Wanted: True Alaskans
What ever happened to “True Alaskans”? Having spent 30-years here and raising a family, I believe I am qualified to ask such a demanding question. And I know the answer. The other day I was waiting to catch a flight from Seattle to Anchorage. The Port of Seattle, like most other major cities, has jumped on the bandwagon to go “Green”. So the airport authority has invested in these trash receptacles that makes recycling easy. So I watched as those waiting to board the plane north prepared for departure. There came no separation attempts, all trash! You could not make it any easier. Now maybe these travelers heading north were not true bonafide Alaskans. Maybe visitors, but it was that time of year wherein fishing is dead and hunting is over with. Anyway, why in hell buy an Alaskan fishing license? I don’t. Why? Because this is a “corrupt state”. So corrupt, that now our local representatives will be able to justify a “bridge” to a new state penitentiary, to house the “Corrupt Bastards”. And maybe it can be a combined state and Federal jail, as it will suffice for all the “bastards” under indictment. Anyway, do not you question your rights? Why is it that you are paying extra for your “Resident” sportfish license? It is a surcharge. I hope you ask why and know not the reason. So here it is in truth. It is a story wherein greed gets one up on righteousness. It all started back in the Clinton administration, to go “Green”. A study indicated that the government was very wasteful when it came to energy efficiency. So Bill - when not busy with Monica - signed an order that mandated that each and every government installation or facility had to get “better” efficiency when it came to fossil fuel usage. Some military bases were shut down because of this, as it was too costly to update in some instances. But not to fear here in Alaska, as we had Uncle Ted to look after our interests. In fact, as many bases felt the ax, the military bases in Alaska faired well. Two of interest that come to mind are the Elmendorf Air Force Base and adjoining Fort Richardson Army Base. Both bases were ahead of the “green” light when it came to providing electrical power and steam heating - efficiently. The CHPP – Central Heating and Power Plant – at Elmendorf had already been converted from oil fuel over to natural gas. It was a clean burning plant. And it had enough capacity to feed Fort Richardson, so this place was already “Green”. And to make it even “greener”, the CHPP provided “heated” water for the Ship Creek Hatchery. Really, excess heat from the steam turbines was routed to the hatchery. We are talking massive amounts of 50-degree water, 365-days a year! It was all controlled by the power plant operators. Besides keeping runway lights on for returning F16 pilots, it was the second most critical task. What it did meant two things of interest. It provided a controlled environment to raise thousands of fish, so you and I and tourists alike could “fish on”. The numbers of fry that came from this hatchery due to the ideal conditions was mind-boggling. And it represented a 20-million dollar a year profit for the state. For FREE. It was a win, win situation all around. So what if there existed no state and federal separation, it was working and interference need not be part of this “Good Samaritan” equation. This was for the fish! Then the shit hit the fan. See, as part of President Clinton’s “energy” program, some greedy bastards saw an opportunity to rip off the military. In turn, that made way for a rip-off aimed at the Alaska sportfish people. It went like this. Military housing was one of those areas where energy efficiency was lacking. So the military requested funding for new housing, on many bases around the country. But the bastards of greed moved in and saw a lucrative opportunity. At Elmendorf, the new military housing was forced to go “privatized”. And guess who steered a lucrative 450-million dollar housing contract to a buddy? Yes indeed, Uncle Ted. In fact, Uncle Ted was forced to divest away from the private venture, for close to 2-million dollars. So what, some may say, they all do it. OK, I will give you that. But here is where you and I really got screwed over. Once the housing went privatized, the military could no longer supply power and heat, as the military is not a utility. It falls under the same scrutiny as “anti-trust”. So, the CHPP was loosing customers, a big customer, as housing is what the power plant operators tried to keep warm. So a decision was made by the top brass to shut the aging power plant down. I say aging, because it was built in the 50’s. But it was such a robust plant, it could have easily lasted another 50-years. And it was so environmentally friendly a plant, the state didn’t even require air monitoring! It was clean. So eventually – about 2-years following the beginning of the housing privatization program – the power plant shut-down. Now the demands for electricity and heat didn’t go away, it was just passed on to another entity trying to fatten the pot. ML&P was given a contract to provide electricity as was a natural gas contract awarded to another separate entity – to make money. But that came at a cost greater then what you and I pay outside the perimeter of the base. In fact, today the government must subsidize the housing, as the troops cannot afford to pay the increasing energy bills. See, it goes like this. When the power plant was supplying all the electrical