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Thursday, October 30, 2008
Persia as it was known, is a southwest Asian country characterized by mountains and deserts. The eastern portion is a high plateau with large salt flats and vast sand desert, while agriculture is largely concentrated in the narrow plains and valleys in the west or north where there is abundant rainfall. The huge oil reserves of Iran lies along the southwest, particularly along the Persian Gulf. The history of Iran has been plagued with a perpetual pattern of autocratic rule extending back to Cyrus the Great in the sixth century. Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi who ruled in 1941, just extended this usual reign, but initiated social and economic reforms financed largely by petroleum exports. The westernization of Iran was viewed by opponents as tainting Islamic purity and cultural identity, thus when revolution broke out in 1978, the Shah fled. Ayatollah Khomeini took over and imposed fundamentalist theocracy, and around 70,000 critics died in the process. The official state religion proclaimed is the Shiite branch of Islam. It is after the rise of Khomeini that the new National Flag of Iran came into being. The current Iran flag had been designed by Hamid Nadimi and was personally approved by the Ayatollah on May 9, 1980, but was officially adopted on July 29 of the same year. The flag includes three horizontal bands of green, red, and white, symbolizes vigor, peace and courage, with an emblem at the center expressive of the Islamic Revolution. The emblem is actually a stylist representation of the facet of Islamic life; Allah, the Book, the Sword, and the five principles of Islam. Kufic script used for the Qur'an also appears along the edges of the red and green stripes.
by: The Flagman
The strategic location of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, probably dictated its previous economic activity - pearl diving that abounds within the 33 islands of the country. Although since 1930, the oil industry has replaced pearl diving, Bahrain has emerged as a major communication and financial center. It gained independence from Britain in 1971, but somehow it caused the rise of conflicts between the ruling Sunni tribe and the Shiite majority. Despite the rigid Islam adherence of its neighbors, Bahrain is far more liberal and the culture is distinctly different. A new constitution was drafted and adopted in 2002, which provided for an elected parliament and gave women encompassing rights as they were allowed to vote and stand as candidates during elections. The new Bahrain National Flag is a direct reflection of the aspirations of the people to really blend with citizens worldwide. The national emblem had a white band on the left (the hoist side), separated from the red on the right side by five triangles that look like a serrated line. Red has been considered as the traditional colors of the emblem of the Persian Gulf states and the five points on the flag represent the five pillars of Islam. Being small compared to its Persian Gulf neighbors, Bahrain must play a delicate balance in its foreign affairs deals, or it could be swallowed by any of the surrounding countries. As it faced declining oil reserves, it has diversified to petroleum processing and has metamorphosed itself into an international banking center. The stability now experienced could be attributed to King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, who in 1999 pushed for economic and political reforms to improve relations among the ethnic groups.
by: The Flagman
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The inclusion of grapevines into the emblem describes the State Flag of Connecticut. On closer examination the state flag consists of a white shield with three grapevines and each bearing three bunches of purple grapes on a field of azure blue. While the state motto "Qui Transtulit Sustinet" (He who transplanted, sustains) is placed strategically below the shield. The Connecticut General Assembly approved the adoption of this flag in 1897. The original design of the flag actually comes from the seal of Saybrook Colony, having been established in 1639. When the Connecticut Colony finally bought Saybrook in 1644, naturally the seal was included in the agreement. Then on October 25, 1711, the governor and legislature of Connecticut revised the design of the seal, reducing the number of grapevines from 15 to three, probably to represent the three original colonies - New Haven, Saybrook, and Connecticut (Hartford) and still retained the original, but rearranged the position of the motto. Connecticut is a business-minded state, emerging to be having the nation's second highest per capita income. Several firms now involved in the design and production of robotic and fiber-optic equipment had now relocated to Stamford. While Hartford had grown to be the nation's insurance capital, had its headquarters rising above the recently cleaned-up Connecticut River, restoring its importance again as the spawning ground for Atlantic salmon. The oldest newspaper in the United States, the Hartford Courant (since 1764) is also Connecticut based and still being published. To be always conscious of its history, the people of Connecticut re-created the Mystic Seaport, a 19th-century port village and maritime museum, where a replica of the slave ship Amistad is its most popular attraction among tourists and visitors to the state.
by: The Flagman
The silk-road trading center, this used to describe Baku's Harbor, of the capital city of Azerbaijan and the finest harbor in the Caspian Sea. Gone now is silk trading and petroleum has driven its economy for the past 100years and had replaced the once prized commodity. Azerbaijan is located just south of Russia and is on the west coast of the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains dominate the northwestern part of the country. There are extensive lowlands, particularly at the south and west of Baku, the oil-rich capital. The autonomous region of Naxcivan (population-300, 000) is to the west and is separated as a chunk of the country by Armenia. Turkic tribes were the main migrants into the area from the 10th to the 12th century and by 1400, the Shiite sect of Islam had cohesively molded their religious inclinations. The 19th century saw the Russians lording it over, but later witnessed the emergence of a national consciousness and development of an oil industry. At the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Azerbaijan was the first to declare independence. Thus, the present symbol, the National Flag of Azerbaijan is actually the first borne out of the call for independence. It consists of three horizontal bands, reckoned from the top of blue, red, and green with a white crescent and an eight pointed star (Rub El Hizb) at the center of the red band. The eight points of the star represents the various divisions of the Turkic people, the blue band is the color of the Turks, while green is for Islam and red is for progress. Independence of the country also brought conflicts with neighboring Armenia, as war was waged over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
by: The Flagman
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The red "C" of the Colorado State Flag makes it distinguishable from the rest of the state flags of the union. Although the flag has three horizontal stripes of equal width of blue (top and bottom) and white at the center, still the big "C" catches your attention, together with the circular golden disk that makes it doubly interesting. Color blue represents the skies, the golden circular disk is for the rich minerals found in Colorado, and white is for the snow-capped mountains. The big "C" not only identifies Colorado as a State, but its color being red is a representation of the reddish Colorado River. The state's General Assembly adopted the flagon June 5, 1911, based on the designs submitted by Andrew Carlisle Johnson. However, the state legislature failed to meticulously specify the size of the "C" and the exact shade for the colors red and blue. Thus on February 28, 1929, the General Assembly dictated that the colors used on the flag, particularly red and blue must be similar to the colors used on the American Flag. And on March 31, 1964, the State Legislature further willed that the diameter of the gold disc must be equal to the center stripe. As an American, who would not be familiar with Colorado being the favorite vacation destination for families the whole-year round, with 26 million visitors making the excursion to the highest state. Visitors enjoy the expanse of the ski resorts and tourist centers, while others fill their adventure with a review of the wildlife habitat. Also the state is the gateway to aficionados engaged in rafting and camping, particularly the southern mountains. For tourism alone, it pumps in 7billion dollars to the local economy.
