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Your Letters:
Ask Alaskans about Maggie
I am amazed at the onslaught of letters from Lower 48 animal activists who bemoan in the Anchorage Daily News the circumstances of a zoo elephant they know nothing about.
Most extreme animal activists probably live in congested Lower 48 cities. As they peruse activist Web sites such as Friends of Animals before the big fundraiser in Anchorage with Bob Barker, they do so from their posh 1,000-square-foot urban condos. Others are probably in 800-square-foot tenaments in Newark and Detoit. What do they have in common?
As they deal with problems of overcrowding and congestion, they long for wide open spaces. So when widespread activist media misrepresent the life of an elephant in Alaska, it's a no brainer to them - move her.
Bob Barker expressed his surprise when visiting Maggie that she seemed healthy and in good spirits. Why shoudn't she be? She is loved and well cared for, stimulated mentally and emotionally by her trainers and general public, and has been essentially all her life.
A change in hay after the Palmer supply was exhausted started a controversy. The colic episode started after the day shift went home and was undetected. Episodes of colic in prior years have been easily treated according to zoo officials.
Maggie does need a softer floor and a 1,000 more enclosed square feet should be a goal. But a million-dollar relocation to a secluded old folks home for circus elephants has more inherent problems than I can describe for this Alaskan long-term resident.
Do a poll of Anchorage and Alaskan residents only. No other media outlet has, and it makes one wonder why. Should Maggie stay in her 25-year home at the Alaska Zoo or should she be moved somewhere else?
Jay Page
Anchorage Explore more options for gas line
The difference between me and you is that I am an engineer looking for long-term solutions and you are media people looking for short-term bad news headlines. I would like you to be positive about the gas line project and explore ways the pipeline can be built, such as:
1. Developing the Point Thompson gas field to supply the required gas to be sold in the Lower 48 by companies other than Exxon, BP, Conoco, etc.
2. Another option to sending gas south would be to use the gas to fuel a humongous gas-fired electrical generation plant in Tok and sending the electricity south on ultra-high-voltage power lines that would be cheaper to build than the pipeline. If we can get the gas to Tok for the generation plant, we could also send the gas all along the Railbelt highways for use in-state or to feed other projects including expansion of the LNG and fertilizer plants.
3. The right-of-way for the power line could also be used to connect the Alaska Railroad to the Canadian railroad, providing a secure alternate shipping route to Alaska. This might qualify it to be financed by the U.S. government as a Homeland Security project like the Alaska Highway in 1941.
Michael Stoianoff, PE
Anchorage
Disagrees with Williams' criticism of FBI
Re: Aug. 14 "Showtime in Alaska: Trial by Media." I have the highest respect for Lew M. Williams Jr. as an editor and expert on the media. Mr. Williams is very, very knowledgable. He loves Alaska and her most important heritage. But his unfounded attacks on Alaska's FBI are improper.
The FBI does not try political corruption cases in the media. I know the FBI respects Sen. Ted Stevens and his son, former Sen. Ben Stevens. These investigations are very, very serious. The FBI is being exceptionally careful to protect the rights of these very prominent Alaskans. This is not a media show.
FBI Director Bob Mueller is the ultimate Department of Justice professional who never, ever allows investigations or cases to be tried in the media. Especially, the very serious public corruption cases addressing the foundation of Alaska politics. I have known Director Mueller for over 17 years. He is a combat Marine with character and honor who knows right from wrong.
Alaska's FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dave Heller is an exceptional federal agent. I have known him for 15 years.
This is one time Williams is absolutely wrong. The FBI is very concerned about the integrity, honor and character of its investigation. Williams' analysis of the FBI is naive and not in keeping with his vast experience and media professionalism.
Wev Shea
Anchorage
Proud to be "No Smoking"
I disagree with Frank Dahl's Aug. 18 column, "Mayor Begich has vindictive streak." I recall the assembly voted and a majority of Anchorage residents endorsed "No Smoking" in bars. Mayor Begich and his staff only enforce the law; they do not make the law and Dahl knows that. Anchorage bars are a nice place to visit now that second-hand (killer) smoke is not there and I would guess profits are not down. Come on Dahl, get with the program. Protect your customers. Anchorage is a great place to live and entertain your guests for an evening on the town or after a meal. We are proud to be "No Smoking."
