Anchorage NO KINGS - "So many problems, so little cardboard"

 Counting the crowd seemed impossible.  There wasn't a spot for me to get higher so I could see the whole gathering.  The May 1 rally had probably over 3000.  This seemed larger, but I couldn't really count.  There were people up on a parking garage nearby and I considered going over there, but instead stayed wandering through the crowd.  The Anchorage Daily News said "thousands" which isn't wrong.  

The crowd was seriously angry about what's happening to the US, but the mood among all these other people who felt the same was cheerful and friendly.  I didn't see any law enforcement uniforms.  I also didn't see a lot of non-white faces.  There were some, but it was pretty white crowd.  And dogs.  And a number of kids.  

These folks at Vet memorial.  On the right
"so many problems, so little cardboard"

The Vet Memorial is on the park strip, a few blocks from the main rally that was on L Street in front of the building houses the offices of our two US Senators.  

There were lots of people headed to L St. with signs as I biked there.  

Mostly I'll let the pictures do the talking.  

  

This one repeats the 'so little cardboard' sentiment, and how I feel.  The president (and his team) do so many impeachable acts, that they all become a blur.  And then someone says something like, "Well, different people have different numbers."  

Well, yeah, but the damning ones are right on the mark or close to it.  This president's done more things before lunch on any one day, that would have gotten any other president in serious trouble, if not impeached.  

So I like this sign - "Ugh! Where do I  Begin?"

On the back he did begin a list.  

I marked the approximate locations of the Anchorage offices of Alaska's two (GOP) Senators.  

It's Alaska, so we don't reject all kings.

That's a chain saw the guy with the clown nose is carrying

You can get a sense of how big the crowd is by looking at how close I am to that building.  The lots we were on were crammed with people, from here up to right in front of the building.  See the closer picture above with the Senators' offices marked on the picture.  

There's the parking garage where I could have gotten a better crowd size picture.  There were folks up there already.

The window washer was cleaning windows up above us and when I watched him, he was ignoring us and working busily.  

The green sign is the back side of "Ugh!  Where do I Begin?"

There are more photos, but you get the picture.  There were speakers, but unless you were on that block, you really couldn't hear them.  

When the hour or so was up, the crowd marched to the Park Strip and joined the folks at the Juneteenth celebration.  

Trippy - A Well Written And Fascinating Look At Psychedelic Treatments

[You'll figure out pretty quickly, I think, that I enjoyed reading this book.  I wanted to read the next chapter as soon as I finished the previous one.  Aside from introducing people and situations outside my normal realm, Ernesto Londoño raises lots of interesting legal and ethical issues.] 

TRIPPY took me on a fascinating journey through Latin American ayahuasca [the pronunciation is pretty easy if you think of the h as a w] retreats and US psychedelic
retreats/treatment centers.  The focus is on psychedelics and their effect on people, mainly on people with serious hard-to-treat issues like depression, suicidal thoughts, trauma.  But this gets more complex as the author, Ernesto Londoño, pulls in a number of related issues such as the conflict between running a spiritual retreat and a for profit enterprise, the psychological impacts of war, the conflict (in the US) between religious freedom and drug laws, how black market (my term, not his) psychedelic treatments serve patients who find standard medical approaches to their problems ineffective, which raises serious questions about why the established field of medicine took so long to find better ways to treat PTSD and other mental problems.  

Before I go further, let's give a bit of background. 

"Ayahuasca is prepared by boiling crushed chunks of an Amazonian vine called Banisgeriopsis caapi -which wraps around trees in the rainforest in serpent like formations - with the leaves of a shrubby plant called Psychotria viridis, or chacruna.  The leaves contain the psychoactive compound, but when taken alone, an enzyme in the stomach neutralizes it.  The vine, however, inhibits that metabolic process, inducing dramatic alterations in perception and sensations." (page 66)

The author previously worked at the Washington Post reporting on local DC police and court issues and as a war correspondent in Iraq and Afghanistan, and then as an editorial writer for the New York Times.  The book  begins when he was the New York Times Brazil bureau chief.  So he's a serious reporter.  

