Hello? Anybody home? Is this community inactive now or what? Lets get it goin people!
-Sophia, Juneau

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X-Mass in Alaska
So it's been a good few years since I touched upon the LJ thing.
Figured this wouldn't be a bad spot to post up that I am returning home to Alaska for X-Mass this year.
I haven't been back home since July 2007. All my time has been spent living in Portland, Oregon since X-Mass 2006.
It'll be nice to come back to the land of ice and snow :D

YAY!!
-me.

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Cell Coverage in Alaska
Hi everyone! We're moving to Anchorage next summer and I have a few questions...

We both currently have Verizon cell phones. Their website claims they have no coverage in Alaska, but other sources say they have cell coverage but no stores... Is that true? Any successful Verizon users? Or do we need to switch carriers?

Also, what bank does everyone use? Google searches have given me a few leads, but personal recommendations are always nice.

Thanks! :)

~Kay

x-posted to anchoragelife

Current Mood: chipper

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Moving to Anchorage!
Hi everyone!

I'm a current Pennsylvanian moving to Anchorage next August with my husband (who is FINALLY graduating with his PhD). We're both really really excited... When my hubs was offered a job, we were given a choice between Anchorage and Houston, TX. Coming from PA, with nice falls and winters, Houston is extremely depressing... So we were super pumped about Alaska!

We've been doing some research, since neither of us have been there yet, but I know you can't really know something until you go! Does anyone have any suggestions for places we need to go or restaurants we need to try? We'll be up some time in the spring for house hunting and want to do as much as we can!

Also, telling people that you're moving to Alaska has been pretty amusing so far... All the outdoorsy, hunters think it sounds really awesome but all the wimpy city people think it sounds awful :P

~K

Current Mood: excited

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Fairbanks

Gas below four dollars this morning! Woo-hoo!

Posted via LiveJournal app for Android.

Current Mood: awake

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Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue will be having two adoption clinics this Saturday- one in Anchorage at the Pet Zoo off of Dimond, and another at our office in Palmer.
We have a whole bunch of great dogs looking for their forever homes!

For more info, or to get directions, call (907) 745-7030 or check out our website.

Current Mood: cheerful

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Plowing
Anyone know of someone in the Fairbanks area who can plow steepish driveways slightly out of town?

Posted via LjBeetle

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So, gas is back up to $4 a gallon in Homer. Instead of getting mad about it (which seems a silly thing to do considering how little I can effect the problem) I came up with an idea. What if, instead of taxes, we had the oil guys build us an Alaska-use-only refinery? It seems silly to pay so much for what gets pulled out of our back yards.

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Wipe Them Out - ALL of Them
Some of you Alaskans may already know this:  booted windshield wiper blades are pieces of shit.

They are better than the typical, stock blades but not by much.  As an OCD clean freak of windows, the best things I've found, so far, is the mono blade type wipers.  They aren't rigid and adhere to it's own wiper path but rather hug and couture against the glass.  Why this works better is with booted blades, water/ice can get in the boot and cause rigidty in the blades producing an inconsistent wipe where the tops and/or bottoms of the blades clean but the middle is pure shit.  Since the mono blade (I can't remember just what they are called) is really a solid strip, blade and not much else, it prevents this from happening as well as hugging your glass, giving you a good wipe.

Couple those with de-icing washer fluid and you're pretty squeaky clean, even with a lot of frost.  Of course this isn't going to prevent you from not having to scrape your ice all the times but it helps.  I hope it helps you.

x-posted to midoriotoko 

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Political Musings
I'm not a social beast who roams Alaska's more crowded haunts so I'm not sure how most Alaskan's feel about the more recent political things stirring in the world related to things Sara Palin.  I know for some of you the mention of her name may make you cringe and for others it may make you cheer.

