Most Western State in the USA - Heritage Geographic Flags

Right now the most western state in the union is Alaska, but before Alaska, eleven other states once held the title as Wise One of the West.  Going backwards before Alaska it was once Washington State, Oregon, California, Texas, Missouri, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and finally Delaware.

From quick five days Delaware was the most western state from December 7, 1787 until December 12, 1787.






For three weeks the West Side Story of America was centered in Pennsylvania from December 12, 1787 until January 2, 1788. Thus the west coast was Lake Erie. How's that for a wierd fun fact?






Like a four year college Georgia was the most western state in the US from January 2, 1788 until June 1, 1792.






Like Georgia, Kentucky had a four year collegiate run as the first state to have the first west coastline.  And back then it was not upon the Pacific, rather France was across the body of water rather than Japan from June 1, 1792 until June 1, 1796.  In case you're wondering the 'coastline' was the Mississippi River.




Like amazing clockwork exactly four years after Kentucky was the most western state, Tennessee held the title of most western state from June 1, 1796 until April 30, 1812.





For 19 years Louisiana owned the West Coast Title of the USA from April 30, 1812 until August 10, 1821.






Just as Missouri has 24 stars, for 24 years Missouri was the Wise Man of the West from August 10, 1821 until December 29, 1845.






Texas was King of the West for relatively short 5 years from December 29,  1845 until September 9, 1850.






For 9 years from 9/9/1850 until Valentines day of 1859, California was truly at the western end of the United States of America - as the most western state in the entire union.







For a smooth 30 years from February 14, 1859 until November 11, 1889 Oregon was the Wise One of the West. 





For a full lifetime of 70 years, Washington State was the west end of America from November 11, 1889 until January 3, 1959.

Since Alaska is the most western state in the US, it gets to fly this flag without letters or dates - see it here.

Most Eastern US State Heritage Flags

Right now Maine is the most eastern state in the Union, but this was not always the case.  Five states once the held the title of The Most Eastern State in the Union.  These are heritage geographic flags that remind us who they were.  Since Maine is the reigning Early Bird of the East, there should be nothing written on the flag.  Click here to see it. 

For 32 years the Early Bird special was dominated by Massachusetts from February 6, 1788 until March 14, 1820.  In 1820 Maine subsequently took over this luck spot.




For almost a month from January 9, 1788 until February 6, 1788 Connecticut was the most easterly state in the union.

For the first official New Year's and Christmas of the American Government under President Elect Washington, New Jersey was the most Eastern State in the Union from December 18, 1787 until January 9, 1788. 




For a quick six days Pennsylvania was the most eastern state from December 12, 1787 until December 18, 1787.  She quickly lost the title to New Jersey.




For five golden days Delaware was the most Eastern State in the Union. 

Heritage Geographic Flags for the once tallest states in the USA

Every 5th grader knows that the tallest point in America is Mt. McKinley in Alaska.  But this was not always the case.  Before the admission of Alaska, California was the tallest with Mt. Whitney.

Likewise before California, Texas was King of the Hill.  But it doesn't stop there. If you trace it backwards unto the Constitutional Era there are several states that missed out their bragging rights as the tallest of the tall. 

In total seven states were once proverbial reining Kings of the Hill, before Alaska.  Before Texas, North Carolina was the King of the Hill for 56 years with Mt. Mitchell from 1789 until 1845.  But that darn upstart Texas knocked North Carolina off the hill with Guadalupe Peak. Before North Carolina, New Hampshire was King of the Hill.


For more than a full official year from June 21, 1788 until November 21, 1789 New Hampshire was by providence the tallest state in the Union with Mt. Washington while a special Mr. Washington was the official first president of the United States.  And just in time for the first 4th of July under president Washington. 




Before New Hampshire, Georgia was King of the Hill with Brasstown Bald from January 2, 1788 until June 21, 1788.





Before Georgia, Pennsylvania was King of the Hill with Mt. Davis from December 12, 1787 until January 2, 1788.  Thus during the first Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Year's Day of the new American Government, Pennsylvania was the tallest state in the union.  Albeit a union of two.




