Putting Palin's Popularity in Perspective

During this summer of of 2009, Bed and Breakfast owners and Innkeepers across Alaska have been spending their time gritting their teeth, biting their tongues, smiling politely, and changing the subject!.

When Sarah Palin was thrust into the National spotlight as McCain's VP running mate, one of the explanations as to her selection for that position was her 80% approval rating with Alaskans. What many don't understand is why she was so popular (or the fact that the entire sum of that popularity involved some 520,000 people, a number smaller than the populations of most major U.S. cities). Many, perhaps most, make the erroneous assumption that her approval rating was a result of her actions. In fact, Palin's popularity, for the most part, came simply from what she was not.

Alaska IS the last frontier. While we are the largest state in physical area, we have the smallest population; smaller than most cities in the U.S., with approximately 650,000 people in the entire State. With such a small population; and with 60% or more of that population located in remote areas and villages, most of which can only be reached by plane or boat, it's easy to understand how a handful of people could come to hold all the power.

As has been in the news in the past few years, Alaska's politicians and legislators are riddled with corruption and self-serving power. Our last Governor, Frank Markowitz (prior to Pain) and his cronies, were so brazen in their power and corruption, that they had T-shirts made - "The Corrupt Bastards Club" - and wore them proudly. (I am not joking!) Frank's grandest gesture of "good old boys club" mentality I think, was when he appointed his own daughter to fill his Senate seat, when he, as our Governor, was elected to serve as our Senator. Seems like a person couldn't do that, but the law allowed it.

So, when Ms. Palin arrived on the scene all bright and chipper, with claims she would "clean up" Alaska politics, and promises of "open and transparent government," she became wildly popular. Anyone would have.

She sold the jet, one of Frank's luxuries, pushed for the Alaska gas pipeline, and would do things like drive herself 150 miles for some public appearance on the weekend, saving the State money. Alaskans were happy and we thought she was doing a reasonable job.

Then, Palin's actions involving Walt Monehan, a beloved Alaskan public servant, came under close scrutiny when she suddenly removed his appointment. As I recall, this was the beginning of her fall from grace with Alaskans. When Walt suddenly fell out of favor with the Governor, everyone wanted to know why. When she appointed a known sex offender to fill Walt's position there was huge public outcry (and of course that appointment did not hold - but suddenly her judgment seemed off). I'm not sure we ever got the entire truth about the whole "Troopergate" mess, but what did seem to be true is that Walt fell out of favor because there was someone that the Palin family wanted fired, and Walt would not comply. It was a whole "family affair" with her husband Todd, and other members of the family involved.

Suddenly Palin didn't seem so perfect, her office not so "open and transparent.," her actions less than honorable. She revealed her secretive side when we discovered she was about to have a baby - something she managed to keep hidden till the very end; and there were even rumors that her son's military service was court ordered because he committed vandalism as a juvenile. As a State population we'd been told we would know what was going on, but instead we found ourselves quite confused and in the dark, in what seemed like every arena. Then, suddenly, she was on the National stage, and we watched with dismay as Alaska's day to day business was forgotten, neglected, then eventually abandoned entirely.

We'll never know if she would have done a good job; if she was in fact worthy of the popularity. She wasn't Governor long enough before the Republican's debacle choice of her for VP. She hasn't governed since, and now she's resigned to pursue fame and fortune! (She's a real Alaska girl for sure - a gold digger!) Her legal troubles will follow her for years though, especially in light of the fact that her personal legal defense fund may turn out to be an abuse of power and a version of corruptness all its own; last week's breaking news.

After she announced her plans to resign, but before she had, rumors swirled about her plans on the National stage. During this past week however, the bulk of the national attention she's received has been from comedians. The only speaking engagement, for the NRA at a gathering in Anchorage, pretty darn close to home....

If she ever lands on the National stage; if our country ever sinks to the level of stupidity again as it did with GWBush I fear the world will turn on us like a hungry pack of hyenas. We must demand better! We must demand honesty. We must demand intelligence and education. We must demand that "the common good" prevails.

As a country we have some incredible obstacles to overcome - and some serious business at hand, if we are to become again a country worthy of the world's respect and admiration - let us not be distracted by this x-beauty queen hockey mom, ever again.

Thank you dear reader,
Namaste`

Where Greed Has Gotten Us

For the past 15 years I've been saying "we've gone from being 'the land of the free and the home of the brave' to being 'the land of the free to rip you off and the home of the bravely corrupt'."

Any way you look at it, it is what we have been reduced to! Free enterprise at the cost of ALL else has become the norm. It's no wonder we find ourselves in the midst of both a financial and moral crisis unlike any other. Yet we're so "civilized" that we simply let some of the most corrupt live at home in their laps of luxury; others serve a little time and go right back to their celebrity lives. How quickly we forget; and how easy it is for some to buy forgiveness!

Federal prosecutors got so excited about the huge bed of corruption in the legislature of Alaska, that they sacrificed ethics for convictions; now those crooks are walking around free again, while others escaped serving any time, and others escaped conviction all together. Pharmaceutical companies are getting rich while we're bombarded by the media with ads for pills to fix everything that's wrong with us, and other pills to fix the things that the first pills either miss or create, all the while these drug companies are making their millions while others are dying from these same pills. We sell our garbage to China, they sell it back to us as products that at a minimum are of junk quality, and in the worst case are things that kill. We pay through the nose for fossil fuels while oil companies rake in billions in profits and are excused from paying fines and penalties. Not a day goes by that we don't all get some rip-off email offer, some untrue inheritance claim or other sham offer.

