North-South, Calvert-Penn Flag

North-South, Calvert-Penn Flag

The divide between the North and South is enshrined with the border between Pennsylvania and Maryland.  Long story short, slavery was an inherited institution found in all of the original 13 colonies.  However, by 1860 the Union was divided into slave-states and free-soil states.  Thus, the Mason-Dixon line became the de-facto dividing line between the North and South.

This flag is based upon the arms of Lord Calvert of Maryland and William Penn of Pennsylvania.  Somewhat similar to the Maryland flag, however, the three white dots on the horizontal black stripe and two white field are the coat of arms of William Penn.  While the black and yellow quarters represent Lord Calvert's arms. This flag is based upon the Crownstones that mark every 5th mile along the Pennsylvania-Maryland boarder.  The north facing side has Penn's arms, while the south facing side has Calvert's arms.  Note that every mile, excluding every fifth mile, it is marked with a P and M in the same manner for Pennsylvania and Maryland. 


The Mason-Dixon line only goes so far, some historians have figured that it continued onto the Ohio River.  When they do this, they are overlooking the fact that the Ohio river ain't a line.  But if you really wanna' be a Mr. Smarty pants, the Mason-Dixon line technically isn't a line. Because, the world is curved; therefore it's an arc, so we could call it the Mason-Dixon Arc.  No big deal, but what people are fixing at, is that it's the divide between slave and free soil. But people always overlook Delaware!  Delaware was also a slave state back in 1860.  Oddly the East-West Mason Dixon Arc of Longitude divides a slave state from the another slave state?

So no matter, this flag is to be flown along the divide of slave soil and free soil as it was in 1860.  For the start, the flag can be flown anywhere along the border of Pennsylvania and Maryland.  Then to the Ohio River, round' Pennsylvania. From where Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia meet, down the Ohio river, until it meets the Mississippi.  Then upstream, northwards, up around Missouri, down along the western border of Arkansas.  But then, we cut through Oklahoma, west, along the Arkansas River till it meets up with the Canadian River.  Then around square hat of Texas.

The reason for cutting through Oklahoma's Canadian-Arkansas branch, is itsa' reminder of how divided the entire country was.  We should never forget many of the Native American warriors in Oklahoma took the Confederate side, while just a minority took the Northern side.   And yes, several battles took place in Oklahoma north and south of the Canadian River.  Furthermore, the Canadian River is good a dividing point, because its name reminds us that we had two earlier wars against our own brethren to the far North, in 1812 and 1776.

Now back to the North-South, Calvert-Penn Flag route, once you go around Texas's square hat and hit 32 degrees north, you head due west along this line, or arc to be more scientifically accurate, of latitude.  Reason being the first government to divide this western territory was the Confederate Government.  By which, below the 32nd North, the Confederate state of Arizona was created.

Again, this a reminder of the deep divide politics can have, that another group of Americans were fixing to cut up New Mexico territory long different lines.  The South even had a functional Confederate capital at Mesilla, C.S.A. Arizona, which is now officially a part of New Mexico.  Finally the very west of the North-South/Calvert-Penn divide follows the modern west end of Arizona below 32 degrees north.

Oh yeah, finally, some consideration for Delaware.  Since this flag represents the divide between free slave soil, it should be flown along the upper curve of Delaware from Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania to tri-state area of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. 

 
So we have a new flag dedicated to the fallen from the US Civil War.  It's good to never forget the past, yet we must to live and cherish the now.  Sometimes it's hard to put the shoe on the other foot.  You can only guess how another is feeling, only God knows.  Memorial Day was originally created to heal the wounds between the North and South, and this is another flag dedicated to that memory and bring a glimmer of honor on all sides.




MD Crownstone Imgage: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mason%E2%80%93Dixon_line
PA Crownstone Image:
https://www.historicalmarkerproject.com/markers/HMCY0_mason-dixon-line-crownstone_Millington-MD.html

Bionic Commando Flag 1988 or Hilter's Resurrection - Top Secret (ヒットラーの復活 - トップシークレット)

A classic long forgotten game is Bionic Commando 1988 for the original Nintendo.  An enemy flag of red, yellow, and black is in the distance.  You can see it in the background here; it features a black falcon on a yellow-orange sun, upon a field of red.  The bad guys are known as the BADDS.  You might be thinking it's vaguely similar to the Nazi. And if you ever beat the game, then you might remember fighting Hitler in the end.  If you beat him, then you would have seen his head explode in graphic 8-bit graphic glory. 

