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Friday, September 28, 2012

Thursday, September 27, 2012



US Flag for Antarctic Territory


US Antarctic Territorial Flag
This flag represents US Territorial Claims in Antarctica.  The star field belongs to the Greatest Generation, which only has 48 stars instead of the modern 50.  The 48 starred American Flag was flown during WWI, WWII, and also used as a Naval Jack.

The field is divided like a Scandinavian Cross into thirteen parts.  Three horizontal red stripes are crossed with three vertical red stripes.

Likewise there are two horizontal white stripes balanced with two other vertical white stripes.  Thus there are total of ten stripes.

But then, three white fields tally up the field area into thirteen zones.  In each white field is a single blue star which makes up the most southern constellation - Octans the Star Compass.   Finally in the center of crossed stripes is an eight pointed star in honor of the most southern star on the Celestial Sphere.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Monday, September 24, 2012

Flag of UDFj-39546284 - The Blue Shadow Galaxy Flag



Flag of the Blue Shadow Galaxy - UDFj-395446284

From long long ago shined the ancient blue wonder, outside of time, but with an enchanting echo of now, and very alive in the present perpetual soul of mind.

This is the flag of a forlorn galaxy in the Southern Celestial Skies in the constellation "Fornax the Crucible of Alchemy."  The Blue Shadow Galaxy is an ancient cousin many light years ahead of us. 

From a human point of view in the year 2012 - UDFj-39546284 is the oldest most distant Galaxy in the known universe - more than 13 billion light years away.  Thus the 'Blue Shadow Galaxy' deserves a flag.




Messier 87 Galaxy Flag - The Capital Flag our Galactic Super Cluster


The Messier 87 Galaxy Flag uses four colours: red, yellow, black and blue.  Messier 87 is at the heart of the Super Virgo Cluster.  It is one of the most massive galaxies in our neighborhood - the Super Virgo Cluster is visible to the naked eye.

The two main parts of this flag are a square and blue navigator's compass pointing towards the center.  Messier 87 is one of the most massive objects in the heavens.  It has power on levels yet to be charted on a scientific scale.  We are a remote part of this galaxy's neighborhood.  The 'Golden Grain' of Virgo is our proverbial big brother or rather big sister looking out for us. 



Sunday, September 23, 2012

Isle of Man meets Isle of Woman - vexillologically speaking

Isle of Woman Flag

The flag for the Isle of Woman is based upon the Isle of Man.  Rumor has it the Isle of Woman is home to the Muchkin Cat, since the Manx Cat is from the Isle of Man.  Instead of protective armor it has seductive clothing. Note the knees run opposite for the Isle of Woman - counter clockwise. 

 
Isle of Man meets Isle of Woman

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note this is vexi-humor

Lesser Britain and the Isle of Man "Union Flag"

FLAG OF LESSER BRITAIN & THE ISLE OF MAN


Lesser Britain ya' see?  Since much to do'aboot that Great Britain, there must'a beein a need far a flag of wee Lesser Britain.  Indeed, id possibul to combine a flagg for Cymru wit'tha flagg of Kernow an Ellan Vannin.  An win ya' do, here be what you getin!  
The flag of 'Lesser Britain' is composed of three flags: a Welsh Flag - St. David's Cross, a Cornish Flag - St. Piran's Flag and the flag for the Isle of Man - the Triskelion colours.   The yellow cross of St. David is fimbrated with the white cross of St. Piran's Flag.  The field of the Isle of Man's colours appear as a saltire. Also the colours of the triseklion are preserved yellow, white and black.  The spurs of the triseklion are yellow as is the undergarment visible at the back of the knee.  Likewise the armor is white with a black outline. 
 
St. David's Cross - Wales
The nation of  Wales is an essential part of the United Kingdom.  In fact Wales was the original part of the United Kingdom, almost 360 years before Scotland officially united the British Crown.  Historians unto this day always overlook the annexation of Wales as the first step in making the 'Original United Kingdom.'  Arguably the Welsh Kingdom united with England some 400 years before the Scotland was.  Finally, no aspect of any Welsh flag is included in the national Union Flag.  There have been modest attempts, but these feeble creations are laughable and treated with disdain or as a joke. 

