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Monday, September 30, 2013

Night in Venice Flags on the "Winner Prize" July 15, 1989

 Night in Venice is an annual summer boat parade held in Ocean City, New Jersey.  In it people decorate their boats in themes and winners of certain classes get awards for outstanding decorations.  Additionally houses that have private harbor entrances are allowed to decorate their homes in the spirit of the night and compete for prizes as well. 

In the summer of 1989 a rather unique prize featured a lacquered letter box with a sailing ship design. 


Of vexillological interest are the three flags on the mastheads.  Near the back end of the ship or 'Rudder Mast' is a red pennant with white circular design near the hoist.  On the 'Central Mast' is horizontal tribar, starting from the hoist: red, blue, and green.  And finally on the 'Forward Mast' is a longer blue swallow tail pennant. 

Friday, September 27, 2013

Flag for the opposite side of the Prime Meridian - 180th Merdian, Antimeridian, Omega Meridian, and International Date Line

Flag of opposite of the prime meridian or 'omega' meridian is based upon the flag of the prime meridian but the colours orange and blue are switched.  It is also the international date line when these lines are in sync.  Basically its the flag of the international date line when the international dateline is in tune with the prime meridian, but the design of the international date line varies. 


When the international dateline shifts east, it means that the day is starting earlier thus is has a blue shift like a blue shifted galaxy.  But when the international dateline shifts west, it means means that the day is ending later thus it has red shift like a red shift galaxy.


There is a natural 48 hour daily cosmic cycle on earth, but due to political tinkering and making business harmonious we have more than 48 hours time zones, as of now there are officially 50 hours in a day. Maybe some day they will add more?  Thus if you want your business to be a leader, you may want to register your shipping fleet in Kiribati or open an office there so you can get a two hour head start?






Flag for the Prime Meridian

The flag of the Prime Meridian uses the colours blue, white, yellow, black, and orange.  The central blue checker pattern represents the center zero point of prime meridian. The black and yellow horizontal stripes symbolize that when it is high noon at the prime meridian the day has officially begun at midnight on the other side of the world.

Countries that can fly this flag on their prime meridian include: Ghana, Togo, Burkina-Faso, Algeria, Mali, Algeria, Spain, France, and England - as well as Antarctica. 

The checker pattern indicates that the person has crossed a unique line of sorts as when one crosses the finish line.  It is to be waved vigorously when one has crossed this zero point.  This special meridian is the arbitrary dividing line between the Western and Eastern Hemispheres.



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Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/battyden/with/308493413/

Flag for the Antarctic Circle


The flag of the Antarctic Circle features the natural colours found on its most populous biped - the penguin.  It is quartered into two designs - an orange, red, and white checker portion and a solid black portion.  In the lower left hand quadrant is the constellation Octans the Star Compass. Octans is the most southern celestial constellation and home to the Southern Star which is noted with eight points.









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Photo Credit: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/picturesoftheday/8170280/Pictures-of-the-day-30-November-2010.html?image=1

Flag for the Arctic Circle


The flag of the Antarctic Circle is quartered with two white and indigo checkered quarters.  In the opposite quadrants are solid navy blue areas, but in the upper left quadrant is the constellation Ursa Minor, the Little Bear, and the North Star.  The six stars of the 'Little Dipper' have four points, and North Star has five points. The checker pattern is based upon the feeling one gets when crossing a finish line, but in this case it is a congratulatory checker wave for crossing the Arctic Circle.

The Arctic Circle runs through Canada, the United States, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, and Greenland at 66 degrees North.

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Photo Credit: http://www.allposters.com.au/-sp/Seal-Pup-posters_i373483_.htm


Flag for the Equator

The Equator Flag can be flown officially at the Equator.  Thus the nations of Ecuador, Peru, Columbia, Brazil, Gabon, Little and Large Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Indonesia have the right to fly this flag on land at their appropriate places.  Likewise this flag can be flown under 1 degree North or South.

The Equator Flag has a white background with a red checker stripe in the middle.  It is bounded by to the top and bottom with black and yellow sandwich stripe.  

The checker pattern denotes a sense of victory as when one crosses the finish line.  Typically race cars get a black and white checker flag to signal their final lap when they are about to cross the finish line.  Likewise when people cross the equator they are crossing a natural geological line worthy of a victory dance. 

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photo credit: taken by Husond, en:Image:Equator_São_Tomé.JPG, enwp upload on 02:00, 14 October 2006

Flag for the Tropic of Capricorn

The flag for the Tropic of Capricorn is essentially a checker flag.  The main part of the checker pattern is composed of violet and black.  Along the center is a bottom to top stripe with three yellow Capricorn symbols upon it.  On either side of the Capricorn Stripe the checker pattern has become yellow.

























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Photo Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tropic_of_Capricorn_Jujuy.JPG
Djr xi 24 March 2010

Flag for the Tropic of Cancer

This flag uses the symbolism of Cancer with a line.  Flown at the tropic of Cancer, only a few nations can fly this flag on their portion of the Tropic of Cancer.  Thus Western Sahara, Mauritania, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, India, Bangladesh, Burma, China, Mexico and the Bahamas can fly this flag on land, but any ship at sea when crossing the 23rd parallel north can fly it as well.   

