Nick Artimovich's Washington Post Feature

This video was originally posted on the Washington Post, Website. The story features Nick Artimovich's vast collection of flags and flag related items. Nick has hundreds of flag books, flag games, flag buttons, and flags. I have never seen a greater concentration of flag stuff in the my entire life. If they ever open a Flag Museum, which would be a great idea in Philly, next to Betsy Ross's House, make sure you consult with Nick Artimovich. He has the mother load-treasure chest of awesome flags.

Below is another video about the Chesapeake Bay Meeting on March 7, 2010 at Nick's Place Enjoy!

You can see more of Nick Artimovich's flag collection
Here on Flicker www.flickr.com/photos/artimovich

Complex Doylestown Peace Flag

This flag was flying in Doylestown's Pebble Hill Church. It's a vexillologically complex flag yet distinguished.

California Republic Mojo IV

This is Part IV of Canadian Provinces decked out in Cali Style

These flags are for California Residents who were born in other parts of the USA or Canada.  They should never forget or be ashamed of where they were born.  So if you were born in anywhere in Canada and later moved to California please feel free to fly these flags. 





(and a few US States next to Canada)

Go the post on February 3, 2010 to see Part I
OR
http://zebratigerfish.blogspot.com/2010/02/california-republic-mojo.html

The North West Territories of Canada are represented by the Arctic Fox. This hearty little critter can also be found on the official flag of NWT.

The small predator is the American Marten, you can think of it as a cross between a cat and a squirrel.














The Musk Ox or Yak is the buffalo of the Arctic. They were nearly put into extinction by humans, but made a tenuous comeback. You can think of them as the opposite of tropical water-buffalo. Rather they are the once nearly extinct woolly-buffalo. They are under appreciated because there are still around, if they did go extinct these amazing and unique animals would ironically be more popular.

....You don't know what you got till it's gone....

Also for Star Wars fans, this animal is basically a 'Earthling Bantha'

Lemmings! That Disney film (White Wilderness 1958) about Lemmings that seem to commit mass suicide was a fabrication! These little critters do sometimes form herds when food is scarce and swarm the frozen lands for nubs of grass.












If you thought Maine had lobsters, think again! Nova Scotia is the Lobster King of the North Atlantic. And...the outline of Nova Scotia province even looks like a lobster!













Some people call the critter on Minnesota a Gopher and others a Squirrel? Which is it? Both! The amazing thing about the stripped gopher-squirrel is that it has 13 stripes on its back, thus it is the most patriotic critter out there!













Walruses live on the Northern Shores of Quebec.












Caribou probably have the most distinct kind antlers. Their migratory path passes through northern Manitoba.














This guy is called a fisher cat! It is not a cat and not a very good fisherman at that. If there ever was a critter that seemed to be a mix of a dog and cat its the inappropriated named fisher that rarely fishes.... aka the Dogat or Cattog?










The Canadian Lynx is a close cousin of the Bobcat, that are mostly found in the USA. But Canadian Lynxes differ in several ways, just as Anglo-Americans and Anglo-Canadians differ. Both Canuck-Lynxes and Yankee-Bobcats have bobtails. However Canuck-Lynxes have longer tufts on their ears, a heavier coat, and wider feet for walking on snow.










Yes, Canada has lizards too! Even in British Columbia. This is the Northern Alligator Lizard. This Canadian Gator can reach a whopping 12 inches under the right conditions.

Canada Day - California Republic Mojo V

California Republic Mojo III

This is Part III of Cali Style Flags

The following flags are dedicated and for use of Californians who come from another part of the USA.  They should never forget their roots.  Thus is you are from any of these states and now reside in California, you have full rights to fly these flags.  

The Leather Back Sea Turtle, the smooth zen energy of this sea turtle is similar to the official zen flag of South Carolina. You can see a stuffed Leather Back at the Charleston museum of South Carolina.







This is an Elk. Most people are familiar with the White Tailed Deer but Elks have a mane and are bigger, yet smaller than a moose.







The Gila Monster and Arizona go together like SoBe tea! This is the USA's only poisonous lizard that can kill with its bite, so please respect the lizard.







The howling Coyote is an iconic symbol of the American West. So it had to be included on one of the Cali-Style Republic Flags. The vast lonely spaces of Nevada echo the romantic call of a lone Coyote.





The Black Foot Ferret is slowly making a return to the great plains, instead of using chemicals to control prairie dog populations this cute fuzzy little guy can do the job.







Look out Massachusetts, MARYLAND is the Bay state by far. Marylanders are proud that they have crabs, and they are tasty too!








