I know that it’s cold up north, but today I was informed of a fascinating reason to live in Alaska – they’ll pay you! According to my trusty SF Chronicle, “Dividends are paid to every Alaskan who has lived in the state for a year. About 623,000 applications have been received this year.” The expected amount is about $1100 but won’t be officially announced until September 24th. Following an oil discovery in 1976, the Alaska Permanent Fund was started to allow all of the citizens to benefit from the farming of Alaskas natural resources. Growing up in Texas I don’t think I ever made a dime off of the oil leaving the state, but then again I never woke up at midnight and the sunlight was cascading over a giant polar bear thinking, “Mmm, snack!”