Pan Vietnam Heritage Flag

Pan Vietnam Flag

Just as China has a pan-China flag it only makes harmonious sense that Vietnam get a pan-Vietnam Flag too.

China and Vietnam are the ruling East Asian Aces so similar yet so very different. China the Chicken and Vietnam the Cobra, coincidentally they both look like those two animals. Ancient animals from the 'cosmic egg' that teach, educate, and sustain us all.

Chesapeake Bay Flag Association at Winterthur

CBFA Meeting at Winterthur


There as a CBFA meeting today in Virginia. But that photo ain't Virginia. It's Delaware. Sorry I missed it!

Spingfield Township, Pennsylvania Montgomery County Flag

USA - Top Flag
Springfield Township - Middle Flag
Tree City USA - Bottom Flag

Three flags appear in this photograph. The upper is the federal flag of the United States of America. The lowest flag is the US Tree City Flag. And most uniquely in the middle is the Flag of Springfield Township, Pennsylvania of Montgomery County.

Montgomery County was originally a part of Philadelphia County - but as the American Revolution started it was separated from the 'original revolutionary' capital of 1776.

The flag of Springfield Township, Montgomery County Pennsylvania is a horizontal tri-bar with two shades of blue. The fly and hoist fields are cyan blue while the central field is indigo blue. In the central position is a township seal.







Here is the Springfield Township Police HQ. It is next to the township library and firehouse. Most people are aware of the state and county government, but township and municipality geographic knowledge is usually overlooked. Basically townships are like mini-states of the county.



It can get confusing but the level below county often has cultural borders and different orders of communities. In the rural country it is not so pronounced, but in suburban communities that form around a city with a rich financial center and skid row ghetto, suburban township cultural variability can be remarkable.

Crossing over a township line in lower Montgomery County, PA is often like crossing an international border in the pace and type of culture. But my experience in Springfield Township, PA has been rather magical. There must be something positive and charming in the water?


Close up of Springfield Township

A close up of Springfield Township, it features a shield with two hands shaking in the chief. The lower portion is divided in half with a sheaf of wheat on the left and a shovel and pick axe on the right. The shield of arms rests on a tree with a ray of sun beams is bloom, via the lines. The date 1681 appears by the trunk and is cut in middle by it. Around the central seal is a ring where it is written "SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP" on the upper half and "Montgomery County, Pennsylvania" on the lower half, with two acorns acting as dividers near the horizontal middle.


Rumor has it the great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather of Bart Simpson, Mart Simpson, was in the Philadelphia Militia. But when a mule kicked him in the head - he thought was in Indian and ran off into the forest jabbering about sunk meat. Apparently a Mart Simpson was raised by one of the local tribes.

Olympic Expansion Medals for 4th place and 5th place - 2012 edition

Expansion of medals for 4th & 5th place
2012 London Olympics

Although China got first gold the USA got first Tin, likewise Czech got the fist Copper.


Jamie-Lynn Gray of the USA gets the first unofficial honorary "TIN" medal of the 2012 Olympic Games!

Why two extra medals? Because it matches with the five rings of the Olympic flag - a medal for each continent. Besides those athletes worked so hard and sacrificed so much.

Finally since the Olympic flag has five rings - five medals make a harmonious whole for the five continents.  This idea is in harmony with the official Olympic Creed:

"THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE OLYMPICS IS NOT TO WIN BUT TO TAKE PART, JUST AS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE IS NOT THE TRIUMPH BUT THE STRUGGLE.  THE ESSENTIAL THING IS NOT TO HAVE CONQUEORED BUT TO HAVE FOUGHT WELL"  -PIERRE DE COUBERTIN

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Added 8/11/2016

FIVE RINGS = FIVE MEDALS

The original spirit of the new games was to come together in healthy competition and community, not necessarily for a medal count. So here is a suggestion, since there are five rings why not five medals?

Fourth and fifth place certainly deserve something for their fortitude and so close effort! They don't even have to stand on the podium or get their flags raised. But maybe they can stand on the flanking left and right sides? Also if it's a team sport then only one member of the team can stand by the podium. When the Olympics started in 1896 there weren't as many nations participating as their are today. In fact their were only 14 nations, now there are over 200 participating nations.

