Flag of Bikini Bottom? Bikini Atoll

Flag of the Bikini Atoll
The Marshall Islands are no longer a part USA
but the US design lives on

Yes Virginia, Bikini Bottom is a real place, however Krabby Patties and talking yellow sponges are a different story. Bikini Atoll is officially a part of the Marshall Islands Republic.

The official flag of Bikini Atoll has 23 stars that represent the 23 islands that make up Bikini Atoll. Written on the fourth line from the bottom in Marshallese is "Everything is in the Hands of God."

The stars are also arranged in a partial shape of the letter H in honor of the H-bomb - that Bikini Islanders oddly see as a blessing. The three black stars represent the terra-forming actions of the US via nuclear weapons testing. The two black stars near the bottom represent the two livable islands - Majuro and Kili Island.

Flag of the Marshall Islands
Independent from the USA in 1986

After WWII the islands became a nuclear testing wonderland, with over 20 nuclear devices being set off. Thus there is a good chance that the marine life in the area - starfish and crabs may have underwent an extreme mutant shift.

And for the record the bikini swim suit was named after these islands. From the air, the island atoll is skimpy like a bikini. And the word Bikini or Pikini is a native pacific word that means "coconut top."


Rumor has it that Sponges Great Grampi and Great Grammy
died the Bikini nuclear test of 1949

With all that radiation from nuclear testing - talking sponges and squids playing clarinets don't seem to weird. The marine life at Bikini Bottom would have had to whether the extreme radiation in the 1950s.



Rumors have it, when Bikini Atoll was occupied by the Japanese they did some weird experiments on the coral reef. After the area was irradiated with nuclear radiation, Japanese and American DNA was apparently absorbed by some of the critters living under the sea - giving rise to the unique and intelligent fauna found at Bikini Bottom.

Painting of US soldiers hanging out at
Bikini Atoll with Bob and Patrick

The Krusty Krab Flags, Sponge Bob Square Pants

The Krusty Krab is a fictional restaurant located at Bikini Bottom. Its specialty is the Crabby Patty. The Crabby Patty is a succulent sandwich that is more than just a sandwich. The formula is a closely guarded secret by it owner - Mr. Krabs.

The entrance way is decorated with maritime flags. In international maritime code it seems to spell out R-I-(A?)-(upside down U)-K or RIAUK.

The central flag was used in British maritime code. Perhaps its a coded flag for Interpol Intelligence? Its colours are similar to the letter A flag. However its design is similar to the letter O flag, but the colours are different. The central flag above the entrance to the Krusty Krab are blue and white.


This flag could be a personal flag of Mr. Krabs? Perhaps its for a sound that is only made by Bikini Bottom dwellers - like a snapping claw sound?

Another oddity of the Krusty Krab restaurant is that the letter 'U' is hung upside down or the wrong way.

A final explanation for this discrepancy is that the population of Bikini Bottom uses their own code for these maritime flags. An example being, the Russian Navy, which uses the same flags in a different code.

KRUSTY KRAB FLAGS
with international standard meanings, explained (sort of)

Atlantic City Expressway Flag

Atlantic City Expressway Icon
with red flag in the center

A road with a flag? This is one road that can lead to a bust or boom, more often a bust. This limited access road was made in the interest of connecting the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area to Atlantic City - or rather to the hometown of Monopoly to the Delaware Valley. But due to a recent liberalization of Pennsylvania gambling laws - Atlantic City no longer holds a gambling monopoly on the Delaware Valley.

The logo of the Atlantic City Expressway features a life preserver with a red flag on a white hoist. The red flag shaped like a pennant shaped guidon - in a similar style to the Ohio State Flag.

Red is the colour of passion, danger, and excitement. This is a fitting for flag that leads to the unpredictable and dangerous hi-way of fateful chance.

Meaning of the Red Guidon
Letter B - International Maritime Signaling
Loading/Offloading Dangerous Cargo IMS
Letter N - Russian Navy
Explosives UK & Russian Navies
Going to Fire - Russian Navy
Expressway to Atlantic City - PA-NJ

The red Atlantic City flag is similar to the letter B or Bravo flag of International Maritime Signaling. Its secondary meaning is of a warning flag that means a ship is either taking up or releasing dangerous goods.

In the British Royal Navy it specifically refers to explosives, while in the Russian Navy it means the letter N and its secondary meaning is - I am going to fire off a shot or load ammunition.

Flag of the Enaran from - Star Trek Voyager

Flag of the Enaran
in a traditional Earth format

a fictional species from Star Trek Voyager

Star Trek Voyager was the fourth live action Star Trek television series. In this series the team is lead by female captain Kathryn Janeway - played by Kate Milgrew.

In one episode they come across an alien species who can share memories and thoughts telepathically - the Enaran. Upon the introduction of these species, the flag of the Enaran is displayed and talked about.

As it appeared in
Star Trek Voyager

The Enaran flag uses green, blue, black and light-indigo colour. It is similar to a vertical tri-bar with green on the outer bars and blue in the middle. There are also two thinner black vertical stripes that separate the three main green-blue-green bars. In the center is a diamond shape, fimbrated in a light-indigo. The left and right triangle ends of the inner diamond are counter charged to the background bar colours. The center it features a light blue hexagon.

