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Saturday, August 7, 2010

JOIN, or DIE Flag

In 1754 the colonies were caught in a life or death
struggle fighting off Spain and France for survival


On May 9, 1754 the essence of the popular Gadsden Flag now used by the US Marie Corps appeared in the Pennsylvania Gazette.

The snake is chopped up into 8 pieces. The head is New England: NE. At the tail is South Carolina. Missing is Georgia and Delaware, as Delaware was still a part of Pennsylvania.

Why the lowly snake? Back in Franklin's time it was thought that if you could put the dismembered parts of snake back together before sunset it would come back to life. Franklin also went out a limb. Back then as well as now, snakes were considered something less that goodly. But Franklin's boldness to picture the US as a serpent was quite shocking. He wanted to shock his readers with a wicked message of unity.

This political cartoon was not made as a metaphor to unite against the UK in colonial rebellion, rather it's statement is more akin to "United We Stand, Divided We Fall." And in 1754 the primary threats to colonies were the French, Spanish, natives, and themselves.

In 2010 Gen X,Y, and I terms it means, "Come Together Right Now or else it's Game Over."

Recently this 1754 drawing has seen the like light of day in 2010

Friday, August 6, 2010

August is Leo Month

Flag of Venice, a part of Italy














Lions make many appearances on flags. But perhaps the most interesting flag, with a lion on it, is the flag of Veneto (a federal district in Italy), better known as Venice. It is the best example of a lion flag, at least in the West. In the East the flag of Sri Lanka has a lion holding a sword. These two flags bring together the idea, 'the pen is mightier than the sword.'













Flag of Sri Lanka, in the Indian Ocean




Video of Venice Flag at NAVA 41

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Captain Samuel C. Reid's Flag

Reid's Idea for 1818 Flag

Every flag book will tell you that in 1818 the flag was standardized under president Monroe. Some may even tell you that it was Samuel C. Reid, a US Naval Officer who advocated the reduction of stripes from 15 to 13 stripes. And so it was on April 4, 1818 the US Flag 'came of age' when She was 40 years old. The first known congressional record about the national flag was made on June 14, 1777.
Reid's Original Design

Of Yin and Yang the 13 stripes connect the banner to the original revolution from 1777 with a modern constellation with 50 stars of 1960...that's a 183 year time span.

Although there is some controversy as to who sewed and designed the first national flag back in 1777 (I believe the Ms. Ross account) we know for a fact a not so nutty Nutmegger was responsible for 'retro' 13 striped and perpetually modern and expanding star field flag. State bragging rights go to Norwich, Connecticut home town of Captain Reid.

Captain Reid also proposed other flags that were rejected. I have made a modern rendition of his personally designed flag that was to be the:

'Standard of the Union'
Modern Rendition
Reid's original design












The background colour is buff which looks like khaki with a darker tint. Blue and Bluff were to colours of George Washington.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

The Four Tribal Elements


When someone asks, 'what are you?' They are generally concerned about your nationality. And there are a number of ways to answer this question. In the Old World it was fairly simple, but in the New World things have gotten jumbled up.

You can distill any individual nationality into four categories that are reflective of the four elements: EARTH, WATER, AIR, and FIRE.

First there is EARTH, the lowest energy level that is reflective of the modern notion of the SOLID state of matter. The EARTH aspect of an individual is ones specific ethnic-blood line. Like matter in a solid state, it dose not change. A person who is born a white person will leave his or her body as white person. As of now, it is still impossible to change your ethnic heritage.

The second level is that of WATER, which is the next energy state above matter, aka... LIQUID. This dimension represents language. We all learn different languages that connect us to different nations. Language is like WATER since it conforms to the shape of the container or culture that one is immersed in. It dose not matter what your ethnic heritage is, if you grow up in an English speaking family in London and you happen to have African, Chinese, Arab, or German blood, you will grow up with some kind of London accent. Language shapes the internal architecture of your mind-soul, on the level of proteins and neurons.

For Generation I the Four Elements
have been popularized by a Cartoon


The WATER/LANGUAGE element is often overlooked. The ability to speak a language is like having the ability to swim in an ocean. Most Americans can only swim in the English Ocean, and a few can putz around in the Spanish Ocean. But there are a minority of WATER-minded Americans who can swim and navigate multiple oceans. Thus the US may have the strongest 'Linguistic Navy' of mind.

Even if you only know 10-15 words in Japanese, then you can proverbially play in the Japanese kiddie pool, but if you were thrown in Japan literally you'd linguistically sink to the bottom. You'd have to depend on others for food and shelter. Eventually you'd either learn to swim in Japanese, or you'd have to stay in the Japanese kiddie pool.

If you are reading this then it is likely you and I belong to the same WATER TRIBE: of the English Ocean which is vast and has many seas within it (Scottish Accent, Australian Accent, Etc) All in all, we can swim in each others mind with relative ease.


In the US hardly anyone can swim let alone putz around any of the Native American linguistic Oceans. I can putz around in one Native American kiddie pool because of Dances with Wolves: 'Ta Tanka.' Metaphorically speaking if you put the average American in any Native American kiddie pool they will drown.

The Third element of ones identity is Spirit which makes a harmonious tie with the element of AIR. Clouds, wind, sky, and incense all play a role in most religions, if not now then at some time in their history. Breath is the sign of life. When you cross paths of people of your 'spirit tribe' you will encounter a harmoniously divine spirit, which should feel good. Basically, if a person's speech feels like 'fresh air,' then you are of the same AIR TRIBE. But when people speak and it feels like they are 'polluting your soul' then your are of different AIR TRIBES.

