Day 2 or 3 of Skeleton Crew Challenge !Lunie flags are flying in this Challenge! Here are the state and national flags for those who've crossed over the Skeleton Challenge finish line. The stories behind the flags, just like the stories behind and within all the Luna-Tics, provide some insights into what makes us...us!:
JayArkansas State Flag: from http://www.netstate.com/states/symb/flags/ar_flag.htm
The battleship U.S.S. Arkansas was to be commissioned and the Pine Bluff chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution voted to present an Arkansas State Flag to the ship. The committee dutifully sent a letter off to Secretary of State Earl W. Hodges to learn more about the flag. They received a reply to their letter explaining that Arkansas had no state flag.
The Pine Bluff Daughters decided that this situation had to be corrected and sponsored a statewide flag design contest. Secretary of State, Hodges chaired the committee to select the flag design and chose a distinguished group to assist him: Dr. Junius Jordan, the Chairman of Philosophy and Pedagogy at the University of Arkansas; Mrs. Julia McAlmont Noel, a member of the John McAlmont chapter of the D.A.R. in Pine Bluff; Miss Julia Warner, a teacher in the Little Rock school system, and Mrs. P.H. Ellsworth, a former president of the Arkansas Federation of Women's Clubs.
Sixty-five entries were received in different formats, from crayon drawings to miniature silk flags. Many of the entries featured the state flower, the Apple Blossom, in different settings. The entry chosen was a red, white and blue design by Miss Willie Hocker of Wabbaseka, a member of the Pine Bluff chapter of the D.A.R., where the idea for the contest originated.
The design depicted a large white diamond bordered by twenty-five stars on a blue band. A straight line of three blue stars was centered in the diamond. The flag committee thought the state's name should be on the flag. Miss Hocker agreed and suggested that the blue stars be re-arranged with one star above the name and two below.
The Arkansas Legislature adopted Miss Hocker's design as the official state flag of Arkansas. The U.S.S. Arkansas received this flag from the Pine Bluff chapter of the D.A.R....
Wait!... There's more.
Trouble was brewing. The design committee had neglected to consider the role of Arkansas as a member of the Confederate States of America from 1861 to 1865. To correct this, in 1923 the Legislature voted to add another star above the state name. This fourth star was placed above the letter "R" in Arkansas and the original star above the name was moved to a position above the last "A" in Arkansas.
This time uproar came from those who claimed the addition of the fourth star compromised the original meaning and symmetry of the design. So, in 1924, the Arkansas Legislature addressed the design of the state flag again. The original three stars were moved below the state name and the additional star was centered above the state name. This is the way the flag is today.
The flag displays a white diamond on a red field. The white diamond is bordered by a band of blue containing twenty-five stars. The state name is centered in the diamond. Three stars are placed below the state name and one is centered above the state name.
The colors of the flag, red, white and blue associate the state with the United States of America. The three blue stars below the state name represent the three countries that the territory belonged to (France, Spain and the United States), the year (1803) that Arkansas was acquired by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase and that Arkansas was the third state created from the purchase. The two stars below and parallel to the state name represent the twin states, Arkansas and Michigan, both admitted to the union at about the same time: Arkansas on June 15, 1836 and Michigan on January 26, 1837. The single star above the state name represents Arkansas' membership in the Confederate States of America.
Twenty-five stars in the blue band represent Arkansas as the twenty-fifth state admitted to the union. The diamond signifies Arkansas as the only diamond-producing state in the nation.
Richard TMassachusetts State Flag:
On March 6, 1915, Massachusetts adopted a State flag that was very similar to the flag that flies over the Commonwealth today. The 1915 flag depicted the Commonwealth coat of arms on one side on a white field. On the other side was blue shield with a pine tree on it, a symbol of the value placed on wood by the settlers of Massachusetts.
Today, the design depicts the Massachusetts coat of arms on a white field on both sides of the flag, a design approved on June 2, 1971 to take effect on November 1, 1971.
The coat of arms of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts consists of a blue shield with an Algonquin Native American on it. The Indian is dressed in a shirt, leggings and moccasins. He holds a gold bow in one hand and a gold arrow in the other hand. The point of the arrow is pointed down. In the upper right hand corner of the shield is a silver five-pointed star. Above the shield on a gold wreath is a right arm, bent at the elbow and grasping a gold broadsword. The motto of the Commonwealth is printed in gold on the blue ribbon partially surrounding the blue shield.
The shield of blue represents the Blue Hills of Canton and Milton, Massachusetts. The Indian depicted on the shield, Massachuset, is shown carrying the arrow with its tip pointed downward to indicate a friendly demeanor. The silver star of the coat of arms is designated as white (instead of silver) for the flag and represents Massachusetts as one of the thirteen original colonies of the United States.
The motto of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem, is printed in gold on a blue ribbon. It can be translated as "By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty." This motto is supported by the ruffle sleeved arm grasping a sword that is depicted above the shield.
RonVermont State Flag: I'm hoping Ron can provide some more info on this one...
Vermont was the fourteenth state to be admitted to the union. It was admitted in 1791. In 1792, Kentucky was admitted to the union. At this time, the United States Flag displayed thirteen stars and thirteen stripes. In 1794, the national Congress changed the official design of the United States Flag to include fifteen stars and fifteen stripes representative of the two new states of the union.
