Wisconsin Flag - Nostaglia & Middle of America: Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, That 70s Show, and RedLetterMedia

There is something magically nostalgic about Wisconsin...
Maybe there is something strange in the cheese or maybe...it's the beer? 

Wisconsin has featured three hit shows that replayed that feels of a generation earlier.  First, there was Happy Days, which was filmed in front of a live audience, that aired in the 1970s.  The plots focused on everyday life in suburbia.  It was so popular that it had several spin offs.  The most popular being the Laverne and Shirley Show which also took place in the late 1950s-early 1960s.  The lead flag here featured has of the lead characters from Happy Days, the Fonz as the sailor and Ritchie Cunningham as the miner.


The Wisconsin 1958 flag has the two goofballs from The Laverne and Shirley Show—Lenny and Squiggy.  Notice that the coat of arms has been modified.  In the first quarter is the abc logo, in the second quarter is the Shotz brewery. In the third quarter is the signature glove on beer, and in the fourth quarter is the cursive L for Laverne.


Most recently there was That 70s Show which aired in the late 1990s, making That 70s Show in true life That 90s Show, and looking back from 2018 makes That 70s Show perfectly in sync form the 90s to the 20-tweens. (You might have to read that sentence, real slowly for that temporal fact to sink in)

Again, simple life stories where the mainstream plot showcasing what middle of the road American life was like, but a bit more edgy, even by today's hyper-sensitive times.  They even had the Happy Days's Good & Bad Boy duo of the clean cut kid hanging around a bad boy nonconformist.  For Happy Days the clean cut square was Ritchie Cunningham—who was the ginger, sweet, fellow that tried to do the right thing.  His opposite was the bad boy greaser—the Fonz, who told his opponents to "SIT ON IT!"  

Upon the 1978 Wisconsin flag, the sailor is Eric Foreman, the middle of the road kid, with a nuclear family and dad who served in the Korean War.  The square Star Wars Nerd was played by Topher Grace, the clean cut kid.  On the right side with the shades is Steven Hyde—played by Danny Masterson, and Hyde had the extreme issues of a dysfunctional-family.  Steven grew up with a single mom, who abandoned him while he was still in high school.  The one weakness of the show is that it should have started in 1971, instead of 1977.  Ironically Happy Days was created in the 1970s, making it the real, authentic "That 70s Show" or rather That 50's Show.


So what about today in 2018, right now?  Oddly there is no popular nostalgic TV show that is centered on Wisconsin. However, there is an Internet show that is really filmed in Wisconsin and features a fictional retro TV VCR repair shop—Lighting Fast VCR Repair— retro to the 1990s?  The shows are created by RedLetterMedia. 

Nonetheless, the popular Internet shows of RedLetterMedia are independent and epic of the 80s and 90s generations.  Additionally, this is a true blue, born and bread Wisconsin show!  The cast and most of the crew are, indeed, really from Wisconsin.  In a way their production could be titled That Movie Review Show of the 90s & 80s of Happier Days Gone By.

For the 2018 Wisconsin flag the sailor is Mike Stoklasa whose dead pan humor can give Bill Murray a run for his money.  On the right is Rich Evans who is in a similar vein to Dan Aykroyd, that makes Jay Bauman the Egon of the group.

No matter what—WE LOVE YOU WISCONSIN!!

Native American Heritage Flag

You might be thinking this is Confederate flag?  Wrong!  It is a Native American Heritage flag based upon the flag of the Muscogee Republic, which existed long before the birth of Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln.  

The Muscogee Republic was the original Southern Nation that arose on US and Spanish territory in 1799.  Its capital was located at Miccosukee, Florida.  It was mainly composed of Native Americans who elected William August Bowels as their national leader, who was born in Maryland, whence it was still a colony of the UK.  However the Muskogee Republic was fighting against Spain and the United States.

The flag of the Original Southern Rebellion of 1799 had a blue cross, trimmed in white, on a red field with blue canton with a yellow Sun of Splendor.  This rebel flag also represents a forlorn often forgotten chapter in American History.  Eventually the Muscogee peoples would all be moved to Oklahoma by a South Carolina President in the 1830s.  Who knew that South Carolina would later lead another Southern rebellion some 30 years later in 1860?  And it too was defeated by Federals.

But a generation before the War Between the States, The Muscogee Republic was critically damaged when a US Indian Agent, Benjamin Hawkins, captured the Muscogee Commander-in-Chielf Bowels on May 24, 1803.  The Muscogee homelands were originally in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

Although this Native American Heritage flag is designed after the flag of the Muscogee Republic, it can be used by Native American Tribe, even those that did not participate in Jackson's Bloody March to Oklahoma of 1830. Likewise those who are charged with never forgetting the injustices of Native American rights are permitted to fly this flag.

Anglo-Danish Unity Flag

London and Copenhagen are cities on islands just off the coast of Europe.  England and Denmark are fraternal flag twins on two levels.  Their royal standards unite lions in similar stances and numbers, likewise their national flags of the cross are similar.  Both are connected to Europe, but just slightly detached.

