OK, my tooth is still bothering me and I have my 6th visit in 10 days to the dentist this afternoon, so I was pretty cranky and about to write something nasty about the government when I stumbled upon this you tube video and laughed too hard to do anything other than insert it here, and write one really long ass sentence.

Peace.

Quick, you educated readers of Some Cranky Guy – what is the definition of the word “vexillology”?

1)  The study of spells witches use______.

2) The study of sexy females_____.

3) The study of problems and irritants_____.

4) The study of flags_____.

Those of you who read the title of this blog entry and still failed to select #4 as the right answer should immediately hop on the Yellow Brick Road and go see the funky guy behind the curtain about a brain.

Yes, vexillology is the study of flags. Who knew?

Worse yet, did you know there is an association dedicated to vexillology? Yes indeed, the North American Vexillological Association.  (All 400 members.) And they have recently identified the ten best flags and the ten worst flags, which I present for you today, purely as a public service and because I am bored and 24 doesn’t start for several more hours.

10 Best Flags:	10 Worst Flags:
1. New Mexico 2. Texas 3. Quebec 4. Maryland 5. Alaska 6. Arizona 7. Puerto Rico 8. District of Columbia 9. Marshall Islands 10. South Carolina	63. New Hampshire 64. Idaho 65. Wisconsin 66. Kentucky 67. Minnesota 68. South Dakota 69. Kansas 70. Montana 71. Nebraska 72. Georgia

My first observation is that Maryland is 4th in the “best” category???? Damn, their flag looks like a crime scene banner that was run over by a tractor as it drove through a pool of weasel blood! What the hell? It’s got to be one of the ugliest flags on the planet. New Mexico looks like the emblem of some international corporation. It’s downright stupid and uninspiring if you ask me. Even if you don’t ask me.

Quebec looks like a pattern on a shirt I wore in the second grade, And was teased mercilessly for it.Now the Marshall Islands flag looks pretty cool. But South Carolina looks lame as lame can be. A tree and a moon? What?

regarding the ten worse flags, I’m pretty much in agreement with that. Essentially these flags aren’t flags, they are flying government seals or emblems. Although if you look closely at the Idaho seal you sure see a lot going on there!  Who knew naked potatoes could do that??? Amazing.

By the way, the website for the North American Vexillological Association is http://www.nava.org

Peace out peeps.

SCG

Since my wife turned our back yard into a butterfly garden, we have more Monarch butterflies than Nabisco has crackers. Today we were honored to be able to witness the real life birth of a Monarch Butterfly. Photos below.

Of course, they start as caterpillars, as above.

Then they become a cocoon, although usually green. This one is ready to give birth, that is why it turned dark.

You can see the wings inside!!! Cool, eh?

Suddenly the cocoon cracks.

No soon does it crack that junior here starts squeezing his body out!

Here he comes!!!!!!

Another angle. (This photo taken by my wife.)

The body now falls out of the cocoon. Ka-plop! (This one also photographed by my wife.)

And then…..he is out, hanging out to dry his wings. In a few hours, he will be flying.

Wow. Amazing. What a beautiful way for my wife and I to begin our Sunday morning,

Peace out people.

SCG

Despite still dealing with a root canal and a severe infection, my wife managed to take me to a antique car show at a park in Cooper City today. She even made sure I had my camera with me. Below are some of the photos I captured.

Hope you enjoy the pics. I’m going back to the couch now, and continue to wait for this tooth infection to heal. Been to the dentist four times in the last seven days…..ouch.

SCG