And finally before Pennsylvania was King of the Hill, the first King of the Hill was Delaware at Ebright Azimuth.  From December 7, 1787 until December 12, 1787 for five days Delaware was the tallest state in the "United State of America."



Also note since Alaska is the reigning King of the Hill of the USA, its King of the Hill Flag is to be flown without anything written upon it.  Click here to see the unblemished Reigning King of the Hill Flag.

Other Flags and vexilloid like items from Gremlins - 1984

Christmas lights play a similar role to bunting and flags as a decoration that signals to a community the Spirit of Christmas is welcome to this house.  In Gremlins the Spirit of Christmas shined bright in the imaginations of the world.


Hard to see, is the Irish flag crossed with the American flag on a white license plate on the wall.  The US flag is on the left, the Irish on the right.






Although gremlins may be fictional, mean old grumpy powerful women willing shove others out of their way and stomp on humble clerks, tellers, and receptionists are real.  Here Mrs. Deagle plays the role of one of America's finest and real monsters* to roam the towns big and small of America.  
 
*Also note there are male versions of the monster, and they come in a  variety of colours and ages
 

Arcade Pennants from Gremlins 1984

A relatively short lived kind of vexilloid is in the background that advertises an electronic game cart arcade.  Just as penny arcades had their time in history so did the quarter 25 cent arcades of the 1980s. 





Video game carts appear in the film during the bar scene and after some of the Christmas gifts are opened.  It almost impossible to make out the games in the bar. But the 1980s home version of Donkey Kong can be seen with Stripe playing while his wing men fuzzy buds are hanging on.

After breaking the most deadly rule of feeding the Mogwai after midnight - they turn into unruly intelligent mischievous monsters.  Here they are playing the original Star Wars arcade game.

Bunting on the movies within the movies of Gremlins -1984

 Movies appearing in movies is an old gag, but sometimes it is an effective device helping reveal the story.  In Gremlins it was a key plot device.  Director Joe Dante takes this idea and warms up the audience with It's a Wonderful Life 1946.  By mere coincidence Holiday Season Bunting can be seen hanging from the store walls and windows.  Oddly George Baily, Jimmy Stewart, is counting his blessings and greeting the inanimate objects with a Christmas Cheer, as if they were alive.  Also note that vexilloids are often imbibed with spirit since people revere, worship, and sometimes talk to flags.In another scene Gismo is watching To Please a Lady - 1950.  Again bunting can be seen moving by the breezes in the stadium.  Although not so much a Christmas Classic, it subtly foreshadows an upcoming scene. Becoming a part of Christmas Classic in its own right within this film.


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Sword Arms and Tassels from Gremlins - 1984

 Tassels are often overlooked parts of a flag. Nonetheless they are important secondary aspects of a flag or vexilloid that are often overlooked.  In 1984 in the pioneering work of art was written by, like his name would suggest, Chris Columbus, tassels appear in the film - Gremlins.

The most noticeable tassels appear on the family cross sword of arms.  As in real, working, teaching, and private world, people often give a half-glutious max effort to fix things that constantly break down.  In this movie, one of the swords easily falls down when people walk by.  Rather than permanently fix the falling sword, they simply hang it up until the next unsuspecting heavy walker knocks it down.

In the background is a red and green Christmas tassel-rope.  Billy's mom, Mrs. Peltzer, can be seen standing in front of a Holiday Rope.

Finally, Billy Peltzer with Mr. Wing - the original keeper of Gismo - another Christmas rope-tassel in the archway is visible behind Billy. 


             

US Flag in Gremlins - 1984

 Gremlins is the classic Christmas Spook with a happy ending.  It is an American Fairytale which is almost impossible to classify since it fits into an assortment of genres:  horror, comedy, fable, family, action, sci-fi, and of course Christmas.  In other words Gremlins is an origial Christmas "Hormedy-Famaction" Fairy Tale. 

 The US flag appears frequently in the film.  In one shot the star of the film, Gismo, holds a small table top flag in a patriotic pose.  In another scene the US flag appears behind the town Sheriff Frank, next to string of Christmas Lights.

 As is the standard in public schools a US flag can be seen in the science room underneath Mr. Hanson and a young Pete Fountaine.






