Is Anchorage really like this or did I just get unlucky? (2013, colleges)

[CaliRestoration]

Originally Posted by AADAD

Anchorage is a clash of growth and standstill. The culture in crisis in the Native as they want to remain in their cultural heritage and that creates a clash for native men and women unable to access the same opportunities. The native culture wants to retain as much heritage as they can (who can blame them) but it leaves doors to the outside world barely open. This leads to alcoholism high unemployment and crime.

The bridge to the caucasian culture is a weak link as the native remains suspicious of anything outside. Despite plenty of funding, the growth which would assuage this dynamic is not motivated and accomplishments are set aside just for them. This "special" treatment is evident and leads to either success or failure and very little in between.

Put into the middle of this is Anchorage. A city with many opportunities and communities. So you see the very good (fine restaurants excellent schools) and also you see the failure of alcoholism, stagnation and lack of opportunity. I did not see many fights but the downtown after dark was clearly seedy. Nordstrom and staggering drunks.

That said I had many good times in town with friends and family. At the edge of the United States Anchorage is a frontier town still finding it's way. But for freedom of ones person and the ability to do your own thing....you can't beat it imho.

I think your post explains the appeal of Alaska to me. I want to be able to shoot guns, enjoy nature, and fish without tangling lines so to speak.

[pittsflyer]

Originally Posted by CaliRestoration

I saw homeless people everywhere I went in Anchorage. It wasn't some random occurrence.

Also, it seems there are a large amount of "thug" like Samoans all around the city. 300 pounds, tats, hanging out in groups. I'm not saying it's all over the city, but I've visited New York, SF, LA, and many other major cities so I'm not new to "urban cities".

That's why a lot of people either carry a hand gun or an asp or other weapon. Not all samoans are bad, a lot are awesome people but the ones who are not can really hurt you bad because they are so large so you have to have a way to put them down if it comes to it.


Its like the whole bull dog argument again, I have never met a chiuaua that could put me in the hospital but one bad bull dog can do massive damage, same thing applies with somoans. Just carry a hand gun and possibly an asp or other consealable weapon. I am starting to lean towards non leathals since then you don't have to answer for a body in court. But you still want to have a gun just in case the situation continues to deteriorate (ie there are more than one and the asp is not working out). I was also thinking making the first round you load a rubber bullet that way the sound of the discharge gets everyones attention and you let them know the next one is real, most people don't want to die over their ego.


I just got back from Boston a few months ago and honestly I felt WAY more save in Boston than anchorage lol.

[pittsflyer]

Originally Posted by AADAD

Anchorage is a clash of growth and standstill. The culture in crisis in the Native as they want to remain in their cultural heritage and that creates a clash for native men and women unable to access the same opportunities. The native culture wants to retain as much heritage as they can (who can blame them) but it leaves doors to the outside world barely open. This leads to alcoholism high unemployment and crime.

The bridge to the caucasian culture is a weak link as the native remains suspicious of anything outside. Despite plenty of funding, the growth which would assuage this dynamic is not motivated and accomplishments are set aside just for them. This "special" treatment is evident and leads to either success or failure and very little in between.

Put into the middle of this is Anchorage. A city with many opportunities and communities. So you see the very good (fine restaurants excellent schools) and also you see the failure of alcoholism, stagnation and lack of opportunity. I did not see many fights but the downtown after dark was clearly seedy. Nordstrom and staggering drunks.

That said I had many good times in town with friends and family. At the edge of the United States Anchorage is a frontier town still finding it's way. But for freedom of ones person and the ability to do your own thing....you can't beat it imho.

The native issues in my opinion are caused almost entirely due to the fact that the state refused to get contractors under control and build roads across the state (like a road to nome, illimna, etc). It would not have been impossible if the state and big oil would have dealt more harshly with forcing contractors to keep their costs under control for said projects instead of writing blank checks and letting these guys bathe in the gravy.


The lack of roads results in sky high prices for everything and more contractor and air carrier gravy for the select few owners to bathe in. The amount of money that was fleeced by a hand full of people during the boom days up here was unreal, all because the state was in full crony capitalist mode.


Back in the ARCO and Sohio days those oil companies put up ALOT of money and almost went bankrupt building the slope and then guys like Cruz just jumped on the train at the right time and everyone was writing blank checks for a period of time.


