But For Her

   "Mama always said..." was intended to be the title of this blog, however, those words were already taken in the sphere of blog titles. Therefore, I was forced to change the name to something that would just as appropriately reflect my intentions, which were to honor the memory of my mother. The posed question of "Who's your mother?" certainly represents her and the times she lived in. She had no fear of the 'on the spot correction' of children or adults. Indeed, she recognized that many adults still needed the lessons. The advice she handed on was often commonsense, unless you had not heard it before. Most who know me have heard me quote her more than once.
   In a time much simpler than we live in today, my mother was a teacher of children who loved her. The children she taught never doubted that she cared for them and wanted only the best for them. She would never knowingly allow harm come to one if she could do anything about it. I credit my mother in my life with many things, from my sense of empathy and compassion to my attitudes of justice and knowledge.
   This most recent Mother's Day I was very pleased to host my brother and his wife for their Alaskan vacation. We were thrilled over and over again by the glory of God that was expressed in the views we had, not only of wildlife but mountains, rivers and glaciers, views that are themselves subject to God's reign of the weather. But for our mother, I considered, we may not have been together at all, much less at the right time and place to see all that we had been shown.

Empty Spaces

   As you read the growing list of empty spaces that our legislature draws up as possible replacement housing for the Anchorage Legislative Information Office, it does cause one to wonder how in the world we Alaskan's got stuck with that albatross, elegant as it is, in the first place. The fact that there is all that empty space available seems to reflect badly on many realtors who missed their golden opportunity to provide more government space, as if they were asleep at their own wheel when the deal was being made. Or, was it that some of our trusted legislature very cunningly worked behind the backs of those at large who are the realtors of Anchorage, in addition to the good people of the state who voted them into office? Somewhere in the back of my mind I can't help but think that much of the deal concerning the LIO was alcohol related. I mean no pun by that, but literally, for to me it always had the same smell as that of the Alcohol Beverage Control moving to the port area of Anchorage after the successful lobbying to move ABC from the Department of Public Safety and place it under the Department of Commerce. Added to that is the aroma of an historical yet distressed piece of property, that was not selling in the market as the licensed liquor establishment it was known as, that was brought into the contract to remodel the pre-existing LIO building.
   If you consider it was some of the same legislators involved with both the departmental move of the ABC and the contract deal that has become our nightmare LIO, then it begins to make a corrupt kind of sense. At least the ABC did get moved into available empty space at the Atwood Building, so we can hope.

Missed Opportunities

   Even as Alaska searches for new revenue streams, it's possible that some will be led far astray by the denial of the DeVilbi of Matanuska- Susitna Borough. There's been a lot of hoopla about years of study and research done on their part into the costs and effects of cannabis and it's use. Where are their good meaning words and actions when it comes to alcohol? Now there is some death and destruction looking for a remedy. Only now is there any real research able to be done on the subject of cannabis in our country, with the more recent loosening of controls. In the past, most of the accredited research was coming out of the Israeli army. They even go so far as to prescribe it for PTSD in the military. And if the DeVilbi really want to learn, may I suggest they delve into some ancient study on the subject. 

   As I see it, one part of the state, the Matanuska side of the Mat-SuValley, is going to lose out on what is their natural branding right, had they not turned their noses up at it. What has been commonly known as Matanuska Thunder#@%& will unfortunately end up being produced only on the Susitna side of the Mat-Su Valley, theirs to exploit the brand familiarity. Unfortunately carrots aren't taxable at fifty bucks a pound.

Fifty People

   When I learned that the many super-pacs in our country were more or less controlled by the same fifty familial names we recognize, it came as no shock. Money runs politics. Certainly in my state of Alaska you are more likely to get your legislative updates from a member of the business and commerce sector. Besides, I had long been aware of how individual politicians were overly invested in what they consider to be the industrial complex that is our lives, be it our healthcare or the corrections system.
   As we see the disparity growing between how those that are 'with' are well treated and how those that are 'without' are continuously left without, it should come as no surprise to those super-pac fifty that Mr. Trump is doing so well as he is among the common man. Here is a man who has everything they have going for them, but unlike the fifty, rather than throw his money at the problem and attempt to hire others to do his will, this man uses his own money to get himself hired for the job. Some people look at him and think thats how they would aspire to be if they had his money. He really sets quite the example for others looking to make their world better, not just grow their own wealth.