The basic pattern for the Tropic of Cancer Flag is a checker pattern.  The checker field is composed of two areas - a light blue static pattern and a multicoloured tropical pattern.  The multicoloured of the checker half is composed of pink, yellow, orange, and lime green squares.  The orange squares are cut in a half by a pink downward diagonal with three black symbols for the sign Cancer, which represent the three continents it passes through: Asia, Africa, and North America.

The blue checkers represent the crystal blue waters of the tropics, while the bright colours represent the delicate colours of corals and fishes that inhabit this region of earth.

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Photo Credit: http://www.island-real-estate-bahamas.com/

Flag for the Temperate Circle of Lynx

This flag is to be flown at 45 Degrees North, in between the North Pole and Equator.  Its name takes elements of its more famous longitudinal cousins the Arctic Circle and Tropic of Cancer.  The constellation Lynx was chosen because it lies at a mostly temperate parallel to the latitudes of Earth.

 Essentially the 45th Parallel North's more formal or enchanting name is the Temperate Circle of Lynx.  Along the fly field is checker stripe within a square that represents a 45 degree angle, which reflects the fact that its the 45th Parallel.  45 degrees is a kind of magical mathematical angle, in this case whether north or south the 45th parallel has similar climates.

The Temperate Circle of Lynx passes through the United States and Canada passing through: Nova Scotia, Maine, New Hampshire, Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and finally Oregon. In the Larger Land Hemisphere it crosses: Japan, China, Russia, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Romania, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Italy and France. It is at this latitude where the four seasons can be noticed in earnest.   

Four colours compose the Temperate Circle of Lynx Flag - red, green, white, and yellow that represent the four seasons.  White represents winter, yellow represents fall, green represents summer and red represents spring. 

Often it is a variety of species get a temporary white winter coat during the winter, and loose it with the spring thaw in April.






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Hokkaido Squirrel Photo Credit: 
http://www.pbase.com/merigan/image/109945153

Flag for the Temperate Circle of Lupus

Here is a flag to be flown at 45 degrees South, which is in between the Equator and South Pole.  The Temperate Circle of Lupus is basically the middle latitude in between the equator and south pole.  Lupus was chosen because this constellation is mostly in the middle temperate zone of the southern hemisphere since that gets a full summer, winter, fall and spring.

The Temperate Circle of Lupus passes through only three countries: Argentina, Chile, and New Zealand.

The colours brown, orange, white and yellow compose this flag.  The colour white represents the winter, orange echoes of summer, brown of fall, and yellow of spring.  




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photo credit:
 http://www.hdwallpaperstop.com/kiwi-bird-hd-wallpapers/

Sunday, September 22, 2013

The Original Garbage Pail Kid Flag - Meanaced Dennis #173

Although not the first Garbage Pail Kid to feature a flag, it is the most original flag created for the Garbage Pail Kid Series - Menaced Dennis #173a of the fifth series. In it, during a scary dream, a bunch of green caterpillars can be seen crawling into Dennis' nose and head.  The original flag features a red square background with a brown 'wooden x' fimbrated in white.  

The first Garbage Pail Kid card to feature a flag was number #44 Sy Clops in series number two, 1985.  The red pennant of a sailing ship in the background can be seen.

Old Gloria #241 - The Garbage Pail Flag Kid



Treading in the shadows of the lovable Cabbage Patch Dolls are the Garbage Pail Kids.  During the 1980s these macabre collector's cards ran across the imagination of young children.  Many of the themes were horrors and beyond grosser than gross. 

Of vexillological note are the cards that feature the US flag.  Perhaps the most vexillologically vexing Garbage Pail Kid was Old Gloria #241a.  Old Gloria or Jose Can You See #241b, features a garbage pail kid as the American Flag.  The card features a Cabbage Patch Like Kid holding on to a Flag Pole with a golden eagle finial and being blown in the wind.

The US flag appeared earlier in the 5th series card in the background of Ruptured Rupert #199a or Gassy Gus #199b.    This card features a Macy's Day Parade Garbage Pail Kid  Balloon that has burst open in the back of the head and is loosing helium.  In the background is a US flag with reversed red and white stripes.

Additionally during the series the US flag appears in the background of Mark Spark #238a or Cherry Bomb #238b.  This card features the dangers of playing with fireworks.  The theme of the card is set to celebratory atmosphere of the 4th of July.
   

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Canadian Flags in Pretty in Pink


The flags of British Columbia, UK, and Canada make a small cameo in Pretty in Pink 1986. While the teacher is talking about FDR we can see flags on the desk. Molly is keenly paying attention but the snobby girls are cutting up Molly for sewing her own clothese that are not high priced 'zombie' ware.



Friday, September 13, 2013

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

1980's Maxell Flag in Pretty in Pink - 1986


A delightful flag appears in the classic teenage dramatic work of art - Pretty in Pink - a Maxell Rainbow flag.  As 8 Track was to the 1970s, cassette tapes were the recording device of the 1980s.

