FREE icepeople The world's northernmost alternative newspaper Briefly Vol. 1, Issue 6 May 19, 2009 www.icepeople.net HEADLINES STOLEN FROM SVALBARDPOSTEN More ship accidents in store? Two arrested after grounded southern coast of Bear Island, with the captain VERDENS NORDLIGSTE AVIS facing prosecution for drinking on duty and vessel spills oil; risk likely to the first mate for drinking and falling asleep rise as warming opens waters while on watch. With Arctic seas containing up Break-in at Skoa to a quarter of the world's remaining oil and There's a bounty of riches awaiting in the cargo shippers preparing to take advantage of Some have tried to break into the café with much cheaper polar routes, officials say the help of hammer and shovel night to melting waters of the Arctic, but native dwellers may pay the ultimate price as current regulations and resources are Tuesday. increased traffic means a greater risk of insufficient and could have catastrophic incidents like a Russian ship that ran aground impacts. Cruise ships to sail east and spilled oil in a Svalbard bird sanctuary last "We must be realistic and expect that The Petrozavodsk after running aground on Bear week. more such modern 'landmarks' can emerge and Island last week. Photo provided by the coast again The Petrozavodsk remains stuck on the See CLEANUP, page 2 Norwegian Coastal Administration. Employment Mannen encourage tourists from the expedition cruise ships should still be able to travel freely in the eastern protected areas on Svalbard. Where ski season begins in April: Race, Sweets, opening of pole lift keeps snow bums busy Page 3 Weapons rental still OK Sportscenteret and Engineer G. Paulsen receives as well rent out weapons this season. salutes Headlines are actually provided courtesy of Svalbardposten. Translation of article text is by Google Translate, so blame it and not those at and song Svalbard's "real" newspaper for the funky wording. The full translation of the current issue and Victory before a global crowd Svalbardposten archives is at our homepage at gives Norwegians extra reason www.icepeople.net. for pride on Constitution Day Important as honoring soldiers and children on the national holiday may be, the highlight for some Norwegians this year was a young violinist's "Fairytale." Alexander Rybak, 23, smashed the record for the most points ever to win the 54th annual Dignitaries lead a human train of hundreds of people through the streets of Longyearbyen during Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night the traditional tog parade as part of Norwegian Constitution Day on Sunday. before more than 100 million television "The highlight?" said one man when asked Full information on the above items is viewers worldwide, including nearly half of the next morning while parading through the about the best part of the holiday. "That available at www.icepeople.net. Norway's 4.8 million people. So Longyear- streets in a traditional human train as part of byen residents were singing his winning song Norwegian Constitution Day. See HOLIDAY, page 4 Mush a rush despite brush with slush See SOLFEST, page 4 Svalbard's first sled dog race Inside has a few ruff spots, but has Headlines from Svalbardposten participants begging to return - Major changes coming to Lompensenteret - Elimination of SAS night flights delays mail Sled dog racing started in Svalbard not with - Polar bear shot by researchers at Kinnvika See ROOKIE, page 2 a bang or much ballyhoo, but plenty of barks. There was no group countdown, bullhorn or Page 3 much else leading up to the moment when Weather forecast Harvey Goodwin spurred his two dogs through Page 3 Priest finds clinic, church missions similar the starting gate of the Trappers' Trail race at about 11 a.m. May 9 at The University Centre Events calendar HEADLINES STOLEN FROM Harvey Goodwin guides the first dog team Page 4 along the Trappers' Trail race course May 9. See RACE, page 3 SVALBARDPOSTEN VERDENS NORDLIGSTE AVIS Page 2 May 19, 2009 Who's to blame and how to express your wrath Editor Mark Sabbatini Copy editor Kristan Hutchison Psychiatrist Irene Gallion Mailing address Icepeople Vei 210 -2- 13 Longyearbyen, Svalbard 9170 Norway Telephone Norway: +47 41 51 46 38 U.S. +1 (970) 344-4559 The Russian ship Petrozavodsk may be stuck on the coast of Bear Island, which officials say is a concern because of oil still inside. Photo provided by the Norwegian Coastal Administration E-mail [email protected] Arctic 'patchwork quilt' needs mending Web site CLEANUP, from page 1 www.icepeople.net persist," said Svalbard Governor Per Sefland in a Norwegian Constitution Day speech to Icepeople is published weekly (or thereabouts) Longyearbyen residents during an evening on Tuesdays (or thereabouts), with printed theater event. The grounding is a reminder "of copies available free on a limited basis in how fragile