The Simpsons - The Bartmangled Banner

Bart Mooning the American Flag

The Simpsons 15th season's 21st episode is appropriately called the Bartmangled Banner. In it an odd series of events puts Bart in an unpatriotic pose in public at a school. This parody from one of America's most watched and longest running imaginary families, on the Fox Network, takes the issue of freedom of speech to new levels of comical absurdity.

This episode aired in 2004 a year after the invasion of Iraq and patriotic sentiments were running high in the country. Most nations of the world would have censored this episode, especially if it were at war. But Bart is the epitome brat of the American childhood.

Perhaps Bart was simply confused with the America's role in exploring the moon, and the astronauts planting the US Flag on the moon?

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/