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Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Flags of Highlander - Clan Fraser, part 2

Flag of Clan Fraser
three white daises

In the beginning of Highlander 1986 a fight breaks out in the Scottish Highlands between Clan MacLeod and Clan Fraser in 1536. In this battle scene we see the flag of Clan Fraser which consists of charge of three white flowers - daises on a dark blue.

Amongst Clan Fraser is an immortal mercenary - Kurgan. Some how Kurgan has realized that amongst Clan MacLeod is another immortal who dosen't know he is immortal. Thus it is Kurgan's goal to murder a potential rival even before he has a chance to realize his potential. Kurgan is able to injure the 'sleeping' immortal but is not successful in decapitating his rival.

Clan Fraser ready for battle
with 'Flower Power' Flag

The banner is along the bottom in the pic to right. It is never explained why the two Clans are fighting nor how Kurgan figured out that Connor MacLeod was an immortal. But fate steps in and lets Connor realize his potential. Kurgan and Connor meet again in America some 350 years later in NYC.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Flags of from the movie Highlander - Clan MacLeod, part 1

Flag of Clan MacLeod from the Highlander

The Highlander is a classic cult movie from 1986. It is science fiction fantasy tale about a race of immortals that inhabit the earth.

The immortals live a life a part from normal humans and are destined to fight each other in a certain city and time - 1985 in NYC. The primary way of dispatching an immortal and taking his karmic life force or chi is by decapitation.

The story is centered on an immortal born in the Scottish Highlands in the 1500s - Connor MacLeod.

In the beginning of the movie Clan MacLeod is engaged in blood feud with Clan Fraser. During and just before the flag battle Clan MacLeod is waved before our eyes to see. It have various forms and during the parade from their castle it consists of a charge of three black ox heads on sanguine.

Lead Vexillum of Clan MacLeod

Before the two tribes start hostilities a proper vexillum of Clan MacLeod is shown. It has two black oxen in the chief positions. From the center base is what looks like a blue sapphire with red flames. At the chief cross top is the skull of a highland deer with antlers.

Original Movie Trailer

Scotland and Greece - fraternal twins

4 Blue Triangle White Cross Flag of Scotland

The white cross flag of Greece is aligned with the flag of Scotland. Neither flag represents the nation officially at the UN, yet they are acceptable flags for each nation.

Coincidentally both Scotland and Greece have two national flags. At the moment their supreme national flags have elements of their white cross flags. The Scottish white cross-4 blue triangle flag is an essential element of the national UK Union flag parted in eight fractions, likewise the modern Greek flag uses the a white cross-4 blue square as the canton on its nine striped national flag.

4 Blue Rectangle White Cross of Greece

The design harmony of the white cross 4-blue triangle and 4-square flags unite these nations in what I call a certain kind of flag symmetry.

They are a union of extreme ends or beginnings of Europe from the South to North and East to West. Greece sits in a corner in between Africa and Asia. There is a tiny portion of Greece that is east of Asia, just as there is a tiny portion that looks north towards Africa. Scotland on the other hand is a key element of Europe, yet detached from the mainland and ever so close to America. Amazingly, parts of Scotland are closer to the North American Continent than to Athens, Greece.

The eight blue triangles of the UK National flag
originate from the Scottish flag

Geographically they are union of the Europe at a maximum of Spring and Autumn. Greece being the hallmark of Europe in Spring and Scotland the epitome of Europe in Fall. Both nations are composed of hundreds of tiny isles and a mainland. This has given the Greco-Scot peoples a keen and almost magical sense of the water and shipbuilding. Thus their livelihood has been perpetually tied to the seas.

The Canton of National Greek Flag
retains an earlier version of the national flag

Both nations have one of the deepest and strongest undertows on the makeup of American Culture. From the ancient world we have Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, Pythagoras, and Aristopanes to name a few, and from the modern world from Scotland we can thank Watt, Maxwell, Henderson, Bell, and Rutherford. From ideas of democracy to i-pods and cell phones all the glorious and enchanted tools and toys of the modern world - we all share a connection to Greece and Scotland.

Pegasus with Greek Flag

A good portion of the Western World rests on the coat tails of these luminous minds born at opposite ends of Europe.

The one ritual or tradition shared by all nations traces its roots to Greece - the Olympics, while the beloved games of the well to do in every nation can trace its roots to Scotland - golf, or for the not too well to do - mini golf. From St. Andrews to the Acropolis the Scot and Greek are the maker of games cherished by all.



Heraldic Unicorn of Scotland

Scotland and Greece are connected by the mysterious and circumstantial hand of fate in what I have termed a Fraternity of Twins for Eternity. The echo of Europe's tribalism is etched in stone in crystal clear language with Scotland and Greece. From the ancient rivalry between the city-states of Athens and Sparta, as it was with blood feuding and competitive clans of Scotland.

The elusive and powerful clubs of modern society carry an echo of these two nations. At the collegiate level the Greek Fraternity plays a dominant role at university, placement of jobs and the destiny of connected brothers and sisters. Likewise in the professional world, modern Freemasonry traces much to Scotland, and has a powerful influence in key business transactions and the placement of certain lime lights.

Scotland and Greece are like Yin and Yang whose cultural elements have been adored and ingrained in the American Spirit. They are the doorstep wingmen of Europe. Their flags are a match of the magnificent and famous winged horse, Pegasus, with the nameless and enchanted mystical Unicorn.

The bookends or book keepers of European Civilization
Scotland and Greece

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Well-known IEEE ill have to is that it. learn

Monday, December 12, 2011

My Neighbor the Totoro with Japanese Flag Fan

Japanese Flag Fan
My Neighbor the Totoro - 1988

The black balls of dust are known as 'makuro-kurosuke.' In the 1988 Japanese film by Hayao Miyazaki, they are seen here discussing their options - to stay or to leave the house upon the arrival of its new owners - two little girls and their father.

In the foreground is a Patriotic Japanese flag fan with the national emblem of Japan - a red disc in the center, on the left and right sides are the national birds - cranes. There is a wee bit of shimenawa - the folded red and white paper and strings hanging on the left and right sides of Japanese fan-decoration.

The 'soot sprites' are responsible for dirtying up a house when no one lives there. They are often confused as 'dust bunnies' but are a different animal altogether. This ground breaking film was produced by Studio Ghibli - a virtual counter match to America's Walt Disney Studios.

Japanese Ice flag in My Neighbor the Totoro - Tonari no Totoro

The Cat Bus runs past the Ice Flag
Tonari no Totoro 1988

In 1988 a magical little creature was released from Japan - the Totoro. You could describe it as a rabbit mixed with squirrel and a dash of fairy magic.

To the left in this scene is an flag signaling that ice can be purchased. Although this film take place in the early part of the 1900s, for sale ice flags are still commonly shown in this manner. The colours of the flag are red, white and blue. The red Japanese Kanji-Chinese letter means ice. The blue shapes along the bottom are supposed to represent ice or water. To the left of the flag is a dog barking at the normally invisible to humans cat-bus.