Now its time to pay the piper and the young people coming of age are rightfully resentful of the boomer contractors/state govt who fleeced their future.

[pittsflyer]

Originally Posted by heathen

I agree that first impressions of Anchorage are usually disappointing. Much of the infrastructure is ugly, and there are lots of poor choices and human misery on display. The grungy appearance of the roads and general darkness this time of year can strongly enhance these impressions, however. Alaska is a grim place in November -- you have to have expected that.

Some specifics:

I've never seen a bar fight in Anchorage, despite spending a lot of time at heavy metal and punk concerts in disreputable dive bars for the last 10 years. Sucks that was your first impression though.

I've never been solicited for prostitution in Anchorage. Although to be fair, I've experienced some very sad and cringe-y alcohol soaked flirting a few times... Anyway, it sounds like the bar you were at was a real s*** hole. There are higher quality establishments downtown that will give a better experience -- though the beer will likely cost $6.

There is undoubtedly a homeless problem in Anchorage, along with probably a mental illness problem, alcohol problem, and maybe drug addiction too, though I don't know how that compares with other places.

I wouldn't describe Anchorage as a stereotypical liberal hell-hole, largely because the problems it faces have different sources than the west coast ghettos, and the attitudes of the residents tend to be very different. Though yes, it's very diverse, and downtown and midtown vote democrat, if that's what you're getting at.

All in all, I enjoy fairly frequent visits to Anchorage (my wife's family is there), but that's probably because I know what I like about the place, and have gotten good at ignoring the rest. I would never live there. The closest I would even consider would be Palmer up in the Mat Valley, or Girdwood, along Turnagain Arm.

For your next trip, May is alright (late is way better than early), but push it back to June or July if you can. And get out of Anchorage!

Also, nothing the OP said was over the top political or racist. CD posters seem a little wound up these days... It's cold and dark, I guess.

Yep that's the crux of the issue in anchorage, if you try to order a drink in a nice place you will quickly go broke. As a long time resident I just go to Costco and pick a friends house to make drinks at. Unless you are single and think your good looking enough to get laid at a bar there is really no reason to run up a huge bar tab when you can get 5 handles of booze at Costco for around $100 and mix your own.


Also if you get out of anchorage and out to Palmer they have the light pole decorations and stars less light pollution and the AK experience. the bars in palmer are decent as well.


CD posters are wound up, people don't like truth and will make adhominim attacks when you say something that upsets the apple cart. Everyone is just starting to sober up from being drunk on oil, contractors are grouchy and pissy or anyone who is on the dole.

[pittsflyer]

Originally Posted by Chilkoot

Your post is appalling. Hard to tell if it’s the action of the individuals or your racial and discriminatory description that is your intent. If it was a couple of white guys fighting would you have needed to describe them as white? Maybe it wouldn’t have been worth noting then but since one of them was, as you pointed out, a “samoan/pacific islander” that was the point of the fight and your post.





Would it have made a difference to your story if the lady was white and weighed 100 pounds? Would it even have been worth noting? Would you have declined the offer? It kind of sounds as though you were put off by her being a 250 pound Alaska Native lady and not the fact that she was soliciting.

Was it really necessary to describe these individuals by race and size?



Don’t bother. Anchorage isn’t your spot.

Yes, it paints a picture. If you cant tell the difference between two 100 lb white guys fighting and a 350 lb somoan beating someone into the hospital then you are diliberatly trying to obfuscate the point because the truth is cutting you to the bone.

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by CaliRestoration

I think your post explains the appeal of Alaska to me. I want to be able to shoot guns, enjoy nature, and fish without tangling lines so to speak.

If you think you're going to fish without tangling lines, you'd better google "combat fishing alaska". Or do the same search on YouTube.

[pittsflyer]

Originally Posted by AlaskaErik

Some go to Brother Francis, some stay out in the woods and some commit a crime so they have a winter home in jail.

And some die.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by pittsflyer

Yes, it paints a picture. If you cant tell the difference between two 100 lb white guys fighting and a 350 lb somoan beating someone into the hospital then you are diliberatly trying to obfuscate the point because the truth is cutting you to the bone.

100 lb white guys in Alaska are usually under the age of 12.

[Music_Man]

Well, you wanted him back, are you satisfied now?

[Metlakatla]

I only wanted him back because he makes me seem nice ^^^