5 Olympic Rings match with 5 Olympic Medals

So what would the metals be made up of? It really does not matter but it would make sense to have them made up of the constituent elements of bronze. Thus fourth place gets copper while fifth place gets tin.

So that would make 6th place the unlucky duck who just missed out..... but not completely!

Another idea that would take focus away from national obsession for trophies, is to give out awards to the best 24 competitors. Since the Games are based on Greek culture why not give out ring trophies to the top 24 competitors? Just wait till you hear how we would do this!

24 Olympic Achievement Rings based on the Greek Alphabet from Alpha to Omega, for the top 24 places.

First it will promote Greek Culture, and thus the world will become familiar with Greek letters. Second, we all enjoy the games because of the Greeks, it's the right thing to do to honor the Greeks. Finally all those athletes who sacrificed so much certainly deserve something.


Thus 1st place gets the Alpha ring, the 2nd place gets the Beta ring, 3rd gets a Gamma ring, 4th gets a Delta ring, and 5th gets an Epsilon ring in addition to their medals the receive already.

6th place to 24th would not get a medal but only rings of their respective position. 6th gets a ring with Eta on it while 24th position gets a ring with Omega on it. The person or team in 25th does not get a Greek Ring, but only a token participant ring. 

Doing this is in the spirit of the games for community and healthy competition, and in respect to the Greeks who started these games. If this is done, people all over the world will eventually know the Greek Alphabet through osmosis (my favorite Greek word).

If they ever expand the medal reward system, why not also crown 1st place with a wreath of olives too? Apparently in the original Greek Games only the winner received this olive branch token. Medals for 1st let alone 2nd and 3rd were modern contrivances.


Besides, wearing an Olympic medal in public after the games are over is a wee bit ostentatious, no? But the athletes who placed in the top 24 positions can still strut their stuff and inspire others with "Official Place Position Olympic Rings."

The rings of fist five places should match their medal position. Thus 1st place gets a golden ring, 2nd a silver ring, 3rd a bronze ring, 4th a copper ring, and 5th a tin ring. Places 6th and below get a regular ring made out of a less expensive metal than tin or some alloy of it.


These men and women worked hard and sacrificed time, money, and certain aspects of their youth. They deserve something. If any of these ideas are adopted then former Olympic athletes can easily show others a humble memento and inspire.

They can keep the fire of the Olympics shining wherever they go.

 

Did you know that expanding the medal reward system has already happened for the modern Olympics? The first two Olympics at Athens & Paris only gave out official medals for first and second. And they did not give out any gold. Instead first place received a silver medal and second place got a bronze medal. If you placed third – you got nada.

It wasn’t until the first American Olympics in St. Louis that gold medals were handed out. So if you think we shouldn’t add medals for fourth or fifth just because it breaks with tradition – tradition has already been broken. 

Furthermore, when you do the math on the ratio of prizes to participating nations the shift in numbers is staggering. During the first modern Olympics there were 14 participating nations competing for 2 medals (first and second). This leads to a 1 out of 7 chance of randomly winning a medal. Basically, if things were led to chance a nation had a 14% chance of winning a medal.* When they started handing out gold medals for first place at the St. Louis Olympics the ratio actually increased to about 1 to 4, because there were 3 medals to win for 12 participating nations (25% chance). Fast forward to the Rio-2016 Olympics with 206 participating nations – the ratio of winning a medal is about 1 to 69. In terms of a percentages that’s about a 1% chance of winning a medal.
 

Let’s say they expand to five medals for the top five places, the ratio changes to about 1 to 42, raising the chances of winning a medal a measly 2%. So if you are worried that giving fourth and fifth a medal will devalue 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd - is one percent a big fuss? 
 

Now when you calculate the 24 ring-alphabet awards with 2016-Rio Olympic numbers the pure chance ratio of winning ring is about 1 to 8.5 – which is only 12%. Note 12% is a lot closer to the original ratio or percentage of the first modern Olympics at Athens.
 

So why not!? Think of all that hard work and sacrifice those athletes put into their training – the heartache, time, tears, sweat, and blood. Certainly they deserve a better shot at winning a medal or at least snatching a humble token of their dedication and fortitude. The time has come to expand the Olympic medal reward system. 

