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Contributors, creators, writers, participants.

For...
News ideas, new features, articles, art.

Welcome to our new site!

This is a place to explore the ‘inside’ of news and life in Alaska, and to lay the groundwork for each issue of our new monthly newspaper. Explore the ‘Ideas for articles’ and ‘Ideas for features’ links on the left. And contribute your own ideas: Make suggestions about topics we could cover in our new monthly newspaper. You can even contribute your own stories. For the time being, the best place to do that is at the discussion forums—click on the buttons ‘Reviews of Organizations,’ or ‘Discussion Forum,’ above.

Survey finds local arts organizations lack objective standards for morality

By Crystal Hutchens
Research by Jennifer Johnson

Editorial

America has no soul

Unheard voices

By Geoff Bederson

The wild story of a hardened criminal fighting Alaska’s crooked cops, and how change is possible

This is the abbreviated version of the interview with Danny Hill, which was printed in the April/May edition. The full interview will be uploaded to this site soon.

Culture definitions

Help keep track of Alaskan culture?
We invite you to join us in this long-term commitment to improve culture, both popular culture and the art world promoted by the cultural elite: artists, directors and producers (which we examine in this issue). On our website, humanitynews.net, you will find a discussion forum with background information about major cultural venues in Anchorage and Alaska, including the full interviews conducted for this issue. We hope that this can be a space to respond to - and to hold accountable - what occurs in these places in the future. Help us keep track of what lifts, and what lowers!  --editors, Alaska Humanity News

Judging Art
Definitions

The deep Anchorage talent pool – Dive in!

By Crystal Hutchens

The deep Anchorage talent pool – Dive in!

By Crystal Hutchens

News of the real

We are inundated with news, but it is skewed. This page is a summary of mainstream articles from the past couple of months that are striking in ways that they missed the message.

What if the actual news were right before our eyes, but we didn’t see it? Our goal is to unearth inner news: news of the shattered and the broken, news of the beautiful and the good.

There are many ways to re-capture culture. Simply by becoming fully aware of the reality of news is one way that reality is transformed. See the Discussion forum at humanitynews.net to continue and elaborate—add your own stories—and reclaim news from its bland and conventional condition (the full stories are posted there as well).

Organizations we support

Science Fiction Film “Secret World: Crude Space"

Movie review

V for Vendetta
Reviewed by Diana DeFazio

Alternatives

Art can help us build a culture of care by ____________________________________ [fill this in yourself].

Challenges

Do not profane your mind
Express a careful, actively benevolent love
Take less from the poor

Greybeard's Box

Is art a spectator sport?
Does public funding for art mean it’s better to see than be?
Can there be art without heart?

Unheard Voices

Putting together a new world

Click on Archives: Feb/Mar 2006 to see the contents of this month’s paper.

Alaska native corporations invest in military

Failure to respect traditional cultures reaps profits but leads to social decay
By Ian Overton

Challenge

Non-political solutions to the Iraq war

Editorial

Finding true riches in Alaska

Opinion

The cultural vitality of Alaskan communities
By Harry Davidson

Letters to the Editor

A much better transit option

America does have a soul

Iraq war is no good

Challenges

Working conditions in Alaska canneries are unfair
By Dennis Burke

Greybeard's box

Feb/Mar 2006

Is semantics only a word game?
How effective is talking at, to, or with someone?
Why do have two eyes, two ears, and one mouth?

News Of the Real

Spiritual level decreases

Economics: Tight immigration policy hits roadblock of reality.
Desperation forces millions to come to U.S.

Culture: Potent Mexican meth floods In as states curb domestic variety
Use of hard drugs has spread to the Midwest and other U.S. areas once far removed from violent crime and drugs

Government: Bush fails to live up to his own beliefs

Citizen Journalism

Iran War Would Detonate Monetary Bomb
By Ian Overton

Alaskan Humanity: Powwow at homeless shelter restores our shared humanity
By Dennis Burke

Restaurant Review

The chowder house adventure
Reviewed by Crystal Hutchens

Movie Review

Munich
Reviewed by Jamey Bradbury and Diana DeFazio

Organizations we support

Revolutionary Urban Natives

Alternatives

We can bring together the best in Western and Native culture by ____________________________________ [fill this in yourself].

Challenges

From Mother Teresa and Desmond Tutu
Poem by Nelson Mandela

View and contribute to our message forums

Alaska university system in danger of bankruptcy

High costs, fewer opportunities put students and economy at risk
By: Ian Overton

Challenges

Will The Alaska Club offer fair membership options?

