Category Archives: insanity

6am AST

At 6am on Friday, I saw that the temperature here was 41 degs. I was dubious, so I opened the door, and all I heard was the sound of running water from the melting snow. A quick check revealed that Minneapolis was 17 degs and San Antonio was 27 degs.

How warm was it in Fairbanks? It was so warm, the school district cancelled classes for the day.

Say what?

I’m not kidding. 41 degrees, and classes are cancelled because the roads may be icey. Fifty or sixty degrees below zero? No problem. Classes as usual. 40 degrees above zero? Damn, this is foreign territory, everybody better stay at home.

Insanity.


Limo before shots

AltgensPhoto-JFK Motorcade

Clint Hill Climbing onto Limo

Dealey Plaza


Fascists

Defender Execution

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials publicly executed a Land Rover Defender on Tuesday after it had been seized at the Port of Baltimore in April. Only Defenders 25 years old or older are allowed into the United States, even though they are welcomed all over the world. This Defender had its VIN swapped out, and Customs officials ordered its death.

Disgusting.


How Bad Have the Mosquitos Been?

Biblically nasty…

cloud-of-mosquitos-

shannon-sweet-among-mosquitos-

jesse-krauses-leg-

Krause Thumbs Up

These photos and the corresponding youtube video, have become a hit in Fairbanks. They were taken & posted online by University of California, Davis researcher Jesse Krause at UAF’s Toolik Field Station north of the Brooks Range.

It looks more like a swarm of locusts.

It’s been a viscious mosquito year throughout the state, to the level that even Anchorage is complaining about them (although they do complain a lot down there). Fairbanks has had it worse than Anchorage, but nothing like what is going on out on the tundra, as these photos show. This was not the summer to travel and camp along the Dalton Hwy.

My favorite quote: “The whole horizon is nothing but mosquitos.”

A special thanks to Jerry Krause for sharing these insane photos.


There are days…

…When you are really better off not going home during lunch.

That’s all I have for today.


What does a Politician’s Hot Air do to the environment?

Does anyone think before they spout these days?

A lawmaker in Washington State was responding to a local bike store owner who was upset about a proposal that some new bicycle purchases would be subject to a new tax.
In his response, Rep. Ed Orcutt claimed “the act of riding a bike results in greater emissions of carbon dioxide from the rider.” It seems that those damn bikers contribute to climate change with their heavy breathing.

Next on the agenda? A new fee on all Drive-In Theater patrons.


The Scent of Parts in the Air

Spring must be near, even here so close to the tundra. I recently placed an order for a slew of Rover gaskets, because: 1) Rovers leak, and 2) I really have an itch to double clutch and get passed on the Expressways.

I stopped by a friend’s place of business this afternoon, to see that he had new VW parts scattered about his desk. He’s taking on an engine rebuild, so of course, he had to show me pictures of the motor sitting on the garage floor. $322.00 in shipping charges later, he had most of the parts needed to complete (start) the job. He said, “I can’t believe you had a complete motor shipped up here. How much did that set you back?” I hated to tell him about $58, because I used a freight forwarder. At least he didn’t have to ship a cylinder head, the post office clerk still hasn’t forgiven me for that.


Damn Chilly

When it’s this cold outside, and you heat with a woodstove, sleeping in can be a tad inconvenient. I don’t have to work until Wednesday, so I didn’t wake up until 7 this morning. The cabin was chilled, to say the least. I climbed out of a very warm bed, took a quick look at the thermometer on the wall… 46 degs, but I’m thankful it was above zero… then stoked up the fire, leaving the dampers open and climbed back into bed.
Two hours later, I awoke to find the cabin back up to 66 degrees.
Plus I was well-rested.

I did make a quick run into town, which the truck felt was completely unnecessary. It was -53 degs, so I can’t find fault with the Chevy having an attitude. Minus fifty really is a different world. Getting into the truck, I might as well have been sitting on a marble park bench. There is absolutely no give to the seat. The truck is so stiff, and it takes extra gas just to break the tires free from the ice. I think it took close to a mile before the tires warmed up enough to lose the flat “thumpity-thumpity”.

At the corner of University & Airport, I spot a kid outside in a Statue of Liberty outfit, slinging a mini billboard promoting “Tax Savings” from Liberty Tax in the mall nearby. Honestly, that’s a tough gig in decent weather. The poor guy had a hard time spinning the placard with thick mittens, but I have to send out kudos for the effort. He just kept at it.


nugg.snowglobe


misunderstood mayan

Courtesy of TJS