International Space Station Flags and its Official Insignia

International Space State Logo with Flags

So they built a city in the sky. It's a small city, without any permanent residents. There are 15 national flags represented on the flag logo. Starting from Japan and going clockwise: Russia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the USA, and finally Canada. There are five stars in the background that look like the constellation Cassiopeia.

It may seem like something out of science fiction movie, but here it is and its real. It's basically a big laboratory in orbit. This is one grand Enterprise that's already in the history books, and like it or not you are footing part of the bill.

It will return to earth in 2020. But my question is why don't they park it on the moon after it becomes a condemned building? I'm 100% positive future moon colonists wouldn't mind the spare parts and stuff.

If you know the answer why they can't just strap a rocket on it and send it to the moon, let me know! The spent billions to get it up there and they just gonna let it fall back to earth and pollute the atmosphere? Send it to the MOON!


Official Insignia of the ISS


No Flags are visible. Once again there are five stars depicted, two stars are outside the central space image with five points, and three are inside the space scene with four points. The outline of the space station is printed in white. The earth has a southern point of view as we can see most of Antarctica, some Australia, all New Zealand, and a bit of South America.


Link to NASA's ISS Website
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

Yakko's world with flags

ORIGINAL VERSION

Deep Space Nine, Star Trek Flags

Flags of Klingon, Federation, and Bajor

Star Trek's third television series is Deep Space Nine. The story line is about a lonely outpost that becomes the center of the known galaxy due to amazing circumstance and destiny. The common themes of this series are religion, terrorism, nation building, war and political factions contending for domination.

Although the show was made in the 1990s, the themes of this show are an amazing reflection of the current political crises of our world with religion, terrorism, and nation building.

Klingon Marriage Banner in Quarks
also featured in this episode

In this episode #521 You Are Cordially Invited, the Federation takes back Deep Space 9 with help from the Klingons.

Deep Space 9 is a space station next to the Bajorian home world. The Bajorians are the native people who have territorial rights to an enchanted piece of real estate, that is at the cross roads of galaxy.



Watch Deep Space Nine (DS9)Flags Here


Deep Space Nine deserves at least one movie. Just think of a quantum altered reality where all the characters come together for a battle royal? All they have to do is tell the story from a new quantum reality. You can even have all the characters come back to life. The fact that they reloaded the original series is a testament. DS9's topics of religion, war, and terrorism are more than appropriate, right now. Who would of imagined a Black Star Fleet Captain in 1966? It'd never happen is the nay sayer's mantra, well if you have not noticed impossible things happen all the time. People can relate to Quark, gambling, pleasure rooms, drinking, and gambling. Besides Cardassians are more human than weirdo Vulcans.

Christmas in July & the World Santa Claus Conference in Denmark

German Santa with Pope
like hat and German Flag

Since 1957 in the middle of July, Santa Claus helpers from around the world have met up in Denmark. Thus it is official the start of the the 2011 Christmas Season. The international Congress of Santa helpers meet in Dyrehavsbakken Park, which traces its roots back to 1583. This special park is also the worlds oldest amusement park still in operation.

The flag of Denmark reflects strongest the spirit of Christmas. The colours of that of Santa's suit and the cross is strongly reflective of the Nativity. It makes no wonder, that the spirit of father Christmas is entangled with Denmark.


X-mas mail box flag from
National Lampoons X-mas

Christmas in July has several origins but one of the best reasons is that half the world is in the middle of winter. Jack Frost is hard at work down under from June to August.

Pooh Bear and Paddington posing for the California State Flag

Pooh Bear as the California Flag

Here are two more childhood bears posing for the California State Flag. Winnie the Pooh and Paddington Bear. Both of these magical bears were born in the United Kingdom. Winnie's first book was published in 1926 out the imagination of Alan Alexander Milne.

Coincidentally the creator of Paddington Bear - Michael Bond - was born the same year that the first Winnie the Pooh book was published, in 1926.

