NOVEMBER 8, 2009 - 8:00 AM
Q. My husband and I have two weeks off in February. We like international travel. Where do you suggest we go...Karen
A. My first consideration would be weather. February is an iffy month for many destinations. Europe is cold, but Southeast Asia is wonderful. Next, you need to consider budget. For instance, given the strength of the Euro, Europe is spendy for Americans. In contrast, Southeast Asia is a bargin.
Next consider the type of trip you want. Are you seeking adventure or relaxation? And don't forget to consider traveltime to maximize your two weeks.
Once you have answered these questions, check out weather conditions for your intended destination at MyForecast. You can then click onto Oanda.com to examine currency rates. A quick look at TripAdvisor will give you insight as to the cost of accommodations.
Next I would Google the type of activities you are searching for, i.e. best beaches in the Caribbean, snorkeling in Belize, hiking in Nepal, biking in Romania etc.
If I were going somewhere in February, I'd consider Mexico, Central and South America. All are good buys and great areas to travel with good weather this time of the year. I especially like Equador and Peru.
If Mexico conjures images of swine flu and crime. Think again. Don't generalize media headlines to the whole. Mexico is a big country and still one of my favorite destinations.
Have a question? Post it to me directly through the question box.
NOVEMBER 8, 2009 - 1:09 AM
By MIKE DUNHAM
'Pagliacci' stalwarts: While Jennifer Tiller, as Nedda, sings, Jane Drebert accompanies her with silent antics. Photo: Chris Arend.
The most entertaining moment in Anchorage Opera’s double-bill of “Sister Angelica” and “I Pagliacci” comes right at the opening of the latter and doesn’t involve singing. Jane Park Drebert does a cartwheel on the edge of the stage and, with comic intent, flubs it, falling on her patoot.
Drebert – a fine singer as well as dancer, though she doesn’t sing in this production – is part of an adroit trio of mute clowns that includes Don Love and David Haynes. They remain on stage for most of the opera, visually commenting on the drama in fascinating parallel action. It’s hard to keep one’s eyes off them.
NOVEMBER 7, 2009 - 9:10 PM
Believe it or not some people actually struggle each day to put weight on. Preferably muscle- not fat, but the ability to put on weight can be just as difficult, if not more than losing weight. Inevitably when trying to build muscle mass, you will gain a little fat in the process. Of course everyone is different, so you must be willing to be your own guinea pig within reason. Experiment with macronutrients and workouts to see what brings the best results for your unique body type.
Toney Freeman is big
Here are a some methods for the hard gainer to help put on muscle with very little body fat:
NOVEMBER 7, 2009 - 8:18 PM
There exists a state of mind where you lose track of time, overcome mental blockage and outside noise and give full concentration to the task set before you. The task can be playing a sport or it can be simply doing the dishes, but the state of mind is known as being in the "zone" or experiencing "flow" in the world of psychology. A task becomes almost effortless while in the zone.
Get into the ZONE
"The zone is your ability to perform at your highest level in whatever domain of life. It is not a phenomenon exclusive to sports; it exists in every endeavor to which men and women apply it." -Michael Lardon, M.D.
NOVEMBER 7, 2009 - 8:05 PM
From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --
North Pole Republicans today selected a list of three candidates to replace Rep. John Coghill, who has moved to the state Senate.
State party chairman Randy Ruedrich says the candidates are:
-- Doug Isaacson, the newly re-elected mayor of North Pole.
-- Tammie Wilson, who is trailing in a runoff election for the Fairbanks North Star Borough mayor. (If she wins, the Republicans will have to pull her from the list, Ruedrich says.)
NOVEMBER 7, 2009 - 7:16 PM
Friends literally howled in tribute to Gordon Haber on Saturday as more than 80 people filled the Campbell Creek Science Center at a memorial for the fiery wolf biologist.
Haber died in an Oct. 14 plane crash in Denali National Park and Preserve, one of countless flights he’s made during decades of single-minded study of eastern Denali wolves. Speakers Saturday remembered that devotion as well as Haber’s famously thorny personality.
NOVEMBER 7, 2009 - 5:31 PM
A Shungnak woman has been arrested on charges of violating her probation and endangering a minor after calling troopers and reporting her boyfriend had stolen her marijuana, troopers said today.