Gary Hoff
Anchorage Protect Arctic claims
It seems that the Russian plan to claim Arctic oil and gas requires a strong response on our part to assert and protect our claims. Opening ANWR immediately would be a good place to start, putting real production in place on the ground, not just planting a phony flag on the bottom of the sea.
Rob McWhorter
Anchorage
Glad we're here
I'm loving the online news. Yes, dropped the Anchorage Daily News gladly. What a liberal rag: Keep up the good work.
Melanie Glatt
Palmer
Online news should step it up
I've been thinking about the so-called electronic generation and the demise of newsprint papers.
I think there is a gap here because at my age I live on the Internet and I'm 68 years old. However, I grew up reading newspapers and enjoyed them immensely. A paper is more than headlines. It is a community of interests all in one.
Now each breakfast table is a flat screen. If you subscribe to the Wall Street Journal then each morning your screen will present the electronic Journal — or the electronic Voice of the Times, etc.
I happen to subscribe to the Journal, but I have to go into the computer room to read it. The convenience of the paper should be available where you wish to read it. The family couch, comfortable chair, or the breakfast table. There needs to be room to take this lightweight screen to wherever you are in the house. Later it will be built into the car and the lid of your brief case.
David L. Williams
Fairbanks
Bury power lines
After years of fearing a Hillside fire and frustration with the way federal funds are not being spent, I have come up with an idea for addressing the problem.
My solution is simple. Take the federal money and work with Chugach Electric to bury the power lines that are not along roads. When you bury the power lines, clear the 25-ft. easement on each side of the line. For power lines going through city or federal lands, clear 50 feet on each side of the power line. This would give 50 to 100-foot fire breaks all over the Hillside.
Chugach already has a mandate to bury a percentage of lines every year. This should be accelerated to accomplish it in two years for all areas east of Birch Road using federal funds and Chugach crews.
The system in place now, where you call a person with the Fire Department and they will come out to look at the problem in about two weeks, and then schedulea time to clear the trees, is grossly inefficient. I would give the money to Chugach and they can hire the additional crews needed to get this done.
It would be a win-win situation: Chugach would accomplish the burial of power lines and the Hillside would get the fire breaks needed to fight the fire we all know is coming. You could get the tree huggers to support it if you said they could hike the new cleared lines. Skiers could use them and we could sneak our snow machines up and down some trails after a big snowfall.
Thank you for continuing the letters to the editor section of the Voice of the Times.
Jim Cottrell
Anchorage Keep capital out of Anchorage
In response to your June 29 editorial - What a sad, sad voice whining about our "cloistered" capital. You're using a special session that should not have been needed to bolster your long term anti-Juneau bias.
So you want to start moving the Legislature around in a Brother Harris' Traveling Salvation Army Show? And when the musical chairs, excuse me "no-frills tables" stop I'm guessing that you hope it will be in Anchorage. Anchorage is of ... coursethe home of the vast majority of our time-challenged legislators. Well you can bet that when that happens they won't keep sitting at no-frills tables or meeting in someone's garage. Get real.
I say forget about moving any part of our state government at anytime to anywhere closer than at least 50 miles from Anchorage. Let's keep our state government in Alaska!
Jim Bennett
Soldotna
Read up on Fred Thompson
Whenever I hear someone make the statement that they don't know enough about Fred Thompson to form an opinion, a few thoughts come to mind. Are they stumping for another candidate and really don't care how Fred stands on . . .the issues? Are they the indecisive type who waits until they enter the ballot box and then flips a coin? Or, are they just a bit lazy?
