Shireroth

... do the arms of Yardistan feature the Earth and not Micras?

I can't answer for Nick (the person who probably made those arms) but back in the old days, Shireroth was a lot less fantasy-simulationist and a bit more focused on the real world. Yardistan started out as literally a back yard - Stjepan Aracic's - and grew when a few other people donated their yards and various lands to the cause. So it was originally quite Earth-based.

...or, more likely, it just seemed easier to find a picture of Earth than of Micras, especially since this was before all those neat Micras globes were made.

As I thought, then.

Scott hit the nail on the head. I remember helping to design the arms. That is by no means the original arms of Yardistan - unfortunately I don't remember what the original arms looked like. The present arms were made after Machiavellia was annexed by Shireroth. That's what the vergina sun on red pays tribute to. The Earth represented the various "yards" around the world that encompassed Yardistan. And the small band of land at the top was just a horizontal representation of a yard (drawn freehand by yours truly). Then it was just superimposed over the flag of Shireroth. The green bands added at the top and bottom are "lawns".

Hope that helps.

Ahh, thanks Ryan!

Ahh... the good ol' days.... when the YAC ran free.