February is Aquarius Month

Symbol of Aquarius

Aquarius is the month of the Water Bearer. Water is key for life, it sustains, heals, purifies, and enchants. The sound of rainfall and the beauty of the snowflake are perpetual symbols of cosmic harmony, honored and beautified in countless poems. Along the beach or in an oasis, water is a reflection of love.

British Indian Ocean Territorial Flag

However the image of a water slave pouring water - does not inspire patriotism. Nationalism is usually associated with fire, thus the spirit of water runs counter to the instincts of nationalism.

But the symbol of Aquarius appears only accidentally on a few flags. Perhaps the most 'Aquarian' flag belongs to a far off remote island in the Indian Ocean - the Chagos Archipelago. This last remnant of the British East India Company has a flag that reverberates the essence of water via six wavy blue lines. These wavy lines - blue and white - represent the natural and cosmic forces at work upon seas.

Personal Flag of Annie Platoff
Vexillologist

Here is another flag that reflects the 'footprint' of Aquarius - although by accident. When the name 'Annie' is spelled using hieroglyphic symbols for the sounds of the letter, the repeating symbol for the letter "N" resembles the symbol of Aquarius. It spells out phonetically from top to bottom "Ah - N - N - ee" or Annie. Anne M. Platoff is the author of Russian Regional Flags - the Flags of the Subjects of the Russian Federation - 2009.

Wonderful Ice Cold Drink
in Japan made by the Coke Company

Finally I must mention the drink - Aquarius. Anyone who has visited Japan will know this drink. It is a refreshing sports drink made by the Coca-Cola Company. It is a mystery of corporate marketing mumbo-jumbo as to why Aquarius is not marketed in the US or Canada. Perhaps Coke has other products it wants to keep protected.

Hey Coke Stock Holders! Starbucks basically has a monopoly on the bottled ice coffee North American Market. Those marketing nit wits at Coke are costing yous millions of dollars in lost can/bottled ice coffee revenue. Some places charge 3.99 for ice coffee in a can! THINK Georgia Ice Coffee Drinks! Better Yet...Hey Pepsi Stock Holders - WHY don't you tap the can/bottle coffee market before the Coke-heads? You snooze - you loose.


The Age of Aquarius in 2011

Eagles & Falcons, Philadelphia and Atlanta, NFL part 8

Classic Philadelphia Eagles Flag

Here are two birds of prey with patriotic undertones. The Eagle is of course the national bird seen on quarters and the dollar bill. Likewise the Falcon is a popular bird in the US Air Force and is the official bird of the US Air Force Academy.

But in the NFL they are mascots. The Falcon is tied to Atlanta, Georgia while the Eagle is rooted to Philadelphia.

Large Atlanta Falcons Flag

Both birds are raptors, birds of prey, specialized in opposite ways. The Eagle is big, strong, and imposing while the Falcon is lighter relies on speed and swiftness. It's like the difference between an F-15 Eagle and F-16 Falcon. The F-15 Eagle is an all around air superiority fighter jet. The F-16 Falcon is a lighter more swift fighter jet.

USAF USES EAGLES & FALCONS

Likewise players in the NFL must be big, strong, swift and speedy. However as of 2011 neither avian inspired team has taken a Super Bowl Trophy home. But both teams have won the NFC Championships. Amazingly only once have both teams clashed in the NFC Championship Bowl back in 2005.

NFC RAPTOR BOWL I
2005
EAGLES 27/FALCONS 10

Link to Philadelphia Eagles Official Site
Link to Atlanta Falcons Official Site

Link to NFL Part 9 - This Site

Patriots & 49ers, New England and San Francisco, NLF part 7

Pat the Patriot of New England
ready to snowball unpatriotic Americans

The New England Patriots are partnered up with the San Francisco 49ers. We have two teams that created a Football Dynasty - one on the Atlantic the other on the Pacific.

Both the totems are drawn from history. The Patriots take their cue from the original tea party folk, who sought freedom from the crown and parliament. The New England Patriots are the proverbial 73ers, since the Boston Tea Party was held in 1773. The 13 Colonies declared their independence from the UK Crown & Parliament in 1776.

Sourdough Sam of San Francisco
always looking for the GOLD!

Coincidentally San Francisco was permanently settled in 1776, but under the Spanish Crown as Yerba Buena. Soon enough fate and war saw that San Francisco Bay was delivered to the United States. In 1849 gold was discovered in California and the name of a successful football franchise was crated - unbeknownst to those journalists of that era - the 49ers. Like the Patriots of 1770s, the Gold Rushers of 49' were destined to have their spirits enshrined in the NFL.

Fans holding a San Francisco Flag

These two historic 'American people totems' represent freedom via the patriot of 1773 and abundance via the miner of 1849. These are two key aspirations of the American Dream - liberty and wealth. These two ideals of the American Way go hand in hand. Likewise football is one of the many byproducts you get when you cross Freedom and Abundance. Coincidentally the flag of New Jersey echoes these two motifs. Since it has the Goddess of Liberty and Abundance upon it.

Cartoon Patriot with Flag

The New England Patriots and the San Francisco 49ers have never played each other in a Super Bowl. But some day these two All American teams may collide, and it will prove which American ideal is stronger - Freedom or Wealth?

SUPER ALL AMERICAN BOWL

Link to San Francisco 49ers
Link to New England Patriots

Link to NFL part 8 - Fly Hye in Da Sky

Jaguars & Panthers - Jacksonville and Carolina, NFL part 6

Carolina Panthers Emblem

Two expansion teams that coincidentally happen to be big cats, what are the chances?

