Guam

Information from friends for whom Alaska had no positions and didn't want to go to the deep South.  It wasn't Alaska, but it was at least an adventure they could write or talk about later.

Many contractors work jobs for the government and are paid not by the job but by the day.  They have no incentive to finish a job.  They routinely fire their workers before the requirement kicks for paying benefits, then rehire them.  They run accounts with equipment and supplies wholesalers and retailers in arrears, which leaves the workers with no tools or supplies for jobs, e.g., for a paint job: no paint, no brushes, no roller handles or refills.  The workers are hidden inside because they cannot be seen to be idle.

Why bother?

Whole aisles in Guamanian stores are filled with potted meats such as Vienna sausages and Spam.  The population is saddled with health problems that didn't affect the population 100 years ago.  Their favorite restaurants are McDonalds and KFC.

Language:  Chamorro, a combination of English, Spanish, Tagalog, Japanese and ancient Chamorro.  A surname of a particular spelling will have a different pronumciation depending on the ethnicity of the person who carries that surname.