by: The Flagman
If you are an avid follower of the National Basketball Association (NBA), then the mere mention of Arizona would certainly be tied as the home of the Phoenix Suns, an elite basketball franchise well on the way in it's ongoing quest for a championship. Also Arizona had once been favored by people with asthma and other lung allergies because of its clean, dry air and abundant sunshine all throughout the year. A fact that is visually incorporated in the State Flag of Arizona that has 13 rays of red and gold (the conquistador colors and of Spain) on the upper half, also representing the thirteen original counties (fifteen as of last count) as well as symbolizing the scenic sunset. The rest of the custom flag has a blue color representing liberty. Arizona is characterized by ghostly cliff dwellings such as Canyon de Chelly that stand as mute witness to its history. Of Wupatki a large Native American thriving pueblo community, where thousands live some 800years ago, a series of areas that are nominally within a day's walk from each other. In contrast however, today the majority of residents reside within the confines of Tucson and Phoenix. The population of Arizona has ballooned in the last 20 years bringing the total number of residents to over 5.5million. Incidentally smog now shrouds Arizona as high-tech service industries and aerospace manufacturing have overshadowed the "three C's" - copper, cattle, and cotton, once the lifeblood of the state, although irrigation on areas with agribusiness stake remains intact. Due to the State being dry, the government had constructed the multibillion-dollar Central Arizona Project river diversion program to quench Arizona's thirst, and to relieve some other water needs.
by: The Flagman
Monday, October 27, 2008
It is interesting to note that the Papua New Guinea National Flag was designed by a 15year old (Susan Huhume) schoolgirl as the winner of a nationwide competition and was officially adopted on July 1, 1971. On the hoist side of the flag is the Southern Cross (a group of five stars) placed against a black background; and in the fly is a raggiana bird of paradise (found in the national Coat of Arms) silhouetted against a red background. Red and black had been the traditional colors used by many tribes, also the color of the German Empire's flag, which had colonized New Guinea before 1918. Papua New Guinea is an island nation in the western Pacific, whose history is a testament to years of colonization, but was eventually granted independence by Australia in 1975. About 700 Papuan and Melanesian tribes and as many diverse languages inhabit the island nation of Papua New Guinea, thus making centralized governance really hard and challenging. This island nation occupies the eastern part (western part is governed by Indonesia) and several small islands that include Bougainville and the Bismarck Archipelago. Characterized by a series of mountain ranges, rainforests, and swamplands is the habitat of Papuan and Melanesian tribes that thrives as subsistence farmers, although some grow cash crops. The nation is also found abundant with mineral reserves and petroleum, which could brighten the economic outlook of the nation in the future. For the moment, the economic activity of the island covers the industry of copra and palm oil processing, plywood and wood chip production; on agriculture, crops like coffee, cacao, coconuts, palm kernels, and poultry abounds; while it also exports oil, gold, copper ore and logs.
by: The Flagman
Act 383, a state law promulgated by the Alabama state legislature on February 16, 1895, adopted the State Flag of Alabama. It explains in detail, "the Alabama State Flag shall be a crimson cross of St. Andrew on a field of white. The bars forming the cross shall be not less than six inches broad, and must extend diagonally across the flag from side to side." As referred to in the law, the cross of St. Andrew is diagonal and known in vexillology as a saltire. It is explicit in Act 383 that the bars must be at least six inches wide, therefore duplicates of small or mini flags of the state of Alabama will not meet the legal requirements of the law. Alabama was the center of the "cotton kingdom" before the civil wars and probably due to its fertile soils it was home to five Native American tribes - the Creek, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Seminole. And today, Alabama continues to be at the center of a revitalized Deep South with Birmingham (the state's largest city) that leads focus on medical research and producer of steel, iron and coal. Industries that operate in the state include textiles and apparel, rubber and plastics, paper, chemicals, primary metals and also automobile manufacturing. In information technology, the Alabama Research and Education Network created the first state-funded computer network in the U.S. that links universities and school system across the state. Even with development happening at a fast pace, life in Alabama has remained tranquil and environmentally enhancing to the likes of literary figures Harper Lee and Truman Capote who had called the state home.
