most non-motivating, pro-layabout drug. Come on, Iditarod folks, this is a joke.

The rules for the Iditarod state that mushers will be tested for illegal drugs. But Mackey's use of marijuana is legal.

The whole thing just stinks. And I applaud Lance Mackey for being an incredibly persistent person who is rolling with the punches with so much more amiability than I would have in his circumstances.

What The Dogs Have Been Up To

Nothing really exciting. But they enjoy themselves. Ole managed to snork up my peanutbutter and jelly sandwich today right off my desk while my back was turned. I was only out of site of the sandwich for about 5 seconds. Gone. There was no evidence except one tiny splotch of pb&j on the floor, and some lip licking. Sofie respects my boundaries. She'd NEVER eat my food no matter where I left it. But Ole will eat it any time he can. Heck, Ole will eat some things that aren't even food!

So here are a few pictures of what less exciting things (than food stealing) the dogs have been up to.

First, going to work with me daily and hanging out in the studio:

Sofie doing her coyote imitation.

 

Moose antler bliss!

 

Ole, Mr. Casual.