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Posts published in April 2018

Wasteful spending: Ocean and coastal cleanup projects biggest recipients of 15.6M in environmental protection grantspolarbearpickup

Wasteful spending: Ocean and coastal cleanup projects biggest recipients of 15.6M in environmental protection grants

By Mark Sabbatini on April 29, 2018
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Read Time:3 Minute, 5 Second

It’s no longer a dirty secret: Svalbard’s shores are far from a pristine Arctic paradise and it’s going to take serious money and effort to combat the ongoing and worsening accumulation of trash on them.

That reality was recognized in the latest round of semi-annual grants from the Svalbard Environmental Protection Fund, with nearly a third of the 15.6 million kroner for 40 projects awarded to ocean and coastal cleanup efforts.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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A picture worth a thousand wards: Ski marathon set to top 1,000 racers for first time; start featured live onlinemarathonwebcam

A picture worth a thousand wards: Ski marathon set to top 1,000 racers for first time; start featured live online

By Mark Sabbatini on April 27, 2018
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Read Time:1 Minute, 59 Second

Signs of the times: This year’s Svalbard Skimaraton is expected to surpass 1,000 racers for the first time ever, all of whom will have to walk an extra 200 to 300 meters into the valley where the start line is due to poor snow/ice conditions closer to the road. But non-participants who don’t feel like making the trek can watch it all happen live from the comfort of their laptops or phones. 

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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Random weirdness for the week of April 24, 2018fakesvalbard

Random weirdness for the week of April 24, 2018

By Mark Sabbatini on April 27, 2018
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Read Time:5 Minute, 19 Second

Can you identify the location in Svalbard where this filming project is taking place (hint: think about how you’re accentuating the question before answering)?

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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BEAR SPRAY: Artist ‘tags’ Svalbardbutikken with larger-than-life polar predator as part of weekend art exhibitbearmural

BEAR SPRAY: Artist ‘tags’ Svalbardbutikken with larger-than-life polar predator as part of weekend art exhibit

By Mark Sabbatini on April 26, 2018
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Read Time:2 Minute, 26 Second

For Martin Whatson, the hardest part about “tagging” one of Longyearbyen’s most notable buildings in the minus 10 degrees Celsius cold isn’t incurring the wrath of the law (it’s not graffiti if city officials say it’s OK) or his spray paint cans freezing in the cold. Rather, due to how the cold affects the pressure in the cans, it means spraying much thinner droplets that are slow to dry.

“It’s much more drippy,” he said, making precise painting of his polar predator a predicament.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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Briefs from Svalbardposten for the week of April 24, 2018austfjordnes

Briefs from Svalbardposten for the week of April 24, 2018

By Mark Sabbatini on April 26, 2018
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Read Time:1 Minute, 45 Second

Year-long trapping stays at Austfjordnes put on hold
The historical trappers’ way of life is coming to an end in Svalbard – at least temporarily at a cabin where caretakers have been selected for year-long stays by The Governor of Svalbard for the past few years.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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High-flying performance: Sirkus Svalnardo earns trip to UKM national competition (w/ video of performance)UKMregionals

High-flying performance: Sirkus Svalnardo earns trip to UKM national competition (w/ video of performance)

By Mark Sabbatini on April 23, 2018
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Read Time:53 Second

The acrobatic youth troupe Sirkus Svalnardo is among the performers and artists selected to advance to the national UKM talent competition in Trondheim in June following the regional stage during the weekend in Tromsø.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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Silence of the quails: A terrible night slaughtering dozens of birds triggers a lot of outrage; their lawless owner looks aheadbirdfolo

Silence of the quails: A terrible night slaughtering dozens of birds triggers a lot of outrage; their lawless owner looks ahead

By Mark Sabbatini on April 22, 2018
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Read Time:5 Minute, 35 Second

It’s sad – especially for the birds. It was a great idea. The government’s rules prohibiting the birds are kind of stupid. It’s best to be safe. He broke the rules. And why is a guy touting natural farming locking them up in tiny cages?

Check off one, some or all of those and you’ll get an idea of the range of opinions about Polar Permaculture founder Benjamin Vidmar being forced to kill 80 quail last week he was collecting eggs from.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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OFF-LIMITS: Governor bans snowmobiles in three popular areas due heavy traffic disrupting polar bears and sealsmap3

OFF-LIMITS: Governor bans snowmobiles in three popular areas due heavy traffic disrupting polar bears and seals

By Mark Sabbatini on April 20, 2018
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Read Time:1 Minute, 32 Second

Snowmobile traffic is banned until June 1 in popular travel areas at Billefjorden, Tempelfjorden and Rindersbukta due to heavy traffic disrupting polar bears and seals during peak spring hunting season, The Governor of Svalbard announced Thursday.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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Barbara Smith, 89, becomes oldest person to reach North Pole; granddaughter, 14, trying to be youngest Brit to ski thereoldestatpole

Barbara Smith, 89, becomes oldest person to reach North Pole; granddaughter, 14, trying to be youngest Brit to ski there

By Mark Sabbatini on April 20, 2018
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Read Time:5 Minute, 56 Second

For Barbara Smith, 89, saying “I’ve gotten to 90” means something entirely different than a lady lying about her age.

It didn’t happen in the most adventurous or strenuous of ways since she was aboard a helicopter, but this week the 89-year-and-270-day-old woman from the English village of Chrishall became the oldest person to reach the North Pole, according to the Guinness Book of Records.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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Random weirdness for the week of April 17, 2018polarbearcamera

Random weirdness for the week of April 17, 2018

By Mark Sabbatini on April 18, 2018
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Read Time:3 Minute, 38 Second

Well, the governor did issue a warning last week about photographing polar bears. And sure enough, this was definitely a “don’t get too close” moment for a group participating in a recent outdoor photography class.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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