This year every Alaska resident man, woman, and child gets a check from the State of Alaska for $1654 that represents their share of the earnings of the state's permanent fund that is approaching $40B. Other earnings from the accumulation of royalties from oil shipped from the state go to pay the cost of state government. The higher the price of oil goes the more goes into the fund. The amount of money in the check is computed based on the earnings of the fund which is invested in a variety of areas. Because of the performance of the stock market, the amount of the dividend has been increasing by leaps and bounds since the last recession.

Many of the European countries practice similar oil revenue sharing. Here in Alberta, we have only gotten it once, for 400 dollars. Woo hoo?

You're rather fortunate... our state debt just about totals the size of Alaska's fund!

I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said, "Please God, give us another pipeline and this time we promise not to piss the money away".

The Russians are certainly kicking themselves aren't they? And US can even claim rights to the Arctic resources. I'm sure they'll get another pipeline hehe.

Prrayyyyyyyiiiiiinnnnnggggggggg to do well in January!!!

:D