Alaska 45-Years Ago

Alaska 45-Years Ago

It was some 45-years ago that the first drop of oil made its way down the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline and wound up in Valdez, a coastal town in Alaska, after an 800-mile long journey. Which meant there were no “Leaks” in that pipeline, yet! That was before the company that managed the “pipeline” went derelict and allowed “Hard Aground” drunk tanker captains to escort that oil “south” to the California refineries. This day also in anniversary announces in infamy the day that Alaska became “rich”, as the oil delivery receipts allowed for a “Royalty” of 18-percent to be captured by the State’s coffers, give or take a few $million$ bucks here and there. Do the math, as the remaining “percent” - what was left over - it made “Big Oil” even “wealthier”. That kind of income can control the political scenery in a state like Alaska. And Alaska went very generous with the pittance it received for its very own “resource ownership”, that which did garnish only “pennies on the dollar”, by allowing a “Permanent Dividend Check” - aka welfare recipient kickback - to become a yearly deposit in every Alaskan resident’s bank account. A practice that continues today. And that giveaway has been going on now for that 45-years and that generosity when adjusted for inflation, it accounts for about a $70-thousand dollar reward for each individual that calls Alaska “home”, for putting up with Sarah Palin for all thum years of Matanuska style Deliverance. Now when you give away $money$, it also calms one’s ambitions to make sure things are done right like in an out-of-sight out-of-mind mandate, like why ruin a good thing when $money$ is the solution. Plus with such a giveaway, more important things to do like a vacation! What I am talking about is the fact that had more Alyeska Pipeline Service Company workers taken the high-road and went not afraid to speak out, that EXXON Valdez would have never been a reality - it would have remained as a table-top “what iff” only scenario “Drill”, just in-case the “worst case” scenario became a reality – it never would have been part of History! Yes, there came a few brave souls that did speak out about the “drunk” tanker captains and crews that would return to the Valdez Marine Terminal after an all-night surrender bender in this once sacred little town, called the “Switzerland of the North”. Yes indeed, furlough binge drinking as their mighty super-tankers were filled to the brim with toxic North Slope crude oil. Drunks, allowed through the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company security – a super secure site - and without any problem get behind the wheel of a tanker destined for, well hitting the best known navigational hazard in Prince William Sound. And because all efforts to arrest this blatant disregard for sober seamanship in concern it was just a matter of time before a DUI would accompany a wreck, well those few workers that did speak out loud to the management, we were soon placed on a “watch list”. It was a “hit list”! As without success in getting the management to do something, it meant those concerned workers turning their efforts to the outside for help. And that outside interest did not mean the State of Alaska “regulators”, as the “oversight police” were also in bed with “Big Oil”. I worked at the Alyeska Marine Terminal during the beginning, and in my position went “mad” that I was called upon to assist those drunked up bastards that thought they could destroy  the “Sound” and get away with it – and in the end aftermath the March 24^th 1989 EXXON Valdez “wreck”, they did indeed get away Scott free, so did Big Oil” and so did the regulators we called upon when we were introduced to this first hand bribery by the drunk abusers. Before that “Wreck”, I called upon the local state watchdogs, they did not want to get involved with the “Drunks” as they had it too easy with their jobs and afraid to make waves. So the workers that were concerned, maybe a handful at most, we sought protection from a “UNION”. Look, we were paid very well. The work schedules meant long 12-hour days, but there came ample enough time off to enjoy a growing family, raising kids in the “Little Switzerland”. This was our home, we did not take too lightly to those drunk bastards and why in hell should I be asked by the local management to help carry those drunk bastards aboard their ship, as carrying dead weight up a gang-plank to a tanker was tough work. So we had seen enough and called upon the “Union” so our concerns could find representation that WOULD get this mess addressed. But the company had other plans as “Big Oil”, which owned Alyeska, it gave the executives their marching orders, “Kill the Union”. And with a snitch amongst the work crews that ratted out on our “Union” efforts, the rest was history and so was the career of those that were concerned and trying out loud to make a difference. And as likewise how the EXXON Valdez allowed for the “Sound” to be “painted black” with a boatload of toxicity, well a black-listing in Alaska goes a long, long way in that “toxicity” category. I was a victim of that “Kill the Messenger” syndrome, lost my career because I was outspoken about them drunk Joe Hazelwoods way before Joe went “Hard Aground” on Bligh Reef. It is NOT a could it have been prevented, it WOULD have been prevented, had we been successful in that “Union”. My point, there was a whole lot of blame to go around, but why for complain as my State of Alaska “Welfare Check” is in the mail and I have my priorities set for those “Guilty $Bucks$”, time to go shopping!