In the book, he also tells us a lot about his own life issues.  His coverage of the ayahuasca retreats in the Amazon jungle to a ketamine clinic in San Diego includes his own drug experiences at the places he writes about.  I think that gives him deeper insights than had he merely played the objective observer.  He also is often the skeptic and raises issues with some of the places he visited and offers others' critical as well as positive reports.  He interviewed a lot of people, both practitioners and academics studying psychedelics.  (I know, 'a lot' is vague, but he's always stepping back to find out what others think as well as the what the owners, the employees, and participants have to say.)  He tells us that he always identifies himself as both a participant and a journalist.  

The book called out to me from the new books section at Loussac library.   And while I came of age in the 60s, I didn't experiment beyond pot.  Being a student in Germany for a year and after graduation a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand was trippy enough for me.  I haven't read Michael Pollan's book that reviews say strongly advocates for psychedelic experiences.  So maybe this book would tell me what I need to know.  

The book was a wild and informative ride.  While the main vehicle was psychedelic experiences, those experiences lead us into lots of unexpected adventures with interesting people and interesting religious, legal, ethical issues not only of drugs, but also war and sexuality and trauma and medicine.  

 Most of the people Londoño describes come to these retreats to deal with depression, trauma, addiction and other mental disorders.  This includes the author who, as the NYT bureau chief in Brazil finds himself lonely and depressed and decides to report on an Amazonian retreat and to test the curing powers of ayahuasca.  In the posh Costa Rican retreat, much later in the book, a lot of the clientele are more well-to-do, but there's an emptiness in their lives.  [As I wrote that, I thought that 'but' might not be the right word.  Simple pursuit of wealth as Trump and Musk demonstrate, doesn't lead to happiness.  But (again) Musk is reported to be addicted to MDMA (which is looked at later in the book) and that clearly hasn't had a therapeutic, enlightening effect on him.]  We also get to USian retreats that incorporate as churches in hopes of avoiding the Drug Enforcement Administration and have focused on US veterans with PTSD and other war related traumas and who haven't found relief from nightmares and suicidal thoughts through VA psychiatrists or alcohol.  

Londoño also consults regularly with scholars - through their written works and through personal interview - and gives us threads throughout the book about the twists and turns of the legal landscape of medical psychedelic experimentation and research - most notably with Nixon's 1971 War on Drugs prohibition, which shut down a lot of promising research.   

There are also the discussions of how far back ayahuasca was used by Amazonian people - with claims ranging from thousands of years to hundreds.  

We learn about the people who run the retreats and clinics, the people who own them, and the clients.  It's not always pretty.  There are stories of sexual impropriety, of death, but mostly of profoundly changed clients.  Or is that positive response brought on by the group and organizer pressure to let go of one's doubts and embrace the ayahuasca so that one can get the full benefits?  Londoño always raises these questions.  

Are these really healing retreats or are these cults?  This question bothers him, but he seems to conclude that since people leave, they aren't cults, even though the requirements to trust the facilitators and the drugs seem to overlap with cult like instructions.  A question I had was about the people, the author included, who go to many retreats and keep imbibing the ayahuasca.  In the author's case, he tells us there are other buried issues to be explored.  (He also mentions that the concoction is foul to taste and usually induces vomiting, buckets provided.)

He talks about going to a gay only retreat and how that differed from the others.  And as he writes about the problems other retreaters hope to heal, Londoño writes about his own demons.  How he learned about mental health issues in his family growing up in Bogota, Columbia.  After writing about the war traumas of veterans, he begins to think about the traumas he brought back from Iraq and Afghanistan as a correspondent.  

The discussion of the veterans, fed up with the VA's inability to cure their PTSD, mentions at one point that it costs $230 billion a year for the Veterans Administration  to treat PTSD!  The vets he connected with did find a profound relief that the VA couldn't provide.  But in the MDMA experiment we only hear about Chris and not the others in the experiment.

That cost of PTSD treatment doesn't tend to be mentioned in defense budget debates or to recruits.  And that doesn't take into account the individual and cumulative costs to the individual veterans, and their families, whose lives are destroyed, even though their bodies work.  At some point he mentioned that more military die of suicide than they do in battle.  