Funny thing is that English Muffins and Danishes are a favorite breakfast treat in the United States.  Coincidentally the US was initially formed from the English in 1776 and the last part of the Americas to become a part of the USA was from the Danish.  It happened in 1916 when Copenhagen sold the islands to Washington.   

Seven Kingdoms English Heritage Flag

England takes its linguistic and most recent heritage roots to the Seven Kingdoms period.  In honor of that time frame we have the Seven English Kingdom's Flag.  In the canton is the flag of England, the red cross on white.  If you read across then the winged dragon is Wessex, the three crowns belong to East Anglia, the three swords represent Essex.  On the bottom from the left-fly area is the horse of Kent, the birds of Sussex, the bars of Northumbria, and finally the yellow X on blue for Mercia.

The other parts of the UK have a Celtic orientation.  There has been a lot of mixing, but these seven kingdoms have been at the cultural heart of the English, for it was of this tribe of seven whose language would be imparted upon the seven corners of the Earth and Moon.  

Indeed, the seven kingdoms is the basis for the seven kingdoms of HBO's popular Game of Thrones Series.

Auld Alliance Flag, Scotland & France—The Auld Lang Syne Flag

The Auld Alliance was a international political treaty organization set by the former monarchs of Scotland and France.  Neat thing is that both nations used the fluer-di-lis as royal emblems.  For Royal France the lilies are yellow and the centerpiece, while for Scotland the lilies are red and spread around the double frame, tressure.

Primarily this is a post-historical, educational flag that represents the ancient connections that nations can have.  The kingdoms of Scotland and France would team up to keep English ambitions in check.  Additionally persons or companies of a joint Scottish-French are privy to use the flag at their leisure.

But do note, there is no longer a singular Scottish King—not since 1603.  Likewise there is no longer a French Monarch—not since 1870.

In the binary tradition of Scottish tanistry, this flag also represents Auld Lang Syne.  A flag and song not only for Scotland, it is dedicated to France, the West, England, the UK, and the world.  This song is enchanted with nostalgia and the past, that once upon a time souls lived before us, which fought, died, and prayed, and are undeniably interconnected with our lives from Africa, Asia, the Americas, unto Australia, and worlds beyond.  These ancient souls once lived on our humble abode, and at the passing of every Old Year an echo of their lives with this hymn is played, beckoning us to cherish the past...

  

London, Underground Symbol - In David Gray's Babylon

Music is a special kind of communication that can capture feelings beyond the word, with sound alone.  Words are acquired and languages differ.  But every once and a while, a song is released that can transcend languages and international borders.  Previously, the feelings of tension and anxiety has been expertly captured within suspenseful and horror films.  But note, not all emotions have been recorded or scored, which can transcend linguistic barriers. 

In 1998, a most overlooked, somber, yet most powerful feeling was captured in the UK.  The sorrowful feeling of surrender to a higher force with sincere honesty, with an intention for higher hopes—beyond the ego.  It is the reflective feeling that is a recognition of hindsight, tangential to regret, the closing of an unpleasant door, and a change of heart to the peaceful loving center—as performed by David Gray in the song, Babylon 1998.  

Of vexillological importance is the official video that features a shot of the London Underground Train Platform at Paddington Station. Paddigton Station has been hallowed...by fate?  By chance?  Or by Destiny?  No doubt several hearts were broken and remade at this enchanted locale.

Paddington Station Image Source:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/London-Travel-Station-Sign-Paddington-LUP01-A3-A4-POSTER-ART-PRINT-/321705365010

The Big Apple Flag & Zesty Tomato Flag

Once upon a time, someone coined the term The Big Apple.  Well, right next to the Big Apple is New Jersey.  People in NYC often look down at Jersey, making New Jersey the quintessential underdog.  Even though western Connecticut is just like Jersey it does not have the same reputation, being a concrete jungle spiked with pollution and outspoken pushy people.  But it is not always a rivalry.  When New York and New Jersey team up, they are an unstoppable force linking the upscale and downscale, white collar and blue collar, the plain Jane and fancy Nancy.

Likewise New Jersey prides herself on the Jersey Tomato, thus it is fitting that this original fruit from New Jersey totally represents America more authentically than say a large apple.  Reason being, apples are from the Old World, while Tomatoes were cultivated in the New World by "savages"---NOT!! in the Americas.  So you can enjoy All American Apple Pie, from New York or a Zesty Pizza Pie from New Jersey.  Sorry, New York...but it is a fact that New Jersey has better pizza!  As a consolation, people prefer apple juice over tomato juice 10 to 1, but Jersey Pizza Pie is America's Best.  Likewise nothing can beat a home baked New York Apple Pie.

Yeah, New York is famous for its flat pizza, which beats down Illinois's Chicago Pizza by a mile, which is more akin to a Pizza Quiche.  Don't get me wrong, NY flat pizza is delish!  And cah-go' pizza is unique treat everyone should try. But you can't beat out Jersey's fresh tomatoes.

And remember the Statue of Liberty, technically is within New Jersey's borders.

 

New Jersey & New York 

United

Frank Sinatra is from New Jersey & Tony Bennett is from New York

The Boss & The Piano Man

Bruce Springsteen of NJ & Billy Joel of NY