Fred Thompson shouldn't be an unknown to anyone who even leans conservative a little. Fred has been involved in conservative politics since campaigning for Goldwater in 1964. He is on record as demanding secure borders, lower taxes, combating Islamist terrorism and facing up to the threat of entitlements, just to name a few of his pet issues. If anyone is truly interested in finding out more about Fred, there is a wealth of information readily available on the Internet. Good places to start are: http://draftfredthompson.com/index.php/topic,3739.0.html and http://www.imwithfred.com/About.aspx
Lance Wilson
Houston, Alaska
Bring on the death penalty
I've often wondered why such a conservative state as Alaska does not institute the death penalty. I have concluded that perhaps it is too expensive (in its current form) for a state of less than 700,000 people. Maybe it is because of all the appeals and years of imprisonment (exhausting the appeals), not to mention ensuring the act itself is humane.
Where others seem to stumble is on the deterrent factor. I say who cares about the deterrent factor? It is called the "death penalty" not the "crime deterrent." Besides, there are now studies out that show it does have a deterrent factor. And with each execution, an estimated 18 lives are saved. How's that for cost verses benefit?
Others argue that too many innocent people are executed each year. I don't believe that to be true. With modern science (especially DNA testing) and the abundance of lawyers, I can't believe a truly innocent man can't prove his case. Besides, he is innocent until proven guilty by the state.
I truly think that Alaska needs the death penalty voted into law before a terroristic attack happens here like in Scotland. Then, if it were to happen here, we could at least execute the criminals and set an example to others who are entertaining such acts.
What deterrent does the death penalty have to suicide bombers who are paying the ultimate price? Maybe none. But remember it is called the death penalty, not deterrent. Besides, when they make a mistake and the bomb does not go off, they sure run to save their hide.
Once capital punishment is instituted, there should be no age limit. Anyone who maliciously takes another life should face the ultimate sentence, regardless if they are 41 or 14. Then some of these gang members may actually think twice before shooting a person wearing a red shirt.
It is definitely time for Alaska to institute capital punishment, and I implore our legislators to implement this sentence as another tool for our DAs.
Russ Lindsay
Anchorage
Considers dumping Daily News
I'm very happy to see the Voice of the Times online. I would have liked to see you able to stay with the Anchorage Daily News; however, it was no surprise to have them remove you from their editorial page when your contract expired.
I find myself in a odd position though. Shall I continue to be a source of revenue for a publication that I disagree with 96 percent of the time and find annoying, or just drop my subscripton?
I always thought a newspaper was supposed to reflect its regions' people, their thoughts and wishes, and to encourage economic growth. The Anchorage Daily News has not done that for some time, and I wish there were some way that another daily newspaper were able to establish itself in Anchorage.
I'll enjoy the Voice of the Times in this forum, and look forward to the day when the ADN reflects our area.
Keep up the good work.
John West
Anchorage
According to local legend
Les Brown of Anchorage asked about the rumor that Nome was considered as a site for holding the Yalta conference between Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill. At one time the U.S. Weather Bureau in Nome had its office, an apartment, and a number of sleeping quarters in a building called the Guest House, which, according to local legend, was built to house the conference. The building was very well built with a huge stone fireplace in what could have been a conference room that was at least 40 or 50 feet long.
I lived in the Guest House in Nome off and on for several years in the early 1950s and 1960s.
Charles Samuels
Anchorage
SiCKO is way off
SiCKO is propaganda served up as theatre. Moore pulls alongside Guantanamo and asks why his passengers can't get the same medical care as the detainees. He could have saved the trip and asked the same question outside San Quentin, but he was on his way to Cuba. In Cuba and all communist countries, there is a two-tier medical system; one for party officials and foreigners, another for the peasant class.
Cuban doctors with two specialties make an average of $23 per month, nurses much less, while Cuban cab drivers make up to $200 per month. He sings the praises of Canadian health care but doesn't mention that the family dog can get a hip replacement in a week, while its owner can wait up to two years. He flashes the names of "greedy" hospitals but must be ignorant of the fact that many of them are non-profits and the rest are losing money every day.
Tony Rohl
Grass Valley,CA Anchorage port benefits all Alaska
If there was one true project with statewide benefit vetoed by the governor in the capital budget it was the funds to help expand the Port of Anchorage. The port, now undergoing much-needed improvement, is important to the majority of Alaskans,and critical to those of the Railbelt and Interior rivers systems.
