To me, the Union Jack is right up there with the SC State Flag as one of the most appealing flags ever. The US flag is, of course, the world’s most stirring to me, but it might be just a sentimental favorite. I think it’s the most beautiful in the world, but there’s no way for that to be an objective assessment. I associate it with all kinds of good things — such as the Republic for which it stands, the Constitution and stirring music and such, from the deeply meaningful (such as the greatest news photograph of all time) to the merely fun — to the point that I’m prejudiced. I’m not positive it would be one of my favorites, esthetically speaking, if I’d never seen it before. Or maybe it would — impossible to say. It’s not like I can wipe my mind clean and UNrecognize it, so as to evaluate fairly.
For that matter, while I have a lot of negative associations with it (and some positive ones, too), I think the Confederate flag we fight over is one of the most appealing, too. I’m talking pure esthetics, remember, setting associations aside. Something about the symmetry of the St. Andrew’s Cross gives it some of the same appeal as the Union Jack. Of course, symmetry isn’t everything — the crescent moon that throws off the symmetry on the SC state flag gives it just the right touch; the flag would lose much without it. Of course, what really makes the state flag is the little bit of white on indigo blue. I wish we used that more. I wish our license plates were solid dark blue with white letters (and maybe a small palmetto tree between the letters and numbers), which would be way classier than what we’ve got.
In fact — and this may be the most controversial statement I’ve ever made on the blog — I sort of wish that USC’s colors were indigo and white. On one level, that would be a smart move for the university, positioning it clearly as South Carolina’s flagship university. On another, however, it would be career suicide for anyone associated with the university to suggest it.
But back to the Union Jack — that is the way to use a St. Andrew’s Cross. I think the addition of the St. George’s makes all the difference, elevating it way above the Confederate image. The added complexity, or all that additional white, or something, just adds up to perfection.
Anyway, the people who watched the Royal Wedding were probably watching for other things. Me, I didn’t watch it. But without trying, I’ve seen images — on TV at Yesterday’s at lunch today, on a co-worker’s computer, and so forth. And two things have occurred to me. One, I Tweeted out this afternoon:
Prince William, it seems, has more uniforms in his closet than Glenn McConnell does…
Five reTweets on that one so far, I see…
The other was when I saw image number 26 on this CNN gallery (I don’t want to get in trouble with Getty by posting it, and there’s no direct link provided, hence the indirect reference) on Lora’s desktop this afternoon.
All the Union Jacks you could want to see, right there on the Mall (where I was myself recently).
Huzzah, say I.
Or is THIS the handsomest flag ever?
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I do love the SC flag best, although it is not as clean graphically as the Union Jack or the Confederate flag. The Canadian flag is great, too. Germany– I love me some eagles. Those three color stripe jobbies–yawn, and all those flags that have some complicated seal on them…too fussy!
Dang it! The picture I was trying to point you to (and which won’t let me link directly) is now number 27 in the CNN gallery, rather than 26.
To be precise, it’s the one with this cutline:
“Well-wishers with flags and banners surge along the Mall behind the police near Buckingham Palace.”
I don’t like the German colors.
And the French flag? Too plain, too unimaginative. (Although I give them credit for the red, white and blue, which are pretty much ideal flag colors.) Same deal with all three-broad-stripe flags. Such as the German.
I’ve always thought it was interesting that the image of the SC flag you’ve displayed had become the “official” depiction of our flag, even though that’s not the design on the actual state flag.
SC.gov uses the same image: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/studentpage/coolstuff/seal.shtml
But the design of the palmetto tree on the flag flying above the State House is more complex. See this image: http://www.stainlessbanners.com/photos/sc-state.jpg
Here’s a pic of the flag flying on the dome, where you can see it’s the second image: http://fitsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/sc-state-house-dome-with-flag.jpg
Just find it interesting that this image has become ubiquitous, but seems to be wrong (but maybe I’m missing something).
Norway flag is a nice flag. And with just the design, the Nazi flag is actually a clean looking flag.
I’m an Anglophile, I admit it. I like the flag and used to have one on the wall of my classroom (thought a student did ask me one time if it was a Confederate flag).
I didn’t get up in time to watch the wedding, but I just watched a few clips on the news.
I am such an emo geek. Sat there with tears rolling down my face remembering Princess Diana’s and Prince Charles’ wedding.
And, in all fairness, I was still sniffling from the reports on the tornadoes.
Very emotional day all around.
I dunno. Looks kinda Muslim to me.
If you can look at the Nazi Germany flag without the context of the horrific nature of that ghastly regime you’d see an incredibly powerful and stately flag. But of course it’s impossible to do that. All we will ever see is ugliness in that flag.
