You CAN See Russia From Alaska !!

[NoBama2012]

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Sarah Palin is very passionate about Alaska. She loves that state. She considers it to be "home". In a certain sense, that would make the statement true that she can see Russia from "home." You can actually see Russia from Alaska:


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Slate Magazine
Link > www.slate.com


Can You Really See Russia From Alaska?
Yes, but only the boring parts.
By Nina Shen Rastogi
Posted Monday, Sept. 15, 2008, at 5:25 PM ET


QUOTE:
In her Sept. 11 interview with ABC's Charlie Gibson, Sarah Palin had this to say about Russia: "They're our next-door neighbors, and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska." Is that true?

Yes. Russia and Alaska are divided by the Bering Strait, which is about 55 miles at its narrowest point. In the middle of the Bering Strait are two small, sparsely populated islands: Big Diomede, which sits in Russian territory, and Little Diomede, which is part of the United States. At their closest, these two islands are a little less than two and a half miles apart, which means that, on a clear day, you can definitely see one from the other. (To see the view of Big Diomede from Little Diomede, check out this webcam.) The Diomede Islands are often blanketed by persistent fog, which makes visibility difficult. On a clear day, though, a person standing at sea level can see a little less than three miles across the ocean. You can see farther if you go higher&#8212;at the highest altitude on Little Diomede (919 feet), you can see for about 37 miles. (Between mid-December and mid-June, when the water between the two islands freezes, an intrepid explorer can just walk from one to the other.) <SNIP>

Read the rest here > Can you really see Russia from Alaska? - By Nina Shen Rastogi - Slate Magazine

 

[Wiccan_Child]

NoBama, she never actually said "You can see Russia from my house", so please don't try to pass of 'house' as meaning 'Alaska' - not only is it an embarrasing stretch of vocabulary, it just shows you can't tell Tina Fey's parody from Palin's actual statement.

What she actually said was, "You can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska":

YouTube - Palin on her insight into Russian Politics

Now, the Diomede islands are about 10km apart, so you can quite easily see Russian Territory from Alaskan/US Territory. But that isn't what Palin said: "You can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska".

If I said I can actually see Africa from land here in the UK, you'd think I was nuts. But, in Gibraltar, you can indeed see Morocco. So does that validate my statement?

No, of course it doesn't. Unless Palin was being deliberately obtuse, she was referring to mainland Alaska and mainland Russia, not two remote islands.

Why don't Republicans just bite the bullet and admit Palin made a mistake? It's not like it was even that big a deal (outside of the US melodramatic political stage, of course).

 

[NoBama2012]

NoBama, she never actually said "You can see Russia from my house", so please don't try to pass of 'house' as meaning 'Alaska'..........

I consider California to be "home". Palin considers Alaska to be "home". Sorry if that interferes with your anti-Palin hate rant. Why don't you read what the article says instead of instantly attacking me from the gate.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

I consider California to be "home". Palin considers Alaska to be "home".

I daresay you and her both do. But that doesn't change the fact that you're trying to defend a statement she never made - "I can see Russia from my house" is the parody of the actual statement.

Sorry if that interferes with your anti-Palin hate rant.

I'm sorry, where did I espouse any ill feeling towards Palin?

Why don't you read what the article says instead of instantly attacking me from the gate.

I did. I completely agree with the article, as it's scientifically accurate - the islands indeed exist, they are indeed about 2.5 miles apart, you can indeed see Russian Territory from US Territory, etc.

My point is that you're defending the wrong statement. She never said "I can see Russia from my house", so Lord only knows why you're trying to defend it. Moreover, even though you can see Russian territory from US territory, that doesn't vindicate her statement.

You've accused me of 'anti-Palin hate' and of 'attacking [you] from the gate'; I apologise if I've offended you, but I don't see anything in my post that would actually cause offence - could you extract the particular parts you found hateful or attacking?

 

[keith99]

This thread is swallowing camels and choking on gnats.

The Camel is the question. Palin said you can see Russia from Alaska in responce to a question about her knowledge of international politics (Specifically with regard to the Soviets).

So just how does being able to see Russia give her any knowledge? It doesn't. All it does is show why she has need to know. It makes her glaring lack all the more disturbing.

 

[NoBama2012]

This thread is swallowing camels and choking on gnats.

The Camel is the question. Palin said you can see Russia from Alaska in responce to a question about her knowledge of international politics (Specifically with regard to the Soviets).

So just how does being able to see Russia give her any knowledge? It doesn't. All it does is show why she has need to know. It makes her glaring lack all the more disturbing.

Ahh, but that's not what her detractors talk about now is it. They pretty much just think the statement is stupid in and of itself. I have never heard the anti-Palin crowd qualify their attacks with the context you have put forth.

