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English is the de facto national language. Also, your claim that it would be a state level decision as much as a federal one is ludicrous. The United States is governed by the Federal government, not an aggregate of state governments. While it is true that a state could take a vote to make the official state language something else, it wouldn't change the fact that English would be the official national language of the US if the federal government so decreed. In such a state English would be the official national language and another language would be the state one.

For example, the national bird is the Bald Eagle, while each state also has an official bird. That being said, there is no official language because everyone knows English is the de facto language in the country, and there is no need to pass a law to create a situation which already exists.

Catoosa is a suburb of Tulsa, and my kin are from Muskogee.

Like most famous Okies, I've emigrated to California:

http://www.50states.com/bio/okla.htm

Pictured Rocks, the largest source of fresh water in the world, the most shoreline of any state aside from Alaska. Yeah, what a shithole. We definitely need to ruin that as soon as possible.

Nevada.

85% of the state is Federally owned property and the majority of that is nothing but empty desert.

Here's a lesson in population density. This can be applied for cell phone coverage as well.

South Korea:
Population of 48,422,644 (CIA Factbook)
Area: 98,190 sq km (land - CIA Factbook)
This equates to 493 people/sq km

US:
Population: 295,734,134 (CIA Factbook)
Area: 9,161,923 sq km (land - CIA Factbook)
This equates to 32 people/sq km

Now that doesn't explain why a state like California or New York doesn't have better broadband service, right?

California:
Population: 33,871,648 (Google)
Area: 403,968 sq km (http://www.50states.com/californ.htm)
This equates to 83 people/sq km

New York:
Population: 18,976,457 (Google)
Area: 122,309 sq km (http://www.50states.com/californ.htm)
This equates to 155 people/sq km

(note: the above area totals are for land only. water is not included)

Here's a lesson in population density. This can be applied for cell phone coverage as well.

South Korea:
Population of 48,422,644 (CIA Factbook)
Area: 98,190 sq km (land - CIA Factbook)
This equates to 493 people/sq km

US:
Population: 295,734,134 (CIA Factbook)
Area: 9,161,923 sq km (land - CIA Factbook)
This equates to 32 people/sq km

Now that doesn't explain why a state like California or New York doesn't have better broadband service, right?

California:
Population: 33,871,648 (Google)
Area: 403,968 sq km (http://www.50states.com/californ.htm)
This equates to 83 people/sq km

New York:
Population: 18,976,457 (Google)
Area: 122,309 sq km (http://www.50states.com/californ.htm)
This equates to 155 people/sq km

(note: the above area totals are for land only. water is not included)

That's no dude! It's the allegorical figure of the goddess Virtue crushing a tyrant. "Sic Sempter Tyrannis" - "Thus always to tyrants."

If you Google for state name + constitution, you'll get a result like this:

California
Constitution: 31st State
According to http://www.50states.com/californ.htm

Doesn't work for possible 51st states such as Canada, Puerto Rico, England or the UK. And not all "real" states it seems: New York instead gives "local results". (If you just search for the state name you get "news briefs" for the state.) I just noticed this today, don't know how long this has been.

Can someone explain to us non-Americans what a "loon" is?

It's the official official state bird.

I should probably start learning the words to "O Canada."

In my opinion, you're better off learning the words to "Old New Hampshire". After all, New Hampshire is the One Best shot at a Free State!

Since remembering the capitals of North and South Dakota was a problem. Hope this statechart helps.

Columbus is Ohio's Capital City.

Capitals Map

I'm working on a couple of projects they tell me will be open source (I haven't seen the license yet, but I expect it to be fine) for the EPA. There are some good reasons for making it open source:

• The same physics apply everywhere. I write one Gaussian plume atmospheric transport routine, and it works for anyone who wants to use it.
• People can review the work. Other models do the same thing, but the source code is not available. Meteorologists aren't going to reverse-engineer the code and figure out what's going on. They would rather be able to review it outright.
• It helps other organizations which have the same problems.

There are a number of special purpose applications that governments have a particular need for, and there's no reason everyone should develop the software separately.

Does it worry anyone else that it's the Texas flag on the time.gov site?

I am not entirely sure that I didn't just sleep through this but when did Washington's capital change to Seattle?

Medicine Award

"Hartwell...works at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, capital of the north-west U.S. state of Washington."

I could be wrong

I know everyone thinks it should be, but is that any reason to push it this way.

I always thought Sikorsky invented the helicopter. But I just did a Google search and found this page (number 10 on the list) that says that William Purvis and Charles Wilson invented the helicopter in 1909. Is that just bunk or is there some dispute as to who actually invented the helicopter?

Yes, this is off-topic, which is why I didn't use the +1. Mod me down if you wish. I'm just curious about this.