Once again there is an alignment in the NFL - the Jaguars and Panthers. Both of these teams were established under Clinton in 1995.

Jacksonville Jaguars Emblem

The Jaguar is biggest and strongest cat in the Americas. The Jaguar takes the bronze out of all the big cats in the world. The Black Panther is a Leopard but with dark pigment... sometimes. Let me explain, Black Leopards from the Old World and Black Jaguars from the new world are both called Black Panthers. But they are two different species. To make things even more confusing there are supposed Black Cougars, which basically is a Black Mountain Lion or Black Puma...but none have ever been found. All in all, most of the Black Panthers you see in photos and zoos are Black Leopards either from Asia or Africa.

Waving the Flag to Rally Support

Long story short, when the Jacksonville Jags play the Carolina Panthers from a certain point of view it is the Light Jag vs the Dark Jag. Since they are in different conferences there is the potential for a Super Panther Bowl.

Jaguar

Dark Jaguar or Black Panther

Link to Jacksonville Jaguars
Link to Carolina Panthers

Link to Part 7 - Eastside wid'a Westside Glory

Chiefs & Redskins - Kansas City and Washington DC, NFL part 5

Redskin Fan with Team Flag
although a Redskins fan, not necessarily an
advocate of Native American Issues

The fifth pair of NFL teams to align in a harmonious way are the Kansas City, Chiefs and Washington, Redskins. They have chosen Native Americans as their power emblem.

The Washington Redskins are in the middle of the original thirteen colonies while the Kansas City Chiefs are in the middle of the nation. It seems rather ironic that two teams with Native American Spirit totems represent the federal city and the national heartland.


Chief Fan with Team Flag

Both teams won Super Bowl Victories and made multiple Super Bowl Visits. Washington won in 1983, 1988, and 1992. The Chiefs only won once in 1970, but they were the runner up in the first Super Bowl in 1967.

Since they are in separate conferences - the AFC for Kansas City and NFC for Washington DC - this brings up the potential for a Super Indian Bowl sometime in the future.

someday a...

SUPER INDIAN BOWL

Link to Kansas City Chiefs
Link to Washington Redskins

Link to NFL part 6 - Cougar Town NFL Style!

Using Native Americans has become something of a politically correct issue. It is understandable, imagine teams called the Saigon Whiteskins, Yamamoto Yellowskins, Columbus Confederates, Bismark Brown Shirts or the Toledo Taliban? Every group carries its own unique burden. Certainly Native American issues are unresolved with main stream America. Coincidentally a key founding member of the NFL was a Native American - Jim Thrope. Perhaps the NFL should listen to voice of her fans who are really 'Redskins?'

Ravens & Cardinals - Baltimore and Arizona, NFL part 4

Feather Flags
of the Ravens and Cardinals

Several teams use birds as their totem in the NFL. But two teams with birds of matching caliber are the Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals. The Raven is an enchanting, powerful, mysterious and dark while the Cardinal is bright, bold, confident, and heart warming.

A good dichotomy between these two birds are their songs which vary. The Cardinal Song is rather cheerful while the song of the Raven is intimidating and spooky.
The Cardinals are the proverbial day bird whose colours and passion reflects the accessible establishment. But the Raven is the proverbial night bird whose colours and passion reflect the hidden underworld and outcast groups of society.

Both birds have big following. The Cardinals are the state bird of several states - Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virgina and West Virgina. There are plenty of other birds out there but the 'passion' for the Cardinal runs deep in America. However no state uses the exceedingly intelligent and mysterious raven.

Their match up in a future Super Bowl would be bird battle of the day bird vs the night bird or rather the
Checker Bird Bowl.

someday in the future
THE SUPER CHECKER BIRD BOWL

Link to Baltimore Ravens
Link to Arizona Cardinals

Video of bird calls - Cardinals & Raven

Link to NFL team symmetry part 5- arrow and a head piece?!

Mississipi Rebel Flag, 150 years later

Flag of Mississippi
Adopted 150 years ago today

January 26, 1861 was a vexillologically significant date for the South. Mississippi adopted a flag after leaving the Union and before the formation of the Confederacy.

Also on this date, in celebration of Louisiana's pull out - the famous Pelican flag was flown over the Louisiana State House.

Louisiana also left the Union 150 years ago, today. Louisiana was the 6th state to invoke secession with the US Constitution. Louisiana was the last of the original founding members of the Confederacy. Only six states participated in the first presidential election of the 'provisional' government - that elected Jefferson Davis. Nearly a month would pass before President Davis admitted the first new state into the recently established Confederacy - Texas. So in a weird way Texas is the Vermont of the Confederacy.

January 26, 1861 was also vexillologically significant date. Mississippi adopted a flag. The pre-Confederate 'free on my own' Mississippi State Flag incorporated the Bonnie Blue Flag in the canton on a white field. On the white field is a magnolia tree and finally along the fly is a red stripe.

Flag of Louisiana that flew over
Louisiana's Secession Congress 150 years ago

On celebration of Louisiana's pull out - the famous Pelican flag was flown over the Louisiana State House. 150 years later Louisiana still flies the Secession Pelican Flag but in a different form.

Rebel Red is often associated with Confederacy and the South, but the flags of Louisiana and South Carolina show us that there were also Rebel Blues.

The original Louisiana Rebel Flag did not have red blood drops nor yellow-brown.

US Civil War 150 Years Ago Today - part 4 (Inauguration Flag of President Davis)