# State's ego? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 1, 2001, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689 "2001-02-01T06:31:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cykrider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@cykrider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cykrider)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/1 "2001-02-01T06:31:35Z")
Ok, so I’ve been living in Ohio for well over a month now and I’ve yet to see Ohio’s flag. Yet when I moved to Texas, I wasn’t even in the state before I saw that thing. Some bubba had it on a shirt at the airport in O’hare. What’s the deal. I know Texas is known for being blowhards about their state, but do any other states waive their flag at every street corner? What’s goin’ on? ---
**Author:** ![applsmak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@applsmak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/applsmak)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/2 "2001-02-01T07:02:35Z")
**cykrider** … I was in Ohio about a month ago, and in the mere 10 days I was there, I know for a fact that I saw the State Flag waving. No, not on every corner—just here and there. Just look around. Y’know, post offices, city halls, etc… It looks kinda like (for lack of a better analogy) a snake’s forked tongue. It’s got some red stripes, a blue triangle, and red circle on it–I think you’ll know it when you see it. Texas is pretty…well, **“proud”** is sort of an understatement. I guess I should brush-up on my Texas history, being a native Texan, but really, I don’t get what the big deal is, either. Why is Texas so special? Why are Texans such **“blowhards”** (as you so eloquently put it)? Did you also know that Texas is the only state allowed to fly its flag at the same height as the US Flag? Yeah, yeah–big deal. Well, I guess I didn’t do a very good job of answering your question, because I’m not exactly an expert on which states **“wave their flag at every street corner”**. Anyhow…there ya go. ---
**Author:** ![Aglarond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@Aglarond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aglarond)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/3 "2001-02-01T14:04:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by applsmak \* > \*\*\*\*cykrider **I guess I should brush-up on my Texas history, being a native Texan, but really, I don’t get what the big deal is, either. Why is Texas so special?** It’s because we’re better than everybody else and want them to know it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/4 "2001-02-01T16:04:53Z")
IIRMHC (If I Remember My History Correctly), the thing about the flag flying higher than the other states’ flags comes from the fact that Texas was an independent nation when they joined the US. I seem to remember that there were a few other concessions. Is it true that Texas gets to call its National Guard the “Army of Texas” or something like that? ---
**Author:** ![Aglarond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@Aglarond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aglarond)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/5 "2001-02-01T17:12:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diceman \* > \*\*Is it true that Texas gets to call its National Guard the “Army of Texas” or something like that? \*\* Close. It’s the ‘Texas Army National Guard’. There were quite a few other concessions, as well. The most popular of which is our ability to vote ourselves an independent country. I don’t see that happening, though. I probably need to brush up on my history a little. ---
**Author:** ![Palmyra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/57b2e6/32.png) [@Palmyra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palmyra)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/6 "2001-02-01T17:28:31Z")
and somewhere in the state constitution is a claus concerning Texas’ right to split into five smaller states, though god knows why we would ever actually _do_ that… ---
**Author:** ![Palmyra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/57b2e6/32.png) [@Palmyra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palmyra)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/7 "2001-02-01T17:30:29Z")
spell check is my friend… spell check is my friend… spell check is my friend… spell check is my friend… claus **e** not claus ---
**Author:** ![Mielikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Mielikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mielikki)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/8 "2001-02-01T18:20:38Z")
Regarding the Texas splitting up into 5 states- I heard a similar story. but I don’t know if there’s any truth to it at all. My dad is a history teacher therefore by law I must hate history. Anyway, the story goes that there is this bill that some law guys are trying to get passed. The Texas senator or congressman or whatever is being difficult about it, and acting all puffed-up about Texas and how great it is. The Alaska guy says if the Texas guy doesn’t sit down and shut up, he’ll get Alaska divided up into 5 states, all of which will be bigger than Texas, knocking Texas down to being the 7th biggest state, so there, which shut the Texas guy up and got the law passed. I also noticed that we are the only state that has pasta shaped like itself, at least that I’ve seen. I mean, sure no one wants to see Colorado-shaped pasta, but there are other recognizable state shapes… I would imagine that Texas is the most recognizable one though. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/9 "2001-02-01T18:40:39Z")
Texas’ State Waters extend out to the 3 League Line (about triple what other coastal states get). ---
**Author:** ![starfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@starfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starfish)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/10 "2001-02-01T19:09:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mielikki \* > \*\*Regarding the Texas splitting up into 5 states- I heard a similar story. but I don’t know if there’s any truth to it at all. My dad is a history teacher therefore by law I must hate history. > > Anyway, the story goes that there is this bill that some law guys are trying to get passed. The Texas senator or congressman or whatever is being difficult about it, and acting all puffed-up about Texas and how great it is. The Alaska guy says if the Texas guy doesn’t sit down and shut up, he’ll get Alaska divided up into 5 states, all of which will be bigger than Texas, knocking Texas down to being the 7th biggest state, so there, which shut the Texas guy up and got the law passed. > \*\* [http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF14/1404.html](http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF14/1404.html) Alaska is more than twice the size of Texas, so it could be split into two states, each larger than Texas, but not five. And even if it were five, that would have make Texas 6th, not 7th. ---
**Author:** ![Yardstick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8c91f0/32.png) [@Yardstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yardstick)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/11 "2001-02-01T19:18:19Z")
> [@](#): > > From beatle > **Texas’ State Waters extend out to the 3 League Line** That’s probably to hold all the Pollution from the Houston Ship channel. I jest, Texas is a **beautiful** state. California I think is pretty flag crazy, I saw the State flag there all over the place. ---
