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National: U.S., Russia Unite Against Nuclear Weapons Spread By DAVID MCKEEBY - The United States and Russia are joining forces to lead a new global coalition to detect and defeat the most serious national security threat facing the world today: nuclear weapons in the hands of terrorists, says a top U.S. official.

In a July 18 speech sponsored by National Defense University, Robert Joseph, under secretary of state for arms control and international security, provided an overview of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism - a new effort unveiled by President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin in a bilateral meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, prior to the July 15-17 G8 summit.

In the post-9/11 world, Joseph said, terrorist organizations such as al-Qaida have declared their intent to acquire nuclear weapons; state sponsors of terrorism, such as Iran and North Korea, have continued to pursue covert weapons programs in violation of international nonproliferation regimes; and nonstate entities, such as A.Q. Kahn, have worked to sell weapons of mass destruction (WMD) technologies on the international black market. - More...
Tuesday PM - July 18, 2006

National: U.S., Canada Discuss North American Energy Development - Canada is the United States' most important, reliable and secure supplier of imported crude oil and petroleum products, natural gas, and electricity, and U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman discussed efforts to enhance this important energy relationship during a recent trip to Alberta, Canada.

In a July 6 White House meeting, President Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper discussed the importance of Canada's oil sands in ensuring North American energy security and pledged to take a forward looking approach to energy issues.

As part of this effort, Bodman toured the oil sands in Alberta with Canadian Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein, and Alberta Energy Minister Greg Melchin during his two-day visit that ended July 14.

"I was very pleased to see first-hand the magnitude of the oil sands development," he said.

Current oil sands production is more than 1 million barrels per day, and is expected to double by 2010 and reach 3 million barrels per day by 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. By 2015, approximately three of every four barrels of Canadian oil is expected to come from the oil sands and by 2020, more than $100 billion will have been invested in oil sands development. With 175 billion barrels of proven oil sands reserves, Canada ranks second only to Saudi Arabia in global oil reserves. - More...
Tuesday PM - July 18, 2006

Ketchikan: Local Karate Sensei and Student Achieve Black and Green Belts - At a two-day Seibukan Karate seminar held in June in Freeland, Washington, Ketchikan dojo student Dustin Shull passed the required test to receive the rank of Yonkyu (4th Kyu) green belt and Ketchikan dojo Sensei Christopher Peabody passed his test to receive the rank of Sandan (3rd Dan) black belt.

According to Stuart A. Whyte the Secretary/Treasurer Ketchikan Dojo, rank testing in Seibukan is done two to three times per year, or once every four to six months, on average. Testing eligibility of students is determined by the Sensei at each dojo. Tests are done to check proficiency with techniques and kata, knowledge of Seibukan history and lineage, knowledge of current organizational information, and understanding of philosophical concepts said Whyte. In the Ketchikan dojo, Sensei Peabody administers the tests. Sensei Peabody, however, must test with his instructor, Renshi Berto, which prompted the seminar trip to Freeland, Washington said Whyte.

Whyte said, Sensei Peabody has been practicing the traditional Okinawan art of Seibukan Karate for 21 years and has been the Instructor of the Ketchikan dojo since 2003.

Dustin Shull has been practicing Seibukan off and on for nearly as long as Sensei Peabody and most recently has been back with us for a year and a half said Whyte.

The Ketchikan Seibukan dojo meets twice weekly at the KGB Parks and Recreation center. Classes are open to the public and people are always welcome to view a class or sign up said Whyte. Registration can be done normally through Parks and Recreation. Adult classes for ages 13 and up are Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7pm and kid's class is Thursday evenings at 6pm for ages 5 to 13. - More...
Tuesday PM - July 18, 2006

Xaada Tak'anlang Haida Descendant Dancers Photo by Susan Batho & Bill Hupe Photo used by Permission of The Haida Descendant Dancers

Ketchikan Arts: Haida Descendant Dancers at Totem Bight By BILL HUPE - Totem Bight State Historical Park, where normally there is only the gentle sounds of the ocean, was alive with people and music and dance Friday. The Clan House glowed warmly with welcome as visitors, families and neighbours filed in to learn and admire the work of the Haida Dancers. This troupe is preserving the culture of the Haida peoples by teaching their dances and songs and history to their children, and to each one of us who attended this special night.