As an outsider I have always questioned the whole garnet and black look of USC. Its hardly memorable; in fact it seems like half the SEC is similar – at least among the “west” teams.
Indigo and white would certainly trump NC’s sky blue, too.
I think you are on to something here. Only CT, Penn St and Utah St use similar colors as well. Historical and unique – a great combination!
Plus, the palmetto and moon would be much better graphically than the caged chicken logo now in use.
And the fighting gamecocks could still survive – as a reference to the Patriots of the Revolutionary War.
Anyone catch the 2 part Smithonian Channel doc based on Jim Webb’s book “Born Fighting”? It’s the history of Scots-Irish influence on American culture.
When discussing the Scots-Irish role in the Civil War, it’s pointed out the Confederate flag is based on a Scottish saltire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Scottish_Flag_-_detail.JPG
Personally, I’ve always liked Brazil’s and South Korea’s flags.
If you like UK’s flag, then you should love Hawaii’s flag: http://www.50states.com/flag/hiflag.htm Burl, your thoughts?
Alaska’s flag is simple with the “Big Dipper” http://www.50states.com/flag/akflag.htm
New Mexico is simple: http://www.50states.com/flag/nmflag.htm
There’s Texas, the Lone Star state: http://www.50states.com/flag/txflag.htm
Arizona is something to consider: http://www.50states.com/flag/azflag.htm
California? http://www.50states.com/flag/caflag.htm
Colorado? http://www.50states.com/flag/coflag.htm
But I do have a personal prejudice for South Carolina’s flag: http://www.50states.com/flag/scflag.htm. SC’s flag is rooted in history. Except for eight months, I lived my entire life in South Carolina. I also share a date with South Carolina history: South Carolina became the eighth state to join the United States on May 23, 1788. No, I’m not that old, but my birthday is May 23rd.
Of the other states, meh. The majority of the other states have their Coat of Arms or State Seal on their flag, which is overly complex.
Reference link: http://www.50states.com/flag/
Okay Brad,
I clicked on the link and I saw CNN’s photos of the Royal Wedding of Bill & Kate.
Thursday, I tweeted: “NBC @todayshow is in London and not at @NASAKennedy for #STS134 launch. What’s the big deal that’s happening in London?”
I got this response: “@ralphhightower some dude’s getting married.”
Unfortunately, Endeavour did not launch yesterday. Monday is a possibility if the reason for the launch scrub is a simple problem to fix.
AZ Representative Gabrielle Giffords gets it. She understands that NASA is not a job program for Florida, Texas, Louisana, or Utah! It is America’s Space Program.
Senators are not rocket scientists! So why are they telling NASA how to design a rocket? Case in point: the Senate Launch System explained on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2HeHfVSybo
I would at least like to see USC wear SC Flag patches on their team uniforms. I am also partial to the Swedish flag for various reasons. Is there any other flag that captures the physical characteristics of its people so well? What is the stereotypical Swede, blond hair and blue eyes.
BBC does export some great programs over to “the state”: Top Gear and Doctor Who.
Top Gear is an entertaining program to watch. There are three guys that review cars, have challenges issued to them (sort of like Survivor). I would compare the three hosts of Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond, to the Three Stooges. They bicker with each other, but the show is so entertaining.
Doctor Who. SC ETV rebroadcast this ongoing series for a while. With the advent of a smorgasbord of channels on cable, BBC America is now a staple on cable channels. I liked the prior doctor, David Tennant with his companion, Donna Noble. The interaction with the new doctor, played by Matt Smith, with Amy Pond is dynamic and exciting. Then there’s the wild card tossed in with River Song (who was a prior actor on ER). We just saw last year’s retrospective on TiVo. Last year was an exciting series.
For the first time in Doctor Who history, Doctor Who was filmed in America. Part 1 aired last Saturday; Part 2 airs tonight.
Oh, America exported a program over to the UK. How many spinoffs of Law and Order can there be?
Well, there’s Law and Order-UK. My wife’s hooked on the Law and Order series and now, she’s hooked on the UK version.
During my one semester at USC in 1971, after having graduated from HS in Hawaii, I had a Hawaiian flag on my cell wall (dorm, I mean — I say cell because, well, I lived in the Honeycombs). There was a guy on my floor from Manchester who popped his head in as he was passing my open door to ask, “What’s with the Union Jack?” I guess he was thinking there was a second Brit on the floor.
I explained that it stood for Hawaii, at which point he observed, “Oh, yes — Captain Cook, Sandwich Islands, all that.” He nodded, having placed the flag in his mind within its proper context of the Empire, and left.
Ah. The Honeycombs. Truly a cell-like place but hardly for monks. 🙂
From The Grateful Dead, “Standing on the Mooon,” “… planted long ago, Old Glory standing stiffly, crimson, white, and indigo”