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Saturday, August 23, 2014

Flag of the Corvus the Crow and Columba the Dove

 Corvus & Columba
The Crow and The Dove

This is the first part of the Constellation Flags Series, beginning with Corvus the Crow and Columba the Dove.  The uncanny aspect of the 88 constellations is that they pair up, in a manner like Yin and Yang. 

In this case the Constellations of the Crow and Dove form a special relationship. They were the only non-sacramental animals mentioned on Noah's Ark, and were the key messengers that told Noah that the flood had subsided.  They are symbols of light to dark and mysterious to the mundane.  The crow is dark and mysterious, while the dove is light and mundane.  The temperament of the crow and dove also differ like night and day.  Both are rather common animals, but the bird song of the crow is described as a spine tingling crackle while the Dove speech is thought of as a peaceful coo. 



Constellation Flag of Corvus the Crow

Constellation Flag of Columba the Dove

The flag of Corvus the Crow uses the colours red, orange, and black.  In between the Aries symbol is the Astrological Symbol for Corvus, because it is best visible during April.


The flag of Columba the Dove uses the colours orange, yellow, and green.  Like the flag above the black stars show some of the brightest stars in this Constellation.  The Peace Sign has been chosen as the Astrological Symbol of Columba the Dove. 

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Constellation Credits - http://www.suberic.net/~dmm/astro/constellations.html

Friday, August 22, 2014

The Tie - the fashionable vexilloid

It'd be kinda' odd to wear a flag, but the next best thing is the tie, which traces it's origins to Croatia, or maybe Serbia?  One thing for sure is that ties do not originate from Thailand.  Croatia, like Western Europe, got into the habit of making wearable flags important icons, but flapping flags originally came from the East, just like Serbia's orientation.

So no matter, in this picture we have three American Men in Black ties.  You can't see me, but I'm that imaginary glimmer in my Grandfather's eyes.

These architects are at the drawing board of creating something beautiful, functional, and only to be known to the Kingdom of Men and Above.

Suffice it to say, when things are done the right way with the purest intention - miracles start to happen.

Monday, August 18, 2014

Flags in Reading Rainbow's Melody Sheep Remix

Reading Rainbow is a program on PBS that is dedicated to illustrating the joy of reading.  Starring LeVar Burton, it has created a wealth of joy and interest in reading.

Recently a music video was made cutting up splices from Reading Rainbow with the Melody Sheep program, creating a song that taps on the key virtues expounded on Reading Rainbow.  Instead of reading to be smarter than your rival or passing a test, Reading Rainbow focused on the inherent joy of reading minus the academic holier than thou tone typically strewn from the Dr. Smartypants Establishment.  But you don't have to take my word for it.

Reading really is a kind of magic, that allows any person to enter that transcendent timeless dimension.  It is a kind a time travel.

In the first picture behind LeVar an artistic tapestry of sorts can be seen.  Upon the shield is a design that is reflective of simple heraldic traditions. 

In the second picture, LeVar stands in front of some mini table top flags of the world.  One of the flags looks like the flag of Mali, while the others are harder to make out.


Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Flags in the Bob Ross Documentary "Bob Ross the Happy Painter" - 2013

Creating pictures is an ancient form of expression and at the end of the 20th century a simple and joy filled technique spread across the world with the calm and precisely controlled brush strokes of Bob Ross. More than just painting pictures Bob Ross gave the viewer a sermon on the joy of creativity.  Ross added a level of sincerity, peace, and heart into the entertainment sphere of television that usually relies on flashy and over the top wackiness to keep the people engaged and entertained.  During the show, Bob Ross would continually encourage the viewer that anyone could do what he did, in his own words he said, "People continually say [to me - Bob Ross]... I don't have the Talent, Bob, to do what You're doing!  [I - Bob Ross say] That's Baloney!  Talent is a pursued interest. In other words... Anything that you're willing to practice...You Can Do."  


In this documentary traditional flags do not appear but rather the recently popular geopolitical national outline flags appear when they explain Ross's rise to global superstar status as seen in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.



Ireland Accidentally got filled in as a part of the UK
 Bob Ross is not just an American Treasure, rather he is a Global Treasure.  A rise from humble beginnings, even after his passing on July 4, 1995 the joy of this life continues to inspire creativity across the world. 

Even with a professional big budget, errors sometimes slip in.  I myself am not immune to these slip ups, but the producers of the documentary accidentally flagged Ireland as a part of the UK.  I guess they must have had an old map from before 1931.
Senor Ross, Roberto is also a heroic artist to Mexico, the Rich Coast and Columbia.  In this Geographic Flag Map the producers got the flags correct. 