Humanity News News

Alaska Humanity News to become bimonthly
Contribute your own news
Bob Lord
Core supporters of Alaska Humanity News
Seeking Co-Creators of Alaska Humanity News
Opportunity:  “Compassionate Businesses”

Editorial

Don’t blame Dan Coffey for tiny vision

Opinion

City of God
By Harry Davidson

Letters to the editor

Some overseas manufacturers are just
The smiling Eskimo is imprisoned

Greybeard's box

November, 2005

If we are what we eat, will we become alike or different?

Will doctored food make doctored people?

Who determines who eats and who doesn’t?

Greybeard's box

December 2005/ January 2006

Do we still have government of, by, and for the people?

Can someone’s dream be another’s nightmare?

Does contracting out create more whistle blowers
than civil service?

Unheard Voices

Fulfillment in traditional, religous, family life

Click on Archives: Dec 2005/Jan 2006 to see the contents of this month’s paper.

News of the real

December 2005/ January 2006

misc

Believe it or not you Can Read it!

Opinion

Saving UAA requires national protectionist policy
By Ian Overton

Restaurant review

The Great Alaskan Chip Tour
Reviewed by Crystal Hutchens

Organizations we support

Winterberry Charter School

Organizations we support

Early-stage Alzheimer’s support group

Movie review

Pride and Prejudice
Reviewed by Jamey Bradbury and Diana DeFazio

Alternatives

How can we produce a city that nurtures what is best and most beautiful in human beings?___________________________
[fill this in yourself].

Wisdom

December 2005/ January 2006

Challenge

“I shall never stop practicing philosophy and exhorting you and elucidating the truth for everyone that I meet. I shall go on saying...Are you not ashamed that you give your attention to acquiring as much money as possible, and similarly with reputation and honor and give no attention to truth and understanding and the perfection of your soul?...I shall do this to everyone I meet, young or old, foreigner or fellow citizen, but especially to you, my fellow citizens.”
Plato, Apology

Wisdom

“There can be no judge of a criminal on earth until the judge knows that he, too, is a criminal, exactly the same as the one who stands before him, and that he is perhaps most guilty of all for the crime of the one standing before him....However mad that may seem, it is true. For if I myself were righteous, perhaps there would be no criminal standing before me now....And if, having received your kiss, he goes away unmoved and laughing at you, do not be tempted by that either: it means that his time has not yet come, but it will come in due course; and if it does not come, no matter: if not he, then another will know, and suffer, and judge, and accuse himself, and the truth will be made full. Believe it, believe it without doubt, for in this lies all hope and all the faith of the saints....If you are surrounded by spiteful and callous people who do not want to listen to you, fall down before them and ask their forgiveness, for the guilt is yours, too, that they do not want to listen to you. And if you cannot speak with the embittered, serve them silently and in humility, never losing hope.”
Feodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

95% of supermarket food comes from agribusiness

Quality of Carrs/Safeway food is mediocre
By: Crystal Hutchens

Anchorage does use sweatshop labor

Response to Challenge is vague but certain
By: Ian Overton

Challenges

Will Canneries Offer Fair Jobs?

Evaluating the meaning of food:

A three step process

Editorial

An alternative vision for Carrs/Safeway

Opinion

Reclaiming the food process
By Harry Davidson

Letters to the editor

November, 2005

Join together to resist torture & corruption
Unions are not necessary
Response to fish article

Unheard voices

Remembering to listen to what is really here

Click on Archives: November, 2005 to see the contents of this month’s paper.

News of the real

November, 2005

Understanding situations

The intersection at Northern Lights Blvd. and Minnestota Dr.

Restaurant review

Snow Goose
717 West 3rd Avenue
277-7727

Reviewed by Crystal Hutchens

Movie Review

North Country
Reviewed by Diana DeFazio and Jamey Bradbury

Alternatives

A meaningful global food system could be ___________________ [fill this in yourself].

Wisdom

November, 2005

“Let them remember that there is a meaning beyond absurdity. Let them be sure that every little deed counts, that every word has power, and that we can, everyone, do our share to redeem the world in spite of all absurdities and all the frustrations and all disappointments. And above all, remember that the meaning of life is to build a life as if it were a work of art. You’re not a machine….Start working on this great work of art called your own existence. One of the ways of doing it-two ways of doing it-is, one remember the importance of self-discipline; second, study the great sources of wisdom. Don’t read the bestsellers. And, third, remember that life is a celebration or can be a celebration. There’s much entertainment in our life. And entertainment is destroying much of our initiative and weakens our imagination. What’s really important is life as a celebration.”