When the port first opened in 1961, I was the waterfront reporter for the Anchorage Times and covered not only the first ships to arrive, but also the Port Commission meetings that were often subject of attacks by those noting that Anchorage could never be a year around port because of ice.
That year a prominent Anchorage businessman purchased a surplus Navy rocket ship, had the bow filled with concrete, and proved once and for all, during one of the worst winters on record, that power, mass and seamanship could best the ice. And it all paid off in 1964 when the earthquake took down the ports of Seward and Whittier and the surface rail and highway systems between those ports and Anchorage.
Knowing the ice could be bested, and the need for food and materials was greatest in the population centers, encouraged the Sea-Land Company, and later Totem, to design and construct ice-classed container and roll on/roll off vessels that have helped equalize living costs between Alaska and the Lower 48.
These benefits have accrued to much more than Anchorage — a fact that the governor obviously overlooked as she chopped the capital budget. Many of the items dropped appear to have been "local pork" and could be afforded locally, or just forgotten if not critical to the economy and health of Alaska, and for that the governor should be thanked.
But the Port of Anchorage is much greater, and eventually, as the state's total port, rail, highway, trail and air infrastructures are recognized as deserving of limited public funds, it is hoped that the public, the Legislature, and, mostly, the nation's most powerful governor (whoever it may be) will recognize the difference between making short-term political statements and financing true capital projects.
(The Alaska Constitution makes the Alaska ) governor the most powerful in the nation. Whether the current or even some of the past governors understand that is open to question.)
Terry T. Brady
Anchorage
Tell us more about Fred
Tom Brennan's column "Is Thompson the new Reagan?" states that he would love to see Fred Thompson in The White House. Why? The article talks about everyone else such as Reagan, Guiliani, Carter, Bush and others but not much about Fred Thompson. You must have a reason or two. Why not tell us why?
I haven't found nearly enough information, either positive or negative, to make a decision and there are many who feel the same. He seems to be a nice guy, clean cut, and a good actor but is that enough for an endorsement for president of The United States?
You go on to say that the merits of the individual candidate are perhaps not as important as the political climate at the time of the election (or as the money raised — my words). Maybe you are right, but I hope not.
Hal Rohlman
Sterling
Forget moving capital near Anchorage
What a sad, sad voice whining about our "cloistered" capital. You're using a special session that should not have been needed to bolster your long term anti-Juneau bias.
So you want to start moving the Legislature around in a Brother Harris' Traveling Salvation Army Show? And when the musical chairs, excuse me "no-frills tables" stop I'm guessing that you hope it will be in Anchorage. Anchorage is, of course, the home of the vast majority of our time-challenged legislators. Well you can bet that when that happens they won't keep sitting at no-frills tables or meeting in someone's garage. Get real.
I say forget about moving any part of our state government at anytime to anywhere closer than at least 50 miles from Anchorage. Let's keep our state government in Alaska.
Jim Bennett
Soldotna
Bigger and better
I am pleased to see the Voice bigger and better on the web. I am also pleased to see that you have kept Walter Williams in the Voice. Since print newspapers are declining and online news is expanding this is probably a good move for the Voice and one more nail in the News coffin.
Jim Magowan
Anchorage
Was Nome the Yalta alternate?
Yalta. OK, a high-mark in treason but you gotta make some allowances for FDR; he was ill at the time. There was an Alaska connection.
I have heard it said by folks who served at Marks Army (Air Corp) Base in Nome that there was a very nice lodge built at the base as an alternate location for what turned out to be the Yalta conference. Some say that until FDR, Stalin, Churchill, et al. actually flew off, their destination was known only by a very few in the interest of security.
There were some bits and pieces of that supposed lodge still standing in what is now the parking lot of today's Nome State Airport as late as 1973.
It may or may not be true; surely there is some way to check it out. But if it is, we sure dodged a bullet by having the conference NOT held there. I'd hate to have Alaska, particularly Nome, linked in history to the debacle that made life easy for Stalin.