Another telling comment came when interviewing Dr. Matthew Pava, who was in charge of research funding at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in the Defense Department.  And who approved a $27 million experiment that was searching for new compounds that change the brain without the hallucinogenic effects.  What he really needs is a drug that will allow him to get soldiers back into battle quickly, and that doesn't seem to be likely with psychedelics.  

"In recent years, he said, 28 percent of service members medically evacuated from frontline positions are sent home after being diagnosed with a mental health condition.  According to a 2021 study, roughy 23 percent of active-duty service members had been diagnosed with depressive disorder, a rate far higher than that of the civilian population."[page 264]

Yes, there are depressing issues (but there's a cure for that now) but also very heartwarming stories of people who have overcome debilitating mental problems.  The subtitle of the book - The Peril and Promise of Medicinal Psychedelics - is accurate.  

So maybe I do need to go back to Pollan's book to find out why someone without depression and suicidal thoughts should use psychedelics.  And I'd note, Londoño mentions a lot of other books on various aspects of psychedelic medicines.  

NOTE:  In the course of the book, we learn a lot about the author.  He feels almost like a friend.  And toward the end we learn that quit his job with the New York Times and he's moved in with his veterinarian boy friend in Minnesota to write the book and is unsure of what will happen next.  And I wanted to know how that turned out.  After I wrote this post, I googled Ernesto Londoño and found this New York Times article on today's LA  ICE raids and citizen protests.  The bio link says:  

"I’m a reporter for The New York Times based in Minnesota, covering news in the Midwest and keeping a close eye on drug use and counternarcotics policy."

Why Is Lake Otis Blocked Off Just South Of Tudor? [UPDATED]

[UPDATES is at the bottom]

Lake Otis Parkway was closed Saturday (May 30)  at 42nd Avenue, just south of where it crosses Tudor, one of the busiest intersections in Anchorage.  It's scheduled to stay that way for about ten days.  

I've watched the changes on 42nd Avenue over the last year or so because it's on one of my regular bike routes.  

Basically, there was a row of good sized cottonwood trees along this short dead-end part of 42nd.  They were to the south of the big medical building (Lake Otis Medical Plaza at 4100 Lake Otis), which they hid quite well.  Last fall, when they cut all the trees down, I looked through my old photos to see if I had a picture of it with the trees.  I couldn't find one.  Fortunately, Google Street View is a little out of date.  The picture to the left below shows the trees.  The picture to the right was taken in May this year.  It's the same view, but with a slightly different angle.  [For anyone wondering, my airdrop magically started working again.  I have no idea why.  Maybe a software update?  In any case, as long as it's working I can easily upload photos from my phone to my laptop.]

A                                                                                 B

This picture (C) was taken last September right after they cut all the trees down.  It's looking east, while the views above (A and B) are looking west from Lake Otis.  So the brick building on the left below is on the right above and the other building is switched over as well.  

C

I took these two pictures from the back (west) driveway into the parking lot of the medical building, the one above (C) looking east and the one below (D) looking west, beyond the driveway.  The area where the white truck in the background is, used to be a big wetlands area.  They 'mitigated' the wetlands quite a few years ago, when people in the surrounding neighborhoods had flooding issues.  

D

Below is 42nd and Lake Otis, which was totally blocked off Saturday.  (This is one of those times having a bike lets you avoid these car blockades.)

E

This is a Municipal project to improve streets (pavement is really bad on 42nd east of Lake Otis) as well as pedestrian use and replacing an old water main, which, I guess, is what we're seeing on the west side of Lake Otis.  As much as I hated seeing the cutting of the trees, I know that cottonwoods have active roots.  So, is the work west of Lake Otis going to eventually include a pipe?  Here's a link to the Municipal project website.

I've emailed the folks listed at the site with some questions and I'll add their responses when they come in.  

 

[UPDATE June 2, 2025  7pm]

I got a quick response from Justin Keene, PE, Principal/Civil Engineer, CRW Engineering Group, Inc.

The most interesting part was the ditch with the open waters "is the headwaters of Fish Creek."