Although Ross may have looked like a hippie, he was in the Air Force for much of his adult life.  He originally grew up in Florida, but being transferred to Alaska when he was 21 made him become the legend that he was destined to be.

What do Iranians, Turks, and Americans have in common that they love to watch?  Answer: "Happy Clouds and Happy Little Trees" as painted by Bob Ross.  Perhaps at the next peace summit we can get our leaders to take 20 minutes to do a landscape painting around Mr. Ararat?  Amazingly Bob Ross's The Joy of Painting was aired and Iran! What a joy indeed.


 Again they goofed on the map, or rather had a happy accident, this time with the Geographic Flag Map of Japan.  They accidentally coloured Sakhalin under the Japanese fold.  It's the northern most island that kinda' looks like fish. I guess they must have used a really old map again since the Southern Half of this island belonged to Japan before WWII?

No matter, the techniques promoted by Bob Ross allowed anyone to easily enjoy and experience the 'Joy of Painting' or rather the 'Joy of Creativity.'  Bob Ross's show was more than just a painting show.  It was kind of medicine, that only charged you a few minutes of your time and attention.  So powerful was his simple, heartfelt love of nature that his passion for painting allowed the various colours of the world to enter a nexus of joy and peaceful creativity.  


http://www.bobross.com/



I, Christopher Maddish, would like to add that everyday you 'Write, Draw, Play, Jump, Laugh, or Imagine' it'll bring happiness to your heart, and to those around you, because you can do it, so do it! 

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Old Rwanda Flag in Gorillas in the Mist - 1988

 The old flag of Rwanda appears briefly in Gorillas in the Mist 1988.  It featured the Pan-African 'Traffic Light' colours of red, yellow, and green.  In the middle is a black capital letter R.

 This film and the life lead by Dian Fossey took place long before the tragedy of the Rwanda Genocide in 1994. After that tragedy Rwanda changed their flag.

Fossey's advocacy to protect the Gorillas of the Central Africa also put herself in peril. She also ended her life on a tragic note, as she was murdered in her cabin.

The filming of the movie made something of a fusion movie-documentary as the film locations were the real locations lived and worked by Fossey.  Many of the cabins and huts you see in this movie were lived in by Dian Fossey.

http://gorillafund.org/






US and Kentucky Flag in Gorillas in the Mist 1988

The US and state flag of Kentucky make a brief cameo in the film Gorillas in the Mist 1988.  Appearing during the introductory sequence when Louis Leakey meets Dian Fossey.  Leakey was a famous after-runner of Charles Darwin.

Louis Leakey like his ancestors from several millennia earlier was born in Africa, specifically in Kenya when it was known as British East Africa on August 7, 1903.  His family originally came to the area as Christian Missionaries, later to discover evidence for the biological inter-connectivity between apes and humans.

Kentucky belongs in the class of US states to parallel to Africa.  Just the southern counties of Kentucky are parallel to Africa, while the northern counties are parallel to Southern Europe.  Coincidentally the two most famous son's of Kentucky: Jefferson Davis was from a county parallel to Africa, but Abraham Lincoln from a county parallel to Europe.  Nonetheless, the Kentucky state flag appears every so briefly in this film.

Note that Caucasoid Humanoids were completely unaware of the existence of Gorillas until after 1847.  Before then these spirits of Central Africa in the European-American mindset were something a kin to Bigfoot or the Lochness Monster.  But this 'myth' was dispelled and one more link in evolutionary theory gained another leg to rest upon.  But note, the people of Africa were aware of these 'Harry Humanoids,' likewise the people of Asia were also aware of the 'Orange Harry Humanoids.' 






Congo Flag in Gorillas in the Mist


 Gorillas in the Mist 1988 is a Hollywood Grand Slam that tells an exciting story, sends a message, educates, and brings it home from far away.  This film tells the true, heroic, tragic and soul stirring story of Dian Fossey from San Francisco, California.   Fossey studied the mountain gorillas of Central Africa.  Her work and dedication to these still endangered cousins of humanity ensured that the world became aware of their perilous situation facing extinction, as caused by the greed and the political war mongering of modern mankind.


The movie has several vexillologically important flags.  When Fossey, played by Sigourney Weaver, arrives in Greater Congo, DR a unique flag representing this nation can be seen at the airport.  It is composed of a central white star on a background of green and black divided vertically in the middle, with the fly being black and the hoist being green. The flag also appears on the right side of a jeep.The best shot of this fictional Democratic Republic of Congo flag also appears during the break out of civil war at the Bugani border.

The subject matter of this movie makes it a great case study for any environmental studies class.

Note that Greater Congo, DR did not use such a flag in its history.  Perhaps the makers of the film chose a unique design for artistic and politically correct purposes?