Greedy, greedier, greediest, that's what the last 3 decades have been. The Savings & Loans and Junk Bonds, Enron & WorldComm, now, what seems like ALL the banks, credit card companies, investment firms, insurance AND car companies. Generations have had their retirements shattered, while a small handful of folks have cornered the cash. Madoff, made off!

It's as if life has become one huge rip-off, Ponzi scheme, and we've lost our moral compass - as a planet.

Years ago when I was planning my move to Alaska a friend of mine asked me what I was afraid of, as if it was fear that was motivating my move. It wasn't, it was a dream ...but if there had been something I was trying to get away from, if my dream was in part, a reaction to what I saw around me, it was this - the decay of society we find ourselves in now. Have we become a modern day Atlantis? Only time will tell.

Trash in the form of Objects

We sell China our garbage; and they sell it back to us in the form and shape of objects - they look real, and feel real, but when put to use, they decay, fall apart or break often in less time than it took to unwrap them. There are a lot of things wrong with our economy, and this is certainly one of them. It's a big one! How can people possibly afford to keep spending their money over and over on the same things? Recently I had occasion to wash 2 quilt bedspreads that I just purchased a few months ago. They disintegrated in the washing machine; when they came out of the dryer the solid blue backs looked to be covered with lint, but in fact it was the internal stuffing coming out through the fabric. I did not realize they were made in China when I bought them, but now I see it on the tags. Last year I purchased 5 sets of pots and pans for our new rooms. I run a quality operation and I purchased what I believed were reasonable quality products. Within weeks of use most of the frying pans needed to be replaced because the teflon coating peeled off after one use. The BBQ tools at our original cabin (10 years old) are still in use and look fine; the ones purchased last spring were rusted and falling apart by last fall and I've had to replace them all - sadly I could go on, and on, and ON with more examples. The common theme through it all, is that ALL these items were made in China. Don't even suggest "buy American" .....YOU try to find American made items in Alaska; try to find them anywhere! Even if you could find what you need, you can't afford the shipping to get it here, even if you could afford the item, which if not made in China, will be 3 to 4 times as expensive to start with!

So just remember, if it says "Made in China" it was probably made from US trash that we sold them....better keep your receipt. When it breaks, falls apart or disintegrates, maybe you can get your money back. As consumers we must demand better! If we're diligent as consumers and make our voices heard can we make a difference? As a business operator, the challenge remains how to afford providing quality. Profitability is impossible when things constantly need replacing.

The Cold Wind of Tourism in the Summer of 2009

The cold wind of our recession/depression is blowing in Alaska, even though it has been a summer in paradise, thus far. This is our 10th year running my little lodging business, and regardless of what expansion we might have gone through in the winter, we would start the summer season with more sold out days than not. After the first few years it was not uncommon to be virtually sold out for the months of June, July and August; often as early as April. .

At the end of the first week of June 2009, I could count the # of sold out days ahead, on one hand. Not a day goes by that I don't hear some tale of woe from a neighbor with a b&b, travel agent or charter operator. Tourism and travel are down across the board, and for many the season is looking bleak; for some, perhaps non-existent.

This winter as the economy crumbled before our eyes, it wasn't that people weren't calling and emailing for reservation availability this summer; they just weren't booking. They were shopping and it didn't matter that we're among the nicest around; price won out, and we were loosing out to lower rates. The hospitality trade journal articles were all about not lowering rates; but after 6 weeks of practically no reservations, I lowered rates and ran some specials. Immediately business picked up; and although we still have availability on almost every single day, it's often just one room that's left. Meanwhile, the hotels and motels that stood their ground are reporting as much as a 60 to 80% down turn. Many of the smaller businesses that relied on the "spill over" effect will suffer the most, because there may never be a spill over this year!

This then may be the biggest indicator there is - We have an entire page on our website dedicated to other lodging suggestions. Historically we would begin sending guests to this page in February for the extremely popular dates like the 4th of July, and generally by April 80% of our requests would be met with "look for our link 'other lodging options'."

This year we have only recently started making referrals or sending folks to this page; and in most cases it's only the groups of 3 or more; we almost always have a room left if they only need 1 bed.

The businesses that have been relying on referrals or "spill overs" will face the largest decline in business and it will be these businesses that may not be able to sustain themselves during these trying times. It will be businesses with solid footings, a strong customer base and enough business savvy and flexibility to ride out this storm that will survive this very cold wind that is blowing through our beautiful Alaska summer.

Where are the workers?

I really don't understand - with the high unemployment numbers we keep hearing about, where are all the workers!? As the proprietor of a lodging operation in a tourist location I have need to hire a seasonal worker or two each summer; before I was self employed I worked at a local motel that had even more of a need for workers. Finding Americans who are willing to work hard at such tasks as cleaning rooms however, has proved to be a challenge only met by foreigners. Even young Americans graduating from high school or returning home after their first year at college, seem ill prepared to put in a full day, much less a long day. Over the years it's been shocking how many kids expect 2 weekend days off as a part of their summer job's "benefit package!"

How cliche to say "why, when I was a kid" .... But I fear I must....there was a time when a summer job was all about making the money, as much as you could, and you worked hard, willingly. Now, if you want to find someone to work hard at menial jobs like cleaning rooms, you need to look for a foreigner!

I've been in the hospitality industry for 10 years, and in that time, consistently the best workers have been the cultural exchange students. As word spread among local businesses, more and more have hired these students, and although there will always be a bad egg or two in any batch of workers, overall their quality far exceeds American workers.

What's happened to our society that this should be the case, and what does this bode for our future? I don't have these answers, but I continue to ponder this issue as I periodically search for employees of value.