Note the 'nation' of Wales has two flags - a heraldic and vexillologically 'good flag.' The heraldic flag has a red dragon on a field of white and green. The other flag is St. David's cross which matches in pattern to the flag of England but has a yellow cross on black.   Famous Welsh include C.S. Lewis, Anthony Hopkins, and Catherine Zeta-Jones

St. Piran's Flag - Cornwall
An even smaller distinct part of the United Kingdom that was incorporated in Great Britain with a less than official function was the 'nation' of Cornwall.   The Cornish have a distinct language and culture of Celtic Origins.  The flag of Cornwall is similar to the lesser flag of Wales - St. David's Cross. Famous Cornish or rather 'Corny' people include the drummer of the rock band Queen, Captain William Bligh of the Bounty, and a discoverer of the planet Neptune - John Adams

Isle of Man's Flag
Finally a word about the Isle of Man.  In this flag it symbolically takes the place of Ireland as it does in the official title of "Great Britain and Northern Ireland." In a way the Isle of Man is the 'Lesser Ireland' so to speak.  Famous Manx people include the Bee Gees and Sarah Holland.

Finally some flag space for Wales, Cornwall and the Isle of Man.  Lesser or Less Britain is the natural counterbalance to the Great Britain.

Why a flag for "Lesser Britain?"   The flag of "Great Britain" only includes symbolism for the English, Scottish, and Irish.  So what about the Welsh, Cornish and Manxish?  Also note that lesser in this manner does not connote a negative meaning.  It's basically a play on 'Great Britain,' lest you never forget there have been many a great non-English, non-Scottish, and non-Irish Brits from Wales, Cornwall and the Isle of Man!

Add caption


 Flag of Less Britain
For the record this flag is only for the smaller nation like regional parts of Britain - a union flag of Wales and Cornwall without the Isle of Man.



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pardon my fake Welsh Accent

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Pinball Bumper Flags from Xanadu 1980



Xanadu 1980 - Gene Kelly with pinball popped with flags
The most unique flags from Xanadu appear during the musical number All Over the World with music by the Electric Light Orchestra.  In a fanciful dance sequence, Gene Kelly shrinks down to the size of a goomba and able to dance on a pinball machine.  When he - Danny McGuire - hits the mushroom bumpers, bunches of flags and sparkle dots spring out.


Gene Kelly looking at the pinball mushroom bumper that sparkles with flags
The first mushroom bumper flags are turquoise-teal and the second group are violet-purple.  The shapes of flags vary from square, rectangle, or guidon with slightly different shades of the associated pop bumper. 

Remember that primitive forms of pinball were played in the 1700s - so chances are George Washington was familiar with the game, likewise pinball was certainly a favorite of the geeky Benjamin Franklin.   No doubt in the 2200s fantastic versions pinball will be played in ways we can't yet imagine.  Would anyone like to play Zero-G pinball?   

Nonetheless electric pinball - which is a very very primitive version of a video game - got its big break in 1933 in California, Los Angeles with a game called Contact.  Coincidentally the film Xanadu takes place in Los Angeles.   Although pinball originates in Europe during the 1600s, electric pinball is an American Invention/Pastime of the 1900s. 


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Friday, September 21, 2012

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

International Maritime Nautical Flags Expanded 10 to 31

Chart of International Maritime Nautical Flags Expanded 10 to 31

Bush, Plains, Forest Fire Alert Flag

Forest Fire Alert Flag

This flag is a warning flag that wild fires are ongoing. Wild fires can be on the plains, woods, forests, or anywhere in the bush.

The colours of this flag are red, yellow, black and white. The flag has a red frame and checker pattern of two black squares, one white square and one yellow square.

Drought or Water Shortage Flag

Drought or Water Shortage Flag

This flag symbolizes that the community is under drought conditions. It is composed of two colours yellow and white. It is a yellow square on with white frame.

Flood Warning Flag or Flash Flood Flag

Flash Flood Warning Flag

The Flash Flood Flag consists of two colours blue and black. The background is blue and there are two black square frames in the middle.
The colour blue represents water while the black frames rotated act as indicators that the water levels are rising.