The box turtle is a classic boy hood pet-encounter, this turtle is as American as Apple Pie and Indiana Corn. Although Indiana is famous for the fastest car races in the world, it is ironic harmony it should have the slow turtle on its flag. It is reflective of Indian's humble Hoosier spirit of the slow and steady that overcomes the fast flashy overconfident ego.


This is not a mouse nor a rat, although it's name suggests so, the Muscrat. This animal is like a beaver, since it builds lodges, but they do not dam up rivers.

You can call em' Lazy Beavers.

The bottom stripe with nine divisions is an allusion to the Sons of Liberty, which originally had nine states. The Muscrat Lodges are reflective of these original 'super secret patriot capitals' ........ which were BCC (BCC meaning Before Confederation & Constituion)

The Wisconsin State Flag has a Badger on it, thus a jumping Badger for the Wisconsin Republic Flag. Lead was also an early export that help shape Wisconsin's economy thus the colour silver.









Rockies, Big Horn Sheep, Colorado, nothing more to add. Except sky blue for the high skies of Colorado.








The Snapping Turtle can easily take off a finger so be careful, if you ever meet one cause' they're meaner than a bulldog! These seven stars represent the seven states that left before Abraham Lincoln was sworn into office.






The original State Flag of Oklahoma was a red flag with a single star, like the one on the Cali Style Republic Flag you see now. 46 is reflective of Oklahoma's position as the 46th state.

But in the 1920s red became the colour of Socialism and Communism and the good people of Oklahoma deemed it essential to change their state flag to the current sky blue version. But in the Cali-Style Republic Flag recycles this design. Finally the lizard of Oklahoma is the Collared Lizard.


CLICK HERE FOR PART IV

Comcast Heraldry

In the two thousandth and tenth year of our Lord, Comcast Cable Network has proudly announced to America in a sublime-facetious tone that they have won the High Definition TV War.

A recently made big budget Hollywood like commercial parodies a medieval battle scene. Comcast warriors are armed with high definition TVs while an unnamed enemy is armed with satellite dishes.

Official Corporate Colours of COMCAST

Comcast corporate warriors hold the official corporate Comcast colours: red and white. There are two types of flags, swallow tail pennants and long flags with serrated edges. The long flags are mounted to bamboo poles.

For the past two decades a war between Heaven and Earth has been raging for the attention of America. Fighting for the Earth is Comcast. Comcast is the last defender of earth based cable TV broadcasting. The two Heavenly rivals are DISH TV and DIRECT TV. Both use space age satellite technology, based in the heavens. I guess if DISH TV or DIRECT TV wanted to make a reprisal they could parody Star Wars or Star Trek?

Anyways Comcast took out all the stops on this advertisement. I enjoyed it, the musical score, acting, and script.

Comcast is here to kick butt and

wearing a sports jacket is not necessary

However.... It may be too harsh for the opposition. If Comcast wanted to snag new satellite customers into their camp, this commercial may make them feel like defeated losers. I can see that this commerical is supposed to make regular Comcast subscribers feel like they are on the winning team, but again it's a little threatening because if you leave Comcast they may put you on the rack? In any case the WAR shall continue, and I hope new flags will be seen!

Pity the man who hath a satellite dish, lest ye be
be defeated and scattered to the ends of the earth

Thoust may view the Commercial Hereth

Want to Visit Comcast? Click Here

California Republic Mojo II

This is Part II of US States decked out in Cali Style 

These flags are for Americans from other states who moved to California.  So if you were born in any of these states and later moved to California you have the right to fly these flags.  Thus the Connecticut Republic flag can be used by Americans born in Connecticut and later moved to California.   When Glenn Close it relaxing at her California home she can fly the Connecticut Republic Flag, since she is from Connecticut.

Go the post on February 3, 2010 to see Part I
OR
http://zebratigerfish.blogspot.com/2010/02/california-republic-mojo.html

The spotted salamander is perhaps the neatest looking amphibian. Mostly frogs get all the attention about living 1/2 their life in the water and the other 1/2 on land. Salamanders do the same thing too. The Salamander's exotic lifestyle is a testament to Natures Ingenuity that is reflective of Yankee Ingenuity, which Connecticut is so famous for.















This freshwater mini-lobster is known by most as the Crayfish, but it ain't lookin' like a fish! You could then say Maine's gots' Jumbo Salty Crayfish? Anyhow either clawed critter sure is mighty tasty.














Here is another type of Skunk found in the USA, the Spotted Skunk. Before they spray their noxious fumes they amazingly stand on their hind feet as if the bottom brain butt chakra is warning the would be predator to sand back or else.....

...sumptin' less than sweet is cumin' yerway!

Perhaps the Police and the US Department of Defense should take a note here, real stink bombs to disperse crowds and make jerks get out of your way?