by: The Flagman
Sunday, October 26, 2008
The first settlers on the islands of New Zealand had been the Polynesian Maori who came in droves about A.D.800. These indigenous people ruled until 1840 when their chieftain entered into a covenant with Great Britain, with the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. This treaty gave the British sovereignty over the islands, while the local people retained territorial rights. And out of this new treaty, the British organized the first European colonial settlement on the islands. The British occupation in New Zealand resulted in the land wars of 1843 and 1872, which eventually led to the defeat of the local folks, ending as a colony of Great Britain. The association with the British produced the New Zealand flag, as a defaced blue ensign with the Union Flag in the canton and together with four red stars with white borders to the right of the flag. The stars actually represent the constellation Crux (the southern cross) as seen in New Zealand. This emblem was adopted even before New Zealand became a colony, as desired by an assembly of Maori chiefs in 1834. New Zealand though mountainous is a fertile land located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. A Dutch navigator Abel Tasman, who was the first European to set his sights on New Zealand describe, "it is a land uplifted high," with snowy peaks, fjord-scarred shores, and sheep that abounds the countryside. New Zealand evolved as a parliamentary democracy a constitution patterned after that of the United Kingdom, has stayed a self-governing British colony since 1907. It thus became a founding member of the British Commonwealth in 1926. As it is, New Zealand enjoys an export driven economy, with trading partners all over the world.
by: The Flagman
Three hundred thirty three (333) is the number of islands that comprise the Republic of Fiji Islands. Located in the South Pacific, the Fiji Islands lies abundant with beaches, coral reefs and gardens, and also rainforests. Most of the citizens live on the main island Viti Levu, where the capital Suva is also located. Fiji Islands existed as a British Colony for 96 years, until its independence was granted in 1970. As an independent state, the Fiji Islands Flag show British influence with the red, white and blue Union Flag of Britain in the top left hand corner and the shield from the Fiji Coat of Arms on a light blue background in the fly. The final design of the national flag was the result of a competition and won by the duo of Robi Wilcock and Murray MacKenzie. The first time that the Flag of the Republc of Fiji Islands flew was on Independence Day, October 10, 1970. As a British Colony, the Britons on the islands imported indentured servants from India to work as laborers in the sugarcane fields. During the entire British Rule, the influx of laborers were numerous and later settled on the islands to comprise the present day Indo-Fijian citizens that constitute 40% of the population. The Indo-Fijians are mostly devout Hindu, while the majority had their bearings as Christians. Owing to their difference in religious beliefs, tensions existed between the two communities that resulted in two coup-de-etats, one in 1987 and one in 2000. However, democracy was reinstituted in 2001. With an improved political climate, record number of tourists are now backed to the beaches and resorts of Fiji.
by: The Flagman
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Australia, the island continent is so diverse geographically that it is home to over 130 species of marsupials, including the kangaroos, koalas and the wombats. Located between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, Australia's landscape includes the highest mountains that are part of the Great Dividing Range that extends from the east coast from Cape York Peninsula and leads south to the state of Victoria. The majority of the citizens reside along the southeast coast, in centers like Melbourne or Sydney because rains frequent these areas, leaving the interior beyond the mountains arid or semi-arid. Mostly plains and plateaus make-up the landscape of the west; the Great Artesian Basin supplies underground water to an area that is otherwise classified as desert; vegetation is dense courtesy of rainforests in the far north, to steppes and deserts in the vast interior (called the outback by the Australians). A British Colony since 1788, Australia was a place of banishment for questionable subjects until its independence in 1901. As a new nation it needed an emblem, so from entries around the world, the ensuing Australia Flag was chosen and legally recognized. The flag is a blue field with a Union Flag in the canton (upper hoist quadrant), and a seven pointed star - the Commonwealth Star - in the lower hoist quadrant. A representation of the Southern Cross constellation made up of five white stars, complete the ensemble. Since the discovery of gold in 1851, Australia opened its doors for immigrants. The entry of immigrants into Australia has been the key to its development since 1788 in fact from 1945 through 2000 almost six million immigrants had made the island nation their home.
by: The Flagman
On the morning of April 26, 1986, reactor number 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, 80 miles north of Kiev exploded, in the process sending radioactive particles 3 miles up into the atmosphere and out over portions of Europe, Asia, and even North America. Ukraine was in the history books as the country that suffered the world's worst recorded nuclear accident. Not only did Ukraine suffer nuclear meltdown, it somehow experienced another meltdown, though this time its political. On December 1991, 90% of Ukrainians voted for independence, and in effect dissolving the Soviet Union. With the changing of the guards, Ukraine now faces the possibility of eventually facing the Russian Military head-on as it has an ongoing border dispute with Russia. The USSR flag has now been replaced with the official Ukraine national flag that was used for the first time in 1918 by a short-lived Ukrainian People's Republic. Article 20 of the New Constitution defines "the State Flag of Ukraine as a banner of two equally sized horizontal bands of blue and yellow in color." These colors had always been Ukraine's symbols that had its origins even before Christian times when yellow and blue were popular during traditional ceremonies, suggesting fire and water. With a fresh start, the new millennium brought Ukraine economic growth, with a vigorous industrial output and had curbed inflation. And in 2001, the country dismantled its last Soviet-era nuclear missile silo, paving the way for its plans to join NATO in 2002. Ukraine's steppe, the rich flatland that stretches for 1,600miles once made it as the breadbasket of the USSR, but also had large coal and iron deposits that feed heavy industry, particularly those of the Donbas (Donets Basin) and Kryvyy Rih regions.