Below are my questions (in black) and Justin's responses (in green)

1.  Water main - what all does that mean?  An existing cast iron water main is being replaced from Lake Otis Parkway to Piper Street along E. 42^nd Avenue. I'm assuming this is wastewater, given that on the west side, it is open water.  Is that correct? No, they are two separate things. The ditch on the west side of Lake Otis Parkway is the headwaters of Fish Creek. A storm drain pipe outfalls into the ditch and our project replaced the three downstream culverts and regarded the ditch to facilitate a new storm drain outfall. The water main is as described above. Have there been problems or is this routine replacement? The water main has had leaks in the past and needs replacement.  How long has the water main been in? The water main was installed in 1967.  On the west side, will the waterway remain open or ??? The ditch will remain open.

 

2.  Will the short street on the west side get new pavement?   Sidewalks? No new pavement or sidewalks are proposed on E. 42nd Avenue west of Lake Otis Parkway.

 

3.  Will the addition of sidewalks on the east side mean encroaching on people's property?  (I assume you have easements.) No, we are installing the sidewalks in the MOA right-of-way.

Do you have any drawings of what the improvements will look like? The final drawings can be downloaded from MOA Purchasing website at this link: Download

The link takes you to a 142 page document with detail drawings of everything they could think of that they will have to do on this project.  While I don't understand all the details, these drawings do show you the amount of planning that goes into a job like this.  

I've copied one page to give you a sense.  I've saved it in high resolution, but you may have to go to the link to actually be able to read it.  This is just one drawing for one block.  There are additional drawings for each block focusing on the water mains and other features.  These are pretty amazing.  They've got plans for relocating mailboxes, fire hydrants, street lighting.  If I'm interpreting correctly, they have calculated space to allow snow to be plowed without burying the sidewalk.  But maybe wishful thinking was interpreting that drawing.  And I'm sure there will be unanticipated objects and obstacles.  

 

Actions Speak Louder Than Words . . .Why I Really Like tick tick BOOM

I had some kitchen tasks to do - preparing some meals, baking a bread - so I asked Netflix for music and they gave me tick tick Boom as the first choice.  I loved it when I first watched it; enough to watch it again.  And so I put it on a third time. It was still good.  Though I'm tempted to blame me not paying enough attention to the bread and screwing it up.    

So let me recommend it here for folks with Netflix.  

It's musical written by Jonathon Larson, about Jonathan Larson writing an earlier musical that never got performed.  It shows the artist with a vision in his head that's keeping him poor because it's taking him years to get it on paper.  He lives in a 5th floor walkup apartment in New York with his long time school friend,  an aspiring actor.  

The movie switches back and forth from Jonathon talking to an audience about the story and the actual events he's telling the audience.  Music is never more than a beat away.

Andrew Garfield is amazing as Larson.  

But more.  Jonathan Larson, if you don't know (I didn't) went on to write Rent next.  So we are essentially seeing the story of his struggle to survive in New York writing his musicals, waiting tables at a diner, until he makes it. All the while he thinks in music and lyrics. 

Inspiring for people who are feeling despair at today's political situation.  

But the music and the story are also captivating.  And the dancing.  

If you need more convincing, the movie was directed by Lin-Manual Miranda, the genius behind Hamilton!  Here's a trailer. 

Here are the lyrics of the song at the end of the trailer.

from:  https://genius.com/Jonathan-larson-why-lyrics

Actions speak louder than

(Louder than, louder than)

Words

What does it take

To wake up a generation?

[ALL]

How can you make someone

Take off and fly?

[JON]

If we don't wake up

And shake up the nation

We'll eat the dust

Of the world wondering why

[JON]

Why do we follow leaders who never lead?

[MICHAEL]

Why does it take catastrophe to start a revolution

[MICHAEL and SUSAN]

If we're so free?

Tell me why

[JON]

Someone tell me why

So many people bleed

[JON] [MICHAEL and SUSAN]

Cages or wings, Cages or wings

Which do you prefer?

Ask the birds Ah:

The Save Act Will Essentially Disenfranchise A Lot Of US Voters

 

One reason I haven't blogged as much as usual:  I'm still having problems loading photos from my to my laptop.  After I chatted with an Apple (allegedly a real person in the Philippines), I got it to work.  But the very next time it didn't again.  Also we were in LA and San Diego for a memorial for a high school friend.  I could have done some quick photo posts, but . . . the airdrop wasn't dropping.  And yes, I could probably load them onto the blog all on the phone, but I haven't tried doing that.  