Okay, so this movie is like totally awesome, beyond tubular and just so rockin! Put in a super jedi-like point of view.  Pretty in Pink  is like that Star Warriors Movie...like, you know 16 special candles!

And then like Empire Strikes Back is so so much like you know, the Saturday club for breakfast!

Finally like when the Blondie boy "Jedi" gets his revenge, it's totally like Little Miss Pretty Pink!  I mean like Jedi, is like, Pretty in Pink...for the other half One day I'll chill with you peoples and show what it's all about.


Don't have a cow if you don't get it, it's no problem! Molly is like but so much better and more realistically like a Jedi-knight for - Girl Power in the 80s! Molly Rocks!!!!!!

Monday, September 9, 2013

Celebratory Wedding Drapery Flags from - The 40-Year-Old Virgin 2005

Flags are not only nationalistic emblems of pride.  In the comedic hit The 40-Year-Old Virgin 2005, celebratory wedding flags can be seen in the background.  Flags of this nature follow a natural flow of beauty and often have a romantic flare.  Here soft floral colors can be seen in the background.

 Courtship rituals in the modern world are a fancy subject of talk in private, in public, and on the street.  Often times it can descend into touchy dimensions, and can lead to harmful and abusive situations when handled with little care.
 In this film a man with deficient courtship skills becomes the hero in this original comedy that is a key snap shop of culture in the 20-ohs.  Wacky, honest, low brow, and pure in its intention - it pokes fun at the drama between men in women in a wonderfully charming light.
 At the end of the film we are granted an amusing musical number that wholly fits in the ethos of the movie, summarizing the tone of the new millenium to come.

Using humor to address the courting rituals in America at the dawn of the second millennium, The 40-Year-Old Virgin became a trend setting movie of its own make.  The recipe for this film is: three full bodied aged to perfection cups of humorous root-beer, two spoonfuls of sweet romance, sprinkled modestly with rainbow bitter low brow giggles, and topped with musical cherry!  It is a must see for adults young and old.


Thursday, September 5, 2013

USS Enterprise vs HMS Boxer - 200 Years Ago Today, The War of 1812

It was 200 years ago today that the USS Enterprise engaged the HMS Boxer off the New England coast of Maine. Although a US victory, both captains, Burrows and Blyth, lost their lives in the battle and were buried at sea simultaneously with honors. 

So it is the bicentennial of the 'War of 1812' or rather America's late engagement unto the Napoleonic Wars There is some debate was weather to call the American Revolution a civil war or not?  However during the War of 1812 the government of "Washington DC-complete and unbroken" as a separate entity was firmly established, in stark contrast to the government of London.  Canada was still in 'utero' so to speak, but Canadians cherish this war as an us Canucks versus those Southern Yankees.  Also note Canada was still under London's command as was Australia and New Zealand.  

Australia was 'born' as a British Colony the same year the US was born again in a second reboot under America 2.0 via the program of the US Constitution in 1788.  America 1.0 didn't work out all that well under the program of the Articles of Confederation and all official eight presidents of that forlorn government have been lost to the back bins of history - except for perhaps John Hancock? 

The odd point is one from a certain angle, one can frame The War of 1812 as the United States of America vs. Australia and New Zealand!  Rumor has it that there were some wicked words exchanged down under at an Aussie Bar, with a few American shippers and whalers.   

However a few naval battles did indeed take place 'Down Under' in the Southern Hemisphere.  The USS Essex fought with the HMS Phoebe and HMS Cherub in the South Pacific.  The USS Constitution exchanged fire with the HMS Java in the South Atlantic.   Nearer to Australia was the naval battle at the Strait of Sunda on June 30, 1815 - in the Indian Ocean.  It was here that the proverbial last battle between 'UK-Australian' and the US Navies took place, coincidentally down under.  And nearly half a year after peace was declared and signed! 

More about that battle, of the USS Peacock vs. HMS Nautilus on June 30, 2015.  Thus this is the would be last battle flag down of the official 15 striped 'Star Spangled Banner' with regard to the UK. 

 It was during the War of 1812 that US Navy proved herself to the world, by meeting on par with the most powerful Royal Navy from the West, likewise during the 'War of 1941'  the US Navy became a world power after subduing the most powerful Royal Navy to arise in the East.  Coincidentally the US fought both imperial navies in the Indian Ocean at the Strait of Sunda. Today however, both Japan and the UK are warm allies to the United States.

At the moment in the mainstream consciousness "USS Enterprise" is associated with Star Trek!  Little fact known is that the creator for Star Trek was a Pacific WWII pilot.  In a second pole position "Enterprise" is known as a car rental company.  Finally the bronze goes to historical aficionados who recognize its vale as a name to the heritage of the US Navy.  And believe it or not the first Enterprise to defy gravity and patrol in the atmosphere during wartime occurred during the US Civil War.


Long story short, from a certain point of view, one can fathom that two hundred years ago, the United States was at war with: Australia, New Zealand, Bahamas, India, South Africa, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Guyana, Barbados, Wales, and not to mention England.  And finally, Canada and some other countries as well.