The Voice of Vexillology, Flags & Heraldry: October 2015

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Deep Sea International Waters Flag - beyond the 200 Nautical Exclusive Economic Zone Region

Beyond the 200 Nautical Miles of the Exclusive Economic Zone is the region of Earth were nations have no legal claim. It is an international region of the high seas. This flag represents that area of the oceans where the water and airspace are Wild and Free of national claims.

The Deep Blue International Waters flag is composed of four vertical bars: deep navy blue, white, blue, and indigo.

12 Nautical Mile Contigious Zone Flag

The 12 Nautical Mile Contiguous Zone flag is composed of the colours orange and black. This flag is a warning flag that a ship is near a nation's territorial waters and may be subject to a security search if caught within this "Pursuit Zone." It represents the 12 nautical mile area of International Waters where a nation's security force is legally active.

The 12 Nautical Mile Contiguous Zone is just beyond a nation's Territorial Waters. The Nautical Contiguous Zone is the proverbial boarder "Chase Zone" of International Waters where national police pursuit is in effect. For example if a foreign nation should dump toxic waste in these waters, infringe on customs law, conduct any illegal activities a nation can arrest a ship in this area. But if a ship is 25 nautical miles out to sea, she is free from harassment from a nation's coast guard.

Saturday, October 24, 2015

International Maritime Exclusive Economic Zone Flag

The Exclusive Economic Zone flag consists of the colours black, white, and green. White represents peaceful international cooperation, while green and black represent Earthly and economic abundance. Specifically green represents natural abundance while black represents mineral waelth, and the great feeling of being "in the black." It is to be flown within 200 nautical miles off shore of a nation's coastline, below the national flag.

In this example the EEZ flag is flown 200 nautical miles off shore the coast of Canada. This flag indicates that fishing, mining, and economic activity within this zone is the exclusive right of Canada. Yet Canadian laws do not necessarily apply. National laws of any nation apply 12 nautical miles beyond a nation's coastline.

Bouy Photo Credit:
http://po.msrc.sunysb.edu/GSB/B1RT.html http://po.msrc.sunysb.edu/GSB/B1RT.html

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Star Wars - The Force Awakens 2015

Vexilloids of the Jedi return to the movie screen in 2015. We can guess that the banners hanging from the ceiling are individual Jedi armorial banners? A host of worn colorful flags guard the entrance to the ruins of some kind of sacred temple?

Here is a website that tapped this flagtastic stuff with a vexi-dart:
https://thecantina.starwarsnewsnet.com/index.php?threads/flags-identified-in-trailer-3.6215/

Monday, October 19, 2015

Penguin flag from the 1966 Batman movie

The Original Penguin Flag from the First Batman Movie 1966

The Penguin flag from the Batman movie uses the colours black, white, and purple. It has swallowtail end. In the center is a black disc with the standard skull and crossbones logo.

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Batman and Robin with US flag in the original Batman Movie - 1966

In 1966 Batman swung from TV to Hollywood. The classic caped crusaders can be seen here running through the streets of Gotham to save the members on the security counsel of the UW - United World Organization. In the background is the US flag gently flapping in the background.

United World Organization Arms from the Batman Movie 1966

In the first Batman movie Batman saves the UW. The United World organization is where the leaders of the world united to discuss global issues. The logo consists of a coloured map of the world with six continents, minus Asia. Rumor has it that Asia is on the obverse of the logo, its an Oregon thang'. The map of the world of six continents is underscored with crossed peacock feathers. The logo is "PAX AETERNA"

The UW looks remarkably like the UN. Since this movie was created in 1966 several outdated flags can be seen, including: the starry Burma flag and the white elephant flag of Laos. Note that the modern Libya flag reboot is flying, which had changed three times before returning to the 1966 version as it was in 2011.

United Underworld from the 1966 Batman Movie

The leaders of the 1966 United Underworld organization dedicated to crime and mayhem include Catwoman, the Penguin, the Riddler, and of course the Joker.

In the original Batman movie from 1966 the campy cutting edge crusader was launched in the imaginations of the world. More than just an American Comic book, Batman's rise to world class status was established in the raucous 1960s. Hard to notice but its campy, surreal, 1960s feel captured the flavor of the mid 60s.

