Portland Flag Association Publication 1 Portland Flag Association “Free, and Worth Every Penny!” Issue 8 January 2006 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: The World’s Largest Kite is a Mega Flag By Mike Hale The World’s Largest Kite 1 that requires a 'string' with a breaking New International Flag 2 Some of this article appeared as “Flags in strength of 20 tons or a dump truck Some Flag Related Websites 2 the News” in the last issue of the Tabloid. to serve as anchor. Imagine a kite January 2006 Flutterings 3 Mike has been kind enough to flesh out the that more than a thousand people Did You Know? 3 story this month. —The editor. can walk inside of while it is held on A Finial for Maryland 3 the ground. Imagine the Mega Flag: the world’s Next Meeting Announcement 4 largest kite, flying over the crowd at Book Review 4 an event. Flags in the News 5 And then imagine the public gasps The Flag Quiz 6 of amazement as the kite slowly lofts into the air. From 300 yards away Reactions to the kite are profound. "It's a bit corny," said one observer. "But I got a little choked up. It's not just well engineered. It's a really beautiful kite. And being close to something that majestic -- and sym- bolic, you can't help but actually get a Mega Flag beginning to rise bit teary eyed." The "Mega Flag" is a fully func- tional, self-flying kite measuring 130 feet wide and 80 feet deep. That's an astounding 10,400 square feet!! The kite is an inflatable "soft" design with no sticks or spars. It was designed We do not consecrate the flag by pun- and constructed by Guinness Record ishing its desecration, for in doing so Holder Peter Lynn of New Zealand. we dilute the freedom that this cher- Over 1000 people could fit inside Imagine a kite the size of an Olym- ished emblem represents. — Justice (Continued on page 2) pic Swimming Pool. Imagine a kite William J. Brennan, for the Majority US Supreme Court Decision, 3 July If you wish to compliment the editor, or to contribute in the future, contact John Hood at 1989 503-238-7666 or [email protected]. If you wish to complain, call your mother. 2 Portland Flag Association Publication World’s Largest Kite New International Flag The Flag Research Center sent us the neva Convention signatory, can util- (Continued from page 1) following bulletin concerning an al- ize the Red Crystal internationally ternative to the Red Cross and Red and still continue within Israel to em- Crescent: ploy its own Red Shield of David symbol. The three symbols and the flags bearing them are subject to detailed restrictions regarding display in order More than Betsy Ross had to do! to avoid abuses by combatants dur- Kites and flags have many things in ing wartime. For example, no exact shade red is established, nor is the common. Materials, sewing, wind and inspiration. Combined into one On 7 December 2005, at an interna- size of the symbol on a flag specified, lest challenges arise about whether or product, it is magical. So what do tional conference, a new symbol was you call the science of the study of endorsed for use by the Red Cross not a given symbol was proper. The Kites? Well if Vexillum is the Greek and Red Crescent societies of the Flag Research Center will publish a for flag, one would think that kites world. It will appear as a flag (as detailed analysis of the whole issue of Geneva Convention symbols in a would have a Chinese or Japanese shown above) and as a logo on arm prefix. Not so. At the present it is bands, buildings, vehicles, ships, etc. future Flag Bulletin. The Geneva Convention of 1949 referred to as Kiteology. Huh? Kite- ology? Flagology? I don’t think so. which gives international legal stand- The kindergarten teacher was show- Everyone knows that scientific terms ing to the existing symbols—the Red ing her class an encyclopedia page most always come from the nation or Cross and the Red Crescent—will be picturing several national flags. She cultures from which that branch of modified accordingly. pointed to the American flag and study first originated. Therefore, I The new symbol, known as the Red asked, “What flag is this?” A little am coining and propose using the Crystal, is not intended to replace Japanese term for kite Ikanobori, since girl called out, “That’s the flag of any existing symbol but rather to of- our country.” much more has been written in Japan fer an alternative that will have inter- and the Chinese history is mostly national recognition. For example, it “Very good” the teacher said. “And mythological. The science would will allow an option for a country what is the name of our country?” then be Ikanoboriology. Just like that does not wish to choose be- “Tis of thee,” the girl said