and heating needs, it had less of a loss ratio. Basically, energy in doesn’t equal energy out due to energy loss in the conversion process. With the new housing, each facility has its own heating system, so the losses are multiplied. This is in no way shape or form what the government had in mind. It was an entrepreneurial rip-off, fostered by a corrupt senator with corrupt friends. Now here is where it gets ugly. See, when the power plant shutdown, the excess heat that was once free, it disappeared. The hatchery had to scramble to get boilers designed, built and installed. In fact, temporary boilers were required because everybody in their brother tried in vain to keep the power plant running. The governor wrote letters to the military, so did his daughter, in the capacity of a U.S. Senator. Don Young was involved. Everybody tried to do something except Ted. Why, our loss was his gain. And we are talking big boilers. And that is why the kids didn’t get to fish this past year at the yearly “SportFish” Exposition here in Anchorage. A father and son affair wherein the Fish & Game would construct a pool with real live fish! Kids loved it. Not this year, because there were no fish big enough, because Ted stole the heat! So that is why you and I are paying this surcharge. It will most likely never go away, as fuel costs are increasing and it takes more manpower then ever, to maintain the heating system at the hatchery. So no matter what people say about Ted, what he did for his friends, it was not for the rest of us. And isn’t that what we elected him for, to represent us? I hope he does hard time, and maybe he can recollect that what he did was not fair. So “True” Alaskans, maybe it is time to boycott that surcharge. Somebody is getting rich off of this sad seedy dealing. We as taxpayers are paying more, just to fish. When at the same time, Mr. Philanthropist - Ted’s Slumlord friend - gets his name posted in every flyer and concert portfolio for every major town event, like he is a “good” guy. He’s a crook, aided and abetted by a U.S. Senator. And what really irks me off, when the power plant was running, it didn’t pollute any where near what the privatized housing puts out on a daily basis. And just think, we were at one time the “greenest” of states and getting “greener”. Now though, maybe the “greediest”, thanks to the “Corrupt Bastards” united. So, be a true Alaskan, don’t buy a fishing license. Not until Ted antes up and pays for his shenanigans, that has left little kids crying because the fishing derby has been cancelled. In fact, teach your kids well, as they need to know the truth and consequences of Alaskan style “Corruption”.
What ever happened to “True Alaskans”? Having spent 30-years here and raising a family, I believe I am qualified to ask such a demanding question. And I know the answer. The other day I was waiting to catch a flight from Seattle to Anchorage. The Port of Seattle, like most other major cities, has jumped on the bandwagon to go “Green”. So the airport authority has invested in these trash receptacles that makes recycling easy. So I watched as those waiting to board the plane north prepared for departure. There came no separation attempts, all trash! You could not make it any easier. Now maybe these travelers heading north were not true bonafide Alaskans. Maybe visitors, but it was that time of year wherein fishing is dead and hunting is over with. Anyway, why in hell buy an Alaskan fishing license? I don’t. Why? Because this is a “corrupt state”. So corrupt, that now our local representatives will be able to justify a “bridge” to a new state penitentiary, to house the “Corrupt Bastards”. And maybe it can be a combined state and Federal jail, as it will suffice for all the “bastards” under indictment. Anyway, do not you question your rights? Why is it that you are paying extra for your “Resident” sportfish license? It is a surcharge. I hope you ask why and know not the reason. So here it is in truth. It is a story wherein greed gets one up on righteousness. It all started back in the Clinton administration, to go “Green”. A study indicated that the government was very wasteful when it came to energy efficiency. So Bill - when not busy with Monica - signed an order that mandated that each and every government installation or facility had to get “better” efficiency when it came to fossil fuel usage. Some military bases were shut down because of this, as it was too costly to update in some instances. But not to fear here in Alaska, as we had Uncle Ted to look after our interests. In fact, as many bases felt the ax, the military bases in Alaska faired well. Two of interest that come to mind are the Elmendorf Air Force Base and adjoining Fort Richardson Army Base. Both bases were ahead of the “green” light when it came to providing electrical power and steam heating - efficiently. The CHPP – Central Heating and Power Plant – at Elmendorf had already been converted from oil fuel over to natural gas. It was a clean burning plant. And it had enough capacity to feed Fort Richardson, so this place was already “Green”. And to make it even “greener”, the CHPP provided “heated” water for the Ship Creek Hatchery. Really, excess heat from the steam turbines was routed to the hatchery. We are talking massive amounts of 50-degree water, 365-days a year! It was all controlled by the power plant operators. Besides keeping runway lights on for returning F16 pilots, it was the second most critical