The evening opened with the Haida Anthem, chanted by three men and a young boy. This was followed by a welcoming dance, where the rest of the troupe paraded into the Clan House in their colourful costumes. At the end, most of the dancers had lined up on the two levels at the front of the Clan House with their backs toward us, revealing a colourful display of family crests. A lively eagle dance followed soon, after the Haida Danceleader explained the significance of the relationship and balance of the eagle and the raven; if a song is sung about one, a song must be sung about the other to maintain the balance. This balance was in the form of a quite complex children's teaching dance, telling the story of how the raven taught its people how to search out the abundant cockles and clams and to pry the life-giving nourishment within them. One of the dancers donned a beautifully coloured raven mask in the role of the teacher. - More...
Tuesday PM - July 18, 2006

Ketchikan Arts & Entertainment: The Arts This Week - This week in Ketchikan The Friends of the Library would like to invite you to make and decorate stars to sell at the Friends of the Library booth at the Blueberry Arts Festival. Tuesday July 18th from 6-7:30pm in the children's annex. All proceeds to benefit Friends of the Library. For more information call 225-3331.

Summer Family Films featured at the Library every Wednesday in July. July 19th "The Aristocats", and July 26th "Homeward Bound". Join the fun with Family film afternoons. - More...
Tuesday PM - July 18, 2006

Viewpoints Opinions/Letters School Board & Superintendent By Mike Harpold - Wednesday JO Softball Tournament By Mandi Bolshakoff - Wednesday Taxes, War, & Immigration --- Also have a little fun! By Marvin Seibert - Wednesday Support Troops, Not The War By Janelle Hamilton - Wednesday Pup Has A Happy Home By Frances C. Natkong I Hate Taxes By Samuel Bergeron - Wednesday Freedom By Lou Ann Richardson- Wednesday Alaskans Locked Out of Construction Jobs by Senator John Cowdery - Wednesday A Warning Alaskans Should Heed By Tony Knowles- Wednesday Selection Process Explained By Dinah Pearson- Wednesday Thank you Everyone For Your Generosity and Care! By Vicki Inkster- Wednesday Questions By Sheryl Whitesides - Wednesday Little League Involvement By Neil Gray- Wednesday Refreshing commentary By Glen Thompson- Wednesday Little League: Get Involved in the Process By Dave Timmerman - Tuesday It's called competition By Dinah Pearson - Tuesday Difficult Visitors By Trene' Elliott - Monday Independence Day - For the Record. By Rick Watson - Sunday Dockside Diner By Laurie Price - Sunday School Superintendent By Jon Hurley - Sunday Hooray for FREEDOM loving people By Charlotte Tanner - Sunday Cruise Ship Taxes By Alan R. McGillvray - Saturday Dissent in the 4th of July Parade By John Harrington - Friday It's all about FREEDOM: the 4th of July Parade By Jacquie Meck - Friday Become more active in Ketchikan Little League By Sharyl Whitesides - Friday All Star Selections By Neil Gray - Friday Selection Process for All Stars ByTami Linne - Friday Tax and Spend - Why does government think they are entitled? By Marvin Seibert - Friday Looking for mini dachshund By Frances Natkong - Friday Parade Entrants By Vicki OBrien - Friday Poor choice by the parade committee! By Rick Watson - Thursday More Viewpoints/ Letters Publish A Letter Political Cartoonists Political Cartoons Ketchikan Arts This Week Today's Forecast Ketchikan Weather Data Current AK Weather Map City Police Report AK Troopers Daily Dispatch Classifieds & Announcements July 2006 Click on the date to read the stories published on that day. S M T W T F S             01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31            Front Page Archives

Dave Kiffer: Digging the dirt on Revilla Man - A zillion years ago I was sitting in a college literature class and the teacher said a strange thing.

