reflections on downtown Anchorage (Metlakatla: live in, move, vacation)

[Music_Man]

"Best rant you've ever written here. And I still can't rep you." Ditto from here.
I had a uncle that was a minister in Nome from 53-55, Ketchikan 57-59 so I listened to many stories of forced displacement. Also had a boss from Dillingham that was sent to NYC to "Get educated".

[takuriver]

Anchorage really isn't a lot different than many "standalone" cities of it's size. It's just not big enough to be different things to different people. It's utilitarian, attracts people for business and not a lot for lifestyle.


The only thing that could possibly change it is if it becomes a transportation or freight hub and attracts corporate HQ's of some type. Until then it's a service center basically, and there's not a lot you can do to change it. I think it's kind of unique, still has a little frontier appeal which I like but does attract a lot of dysfunctional people. If oil continues to have a declining influence on Alaska, Anchorage will probably slip even further. It's headed toward military and service economy type jobs which aren't necessarily bad but don't build wealth.


The crime issue will be a big deterrent to attracting the kind of business to build a better quality of life IMO. Too many questionable types killing each other and the homeless problem is almost out of control.


Anchorage really has potential but I feel the type of people it's attracting these days are modern day carpetbaggers and people looking for a "fresh start."

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by takuriver

Anchorage really isn't a lot different than many "standalone" cities of it's size. It's just not big enough to be different things to different people. It's utilitarian, attracts people for business and not a lot for lifestyle.


The only thing that could possibly change it is if it becomes a transportation or freight hub and attracts corporate HQ's of some type. Until then it's a service center basically, and there's not a lot you can do to change it. I think it's kind of unique, still has a little frontier appeal which I like but does attract a lot of dysfunctional people. If oil continues to have a declining influence on Alaska, Anchorage will probably slip even further. It's headed toward military and service economy type jobs which aren't necessarily bad but don't build wealth.


The crime issue will be a big deterrent to attracting the kind of business to build a better quality of life IMO. Too many questionable types killing each other and the homeless problem is almost out of control.


Anchorage really has potential but I feel the type of people it's attracting these days are modern day carpetbaggers and people looking for a "fresh start."

You don't think Anchorage is a transportation and freight hub? You've been living in Juneau too long. 90 percent of Alaska's freight goes through the Port of Anchorage. Anchorage International handles almost 5,000,000 passengers a year. It is the transportation and freight hub of Alaska.

[Metlakatla]

Just curious, Cal...what does your company do? I might want to get out of fishmongering one of these days and become an alpha male so I can be a multi-millionaire. Water restoration? Restoring old cars (I'm thinking of buying a '58 Ford pickup truck)? What's your plans for your place in Alaska? Are you going to set up a restoration business in Alaska?

[Metlakatla]

Alpha, I asked you a question. Why the crickets?

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Alpha, I asked you a question. Why the crickets?

He's passed out from pissing all over the streets of downtown Anchorage.

[Metlakatla]

Or looking for more people to scam.

[CaliRestoration]

Originally Posted by Haolejohn

But they can't get a job because they aren't willing to pull their boots up and work hard.

Exactly.

There's a way to solve this though.

[CaliRestoration]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

For the same reason that white trash can't get jobs. The majority are unemployable. Automation is reducing the need for unskilled labor, so even if they got cleaned up some, they'd have to get some sort of job training first.

I have seen the same light bulb go off time and time again in the eyes of urban liberals when they find out I have a salmon cannery in Alaska and provide a limited amount of housing for employees. The light says that they've solved the homeless problem -- just scoop them off the streets and send them to mean old Met.

Pffft.

That might be the case for SOME homeless. Maybe they did clean up, and don't have skills to get a job. But is that the case for the majority of them? I'd be willing to bet cold hard cash that the amount of people who are hooked on drugs, lazy, and simply don't want to work is FAR more individuals than the amount of people who aren't lazy, motivated to work, but simply can't find a job.

btw, you are doing good by hiring those people who do want a job, and I hope your fellow Anchorage residents realize that.

[CaliRestoration]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Just curious, Cal...what does your company do? I might want to get out of fishmongering one of these days and become an alpha male so I can be a multi-millionaire. Water restoration? Restoring old cars (I'm thinking of buying a '58 Ford pickup truck)? What's your plans for your place in Alaska? Are you going to set up a restoration business in Alaska?

My "company" is a software company that provided SAAS solutions to big state and private entities to solve a variety of problems. We did find one very profitable nitch in California, and Texas. Maybe I'll tell you about it one day.

The reason I put "company" in quotes is because I'll officially be unemployed in approximately 4 months once I reach the end of my 12 month double trigger terms. My ownership percentage was bought out last year (along with other founders), and I'm nearing the end of my stay. So for the first time in what... 17 years... I'll be unemployed with no job, no company, nothing.

What will I do in Alaska? Fishing, shooting, hiking. I do have a plan for something I want to start in Alaska, but right now it's just somewhat organized thoughts on a word document. I do want to start something in Anchorage, bring jobs to the area, I think there's a lot of potential in the city. But I also have to be cautious, and not let the enthusiasm of a "new adventure" take over logic.

So we'll see where the road leads.