by: The Flagman
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
1918 was the year the Astro-Hungarian Empire came to an end and the Czechs and Slovaks united to form Czechoslovakia. For the next 75years the country survived two world wars, invasion from Europe's powers, until the union was dissolved in 1993. Out of this break-up, the Czech Republic was born and conveniently used the same world flag of the old Czechoslovakia. The current Czech Republic flag in a horizontal band of white and red; and to distinguish it from that of Poland a blue triangle was added at the hoist side. The Czech Republic being an independent country in central Europe had the regions Bohemia and Moravia. Bohemia is a plateau surrounded by mountains and Moravia on the east is mostly rolling hills and lowlands. During the Second World War, the Nazi's invaded and annexed the Czech lands, while Slovakia became a puppet state of Germany, then the communists took over and followed years of uncertainty. After breaking the union with the Republic of Slovakia, the new Czech nation decreed and privatized state-owned businesses to as much as 80%, contrary to 97% state ownership under the communist regimes. As added measures, the country is reducing its dependence to the highly polluting brown coal as an energy source, and instead turning its sights to environment friendly nuclear energy. Tourism is rapidly improving as an industry, with millions coming to Prague to visit architectural relics of castles, palaces and spas. The economy has stayed vibrant, despite the political and financial crises in 1997 that somehow reduced the country's stability and prosperity. And finally the Czech Republic succeeded in becoming a member of NATO and the European Union.
by: The Flagman
Belarus or literally "White Russia" is in Eastern Europe characterized by lowlands, low hills and uplands. Forests drape one third of the land area and the Pinsk Marshes cover much of the south. Foreign powers Kiev, Lithuania and Poland dominated much of Belarus in the 18th century, but it was Russia who took over control of the country after 1772. The post war years were kind to Belarus as it undergoes massive heavy industrial development, which was concentrated around Minsk. But disaster struck in 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Facility, south of Belarus in Ukraine, and contaminated a third of the country. A meltdown that sent 70% of radiation into the territory that triggers high incidence of cancer and birth defects among the citizens. In effect, radiation rendered 25% of Belarus still considered uninhabitable. New hope came in 1991 with the granting of independence and with it a new Belarus flag was born. The national flag is rectangular in form consisting of two longitudinal stripes; two-thirds red upper and one-third green lower stripe; together with red-on-white Belarusian pattern that is one-ninth in proportion to the flags length and placed along the hoists side. The red color signifies the past history of Belarus, also of the Red Army, while green represents the many forests of the country and for aspirations about the future. With independence in 1991 also coupled economic decline, and to address dissent the government continues to stifle democracy and oppose the privatization of losing and non-performing state enterprises. Belarus remains heavily indebted and dependent on Russia for its energy needs and to this day aims for greater economic and political integration with Russia.
by: The Flagman
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The Zurich and London Agreement paved the way for the proclamation of Cyprus as an independent state, of which a Constitution was drafted and out of it the Cyprus National Flag was born. The official national flag had the map of the entire country featured with the inclusion of two olive branches placed over a white background, an emblem both signifying peace. Cyprus was the only nation that displays its entire country on the flag, except of course when the Republic of Kosovo adopted their current flag. The map on the custom flag is copper yellow, symbolizing the large copper ore deposit on the island (in the form of chalcopyrite) that obviously suggests the name of the country. The flag adopted upon its independence in 1960, deliberately used peaceful and neutral colors in an attempt to project harmony between the Greek and Turkish community in the island. But contrary to the desire of the citizens, Cyprus remained divided to this day, 37% of the island is with the Turkish Cypriots and the remainder is controlled by the Greek Cypriots. The rift started in 1974 and the United Nations deployed peacekeeping forces and patrols the dividing line and works to settle ethnic differences in the hope of re-uniting the island before May 2004. But, differences continue to haunt the peacekeepers and the Turkish Cypriots declared the northern part as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, while the southern part of the Greek Cypriots, joined the European Union. Although divided, the economy of the island draws revenue from its various export products (citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement), from its industry (food, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products) as well as agriculture (potatoes, citrus, vegetables, barley).
by: The Flagman
When scent of perfume permeates the air, think of Bulgaria, for its exports of rose oil supplies major perfume manufacturing firms around the globe. This is only possible because of the famous Valley of the Roses found in Bulgaria's central town - Kazanluk. Likewise, tourists flock to the resorts in the Black Sea and to Rila National Park, Bulgaria's largest. Located in southeastern Europe, Bulgaria is dominated by rugged mountains, and the Danube lowlands in the north that it borders with Romania. It is a least densely populated country, characterized by rich and flourishing farmland in the Danube Valley; 130 kilometers of sandy beaches on the Black Sea and a population of over 7million of whom 83% are Orthodox Christians and some 12% Muslims. Bulgarian's partially lean towards the Russians, because of the tradition of gratitude when they (Russians) liberated the country from almost five centuries of the Ottoman Empire. Thus after World War II the communists gained control of the country and thrives solely on the agriculture based economy until the 50's, when the Russians from the USSR helped in the rebuilding process. In so doing, steel mills, chemical plants and machine shops were constructed, which fed the economy until 1989 when communist rule ended and democratic reforms began. It was only in 1991 that officially the current Bulgaria National Flag was re-established through the tenets of the Constitution of Bulgaria and was confirmed only in a 1998 law. The flag is a tricolor composed of three equal sized horizontal bands (starting from the top) of white, green and red. The flag was first used after the Russo-Turkish War (1877-78), when Bulgaria gained independence, but was later replaced when the communists took over.
by: The Flagman
Monday, October 20, 2008
To our Christian brothers, Turkey is popular because of Mount Ararat the highest peak at 16,854 feet and is believed to be the resting place of the biblical Noah's Ark. Although this is debatable and is almost a myth, archaeological information on the subject, points to the stark place as the final destination of the Ark after the biblical 40days flood. At the foot of continents Europe and Asia, Turkey tries to be the bridge between western and eastern civilization. Istanbul the largest city in Turkey rests on the European side, and is considered to be the third most populous European urban area, after Moscow and Paris. Meanwhile the Asian side is dominated by the dry plateau of Anatolia; fertile lowlands on the coastal areas; and northern Turkey that suffers severe earthquakes. Turkey was the heart of the Ottoman Empire 600 years ago, it controlled vast areas in northern Africa, southeastern Europe and western Asia, only to fell to the allied armies in World War I. The Father of the Turks, Kernal, also known as Ataturk founded the republic in 1923 and envisioned to transform a conservative Islamic society into a secular westernized state. The country has an overall population of almost 73million and the citizens pledge allegiance to its national flag. The Turkey flag has a white crescent moon and a star on a red background and is called the Ay Yildiz (literally translated as moon star) or Alsancak (red banner) in Turkish. The complex origin of the world flag is ancient and uses the parallel symbol of the late flag of the Ottoman Empire, but was officially adopted in 1844 with the Tanzimat reforms, though shape, scheme and color varies.