So Tuesday evening, I brought my Canon camera to the Marston Auditorium to hear about the SAVE Act - presented by the ACLU, the League of Women's Voters, and the Native American Fund.  That camera has an SD card and I have an attachment that lets me plug it into the laptop.

Mara Kimel, from the ACLU introduced the first speaker who had just flown up from LA.  Xavier Presad outlined key problem areas of the Act

What he didn't say, in so many words, but what I took from all the specific issues, was that this is a giant voter suppression act.  Which makes sense coming from this administration and, presumably, the folks at the Heritage Foundation.  They've been worried about the changing US demographics for years. It's why they talk about The Great Replacement Theory. And some folks said 2024 was the last year demographics gave the Republicans a chance to win elections.  Which is why, in part, the president is trying to export a million people.  And import white South Africans.  I'd note that voting by non-citizens is rare, but Republicans seem to want to make people believe it's common, just as they want to make people believe most immigrants are here illegally, are rapits, terrorists, and or murderers.  All to justify flying kidnapped people (citizens and non-citizens) to gulags outside the US.  But this is all my take, not what Xavier said.  

Xavier Presad

Xavier is an ACLU attorney "focused on voting and protecting democracy."  

You can view the SAVE Act here.

Key issues Xavier and the other panelists raised:

1.  People required to prove they are US citizens to register to vote, they'll need:

• birth certificate
• passport

Voters' ids must have names that are the same as the name on their birth certificates, or be able to prove they officially changed their name.  Anyone who has changed their name - adoptees, married women, for example - will need one of the  IDs above to register to vote.  

While Tribal IDs are listed in the ACT, many, if not most, do not include place of birth and a photo. So they won't be valid. 

Real IDs from many states have the same problem.  

A significant number of USians do not have passports and getting a birth certificate takes several weeks at least and costs $15 on up, depending on which state.  So essentially, anyone trying to prove their nationality will have to get started at least a month before an election or they likely won't get their documentation back on time.  

Another section, they said, makes it possible to remove people from the rolls without notification shortly before the election.  So people will show up to vote, thinking they are registered, and won't have any of the documentation of their citizenship.  And won't be able to vote.   See language from the Act below on acceptable ID.  

The panel after Prasad's talk

2.  Registration has to be done in person.  Everyone has to go to an election office to register to vote.  This ends automatic registration for people who get a driver's license and registering online or having people authorized to register people at events or in front of the supermarket.  For Alaska, it ends automatic voter registration when you apply for a Permanent Fund dividend.  This puts a much bigger burden on election offices and on people who do not live near election offices.  Alaska has only 6 Election Offices - Juneau, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Nome, Wasilla, and Kenai, which is a satellite office of the Wasilla office.  This will make it much harder for rural Alaskans, on or off the road system, to register.  Ir would even act like a poll tax for those who have fly to register.  People in Tok would have to drive to Wasilla or Fairbanks.  And they have to be there during office hours, so it could mean taking off work.  

3.  

Panelist Heather Annett, League of Women Voters

Criminalization of poll workers

People who do not appear on the precinct rolls who say they are registered but do not have proper identification (proving they are US citizens), can be given a provisional ballot to vote.  But the SAVE Act makes it possible to criminally prosecute a poll worker and carries up to five years in prison. 

This seems like it's designed to discourage poll workers from giving provisional ballots.  It also seems to be a way to intimidate potential poll workers.  If you look at the list of acceptable ID's how can an election worker be sure they are authentic, or that the state seal is authentic, or that it was filed with the office responsible to for vital statistics?  Finding enough poll workers is already a problem due, in part, to harassment by GOP voters.

4.  Unfunded Mandate.  The Constitution gives the States some control over elections

Panelist Kristen Gerbatsch,
Native American Rights Fund

"Article I  Legislative Branch

Section 4 Congress

Clause 1 Elections Clause

The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators."

Congress has the power to make changes.   