Thus music is a kind a WATER-AIR element like rain or mist.

The Fourth element is FIRE which identifies with ones nationality, which is a political construct of events, ideas, and papers. Two people may have matching AIR, WATER, and EARTH (same religion, language, and ethnic) but yet are totally repulsed by each other. The best examples can be found in the Americas. A white English speaking Irish-German Protestant beer drinking hockey loving Canadian may find is difficult to relate to white English speaking Irish-German Protestant beer drinking hockey loving American because they are in different 'FIRE TRIBES.' They are separated by the passionate element of FIRE...aka NATIONALISM. For the 'Southern Brother' 4th of July is a patriotic holiday, but for the 'Northern Brother' 4th of July is quite unpatriotic. It's a good bet that Canada would never try to enact a law banning the burning of the US-American Flag. A legislator who would do so, would be committing political suicide.

With this rubric the FOUR ELEMENTS are matched to four aspects of identity. There are literally infinite ways to label oneself. With this four pronged system, it should bring a depth of clarity when people ask, 'what are you?' Rather you should respond, "are you asking about my EARTH, AIR, or FIRE-tribal affiliation?'


FIRE - NATIONALITY
AIR - FAITH

WATER -LANGUAGE
EARTH - ETHNIC


I have often ran into people who don't know how to articulate what they are, I hope this helps. In a weird way every individual is one person made up of many different nations. I have created a flag that articulates these differences when people ask or wish to express who they are. It also helps one remember which element of national identity ones belongs to.

EXAMPLE
This person is a US citizen, English is his primary language followed by Spanish and Japanese. His father is Protestant and his mother is Catholic. His wife is Jewish and he must have converted to Judaism. On his mother's side he has Irish and Scottish heritage. On his fathers side his grandmother is from Germany. His paternal grandfather is a mix: whose paternal great, great-grandfather was black who married an English woman. Also on his paternal grandfather's side he has Welsh and English ethnic heritage.

For Generation I: this guy can AIR-bend with Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish Magic. He can also WATER-bend with English, Spanish, and some Japanese. He can EARTH-bend with Scottish, Irish, English, Welsh, and African magic. Finally with the most deadly kind of magic: FIRE, this guy can FIRE-bend via US 'fireworks.'

Link to "Four Tribal Elements - Part II"


KEY FOR 'FOUR ELEMENT'S SHIP FLAG'

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Mary Pickersgill: "Betsy Ross 2.0"

PROFILE OF OUR UN-DISPUTABLE STAR SPANGLED MOTHER

Lived in Baltimore Maryland: from 1807-1857
Sewed the real Star Spangled Banner
Flag was 30 by 42 feet
Received payment of $405.90
Flag given to Fort McHenry August 19, 1813
Born in Philly 1776

Ms. Pickersgill is responsible for sewing the flag that flew over Ft. McHenry that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the Star Spangled Banner during the war of 1812, when the US was invaded by the UK.

By strange utter providence (that's what they called synchronicity back in the day) she was born in 1776 in Philadelphia, in Betsy Ross' hometown.The great thing about this flag is we know much about it and it had 15 stripes! Two states joined just after the revolution, during Washington's Presidency. The first state born after the original 13 was also the first state born completely free, without slavery, Vermont #14 in 1791. The second state born after the original 13 was also the first state born in bondage: Kentucky (1792). Tennessee (1796), Ohio (1803), and Louisiana (1812) were also official states during the War of 1812, but there states were not included on the "official" flag. Unofficial flags had 16-18 stars and stripes before the War of 1812.

15 stripes instead of 13
The Original Star Spangled Banner

Also the star field rests on a long red stripe rather than a white one. There are seven long stripes coincidentally reflective of the big states: New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Kentucky. They are balanced with eight short stripes by amazing alignment to the small states: Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Vermont.

Here it is at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC

Flag on Display in early 1900s
(note stars were allowed to float back then as if twinkling like distant suns)

Monday, August 2, 2010

Stand By Me Flag

A PIE IN YOUR FACE!


In 1986 a timeless movie about growing up in the 1950s was made: Stand By Me by Rob Reiner. Partly because it was retro-50s from the 80s, the classic drama stands by itself a great distance from the crowd. Wonderful acting also helped too. In the fable dream sequence a bullied kid, known as 'Lardass' by the town, gets revenge on the town during a pie eating contest. Of little consequence was a flag used as a pie eating marker.


The scene shows that 'revenge' done the right way, with no one getting hurt, and at the right moment can be a delightful and enjoyable treat.

Worry not about the outcast and 'looser' kids you may have bullied. Just accept the fact that you have an embarrassing 'a pie in your face' coming your way, when you least expect it.

Stand By Me Flag/Revenge to Bullies Flag
A warning to bullies: THERE IS A PIE WITH YOUR NAME ON IT, KEEP IT UP AND THE BIGGER & STINKER IT GETS


Revenge is not necessarily a dish that is best served cold, rather it can be an amusing, unexpected creamy puff in your pie hole.







VIDEO OF WHEN THE BULLIED GET THEIR JUST DESSERTS

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Guidon, Signal Corps and Yin & Yang

US SIGNAL CORP GUIDON

Guidon is a type of flag usually for military use. This Guidon's emblem is for the US Signal Corps.

"THE K FLAG"


Note the Yin and Yang symbol is an abstraction of the US Signal Corps Flag. Or rather the US Signal Corps Emblem is an abstraction of the Yin and Yang essence? Many flags exhibit an 'Yin-Yangic' phenotype.



Original US Signal Corps Flags

Guidon"the K flag" of Spanish American War