An expanded idea for the Olympic rings is that all participants get a ring.  If they place 24 or higher they get a Greek letter carved in it, if they place 5th or higher they get a medal.  Athletes who place 25th or below get a ring with logo of the host nations choosing, perhaps the year, place, and logo.  Thus all athletes get a ring, some will get the generic participant ring, some will get a Greek lettered ring, while a few will get a coveted gold, silver, bronze, copper, and tin ring.  

Finally since the Olympic flag has five rings - five medals make a harmonious whole for the five 'official' continents.  Once again, this idea is consistent with the official Olympic Creed:

"THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE OLYMPICS IS NOT TO WIN BUT TO TAKE PART, JUST AS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE IS NOT THE TRIUMPH BUT THE STRUGGLE.  THE ESSENTIAL THING IS NOT TO HAVE CONQUEORED BUT TO HAVE FOUGHT WELL"  -PIERRE DE COUBERTIN

Unusual American Flags on the Colbert Report and Daily Show with John Stewart

John Stewart with 'American Flag Mic'

Portraying the US flag in odd ways and as clothing was sometimes sensitive issue in the past. But in 2012, you can do almost do anything with it, barring desecration.

On the Daily Show on the Comedy Central cable channel, it is used as a patriotic themed mic. Here John Stewart is uses the flag of the United States of America as skirting to a mic, announcing that Americans have a right to be loud and shout.

Steven Colbert with US flag themed bed spread

On The Colbert Report the US flag is the basis of his bed spread. Here, Mr. Colbert is sitting next to radio to see if work is cancelled.

Happy Christmas in July! Flags in Home Alone 1990

Heraldic City Seal of Chicago
Home Alone 1990

Home Alone 1990 is a Christmas Classic for the whole family. From the very young to the very old and everyone in between this is the signature heartwarming classic by America's All American Dad - John Hughes.

Little kids can be nice but are often naughty. Especially to their siblings - younger to older or older to younger. Likewise parents can say harsh words in the heat of the moment as can kids.

Be careful what you wish for, for it sometimes might come true, and in Home Alone 1990 a little boy's angry wish comes true - for his family to disappear. Home Alone stars the talented Macaulay Culkin. Culkin's stellar childhood performance captured the hearts of America and the World in 1990.

City Flag of Chicago
Home Alone 1990

Here Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is sent to the attic bedroom after a string of bad luck with his family. Above the bed is the city flag of Chicago, Illinois. It has four red stars and two light blue stripes on a white background.



Flag of Switzerland
Home Alone 1990

Kevin's parents running though Chicago O'Hare International Airport. You can see the flag of Switzerland just behind the father played by Peter McCallerter played by John Heard.

Flag of Sweden
Home Alone 1990

The flag of Sweden also makes an appearance in Home Alone. It is a yellow cross on a blue background.







Flag of Mexico
Home Alone 1990

Finally the flag of Mexico makes a brief cameo in Home Alone 1990. It is a perfect Christmas Flag since it has red and green in it. And Mexico is also the origin of poinsettia flowers. Likewise a Mexican Christmas's climate is much more like Holy Land than your typical White Chicago Christmas.


Polka Band Beer Mug Insignia
Home Alone 1990

Here John Candy plays as Gus Polinski - member of The Kenosha Kickers polka band - offers Kevin's Mother played by Catharine O'Hara a ride to Chicago. The insignia of the band is a yellow beer mug with its foam head over flowing.




This movie in the foreseeable future will certainly top the top ten list of 'American Hot Coco Christmas Movie Classics,' mostly due to the outstanding performance of Macaulay Culkin.

Overalls & Jeans Pants Flags - My Little Pony & Steven Colbert

My Little Pony
Witches Jeans Pennant

Jeans have often appeared as flags in art as jokes and by accident. In the original My Little Pony a pair of paints flies on the main mast of the witches boat upon a sea of smooze. Smooze is a semi-sentient purple substance that feeds off of negativity, jealously, and fear. Here the smooze has been summoned by the witches in the volcano to attack the Little Ponies Dream Castle.





