Posted on 01/05/2007 4:19:07 PM PST by snugs
The 49th State - The Last Frontier
by proud_yank
Having recently moved here, I thought an Alaskan Singles Thread would be pretty fun.
Alaska is the largest state in America, roughly twice the size of Texas (sorry Texas!).
Putting Alaska into perspective. The Aleutian Islands over California, and South-eastern Alaska over Georgia.
An interesting fact I learned the other day is that in addition to being the Western and Northern-most state, Alaska is also the Eastern-most state too. The Western tip of the Aleutian Islands is just West of the International Dateline.
Alaska can be separated into five regions. The Far North (Also known as the 'North Slope') extends from the Brooks Range (the Northern-most extension of the Rocky Mountains) to the Arctic Ocean. Here are some photos of the Brooks Range, and the North Slope region. Barrow is the most Northern city in America. For fun, here is Barrow's weather.
Most people in Alaska live in Southcentral Alaska (Anchorage), and then the Interior (Fairbanks). Temperatures in the interior are sometimes colder than in the Arctic. Western Alaska is famous for the finish of the Iditarod dog-sled race in Nome. Southeastern, and the Interior, are famous for the Klondike gold rush.
Juneau, the state capitol is located in Southeastern Alaska. As a staunch conservative, it makes me smile that the govt. is located somewhere that can only be reached by boat or plane :-).
The Regions of Alaska
There are lots of moose here, and you really have to be careful driving. In the winter moose will come down from the mountains, and casually stroll through downtown Anchorage. We had one right outside the front door of our main office today! Other animals here include caribou, grizzly, polar, and black bears, muskoxen, beaver, otters, wolves, wolverines, tons of birds, and lots of delicious fish!
Some other interesting info about Alaska....
At 20,320 ft., Alaska has North America's highest peak, Denali.
State bird - Willow Ptarmigan.
State fish - King Salmon.
State tree - Sitka Spruce.
State spore - Dog mushing.
State animal - Moose.
State flower - Wild Native Forget-me-Not.
State song - 'Alaska's Flag'.
Eight stars of gold on a field of blue -
Alaska's flag. May it mean to you
The blue of the sea, the evening sky,
The mountain lakes, and the flow'rs nearby;
The gold of the early sourdough's dreams,
The precious gold of the hills and streams;
The brilliant stars in the northern sky,
The "Bear" - the "Dipper" - and, shining high,
The great North Star with its steady light,
Over land and sea a beacon bright.
Alaska's flag - to Alaskans dear,
The simple flag of a last frontier.
Here are some of my photos that I've put online so far
LOL! That's also a good point.
Well I guess everyone has their price, but would I pay off my mom?
I am kind of on pins and needles over this:
President Bush Pleased to Accept Recommendations from Secretary Gates for General Petraeus and Admiral Fallon
We want Mom! We want Mom!
Under oath...
Awww I'm sorry about the atrophy. That sounds really rough. :( I hope the doctor can help with that. But everything else is going well?
I'm willing to trust someone who uses the word y'all. It's my favorite word. :)
now, now, my poor mother. ;)
I am thinking that it would be a great idea to have medical guidance as I work the leg so that I don't accidentally do more harm than good.
How were your holidays?
Fine, thanka...you?
Ther you go, a fellow Southerner standing up for another. I knew I liked you.
Getting ambushed, what happened to trusting women? ;)
That's definitely a good idea. I'm never sure what to do with my ankle if the orthopedist doesn't tell me.
My holidays were great, up until the surgery. Now I'm just enjoying making my little brother be my personal servant. :P
Like you said, Southerners have to stick together. After all, we are the best. ;)
i suppose.
(obviously being from the Rust Belt, for me to use "y'all" would just sound really hokey...)
but, i'd be a little more at home with people who use words like "brat" to refer to a certain grilled sausage and "bubbler" as a means of getting a drink; who follow the Packers and gun deer season religiously; and who drink Miller, Leinie's, Sprecher, Point, etc.
Sure, sounds fun--count me in.
heck, up here a lot of schools give the whole thanksgiving week off--even the teachers want to go deer hunting...
now, i just gotta find time to complete my hunter's safety class...
Those are great pictures. Someday, I'd love to visit Alaska.
Anyone can say "y'all"! It just makes the whole conversation warm and fuzzy. :P
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