The original game was known as ヒットラーの復活 - トップシークレット (Hitler's Resurrection - Top Secret) as it was known in Japan.  However when it hit the American market, a name change was in order. Apparently American kids were deemed too soft to handle the Nazi imagery?   Game play consisted as you controlling a red haired American hero, fighting the Badds/Nazis.

Here is a side by side intro scene of the Japanese and English versions.  Notice the change in the flags.  In the Japanese version the Neo-Nazi group had a flash lighting bolt symbol underneath the swastika.  

Bionic Commando illustrates cultural censorship through flags and symbols in video games, which continues onto this day.

Nevertheless Bionic Commando is a memorable experience, with great game play, challenges, and is fun to play.  The end fight scene is amazing action that gives the player total 8-bit satisfaction.

Bluntman and Chronic vs Cocknocker: the Emblems - Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back 2001

The Hemp Knight, also known as Bluntman, is an off the wall superhero who appears in the movie Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back 2001.  The emblem of Bluntman has a yellow pentagon with a five leaved plant on top.   The colours of his suit are black, yellow, green, and purple.  His side kick is Chronic whose emblem features an irregular shaped disc with a cigarette of some sort in the middle.  Chronic's superhero colours are grey, red, and black.

The nemesis of Bluntman and Chronic is Cocknocker, who uses the colours blue, yellow and black.  Cocknocker has an oversized right hand and carries a flaming sword. 







Sometimes you hit the lottery, and sometimes the lottery hits you.  Never mind, since Kevin Smith was able to beat the system and become a trailblazer for the next generation, often ignored by the powers that be.  Smith smashed opened the gates of Hollywood and was able to bring a voice to the hometown underdogs of New Jersey, the original Hollywood of America. 

Mooby Flags - Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back 2001

Mooby's is a fictional company in the Jay and Silent Bob universe.  It is burger joint that has the colours of violet and yellow.  Somewhat based upon American fast food restaurants, its feature role was from the movie Dogma 1999 as the place of the 'Golden Cow.'

US Flag in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back 2001

US flag at Leonardo, NJ in the 1970s in front of Quick Stop Groceries - Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back 2001.  Jay and Silent Bob were a new type of campy and edgy comedy that the Big Wigs in Hollywood overlooked.  However director Kevin Smith was able to rise to the top and showcase the life of people outside under the radar of Hollywood lights.  Today such comedies are a mainstay.  People always say, they should make a movie about "this and that".  Well, Kevin Smith scrounged up the balls to follow through, and became pathfinder for a new generation.

The US flag makes a clear centered appearance 'during the filming of Good Will Hunting II - Hunting Season.'  Here a snobby person is getting 'hunted' for being so arrogant.

You can just barely see a reversed American flag on the plexiglass sticker next to the clerk, Dante.  It was the movie Clerks 1994 that started the launch of the legendary unsinkable duo: Jay and Silent Bob.

A celebration of crass, raunchy, yet honest American humor of the likes of George Carlin would love and did love... Jersey Style.  Although seemingly stupid at times, it is also deeply intelligent when you look at it from the proper prospective.

Goonies II Shield - Nintendo Game

 

Fratellis Shield of Arms - Goonies II

 A coat of arms appears on the knight in the Goonies II game for Nintendo. The arms are hard to make out but you can see it on the enemy shield.  There was a Goonies I video game, but it was not released for the Nintendo console in the USA.  It was released in Japan!  However an arcade version of the Goonies I video game was made public in the USA.

A Goonies II movie is still possible!  It's one reboot that I'd pay to watch.

Operation Wolf - Trooper Insignia 1987

In 1987 the movies featuring Hollywood actors spilled over into creative Cold War atmosphere of coin operated video games.  Gun video games are an old thing, but perhaps the best original game that came with two buttons was Operation Wolf  by Taito.  This game was truly one of the first first person shooters to hit a high mark in the 1980s.  Although the standard thumb game controller is the main item of now, a controller that looked like a real life weapon was used in Operation Wolf.

Of vexillological consequence are the insignia upon our hero.  A coat of arms appear as patch upon his beret in the first cut scene.  It has dark green field with a three striped yellow sinister bend.

Our hero gets a new hat because the patch changes direction.  In the later cut scene the beret arms patch changes unto a sinister yellow and red dexter bend.