Personally, I like her.  I don't know her personally but outside of politics she seems fairly likable although her nasal pronunciation of Alaska which is uttered every 2 minutes can grate on my nerves.  I liked her show that was on recently and thought it probably does a good job of showing some of the real parts of Alaska outside of ice roads and dangerous catches.  Do I think she's presidential material?  No. 

Honestly, I don't see anyone in the political arena being a good president except perhaps Ron Paul.  As with Paul, I don't think he would be effective since he is more neutral and not so party motivated.

So, what do you feel about Sara Palin?  Also, what do you think about the upcoming presidential candidates (even though most haven't thrown their hats in)?

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Alaska Jobs
Any suggestions on where to look for employment with non-profits or government agencies? I have been looking on Craigslist but am sure some folks in here might have some leads or ideas.

Any websites/resources you would suggest?

Thanks!

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a quick question for the mods
Like many of us Alaskans, I have and use a wood stove. It's got a glass window, and gets all sooty. I found a cleaner that takes it off like a charm, but I wanted to ask the mods before I plugged something.

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Hanukkah in Alaska?
Not many Jews on LJ in Alaska I would imagine, but if there are any attached to this community, do you have any Alaska oriented Hanukkah traditions?

It's not an Alaskan tradition, since I've been doing this before I moved here, but it's fairly fitting:

Sing Hava Nagila and do shooters of tequila but change the chorus to Hava Tequila!

And now you'll think differently about that song.

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Bristol Bay - National Geographic
Bristol Bay is featured in this month's issue of National Geographic Magazine. The article reflects on the Pebble Mine and the sockeye salmon fishery there. There's some beautiful photos on their Web site too.

Article:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/12/bristol-bay/dobb-text/1

Photos:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/12/bristol-bay/melford-photography

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The Iceman giveth...
...but he hasn't taketh away.  Looks like tomorrow (Tuesday) is going to be another ice skating party in our cars.  The schools are closed for Anchorage and no doubt there will still be some people who will want to get to work at lightspeed - so please be careful (as if you weren't going to be already).

Speaking of nasty weather, I've only been here 2+ years now and what I saw today was probably the nastiest black ice I've seen yet.  It was hard to tell if there was even ice out there.  As if that wasn't bad enough, my wife didn't answer her cell phone for 1.5 hours since she went to work.  Cheese n' rice.  At least I can get blitzed in a few more days. 

Happy skating!

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Alaska or not to Alaska
Forgive the last night ramblings:

Do you prefer AK or Alaska in conversation?

Do you or someone you know refer to themselves or another Alaskan as something with AK in it?  For example: AKMooseBuster

When you visit in the lower 48, are you referred to in a somewhat mythical context?  Do you have people ask you the dumbest shit like do you ride a moose to school/work or "Gee it must really be tough having to ride with them ice road truckers huh?"

Have you ever seen Team America: World Police and changed the theme lyrics to "Alaska, F**k Yeah!"?

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Weather or not you like polls...

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When the fair tramples on free speech
...and is assaults those who pay exorbitant amounts to get in.



Lyndon LaRouche is a racist douche bag, and this protester is an ignorant tool trying to be provocative. But his rights were violated, and I'm not going to support the fair with my money when they trample on the rights (and backs) of Alaskans. Security was more inflammatory than his idiotic banner, and everyone should see this video.

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Tire(d) Question
I've been in Anchorage for a couple of years now and my studded tires are still in good shape except for the studs themselves. I've never had tires restudded before and I am wondering if it isn't cheaper to just buy a new set. Any thoughts and/or suggestions?

They are truck type tires(Nissan Xterra), Hankook's, which I got for $100 a piece (new). Treadwear is excellent but my Xterra is not 4 wheel drive and it's a rear wheel type vehicle so I need the traction.

I've also thought about getting a good all season (at least for Alaska) tire that I can keep on all year long but am unsure with my current vehicle if this would give me less traction than the studded tires (we get mostly ice here in Anchorage).

Thanks in advance!

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RIP, ted stevens.

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