This is no ordinary horse, it is the Morgan Horse. It is one of the earliest, although not the first, of locally bred horses to get the official pedigree of 'Made in the USA.' However horses are not native to America. The Spanish had already brought them over, long long before Jamestown.

So the Arkansas Republic Flag and the Vermont Republic flag are the only two Cali-Style Republic Flags to have non-native animals.














The Delaware Republic flag has a Horseshoe Crab, a locally abundant resident of Delaware. You can't see the legs underneath, but they do have em.' Their sort of like lobsters with one big hard protective outer shell.














The Kentucky Republic Flag has the Opossum, the most famous marsupial in the Americas that lost its way from Australia. Just as Australia has cosmic and mystical marsupial power-pride, so to does the USA. (but Aussies out do the USA with egg laying mammals) The critters' official name is the Virginian Opossum. Side note is that Kentucky was officially a part of Virginia during the Washington Admin.















The official Wyoming Flag has the outline of a Buffalo, and it is fringed around the edged with a red square.
















New Yorkers can be wily, ferocious, and playful. If you have ever been pounced by a New Yorker, you'll know what I'm talking about. They sometimes have certain level of over confidence that is intimidating. Since New York is powerful, elegant, and loaded with attitude, the Mountain Lion is a harmonious emblem of this big state.
















The state flag of West Virgina has two men standing by a rock, so this picture of a black bear sitting next to two rocks balances well. The state animal of West Virgina is a black bear too!

















Seals in the tropics may seem strange but it is true. One of Hawaii's nick names is the Rainbow Warrior. This name was given long before the Gay Rights movement owned the Rainbow emblem. Rainbows are beautiful symbols, yet no nation had the guts to use it as their own. The peace movement tried to own it 1961 but no one took notice.















The native North American Mountain Goat is not an official animal in any state as of yet. And if you look hard enough you can see the outline of Idaho in the face of the goat, with a little stretching. Ain't it odd that there are so many mammals native the USA that hardly ever get any airtime? Like the Pronghorn and Pika-chu?

CLICK HERE FOR PART III

cosmic

Rocket to the top

(under Construction)

UK Flag Institute Spring Meeting 2010: Part XII

Canadian Flag before 1965

I was privileged to give the last presentation at the 2010, UK Flag Institute Spring meeting. It was entitled 'Flag Symmetry' with a sharp focus on the flags connected to the UK.
The first part of the discussion focused on the flags of Canada. Although Canada is a mosaic of humanity, multi-cultural and multi-lingual nation nearly all the provincial flags exhibit a strong connectivity to the United Kingdom. England's flag, that of St. George is explicitly repeated three times on three provinces and one territory.

Canadian States with St. George's Cross

CLICK PICTURE FOR CLEARER IMAGE
(note that Yukon has a blue-white heraldic squirrel disc on top)

The UK flag makes three appearances on three provincial flags. Additionally the flag of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland & Labrador have flags based on the flag of Scotland. Finally, two flags have the heraldic lion of English Royalty.

A long standing issue within Canada has been to find a balance in between their British Heritage and Canadian Identity that is also distinct from south of border. Since the flag change in 1965, Canadian culture has made leaps and bounds. However the provincial flags of Canada are iconic testaments that echo one of the fundamental core cultural identities of Canada, the UK.

You can see a video I made about Canadian flag symmetry on youtube. It's a music video set to RUSH live playing the Spirit of Radio, Here!

UK Flag Institute Spring Meeting 2010: Part XI

Czech Vexillological Society Flag
The eleventh speaker was our second guest from the Czech Republic, Jaroslav Martykan. Martykan is one of the founding members of the Czech Vexillological Society and specializes in community, municipal, and sporting flags. His presentation was entitled the Regional flags of Bohemia.

The White Lion
Symbolizes the Czech

A white lion on a red background is the symbol of the Czech nation. Once again Martykan echoed that the US flag code is a valued resource in flag etiquette. One thing I found interesting is that in the German Communities within Czech prefer to fly local community flags rather than the Czech flag.

Regional Flag of Plezen

One regional flag that piqued interest was that of Plezen Region. Plezen is on south-western boarder of Czech next to Bavaria. In the upper right panel has a yellow camel facing towards the fly. Usually camels and Europe are hardly associated with each other. But during the medieval times a camel was brought to Czech area and made a deep impact on the Plezen Community.

North Bohemia

Here are the flags of the original bohemian people who have serendipitously become associated with being 'Bohemian.' I suppose South Bohemia is more bohemian since it has more colours?

When the flag of both Bohemias are United, the elements of earth, air, fire, and water can be seen. The flag of North Bohemia has the black fire eagle, water with waves (wind). While the flag of South Bohemia has a castle made from earth via stone, a flower that is of the earth, and the earthy colours of green and yellow.

South Bohemia