When the father attended an inventor's convention the two American Flags can be seen fluttering by on an tricked out big wheel.

Chinatown Flags from Gremlins - 1984

Gremlins 1984 starts out in a fictional Chinatown.  This movie is something of an enigma to classify.  It is horror?  A Christmas Classic?  A fable?  A comedy? Science fiction?  Or a coming of age movie?  No matter, it is an original script that is timeless and enchanting that holds up against the fancies of time, and recommended mandatory viewing for middle school students.  It qualifies as in league with the Wizard of Oz and Star Wars or a Christmas Story.

After the adventure, it leaves a well warm heart coco x-mas charm.  It gracefully and almost by accident hints how the enchanting Spirit of Christmas can be corrupted if handled with little care, greed, or irresponsibility.

The director Joe Dante showing us the vast set that was only used for a small fraction of the temporary Burbank Chinatown of 1983.  Several flags are blowing in the background. Luckily with Spielberg as the producer this film was allowed to get a class act detailed expression.

The North Pole

The North Pole is one of the most important vexilloids known to the world.  Additionally it is the pole and its finial that are the most important, rather than the flag.  The finial is the tippy top end of a flag pole.  The most popular finials for flag poles are the spear point and golden ball.  The finial of the North Pole is a crystal ball full of 'magical' golden and silver sparkles.

The North Pole is the rarest of vexilloids since it exists outside of normal space time.  Like love and wonder, to see the North Pole it requires the right frame of mind.  Uniquely it gives off a ginger-cinnamon scented fragrance, that also warms the nose upon inhalation. In some people it causes their nose to just slightly glow red. Amazingly the North Pole has a flavorful touch - that of a sweet marshmallow peppermint.  Also note, when you let go of the pole with your bear hand, there is no sticky residue. 

Depending of ones level of joy the size of the pole can vary with the observer in a Hardy-Weinberg fashion.  Essentially the more joy one has the larger it becomes.  One happy Canadian Cross Country Skier who just got news that he was brand new father reported that the North Pole that was 500 feet high, while a reporter from Alaska trying to score a big news story briefly saw two inch pole under her boot, oddly her camera battery died when it appeared.

The pole of the North Pole usually has red and white candy cane swirl, but note this aspect is variable.  Every once and a while it will have green or golden stripes.

Merry Christmas and a Ho Ho Ho!


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Polar Bear Photo Credit - http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/news-room/news/danish-study-finds-environmental-toxins-polar-bears

Happy Winter Solstice - as light overcomes darkness

Another whirl around the sun?  Happy New Solar Cycle.  For some strange reason the West calibrates the new year a few days after the Winter Solstice, while in the East they play it even more conservative and wait for the last year's moon to abate and then one lunar cycle afterwards.  But if you wanna get on the early bird special, you can celebrate the New Year on the solstice. Basically the Year of the Snake has already started to pass and will finally end on the second New/Empty Moon of 2014.

The New Year may end on December 31 but in the cosmic gravitational dance between the Sun and Earth, the cycle has passed that highlight or rather 'lowlight' level.  And light has over come darkness, at least in the Northern Hemisphere.

What better way to celebrate another twirl around a star than with perhaps the best American Baby Film  Look Who's Talking.  Look Who's Talking 1989 stars loopy  stars who rise, fall, and rise.  John Travolta and Christie Alley have an almost human like star power trajectory whose careers bounce up and down, like the rest of us.  From Cheers, to Star Trek, Saturday Night Fever, Pulp Fiction, and Dancing with Stars - Travolta and Alley illustrate the power of not giving up, and riding out the ups and downs of life.  


Since much of the film takes place in NYC, in taxi cab, we get to see a lot of random flags, and of course the US flag.

Amazing thing is that a baby born right now at this moment and at least for the next twenty years is synchronized to the initial opening of the movie back in 1989.   The babies must be born from mothers who are 24 years old.  Thus any woman born in 1989 is also carrying eggs that formed when Look Who's Talking was initially released.  Humans as eggs might seem weird, but in this film it was a funny and essential component.  Likewise an awesome song followed this movie.   Enjoy, and Happy New Solar Cycle!

