# California is not "America's largest state." **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 8, 2003, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244 "2003-10-08T06:38:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/21 "2003-10-08T17:11:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by t-keela \* > \*\*Think maybe they are referring to electoral votes? > > Dreams of 2004 dance in their heads…Bushies have locked Florida, Texas and now…California. Hoorah, applause, vomit ☹ > > Yeah, it pisses me off too, everyone knows that Texas is the **BIGGEST** 😃 \*\* Well, if we cut Alaska in half, Texas would be the THIRD largest state!!! 😃 But population-wise? I think we’ve got either the 2nd or 3rd smallest, if I remember, Montana has the smallest population? But I don’t remember where I got that, and I could be wrong, so do NOT ask me for any “cites”. 🙂 (pssssssst, as far as I’m concerned, Texas may be smaller than Alaska, but it’s got WAAAAAAAAY more cool stuff, that’s why I’m relocating there). ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/22 "2003-10-08T17:19:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeff Olsen \* > \*\*I have no idea what I was watching but I recently saw something on TV that was evidently filmed at the University of Texas. The hostess was asking college students some trivia questions, including, “What’s the largest state?” They had one person say “Alaska.” Everyone else said “California” or “Texas”; one even said “Hawaii” until he switched to “Texas.” \*\* Yup, pretty sad huh? Anyone ever watch that game show called “Street Smarts” (or something like that)??? They’ll poll people on the streets for how many states in the United States. Almost no one comes up with the right answer. And I’ve seen other polls on various talk shows where people polled place Alaska as an island off the coast of CA. Because that’s where the weather channel puts it. They (the news shows) DO that to save room at the top of their weather graphic, but too many people just assume that that’s where it’s really located. People are dumb. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/23 "2003-10-08T19:10:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CanvasShoes \* > \*\*(pssssssst, as far as I’m concerned, Texas may be smaller than Alaska, but it’s got WAAAAAAAAY more cool stuff, that’s why I’m relocating there). \*\* I thought Alaska had WAAAAAAAAY more “cool”, \ “cold” stuff? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/24 "2003-10-08T21:27:21Z")
You all just _think_ you’re going to bait me into a brawl over this, but I think I’ll just sit here and smile smugly at the inane rantings of those who have never seen god’s country. Today, from my office, I watched a 1500 lb. bull moose amble across our parking lot. Wish I had a website to post the photos to. Now, that’s not as ‘cool’ as, say, tumbleweeds, but it’ll do. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/25 "2003-10-08T22:23:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CanvasShoes \* > \*\*But population-wise? I think we’ve got either the 2nd or 3rd smallest, if I remember, Montana has the smallest population? But I don’t remember where I got that, and I could be wrong, so do NOT ask me for any “cites”. 🙂 > \*\* Wyoming has the smallest population, followed by Vermont (well, technically DC), then Alaska. Montana has the 7th lowest population. > **[US States: Population and Ranking](https://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/population.shtml)** > > US States: Population and Ranking. See all the states (and Washington D.C.) and their populations as of 2017 via the US Census Information. ---
**Author:** ![Apoptosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@Apoptosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apoptosis)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/26 "2003-10-08T23:05:42Z")
Hey **CanvasShoes** , > [@](#): > > (pssssssst, as far as I’m concerned, Texas may be smaller than Alaska, but it’s got WAAAAAAAAY more cool stuff, that’s why I’m relocating there). You obviously have no interest in mountaineering, skiing, or dogsledding. -Apoptosis ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/27 "2003-10-08T23:56:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Civil Defense \* > \*\*Looks like CNN replaced “largest” with “most populous” in their article. \*\* That’s the second time I’ve seen them adjust an article after a thread here about it. I swear they have someone reading this board. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/28 "2003-10-08T23:57:53Z")
WE ARE NOW!!! (don’t make us sic our governor on you!) ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/29 "2003-10-09T01:51:47Z")
Amusing how y’all are getting so worked up about the election of Gov. Arnold. What are you going to do next November when President Bush is re-elected? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Doc\_Nickel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@Doc\_Nickel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doc_Nickel)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/30 "2003-10-09T02:05:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chefguy \* > \*\*You all just _think_ you’re going to bait me into a brawl over this, but I think I’ll just sit here and smile smugly at the inane rantings of those who have never seen god’s country. Today, from my office, I watched a 1500 lb. bull moose amble across our parking lot. Wish I had a website to post the photos to. Now, that’s not as ‘cool’ as, say, tumbleweeds, but it’ll do. \*\* -There’s a pair of nesting bald eagles not 200 yards from where I sit, a family of coyote across the street, a cow moose with two calves have set up camp in the woods between us and the Kenai River (where you can catch 62-lb King Salmon and watch the seals swim by) the local caribou calving ground is half a mile in the opposite direction, and earlier this summer a porcupine the size of a Galapagos tortise nearly walked right into my shop. Perhaps he liked Metallica, I don’t know. And according to today’s paper, the Grizzlies across the Inlet have registered their opinion of the local environmentalists. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mauvaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mauvaise/32/11084_2.png) [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/31 "2003-10-09T02:11:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by milroyj \* > \*\*Amusing how y’all are getting so worked up about the election of Gov. Arnold. What are you going to do next November when President Bush is re-elected? 😃 \*\* That’s not even funny. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Voodoochile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/898d66/32.png) [@Voodoochile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voodoochile)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/32 "2003-10-09T02:14:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CanvasShoes \* > \*\*Yup, pretty sad huh? Anyone ever watch that game show called “Street Smarts” (or something like that)??? > > They’ll poll people on the streets for how many states in the United States. Almost no one comes up with the right answer. > > And I’ve seen other polls on various talk shows where people polled place Alaska as an island off the coast of CA. Because that’s where the weather channel puts it. > > They (the news shows) DO that to save room at the top of their weather graphic, but too many people just assume that that’s where it’s really located. > > People are dumb. \*\* Whats dumb is to not realize how many feet of film ended up on the editing room floor because the people answered correctly and so werent worth any entertainment value. ---
**Author:** ![Voodoochile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/898d66/32.png) [@Voodoochile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voodoochile)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/33 "2003-10-09T02:16:30Z")
Yeah, Alaskas cool. Maybe someday when I make tons of money and dont have to worry about having a decent job and making ends meet, Ill move there. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/34 "2003-10-09T05:57:05Z")
I love to watch, (yet cringe while doing so) the “man in the street quizzes”. Surely they can’t be that dumb. They must be actors for the most part. Hey, I guess thay could be both. Most of these things are shot in California. Yep that explains it. (Occam’s razor) 😃 😃 😃 Just imagine one made in Alaska…I’m laughing my ass off already 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/35 "2003-10-09T06:01:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Beagle \* > \*\*A state is truly measured by its coastline. \*\* Of course, one interpretation of fractal geometry is that any given stretch of coastline is actually infinitely long if you zoom in enough. So that complicates the matter a bit. ---
**Author:** ![threeorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@threeorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threeorange)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244/36 "2003-10-09T18:39:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lord Ashtar \* > \*\*The biggest state in the country is the state of denial. It seems everyone lives there. \*\* I thought denial was a river, not a state. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-is-not-americas-largest-state/206244.md?page=1)