The New Land: A Beginning.

by Archie

Why does something huge always happen when I’m on vacation. I return to find that There has announced this gigantic chunk of new land that is the geo map of California.

WOW- what a surprise!  

OK – thanks to Tablatronic’s map, I went to the closest island I could find and set out towards these new shores. I don’t expect to be able to drive around on this new land just yet, but perhaps I can grab a few shots of some shore-line and make a couple handy bookmarks so   I can return in the near future after There does some more “finishing touches”. 

I set out from New Kansas heading East-South East. That’s like the hour hand pointing at about 4 o’clock as you read your compass. It was a lengthy drive in the Monster Truck averaging a speed of around 340 kph. Well, you get the idea, and plus I took these pictures – check ‘em out. 

The place doesn’t even have an official name yet. I hear tell that it will not be called “California” or even something remotely related to that. I’m kinda glad, because There needs to keep it special. I also hope it doesn’t get named after some person, just because it makes the name too long. As in Samsyn’s Frosty Island- well, that’s nice and everything, and Samsyn did a GREAT job on that island and all, but “Micheal Wilson’s Left Coast” or something just wouldn’t have a sweet “landy” sound to it, y’know?

(Not that “MW” isn’t the GREATEST and all, he is (thank you MW!!)) But, the place really needs to feel like it has it’s own identity – in my humble opinion. 

Suggestions? 

I know this area is tricky and you will get nine million silly joke names from people hoping for some yuks, but this is SERIOUS folks.  

Etymology 

Here is something I found relating to naming California, I thought may be helpful in naming our new Therian Land (if it’s still undecided) –

(here is the source >>> http://www.sfgenealogy.com/sf/history/hbann1-1.htm <<< 

Here is an excerpt:>>>

The etymology of the name CALIFORNIA is uncertain. Some writers have pretended that it is derived from the two Latin words calida fornax, or, in the Spanish language, caliente fornalla—a hot furnace. This, however, is doubted by Michael Venegas, a Mexican Jesuit, in his “Natural and Civil History of California” (2 vols. Madrid, 1758), a work of much research and high authority. In his opinion, the early Spanish discoverers did not name their new-found lands in this pedantic fashion. “I am therefore inclined to think,” he says, “that this name owed its origin to some accident; possibly to some words spoken by the Indians, and misunderstood by the Spaniards,” as happened in several other cases.

<<< 

Hey, I like that “Calida” ‘hmmm… say it sloooowly… C a l e e d a…

(not cal eye-da  … ahem!)

But whatever the name ends up being, There naturally does a fine job of selecting- this is a big one folks, and I hope it’s a good one!  

Happy Travels!

Archie