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Saturday, September 22, 2012

Pinball Bumper Flags from Xanadu 1980



Xanadu 1980 - Gene Kelly with pinball popped with flags
The most unique flags from Xanadu appear during the musical number All Over the World with music by the Electric Light Orchestra.  In a fanciful dance sequence, Gene Kelly shrinks down to the size of a goomba and able to dance on a pinball machine.  When he - Danny McGuire - hits the mushroom bumpers, bunches of flags and sparkle dots spring out.


Gene Kelly looking at the pinball mushroom bumper that sparkles with flags
The first mushroom bumper flags are turquoise-teal and the second group are violet-purple.  The shapes of flags vary from square, rectangle, or guidon with slightly different shades of the associated pop bumper. 

Remember that primitive forms of pinball were played in the 1700s - so chances are George Washington was familiar with the game, likewise pinball was certainly a favorite of the geeky Benjamin Franklin.   No doubt in the 2200s fantastic versions pinball will be played in ways we can't yet imagine.  Would anyone like to play Zero-G pinball?   

Nonetheless electric pinball - which is a very very primitive version of a video game - got its big break in 1933 in California, Los Angeles with a game called Contact.  Coincidentally the film Xanadu takes place in Los Angeles.   Although pinball originates in Europe during the 1600s, electric pinball is an American Invention/Pastime of the 1900s. 


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Friday, September 21, 2012

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

International Maritime Nautical Flags Expanded 10 to 31

Chart of International Maritime Nautical Flags Expanded 10 to 31

Bush, Plains, Forest Fire Alert Flag

Forest Fire Alert Flag

This flag is a warning flag that wild fires are ongoing. Wild fires can be on the plains, woods, forests, or anywhere in the bush.

The colours of this flag are red, yellow, black and white. The flag has a red frame and checker pattern of two black squares, one white square and one yellow square.