"I think we need a bigger boat."
Living in Alaska is what I imagine living in a third world might be like. In the sense that what happens in America -- "Outside" -- is just that, outside of what happens here. We are not part of the village up here. We are not on the grid. And I wish to heaven that whoever invited that loopy Texan, Molly Ivins, up here to talk, hadn't. Alaskan's have a word for people like her -- Cheechako. We tend to keep to ourselves, perforce our geography, but also because in spite of being awash in federal money many of us have an unconquerable spirit of independence that would keep us living here regardless.