But it was shortly after the Korean War, that Paddington Bear left fantasia unto the real world on Christmas Eve 1956. Mr. Bond, or rather a special secret agent oh seven Bond from the UK,  bought a lonely bear on a shelf at Paddington Station in London, for his wife. So inspired by the bear, that two years later Paddington was in print. He later went on to become a cultural emissary for Great Britain.

Paddington Bear as the California Flag

Paddington Bear is of course much more popular in Great Britain, but nonetheless Paddington also has a following in the United States.

Paddington and Pooh are enchanted bears that represent more than just teddy bears. Their origins out of England during WWI and WWII are extraordinary. Their association with early childhood innocence is the hallmark of their being. These long established care bears remind us of the truly important things in life.

Care Bear & Hippie Bear Republics, styled after the California State Flag

Cheer Bear as the
California State Flag

Thirty years ago the fuzzy and cuddly Care Bears were unleashed upon America. The little fuzz puff bears have an amazing ability to send caring energy to kids and adults in need care from anyplace in the universe. No matter how bad it seems the population from Care-a-lot will send you love when you need it.


Before the Care Bears there were the Grateful Dead hippie bears. Although none of these clown like bears have names, they are coded icons associated with the band. The dancing bears apparently appear as fractal works of art into the musical void of creation...or something like that?

A Dead Head Bear on all fours
in tribute to the California State Flag

Coincidentally many of the members of the the Grateful Dead were native of the "California Republic."

An interesting difference between Care Bears and the Dancing Dead Head Bears are the shapes of their noses. Care Bear's have red noses like a heart, while Dead Head Dancing Bears have black noses like a spade. Both kinds of bears give off good vibes. The Care Bears do it openly and soberly, while the Dancing Dead Head Bears do it covertly and from altered states of consciousness.

The Yin and Yang of a Care Bear Nose vs. a Dancing Dead Head Bear Nose. Notice it's like the Suit of Hearts vs. the Suit of Spades

Care Bears Website http://www.agkidzone.com/care-bears
Grateful Dead Website http://www.dead.net/

California Republic Flag with Cartoon Bears - Smokey the Bear & Berenstain Bears

Smokey the Bear as the
California Republic Bear


Remember, only you can prevent forest fires! Don't make Somkey homeless with careless forest fires. If you do he will poop on your front yard.

Father Berestain Bear as the
California Republic Bear

Papa Barenstain Bear walking on all fours for some exercise. "Kids I'm a bear after all, we bears prefer to walk on all fours. And don't worry, I would never poop on your yard, that's just rude."

One of the Great Flag Jokes from Canada

Just so funny!

The Wilderness Explorers Flag and Signs that you're a Vexillologist

Wilderness Explorer's Flag from UP - 2009

The flag of the computer animated film Up 2009 by Disney-Pixar Studios makes an appearance near the end. It consists of white background with the Wilderness Explorers emblem - and orange disc bordered with a black circle. In the center is a green tree with three levels of branches. Centered is a yellow 'W' on the tree and a brown 'E' as the base stem.

If you act like this dog when you see a flag, then you are a vexillologist.

Send me and email or join us at our NAVA site
http://www.nava.org/

Doug the 'talking' dog explaining vexillology

The California Republic - Yogi Bear & Fozzie Bear Style

Here are two of America's most famous bears posing for the flag of California - Yogi Bear and Fozzie Bear.

Yogi Bear as the California Republic Bear

Yogi is older, and made his debut in 1958. Yogi was formed out of the imagination of Hannah & Barberra. Yogi's personality stems from the entertainment of that era. A dash of the Honeymooner's, spiked with a famous baseball legend - Yogi Berra. But Yogi's primary occupation is to steal food from unsuspecting people who visit Jellystone Park. Yogi's favorite catch phrase is that he is, "Smarter than your average Bear."