by: The Flagman
The official National Flag of Albania adopted on April 7, 1992 is red with a two-headed eagle at the center and it is the only known emblem of its kind of a recognized sovereign state. Some attribute the creation of the flag as a replica of a similar seal of Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg, a 15th century Albanian patriot who led the revolt against the Ottoman Empire. The revolt resulted in the brief independence for some regions of Albania from 1443 to 1448. Albania is located along the Adriatic Sea in southeastern Europe. The narrow coastal plain is characterized by the presence of mountains that rises to over 6,500 feet, which covers almost the entire country. Though these mountains are rich in natural resources (chrome, iron, nickel, and copper), Albania could not tap the bounty because mining requires huge investment, which the country does not have. Due to this, Albania is considered the poorest country in Europe and the only one with a Muslim majority. The economic condition in Albania turned to worst after 40years of communist rule, which ended only in 1991. Adding to the economic turn around is the war in neighboring Kosovo that brought in 480,000 ethnic Albanian refugees in 1999, further straining the already fragile economy. Only the resolve of its citizens, particularly the remittances from Albanian workers abroad (mostly in Greece and Italy) had propped up the largely agricultural based economy. The over 3million residents of Albania made extra effort to sustain its growing economy through industry (food processing, textiles and clothing, lumber, oil); on agriculture produce (wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, meat); and exports as well (textiles and footwear, asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil).
by: The Flagman
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Legend had it that Vlad Tepes' (the Impaler) inspiration for Dracula had its roots in Romania, particularly the Bran Castle or "Dracula's Castle" that is spectacularly situated in the Transylvanian Alps. Although Dracula may never have stayed in the castle, still the legend persists to this day that it already becomes synonymous with the country. So, if Count Dracula was a citizen of Romania, then he must have sworn allegiance to the Romania Flag, a tricolor of blue, yellow and red. This color scheme has been mandated by the Constitution of Romania, vertically arranged and follows the sequence with blue at the hoist side. The flag though is coincidentally similar to the Andorra flag and the state flag of Chad . Romania borders the Black Sea Coast of southeastern Europe. The country is composed of three historical regions brought about by the presence of the Carpathian Mountains and the Transylvanian Alps; Wallachia in the south; Moldavia in the northeast; and Transylvania at the center. A former colony of imperial Rome, Romania under communist rule since 1947 is a producer of grains and oil is also a favorite Black Sea vacation spot. The people however, enjoyed little relief under communism and the country wallowed in foreign debts. To pay the burgeoning debts, petroleum and agricultural products were exported during the 80's, while imports were restricted. In turn this resulted in electricity being rationed, basic commodities was scarce, and there was marked decline in production. Then in 1989, a revolution ensued that resulted to the execution of President Ceausescu and his wife, thus ending a period of repression, deprivation, and ethnic discrimination. The succeeding democratic government labored under the massive foreign debt, levels of corruption that impede economic growth and nationwide sentiment and mistrust.
by: The Flagman
The lifeblood of Hungary the grand Danube River flows through its center, dividing the landlocked European country almost in half. This accessibility to the waterway may have prompted the mighty Magyars (Hungarians) to move to this area from Asia more than a thousand years ago. These hardy aborigines are distinct from the Germanic and Slavic races that surround them. East of the Danube River are fertile plains, while hills characterize the western and northern portion of the country. Hungary became the model for a hybrid communist rule, Eastern Europe's purveyor of "goulash communism," a blend of personal freedom, prosperity, and a free scent of free enterprise. So, while other countries in the regions suffered shortages, Hungary on the other hand had the upper hand with boutiques, cafe's and caviar sold in the streets of Budapest. However by the late 80's, reform minded Hungarians had lost faith in communism, particularly when met with sagging productivity and the highest per capita debt among countries in Eastern Europe. Thus in 1989 the government finally abolished censorship, dismantled the barriers along the Austrian border, and executed laws for the privatization of the industry, reinstated religious freedom and ordered free elections. Since then, foreign investment and private companies have flourished, the economy have grown strong and so far is experiencing low inflation and falling interest rates. Signs that Hungary is finally following a pattern to strengthen its resolve and fuel national pride. Hungary's National Flag, a horizontal tricolor of red, white and green, adopted as the official emblem since October 1, 1957 best exemplified the struggle for self-determination. The custom flag coexisted with the people's desire for change and has since stood for the ideals attained in the process.
by: The Flagman
Friday, October 17, 2008
Ask any child what he/she likes most in Florida, and the answer would be the Magic Kingdom - part of the Walt Disney World Resort that opened on October 1, 1971 in Lake Buena Vista, a few miles off southwest Orlando. The property is so huge (twice the size of Manhattan) and only about a quarter had been developed so far. The Walt Disney Resort had become the most popular tourist destination on Earth, it contains four theme parks, two water parks, the best in shopping and entertainment complex, 20 top of the line resort hotels and eight fully designed golf courses. If you're a retiree, then Florida would be appealing because of the mild to moderate weather and the miles of endless beaches fronting the Atlantic; then if on vacation, this is the best destination for you and your family due to many resorts in the area; and if you are contemplating of moving your family to a new city, then coming to Florida is the best option because works related to tourism abounds. Aside from Disney that contributes to the revenues of the state, other attractions like Sea World and Universal Studios are also tourist draws, and it somehow supplements income coming from agriculture, mainly from citrus fruits, tomatoes, landscaping plants, and sugarcane. True blooded citizens of Florida root for National Basketball Association (NBA) teams, Miami Heat and Orlando Magic. Fifty percent of the citizens of Florida are Hispanics (mostly Cubans) and all render allegiance to the State Flag of Florida, a red saltire (diagonal cross) on a white background with the seal of the State superimposed at the center. The flag had been in use since 1985 after the seal had been modified.
