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Last updated on May 20th, 2017 at 10:17 am
Larvatus Prodeo reader Paul Burns laments Australia’s craven qualification as a 52nd US state under John Howard, prompting this exchange:
GregM: Paul, what was the fifty-first State?
Paul: Alaska or Hawaii, wasn’t it? Or have I got my count wrong?
It’s odd that this confusion exists (mainly among lefties, for some reason). Hawaii became the 50th state nearly 50 years ago; none have been added since.
Tim, you’re forgetting that the 51st State was the State of Denial that Chimpy McHitlerstein and Lord Karl have imposed upon us.
Posted by Mr. Bingley on 2008 03 03 at 01:10 PM • permalink
According to UK lefties, Blair, Tony took them into 51st State servitude, although Canadians might claim priority.
When I lived in Canada back in the 60’s, people were always talking about whether or not they should become 51. When I returned to the US and mentioned it, folks here usually responded with, “Huh? Why would they do that?”
So when are you guys going to take Queen Elizabeth off your $5.00 and replace it with George Bush??
Posted by Old Tanker on 2008 03 03 at 01:19 PM • permalink
Every body just calm down. Take a deep breath and relax.
We have several and various star field redesign options before the flag committee. Once a new pattern is selected, you’ll all have equal opportunities in applying as the new state additions.
Number of new states to be determined by the star field pattern chosen by the committee, of course.
In one of those weird moments in history, Baja California could have become the 51st or even 50th State. Wobblies in Baja
An unlikely amalgam of Mexcan bandits, U.S. Marine deserters, Filibusters, Welch adventurers, Anarchists and Wobblies actually conquered Tijuana c. 1911.
It quickly became a tourist attraction, so there are postcards to prove it! It was great fun while it lasted, except for the mayor, who was killed in the first assault.
Posted by Harry Bergeron on 2008 03 03 at 01:28 PM • permalink
Number of new states to be determined by the star field pattern chosen by the committee, of course.
One airport I connected through on the way back to Europe in ‘04/05 (either Philly or Charlotte, I don’t remember) had one of its corridors lined with all the historical US flags from 13 stars to 50. Pretty impressive display, actually, to a furriner like me.
I do wonder what the likely pattern for 51 stars would be. The first Google hit just led me to this…eh, looks kinda odd at first glance. (And I just bookmarked this page…not as impressive as the wall display, of course.)
My understanding on the technical legalities is not all that up to speed, so this is just SWAG with no S part…
Officially? as in from a US embassy or federal building? No. That’s be my guess.
Can a citizen fly any of the old flag designs for his/her own reasons/desires? Yes.
My knowledge of flag laws and rules are limited to the basics. Flag goes up at sunrise, down at sunset. Flag not flown at night unless lit by lighting source. Flag not to touch the ground. Old, worn, dirty or discolored flags to be disposed of by burning.
And, in the truck (the ball at the top of the flag pole) on every flag pole on a USMC base or installation are symbolic items. A waterproofed match, a single cartridge for a service pistol. This is symbolic for the last man standing in case of base over run by hostiles. Last man lowers and burns the flag and then has one last round to chamber to ensure he’s not captured alive.
11. Whoever’s leader wins the 500 word essay contest titled “Why We Should Become the Next New State of the United States of America”.
Potential contestants might look through these supporting points
.
Older flag versions are not used at official functions. The description of the official flag is actually defined by law. However, they can be displayed for educational or patriotic purposes, such as in parades.
Other important flag facts
1. Only the Confederate flag may be displayed in the back window of a pick-up truck.
2. The U.S. flag may not be flown in Berkeley, CA, or the locals will fall down on the ground kicking and screaming.
3. The state flag of Nevada features a showgirl and a hooker holding a banner that reads “Double Or Nothing”.
4. When Merlin was born, the flag only had 48 stars. Geez, I’m old.
So if Puerto Rico is the 51st state, Canada the 52nd to 61st states and the UK the 62nd to 65th state then by my reckoning Australia is the 66th to 71st state.
Nice! Just add one more and you can have a 72 star flag that maintains the same asthetic appeal as the current one.