But you make a point. Okay. So let me ask you then: Is it not true that nations that are close to each other have unique relationships? Yes it is. In America, though, some states have such massive economies, or natural resources, that they almost act like mini-countries sometimes. I live in California, and sometimes world leaders visit Sacramento like they are visiting a sovereign nation because we have an economy that rivals many full-fledged countries.

Now, I understand that is not what Palin was talking about. But my point is: Her proxomity to Russia gives Alaska a perspective on Russia that New Hampshire or Vermont would not have.

 

[ImmortalTechnique]

the point wasn't so much that she said that Russia was visible from Alaska, though it is amusing to see folks stretch to make believe she didn't say something factually dumb.

it was more the utter mental vapidity that led her to believe that was an answer to what kind of international relations experience she has.

it was dumb in two ways, but the one most people were troubled about was the one that was most directly involved with her being a 72 year old cancer patient's heartbeat away from the Presidency

 

[pgp_protector]

Yes, and I can see Jupiter from my house.

 

[ImmortalTechnique]

Yes, and I can see Jupiter from my house.

head of NASA?

 

[pgp_protector]

head of NASA?

Nope, just need a clear night.
Location: W121°00'00.0", N37°39'36.0", 0m
(Longitude referred to Greenwich meridian)

Time Zone: 8h 00m west of Greenwich

Date Rise Az. Transit Alt. Set Az.
(Zone)
h m ° h m ° h m °
2011 Feb 01 (Tue) 09:25 90 15:26 52S 21:27 270
2011 Feb 02 (Wed) 09:21 90 15:23 52S 21:24 270
2011 Feb 03 (Thu) 09:18 90 15:19 52S 21:21 270
2011 Feb 04 (Fri) 09:14 90 15:16 52S 21:18 270
2011 Feb 05 (Sat) 09:11 90 15:13 52S 21:15 271

 

[mala]

i can see the sun from my planet

 

[pgp_protector]

i can see the sun from my planet

Well I can see other galaxies from mine

 

[NoBama2012]

I see it is childrens' hour now.

 

[kermit]

The OP misses the point. Whether or not someone can see some part of Russia from some part of Alaska is irrelevant. Palin tried to use Alaska's proximity to Russia as foriegn policy experience and that is a ridiculous argument.

 

[pgp_protector]

I see its is childrens' hour now.
I shall retire until after the kiddies have gone to bed.

And I thought my funny bone was broken.

 

[NoBama2012]

The OP misses the point. Whether or not someone can see some part of Russia from some part of Alaska is irrelevant. Palin tried to use Alaska's proximity to Russia as foriegn policy experience <SNIP>

That was already addressed in Post #6
http://www.christianforums.com/t7532151/#post56657829

 

[Ton80]

Yes, and I can see Jupiter from my house.

I can see the moon. I guess that means I have enough experience to be an astronaut.

 

[blueapplepaste]

Now, I understand that is not what Palin was talking about. But my point is: Her proxomity to Russia gives Alaska a perspective on Russia that New Hampshire or Vermont would not have.

How so? California is close to Mexico and there are all sorts of issues with immigration, drugs, crime, etc. However, AFAIK, there's nothing going on with Russia and Alaska.

And you're putting words in her mouth. That's not what she said that she had a different perspective. She said the fact that she could see it counted as foreign policy experience. Which clearly, she hasn't ever had any foreign policy experience.

She was in wayyyy over her head in '08. She'll be just as in over her head if she's dumb enough to try and run in '12

 

[ImmortalTechnique]

How so? California is close to Mexico and there are all sorts of issues with immigration, drugs, crime, etc. However, AFAIK, there's nothing going on with Russia and Alaska.

And you're putting words in her mouth. That's not what she said that she had a different perspective. She said the fact that she could see it counted as foreign policy experience. Which clearly, she hasn't ever had any foreign policy experience.

She was in wayyyy over her head in '08. She'll be just as in over her head if she's dumb enough to try and run in '12

sarah palin is stupid, but not in the sense of choosing to run or not. she knows she cannot win the nomination, let alone the Presidency. But she also will consider whether or not running will increase her profile, keeping attention on her and allowing her to manipulate more ignorant people into following her, and increasing her speaking fees. If she feels that running will help her do that, she will run, at least as long as it doesn't become too much work.

she's quite cagey when it comes to figuring out how to advance Sarah Palin's interests, no matter who is hurt

 

[DaisyDay]

The OP misses the point. Whether or not someone can see some part of Russia from some part of Alaska is irrelevant. Palin tried to use Alaska's proximity to Russia as foriegn policy experience and that is a ridiculous argument.

That's exactly right. It isn't that she said that parts of Russia could be seen from certain Alaskan islands that was ridiculous, it was that she used that as her foreign relations experience. The "I can see Russia from my house" is just a short-hand reference to that whole, very embarrassing bit.

What was the part about Putin's head?