by: The Flagman
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The National Flag of Poland consists of two equal horizontal bands of white on the upper part and red on the lower half. These were ordained and defined in the Polish Constitution as the national colors and is witness to the country's various struggle for sovereignty. The shade of the Polish flag is relatively popular and two other countries sport similar arrangement, like the one that Indonesia and Monaco flies. The flag like its people though popular has made several contributions to world consciousness. Who would forget Pope John Paul II, if you are religious then you would know that his Holiness was the first prelate to occupy the highest seat of Roman Catholicism at the Vatican City that is not Italian by descent. And he made the Polish proud as he energized the religious community and sects around the world. Not to be left behind is the concentration camp in Auschwitz built in 1939 by the invading foreign power, and turned it into a human laboratory where 1.35 million Jews and more than 100,000 were experimented on and murdered. Then in 1947 the Communist took reigns of the government but it did not deter the citizens away from Roman Catholicism. And when conditions became unbearable because of soaring prices and tumbling wages, Solidarity (Eastern bloc's first free-trade union) was born. Thus Solidarity's popularity became the beacon for the struggle that eventually reached its peak when the first free election in Poland in more than 40years was held in 1989. Solidarity swept the elections, thus paving the way and moving USSR's satellite country towards democracy and free enterprise. It is written in history books as the first country in Eastern Europe to overthrow communist rule.
by: The Flagman
In Architecture the Greeks stand out as the source of all inspiration in the design of buildings, whether it delves into planning or the dictates of the ornament. The quotation "the beauty that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome" aptly describes the contribution of Greek culture to world civilization. A testament to the Greek penchant for design perfection are the buildings that were designed following the classical lines of Architecture characterized by the use of the Tuscan, Doric, Ionic columns and the proportions employed on the tympanum. When it comes to governance, the Greeks also gave us the blueprint for a democratic system of government. Abraham Lincoln's idea of a government solely devoted for the welfare of the people, by the people, and for the people may have come from the Greeks model, for who could otherwise envision an environment that is free, provided it does not violate existing laws. Culture speaks volumes of Greek influence as we are treated to the grief and sorrow in Greek inspired haunting drama's ending in tragedies. Music also had its beginning in Greek stage plays accompanying the execution of actors in live performances. Literature as well produced works that were the foundation of succeeding generation of poets and writers the world over. The craftsmen of ancient Greece may have inspired our veneration to a national symbol. To this day the National Flag of Greece could have evolved through the centuries, called as the "blue-white" is based on nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white and a blue canton on the upper hoist side corner bearing a white cross. Greek orthodoxy (the established religion), is symbolized by the cross and the stripe represents the phrase "freedom or death."
by: The Flagman
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Windmills and tulips describes the Netherlands, the original home of the windmills. And the tulips, well the Netherlands as well export billions of these bulbs annually, making the country the world's biggest exporter of this commodity. The Dutch has a saying "God made the Earth, but the Dutch made Holland" a statement that describes the will and effort of its people to protect the Netherlands against the onslaught of the sea. As it is 65% of the nation will be flooded daily because most of it is below sea level, so they have built 2,400 kilometers of dikes to shield the low flatlands, a form of defense and national undertaking that started some 800 years ago. The reclamation of the Zuider Zee created 165,000 hectares of land fit for farming - a precious commodity for a densely populated country. Owing to this magnificent feat, 60% of the nation is farmed, not just haphazardly but efficiently by just 2% of the workforce. A country located at the mouth of the Rhine River, the Netherlands is a gateway to northwestern Europe. Aside from agriculture, it also thrives on natural gas production that provided the funds for the country's subsidized welfare system; the continuing flood control efforts; for cleaning up the Rhine and North Sea; and restore damage to forests because of the effects of acid rain. The first ruler of the Netherlands was William of Orange, and out of respect for his involvement in the war of independence from Spain, the Netherlands National Flag adopted is a horizontal tricolor of orange, white and blue. But the hue orange tended to be unstable and turns red when exposed indefinitely, thus red was used instead.
by: The Flagman
The inspiration to Santa Claus reindeer may have come from Norway's Sami (or Lapps, the largest population of Arctic reindeer herders - some 30,000) society, the reindeer being central to their traditional nomadic lifestyles - though it has become nearly a thing of the past. Norway is partitioned by mountains, it has fjord-gashed shoreline that exceeds 21,000 kilometers and after the Vikings left in the ninth century, it has survived from the bounty of the sea. It has managed to raise the industry to new levels in fact its fishing flotilla hauls Western Europe's biggest catch. Obviously the bulk of the revenue for Norway is from oil and gas that was first drilled in the 70's in the North Sea, and this had been used to subsidize public health and welfare programs. The country has manifested a sustainable economic growth rate compared to many European countries owing to its oil revenue as the world's third largest oil exporter. At present Norway is luring tourist to its spectacular fjords by opening the 24.5 kilometers tunnel on the main Oslo-Bergen highway. The Laerdal tunnel, being the world's longest road tunnel in 2000 (a third longer than the St. Gotthard in Switzerland) is a tourist attraction in itself for it features immense caverns that were designed to simulate sunshine, to help refresh drivers and provide them amenities to pull over. The almost 5million citizens gives allegiance to the National Flag of Norway, red in color with an indigo blue Scandinavian cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag. The vertical part of the cross is designed off-center and placed nearer to the hoist side, similar in context to the Dannebrog, the Danish flag.