**Author:** ![Mielikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Mielikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mielikki)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/12 "2001-02-01T19:22:40Z")
Hmmm- for some reason I thought California was bigger. Well, I never claimed to be the font of state size lore… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/13 "2001-02-01T19:36:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Palmyra \* > \*\*and somewhere in the state constitution is a claus concerning Texas’ right to split into five smaller states, though god knows why we would ever actually _do_ that… \*\* ``` Heard this myself. One reason to do it? If you stayed a voting bloc the area would get more congressional representation (10 senators = 8 more electoral votes, maybe more reps, too...) ``` Mielikki - you’re probably getting largest (physically) mixed up with most populous. Ca has the most people by far, Texas second. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/14 "2001-02-01T20:09:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Did you also know that Texas is the only state allowed to fly its flag at the same height as the US Flag? Yeah, yeah–big deal. It’s perfectly routine for state flags (or municipal flags, or all sorts of flags) to be flown at the _same_ height as the U.S. flag. What flag etiquette forbids would be flying another flag _above_ the U.S. flag. Section 3, paragraph (i) of the [Texas Flag Code](http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/flagcode.html) states: > [@](#): > > No flag or pennant other than the United States flag should be placed above or, if on the same level, to the state flag’s right, that is, the observer’s left. When the state and United States flags are displayed at the same time, they should be flown on flagpoles of the same height, and the flags should be of approximately equal size. The United States flag should be displayed to the United States flag’s right, that is, the observer’s left. However, when it is necessary for the state and United States flags to be flown from the same flagpole, the state flag should be displayed underneath the United States flag. When the state flag is displayed on a separate flagpole from the United States flag, the state flag should be hoisted after the United States flag is hoisted and lowered before the United States flag is lowered. This is exactly as the U.S. Flag Code specifies: > [@](#): > > (f) When flags of States, cities, or localities, or pennants of societies are flown on the same halyard with the flag of the United States, the latter should always be at the peak. When the flags are flown from adjacent staffs, the flag of the United States should be hoisted first and lowered last. No such flag or pennant may be placed above the flag of the United States or to the United States flag’s right. – Paragraph (f), [4 U.S.C. 7](http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/4/7.html) > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Aglarond_ > > > [@](#): > > > > _Originally posted by Diceman_ > > Is it true that Texas gets to call its National Guard the “Army of Texas” or something like that? > > Close. It’s the ‘Texas Army National Guard’. There were quite a few other concessions, as well. The most popular of which is our ability to vote ourselves an independent country. I don’t see that happening, though. I probably need to brush up on my history a little. No “concession” there–I believe _all_ of the National Guard ground units are called the “Name-of-State Army National Guard”; the air units are the “Name-of-State Air National Guard”. (As for the second “concession”…y’all do remember that little unpleasantness back in the 1860’s? At any rate, [the original Congressional resolution annexing Texas](http://castor.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/annexation/march1845.html)–it wasn’t a treaty, by the way–doesn’t appear to back that up, although it does contain the “[n]ew States of convenient size not exceeding four in number” language.) ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/15 "2001-02-01T20:49:45Z")
Texans do seem to be a little… prouder of our state than residents of other states. Do you blame us? 😉 Our state flag also has a rather nice elegant graphic design. It’s easily recognizable even if reduced down to less than an inch high (try that with, say, the California flag) and can be manipulated graphically similar to the U.S. flag. This makes it work well as a motif for clothes and other items that tend to get decorated. About the only thing bad you could say about the design is that it is a bit derivative. IIRC, in the original DOS system, you could make the Texas flag part of your prompt. Re: Texas shaped pasta. I’ve also seen TX shaped cookie cutters, other cookware, and even paving stones! (If you manipulate the shape just a little bit, it tiles nicely) ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/16 "2001-02-01T20:55:33Z")
My state’s ego is apple cinnamon. Oh… I’m sorry. That’s our state _Eggo_! ::apologizes profusely to **eggo** for taking his/her name in vane:: BTW, my state (Penna.) has no state ego since my state is actually a commonwealth. ---
**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/17 "2001-02-01T21:39:01Z")
No offense, bu tyou do realize youre not looking for a regular flag, right? Ohio has the distinction of have the only flag of it’s shape in the Union. If you are/were looking for the standard rectangular flag, you might have missed it. $0.02 ---
**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2001, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/18 "2001-02-01T21:44:22Z")
Ohio also has the distinction of having a resident that really, really should use his spell checker or at least give a cursory glance at his text, maybe even hitting the “Preview” button before mashing “Submit Reply.” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Yardstick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8c91f0/32.png) [@Yardstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yardstick)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/19 "2001-02-02T18:34:47Z")
> [@](#): > > - originally psted by Zyada\* > > **It’s easily recognizable…and can be manipulated graphically…** Yeah, even onto a board game! [http://shopping.excite.com/toys\_and\_games/games/board\_games/?prod=3092601](http://shopping.excite.com/toys_and_games/games/board_games/?prod=3092601) Talk about pride…I’ve never seen a Monopoly game for a _whole_ state before ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689/20 "2001-02-02T19:01:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by starfish \* > Alaska is more than twice the size of Texas, so it could be split into two states, each larger than Texas, but not five. And even if it were five, that would have make Texas 6th, not 7th. \*\* Not if Alaska **MELTED!** ::runs for cover behind Colorado:: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-ego/52689.md?page=2)