Times change. Fads come and go. Things become outdated. It's just the way the world works. I could easily be talking about fashion trends or hairstyles - but in this case I'm referring to the Montana state flag. A recent vote by members of the House State Administration Committee has brought the flag's design, and possible redesign, to the center of attention.

By a 15-4 vote it was decided that a study of the current state of the flag would be conducted. And if you read the opinions of some of those voters - it sounds like there are some pretty strong thoughts in favor of a major makeover. Some of the knocks on the current design are that it's basic, it's too similar to the flags of other states, it's outdated, and it doesn't do a good job of representing the people of Montana.

It was also pointed out that MONTANA can only be read from one side of the flag - while it appears to say ANATNOM if you view the flag from the other side.

A professor of art history and criticism at the University of Montana and head of the Montana Museum of Art and Culture, Hipolito Rafael Chacon offered up the following thoughts on the possibility of changing the flag's design: “A new Montana state flag is an opportunity not just for rebranding but also for engaging our citizenry in a design process that more accurately reflects who we are and how we represent ourselves as a people."

It sounds like they'll dive a little deeper into the possibility of updating the state flag - but it's all in the very beginning stages right now. What do you think? Could Montana's flag use a makeover?

LOOK: Stunning vintage photos capture the beauty of America's national parks

Today these parks are located throughout the country in 25 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The land encompassing them was either purchased or donated, though much of it had been inhabited by native people for thousands of years before the founding of the United States. These areas are protected and revered as educational resources about the natural world, and as spaces for exploration.

Keep scrolling for 50 vintage photos that show the beauty of America's national parks.

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

 

 

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