Fozzie Bear as the California Republic Bear

Fozzie Bear was born out the imagination of Frank Oz and Jim Henson in the early 1970s. Fozzie made his debut in 1974 on the Muppet Show. Fozzie coincidentally dresses like his older cousin Yogi Bear - both bears wear a hat and collar/tie. Fozzy has more blue collar edge, while Yogi matches to white collar and coincidentally wears a white collar.

Fozzie Bear is essentially Kermit's sidekick and 'brother' by some strange twist of Muppet gene splicing. Fozzie like Yogi often suffer from verbal diarrhea and tell lame brain overplayed jokes.

Other the other hand the situation is reversed with Yogi Bear. Yogi is the main star and his tag along side kick is a rather dim witted yet charmingly cute Boo Boo Bear. Yogi and Fozzie are two iconic bears from the American Imagination. They can charm children as well as adults and their off beat never give up humor is sometimes funny, if not nostalgic. "Waka, Waka, Waka"

link to Hanna-Barberra's Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanna-Barbera
link to Jim Henson Studios http://henson.com/

Human Flag, a new Olympic Sport?

Canadian Dominic Lacasse raising the bar as
the world record holder of the human flag

The video below is in German. Apparently a Canadian is the world record holder of the human flag sport! It's a great video but the music from Halloween is kinda' weird.

This would make a great Olympic Sport for men and women. The uniform would be a G-String to cover the bacon and eggs spot and body paint of the national flag you represent?

Just think of ratings you'd get for female body paint human flag posture holding!

Video in German of Human Flag

Flag fun with DC Comics

Logo of DC Comics
they are on the blue - 'Crips Team'

Since I had some fun with Marvel Comics and flags its makes sense to juggle flags with DC comics. Marvel and DC are the natural outcome of comic book industry that follows the yin-yang dichotomy.

Here Superman notices that the girls of the
New York State flag are wearing red capes!
click image for clearer pic

Harley Quinn the Joker's go to girl, doesn't play fair with
the Maryland State Flag

Wonder Woman recruits the sailor form
the Wisconsin State flag for some extra duty

The two biggest names in comic books are Marvel and DC. They exist in fantasia together, but there is an invisible barrier that keeps their two worlds separated. It'd be easier to break the speed of light before Batman and Spiderman team up for an adventure. But there was one instance when a DC character crossed over into Marvel land during Hulks wedding!

Link to DC Comics http://www.dccomics.com/dccomics/

Fun with Flags and Mavel Comics

Logo of Marvel Comics

they are on the red - bloods team

Here are some spoofs and fun with flags. The proposed flag of Antarctica by the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat.

His or her proposal kinda' looks like a spider web. It has a UN flag feel, no?

On the other flags - Thor needs to borrow a hammer! And Captain American finds his 'original' shield on the state flag of Illinois.

Spidey on Antarctic Flag

Thor borrowing the hammer to build something

Captain America finds his original shield with the flag of Illinois

Link to Marvel Comics http://marvel.com/

Charlie Brown Race of your Life River Raft Flag

Flags and Pennants of the Peanuts Gang

In 1977 Charles Schultz created one of the most memorable feature length Peanuts movies. This is when Schultz was in his groove and at the top of his game.

Summer camp is a rite of passage for kids in America. And the Peanuts gang was no exception. The main plot of Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown is a river raft race. There are four main teams - the Peanuts Boys team, the Peanuts Girl team, Snoopy & Woodstock, and finally an arrogant bunch of bullies aka Team R. I suppose this is where team Rocket from Pokemon traces their heritage to?

The Peanuts Girl Power Team Flag

The boys team uses an orange pennant as their flag. Snoopy & Woodstock use a red pennant. And the girls team has fist of girl power. The girls are the only team to use an original flag. It is the symbol for woman and or Venus coloured in red. In the center of the circle is red fist. The backgound colour is white.