by: The Flagman
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Nowhere in the world can people see explosive geysers, or relax in natural geothermal spas, and witness glacier-fed waterfalls like the Gullfoss (Golden Falls), or if you are adventurous then whale watching will be best for you. All of these activities lure more than a quarter of a million visitors and tourists to the facilities in Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. Iceland boasts of the world's oldest functioning national assembly (Parliament), the Althingi responsible for approval of "The Law of the National Flag of Icelanders and the State Arms," officially promulgated on June 17, 1944, the day Iceland became a republic. The Iceland National Flag is as blue as the sky, with a fiery-red cross inside the snow-white cross, with the arms extended up to the edge of the custom flag. For the people of Iceland, the flags color is a depiction and vision of their country's landscape. It stood for the three elements that make up the islands. Red is for the fire produced by the island's volcanoes, white represents the ice and snow that covers Iceland, while blue is for the great span of the Atlantic Ocean. Due to Iceland's proximity to active volcanoes, all of the electricity generated to run manufacturing plants, lighting and heating requirements come from hydroelectric power plants and geothermal water reserves. Since glaciers cover more than 10% of the island, the Gulf Stream and warm southwesterly winds creates a moderate effect on the climate, so most of the over 295,000 residents occupy the country's southwest. Iceland's economy is dependent on the industry like fish processing, aluminum, smelting, ferrosilicon production, and also agriculture that provides potatoes, green vegetables, chicken pork and fish.
by: The Flagman
Easter Rising of 1916 is significant in the history of Ireland because it was the first attempt by the militant Irish Republican of a rebellion staged during the Easter Week to win independence from British rule. Symbolically, the flag raised above the General Post Office in Dublin in 1916 came to be regarded as the National Flag of Ireland and was later officially adopted in 1919 by the Irish Republic, during its war of independence. The Ireland National Flagis a vertical tricolor of green, white and orange. The color green has always been associated with Ireland as a nation and its inclusion in the flag represents the older majority of Gaelic tradition and the militant revolutionary groups within. Orange on the other hand represents the minority who were supporters of William of Orange (William III, King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1689 - Prince of Orange from birth). The white at the center signifies truce between the two opposing cultures, thus living together in peace. But, the design and color of the custom flag serve to symbolize the aspiration of hoped-for-union of different people and tradition on the island of Ireland. This testament is embodied in the Constitution of Ireland, as it becomes the right of every person of Irish origin to be part of an independent nation, regardless of ethnic origin, religious or political beliefs. Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic, which had coastal mountains in the west and interior agricultural lowlands, blessed with abundant hills, lakes and bogs. The Republic of Ireland occupies only about 83% of the Irish island, because Northern Ireland in the northeast opted to remain a province of the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
by: The Flagman
Monday, October 13, 2008
Legoland has reference to the lego blocks - toys developed in Denmark and had gained worldwide popularity, particularly among children. And together with its palaces, gardens and the creation of Tivoli in 1843 (a world famous amusement park) are the main attractions of Copenhagen (the capital) in the mainland of Jutland. It plays host to more visitors and tourists than any Nordic City. Denmark is in northern Europe, consisting of 406 islands and the mainland being Jutland. 64% of the entire country is fertile and among the flattest in the world, thus its main source of revenue is agricultural product - pork (meat products), fish and dairy products, which found a ready market since its membership to the European Union. This country served as the bridge between the European mainland and the Scandinavian peninsulas and has been a vital link to the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) defense umbrella since 1949. The Kingdom of Denmark is a constitutional monarchy, a system of governance that is as old as its symbol, the Denmark flag that dates back to the 14th century. Dannebrog (Danish cloth) or the Flag of Denmark is red with a white Scandinavian cross that extends up to the edges of the flag and the vertical part of the cross is designed closer to the hoist side. The cross design of the Danish Flag was subsequently the inspiration of other Nordic Countries. The legend of the flag and popular among the Danes, although many considers it as a myth; that during the Battle of Volsmerlaget (June 15, 1219) the flag fell from the sky at the critical time of the conflict, thus ensuring a Danish victory.
by: The Flagman
The Siniristilippu (Blue Cross Flag) is officially the Flag of Finland that dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. The flag is bare except for a blue Nordic Cross on a white background that extends up to the edges, with the vertical part placed off-center nearer to the hoist. Blue represents the thousand lakes and the sky, while white suggests snow that covers the land during winter and white nights of the Finnish summer. Finland covers an area of over 338,184 square kilometers, is low-lying in the south and center while mountains is in the north. As the territory lies in the Arctic Circle, it experiences long and harsh winters. The population of over 5 million is concentrated on the areas formed by the cities of Helsinki (the capital), Tampere, and Turku. Owing to its terrain coniferous trees inhabit the forests and with more than 180,000 thousand lakes, expect the winters to be really ice laden. So, the country maintains an armada of icebreakers to keep the ports operational during the long winters. The growing season is short, but despite it, Finland is self-sufficient in meat, grains, and dairy products. For several years, wood and paper based industries dominated the nation's exports, but metal and engineering industries are catching up and even surpass the forest industry in terms of revenues. Russian rule in 1809 broke six centuries of union with Sweden. And the Finns declared independence in 1917 but had to give up some parts of their territory to the Soviets in World War II. Once the USSR dissolved in 1991, Finland strengthened it ties with the west and joined the European Union.