Tornado Warning Flag

The Tornado Warning Flag

 The 'Tornado Warning' flag uses the same colours as the hurricane flag. The background is black and there are two red circles, reflective of the circular motion of a tornado.


Since Hurricanes have their own flag it makes perfect sense that tornadoes get one as well.











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Photo Credit: http://taylormarshall.com/2013/05/did-god-send-tornado-problem-of-natural.html

Monday, September 17, 2012

Five Ways to Demonstrate Pride through your Flag

Guest Blogger Today!
by Max Miller

When we see the flag, we are reminded of our country's abiding promise of freedom and liberty. We see the American flag in public places - on the flagpoles of schools and libraries - and those are great places for their prominence. Some of us have a holder on our front porches in which we display the flag on special occasions, such as Flag Day, the Fourth of July, and every four years on Election Day. The problem is that the flag is not always displayed in a manner that best expresses that freedom through imaginative new demonstrations.

There are more ways to exhibit pride in our country through the American flag than just the usual displays. The following are five unusual new ways to consider using the flag to demonstrate pride:

1. Create a prominence for the flag in your front yard
Why limit the visibility of the flag to your front porch when your whole neighborhood can see it on any given day? Building or purchasing a pole for your front yard is not as expensive or as time consuming as one would think. It can also be ringed by cement or a grouping of stones that you can purchase from your local hardware store. Get the flag up higher and you can even purchase a larger flag to express your neighborhood's patriotism.

2. One word - bunting
When we think of bunting, we think of the World Series. That is because the World Series is one of the few traditions left for bunting. Did you know that bunting was once the most frequent use of the flag in this country? Homes with large porches used bunting to cover the faces of the porch, and this included the homes of Presidents. Bunting is a way to decorate the exterior faces of your home without soiling or improperly using the traditional flag.

3. Indoor display
Why limit the flag to outdoor use? The flag can be on display in your home with dignity and respect. We sometimes put sports memorabilia and art in places of distinction; why not the American flag? The flag can be on display on your wall, as long as it is not pinned or stuck to the face of the wall. Using nice mounted clips is one idea for allowing the flag to hang freely without sticking to the wall. If you have a high ceiling, the flag may also hang from a holder in the beams above doorways or exposed areas.

4. Take the flag with you
You can display the flag from the open bed of a truck as long as it is securely fastened to a pole and not making contact with the truck. The flag will then flap in the breeze as you drive to your destination. Just ensure that you don't drive so fast that it would become detached and fall to the ground.

5. More is better
Why limit yourself to just one flag? There are no limits to the amount of flags, large or small, that you can put on display. A number of smaller flags, placed equidistantly along the walkway to your door for instance, would prominently display your pride in your country.


Don't limit the American flag to ordinary uses; use your imagination to craft dynamic, new, and prominent displays for the symbol of our liberty. Always follow flag etiquette and never allow the flag to be soiled. It should always be displayed in a manner that demonstrates respect.




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Max Miller is an associate with All Star Flags. Interested in buying some flags? Visit All Star Flags here at http://www.allstarflags.com/

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Numbers 30 and 31 for the International Maritime Code

The International Nautical Flag for Thirty

Only thirty and thirty-one are shown since they are reflective of the lunar calendar. As of yet there is no 32nd day of the month, even in a leap year. Basically each day of the month gets its own flag. Can you recognize the flag of your birth date?

Also, the moon has been an important tool for mariners through the ages - as it relates to tides, sailing conditions, life cycles and of when and where to drop anchor.

The flag for thirty is based upon the Roman Numeral for thirty, which is made up of three letters 'Xs' as XXX. Furthermore it is reflective of the city flag for Amsterdam in Holland - the leading city of Western Civilization.

The United States may seem like the cultural leader of the Western World, but rather it is the USA that follows in the wake of the Netherlands. Always remember that the founders of NYC were from the Netherlands not England, Scotland, Ireland, or Germany. When you compare NYC to Amsterdam, America's NYC is more like North Korea while Amsterdam is the true 'Freedom-City' of the Earth as of 2012 AD.