The great coincidence about Kate Milgrew is like William Shatner - the original Captain Krik - she was the second choice to play the lead captain in their respective Star Trek shows. This proves that second place is sometimes better than first. Also Captain Krik was 'born' in Iowa, and the actress Kate Milgrew was actually born in Iowa.

Video about the Enaran with flags

First Flags on the Moon, planted by the Soviet Union

Soviet Soccer Ball Pentagonal Pennants

On the Moon in 1959, 52 years ago today
may have melted on impact

Although the United States was the first nation to have men walk, talk, and plant a traditional flag on the moon - the Soviet Union put their national totems on it first, when Ike was president.

52 years ago the Reds were able to chuck a man made thunderbolt to the moon, 10 years before moonwalk was invented. The craft was an unmanned vehicle - Luna 2.

The first vexilloloids on the moon were initially shaped like a soccer ball. When the 'Communist Soccer Ball' hit the moon the it was supposed to explode and release its pentagonal 'shards' at the landing site - the Sea of Showers. Whether or not the 'flag' shards melted - will be determined at another date, nonetheless Luna 2's mission to the moon was a cosmic goal for the history books. Also note, the Sea of Serenity is quite different from the Sea of Tranquility. In case you forgot, the Sea of Tranquility is where JFK's dream of landing on the moon came true, and where America pulled ahead of the Soviet Union, in more ways than one.

A month after Luna 2's smashing success, Luna 3 journeyed to the dark side of the moon for the first time, and boldly sent back images than have never been seen before. But mankind had to wait 6 more years before the first soft landing on the moon - 1966 with Luna 9. Since Luna 9 had a soft landing in the Ocean of Storms - Oceanus Procellarum - lonely red metallic flags have been collecting space dust for the past 45 years.

Adoption of the Confederate Florida State Flag, 150 years ago today

Florida's Confederate State Flag

adopted today 150 years ago today

The Confederacy had hundreds of flags under its name. There were three versions of the national flag, different battle and regimental flags, and perhaps the best remembered is the rectangular version of the battle flag. Remember that the battle flag was officially square - in theory but not always in practice.

The second version of the Confederate Navy Jack looks like the dominant modern version seen on the covers of books, posters, and pickup trucks.

Less popular are the state flags adopted by the individual states within the Confederacy. And it was 150 years ago today, that Florida adopted its own State flag under the Confederacy. It was basically the Florida Confederate Seal on blue with a mixed design of the first version of the Official Confederate Flag.

The rare 11 starred Confederate Flag
'at equilibrium version'
From July 2, 1861 to November 26, 1861

The first version of Confederate flag had four versions, that varied with the numbers of stars in the canton. The number of stars varied between 7, 9, 11, and 13. They were linked to the number of states in the Confederacy. Note that the Confederate flag never had an even number of stars - at least officially.



The seal featured a tree in the center by the shore. There are two ships in the distance. In front of the tree is a cannon pointing towards to hoist. To the right of the tree are a tepee stack of flags and pikes - on the far right is the Confederate Flag (eleven stars), while on the left you can see the Confederate Florida State Flag. To the left and in front of the tree is another tepee stack of four guns. Finally in the front foreground is a war drum and a pile of cannon shot.

In the ring around the seal is the Florida Confederate State Motto -
"In God is Our Trust."

Interestingly the Confederate Florida State Flag became official when 11 states made up the Confederacy. Over the course of the war, the Union only ever recognized 11 states as a part of the Confederacy. Before the end of 1861, two more states were accepted into the Confederacy - Missouri and Kentucky. However the Union never recognized this action, partly because the political efforts to join the Confederacy did not occur at either official state capital. Subsequently after the war neither Missouri nor Kentucky underwent Reconstruction.

So in a weird way the state flag of Florida under the Confederacy captures the eleven starred version of the Confederate Flag, before it had 13 stars. Eleven is also a point of political equilibrium when both the Union and Confederacy saw eye to eye, as to the number of states in rebellion. Also at this time, both the Union and Confederacy legally enforced and protected the institution of slavery.

The odd question is how many flags are on the Confederate Florida State flag? Since the seal repeats itself on the seal within - in theory it has an infinite number of Confederate flags. But in practice and reality there are only two flags on a Confederate Florida State Flag, maybe eight if you can sew real good?

The Confederate Florida State flag is the only 'US State Flag' to exhibit an 'infinite digression of design' since it features a seal that has its own flag on it - the inner seal has another pair of flags. Thus in theory there are and infinite number of Confederate Flags. It's like the phenomena of looking into two mirrors and seeing the an infinite reflection of reflections. But in the case of Florida's Confederate State Flag, the repeating flags would get smaller and smaller.

Ironically this design echoes of forever, is like a luminous shadow of the mystical fountain of youth.

The Florida State Flag with 11 starred National Confederate Flag
image is based on the flags as they appear
on the FL State Flag under the Confederacy