The original Team Rocket?
if you cheat and bully your way to the top
then here are your heroes








Team 'R' dose not have a flag, but their team colours are blue and green.

The main theme of this classic Snoopy & Charlie Brown movie is about standing up to bullies. My favorite part is when Snoopy gets fed up with bullies and punches one of them in the face - it is sweet justice and happy satisfaction.



Watch the film here on Youtube!

It's Seven Eleven, 2011 & Hoagiefest!

Idealised 7-11 Flag
Colours Orange, Green, White & Red

One of the companies that led the way for a 24 hour always open nation was 7-11. Originally it had an eight hour rest period. But in 1962 in Austin, Texas a 24hr business cycle was tested. Oh what a successful experiment. Since then, this mini-general store has led the way.

Although the logo implies a 16 hour open period, it is actually open 24 hours, (and 3 hrs for idiots).

The Hoagiefest Flag 2011
'Hoagie' is a Philly word for Sub or Hero

In the wake of a 24 hour open America, hundreds of clones have arisen - Circle K, Stop-N-Go, Jr. Foodmart, Kwik Stop, Famima!!, ABC Stores, etc. In the Delaware Valley we have WAWA. WAWA is many times more friendly and homey. Although 7-11 has the power of the nation behind it, WAWA is a breakfast pit stop for many on the go and a virtual madhouse in the morning. Their coffee is cheap and delicious.

WAWA employees are allowed a bit a freedom to be themselves when dealing with the public, instead of having a corporate prod up their arse that dictates the customer-corporation interaction. Dealing with normal people who can be themselves adds to the charm. Employees don't have the mandatory, "would you like fries or some other fattening item with your order," at least not yet!


Flag on Hoagieman's Bus for Hoagiefest 2011

The colours of the Hoagiefest Wawa flag are based upon the legendary character Hiawatha, thus the name Wawa. Hiawatha was the founder of the Iroquois Confederacy, which exists today in upstate New York. The purple and white flag of the Iroquois is still in use. Most recently it has been used as a battle flag with the Environmentalist Sea Sheapard Group in the Antarctic sea against the Japanese Whaling fleet.

ink to WAWA official site^
link to 7-11 wikipedia site^

2011 Hoagiefeset Commercial
Notice use of 60s Counterculture art for advertising

It's official we have a new nation! South Sudan

Flag of Southern Sudan.

Welcome to the world, officially that is - South Sudan. I wonder how long that name will last. Nubia might be more appropriate?

Anyways the missing piece for Equatorial Guinea is at last found. Equatorial Guinea is small part of Africa that was aggressively adopted by Spain, while Southern Sudan was roughly mentored by the United Kingdom.

Space Shuttle Flags

Last US Space Shuttle

Today the last US Space Shuttle flight went off without a hitch. It was the shuttle with the most ancient names and yet highest of technologies - space Shuttle Atlantis, a proverbial Alpha & Omega.

Interestingly each space shuttle has its own flag. The shuttle flags were all of the same basic design. Along the top is a thin blue trapezoid and along the bottom a reversed red trapezoid. In between is a broad white gap tilted downwards.

Although the Space Shuttle Enterprise never made it into space, here is my imagined design

Each shuttle had its name in the center printed in blue, with an outline of a shuttle. In the 'canton' is a red logo that reads, 'Space Flight Awareness NASA,' with the planet earth and an orbital path extending into space.

The End of an Era

Link to NASA
http://www.nasa.gov

Penn & Teller Burn the American Flag

Penn & Teller folding
the US flag in order to burn it

Penn & Teller are one of America's cheekiest duos of magic. The traditional duo of magic was previously co-ed. The primary magician does the talking and set up, while an eye stunning assistant 'magician' makes the illusions come to life.

However Penn and Teller are both men. Perhaps someday in the future, there will be a female magician with a male assistant? Or maybe a girls only magic show? Anyways Penn is the dominant, bigger, yang element of the show while Teller is the shorter, lesser, yin element of their classic all American magic act that fuses itself with standup comedy.