Abraham Heschel, Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity

My Coffee Shop Addiction

I’m not addicted to coffee; I’m addicted to coffee shops.  To tell the truth, I don’t even like the taste of coffee that much, but I do like coffee shops.  I like their atmosphere and the casual, laid-back attitude.  Coffee shops provide a sanctuary from claustrophobic, downtown offices and crowded, hectic shopping centers.  Best of all, a coffee shop is a place to locate kindred souls, fellow coffee drinkers who seek refuge from the rat race.  People tend to have loyalty to their chosen coffee shop because, like bars, each has its own personality.

By coffee shop, I am not referring to those “temporary” buildings offering drive-thru service.  Those are for the serious coffee drinkers, the ones who need a cup on the commute to work.  For someone like me, these completely miss the point.  Drinking coffee is like meditation and should be done in an environment that encourages contemplation.

I work in downtown Anchorage.  I ride the bus in to work each weekday morning and I visit a coffee shop prior to going to the office.  It helps put a pleasant break between my commute and the actual beginning of work.  My favorite place for this is Sassafras next to 5th Avenue Mall.  They’re locally owned and I know the barristas by name.  Since I’m a regular, they know what I like to drink so there’s no need to order.  They have pastries, fruit, teas and other stuff too.  They serve lunch but let’s face it; at 7:00 AM it’s a coffee shop, not a café.  I like that it has First Friday art up on the walls.  Also, they make really good coffee too.

At Sassafras, I can usually tell which barrista is working as soon as I walk in just by listening to the music that is playing.  They have a small boom box and the employees bring in their own music.  Each one has their own style and you may hear jazz, folk or reggae depending on who was opening the shop that morning.  I’ve sometimes discussed the music with them and gotten suggestions on new artists.  Usually, I meet my friend, Richard, at the shop.  We browse through the local free newspapers.  We discuss our weekend and what we accomplished, or didn’t accomplish.  This makes our transition to work better than the rush to commute and then immediately flinging into the hectic fray at the office.  We know the other customers and we greet each other and talk about our weekend plans.  It’s a comfortable place.

But one morning, it didn’t work that way.  When I arrived at the shop shortly after 7:00 AM, Richard was waiting at the entrance.  The door was locked, the lights were off and there were no signs of life.  There was a pile of newspapers and pastries left at the door.  We discussed our options and decided to go to a different coffee shop that morning.  We are fortunate in that we have a large number of locally owned coffee houses through our city, but in this case, the only coffee shop that we knew of within walking distance was a corporate-owned store with a national brand name.  We decided to hoof it over there and were on our way.

When we reached the corporate store, the differences with my usual coffee joint were obvious.  It was much larger with a large counter full of items that I didn’t want to buy.  There were two people working behind the counter, a man and a woman.  The man seemed to be loaded with caffeine.  He had wide-open eyes and smile that appeared to be just short of drug induced.  I stepped up to the counter.
“WELCOME.  WHAT CAN I GET YOU?” the man yelled.  The wide grin stretched his facial skin a little shy of the breaking point.
Rich and I looked over the large menu.  It was long and I didn’t recognize many of the items.  I was worried that I’d order something unusual and undrinkable so I stuck with something familiar.  I ordered a white chocolate mocha.
“ONE WHITE CHOCOLATE MOCHA!” the man yelled.
“ONE WHITE CHOCOLATE MOCHA COMING UP!” responded the woman with a similar decibel level.  She immediately started to work and so I paid, left a tip and moved down the counter to where she was located.

As I looked around the shop, I noticed that the chairs were arranged into conversation pits and the place was decorated as if you had called the Home Shopping Channel and said “give me a Starbucks.  And make it trendy.” If you try too hard to be trendy, you can become a facade.  This place had all the trappings but no soul, a sort of a McDonalds version of a coffee house.  Unlike my regular joint, none of the customers seemed to know each other.  I was used to greeting familiar faces but in this place, I know no one and no one knew me.

“ONE WHITE CHOCOLATE MOCHA!” yelled the woman.  She placed the coffee on the counter and beamed a big smile.  Her eyes were like headlights.  This was starting to freak me out.