Steven Colbert with Overalls Flag

Here Steven Colbert's art department has made a pun on the overalls as being a flag. The neat coincidence is that both Steven Colbert and the mean witches in My Little Pony often summon up negativity against their enemies - cute ponies and some times cute donkey democrats.

Toy Story 3 Flags - US Flag and Ken's State Pennant

US flag as arm patch
Ken's Arm Patch - Toy Story 3

In Toy Story 3 the US flag makes a quick cameo in Barbie's Dream House - as an arm patch for Ken's Astronaut outfit.

In the computer animated film Toy Story 2010, the toys are able to come to life when people are not looking. This movie took popular toys from all around the world and made by different corporations and slammed it all together, even with their own original toys.

This movie is for children as much as it is for adults, with star studded cast it recaptures to play of childhood with adult oriented themes.

Toy Story 3 2012


Another flag - the generic 'State' college of perhaps 'Kentucky' show up in Ken's dressing room. The colors of the school are 'gold' and 'purple.'

Pan China Flag

Pan China Flag

A creative concoction - the pan-China flag. The red star represents the mainland of China the four smaller stars represent Taiwan, Singapore, Chinese all over the old world and finally Chinese living in the Americas.

Orbitz Travel Compary Flag Commercial - 2012

Orbitz Travel Agency Flag
Spring 2012 Commercial

Orbitz is an popular online travel agency. Recently it went 'vexillological' in a similar view to Mazda's plant your flag campaign.

This commercial playfully uses patriotism to promote its service.

The current flag of Orbitz uses three colours- white, navy blue, and blue. In the center is the corporate logo mostly in navy blue. The letter 'O' is stylized in a yin and yang like (counter charge) manner but using rounded arrows - the navy blue arrow is pointed down while the air force blue pointing upwards.

Around the flag is a frame of navy blue and air force blue. And it is divided in with a thin white diagonal from bottom hoist to top fly, but it remains passive to Orbitz logo.


public company website -- http://www.orbitz.com/


Orbitz cleverly uses the company flag as golf flag. It only briefly appears in the commercial. At least here you can study it in all its marketing wonder.

American Insitute of Heraldry

Public Announcement

Charted Today

American Institute of Heraldry

founded 2012 July 18th 10:44pm EST

Let it be known that the art of American Heraldry be established today at the local of Doylestown Borough, 247 Beek Street, in the 2012th year of our Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ, that the institute of American Heraldry proclaimed in this the virtual space of the United States of America, upon the blog The Voice of Vexillology, Flags & Heraldry.

May it be a liberal, accurate, and professional organization dedicated to the study unhindered by cumbersome orthodoxy of the Old World. It shall endeavor to a study and advance the art and science of heraldry in the New World as perpetually awoken to the Old World by Christopher Columbus in 1492.

Buckingham Township Arms - Bucks Couty, Pennsylvania

Buckingham Township Seal - Bucks County

Buckingham Township is located in the heart of Bucks County one of the original counties of Pennsylvania.

Bucks is a simplified version of Buckingham County - but the original name is preserved here on in Buck's Buckingham Township. The shield of arms is similar with that of William Penn. The shied has a silvery argent - Sergent base. It is 'parted' in fess sable with three circles of 'Sergent'

For thoust familiar with heraldry, I am using free speak American lingo - as opposed to orthodox thy royal 'ms-dos' format.

The supporters are fruits and vegetables - an ear of open corn revealing its ripe kernels and a succulent grapes ready to eat or make wine out of. The motto is on a light brown scroll in the compartment with 'Peace & Plenty. ' The background-field is navy blue. At the helm is a animal drawn human guided plow.

In a silver circle it is written 'Bucks . 1700 . County . Buckingham Township.'

Kansas Flag in Top Gun 1986

Kansas Flag in Top Gun 1986

The State Flag of Kansas is the only state flag to clearly make a cameo in Top Gun 1986. It is on the wall above the window where Maverick and Charlie are about to kiss.

Kansas is an important state for the US Aviation industry.






Bottom of the Kansas Flag

The Kansas flag is simple and elegant. It follows the essential pattern of 'Union Blueberry Blue.' May it never change as long as Top Guns rule the American Airways.