"Imagine there was a nuclear holocaust and the only thing to survive was a Harold Robbins novel," he said, ignoring the inconvenient fact that most of my other professors were assuming at that time that both cockroaches and Aaron Spelling would also survive any comprehensive nuclear holocaust.

"Imagine some future archaeologist finding that book and then making all his determinations about our "lost" culture based on the book," he continued. "That's a pretty scary thought indeed."

Indeed.

A couple of quick asides for anyone under the age of 35.

Harold Robbins was a trashy novelist who sold millions of books, primarily about powerful people behaving badly and having lots of graphic sex. - More...
Monday - July 17, 2006

Bonnie Erbe: Communities stepping in to fill federal void on immigration - Once again, local politicians are proving that when the miasmic brume we call Washington fails to provide responsible national leadership, local leaders will jump in to fill the void.

Hazelton, Pa., is not the first town to do so, but on Friday its mayor signed into law one of the toughest city ordinances in the nation designed to diminish the costs of illegal immigration. It punishes people who do business with illegal immigrants, as well as those who hire them and even those who provide them with housing.

On the other coast, the North County Times reports that the California town of Vista passed an ordinance, due to take effect on July 28, that "will require those who hire off-site day laborers to register with the city, display a certificate in their car windows, and present written terms of employment to workers. Critics have called it a transparent attempt to eliminate hiring sites for day laborers." - More...
Monday - July 17, 2006

Rob Holston: Levitra! - You've seen the advertisement on TV; you can see it on the Internet. The facts are alarming. In the United States, 8 million men have Diabetes, 29 million have high blood pressure and 50 million have high cholesterol. What do all of these men share in common? Why it's ED, of course! Erectile Dysfunction is lurking in the bedrooms of millions of men but thanks to Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation being unhealthy doesn't need to be a downer, so to speak. Just take this little pill and your love life will be elevated to new levels. You may be overweight, out of breath and near heart failure, but thanks to Levitra your penise will be "healthy?" What is wrong with this picture?

If the millions on men listed as unhealthy and suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol WERE healthy, the "need" for Levitra and other similar sex enhancing drugs to combat ED would not be there. I am not preaching that the millions now suffering from ill health should be deprived of intimate relationships, but adding Levitra to your routine is a bit like ordering your favorite meal in the dinning room of the Titanic AFTER the iceberg was struck! Much like the Titanic was "pushing the envelope" and taking chances, as it paid the ultimate price of total destruction, so are American men paying the price of ill-health. - More...
Monday - July 17, 2006

Dan K. Thomasson: The monotonous horror of Iraq - In his last column published after his death, the famed war correspondent Ernie Pyle, anticipating the end of World War II, wrote about being overwhelmed by the hideous monotony of death he had witnessed from North Africa to Okinawa. The bodies, he said, seemed stacked one on another over the years of slaughter.

I thought about this the other day as I read the daily accounts of more murder and mayhem in Iraq - dozens dead in yet another mindless bombing of innocent civilians whose particular brand of the Islamic faith apparently was offensive to those who practice a different variety of the same religion, Sunni vs. Shiite. Please don't ask me the difference. Like most non-Muslim Americans, I wouldn't have a clue.

But then I had the same lack of understanding a few years ago when the Catholic and Protestant forces in Northern Ireland - both presumably Christian - were doing the same thing to one another. Finally, the "Troubles" there seemed to have waned, pushed along by a growing revulsion over the meaningless blood spilled in the streets of Belfast that even the most ardent supporters of either cause could no longer stomach. It has taken a long time, however, to reach even the current uneasy accommodation. - More...
Monday - July 17, 2006

Marsha Mercer: Counting the numbers - The great author E.B. White once wrote a short essay called "About Myself" in which he described himself mostly by numbers.

"I am a man of medium height," he began. "I keep my records in a Weis Folder Re-order number 8003 ... My Selective Service order number is 10789. The serial number is T1654. I am in Class IV-A, and have been variously in Class 3-A, Class I-A(H), and Class 4-H."

This was 1945, BIT - Before Identity Theft. - More...
Monday - July 17, 2006