Lizzie Commack, 27, contacted troopers at 11:35 a.m. Friday and said she wanted her boyfriend removed from the residence, troopers said. Authorities investigated and took Commack to Kotzebue Regional Jail where her breath-alcohol content was recorded at .151. She’s accused of a six-degree drug charge, fourth-degree assault, a second-degree count of endangering a minor and probation violation.
NOVEMBER 7, 2009 - 3:36 PM
Wisconsin-River Falls junior goaltender Cassi Campbell of Anchorage backstopped her Division III team's season debut Friday night, and rocked a 41-save bagel in a 1-0 win over St. Thomas.
Campbell helped snuff eight power plays by St. Thomas.
Her effort was one of several notable performances by Alaskans in college hockey Friday. (By the way, today River Falls sophomore goalie Melissa Deardorff of Anchorage made her season debut and bagged a 17-save shutout in a 5-0 win over Augsburg).
Let's take a quick run-through:
In men's Division I action, Colgate freshman defenseman Nathan Sinz of Anchorage picked up his first college point, an assist on the game-winning goal in a 5-4 win over visiting Harvard.
NOVEMBER 7, 2009 - 11:25 AM
Use this space to introduce your own topics of discussion or just to stop by and say hi.
Featured breed: Neapolitan mastiff
NOVEMBER 7, 2009 - 11:11 AM
Brandon, a retired State trooper, immediately noticed the difference between the pictures of Utah road signs I posted and ones along the highways in Alaska. Missing are bullet holes. He said “it was a goal during my entire career to just once catch a sign shooter in the act.” Unfortunately, he didn't.
As for the answer Elise posted, nope it's not wooden posts. Shari noticed the black edges around the signs. Not that either. And one anonomyous reader asked if it was because Utah signs were diagonal. Nope, Alaska has diagonal signs too.
Thanks readers for your feedback. And congratulations to Brandon for the first correct response.
A common road sign even in Utah, however I question their choice of beer.
NOVEMBER 6, 2009 - 9:34 PM
Lakota Sioux Dance TheaterThe Lakota Sioux Dance Theater troupe performs in Atwood Concert Hall on Nov. 6 and 7. Did you see the show? Tell us what you thought here.
NOVEMBER 6, 2009 - 9:29 PM
Momentum
By ANNE HERMAN
Daily News correspondent
Exploration is the name of the game for contemporary dance companies like Momentum Dance Collective. Choreographers and performers launch themselves into little-charted territory to see what they can discover and use in crafting a dance. Whether that new territory is in their minds or their bodies, what results can be exciting, dangerous and at times perplexing.
Momentum Dance Collective opened its second season with “Levels,” an hour long concert Friday night at the Sydney Laurence Theatre. Many of the works on the program were more familiar than alien, but the tang of artistic adventure was there.
NOVEMBER 6, 2009 - 9:27 PM
By Mike Dunham
Alaska Womens Training Bra: Cindy Shake's contribution to "Wild Bras on Parade." Photo by Martha Peck
The "Wild Bras on Parade" fundraiser for breast cancer patients wound up without the proposed style show on Friday night. Many of the pieces of frolicksome foundations proved to be too fragile for facile handling and few were actually wearable. But that didn't stop a crowd from inspecting them and bidding on their favorites at Half Moon Creek Gallery, where the bras wound up after parading through nine other galleries or stores over the past month. My favorite was Diane Barske's clock-bearing "Felix the Cat." All of the art left the gallery with the owners as soon as the auction closed, but you can get a look at some of them at our online gallery.
NOVEMBER 6, 2009 - 5:57 PM
Former Alaska Aces goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, who last season set an ECHL record when he bagged eight regular-season shutouts for the club as a rookie, tonight racked his first American Hockey League shutout.
Lamoureux stopped 28 shots for the Portland Pirates in a 7-0 win over visiting Hershey.
Lamoureux, Portland's No. 2 goalie, improved to 2-1-0 with a 2.90 goals-against average and .903 save percentage.
NOVEMBER 6, 2009 - 4:45 PM
Add another Anchorage hockey player to the list of those gaining international experience -- forward Austin Wuthrich is playing for Team USA in the 2009 Under-17 Four Nations Cup in Slovakia.
Wuthrich, 16, also represented the U.S. in the Five Nations Cup in August.
