The nerve of some people? (Anchorage, Kenai: travel, jobs, home)

[greydog]

I would like to get the opinion of some Alaskans.

I was at a nature/visitor center a few days ago to see some interesting birds hanging out on what little open water is around this time of year. The women at the center asked me what I do, I said I was a college student studying conservation. They asked what I wanted to do with that, I said that I don't care, that I just want to move to Alaska and run dogs.

The women then said that it's good, and that I could "help vote that governer out of there." I asked, "Palin? Why?" "That whole bridge to nowhere thing, he needs to go."

This is not the first time I've gotten comments like this. I never know what to say. I can't imagine people actually living there like this uninformed "support" or do you?

I'm not looking for a political debate, more wondering how Alaskans feel about this nosiness from the south.

[Rance]

I don't think Palin was behind the bridge to no where. Matter of fact she put the jet on EBAY as soon as she took office. I'm thinking they were referring to the "other" govenor. I'm not into politics at all...so any of you locals feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. Also...Palin is a "she"...not a "he"! I like her. Sounds like they need to do some homework.

[BudinAk]

Sorry...had double post...deleting one of them...

[Rainy]

LOL...well, I've been asked by a tourist if people can go up and pet the mooses...been asked what time they feed the animals in Denali Park...to be fair to the lady at the nature center in Wisconsin, I probably know as little about her state as she knows about mine.

There was an interesting thing in the adn several months ago---a survey--five percent of the people in the lower 48 think we're a different country.

[Rance]

I don't recomend petting moose. I've done it more than once, and almost climbed on the back of one. I figured it was just gonna reach around, grab me by the leg, and stomp me sensless. So I chickened out. Been a few folks stomped to death over the years. They get real short tempered this time of year, with deep snow or cold temps.
It's always feeding time at Denali Park. And humans are on the list. If you don't camp properly anywhere in this state...it can put you on the local menu!

[BudinAk]

I agree with Rance. Palin was not the governor behind the bridge-to-nowhere fiasco. That was under gov Frank Murkowski's reign. Why did we need that bridge? Heck if I know. (maybe so the locals could drive a mile further on Sunday afternoons?) He was also the gov that insisted on buying a jet plane for his travels, after the entire state had told him (numerous times) "no!". Alaskans got fed up with Frank and gave him the boot last fall. So far, I am impressed with gov Sarah Palin. She is fair, considerate, and making intelligent decisions. Please tell those ladies at the visitors center that Alaskans have already fixed the problem, that "he" doesn't need to go, because "he" already went, and the current gov Palin is doing a good job. I think the majority of Alaskans would agree. Thank you.

Bud

[mal_flisk]

I've met (in passing) both of them. Palin strikes me as a down-to-earth kind of woman. Tiny, but forceful. Murkowski put his own daughter in the senate without so much as a by your leave, for the people in the state. True, she won her own re-election, but if that isn't nepotism on a grand scale, I must be mis-informed.

Murkowski ran the state as a private fiefdom, and made a lot of unilateral decisions. That alone was enough for me to oust the son-of-a-gun.

[flu189]

Actually Sen Stevens has the most influence and experience in channeling federal funds to AK for projects like the "bridge to nowhere". I assume that quite a bit of this pork barrel money will dry up. There are more serious issues that require money and action such as figuring out how to get new gas supplies to southcentral. The sad thing is that over ten years ago when I was up there there were warnings of the impending shortage and no action was taken. Now supplies are expected to drop sunstantially by 2012 and even if a new pipeline were to be approved today to bring gas to Anchorage and the Kenai it would take ten years at best to get through the engineering, permitting, and construction to get the gas to market. For those interested you can go to the Enstar Gas website and read about it. Those that last month got their Enstar bills already know about this.

[Rance]

But those jobs should come in handy for the locals in 2012. From drilling to production to construction to supply.

[flu189]

The ability to "drill" in AK will be in all likelihood greatly diminished with the new administration on the immediate horizon. A repeat of the North Slope/Prudhoe boom will not happen. First, there will not be the need for as many workers and of the 270,000+ population of the MOA only a small percentage are actually skilled and qualified. Back in '68 when oil was hit the MOA was only a town of 45 to 55k. One of the plans which could reasonably work in the shortest time would be the importation of LNG and this is being looked at. Sorry to say that the days of cheap energy for AK are gone. I was lucky in my 21 years there to benefit from this. On the flip side, goods and services in my time there went down in cost quite a bit to match lower 48rates and now energy will rise to match what the lower 48 endures. Even though I will never return to live there I hope a long range solution to the energy situation in southcentral will be achieved.