Guilded Age US Naval Style SOS Flag

In the early 1900s the US Navy had special SOS flags, intuitively reflective of Morse Code.  Most likely, they were shelved since they all looked a like, unlike the modern ICS Maritime Flags.

Old Morse Code - Error Code Flag

Before WWII the US Navy a special type of Morse Code flags that used the three colours to represent Morse Code.  Red was the DIT, Yellow was the DAH, and blue was the Repeater-Sub that depended on the preceding colour towards the hoist.

Thus using this old US Navy Code a Morse Code Error flag can be represented.  It has eight stripes for the eight DITS of the Error Message.  Since it is only uses DITS red and blue are used. 

The Original US NAVY Morse Code Flags

For a short while the US Navy has a special class of flags dedicated to Morse Code.  Using three colours of red, yellow, or blue; the dits and dahs of Morse Code were distinguished with these flags.

Although they are no longer in use, as the ICS Maritime flags have taken over, they are interesting relics of once official flags.

The dits are represented by the colour red, while dahs are represented by the colour yellow.  Blue is the special colour that can be a dit or a dah.  The rule for blue is that its identity is determined by the preceding colour towards the hoist.  This is on the left in the standard model, but is on the right when looking from the anterior side.

These flags were in limited use during the early 1900s.  Finding one, would be of great value as they are extremely rare.

They are a first of their kind of Tele-morse-graphic flag.  Innately confusing the the eye that is unfamiliar with Morse Code, it was perhaps due to this property, that the ICS flags became the norm for the US NAVY.  Note that ICS flags are often called Morse Code flags, which makes little sense since ICS flags have no direct connection to Morse Code.

These 'Retired US Navy' flags are at their base architecture and design, intimately reflective of Morse Code.  And deserve to be called Morse Code flags more so than ICS flags.

Note that for the letter M the Morse code flag is shifted to horizontal axis.  Obviously this was done to distinguish this flag from the ICS Number 5 flag.  Otherwise, it'd be a confusing situation.  A similar type of confusion still exists with our script between the letters and numbers 1 & l and O and 0.  It is easy to make a mistake as these letters and numbers can be confused.  This is also the case with ICS 5 and K, they are the same pattern and could look the same from a distance, to some extent.

Below is a modern extrapolation of the Old US Naval Code to numbered, Morse Code Pennants.  Although they were never issued in this format, the basic principles of the patter still work.  It was a simple design but since all the flags 'look-a-like' the Morse Code flags were not as effective as the contrasting symbols and colours of ICS standard flags. 

Bald & Bankrupt - May 8th Victory Day in Minsk, Belarus

A unique presentation of flags was filmed by Bald & Bankrupt whist in Minsk, Belarus on May 8th.  May 8th is the Eastern European celebration for the ending of WWII (The Great Patriotic War).  The unique flag display is a dissected Belarusian flag whorl on a pole.  In this display, the tree whorls of the Belarus flag are broken into individual flags.  The top red flag whorl is taken from the main-dominant red field.  The middle green flag whorl is taken from green stripe along the bottom.  Finally the tapestry pattern along the hoist is on the bottom whorl.

If such a dissected patriotic display were to be done with the US flag, there would be two whorls of flags.  The top whole would be a blue field with white stars, and the bottom whole would be a red and white stripes.   Likewise a Canadian dissected flag display would have two whorls.  The bottom whorl would be all red, and the top whorl would be white with a red maple leaf.

Bald and Bankrupt is from the UK and was of the last generation to experience the Cold War.  Like many of that era, the forbidden fruit of Soviet Knowledge has become a curious point of interest.  This type of curiosity is not of the pro-Communist sort, but rather of a deep curiosity and affection for alien cultures and those born on the other side.  This is like the interest in culture and things of the Confederacy in the USA.  There are many people who enjoy learning about the CSA on a cultural level, rather than being a supporter of human oppression.  

Usually former Soviet nations are ignored or portrayed with contempt from the Western Media.  But Bald and Bankrupt has shown the funny and human side of this once vilified segment of the humanity from the West.  Most of his adventures are on the fly.  Not all adventures are all rosy cheeks, and he has run into the stereotype negative Eastern European and tangoed with strict Eastern officials, but more often than not the warmth and natural friendliness of Eastern Europe shines in his vlogs.

A great drinking game is to take a sip each time Bald & Bankrupt says 'Soviet.'  His action Nat-Geo style is true and passionate.

Signal Flags from Andersonville 1996

The flags shown here are from the US Civil War Era.  They are communication Wig-Wag flags that enable one to communicate over long visual distances depending on the way the flags are moved.   This type of coded flag communication was invented by New Yorker, Albert James Myer: born September 20, 1828 - August 24, 1880, and Myer was a US Army Surgeon.

There are two flags visible that are color inverts, the primary flag has red field with a white square and the other flag has a white field with red square.

You can see the aerial telegraphic flag in the distance.  The film is more than just a Civil War film.  It is an exquisite, refined, and mature story based on facts and history.  It is a movie worthy of every American's attention.

The Solid Orange Maritime Start Flag

A solid orange flag is a start signal for most sailing sport.  Rather than just being waved to start the race, the orange flag shows the start line for ships to get ready to sail.  

Snake Rattle and Roll - Dont Tread on Me

As Nintendo 8-bit aged into the 1990s.  New systems were introduced.  But companies continued to make games for the system.  Although the tech was moving to stronger 16-bit processing systems, 8-bit programmers were making better and refined games.  One of the later, senior NES games to roll out on the market was the Snake Rattle and Roll.  It was two player game that was a challenge and wacky mess of fun.  Something like marble madness with chomping snakes and sordid silliness.

Since we have a snake, it deserves a DONT TREAD ON ME flag.  In this case the snake is on the square field patches of grass.