WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?
Dear Folks --
What's wrong with this photograph of our tradition-minded County Executive, posing with "Old" Glory on the front page of the Milwaukee County website? [I do not refer to its pixilated quality.]
The first reader to guess correctly will win a growler of Buffalo Water Bison Blonde Lager Beer, now available at the Milwaukee Ale House, 233 N. Water St., Just Art's Saloon, 181 S. 2nd St., The Pub, 2479 N. Fratney St., The Carleton Grange, 3807 S. Packard Ave. St Francis, and the Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha.
What better way to celebrate the Septuagesiquintennial Anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition?
You may post your response as a comment, send me an e-mail at horne.milwaukeeworld at gmail dot com, or telephone me at 1 414 978-8039. Operators are standing by to receive your call!
Thanks to Joe Klein for his keen eye, and for making my day!
-- Michael Horne
AND THE ANSWER IS:
Blogger Oz was the first to comment [see below] that the stars in the flag behind Walker are arrayed in the format employed from 1912 to 1959, when this nation consisted of 48 states. By the time Walker was born in 1967, the United States of America included the 50 states we know today. Therefore the "Old" Glory in the photograph is 8 years older than the county executive himself, and two stars short of a full deck.
Jim Horne also called in with the correct answer. The beer's on me, boys!
FUN FACT!
From the Department of Practical Vexillology
Sometime during the past year our current 50-star flag, adopted on July 4th, 1960 with the admission of Hawaii into the union, became the longest running flag in our nation's history, eclipsing the 47-year reign of the 48-star version, an event that went unremarked, from what I can tell. The 49-star flag had the briefest tenure of our national banners, lasting only a year after the admission of Alaska.
--Michael Horne
posted by Michael Horne @ 9:35 AM
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3 Comments:
He's standing in front of the 48-star flag from pre-1960. The stars don't appear in straight lines like that anymore.
I noticed the 48 stars in the grid pattern right away. I don't see what is "wrong" with posing front of a historic flag which is probably on display in a government building somewhere where this photo was taken. I was scanning the pic with my eyes and assumed it had something to do with the lapel pin. I have been trying to magnify the pic to see if he was sporting a Gay Pride pin or an Illuminati lapel pin or something offensive like a KKK pin, maybe even a lapel pin of the opposing political party to which he belongs or a pin that said "Half Price Carpets at the Carpet King". I couldn't get the pin clear - too many pixels. So it turns out that what is suppose to be *wrong* with the pic is the historical flag behind him?? It's not like the flag had rows of Happy Faces instead of stars and nobody noticed. Geesh. BTW his attire is almost as out of date as the flag. I haven't seen puppy-ear collared shirts and chest warmer ties since the late '60s. Also his haircut is screaming "Kennedy Era". Maybe he was going for a retro theme and got it wrong. Cheers.
Thanks for your observations and concise descriptions. The thing that troubled me about the flag is that it is not acknowledged as a "historic flag which is probably on display in a government building somewhere where this photo was taken," as you put it. Walker's performance art, varied as it is, has never incorporated irony in its leitmotif, so I am led to conclude he is merely a poseur in this instance.
Thank you for reading milwaukeeworld.
Michael Horne
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