Mushrooms are Coming to Alaska!

The light is fading and the Fireweed is going to seed. The out of state visitors are packing up the last of their salmon catch.

The cooler, wetter weather is perfect for mycologist get- togethers. Namely, the Girdwood Fungus Fair and the Cordova Fungus Festival are happening at the end of August.

There are all kinds of mushroom cultural activities like mushroom walks and foray with mycologists from all over Alaska and the Lower 48. You can learn to grow, find, and eat all kinds of mushrooms.

Join the fun! This community is mushrooming!

Alaska Mushroom Festivals and Links

• Cordova Fungus Festival: "CORDOVA FUNGUS FESTIVAL"
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• Girdwood Fungus Fair:
  We put the "Fun" in Fungus Fair
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• Kenai Peninsula Mycological Society
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• Southcentral Alaska Mycological Society
• Working together to promote, pursue and advance the study of Mycology in Southcentral Alaska
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• 2011 Annual Mushroom Conference at Breitenbush Hot Springs
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• 2011 Annual Meeting of the Mycological Society of America. - Holy Cow! 79 ANNUAL meeting. Starts tomorrow August 2 - 5, 2011.

I know one Mushroom Maestro who will be making the trip from his Urban Mushroom Farm in Oakland CA to soggy Girdwood for the Fungus Fair. 

Spring student pottery sale April 29

Spring student pottery sale April 29:

"Spring student pottery sale April 29
Thursday, 14 April 2011

Friday, April 29, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Gordon Hartlieb Hall, Room 108

UAA invites you to come to the annual spring student pottery sale Friday, April 29. Choose from a large selection of mugs, platters, plates, pitchers, vases and so much more."

This pottery sale is wonderful. I've been there a few times and each time I find something great.

US govt seeks $92 mln extra for Exxon Valdez spill - Yahoo! News

US govt seeks $92 mln extra for Exxon Valdez spill - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Thursday said it will pursue $92 million in extra damage claims against Exxon Mobil Corp. for the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, the worst in U.S. history.


Four U.S. agencies including the Justice Department and the state of Alaska say it will cost that much more to clean up lingering environmental damage from when the Exxon Valdez supertanker ran aground in Alaska's Prince William Sound and spilled about 11 million gallons of crude oil."
--- read more about the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

The gist is this: In 1991, Exxon paid a civil settlement of 900 million (to who?). In that settlement there was a "reopener" clause, that allows for up to 100 mil extra for unforeseen damages. Realizing that Exxon Mobil made 36 BILLION last year and there is still oil in the sound - And they haven't settled punitive damages with the prince william sound stakeholders - The government is requesting 92 million in "damage claims" in a clean up plan.

Exxon issued the statement that further funding from Exxon isn't "justified".

If Exxon refuses to pay, the government can sue them for it before a september 1st deadline.

My take: Now that Exxon is doing well and the government is doing poorly, the Government wants to reneoigiate it's cozy sweatheart deal. Exxon should and probably will pay. But the real issue is the punitive damages to the fisherman, natives and landowners of the region. Exxon thinks they don't have to pay and I think they do.