Two questions about states

[hurleyfor3]

We're doing "what things do states look like"? Fine. Preferable to calling mods idiots, I guess, although I'm biased there.

[throatybeard]

Best shape is the combination of Minnesota through Louisiana: it's an elf as viewed from the side. Louisiana is the foot/lower leg. Arkansas is the upper leg. Missouri is the torso. Iowa is the head. Minnesota is the hat. This was pointed out to me years ago and I've never been able to unsee it since.

I have a friend who, she and her husband, they live in Iowa City or thereabouts. And they have since they escaped the Rio Grande Valley in about 1995.

He was the first one who attuned me to MIMAL. Apparently that's the acronym for what Wander is talking about.

[Reilly]

Mimal cooks fried chicken:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIMAL

[YmoBeThere]

1. What is your favorite U.S state shape? Hawaii - Oahu in particular

2. What is your favorite U.S. state name? Hawaii

[OldPhiKap]

We're doing "what things do states look like"? Fine. Preferable to calling mods idiots, I guess, although I'm biased there.

Is California a banana truck?

But California really should be two different states, anyway.

[Reilly]

I think California is a vacuum cleaner.

[devildeac]

1. New Jersey because it looks like a soldier (or Mr. Magoo as brevity observed up-thread).
2. New Jersey because JJ needed one or more of these just about every year he played for reasons discussed here before.

[PSurprise]

And you are in Colorado?

I guess recent legislation keeps you out of being "square" though . . . .

(J/k, obviously. Wyoming, Colorado, Utah is absolutely beautiful country. Hope winter is okay for you)

I always wondered how they designed those square states. Did they get to the border and say to themselves, "this is far enough, let's turn 90 degrees and start over again".

[snowdenscold]

I always wondered how they designed those square states. Did they get to the border and say to themselves, "this is far enough, let's turn 90 degrees and start over again".

There's a show they have on every so often (there's only a few episodes of it) called "How the States Got Their Shapes." I forget if it's on History, Discovery, etc. but something in that range.


Edit: Ah, here it is:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1772281/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

[OldPhiKap]

I always wondered how they designed those square states. Did they get to the border and say to themselves, "this is far enough, let's turn 90 degrees and start over again".

I think that many of them were set on arbitrary latitude/longitude lines for ease of administration, as well as to set aside land for what's ere referred to at the time as "Indian Territory" for Native Americans in the western desert and plains (which of course got gobbled up as settlers and trains pushed West, and gold was found in The Black Hills and other places). Not enough rivers to easily act as boundaries like back East.

[kmspeaks]

Shape

West Virginia. I can't even believe there's a discussion after this.

There are states that are aware of their shape and others that aren't. Less than .66% of the population live in that state where they know their shape is awesome. All these arts and crafts in WV are WV -shaped

One of my favorite novelties of going to school in West Virginia was the way people told me where they were from. A rude hand gesture with the thumb stuck out for the panhandle makes a fairly accurate state map on which they'd point out their hometown.

[davekay1971]

Shape: North Carolina. Looks a little like a piece of pie. Who doesn't like pie?

Name: Mississippi. So much fun to learn to spell when you're a kid. You have to sing the letters. Try to spell it without getting some rhythm in your cadence.

[Reilly]

Name: Mississippi. So much fun to learn to spell when you're a kid. You have to sing the letters. Try to spell it without getting some rhythm in your cadence.

Where I learned to spell it (8:58 mark):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4GGQSdX_-M

[Edouble]

1. Texas: big strong shape, part boxy, part curvy.

2. Idaho: such a great punchline for dirty jokes.

[fidel]

1). New York. Nobody is confusing this one for Wyoming.

2). Connecticut. Crazy name.

[weezie]

Well, Michigan, of course, the useful mitten state. Hoping to find it's match somewhere in the bin of gloves.
Favorite name...uh state of confusion, where I tend to hang out a lot.

[BlueDevilBrowns]

1. What is your favorite U.S state shape?

2. What is your favorite U.S. state name?

(questions inspired by recent weather channel storm watching)

1. A tie between Vermont and New Hampshire.

Together they make an interesting numerical position, shall we say.

2. Franklin.

Oh, what might've been.

[OldPhiKap]

This being DBR, I should point out that Kentucky, Massachusetts, Virginia and Pennsylvania refer to themselves as commonwealths, not states.

We all know they're states. I just want to hear them own up to it. Until then, like out MOTH polls, I elect to choose wholly arbitrary barriers against otherwise eligible candidates.

[throatybeard]

Responses where I'm too lazy to use the quote function:

1) Yeah, North Carolina ain't bad either shapewise.

2) I've read Hawaii is the only one that doesn't have a straight line somewhere in its border. Not sure if it's true.

3) I love the visual majesty of the word MISSISSIPPI when spelled in all caps, and as a former resident of that state, I got to see this quite a bit. Take a look at the ribbon (?) of Davis-Wade stadium.

4) WIDukie doesn't really post here much anymore, but he likes to tell this one so I'll relate this for him. The reason WI is the shape it is is that the surveyors screwed up and mistook the St Croix River for the Mississippi River. Big gain on area for Minnesota. Also one of the prettiest towns in the US, Duluth, which looks like a 1/10-size Seattle was replanted on small mountains overlooking Lake Superior.

5) "Florida? But that's America's wang." --- Homer Simpson

[DevilAlumna]

1) Nebraska (easy to identify surrounded by squarish states.)

2) Delaware, primarily because of that silly song (What did Delaware, boys?)