Editor's Blog May 28th 2012
Fly The Flag
The battlefields of days gone past were confusing to say the least, large formations of people dressed more or less the same, all carrying pointy things whose main function was to bury those pointy things as deeply as possible into the oppositions chest.
The confusion of the front lines with all its noise and smoke from the burning of villages and smouldering people, led to the development of a series of communication methods, with coloured bits of cloth to tell your own sub units to do something. Blue flag - Archers let fly, Grey flag with yellow spots - hack at the guys on the left.
It was only later during medieval times that flags as we know them now, denoted some rich, posh blokes lineage, which unified the troops in his employ, to fight for one common goal, which normally consisted of “see that’s blokes land over the hill? Lets go get it”.
With all these little kingdoms scattered around the area doing what they wanted in the rape and pillaging trade, it was only a matter of time when a richer, posher bloke decided that they should all unify under one flag, namely his.
Flags are powerful things. You can insult an entire countries population by burning their flag on live TV; there are many countries that have strict laws that carry heavy penalties for defacing, or even for allowing one flying on top of an official building to become tattered.
One thing, that I find somewhat irritating, is the fact that Spanish law enforcement Vessels break a little known bit of nautical etiquette, regarding flags in a fishy environment.
The vessels country of origin flag will always fly as close to the stern as possible, with the main mast being left for the countries Courtesy flag, when navigating in waters that are not your own. In most cases I have always seen nothing but the Spanish flag flying from the main mast. (A personal thought is that they should be flying the Jolly Roger)
Flags, at least for the coming weeks, are going to be important. With a Royal visit in the next couple of weeks it will give us the opportunity to rally under one banner and show anyone who is looking that we have chosen our flag, and our flag does not have any yellow in it.
Fly the flag.
Ed.
