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In clockwise order, from top left: Alaska state flag, designed by a 13-year-old Bennie Benson; state bird Willow Grouse; two horses for sale for $2,000 on Craigslist (as of October 5th, 2008); sled dogs in the annual Iditarod race (more below).
Alaska, in bullet points:
- America’s largest state: 570,380 square mile; more than twice as large as Texas; larger than the combined area of next three largest states: Texas, California, and Montana.
- In 1867, William H. Seward, the US Secretary of State, purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, or $0.02 per acre.
- Alaska joined the U.S. on January 3, 1959 and became the 49th state.
- It’s legal to possess up to one ounce of marijuana in Alaska.
- In the anual Iditarod sled dog race, teams of 12-16 dogs, along with their ‘mushers’ (humans) race from Anchorange to Nome - covering over 1150 miles through blizzards, mountains and rivers. The race takes about ten to seventeen days, and the world record holder is a Swiss American named Martin Buser who finished the 2002 race in 8 days, 22 hours, 46 minutes, and 2 seconds (watch an interview with Buser).
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How could we talk about Alaska without mentioning polar bears? Photo by Dave Shaw, via Amy.
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From Amy in Alaska, whose home our journals find their way to each season:
I sat down the other night to write something for Judy about living in Alaska, I was all fired up about misconceptions about Alaska, especially due to Sarah Palin’s nomination, but then this morning came. My boyfriend and I just closed on our house on Monday, and we went out today to fix up a few things before we begin the big move. Our new cabin is on ten acres, off the grid, with no running water. The amazing thing to me about living in Alaska is that I can live this way: with my solar panels, my foot pumped water and not a neighbor in sight and still be within walking distance to my office. I stood on the porch watching the sun gleam on the newly fallen snow, across the hillside and spruces, and for that little bit of time I wasn’t thinking about the elections, or the many things on my to-do list: instead I just heard the sound of water dripping and the popping of the woodstove. This is what Alaska gives me: peace within a larger than life landscape, community and solitude in the same place, a true home.
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My man Clint took some sweet pictures when he visited Katmai, Alaska. That is one vicious bear, but the fish had it coming, folks. And note to all the ladies out there: Clint is a gentleman and he does not endorse or condone violence of any kind.
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Our friend Josh Kamler (Tiny Gigantic / Language in Common) has this to say about Alaska:
So I lived in Alaska when I was six.
I learned both how to swim and read there - and yeah, I learned late because apparently the schools in Cali in the 70’s weren’t so good - and once, my mom got stuck in the muskegg, which is like quicksand, but muddy and kinda gross but not fatal. Also, I sucked face with a girl in an overturned canoe.
I have not verified the facts, but I know this: Josh and Axel have recently published their book Written on the City, and they would love it if you’d go out and buy a copy (or two).
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If you are invited to go to a party dressed up as one of the 50 States, which would you choose, and what would you dress as? Our friend Naveen had such a party in 2006 (brilliant!) and he told us the story behind it all:
In April 2006, I became a citizen of the US and I decided to throw a party to celebrate. I didn’t have much time to travel cross-country (that was another thought) so I figured I’d make the states come to me. Everyone was told to “dress up” as a state.
What would I dress up as if I were to represent Alaska? If I were a girl I can cop out and tie my hair up and put on some glasses and lipstick and wink a lot; I could go Eskimo but that’d just be rude; so I think I’d go for reindeers and put on some antlers.
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This is not meant to be a poster, but I think it would make a good one.
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Squint, and you may see ‘reindeer dog’ in the menu, in the center column, below the Coca-Cola sign, below the item, Udon.
The picture is taken at the Ted Stevens International Airport.
What is the difference between reindeer (also known as Caribou) and moose (or elk, as the Euros would call them), Judy asks.
- They are completely different species.
- Moose are much larger, in fact, they are the largest species in the deer family.
- Only male moose have antlers - where as both sexes of reindeer/caribou have ‘em.
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We came across this last night: “I remember when a couple of lemmings were caught making for the side of the ship – they said they wanted to end it once and for all, they couldn’t bear the suspense …” (Julian Barnes, A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters)
The myth of lemming suicide has been perpetuated by the 1958 Academy Award winning Disney documentary White Wilderness. Click here if you want to see a clip. Don’t click if you don’t want to see furry rodents jumping off a cliff, with really dramatic music and voiceover.
“Due to their association with this odd behaviour, lemming suicide is a frequently-used metaphor in reference to people who go along unquestioningly with popular opinion.” (Wikipedia) In fact, it’s a myth, and these lemming deaths are casualties of migration, just like the tearjerker moments in March of the Penguins.
Why on earth did I just look all this up? Shawn made some quip about a bunch of people behaving like lemmings yesterday. I was wondering what that meant, and it led to all this. Conclusion: I still don’t like rodents.
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Picture above: an art project, “ Meaning Cleaning” by Hayley Severns and Angela Rose Voulgarelis Illgen where “volunteer teams sweep the sidewalks starting from the extreme ends of 14th Street.” Some artists create projects that cost millions of dollar and kill plants, some artists clean streets. We need more of the latter! This project is part of the forth annual Art in Odd Places, a public art project that is “like a scavenger hunt, (where) New Yorkers will use a map to discover art in unexpected places along this amazing street”.
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