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Baseball Pennant from The Peanuts Movie - 2015

A unique flag appears in the upcoming new The Peanuts Movie 2015. It is a baseball pennant with crossed bats, a red star near the hoist, and has an indigo frame. Here the hero or rather anti-hero of the Peanuts Gang, Charlie Brown, can be seen holding a playful wooden kids pirate sword. Charlie Brown loves sports yet is often lackluster in performance.

Charlie Brown is first of first lovable losers. His perpetual grey cloud and negative self-talk is sad yet endearing. His tendency to overthink and worry, leads his to sordid antics and high drama that is balanced by his loyal and just do it dog - Snoopy. Peanuts painted out and showed that there are more than fifty shades of gray, which can have its own kind of charming sparkle. Charlie Brown is an anti-hero for the ages that nearly every kid and adult can relate to, and fall in love with.

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Flags in Blade Runner - 1982

One vexilloid appears in Ridley Scott's Blade Runner 1982. It is not a traditional flag but rather an ornament upon a chess piece. To be specific it is a black lance pennon. It appears in the bedroom of the CEO of Tyrell Corporation - a powerful holding industry that manufactures humanoid cloned organisms that are bonded to the serve the pleasure of mankind.

Checkmate

Blade Runner is a science fiction movie that carries on the themes of Frankenstein with real projections for the future of genetic engineering. Before the 21st Century is over, the conjunction of technology, labor demands, and genetic engineering will see that some fraction of the future portrayed in film Blade Runner will indeed come to light. Strange as this world may seem, persons and lawyers have already tired to copyright the human genome for their own private ownership, while other industries have copyright patents in legal effect with food materials and crops, that millions have already consumed and use in their daily lives. Although 'replicant' humans are yet to be uncovered, 'replicant' crops are already making a deep impact in the agriculture and farming industries.

Saturday, October 10, 2015

International Seabed Flag

International Seas are classified as "International Jurisdiction Per Common Heritage of Mankind." Likewise there is International Airspace. Finally there are International Seabeds, which will become very important in the next 50 years. As a life aquatic will be a real driving force for the energy economy.

The flag for areas unclaimed by the nations for International Seabeds is composed of four colours: red, orange, yellow, and green. Note that mining operations along the seabed are much cheaper and easier to access than hair-brained schemes to mine asteroids in outer space. Also mining in International Seabeds is already a current activity and a billion dollar industry.

https://www.isa.org.jm/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Seabed_Authority

International Airspace Flag

International Airspace is another area of the planet that is an ill defined frontier zone, where the laws of the nations dive into the gray ambiguous zone. This flag represents International Airspace and is composed of the colours black, white, violet, and yellow. It has bright and dark colours so it can seen during dim and sunny sky conditions.

International Airspace is still in its infancy and will be regulated and more structured as the years progress. A low estimate puts this barrier at 19 miles above the Earth, since this is the highest airplanes and balloons can fly.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

International Waters Flag

The International Waters Flag is composed of four colours - red, white, navy blue, and indigo. It is represents the unclaimed high seas that are beyond the jurisdiction of the nations. It has a swallowtail design. Once you have sailed to these deep blue waters, you can fly this flag. This area of the Earth is the last unclaimed and vast expanse where national laws are ambiguous.

The design of the flag takes elements of the two scuba diver flags - the 'metric' blue and white 'alpha' and the red American Diver Down. Currently International Waters begin 12 nautical miles from the lowest point of a low tide, directly out to sea. 12 nautical miles is about 14 miles or 22km.

Famous places flagged under International Waters include the wreck of the HMS Titanic at 41°43'55" North 49°56'45" West, the North Pole, and where the Prime Meridian meets the Equator at 0°0'0" North/South 0°0'0" East/West. Finally the return of the first mission from the Moon unto the Earth, landed in International Waters, just beyond the waters of Johnston Island.

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Flags for the Years 1900- 2015

Flag for #1900

Metric Flags are based upon the modified rainbow colour to number coded system. It allows for higher order of numbers by flags to be easily created and recognized.