I sat down and waited while Richard went through an experience similar to mine to get his coffee.  When he sat down at the table, we surveyed the room.  There was a chalkboard sign advertising that a new jazz CD was available for sale.  Not surprizingly the music being played over the shop’s sound system was the same.  My regular shop didn’t try to sell music.  Although there were more customers here, they appeared to be mostly tourists awaiting a scheduled bus or van pickup at the Egan Center.  This shop’s name was familiar to them.  The same brand name store selling the same brand name coffee with cool trademarked names for specialty drinks.  This store was selling coffee mugs, coffee beans and coffee makers.  All with the corporate stamp of approval for a nice advertisement.

And there was something else that bothered me.  In my regular shop, I knew the owner.  I knew how hard she worked.  I knew that the money I spent there went to help her pay bills.  At the corporate store, my money probably helped the stockholders as much as anyone.  When we purchase a product, whether it’s coffee, clothes or food, we’re purchasing more than the physical product; we’re purchasing the spirit of the item also.  This is something you need to consider.  Is your purchase helping a small businesswoman pay her mortgage or are you helping a corporate CEO buy another vintage sports car?  Are you helping the workers’ pay their grocery bills or are you paying for the retiling of a board member’s summer house swimming pool?  Think about it.  Are you paying for a life of poverty for a farmer or factory worker?  Are you purchasing damage to the environment?

The next morning, my regular coffee shop was open on time.  I went in and the girl at the counter smiled and asked me if I wanted my usual.  I didn’t ask about the what happened yesterday because it really didn’t matter.  A couple of days later, I learned that the girl scheduled to open the shop overslept but, like I said, it really doesn’t matter.  I like unpredictability.  The shop isn’t owned by a corporation and I like that.  There isn’t a standardized procedure for everything and I like that too.  The place is comfortable and it makes me feel welcome.  I’ll take the occasional hiccups in stride because to me that’s just part of the personality.  I’ll take the idiosyncrasies because they come as part of the soul of the place.  I may not need the coffee but the coffee shop has me hooked.

Challenge

October, 2005

Do Anchorage institutions support sweatshops?

Greybeard's box

October, 2005

Is justice conditional?
Can you beat an idea with a stick?
If you play God, does that make you God?

Organizations we support

Sui Juris Court Angels...

Alternatives

We can make torture unnecessary and even unthinkable by _________________ [fill this in yourself].

News Article: Do Sen. Stevens and Rep. Young support U.S. torture policies?

Senator Lisa Murkowski opposes psychological & physical torture; views of others are unclear
By: Crystal Hutchins

News Article: Alaska one of only two states without fish testing

Government reluctant to provide information that could hurt fishing industry
By: Cathy Holt

Opinion

The foundation of our civility
By Harry Davidson

Editorial -- Torture

Dissolving terror at the root

Letters to the editor

October, 2005
Peace Building
Is He Not Our Brother

Unheard Voices

The unglamorous life of a modest, unassuming Alaskan

Click on Archives: October, 2005 to see the contents of this month’s paper.

Restaurant Review

McDonald’s
By Crystal Hutchens and Geoff Bederson

Movie Review

Lord of War
Reviewed by Diana DeFazio and Jamey Bradbury

Additional elements of centers in poor countries

Practical projects that respond to tangible needs

Such as for health, education, shelter, food, etc.

‘Reality travel’

Similar to Global Exchange ‘reality tours,’ but for independent travelers. Helping travelers learn about the region by encouraging visits to non-profits and other organizations, and experience of political, economic and cultural life.

Resource and help center

Tools to connect travelers and residents with opportunities for learning, experiencing and helping. A place where those seeking help and those with resources and the desire to help can find each other.

Sister communities

Forming ties between communities in different regions. Break down barriers that seem impenetrable, to achieve communication on a personal level that addresses core personal issues. Provide a forum for communications between those of different backgrounds, education, language, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, and nation. True sisters are equals.

Network of centers

A network of Humanity Centers could support and strengthen each local group. There would be educational exchanges, perhaps classes taking place simultaneously in distant parts of the world, and many other shared projects. For instance, the centers could coordinate sister-community relationships, and facilitate true fair trade. Members would have the opportunity to travel between communities.

Personal growth is an essential first step. Local action is a good second step. But we don’t need to stop there. When several communities of understanding in distant parts link up, a synergy could awaken a new vital force: a beating heart circulating our group-spirit in the world.