confi- Vexillology, it will illicit many quizzi- tween the cross and the crescent. dently. cal looks. It’s a flag, it’s a kite, it’s a Israel, which has never been a Ge- Mega Flag Kite, right here in Lincoln City, Oregon. Go to Some Flag Related Websites www.gombergkites.com and click on North American Vexillological Association http://www.nava.org World’s Largest Kite to see more photos and text. Flag Institute (United Kingdom) http://www.flaginstitute.org Flags of the World http://www.fotw.net Elmer’s Flag & Banner http://www.elmersflag.com Darwin, Northern Territory (Australia) http://www.nationalflags.com.au Flag Society of Australia http://www.flagsaustralia.com.au Portland Flag Association Publication 3 January 2006 Flutterings You Need to Know A Finial for Maryland We had a rather sparse turnout for or banners for display at civic func- Obviously Marshall Goldberg doesn’t the mid-winter meeting. Could the tions. Most rose to the challenge; have enough to do since he retired or the rain have kept Oregonians at home? however, they are generally poor ex- following would not have happened! — However, it did give the rest of us a amples of flags. Rather, they are lo- The editor larger share of the cookies, candy gos with the name and founding date and dipped Oreos that Vivian pro- prominently displayed, in some cases A doggerel to the tune of “Michael vided! And there never seems to be in colors not previously known to Finnigan” with apologies to Ted a lack of topical conversations, no man. Having said that, most are still Kaye, the creator of “Good Flag, Bad matter how many people are there. better than Pocatello’s flag. Flag” All’s Well That Ends Well Ted Kaye talked of a book he had Did You Know? just read about the Confederate Bat- (or Good Finial, Bad Finial) tle Flag (see the review elsewhere in The President’s flag dates from 1916 The Old Line flag without its finial, this newsletter). He also passed when President Wilson decided that No cross botonny atop its lineal. around a book by Evans Kerrigan, there should be just one flag, rather A mere oversight? No, a cardinal American Medals and Decorations, which than a separate one for each branch sinial seems to be a definitive work on of the service. It was dark blue That nobody can denynial. military trappings. Since he was charged with the Presidential coat-of- there for the Lewis and Clark cere- arms, the eagle facing the fly (and the (Begin againial) monies, Ted was able to provide an- arrows), and one star in each corner. ecdotes that did not make it into the In 1945, just before his death, Presi- newspaper. dent Franklin Roosevelt decided it was inappropriate to have just four His booklet, Good Flag, Bad Flag, is stars (they had no definite meaning, about ready to go to press and will merely balance) and began a project be provided to all NAVA members for a new design. On October 25, and for sale to everyone else. There 1945, President Truman adopted the Bad—Cannon Ballinial have been some changes compared new flag with 48 stars circling the to how it appears on the NAVA coat-of-arms and the eagle facing the website. hoist (and the olive branch). The flag John Hood used Ted’s booklet as a has been modified twice since to add training aid for a presentation he stars for new states. make before The Women’s Club of Portland on the day after our meet- In Betweenial—Black-eyed Susinial ing. The women were so responsive (The Maryland State Flower) that at the end, eight flags were dis- played and were readily identified as being “good” or “bad”! John also showed some Neighbor- hood banners to the group. Portland has about 92 legally identified neighborhoods and several years ago they were charged with creating flags Good—Cross Botonninial 4 Portland Flag Association Publication April Meeting Book Review The next meeting of the Portland By Ted Kaye rights activists in the 1950s, and Flag Association will be at 7 p.m., Book Review: The Confederate through the frictions of the past 50 Thursday, April 13, 2006, at Mike Battle Flag: America's Most Em- years. Hale’s house, 4904 SW Martha St., battled Emblem telephone (503) 245-5283. See the Coski shows how the flag “became Author: John M. Coski (2005) map below. an aggressively racist symbol only after World War II and the Civil John Coski’s significant achieve- We look forward to seeing those of Rights movement”, and explores ment: he has managed to bring a you that have been otherwise com- with great sensitivity how the flag has historian’s neutral perspective to an mitted, and hear some new war sto- two conflicting but potentially over- otherwise highly-charged contro- ries, see some different flags, and lapping meanings for its users: one, versy.