Translate

Sunday, August 16, 2020

Alex Schibli American-Swiss Heritage Flag


Besides Liberty Island, there is another island in NYC that has its own monument, Rat Island.  It was recently purchased by Alex Schibli in 2011 at an auction for $176,000.  Now the Goddess of Liberty has some stiff competition, Rat Island has a statue of William Tell—a folk hero of Switzerland.

In American consciousness Tell is portrayed only as playful archer to shoots an arrow at an apple seated on a person's head.  However, for Switzerland, Mr. Tell is a folk hero a kin to King Arthur and Robin Hood all wrapped into one.

When the New York Post interviewed the owner of Rat Island, Alex Schibli, he was wearing a unique Swiss-American fusion flag: see video below.  Schibli's flag has a lower-fly canton with 26 Swiss crosses on the field, arranged the four rows of: 6-7-6-7.  The 26 Crosses represent the 26 Cantons of Switzerland.
Rat Island is also home to three flags: New York State, the US flag, and the flag of Switzerland.  However, Rat Island is missing a flag for the island itself.

During the interview with the New York Post in 2018, Schilbli was wearing a shirt that contained a unique US-Swiss fusion flag.

He was also making a statement that the monument on Rat Island is a 'sister statue' sight to Liberty Island.  Like Yin and Yang, the Statue of Liberty represents the freedom all Americans, while the statue of William Tell represents one American's point of pride.  However, NYC's Statue of William Tell is completely within NYC's official waters, unlike Liberty Island which is actually in NJ's waters.



Saturday, August 15, 2020

A Walmart Flag


Walmart issued a flag for itself sometime before July 31, 2018.  It is most likely that this flag was created in 2017.  It is a vertical tribar flag of grey-blue, navy-blue, grey-blue.  In the center is the Walmart * in yellow.

The original leaflet advertises the Walmart's capacity to send money across the world.  Walmart is only a business, yet its economic lifeblood pulsates all across America and the planet.  No doubt Walmart has a larger economy than some third world nations.

Walmart rose the global dominance as did once the too Hudson Bay Company.  However, Walmart started in Arkansas.  Perhaps a nick for this coorporation could the Dixie Bay Company.


Tuesday, August 11, 2020

ALT Left Flag: ←

The background colours for the Alt Left flag are violet and orange.  Orange is coded to 2 and violet is coded to 7.  Together they make the number 27.  One is supposed to read this flag from left to right like the alt key arrow:←.

ALT ←

ALT Right Flag : →

This ALT right flag has a field of orange and blue.  Orange is coded to 2 and blue is coded to 6.  Together they make 26.  When you hit the Alt Key and 26 you get a rightward arrow →.

ALT → 


 


Monday, August 10, 2020

JERK or FUN —Stamp of Approval: boat-ed®


In that semi-official way of things, boat-ed® has created the mark for a choice being for Fun or for being a Jerk.  Both stamps have the overall basic design of circular seal with rings that have five, five pointed stars in the out ring and six stars on the inner disc, with three above and three below the work Fun or Jerk.  The Jerk Stamp is coloured red and the Fun Stamp is Coloured Green.

Logo of boat-ed®
Comedy is like this as well, jokes can be fun or they can be jerky.  But humor is on a spectrum, different segments of society have set the jerk mark at different places.  This has led to the outrage mob in recent times.  Best to listen to you heart before you post, and only go positive.

Perhaps someday there will be rating system for the Internet on user apps where by you can set your jerk standards to your personal preference.  Banning the consumption of steak because to feeding it to a baby could be deadly, is, the worst form of censorship.


https://www.boat-ed.com/


Saturday, August 8, 2020

Confederates in Space! — Battle Beyond the Stars 1980

They always talk about the great ones from the 1980s.  However they were a lot of little charmers that were, keenly cooked slices of Cheese Cake.  Battle Beyond the Stars is a 1980s film that oozes with 80s Sci-Fi cheese.

It's too bad it didn't get the sub-listed treatment on HBO or syndication, otherwise this movie would have been A-List Cult film of the B-film multiverse.  This film rode the Entertainment Space Wake created by Star Wars 1977.   It stands apart as a secret cinematic love child of Star Wars and Star Trek.  Parts of the movie feel like Star Trek, while others feel like Star Wars.  But there is an overall campy element that echos back to the original Battle Star Galactica.

The hero's ship is famous for having 'boobs' but the Earth Cowboy's ship, just happens to have a Confederate Naval Jack.  Note, a jack is a flag flown at the front of the ship while the ensign is the flag flown at the back/stern.  The 'Cowboy' is flying the Cultural Confederate flag of the South just above his cockpit-bridge.  The flag has worn battle scars on the upper fly quadrant.

Upon watching this B-movie there is a residual sparkle that shines in between the amateur acting and corny dialog.  That sparkle is the imprint of James Cameroon, who was the special effects designer. Really, you can consider Battle Beyond the Stars Cameroon's 'high school film' project before made his master piece in 1984—Terminator.  

Also, the musical score out classes the creamy fondu-B nature of this movie.  James Horner's score gives this movie a clean uplifting feel, that out shines the director's efforts.

Battle Beyond the Stars is a cheesy treasure and guilty pleasure for space fans, that could definitely get a reboot.  The basic plot, themes and structure are there.  Movies are like roller coasters, and this film has all the right turns and hills.  However they are executed on mini Budget.


Notice Insignia on Sash
Unfortunately Hollywood is trapped in the pattern of rebooting classic masterpieces that can not hold a candle to the original masterpiece.  Instead, Hollywood should be looking for movies like Battle Beyond the Stars and give it the royal treatment.

But no, executives only green light on things they know.   No...You can not reboot the Mona Lisa.  The second iteration may be better in 10,000 ways, but it will always be a cheap imitation, no matter how much you invest into the latter day saint cloning of movie masterpieces.  Battle Beyond the Stars is far from a masterpiece, yet if given the right kind of love, its second form would be an awesome re-classic.  This happened with the Wizard of Oz.  The Wizard of Oz 1939 that we know is not the original, it is a reboot (called a remake back then) that got it right. Maybe Battle Beyond the Stars fits into this category. 

Maybe James Cameroon could be pushed to properly re-polish this charmful little gem for modern audiences?  Maybe even have it done is properly with 1980s schtick in the hand of an elegant artist? 


   




Thursday, August 6, 2020

US Flag in Little Monsters 1989

The original blue bedroom monster before incorporation was Maurice, played by Howie Mandel.  Maurice is a monster of the genus that are rife of trickster spirit.  These types of monsters are able to enter from under children's beds and create mischief, getting the child into trouble and hot water.

The wonder star of America's childhood from the 1980s, Fred Savage, plays as a wonder struck youth who must wander and mature, in order to not becoming a monster himself.  Savage gives a totally wonderful performance, that makes ones imagination wonder about the years gone by.

This film is a little influential gem that ends on a bittersweet note, and nodoubt due for a reboot with a grown up Brian Stevenson (Fred Savage) who must return with his kids to Monsterverse® under their beds.

In one scene the American flag flies with magic of monster wind.