Posted on 09/11/2008 8:21:07 PM PDT by Maceman
OK, I didn't watch the Sarah Palin interview, but apparently she made the comment that "you can actually see Russia from Alaska."
Of course, the DUmmies are all over this "gaffe", and there are numerous hits on Google about it already.
The Bering Strait is 53 miles across, which means you can't see Russia across it because of the curvature of the earth.
However, I did find one post on answers.yahoo.com that states:
Actually, the answer is yes and no. From the mainland, there is no way to see Russia from Alaska. The distance is too great.
However, there are two islands in the Bering Staight - Big Diomede and Little Diomede. The big island is Russian and the small one American. They are 1.5 miles from each other. Interestingly, the International Date Line separates the two, so there is a time difference of 23 hours between the two.
I thought that was actually an interesting little fact.
But I'm wondering, have any Freepers who have been to Alaska ever seen Russia from there?
Good grief. Who would know better than an Alaskan?
These scoffers probably have no idea that Russia all but connects to Alaska. They ever heard of the Bering Straights?
And how about the Bering Land Bridge?
http://www.nps.gov/archive/bela/html/history.htm
Let me be the first Freeper here to say that I have seen Russia from Alaska.
I went to Little Diomede Island in the late '80s on a business trip. The aircraft landed on the sea ice. There is no runway as the village hugs a steep bank at the water's edge.
The wind was out of the east, and it seemed to me the pilot got fairly close to the other island (Big Diomede) during this approach. I really think I have been in Russian air space.
One of the locals that I spoke with was a volunteer fireman. They had had some exercises with the Russians to coordinate joint-rescue missions.
Well the Americans didn't speak Russian, and the Russians did not speak English, but guess what?
On each team were American Eskimos and Russian Eskimos, and they spoke the same language.
They became the communication bridge between the two teams.
It most definitely is yes.
no ifs or buts.
ROFL..my mistake, it is NEA..the organziation controlling teachers. To be clear I am a former College Instructor, who taught college classes in High Schools locally for college credit, so my exposure helped me see the ludicrous control over curriculum.
Also FoxNews has a list of LIBERAL Bias in U.S. History Textbooks, that have perverted historical truth especially about Reagan. I copied the list for distritbution, and every parent should know what is being taught in the school system. If we expose these liars, then there will be possiblity of getting these textbooks banned.
In studying History we must remember that Khruschev said “We will take America without firing a shot”, and then they began sending those Communist teachers to America to teach our students from First Grade to Doctorates...and he has succeeded beyond belief. One of reasons they pushed learning English in Soviet Union classrooms early on.
Thanks for pointing out my error.
I can see the moon from my house. I suppose that makes me an astronaut.
I can see a troll from 3 feet. I suppose that makes me Tolkien.
Quite alright - I got a good laugh from your post. I have made similar errors over the years... sure comes across funny...
I completely agree with you regarding curriculum. I had to give up my prep-period last year a few times to sub for a coach who was a civics teacher. In looking through the text book, I was rather frustrated at some of the OBVIOUS bias and distortions.
FoxNews morning show (Fox & Friends) had the author of a book, about the liberal distortions in history textbooks. The list is on FoxNews.com called “Liberal Bias in U.S. History Textbooks?” It is amazing how they have perverted the truth, especially regarding President Reagan. The best argument out there for home schooling or christian schools.
PALIN: They’re our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.
I lived on the western tip of the Seward Penninsula near Wales Village for more than 2 years. The mountain behind the village is more than 2200 feet high. Little Diomede island rises to over 1600 feet as does the Russian mainland behind it. On clear days when it is not winter darkness due to being near the Arctic Circle, one can see the mainland behind the Diomedes. One such day when the sun was setting in the north, Russia had a distinctive red color. My friend exclaimed, “It really is RED!!”
Jon
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