Les Brown
Anchorage Letters posted June 26, 2007 — Say no to roundabouts
Your June 21 editorial, "Traffic Terrorists," about redesigning roads was right on. However, you didn't mention Huffman Road where it is proposed that there be four round-a-bouts between the Old and New Seward highways, a 0.6 mile stretch. I am horrified. With so many roundabouts, it will be impossible to get into traffic if patronizing a business in between two. Traffic lights, after all, do permit breaks in the traffic. Also, pedestrians will be at risk, for cars at roundabouts are so busy trying to get into the traffic, that their drivers aren't noticing people on foot or bicycle.
I wonder if the city checks on the amount of traffic after a roundabout is put in. Perhaps I am not out and about during rush hour, but when I have a chance to see the dog bone at Dowling/New Seward, or the new C Street extension, they do not appear to have much traffic on them. I wonder if drivers avoid them whenever there is an alternative route.
Nancy Eliason
No common sense
The Alaska dairy industry is probably the most grossly inefficient in North America. Whenever you have more state board members than there are farmers, you also have the worst possible economies of scale.
There is no solution to profitability without government bailouts. Despite having $39 billion in the bank, watch the governor go after Lower 48 taxpayers' money in the form of USDA grants.
When it comes to old friends and cronies, common sense fiscal conservatism goes out the window.
D. K. Lilja
San Diego, CA.,
(where cows are happier)
Watch closely
A month ago, city-owned Municipal Light and Power was going to purchase office space at about 140 percent of market. Now we find out that it was Mayor Mark Begich's idea (according to the KTUU Democrat on loan as communications director) that we explore the merger of MLP and Chugach Electric Association.
A merger is what the IBEW has wanted for 20 years. They would have total control of the grid in Anchorage (and the Railbelt) with contracts expiring at once. What about a total privatization with bids from interested parties to see what the market is really? I would urge you folks to keep an eye on this one. It has a certain odor to me.
Will Gay
Doesn't bother them
It's curious that the Alaska State jet has become a political football in the biggest state, largely through the efforts of the Anchorage Daily McClatchy, while here in relatively compact Washington state, our governess zips from place to place in a jet, and the local McClatchys (e.g., The (Tacoma) News Tribune, The Olympian) utter nary a peep.
Richard L. Stewart
Olympia, Washington
Waste not
Before Anchorage and outside environmentalists and waste managers proceed too far with a forced recycling (or any further recycling) program a few things should be noted. Currently, there is a survey on the Anchorage Daily News covering so called waste management issues. I think these folks are grossly misdirected in their effort to "enhance" waste management in the municipality.
First, as far as I know there is no tracking system for recycled material. So, there is no proof anything is really recycled. Second, there is a tremendous abount of energy expended in recycling that is not counted or recouped in recycled material.
Third, as far as we know (and it's been written about in other papers) all that is recycled actually is disposed of in landfills. I believe there was an expose on solid waste management in Washington a few years ago. Perhaps even about King County and their behavior toward trash in general.
And last, how can Anchorage claim a program like this is for economic development when in fact, it is more like government development? There is no solid waste problem in Anchorage. However, there is one in rural Alaska and efforts should be made to help those folks.
Steven F. Cords
Grateful readers
As many others have expressed, I am grateful that your conservative voice has found a powerful outlet. The Anchorage Daily News is a very poor fish wrapper tainting even the rankest pinks. I would prefer to apply the $14.50 per month subscription price to a Harley Davidson motorcycle, but then there is the danger of not having enough fire starter to get me through the winter.
I enjoyed Walter Williams article on education rip-off, although it's 45 years too late.
Dan Wineinger,
I am so glad to have access to your site. I always enjoyed the Voice of the Times when it was a part of the Anchorage Daily News. In particular, I enjoy the writings of Paul Jenkins and also when he subs or did sub on KENI. He has a great sense of humor and knows how to get to the issue without dancing around and apologizing for any feelings he might hurt for telling the truth. I also suspect he and I were "guests" of Uncle Sam about the same period ('66 to '69).
Bob Greenan
I'm glad to see you online. Now I don't have to pay for the Peoples Workers Daily to read your articles. Thanks you.
Penny Nixon Letters posted June 11, 2007 —
Sick of the drivel
I am so outraged at this past Sundays Opinion, I can hardly see straight. In fact, I am speechless.