The International Maritime Flag for Thirty-One

Finally the flag for the thirty one, the last flag in this expansion. Why does it stop at thirty-one? Because they are only thirty-one days in a lunar cycle.

Near the fly is the core symbol for Korea - with a modified Yin and Yang symbol.

The phases of the moon are essentially reflected in this symbol that originates in China. There are also three white 'Yang' dashes that 'synchronistically' represent thirty.

These two flags are the anchors of the international maritime signal charts that represents the East and the West. Likewise there is quaint harmony since Japan gets the 'alpha' position as first number one flag, while Korea falls into the 'omega' final thirty-first flag.

Almost by accident the civilizations from Rome to China are reflected in these proverbial last of mariner anchor flags.

International Maritime Nautical Flags Expanded 21 to 29

Here are international Maritime flags from 21 to 29. Most of the flags in the twenties are tinged with an element of blue. But the nautical flag for 21 is reflective of 'Blackjack' - which is represented figuratively by an Ace of Spades and Queen of Hearts.

The Maritime flag for Twenty One












The Maritime Flag for Twenty-Two

This flag is loosely based upon the ICS flag for number two, but the colours are reversed and two extra dots are present.








The Maritime Flag for Twenty-Three

Originally France holds the ICS pattern for three, but for twenty-three Russia gets respects, or its Serbia? I guess it's whatever you want.








The Maritime Flag for Twenty-Four

Again this is based on the number fourteen, which is derivative of the ICS flag for four and NATO flag for four.








The Maritime Flag for Twenty-Five


Just as twenty-five has an un-noticed symmetry like 69, this flag is geometrically symmetrical.








The Maritime Flag for Twenty-Six
Can you see the six dots and two halves in the this flag that reflect two and six?









The Maritime Flag for Twenty-Seven
This is based upon NATO's flag for seven but with a Canadian accent, or rather Peruvian. Many nations get accidental representation in the official ICS flag chart which includes Japan, France, Denmark, England, Ukraine, Finland, Scotland, Costa Rica, Poland, Indonesia, Monaco, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. It's only appropriate since Canada is the proverbial 'life-coast guard' of Earth. Canada like the Coast Guard is strong, intelligent, talented, peaceful, mostly friendly, official, and very very helpful.


The Maritime Flag for Twenty-Eight
This is based upon the ICS number two flag but is made up of eight parts: a yellow sun, three yellow stripes, three blue trapezoids, and large blue trapezoid holding the sun.






The Maritime Flag for Twenty-Nine
Since crosses appear so many times its only fair that some other spiritual symbols appear as well in this case a crescent moon and six pointed star.

International Nautical Maritime Number Flags Expanded - 11 to 20

These flags are expanded up to number twenty. Their patterns are based upon the nautical number flags for NATO and the agreed International Code. They combine certain elements between the two numerical systems - some are more NATO than International Code.

The Number 11

All the colours were conserved and the design was altered a bit. ICS number one was reversed and NATO number one was moved to the side.


















The Number 12

The pattern is mostly based on the ICS flag for two while the colous of NATO's number two are conserved as discs.

















The Number 13



The colours are taken directly from NATO's number three but put vertically in honor of ICS's number three, conserving the design of ICS and the blue of its fly.














The Number 14

These two flags already look similar in design and pattern. It is a balanced merge of NATO's number four and ICS's number four flag.
















The Number 15


Again the colours are shared between NATO and ICS for five, thus this is fusion of patterns.

















The Number 16

This was the most difficult to combine, so a new direction was taken while conserving the old. The six dots match up symbolically to make one think six. All colours are conserved as well.

















The Number 17

The number seventeen is a little different. Its pattern is based upon the home state of the first man to walk on the moon - Neil Armstrong. Mr. Armstrong was born in Ohio and it was the seventeenth state in the Union.









The Number 18


This pattern of ICS's number eight dominates while the colours of NATO's number eight make up this fusion flag.


















The Number 19


The essence of ICS's number nine is totally conserved while NATO's number nine's colours and pattern take hold on the fly and hoist.


















The Number 20

ICS's flag for number two combines with NATO's zero flag. The blue dot mirrors the shape of a zero minus the hole. The five pluses also convey a non-zero value, although a zero is used to represent the number twenty.