America

It's funny the mind of an Alaskan.  When speaking of the "lower 48", they always refer to it as America.  As if they are not a state within "America".  Alaska is its own country to some of these guys.  When I tell them I'm from Texas, I always get the comment made that, " you know Texas would be the third largest state if they cut Alaska in half".  One thing about Alaskans, they are proud of their state, or country if they were to have it their way.