Such denigration for a company that has spent thousands of hard earned dollars helping to make this community, just that, a community of folks helping folks. VECO hands, throughout the company giving of their time, (lots of volunteers time) and personal monies for good causes and charity, to be painted with this drivel, is beyond my comprehension.
I can not help but think "others" out there in the community are just as outraged as myself. Perhaps this is the New's death throes, self-inflicted. I use the word "news" loosely.
Just had to share my outrage with you, and again let all of you, who are truly newsmen and women, know how much we are missing the Times.
Sandy Molyneux
Thanks again and again
I'm just loving Voice of The Times. Thanks loads for doing it.
Connie Godwin
Delighted to have access to you in cyberspace. The Anchorage Times did a great job in its time, and now you can continue your public service of providing more than lockstep liberalism.
Bob Brodie
Thanks to all at the Voice of the Times for pressing on. Now you have all the space you need . . . plus it's cheaper.
William Large Letters posted June 07, 2007 — State should act NOW
ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson's somber assessment of the "excessive cost" to build a gas pipeline from Alaska to the Midwest begs the question: If this proposed pipeline is so terribly expensive to build, why are they still holding on to their gas leases on the North Slope?
Exxon has not paid their damages to fishermen and others damaged during the oil spill some 17 plus years ago because they are angry with the State of Alaska for a variety of reasons. It is simply not in their best interest to say that a gas line is feasible from Alaska to anywhere. Certainly the gas line will be horrendously expensive to build but the US needs the energy and it has no alternative but to pay a reasonable long term gas contract price.
This "Too Expensive Gas Pipeline" is only a negative buildup to the main event. However, the State of Alaska needs to get off the dime and work with, not against, the major oil companies and encourage the building of the line, NOW. The real unspoken key to this line construction is the long-term contract sales of gas to the users. If we fail to do that now, the gas line may not be built for another 10 plus years and then the cost of steel and other commodities may have risen by a factor of two or three.
Thank you for keeping this open forum.
Vigo E. Anderson
Welcome suggestions
When will you be e.mailing daily commentary to individual e.mail adresses? Can you link to the Investor Business Daily - an excellent paper - in the future?
Other than that, congratulations on your new format. Methinks you are the winner of this round with the fish wrapper - it is slowly dying.
Thomas Woods
Editors Note: The voiceofthetimes.net is still a work in progress and we welcome reader suggestions like these.
More pleased readers
Wow - I can get the Voice of the Times without sending 50 cents to California. Thank you . . . Thank you
Tom Brion
Many thanks for starting your cyber-paper. We're delighted to be able to read about Alaska news from the more conservative viewpoint again. Life is good here in South Carolina, but we frequently think of all of our old friends up north; and happily even have a few of them that visit us once in a while.
Art & Kathy Kennedy
I am delighted the Voice of the Times is remaining active. Having lived in Anchorage for 18 years, we still consider it home. The Anchorage Times was our political anchor and it was a sad day to receive the last evening delivery. Keep up the good work.
Dave Thompson
Bremerton, WA Thanks for continuing to provide your voice. It can be challenging to begin a new adventure but it is so Alaskan. I’m glad to have you in my day, week, life.
Linda McLaughlin
I am very pleased that the Voice of the Times continues to go on. I am a college student in Las Vegas and do not remember the actual Times, as it closed down when I was only six years old. Once I reached age 12, I started to follow politics. By age 14, I started to examine politics more thoroughly, and was able to see the difference in political pieces. That was when I started disregarding almost all of the Anchorage Daily News, except for the Voice of the Times. At the age of 21, I am now working on my political science degree, hoping to continue on to law school. It is comforting to know that the Voice of the Times still remains as a connection to my hometown.
Carolyn Savina Congratulations on your move to a cyber format. It may never have been more important to have an alternate perspective to the conventional media.
Mike Hawker
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You made a difference and continue to make a difference. Keep up the great work.
Judith Brady Congratulations on the move and away from the back pages of the Daily fish wrapper. I will be an avid reader; just keep bringing us news that is truthful, honest, without any of the liberal spins attached. Keep up the good works.
W.J. Bassett
We will very much miss not having the opportunity to view your writings in the Anchorage Daily News.