And on that note…our automotive engineering is still top-notch, ushie. Inexpensive Beamers for everyone! And the most important issue facing us is clearly the question of how to maintain the continued excellence of Paco Enterprises products and their availability to all who want them (and those who don’t).
Merlin, thanks.
Oh we had Baked Alaska.
Cook would always whip up a sumptuous repast complete with dessert, but then, invariably, Father would turn to the children – so neatly turned out in our formalwear – and wink and say, “You know, it’s not a state at all!Oh, how we’d chuckle at his bon mot.
Then the 60’s arrived and everyone I knew got into sex, drugs and Hendrix.
Oh, and a possibly stupid question, but I suspect approximately 237 people here will be able to tell me, anyway: Are those old fewer-than-50-stars flags considered obsolete or can they be flown “officially” just like their current successor?
They can be flown, but are not “official” and don’t need to be treated with the same level of care. As an example, Disney uses a 49 star flag (I believe) on some of the boats that service Disney World.
Posted by Rob Crawford on 2008 03 03 at 03:27 PM • permalink
Lefties who are still confused about the official number of states are advised to count the stars in the flag before they burn it.
Don’t try to count them after you’ve set it on fire! This can be dangerous!
Posted by miriams ideas on 2008 03 03 at 03:39 PM • permalink
Are those old fewer-than-50-stars flags considered obsolete or can they be flown “officially” just like their current successor?
Is anyone else wondering just who would object and how would they know? (Today in the news a Irving Labinowitz shimmied up a 25 foot flag pole in North Albany, New York to verify that the flag flying by the North Albany Junior High School had 49 stars, not 50. When confronted with the facts, Principal Sylvia LeMaster responded by saying “Who gives a fat rat’s ass Labinowitz? Me? Fuck no. So get your size 42 pants out of my school you A hole or I’m siccing the safety patrol on you”.)
Posted by wronwright on 2008 03 03 at 03:42 PM • permalink
amateur star counter … I know, I know, but it just never gets old…
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2008 03 03 at 04:28 PM • permalink
Everyone refers to and Canada as States #52 to #61. There are some who would argue that Old Mexico should be #52, followed in succession by other Central and South American countries, since the personnel flow from above the 49th parallel is smaller than from the other direction.
Me, I’m holding out for Antarctica. Not only are the recreational possibilities endless, the natural resources waiting to be ripped from Mother Gaia™ requiring careful and environmentally safe removal are immense.
Then, too, we can make Peter Garrett buy oodles of carbon offsets for every flight he makes there.
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2008 03 03 at 05:01 PM • permalink
The left still can’t let go of John Howard. On matters foreign Rudd still doesn’t seem to be on Beijing’s invitation list. Maybe telling Hu in Mandarin last year that he’d like to fondle Hu’s son didn’t go down as well as the media reported.
Rudd’s first official world tour is to the US and Europe, where he will get to watch a NATO summit from the stands. So much for Labor’s claim to be the party best to engage Asia. Rudd international travel so far has consisted of using John Howard’s invitation to big note himself in Bali and inviting himself to East Timor (twice), Afghanistan and Iraq. Visitors have been restricted to soulmate NZ PM Mr Helen Clark and some aid-dependent Pacific islander.
Why, we even had the indignity of our prime minister finalising the Lombok treaty with the Indonesian foreign minister. Indon President Bam Bam Do You Owe Me didn’t think the occasion warranted his own attendance.
Wow, going over to Lavartus was an education.
The tone is set immediately with someone taking a tilt at Greg Sheridan. Then that leading drunk Andrew Barlett exposes himself.
But Myriad sure has the world worked out with all her first year political science theories just rolling off the pen. Rote, rote, rote, cliche, cliche, cliche.
Myriad feels that an Obama Presidency will fix world ills like global warming, foreign aid and the removal of USA’s nuclear stocks. Fantastic Myriad. Obama the miracle worker. Plus a stronger recognition of Australia’s role in Asia. Myriad’s setting herself up for a big fall.
Where would the coffee industry be if it wasn’t for these pleasant purists?
It’s not really all that puzzling:
Liberals keep making the same factual errors because all they do is repeat what they heard other liberals say.