 What a great song to start the New Year!! 








 As Mr. Purdy says if you do things for the right reason and intention this is what you get:
http://www.hotelcafe.com/

The First Providence Partner Holiday Card from 2007 - Pennsylvania & Michigan

Six years ago in 2007 the first Providence Partner Card was fabricated.  About 50 were made and sent to various people - friends, politicians, and media outlets.  Of course my home state of Pennsylvania was chosen first, whose Providence Partner is Michigan.  A holiday frame was put around the flag.  On Michigan's flag some snow flakes were added and red nose was added upon the deer, while on the elk a green nose was added.  In the inside the card is a Christmas Tree with a 12 Days of Christmas Theme. 

If you have one of these rare original firsts holiday cards - hold on to it! It will certainly be worth something in the near future.  
 

The Delaware and Kentucky State Flag get Northpolarized!

This year the flag twins of Delaware and Kentucky were decked out with a Christmas Spirit.

Delaware was 'Northpolarized' with a Nutcracker Theme, while the two men embracing on Kentucky play the part of Father Time and Ebenezer Scrooge.  Scrooge is wearing pajamas and throwing money with an enthusiastic Christmas Cheer, while Father Time is watching the last of 2013 dwindle in his hour glass down for the next coming year.  Instead of the grim and dreadful scythe, a wand with an hour glass is used to denote the passing of time.  On its tippy top is crescent moon which is a natural timepiece in the heavens. 


Other changes include a lighted shiny red nose on the cow of Delaware who is also wearing fake antlers.  The heraldic wreath-head band is now green and red.  The ship of commerce is replaced with Santa's Sleigh.  The gun of the country rifleman is now a long sword and the hoe of the farmer transmuted into an axe.  The motto of 'Liberty and Independence' is replaced with 'Joy to the World.'  Also note the feather of the country gentleman in green is preserved on his nutcracker helmet.  Finally in Kentucky some red berries were added to the goldenrod cross wreath to give it some holiday charm.


So a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!   And an especially joyful holiday greeting to yous living in Delaware and Kentucky!  Ho Ho Ho!

 

The Delmarva Flag - for the peninsula of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia

A flag for the small peninsula where Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia are one.  In the canton is a modified Maryland-Delaware fusion flag.  The field based upon the flag of Virginia. Finally the colours of Delaware are preserved with blue hen stripe and buff circle.

The seal on buff in 'Universal Substitutitve.'  Which means you can put anything in it, like the state seal, county seal, corporate seal, school mascot, whatever!  The kids can have a field day with this flag.

Photo Credit: http://delmarvadiva.com/about

The Four Provices/Territories Flag of Canada

Just like the United States, since 1999 Canada has joined the club of nations with a four corners area.  In this case it unites two provinces and two territories.  The four provinces/territory section of Canada includes: Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, and the North West Territories. The latitude is at 60 degrees north.




































Photo Credit:http://www.bjbsoftware.com/corners/photos/MBNTNUSKMonument.jpg

The Four Corners Flag of The United States of America

Once you have sat, stood, or had each limb in the Four Corner's spot of the United States of America, you can fly this flag.  This is the one place in the United States where four states meet as one - through Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona.

The Four Corner's Flag takes four important symbols found on each state flag, uniting them in one grand flag  An interesting note is that this area is inbetween the continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe - where they are all at the same latitude of 37 degrees north.

The Four Corners Flag geographically illustrates how the states meet on a typical map.  It is at the south-eastern corner of Utah, the north-western corner of New Mexico, the south-western corner of Colorado, and north-eastern corner of Arizona where America meets as a 'quadrinity.'

Only one symbol is taken from each flag.  In Utah's case only the beehive with circle are used with a variance in the color of the circle from yellow to red.  In New Mexico's case the Zia Pueblo Cross is saved.  From Colorado's flag the red letter 'C' is saved.  And finally for Arizona the bronze star is used in this special geographic flag that one can earn by traveling to this most unique and quite bizarre spot in America.


Although an enchanting spot of America it totally resides under the care of Native Americans on a reservation - the Navaho Nation. 



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Photo Credit: Photo by Jan Kronsell, 2006