Old Glory up in flames?

Penn & Teller are passionate about the free market and the libertarian vantage point. So much so, that a 'burning the American flag' was bound to become one of their many spectacular illusions.

Link to their website - http://www.pennandteller.com/

Watch the daring illusion that is a tribute to freedom

The Iron Maiden Mascot Eddie
often holding a British Flag

Rockin from the 80s, the roots of metal charge out of England with a class in their own - IRON MAIDEN. Besides the heavy rocking riffs, the art associated with this band was an essential aspect of this group.

Iron Maiden is a British Rock Group. Like the Who, Beatles, AC/DC and Led Zeppelin they were cutting edge sounds of their times.

The mascot of their band is Eddie the undead cybernetic time traveling solider from the future or is the past? It seems with all this technology the time is ripe for an Iron Maiden movie?









LINK to Iron Maiden's Website http://www.ironmaiden.com/

Happy Canada Day 2011

Happy Canada Day, 2011!

One version of the Retired

Canadian Red Ensign

If you haven't noticed, the flag of Canada looks a lot like the flag of Peru. This uncanny match of red and white is what I have termed, 'Flag Symmetry.'

But most people (Americans and younger Canadians) don't realize that the Canadian Flag is a 1960s love child flag, so to speak. Since it was made official in 1965. The current design is fantastic but I hope Canadians never forget the UK Canadian Red Ensign, this flag is richly seeped in history. During the 1900s Canadians proudly fought under the red ensign during the Cold War, WWII, WWI, and Boer War.

The Retired
South African Red Ensign

Coincidentally the partner of the Canadian Red Ensign is South Africa's Red Ensign.

Both nations are spiked with a dynamic tribal rivalry between their two leading 'white tribes.' South Africa has been bitterly divided between her British and Dutch elements, while Canada is nearly in perpetual friction with her British and French states of mind. Canada is were the sons and daughters of London and Paris live in harmony, while South African is were the daughters and Edinburgh and Amsterdam live in a steady symbiosis.

Shield of arms Canada
still official

The four most powerful tribes of the Canadian Nation. Starting from the one o'clock position - Scottish (red lion), French (triple lily), Irish (harp), and English (triple yellow lion).

South African shield of arms
retired

Previously (1910-2000) it represented the four most powerful tribal states - Cape (woman by rock), Natal (two horned cows), Orange Free State (orange tree), and Transvaal (Boer Wagon that looks like baby carriage or old time race car). To get a better grip of the tension in the former arms of South Africa imagine a nation solely composed of Massachusetts, Minnesota, Texas, and South Carolina.

New Shield of Arms for South Africa
since 2000

South Africa changed her arms in 2000 since it represented a minority of white tribes. No doubt in the near future, as diverse Canadian ethnic identities that do not associate with England, Scotland, France, and Ireland grow stronger, Canada will follow in the footsteps of their South African cousins and change her arms.

But not all is negative. It is through these challenges that give Canada and South Africa their unique powers and grand view of the what it means to be human.

South Africa and Canada are cousins by Mother Britannia but have radically different 'in laws.' The relations with the first nation's peoples have been challenging but recently amended for the better.

It is a cosmic union of the Canadian Musk Ox with the Great South African Buffalo. Although worlds away their histories have similar parallels, as do their retired red ensigns. They are a combination of fire and ice. Canada has a region that is in perpetual winter, while South African has a region that is in perpetual summer.

The Paleolithic Wooly Ox Lives on in Canada
(it it were extinct it'd be more popular)

The Eocenic South African Buffalo
these curly long horns are meant for fighting

This means South Africans can be polite as a Canadian and Canadians can fight with the ferocity of a South African. Respect the Canadian and South African. Finally, hockey^ is to Canada to what rugby^ is to South Africa.