A Media Vacuum

I sometimes wonder if I'm in a "media vacuum" while I'm working up on the slope... too costly to get a decent paper sent up, limited access to TV, not much time to surf the web, etc. On this hitch however that last bit is anything but true as is made evident by my sore mouse clicking finger.

I know that you are all very well informed but I feel compelled to point out the following bit of media coverage concerning the recent earthquake in China as I found it to be very moving. Use the link below and click on the audio piece entitled "Listen: Melissa Block at Shattered School" and view the "Photo Gallery" while listening:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90396578

Fast Runner

The following pics were taken at the "Bone Yard" in Kaktovik (Inupiat village at the northern edge of ANWR) a couple of days ago . The gent in the photo is a resident of the village and was presumably out there to photograph or film polar bears rummaging through detritus from last year's whaling hunt. We have an ice road job out there but as a rule steer clear of active polar bear "habitat".

The folks in the village claim that this wasn't staged and the only reason that they were shooting photos instead of bullets is that the subject of the bears curiosity is a "fast runner"... hopefully he can exceed the 35 mph max speed that polars bears are reported to be capable of.

In the end he jumped in the truck that the photographer was in and hauled ass. I suppose there are worse things than a broken window or tire boot to find the next time you walk out to your car :)