Upon learning of your new adventure in bringing your sometimes caustic, and always sensible views to the explorers in cyberspace, I have begun my recovery from withdrawal. When the announcement that you would be no longer a part of the Anchorage Daily News rag came I must admit I was conflicted. I have little respect for the editorial positions of that paper but read it daily on my computer (usually very early in the morning before I have all my faculties) if for no other reason but to keep my equilibrium. Now that you are soon to be seen on the small screen in your own little cubby, I can skip the negativity in my life and run straight to the conservative opinions of reason, humor and reality.
Congratulations on this great move.
Alan LeMaster
Thanks, this is a great site and as it grows I’m sure it will become a true voice of and for Alaska.
Dick Smith I look forward to the day when you’ll be sending The Voice of the Times to my email address on a daily basis.
Eleanor Murphy
It would have been a real loss if you had not gone online. We really need a diversity of opinion. And what would we do without Tobin’s awful puns?
Howard Scaman
One advantage I thought of, is that your articles will be easier to access and send on to others. In my opinion, you are well shed of the Anchorage Daily News, which has moved very far away from the paper it used to be and has gotten much smaller, physically and mentally. Their more recent efforts to “californicate” Alaskans with Hollywood drivel, i.e., the major “botox” and tatoo/body piercing articles, as well as the less thought-provoking, more tabloid-type, “news” they prefer will eventually lead to their demise, unless they reduce Alaskan brains to pablum first!
Thank you Voice of the Times for throwing a lifeline to us. There is always a need for an independent link to considered thought and sanity! And thank you Veco for continuing to support the conservative viewpoint, in spite of the current trouble your company faces. It will be corrected by those of you who remain with the company, and hopefully will bring a strong character-building sense of purpose to all.
Joe and Eleanor Murphy
We are certainly very happy that you will continue, on the Web which is not as convenient as a paper, but nevertheless we have an opposing voice and a good one at that. We just have to change our habits a bit.
Joe, Ina and Erik Ressel
Back in April 1992, a young neighborhood boy was selling subscriptions to the Anchorage Times and being soft (liberal?) hearted I signed up. Soon the paper was no more, but little did I know I had become a loyal reader of the Times editorial page.
When reading the Anchorage Daily News, I often found myself gravitating to your editorial page because I so often disagreed with your editorials. My daily ritual was to read closely what the Times said, and shake my head. After I would only skim the Daily News editorial, because there I was often in agreement. But, in retrospect what the Times editorial said I tended to find so much more interesting. And those times when I found myself agreeing with the Times stirred memories of my teenage years when on rare occasions I found myself in agreement with something my dad would tell me.
Jim Menard
The ADN really screwed up by not renewing the Voice and shows that they do not want to be fair and balanced. I just might cut my ADN subscription from seven-day to just the weekend papers.
Michael Stoianoff
We are very sorry to see the Voice of the Times disappear from print. We have relied on it to provide balance in opinion pieces and have very much appreciated your representing conservative thought in Alaska. We thank you for having provided the opinions of these outstanding writers over the years and are very sorry to no longer have them in the local newspaper.
It is important for both sides of political questions to be heard, as we are sure even the Anchorage Daily News recognizes.
Robert and Lory Hahn
I was really glad to read in today’s “Voice” that the Voice will live on, albeit only in cyberspace. I haven’t known the VOT in any other way for many years, since I chose not to enrich McClatchy’s coffers and canceled my paid subscription to their ink-on-paper version after they went on-line. I’ve been reading the “Voice” on-line since ADN put their daily on a website.
We’re all worse off for McClatchy pulling the pin on the VOT and your almost-always opposing viewpoints (Oh, My Gosh...we get Dan Fagan as a partial replacement???), but I and many, many others will remain loyal, daily readers of voiceofthetimes.net.
Jim Martin
Editor's Note: Editorials and columns from the Voice of The Times will also be appearing periodically in The Peninsula Clarion.
I applaud the Voice of the Times for its hard work and much-needed balanced viewpoints over the past 15 years. I congratulate you on your new adventure into the Informational Superhighway, and look forward to visiting your site daily.
