There may be weather, air traffic and political considerations which cause the route to vary from that which would be shortest. In any case, one does not fly from Moscow to the US over Alaska unless the destination is Alaska or Hawaii. Indeed Moscow is 180 degrees round the globe from a meridian in Alaska running roughly half way between Wasilla (Anchorage area) and the capitol of Juneau. Juneau is actually closer to Moscow going East rather than West.

As for seeing Russia from Sarah Palin's house, even figuretively, it's nonsense. It's about 725 miles from Wasilla to Russian territory. Wasilla is a little further from the nearest Russian territory than Sacramento California is from Canada, and a little closer than San Francisco is from Canada. I assure you, I have never seen Canada from anyone's porch in either of these California cities and Canada is a damn long drive from anywhere in California.

If Ms. Palin was referring to the governor's house in Juneau, well that's about 1200 miles from Russia, about the same as San Francisco to the middle of Kansas, or Charleston SC to Kansas.

Also, there are mountain ranges between Wasilla and the Bearing Straight, including the one which includes Mt. McKinley, North America's tallest peak. So, not only must the Alaskan air be very pure, but the mountains must be transparent.

Russian policies, business, trade and military matters are decided in European Russia, West of the Ural Mountains and half a turn of the globe from Alaska. That part of Siberia which nearly touches Alaska has a very sparse population and for hundreds or even thousands of miles West from Alaska it has few cities of any size. It is important to the Russians for it's natural resourses but it is not a place of commerce nor political power. Sarah's “Russian” neighbors are mostly Aleuts, often belonging to the same extended families as Aleuts on the US side of the Bearing Straight.

–Leatherback

There may be weather, air traffic and political considerations which cause the route to vary from that which would be shortest. In any case, one does not fly from Moscow to the US over Alaska unless the destination is Alaska or Hawaii. Indeed Moscow is 180 degrees round the globe from a meridian in Alaska running roughly half way between Wasilla (Anchorage area) and the capitol of Juneau. Juneau is actually closer to Moscow going East rather than West.

As for seeing Russia from Sarah Palin's house, even figuretively, it's nonsense. It's about 725 miles from Wasilla to Russian territory. Wasilla is a little further from the nearest Russian territory than Sacramento California is from Canada, and a little closer than San Francisco is from Canada. I assure you, I have never seen Canada from anyone's porch in either of these California cities and Canada is a damn long drive from anywhere in California.

If Ms. Palin was referring to the governor's house in Juneau, well that's about 1200 miles from Russia, about the same as San Francisco to the middle of Kansas, or Charleston SC to Kansas.

Also, there are mountain ranges between Wasilla and the Bearing Straight, including the one which includes Mt. McKinley, North America's tallest peak. So, not only must the Alaskan air be very pure, but the mountains must be transparent.

Russian policies, business, trade and military matters are decided in European Russia, West of the Ural Mountains and half a turn of the globe from Alaska. That part of Siberia which nearly touches Alaska has a very sparse population and for hundreds or even thousands of miles West from Alaska it has few cities of any size. It is important to the Russians for it's natural resourses but it is not a place of commerce nor political power. Sarah's “Russian” neighbors are mostly Aleuts, often belonging to the same extended families as Aleuts on the US side of the Bearing Straight.

–Leatherback

Look where he rose to today- how much he reformed the Railyway!

Palin's media bash reminds me similarly.. . I hope this media bash inspires her to rise above it.