So say the people at Yahoo, who published a few days ago a list of the 10 worst U.S. states in which to retire in 2015, along with reasons.
I don’t know how much credence we can give to the people at Yahoo when one of the places isn’t even a state, but the list is interesting. I especially liked the beautiful renditions of the flags included that represent the 10 places named, and I’m not even a vexillologist.
Speaking of vexillology, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama of Fiji announced on 3 February that his country will change its flags, saying, “The competition and the formation of the National Panel will commence during this month of February. The competition will be open for two months. And the whole selection process has been designed so that we will be ready to hoist our new flag on the 45th anniversary of our Independence – October the 10th, 2015.”
Here is Fiji’s current flag:
Don’t look now, but today is 20 April, so it is too late to enter the contest. Sorry, vexillologists.
Let me state for the record that Fiji is not one of the 50 U.S. states or even one of President Obama’s 57 states. It is an island nation in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
To see Yahoo’s list of the 10 worst U.S. states in which to retire in 2015, the reasons, and the flags of those places, click here.
Your assignment, if you accept it, is to peruse the list and tell us in the comments which flag you like best, and why.
For those of you who (a) never click on links or (b) aren’t interested in flags, the 10 worst U.S. states in which to retire in 2015 (according to Kiplinger and Yahoo Finance) are:
10. Texas
9. Utah
8. Oregon
7. Nebraska
6. North Carolina
5. Minnesota
4. New York
3. New Mexico
2. California
1. District of Columbia
The link does not open properly on my iPad so this task you have set will need to wait for another day when I am at a proper computer. But flag or no flag, I would not be swayed to retire in the US ~ sorry. I am Queensland born and bred ~ a 'cane toad' through and through ~ so this will be where I retire. Oh and FYI ~ the Queensland flag has that tragic Union Jack thing in the top right hand corner too. On a final note ~ Australia is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean too. Night night.
ReplyDeleteOf course the flag I like the most is the flag of Texas because this was once the home of a certain and most admirable senior blogger who now resides in Georgia even though his heart remains in Texas. Besides the flag of The Lone Star state has a simple, easily recognisable design. By the way you may recall that I lived in Fiji between the ages of eighteen and nineteen so all things Fijian are of interest to me. Thank you in Fijian is "vinaka vakalevu" but I lived on the most northerly island - Rotuma where they speak a different language. Surprisingly it is called Rotuman. In Rotuman thank you is "Fãiåk se’ea".
ReplyDeleteCarol in Cairns in Far North Queensland, Australia, I don't really think of Australia as an island nation, more of a continent, although it is, admittedly, an island.
ReplyDeleteYorkshire Pudding in, er, Yorkshire, why would we be surprised that on the island of Rotuma people speak Rotuman? It seems obvious to me, just as people in England speak Englandan and people in the YewEss speak YewEssan. Oh, and thank you for two more ways of saying thank you1
Union Jack is in too left hand corner. Bit of a problem there ~ I asked someone yesterday how their Christmas holidays were, instead of Easter.
ReplyDeleteNot tempted.
ReplyDeleteFlags worry me. They can stand for so much that is positive, and are also used for unthinking behaviour. Allegiance without consideration for all that it entails, when patriotism is replaced by nationalism.
Carol, I wondered about that. But if the flag were hanging vertically with the short part on top, the Union Jack would be at the top right!
ReplyDeleteEC (Sue), I just think of flags as really pretty pieces of colored cloth. I don't get involved with the political end of things. That's probably why I love the Olympics opening ceremonies so much.
Texas, Utah and Oregon. I have friends in Texas who moved there from the UK, Putz lives in Utah, and Snow and Peggy are in Oregon! I better not retire to Snow's woodshed after all then eh? *laughs*.
ReplyDeleteInteresting list! Slightly depressing, though, when one lives in one of those states.... :{
ReplyDeleteMost interesting flag: tie between Texas and New Mexico. :)
I like the Texas flag most as it looks quite primitive and I'm all about primitives in my crafting.
ReplyDeleteI don't do politics, don't intend to retire ever, but the town I live just 3 miles outside the city limits of looks like this:
Median household income: $36,934
Average age: 40
Population: 27
I have no intention of moving to town (crowding, doncha know) so will just live out my days in busy-ness here on the farm. Yes!
Oregon! First, you don't credit my state for the cleverness of its murderers, and then you suggest that it's a horrible place to live! As for the appearance of state flags, Oregon's contains a ship, trees, a covered wagon, a plow, a setting sun (I'm pretty sure it's setting because it appears to be over the ocean), an eagle, and the date 1859; all in yellow against a blue background.
ReplyDelete