Help centers – Connecting diverse people and cultures

To provide a forum for communications between those of different backgrounds, education, language, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, and nation. Break down barriers that seem impenetrable. To make use of the power of the Internet to achieve communication on a personal level that addresses core personal issues. To learn about each other, act together, and help each other.

Connecting people in distant places in ways that help them learn about each other and act upon what they learn. Connecting those in need with those who want to help. In ways that respond to their true interests and needs.

Cities might adopt several diverse communities, such as some very poor villages in a variety of continents, plus a larger town or city. When a person becomes a member they choose or are assigned a single person or family in each sister community. The duty of those linked in this way is to get to know each other, and to respond in some way to each other’s needs and hopes.

In addition, there could be a forum where those in need could announce themselves to members of the sister community. This would be an opportunity for those in need to be recognized and discovered by those who seek to help. Available on a website, or displayed in a public area, the public could view these announcements; or there could be a committee which reviewed the requests and asked or assigned participants to respond. (More thoughts on this subject is at the Huzanity website.)

Reinventing the institutions of industrial society

What is ‘Elemental society’? It is whatever we must do to build a society based on care and understanding,
and of course it is founded on a vision of the nature of that society.

Economics—True riches. Instead of scarcity and consumerism, the seeking of real wealth, true riches, and quality.

Government—Vitality & Implicity. Instead of policy, control, and power, inspiration and humanity, bringing institutions to life.

Culture—Culture of care. Instead of the regime of the crude and hard-heartedness, understanding and love.

What is elemental society?

The moral commons

Creating a self that would live elemental society into being

The goal of ‘reformulation of self’ is to become a person for whom friendship, beauty, the good, truth and the sacred are possible.

The great longing
The original human condition: full awareness of the vulnerability and freedom of being separate.
The great no
Renunciation of superficiality. We refuse natural or cultural determinism, superficiality and banality, psychic and spiritual numbing.
Challenge to identity
Senses of reality
There is an aperture which closes or opens, shutting out or letting in the true light. It is a fearless, exquisite aptitude that may be rarely achieved, but which is the universla birthright of humanity. Dimensions of reality we have the capacity to perceive: Truth, Beauty, Love, the Good, and the Sacred.
Cosmic passion
The goal of reformulation of self.
Commitment and Declaration of sovereignty
Instead of seeking change in institutions, let us generate it through who we become and who we are. In all our active life – in what we do, make, feel, think, and care about – we will bring into being the culture and society that we envision.
Living into being
Instead of political action, we assume the full scope of action we actually have that ‘lives into being’ the world we envision. It resolves conflicts spontaneously and directly, by simply being the response. We can reclaim the institutions which diminish our humanity, but this depends on our capacity to perceive transcendental qualities in static forms. This state of mind will naturally produce a corresponding state of society.

What are true relations?

A distinctive kind of relation is at the center of visionary, elemental society. There is no word for it, but it exists, or at least it has the possibility of existence.

There is an eternal quality, which transcends gender, race, age, appearance, and special interests. Do you find happiness in the context of a person? Or do you actually sense and hold the eternal quality of the relationship, and is this primary?

When you go as a human being, you will find a human being. We want to cultivate this rare, wonderful faculty for perceiving true relation. It’s the difference between embarking on peace, and a thunderous reunion.

We want to become a person for whom true friendship is possible. And we want to join in reciprocal action to reformulate society on this basis.

Possible future issues

Alaska Mountain and Wilderness Huts Association
alaskahuts.org
Executive director, John Wolfe
279-4663
So newsletter in file folder
“Our mission: Include Alaska’s back country in a worldwide tradition of places in which hikers and skiers can travel hut to hut, and provide warm comfortable huts i ninspiring settings to foster camaraderie and promote wilderness education and stewardship.”

Features of Alaska Humanity News

Unheard voices
Challenges
Alternatives
News of the real
Organizations we support
True riches
Room for improvement
Movie reviews
Restaurant reviews
Art reviews
Events pages: Inspire, transform, expand
Huzanity Center projects

We are seeking contributions for these features....

Alternatives
Room for improvement and True riches
News of the real
Government corruption
Challenges
See FEATURES for details about these pages.
AND we are seeking ideas for investigative news articles on Alaskan themes.

Just register and login and you will be ready to post entries.

Greybeard