Top Gun Flags from Top Gun 1986

On the port and starboard sides of the picture are two flags - a red one on the port side and a white one on the starboard side, in the middle in the US flag




















Top Gun Trophy from 1986 - Top Gun

Here is the top gun trophy for the best fighter pilot in the Top Gun 1986 movie. It is similar to the official patch that top gun fighter pilots graduate with.








Official Top Gun Patch as a Flag

This Top Gun flag is simple the official patch on white - an SOB. In the center is a white jet in a clear blue sky with its afterburner being targeted in the fighter scope. An orange ring in circles it with 'United States Navy Fighter Weapons School' written in black. Finally an outer black ring defines its edge.

US flag in Top Gun 1986

The US flag makes several appearances in the movie Top Gun 1986. In 1986 the Cold War was on and Soviet Union was running into a karmic blood bath in Afghanistan - a karmic boomerang that returned due to the covert reversal of war tactics from Vietnam.

US flag painted on wall
Top Gun Students in the lecture room

The composition of this picture seems like an artificial pose as if they are standing still - like a painting? Although scripted this still shot captures a natural flow stuck in a patriotic American pose.

Notice that each person is facing a different direction, which reflects the aspect that a good fighter pilot must be aware of all the spaces around his aircraft.



US flag on the beach hill

Odd that Maverick would look back directly into the camera breaking the ultimate role of movie acting. But so effective - in a trans-dimensional way he is looking look to the now of 2012 from 1986.






Gooses' little kid with US flag
At the Fighter Pilot Bar

Yes son, a fighter plane is basically a flying gun with lots of buttons.










Graduation Day for Top Gun Pilots with US Flag

Although not voted the best, his cohorts know that Maverick deserved to be 'TOP GUN,' but issues held him back.








Maverick with Rebel Stripes behind him

A rebel with original rebel stripes.











US Flag on the USS Enterprise

During WWII USS Enterprise fought the Japanese Imperial Navy at Midway in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

And yes, the creator of Star Trek Gene Roddenberry was a fighter pilot during the most epic of world history battles. Additionally 'Scotty' got one of his middle fingers shot off while fighting the Nazis.



US Flag in Hangar
notice extra sub-unit flags hanging off the bottom

USA, USA, USA! And one to grow on USA!









Close up of US flag with Mini Flags

If you know that these flags are please post it here, and let us know!

Oklahoma and South Dakaota - Fraternal Flag Twins

Flags often looks a like, but would you believe that every flag in the union can be partnered up? two by two? For instance Texas and North Carolina are spitting images of each other, just like Kansas & Montana, or Pennsylvania & Michigan.

In this post the providence flag partners discussed are Oklahoma & South Dakota.

Both South Dakota and Oklahoma feature lighter shades of blue for the background, most states use navy blue. Coincidentally they match like yin and yang or rather day and night. Reason being, South Dakota has the outline of a sun around the seal while the square crosses on Oklahoma's Native American shield represent stars. Thus the essence of day is on the the flag of South Dakota while the hallmark of night - stars - are featured on Oklahoma.

Flag of Oklahoma
brown crosses symbolize the stars at night
flag of the NIGHT SUNS

Furthermore both flags feature sacred smoking technologies. The flag of Oklahoma has a Peace Pipe. Peace Pipes are more than mere means of nicotine insertion.

These pipes are considered sacred by Native Americans, in a similar vein to the Bible. Native American Peace Pipes are devices that allow one to connect to Mother Earth through a short lived narcotic effect.

Smokers often feel a sense of mental clarity and clam due to the 'magical' effects of the herbal agents within the tobacco leaf. But the sensation is short lived, highly addictive and dose not interfere with work productivity - sometimes improving labor costs. However there are health hazards and stinky smells that tag along.

The Pipes with Smoke - Flag of South Dakota
Industrial Smokestack and 'Smoking' Steam Boat

In balance to the smoking pipe, there is an active smoke pipe on South Dakota's Flag. The smoke stack represents the amazing ingenuity of the non-native Newcomer American. In a counter charge to ingesting smoke, the Western Mind has constructed a larger than man, man made pipe so as to go inside, in order to manipulate Mother Earth Herself. The result can be highly profitable business that can lead to a life of luxury. However there are negative consequences like labor issues, pollution, and criminal activity that often tags along with profitable industry.

