Alaska, the new Texas. I was talking to friends yesterday in person, they did not have me on ignore,

[Neshanic]

and we all were amazed on how the perception of Alaska had changed between all of us. Before it was a rather benign place that had a lot of space, a small but sensible population, and was thought of as rather stable and normal. But after our lunch conversation, we all agreed on that perception has gone the other way, as it now seems like some huge insane facility for people from the lower 48 to go and continue causing havoc and general mayhem in a governmental and societal way.

When you exceed Texas as a "strange state", then you know somethings wrong.

[El Pinko]

1. I've thought of Alaska as rabit right-wing nutzo for years.

It is the home of Sen. Stevens, after all...


At least Texas has some little lefty hotbeds here and there...

[SharonAnn]

2. My homeless brother chose to live there with the others who didn't want

to live in the "48 contiguous states".

Sort of a free spirit kind of place. What was funny is that he and his cohorts were always complaining about "the government" but most of them were living on "disability". He was angry that "the government" wouldn't let him have a job! Come to find out, it was that he'd lose his disability pay if he got a job. He somehow thought that he should receive his disability pay and have a paid job at the same time. There was simply no explaining it to him. I think that years of living with drugs, alcohol and with others like him had damaged his thinking.

One funny story: We were trying to get in touch with him because of a death in the family and my brothers called one of the bars he was known to frequent. The bartender called out his name, asking if he or anyone who knew him was there. No answer. So then the bartender asked "What other names does he go by?". Somehow that struck us as funny.

[Fireweed247]

3. Please don't compare us to Texas!

There are many people who are politically nuts, but that is happening all over the lower 48 in much higher numbers.

Most people here are not paying attention to politics at all- they are irritated if you bring it up. There is so much to do, especially in the summer, people just don't want to deal with anything but their own pleasure and entertainment...but again like most people in the lower 48 in much higher numbers.

BUT the progressives are the best in the Country! We won the Democratic Convention for Kucinich!! in 2004. (they said it was a tie but Kerry people were counted in secret in a much smaller room so I don't trust their results when we could clearly see in the larger room it was 66% Kucinich to 33% Kerry people.)

But anyway...a free thinker that wants to get away from the rat race, build their own house without ridiculously priced permits, enjoy nature and the earth in the way that God intended...Alaska's your place. If you want to camp in pristine locations without hundreds of other massive RVs in $25 campsites, wander through meadows full of an incredibly vast array of the most beautiful wildflowers you have ever seen, pick blueberries for your pancakes in the morning, see the massive glaciers and craggy peaks from the comfort of your home, watch a baby moose stand up for the first time in the willow right outside your window...I wouldn't trade this place for anywhere in the world. The people can educate themselves and raise their own awareness, the political climate can and will change(eventually) but the natural beauty of the lower 48, now covered with strip mall after strip mall...will never be put back.

[Arugula Latte]

4. There's an old saying about Alaska ...

You know how the male population there vastly outnumbers the female? So, for women, they say,

"The odds are good, but the goods are odd."