task. What it did meant two things of interest. It provided a controlled environment to raise thousands of fish, so you and I and tourists alike could “fish on”. The numbers of fry that came from this hatchery due to the ideal conditions was mind-boggling. And it represented a 20-million dollar a year profit for the state. For FREE. It was a win, win situation all around. So what if there existed no state and federal separation, it was working and interference need not be part of this “Good Samaritan” equation. This was for the fish! Then the shit hit the fan. See, as part of President Clinton’s “energy” program, some greedy bastards saw an opportunity to rip off the military. In turn, that made way for a rip-off aimed at the Alaska sportfish people. It went like this. Military housing was one of those areas where energy efficiency was lacking. So the military requested funding for new housing, on many bases around the country. But the bastards of greed moved in and saw a lucrative opportunity. At Elmendorf, the new military housing was forced to go “privatized”. And guess who steered a lucrative 450-million dollar housing contract to a buddy? Yes indeed, Uncle Ted. In fact, Uncle Ted was forced to divest away from the private venture, for close to 2-million dollars. So what, some may say, they all do it. OK, I will give you that. But here is where you and I really got screwed over. Once the housing went privatized, the military could no longer supply power and heat, as the military is not a utility. It falls under the same scrutiny as “anti-trust”. So, the CHPP was loosing customers, a big customer, as housing is what the power plant operators tried to keep warm. So a decision was made by the top brass to shut the aging power plant down. I say aging, because it was built in the 50’s. But it was such a robust plant, it could have easily lasted another 50-years. And it was so environmentally friendly a plant, the state didn’t even require air monitoring! It was clean. So eventually – about 2-years following the beginning of the housing privatization program – the power plant shut-down. Now the demands for electricity and heat didn’t go away, it was just passed on to another entity trying to fatten the pot. ML&P was given a contract to provide electricity as was a natural gas contract awarded to another separate entity – to make money. But that came at a cost greater then what you and I pay outside the perimeter of the base. In fact, today the government must subsidize the housing, as the troops cannot afford to pay the increasing energy bills. See, it goes like this. When the power plant was supplying all the electrical and heating needs, it had less of a loss ratio. Basically, energy in doesn’t equal energy out due to energy loss in the conversion process. With the new housing, each facility has its own heating system, so the losses are multiplied. This is in no way shape or form what the government had in mind. It was an entrepreneurial rip-off, fostered by a corrupt senator with corrupt friends. Now here is where it gets ugly. See, when the power plant shutdown, the excess heat that was once free, it disappeared. The hatchery had to scramble to get boilers designed, built and installed. In fact, temporary boilers were required because everybody in their brother tried in vain to keep the power plant running. The governor wrote letters to the military, so did his daughter, in the capacity of a U.S. Senator. Don Young was involved. Everybody tried to do something except Ted. Why, our loss was his gain. And we are talking big boilers. And that is why the kids didn’t get to fish this past year at the yearly “SportFish” Exposition here in Anchorage. A father and son affair wherein the Fish & Game would construct a pool with real live fish! Kids loved it. Not this year, because there were no fish big enough, because Ted stole the heat! So that is why you and I are paying this surcharge. It will most likely never go away, as fuel costs are increasing and it takes more manpower then ever, to maintain the heating system at the hatchery. So no matter what people say about Ted, what he did for his friends, it was not for the rest of us. And isn’t that what we elected him for, to represent us? I hope he does hard time, and maybe he can recollect that what he did was not fair. So “True” Alaskans, maybe it is time to boycott that surcharge. Somebody is getting rich off of this sad seedy dealing. We as taxpayers are paying more, just to fish. When at the same time, Mr. Philanthropist - Ted’s Slumlord friend - gets his name posted in every flyer and concert portfolio for every major town event, like he is a “good” guy. He’s a crook, aided and abetted by a U.S. Senator. And what really irks me off, when the power plant was running, it didn’t pollute any where near what the privatized housing puts out on a daily basis. And just think, we were at one time the “greenest” of states and getting “greener”. Now though, maybe the “greediest”, thanks to the “Corrupt Bastards” united. So, be a true Alaskan, don’t buy a fishing license. Not until Ted antes up and pays for his shenanigans, that has left little kids crying because the fishing derby has been cancelled. In fact, teach your kids well, as they need to know the truth and consequences of Alaskan style “Corruption”.
CopyRight 2007 – Dixie Productions/MSK Media/Eagle Rock Press @ Storylineonline@gci.net or Storylineonline.com
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