Posted by Aaron – Freewill on 2008 03 03 at 07:56 PM • permalink
Andrew Bartlett makes the same kumbaya feel good mistake as code pink. If Obama gets in the rest of the world will treat you nicer crap. Let’s sit down with Osama and try and understand his point of view, but don’t let the gay aides come along, just in case this offends him.
FFS no wonder he got voted out.
#38 Rebecca, I hate to disagree, but there is a difference between Coahuila, Chihauhau, Sonora and Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The latter has indoor plumbing.
Posted by Deborah Leigh on 2008 03 03 at 09:00 PM • permalink
I think you people have got it backwards.
The question is when does the U.S. become the seventh state.
No doubt it’ll take a bit longer with the present government.
Posted by s.r.intulom on 2008 03 03 at 10:01 PM • permalink
I’ve been to all six of those states and am a resident of one. My my! What differences!
Especially with the first three versus the last three. I know your personality via the proxy of hundreds or thousands of comments, so I’m pretty sure you’re joking, but I didn’t get it.
As backwater patrón-based is New Mexico’s government, things here are swell compared to those Mexican states.
Even New Mexico (#47– admitted 1912) with its culture very tied to that of Mexico shows that if a political entity adopts the relatively pro-freedom policies of the USA, it can prosper.
The guy probably saw this movie and thought it was non-fiction, thus believing the first 51 were already taken.
Posted by Tommy Shanks on 2008 03 04 at 12:21 AM • permalink
Ack, I mean golfer Chi Chi Rodriguez.
#29 wronwright, you’ve been hitting the Sumerian mead a bit too hard and landed on one of my pedant sore spots. The word you want (most likely) is ‘shinny’ as in to shinny up a pole by hugging it alternately with one’s arms and legs. If one were to ‘shimmy’ up a pole, I presume one would be shaking one’s body from side to side as he ascended the pole.
And, I don’t think Canada is the 51st or any other state, it’s more like a ward, a la Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson.
Posted by JorgXMcKie on 2008 03 04 at 01:01 AM • permalink
- Seriously, folks, there is a reason the lefties are obsessed with counting the US states. They have a paranoid belief in the imperial reach of the US that means it really wishes to conquer and control the whole world.
The reality is that the US is the one great powers in history who, immmediately they have invaded a place argue loudly about having a quick exit strategy in place.It never seems to occur to lefties that the Soviet Union crumbled fast and exposed the absurdity of forcing so many different peoples under their oppressive socialist umbrella as a ‘Union’.
They can’t stand the idea that the 50 US states WANTED to belong together.
Expansionist Imperial United States of America is right up there with the VRWC in leftardic moronisms. It’s all projection.
The entire ideology of the leftard is one of enforcing the “one size fits all” solution set to as broad and wide a reach as can be achieved.
One world governance is a leftard project.
#43 Perdónenme, Señor Paco, pero esto es Los Estados Unidos. Nosotros hablamos “Chihuahua”, no “Chihauhau”.
Posted by Deborah Leigh on 2008 03 04 at 06:03 PM • permalink
- I thought a ‘Hegemonster’ was a Jamaican zombie!
/professor bunyip paraphrasePosted by andycanuck on 2008 03 04 at 08:45 PM • permalink
- Posted by andycanuck on 2008 03 04 at 08:46 PM • permalink
The worst offenders for this are bloody self-righteous Canucks. They all go yapping on about how ignorant people in the US are, how they know nothing of foreign countries yada yada yada ad nauseam. Nine out of ten of them are floored if you ask them how many States there are (try it – you’ll be amazed). I have won cash money this way. Bonus fun: ask them the capitals of states with which Canada shares a border (fraction of Canadians I have met who know Montpelier is the capital of Vermont: approx 0.05). And if you want to see them stamping their tiny little frozen feet in impotent fury, remind them that since they are denizens of the North American continent they are ipso facto Americans. The logical and linguistic contortions I have seen some moose-humpers go through trying to deny this fact are quite awe-inspiring.
Posted by David Gillies on 2008 03 05 at 06:17 PM • permalink
Maybe ol’ Paul’s got his states mixed up with his commonwealths and territories and such like. Haw! You don’t reckon he’s sayin’ that Australia is like some kind of Bogan Puerto Rico, do ya? Hell, I wouldn’t take that kinda crap off’n somebody who comments at a pink and purple blog, if I was one of you Australians.