People Know

   It was with great sadness that I received the recent news that there would be no federal agreement to prosecute Bill Allen for his part in the past sex trafficking that allegedly happened both here in the state of Alaska and elsewhere. I agree with the state that there is a case to be made, both in evidence and solid witness testimony. Our news reports in recent months have shown us that sex trafficking is a crime that is rampant today throughout our state, despite current law enforcement's best efforts. I believe that it is so rampant because nothing seems to have been done about it for decades. There has been little to no fear in the perpetrators mind because most good Alaskans don't recognize this crime in their midst. Most of our society doesn't recognize drug trafficking when it is conducted in front of them and they don't see this either.

   You may have noticed that this week was declared Crime Victims Rights Week in Alaska by Gov. Bill Walker,  even as our legislature struggles to find the right balance between the rights of victims and those of our incarcerated citizens. When it comes to sex trafficking, the most common victim that I have witnessed in this state has been female and she seldom, if ever, sees her evildoer (usually male) brought to justice. When I hear the statistics about how the growth in the female population of Alaska's correctional industry has surpassed the male population by leaps and bounds, I am not surprised by the fact. 

   In balancing the weight of individuals rights, one against the other, please remember that many criminals were first victims of crime themselves who saw no justice in their own life. Often times their rights were first tread upon and the people who knew did nothing.u

Dangerous Times

   There has been much upheaval in the construct of corruption in our society these past few years, and with that has come an unsettling amongst those who were impacted the most. I refer mainly to changes that have come about with both internet sophistication and awareness by the FCC, as well as to the internet savvy which the IRS apppeared to implement a couple years ago. These two forces alone have the ability to bring most of the ongoing criminal enterprise to a halt, but especially when it came to online gaming conducted under guise of non-profit websites. The monies interrupted there are committed to better purposes and deserve the respect these agencies provide.
   There are many criminal minds who depend on making their lucre regardless of the laws of either FCC or IRS, and no doubt these same minds will adapt soon enough, but for a period of time now there has had to be more cutthroat competition for the lucre which exists within our state. You may have noticed, as I did, that many of your gaming friends have moved out of state in the recent years. They can't manage to hide here any longer and the competition for lucre is now too great for them.
   What this does mean for the rest of us? Our money may be a bit safer for the moment, however our personal safety may be at risk even more, for now there are a lot more broke and irritated persons of criminal mindset in our midst.

"licensed premises"

   For those of you not familiar with the concept of "licensed premises" as it pertains to alcohol in the state of Alaska, let me give you some basics here. Licensed premise means any or all designated portions of a building or structure, rooms or enclosures in the building or structure, or real estate leased, used, controlled, or operated by a licensee in the conduct of business for which the licensee is licensed by the board at the specific address for which the license is issued. 

   In this state, where laws against public intoxication are practically non-existant, it is illegal to be intoxicated on a licensed premise. Tricky, right? You can see that the burden is placed on proprietors to serve responsibly, for there is no burden on the public to drink responsibly. The business owner has chosen this burden because it is lucrative. However, there is now the burden of a possibly intoxicated person being placed on the unsuspecting; be it another guest at the time, a driver on the road, or as we have seen too often, a family waiting at home. This unsuspecting public never chooses the burden that is so often thrust on them when things go wrong with alcohol.

   The public knows that a license is in place because it is posted prominently (along with all the other licenses, permits, and public notices that are required to be posted) where the business is conducted with the public. That is the little assurance provided to the general walk-in public of who is conducting the business at that premise. It assures us that the governing bodies are aware of and endorse the operation of that business at that site by that entity.