Jerry Barker
I am delighted you will still be around. I cannot imagine having just one point of view. Keep up the good work.
Myrna Maynard
Thanks for trying to keep some balance in news reporting in our fair city.
Barb Mee
For your service to our state and community. I appreciate the challenge of accountability in what you wrote each day. I wish each of you success and satisfaction in whatever next “chapter” you pursue.
Cheryl Frasca
Thank God you are going to live. My wife and I were wondering about the future of Alaska without the Times. Now work on a print version for All of Alaska.
David and Bonnie Williams
From a former Times staffer (and a conservative one at that), I wish you all the best in your new venture. I’ll have it bookmarked here in the liberal, elitist Northeast!
Doug Van Reeth, Brunswick, Maine
Good luck with your new online venture. Now you can write as much as you want and you won’t be limited by space.
Irene Lee
Thank you for your years of common sense no-spin reporting. Many times I was going to cancel the Anchorage Daily News, but because of your half page I didn’t. Now I will. I don’t understand how liberals got control of all our nations newspapers but they have. The same with our schools. I don’t understand why good Americans put up with it. I hope your online news is a success.
Willard Steenhout
I wanted to say thanks for not just closing shop and going away. We need you.
Bill Johnson
I have included your Web site in my AlaskanBest.com search engine which will return results from voiceofthetimes.net to appear in relevant searches. We need more voices in Alaska rather than fewer. I’ve always enjoyed the writing even though I didn’t always agree with the opinion. I also think Paul Jenkins does a great radio talk show.
Bob Cortez
Congratulations on the creation of www.voiceofthetimes.net. I’ve updated my browser bookmark to point there. I wish you success.
Hopefully, at some point you’ll be able to expand to having some state news coverage, which would eliminate the last reason to look at ADN’s Web page.
Mark Crispin
I already have your site bookmarked and plan to be checking in regularly. I think your displacement from the pages of the Daily News is very much their loss. I know “Voice of the Times” was the first page I turned to and I’m sure it was for many others also.
As it is, after many months of effort I have finally succeeded in weaning myself of the printed newspaper. This was tough for me because while I enjoy electronic media, I’m also an old-fashioned print lover. But I did it to keep my 50 cents out the ADN’s revenue stream. I won’t buy magazines whose editorial policies I don’t agree with, so why should I buy the local newspaper when they are consistently 180 degrees out from my views?
Robert Zidalis
Glad to know that you are still available for the conservative news. I will be a regular at your web site.
Kenneth Cowles
Now I have a real dilemma - do I keep my subscription to the Anchorage Daily News? With the Voice of the Times gone, what is left? Comics, TV schedule, the arts, sports, weather, one or two decent columns, and page after page of editorials, or editorials masquerading as news. I remember a phrase from the past, “all the news that’s fit to print.” The trouble is, a liberal newspaper only gives us one side of most stories. Too bad they don’t think that it’s ‘fitting’ to print both sides. They editorialize by selection.
Thanks for all you have said and done in the past, even if I didn’t always agree with you. And thanks for this Web page to help us focus on the conservative point of view.
Nancy Campbell
Good job. You do quite well for a bunch of old worn out newspaper guys.
Bob Bell
Good idea to keep the Voice Of The Times up and running. I have been reading Mr. Tobin since Saturday Sunday was in the Times. I got a kick out of the Daily News the other day when they made a comment about how the Times gave reports on every general that came to town. Must have been talking about Mr. Tobin. My dad worked at Elmendorf for many years and I bet some of those generals could teach the staff at the News a thing or two. Anyone who grew up in Alaska knows how important the military was and is to our city and state. I also hope you keep printing Walter Williams. Good luck.
Bob Malone
I was pleased to see the Voice of the Times will continue on. Since retiring in northern Nevada three years ago after 52 years in Alaska, I continue to read about the happenings in Anchorage and all of Alaska. Keep up the good work.
Michael Massin
The Daily News is the loser without you. Congratulations and best of luck in this new venture.
Mike Webb
I am very happy that you have an outlet. I am quite disappointed with the Anchorage Daily News. We have no other newspaper.
Susan Doran
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