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The Alaska Almanac: Facts About Alaska--28th Edition

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As Alaskans dig out from another winter of ice and snow, it is warming to see another edition of "The Alaska Alamanac, Facts about Alaska, with the wacky wisdom of Mr. Whitekeys." (who is a well-known club comic in Anchorage).

This easy-to-read cache of the Alaskan biggest, coldest and tallest informs readers that a full five percent of the state--some 29,000 square miles, is covered by glaciers. And that "Residents of Alaska really do consume more ice cream per capita than elsewhere in the U.S., and that's year round."

As a resident of the Alaskan arctic,now I know why I keep gaining weight, despite lots of lots of snow shoveling and chasing after Greenland Husky Nuna.

The Almanac was started by Alaskan economist Eric McDowell back in 1976, and like the population, has grown considerably since that time. According to editor Nancy Gates, this 28th edition is about four times the original.

She said it is a great reference for folks "Outside" which is how we refer to any place in the rest of the U.S. But it is also useful to residents, who often keep it right with their phone directory.

I imagine it has often been used to settle some late-night argument or bet in some log-cabin bar on a bone-chilling Alaskan evening. So it's easy to think of it as a peacekeeping force on the last frontier.

Pick up a copy and browse through some unique geography, history, population, celebrations, expeditions, and meet some of the characters who somehow manage to survive in this state, from the Arctic shores to the rain forests in the southeast panhandle.

Or as Mr. Whitekeys reports:
"A Rhode Island newspaper once described (the city of) Homer as 'The only place in the world where you can stand in mud up to your knees and still have dust blow in your face."

or
"Alaska is the state with the highest percentage of government employees in its workforce, and only a state with that honor could have a law on the books that reads: 'Se. 44.62.270 It is the state policy that emergencies are held to aminimum and are rarely found to exist."

Enjoy!