NationStates Jolt Archive

So, I love it here in California. Really. Occasional taste in Govenors aside...

But, I was trying to find an image I had seen for my it's-only-going-to-exist-in-my-mind-because-I-have-no-money Swords to Plowshares art project of the California Battle Flag (I still haven't re-tracked it down, but I'll find it.) and I came across this (http://www.thespaceplace.net/img/academy/lg/BFAV0573.jpg).

Kinda a neat way to do the flag, don't ya think? How many flags can be three dimensional like that? Cool...

Except...then you go to the source (http://www.thespaceplace.net/academy/inventory.htm) of the image...and find out that the bear is-
"Monarch" - grizzly bear of CA bear flag fame; last grizzly in CA
Okay, having a bear that was driven out of California on our flag is one thing. Reminder of what we can do to this place if we aren't careful. But to take the last bear and make him part of the flag...

(I'll grant that I question how it was determined that Monarch was the last Grizzly, but still...)

Is it hubris? Sillyness? Did I waste your time? (I am the kind of person fascinated by magazines about Baseball Card Collecting because of the layers of seperation from the source material...)

Any other examples of this kind of thing? Comments?

I'm pretty sure we still have grizzlies in California.. I'm pretty sure they've raided some campsites and been in some peoples' swimming pools in local news.. but then again, maybe not.

Edit: I guess we do have bears, after doing a search, but not the "California" grizzly, Ursus californicus.. interesting.

I'm pretty sure we still have grizzlies in California.. I'm pretty sure they've raided some campsites and been in some peoples' swimming pools in local news.. but then again, maybe not.

Edit: I guess we do have bears, after doing a search, but not the "California" grizzly, Ursus californicus.. interesting.
There has to be something in that we didn't cop out, say it was just a bear and not the California Grizzly, hell the natives thought the first bear on the flag looked like a pig. But we stick to it, yep-that's a Grizzly and they don't live here anymore.