Just outside the tiny town of Columbia Falls, Maine with a population of 485, Morrill Worcester, a wealthy businessman and self described patriot wants to build the world’s tallest flagpole. The billion dollar monolith would rise 1,776 feet above sea level and fly a flag the size of 1 1/2 football fields. It would be the largest flag in the world.
The flagpole, which would be taller than the Empire State Building, would feature elevators that would take visitors to the top here they could see for hundreds of miles in all directions.
A patriotic theme park with a museum, restaurants, a trinket shop, and a wall with the names of 24 million veterans dating back to the Revolution etched in it, would be built adjacent to the pole.
Like most issues nowadays it seems, the development has divided the town with people who support the flagpole questioning the patriotism of those who would like the area to remain unspoiled like it has been for generations. Hundreds of thousands of visitors would be drawn to the site each year once the jumbo flag is raised.
So is this what it's come down to now - measuring our allegiance by the size of our flag?
Happy July 4th, everyone!
The pursuit of the tallest flagpole or biggest flag seems to be another variant of the India-Pakistan Border Guard Ceremony at Wagah, or Elon Musk's and Mark Zuckerberg's hyped cage fight.
As a former computer instructor with a few battle scars to show for personal encounters with the "bleeding edge" of technology, it was often amusing to watch colleagues (especially the school's administrative staff) jockey for opportunities to upsize their monitors for their desktop computers. This behavioral condition was referred to as "monitor envy".
Only a few decades ago, computer monitor screens originally displayed black and green pixels. It wasn't unusual to spend thousands of dollars on 13" screens capable of displaying fourteen colors. And graphics cards could cost …
Or, how about donating a fraction of what it would cost to build such a monstrosity to the American Vets suffering from PTSD related suicides.....
They will be very sorry in the long run... as we are on Whidbey with crowds of peeps lining up for fairies, searching for parking spots, and long lines to be seated in restaurants. Brought here to benefit shop owners selling un-needed stuff by Chamber of Commerce ads promoting the quaint "Villiage by the Sea"...where the locals can no longer find housing, parking or reasonably priced basic goods. It's happening everywhere. Just say NO Columbia Falls folks.
What a waste of money and resources Not to mention the resulting blight on the land. How about using that money for good such as providing scholarships?