But the bill doesn't authorize any funding for the massive changes states will have to make to the ways they register voters, check for proof of citizenship, and training for staff and poll workers on all the new regulations.  I couldn't find a cost estimate, though I believe one of the speakers did give one. 

Panelist Riza Smith, Action Alaska, Vet

5.  Costs for people (especially rural folks) to register.  This was alluded to in the section 2 - in person registration, but needs to be emphasized for Alaskans, many of whom live off the road system.  They will have to fly or take a ship to get to a location that has an election office.  And while some people may visit one of the six towns with an election office during the year, they have to go to the office during regular working hours.  So weekends are out.  For many this will require taking off work.  If they're, say in Anchorage, for medical care, getting to the election office to register could be a real burden.  A large number of the people living off the road system are Alaska Natives.  For example:

Kayak ad for Anchorage to Dutch Harbor flight
$1408 round trip

The SAVE Act passed the House on April 8, 2025.  It goes next to the Senate.   Conservatives have been eroding Voting Rights for a while.  Shelby County v. Holder began a wholesale attack on voting rights.

Appendix 1:  Acceptable ID

From the SAVE Act as of April 10, 2025 after passage in the House:

(1)

A form of identification issued consistent with the requirements of the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates the applicant is a citizen of the United States.

(2)

A valid United States passport.

(3)

The applicant's official United States military identification card, together with a United States military record of service showing that the applicant's place of birth was in the United States.

(4)

A valid government-issued photo identification card issued by a Federal, State or Tribal government showing that the applicant’s place of birth was in the United States.

(5)

A valid government-issued photo identification card issued by a Federal, State or Tribal government other than an identification described in paragraphs (1) through (4), but only if presented together with one or more of the following:

(A)

A certified birth certificate issued by a State, a unit of local government in a State, or a Tribal government which—

(i)

was issued by the State, unit of local government, or Tribal government in which the applicant was born;

(ii)

was filed with the office responsible for keeping vital records in the State;

(iii)

includes the full name, date of birth, and place of birth of the applicant;

(iv)

lists the full names of one or both of the parents of the applicant;

(v)

has the signature of an individual who is authorized to sign birth certificates on behalf of the State, unit of local government, or Tribal government in which the applicant was born;

(vi)

includes the date that the certificate was filed with the office responsible for keeping vital records in the State; and

(vii)

has the seal of the State, unit of local government, or Tribal government that issued the birth certificate.

(B)

An extract from a United States hospital Record of Birth created at the time of the applicant's birth which indicates that the applicant’s place of birth was in the United States.

(C)

A final adoption decree showing the applicant’s name and that the applicant’s place of birth was in the United States.

(D)

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a citizen of the United States or a certification of the applicant’s Report of Birth of a United States citizen issued by the Secretary of State.

(E)

A Naturalization Certificate or Certificate of Citizenship issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security or any other document or method of proof of United States citizenship issued by the Federal government pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act.

(F)

An American Indian Card issued by the Department of Homeland Security with the classification ‘KIC’.

Appendix 2:  State Requirements in the Act

(3)

State requirements  [this is only partial]

Each State shall take affirmative steps on an ongoing basis to ensure that only United States citizens are registered to vote under the provisions of this Act, which shall include the establishment of a program described in paragraph (4) not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this subsection.

(4)

Program described

A State may meet the requirements of paragraph (3) by establishing a program under which the State identifies individuals who are not United States citizens using information supplied by one or more of the following sources:

(A)

The Department of Homeland Security through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) or otherwise.

(B)

The Social Security Administration through the Social Security Number Verification Service, or otherwise.

(C)

State agencies that supply State identification cards or driver’s licenses where the agency confirms the United States citizenship status of applicants.

(D)

Other sources, including databases, which provide confirmation of United States citizenship status.

I'd note, that the Privacy Act of 1974 requires all agencies that collect personal information from citizens and non-citizens to state on the document how that information will be used.  The agencies are not allowed to share that information with anyone or any agency not listed.  This would be a complete violation of the Privacy Act.  

The Save Act has not been passed by the US Senate. It appears that it will face obstacles in the Senate.  But the more people express their opposition the easier it will be for GOP senators to oppose the bill.  You can contact your US Senators here.