Wuthrich racked an assist today in a 7-6 win over Slovakia. The Americans (2-0-0) on Thursday beat Russia, 5-2. They close the tournament Saturday with a game against Switzerland.
Aside from this international gig, Wuthrich plays for the Team Illinois Midget Major squd in the Tier I Elite League. In 16 games on that circui
NOVEMBER 6, 2009 - 4:22 PM
Annie Bill, principal at Larson Elementary School, called Friday to share the news that her school had won a pretty prestigious national award. Bill, who had just returned from Washington D.C. to pick up the honor in person, said Larson was recognized as a “No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.”
That’s a mouthful, but what it means is that Larson, because of high scores on national tests, was nominated as a “Blue Ribbon” school four years ago. But then the real work began, Bill said.
“We had to maintain and continue to do good in the three years since,” Bill said.
NOVEMBER 6, 2009 - 4:20 PM
The Mat-Su Ski and Snowboard program, run through Wasilla Middle School, is lining up passengers for its 2010 season.
The bus carries children age 12 and older to and from Alyeska Resort for eight skiing days between January and April. Four 50-passenger buses will depart Wasilla and Palmer Carrs parking lots at 8 a.m. on two Saturdays each month. After a full day of skiing, the children return to the Valley at 6:45 p.m.
A place on the bus costs $375, which includes transportation, lift tickets for a full day’s skiing and two skiing or snowboarding lessons. Add $100 more for rental equipment. The price covers the cost of tickets, rentals and transportation.
NOVEMBER 6, 2009 - 2:18 PM
Morgan the Devil won the first-place prize.
Bozlee the pirate won the People's Choice Award.
NOVEMBER 6, 2009 - 12:09 PM
Diomede, circa 1999: A Little Diomede Island resident pulls a polar bear hide from the frozen Bering Sea to check if the sea lice have cleaned the hide enough for drying, in this file photo, date unknown. (AP Photo/Al Grillo, File)
A doctor and nurse were distributing swine flu vaccine past 2 a.m. last night in Diomede in an effort to keep the disease from spreading in the hard-to-reach Bering Strait village, state officials said today.
“We’ve got everybody on the island vaccinated except for four people," said Health Department spokesman Greg Wilkinson.
A 1-year-old girl in the village was showing signs of respiratory problems, but when the Alaska Army National Guard flew her and her mother to Nome yesterday the child tested negative for swine flu, said Jeremy Zidek, spokesman for the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
Diomede is 135 miles northwest of Nome, on Little Diomede Island. It’s about 2.5 miles across the Bering Strait from Russia and is one of the most remote communities in Alaska. You can only get there this time of year by helicopter and sometimes boat. The village lost passenger air service months ago. (Though food and mail still arrive on a regular basis.)
Responding to a request from the Diomede mayor, the state teamed up with the Guard and the regional health corporation this week, taking the unusual step of sending a civilian medical team and swine flu vaccines to protect the village.
“There were some sick people (there) and I think that these were just prudent actions to take to make sure that the disease wouldn’t spread through the isolated community where we wouldn’t be able to, perhaps, reach people at a later date,” Zidek said.
Some villagers are showing flu-like symptoms, but only people who are medivaced to Nome are actually tested for swine flu.
So far, at least three people from the village have been tested. One, a woman the Guard flew from the community on Wednesday, tested positive, the state says.
The doctor and nurse are expected to fly out of Little Diomede tonight, Zidek said. Two medics deployed to the village left last night with the 1-year-old girl.
NOVEMBER 6, 2009 - 11:29 AM
Use this space to discuss training issues: successes, setbacks or just to pose a question for the group.
Here's what's up with my pack:
* Jillie's successes continue to be in baby steps. While she's developed a stay, it's not improving much in time elapsed and distance. And her "down" suddenly got shaky, so it's back to square one there. Took her to Petco yesterday and discovered she's growing up. At nearly 7 months, she's suddenly interested in everything and has the confidence to explore. She's never been much of a puller on the leash, but she started. We worked for 15 minutes or so on sits, stays and heels, and she showed some improvement -- although she did pee in the store. Still struggling with that. I'm trying to teach the bell technique at home, but I'm seriously considering not weening her off the litter box. Anything below 30 seems too cold for her, and I have to double coat her just to go outside to pee. That's going to get old quick.
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