Culturally speaking Oklahoma and South Dakota share a parallel heritage with the strongest of Native American Anthems. Native Americans live in all 50 states but usually as a super minority and are largely ignored. However in Oklahoma and South Dakota, Native Americans have clout and a pronounced undeniable presence.

In most states the percentage of Native Americans is consistently below 1%. Oklahoma is more than 10% Native while South Dakota teeters on 9%. 9% is a big number for any would be banker or marketing executive on Wall Street.

Flag of South Dakota
yellow triangles symbolize the sun
Flag of the Day Star

Coincidentally two modern tragedies took place in both states that deal with fighting the US federal government. Most recently the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 was the most destructive act of terrorism from a natural home grown American. In 1973 South Dakota Native American activists clashed with deadly force with the federal government - only three people officially died in the incident, but hundreds of people were murdered in the aftermath though political fighting.

The bombing of Oklahoma City and the Wounded Knee political assassinations tap into the deepest deep seated, sometimes overlooked wounds of America. In a weird way Oklahoma City carries the echo of the anti-federal outlook of the Confederacy. Likewise the 1970s Wounded Knee deaths were a karmic boomerang and echo of hate and vengeance between Native and Old World Newcomer Americans.

Both states carry historical Native American tombstones from the 1800s. Oklahoma served as the terminus of the Trail of Tears - when many Native Americans were forced from their homes in the South to live in Oklahoma. Even though most of these Natives Americans adopted western customs, dress, law, and religion they were nonetheless forcibly removed from their land at gunpoint under law. They were promised that the state would remain 100% in Native American hands, but that promise was broken, like many others.

A similar thing happened with Natives in the North, but with South Dakota at the terminus. The Trail of Tears that led to Oklahoma is balanced with the massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890. Although Native Americans were hit with genocidal policies in all 50 States, two key notes sung by Oklahoma and South Dakota are well remembered - the Trail of Tears and the Massacre of Wounded Knee.


Close up of South Dakota's Panhandle
New Albion Road passes through it
from Montana to South Dakota

But all is not tragedy. In the tragic wake of these dark chapters of American History came two stars of hope - Jim Thrope and Bill Mills. Thrope and Mills are the silver linings of the American Dream. Bill Mills was born in South Dakota later to become an orphan, US Marine, and gold Olympic athlete at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Bill Mills is the second Native American to win gold at those events, the first Native American was from Oklahoma - Jim Thrope. It was 100 years ago at the 1912 Stockholm, Swedish Olympics a Native American from Oklahoma brought home gold in the pentathlon and decathlon.

Geographically speaking both states have odd shaped handles. The pan handle of Oklahoma is distinguished and obvious for all to see. And believe it or not South Dakota has a pan-handle as well - it's really hard to see. The western line of North Dakota, Nebraska, and South Dakota has a little kink in it - in other words it ain't straight. Specifically at the tri-state corner of Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota there is a slight offset. Montana is about a mile more eastward than Wyoming. This gives South Dakota the faintest yet widest 'pan handle.' Perhaps it is better to think of it as a 'secret panel' than a pan handle?

International Maritime Signal Flags in Back to School 1986

Thorton Mellon
Back to School 1986

Rodney Dangerfield is singing Twist and Shout on stage in front of an anchor light. Coincidentally Ferris Bueller's Day Off used this song as well. And both movies were released two days a part. Isn't it odd when Hollywood movies do that?

During this scene, international maritime signal flags are shown. These flags are often popular decorations, especially at bars that have any kind of maritime clientele.

Maritime Signal Flag
Back to School 1986

Along the upper archway are international maritime signal flags. Starting from the flag that looks like France it spells out "T-O-E-7-U-U-T-O-E-7-U." Apparently these flags are mere decorations rather that attempting to say something.



Maritime Flag for 'S'
Back to School 1986

Here Chas Osborne with a 'sister' at the bar sit in front of the maritime coded flag 'S.' Chases' little Greek sister is making a face because beer has spilled on her during the fight.





Flag for 'Yankee' or Y & other school pennants
Back to School 1986

Behind Rodney Dangerfield's head is a yellow and red diagonally striped flag. It stands for the letter 'Y' more commonly known as 'Yankee' in flag code.