Proud to be a member of the United States, the first Vermont Flag, a state militia flag, was created in October, 1803. Tennessee and Ohio had been admitted to the union at this time and, perhaps anticipating the national Congress, Vermont's first flag was created with seventeen stripes and seventeen stars in the tradition of the U.S. Flag. The word "VERMONT" was spelled out in upper case letters above the stars and stripes. Fifteen years later in 1817, the national Congress stepped back and authorized the current flag design of thirteen stripes and a star for each state.
Vermont went back to the drawing board and authorized a new design on October 20, 1838. This new design continued to align with that of the U.S. Flag. This new design reduced the number of red and white stripes from seventeen to thirteen. Instead of a star for each state, however, the union contained one large white star on a blue field. Within the confines of the star was displayed the Vermont Coat of Arms. This flag remained as the official state flag until 1919.
Eventually Vermonters began to desire a more unique state flag that would not be so easily confused with the flag of the United States when hanging from a pole. As the idea for a change became more prominent, it was found that the flag authorized in 1838, was not ever really used to any extent and that not many were even aware of its existence. The flag carried by Vermont regiments in the Civil War, the Spanish American War and at the outbreak of World War I was a flag that displayed the Vermont State Coat of Arms on a blue field. This design had customarily been carried as the Governor's flag.
And so, in 1919, the third Vermont State Flag was authorized. This third design displayed the Vermont State Coat of Arms on a blue field. This is the Vermont State Flag as we know it today.
BazIn 1901, the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Until this time, Australia used Britain's flag, the Union Jack. A competition was held to find the design for Australia's own flag. Five designers shared the prize because they came up with similar ideas for the Australian flag.
In the top left hand corner is the Union Jack. This shows that Australia is part of the British Commonwealth. Beneath the Union Jack is a large white star with seven points. The points represent the six states and the territories. Originally this star had six points. The seventh point, for the territories was added in 1908.
On the right hand side are the stars of the Southern Cross. The southern Cross was chosen because it can always be seen in the Australian sky at night.
And, Australia also flies the Aboriginal Flag...
The Aboriginal Flag was designed by Harold Thomas, an artist and an Aboriginal, in 1971. The flag was designed to be an eye-catching rallying symbol for the Aboriginal people and a symbol of their race and identity. The black represents the Aboriginal people, the red the earth and their spiritual relationship to the land, and the yellow the sun, the giver of life.
In the late 1960s, Aborigines stepped up their campaign for indigenous land rights through protest marches, demonstrations, banners and posters. The protests increased in the early 1970s and Harold Thomas noticed they were often outnumbered by non-Aborigines with their own banners and placards. He decided they needed to be more visible and the idea of the flag was born.
The Aboriginal flag was first raised in Victoria Square in Adelaide on National Aboriginal Day in 1971, but was adopted nationally by Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders in 1972 after it was flown above the Aboriginal "Tent Embassy" outside of the old Parliament House in Canberra.
The Aboriginal flag is increasingly being flown by both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. In view of its increasing importance in Australian society, the Government initiated steps in 1994 to give the flag legal recognition. After a period of public consultation, the Government made its own decision in July 1995 that the flag should be proclaimed a "Flag of Australia" under section 5 of the Flags Act 1953. The flag was so proclaimed by the Governor General of Australia, William Hayden, on 14 July 1995.
Season meters as of 181/365 = 57,653,583 m
Total meters on the day = 382,328 m
Oars in space (participation) = 26 percent
MILESTONES...Bragging Rights...Celebrations:
3.25 MM Ron
2.35 MM Minnie
1.9 MM Jim K
1.85 MM Bernie
1.15 MM Richard T
450 K Marty
350 K Mario Jackson
85 K Ashlee
Million Meter Watch:David A with (11,240 m) to go!
Jim with (99,702 m) to go!
Bernie with (133,439 m) to go!
Baz with (154,750 m) to go!
Million Meter Watch:Charles B with (91,340 m) to go!
Chris H with (120,197 m) to go!
Thanks to all who rowed today !
Allie 288 m
Ethan
m 
Ashlee 688 m
Kaylee
m Mario Jackson 2,300 m
Peter G 2,500 m
Noelle
m Marty 5,100 m ...wowzer!
Tom M 5,750 m
Zander 7,000 m
Bobbie 7,500 m
Thomas T 8,108 m
enrage aka James G 9,062 m
Ronnie
m K2 10,000 m
Kevin 10,000 m
bg 11,149 m
Raoul 12,000 m
ross 12,331 m
Jim K 13,611 m
Roger 14,000 m
Tammy 14,000 m
David A 14,449 m
Danno 16,040 m
AJ 17,781 m
Baz 20,000 m
Jay 23,100 m
Minnie 27,652 m
Richard T 31,000 m
Ron 31,097 m
Bernie 40,078 m
Really. You just have to believe you can do it!
The Bear Flag was first raised on June 14, 1846, at Sonoma by a group of American settlers revolting against the rule of Mexico. The original flag was painted by William Todd.
Ron 21,097 m 
