Seeing Russia from Alaska

[matt819]

I'll preface this by saying that I could be wrong. . . but. . .

I took a look at a map. The westernmost point in the North American land mass is Wales, Alaska, population 152. It appears that about 50 miles across the Bering Strait is the Chukot region of Russia, and the settlement nearest to Wales appears to be a place called Naukan, population who the hell cares (around 350 in 1990).

Of course, there's also Big Diomede (theirs) and Little Diomede Islands (ours). There seem to be a couple of settlements on Little Diomede. No one lives on Big Diomede.

I would suggest that Wales, Alaska is about as representative of America as the Land of Oz is to anything on the planet Earth, and I'm guessing there is a comparable analogy for Naukan and the rest of Russia. My guess is that the people of Naukan aren't yet aware that the Cold War (or, for that matter, WWII) is over. You get the idea.

To hear Mrs. P say it, you would think she can look out her office in Juneau and wave to the friendly Russians across the pond. In fact, Juneau is more than 1,100 miles from Nome, and then you're still nowhere near Wales, and from Wales you get a chance to see Naukan, Russia on a clear day. By the way, someone might want to ask Mrs. P what the ethic group in Naukan is called. Psst. They're the Yupik.

All in all, maybe someone should point this out to our intrepid media.