our exotic island is (and) a Members of Spitsbergen Revylag offer their satirical interpretation of local events during the past Longyearbyen. Additional printed copies are year during a performance at Huset on the final night of Solfestuka. reminder that we must take new measures availably locally and by mail upon request. aimed at prevention." Charges are on an "at cost" basis. The most heated modern-day battle is sovereignty rights as a multitude of nations Copyright stuff fight for the right to an estimated 90 billion barrels of untapped oil, enough to meet current world demand for three years. There are also Original contents of this publication can be and available equipment, Fause said. It took 20 reproduced for non-commercial purposes free areas where mining companies may find new deposits. Increases in other commercial hours for the Coast Guard to reach the of charge if Icepeople is credited as the Petrozavodsk and fog soon after kept a group source. The original writers, photographers shipping activity is expected to increase, but experts say it may be decades before melting of environmental professionals from inspecting and other contributors retain their rights to all the scene. published works. has advanced far enough to ensure waters are consistently safe and accessible for large-scale "If there is a crash with oil pollution in the transit. east of Svalbard we have no resources to send out quickly," he said, adding "in other part of A sled heads down Hiorthhamn fjord during the Corrections policy “The Arctic Ocean is a ‘patchwork quilt’ of tolls and regulations by several coastal the islands we may not be able to handle the annual race at Solfestuka, this year featuring situation for many days." about 20 entrants. Photo by Roger Ødegård. When we screw up you'll know about it – on nations," said Mead Treadwell, testifying for the front page. One of the big complaints the U.S. Arctic Research Commission during a Some of that is being addressed with about newspapers is they tend to bury U.S. Senate hearing in June 2008. "Arctic increased training, requests for equipment and corrections and clarifications deep inside shipping will grow when rules are certain and policy strategies emphasizing environmental where few people who read the original article when products can be delivered competitively protection as expanded economic opportunities see them. If we need to fix something, an alert with other routes. This means on a time and are considered, Fause said. box on the front page will state what story is in cost basis, not just on shorter distances.” But improving access doesn't necessarily error and where the full correction is printed. The Petrozavodsk is the first ship to run mean resolving problems, as the Petrozavodsk aground in Svalbard since about 1990, when may demonstrate. another incident occurred on the west coast of "They told us it may not be possible to Submitting material Bear island, said Lars Fause, assistant rescue the vessel," Fause said. Salvagers need governor for the archipelago. He said the north to build a small dock behind the ship, which Letters, columns, photos and other material coast of the island has a ship identification the geography may not permit, and "they told are welcome, but we can't offer pay for system, but its 50-kilometer range was us the weather conditions are very tough out published items since nobody here is getting insufficient to detect when the Russian vessel there." paid at the moment. Submissions in electronic veered off course, one of many deficiencies The ship was carrying a total of 30 cubic form (text, Word documents, JPEGs, etc.) are regional officials are now trying to correct. meters of oil divided into four containers, at highly preferred, although typing and/or "Our suggestion is to put an antenna on least two of which may have broken. scanning of items will be considered on a per- the southern part of the island," he said. Other "They think the next storm the ship may case basis. We reserve the right to edit areas needing detectors to deal with future ship be taken out and there may be more pollution," submissions for length, clarity, accuracy, libel traffic include west coast areas such Ny- Fause said. The good news is "it is diesel, not and other reasons, but we will also make Ålesund and the northeast channel. heavy oil, so it is disappearing." every reasonable effort to contact the author Even if an incident is detected, responding There's more! Visit www.icepeople.net about any changes prior to publication. can be problematic due to weather, geography for the complete story. May 19, 2009 Page 3 HEADLINES STOLEN FROM SVALBARDPOSTEN VERDENS NORDLIGSTE AVIS Major changes coming to Lompensenteret center A larger convenience store and an uncertain future for the Busen cafe are part of a large-scale renovation underway at Lompensenteret.