by: The Flagman
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The "the battlefield of Europe" or "the cockpit of Europe" is the moniker of Belgium, because its history of being always on the forefront of conquests and epic saga'. From the 16th century until the Belgian Revolution in 1830, several battles between European powers were fought in Belgium. And even during the World Wars where it was invaded by Germany, it thus became the favorite arena for European powers, further strengthening its reputation. After the Wars though, Belgium has acquired a facelift, it became a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters. Other major international organizations also made Belgium their home, including NATO the defense umbrella of Western Europe. Belgium covers an area of 30,528 square kilometers and has a vibrant population of about 10.5million people. The population is diverse that led to the revision of the constitution, giving autonomy in culture and economy to the different federal states. It gave recognition to Flanders in the north with 5.8million people where the official language is Dutch; Wallonia in the south with 3.3million people and French is the official language; the Brussels-Capital region with 950,000 people where both languages are spoken; and a small German-speaking community also in Wallonia with about 70,000 people. Despite its diversity and long history of conflicts, the Belgian people stood by only one symbol, the Belgium National Flag characterized by three equal vertical bands of black, yellow and red, a design inspired by the flag of France, while the colors are from the Duchy of Brabant. The flag had been in use since January 23, 1831, after the Belgians gained their independence from the Netherlands in 1830.
by: The Flagman
Vienna, the capital City in Austria is a world center for the arts, splendid palaces of the Baroque Period adorn the landscape and as such headquarters for many organizations are aplenty. But, what makes Austria really famous were its son's, Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, or Johann Strauss to name a few, all giants in the field of classical music. Tourists can therefore visit the houses of these famous masters and reminisce of the era gone by. Like Austria's masters who had lived some 250 years ago, the National Flag of Austria is possibly the oldest national flag design in the world. Considered the oldest flag "in continuous use" is the Danish or Denmark flag, but it is at least a century younger. The Austria flag has three equal horizontal bands of red on the top and bottom, separated at the center by the white band. Legend has it that the flag was attributed to Duke Leopold V whose white battledress was drenched in blood in one of the fierce fights during the Crusades. When he removed his belt the cloth underneath was still white, and so taken aback by the sight, he adopted the colors and scheme as his banner. Austria is at the center of Europe and bordered by eight neighbors, it is mountainous in the south and west, fertile lowlands in the east are all part of the Danube River basin. Owing to its terrain, Austria is the most forested country in Europe, and the forest cover is steadily increasing, thanks wholly to the country's "green lung" project. Manufacturing as the lifeblood of the country, is powered by hydroelectricity and propel the nation's export trade.
by: The Flagman
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Mecca and Medina, two of the most-holiest shrines of Islam, and both are in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of the faith. Mecca is where the Prophet Muhammad received the word of Allah, and Medina is the place where the Prophet died in A.D. 632. Saudi Arabia then becomes the keeper of Islam's two sacred cities and the king is given the official title as Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Abd Al-Aziz bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud (Ibn Saud) waged a 30year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula and founded the modern state of Saudi Arabia in 1932. To this day, a son Ibn Saud Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz rules the country as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law. Since 1973, the government had used the official Flag of Saudi Arabia, which is entirely green with white Arabic inscription and a sword. Written on the flag is the Thuluth script, a shahadah or Islamic declaration of faith: "la ilaha ill allah muhammadun rasul allah" (there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his Messenger), and a sword underlines it symbolizing the importance of the inscription. Although custom green flags with Arabic scripts are quite popular in Islam, it does not bear the symbol sword and should not be confused with the Saudi Arabian National Flag. Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East and occupies most of the Arabian Peninsula, but sadly 95% of the land is desert. Mountains run parallel to the Red Sea and slope down to the plains towards the Persian Gulf, but amidst this arid feature, oil is found abundant underneath. Oil production has made this desert kingdom one of the wealthiest nations in the world.
by: The Flagman
Who can forget Pearl Harbor and the raid and bombing on December 7,1941, that officially marked the involvement of the United States in the Second World War. How the nation rose in unison, to provide the American Military support and logistics to finally emerge victorious. And how after it became a US colony in the 1900, Hawaii was developed and finally regarded as the premier summer destination of American Servicemen and tourists. Hawaii was once an independent kingdom (1810 - 1893), truth of the matter is it has an existing flag designed at the request of King Kamehameha I, composed of eight white, red and blue stripes representing the eight main islands. On the upper left corner is positioned the flag of Great Britain (the Union Jack) to honor Hawaii's friendship with the British. It is this original flag of Hawaii that was used even after it became officially the 50th State of the Union. Due to its strategic location, Hawaii became an important site for the US Military Base at Pearl Harbor, where thousands of military personnel converge as regular employees and those for their short R&R. In effect pouring in considerable amount in revenues to local coffers. In fact it is believed to be the number one source of revenues for the islands. Another source of income for Hawaii are the 6million visitors and tourists that come to the islands annually, the majority are from the continental United States and or Japan. They spend over 11billion dollars on the various attractions, resort hotels, entertainment and environmental trips to this tropical paradise. Films and TV specials were shot on location here, and shown worldwide. The memorable ones include the Elvis Presley concert and Hawaii Five O, to name a few.
by: The Flagman
A canton is a federal state in Switzerland and overall 26 cantons make up the entire country. Bern has been designated as the seat of the federal authorities, while the global cities of Geneva and particularly Zurich are the country's economic centers. Switzerland evolved as one of the richest countries in the world as manifested by its per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In terms of quality of life, Zurich and Geneva ranked second highest in the world. It is interesting to note that Switzerland uses a square sovereign state flag, only two uses this kind of flag, the other being the Vatican. The flag of Switzerland consists of a red square and a bold equilateral white cross at the center. The Red Cross symbol of the International Committee of the Red Cross has direct reference to the Swiss flag, only in reverse. The Geneva Convention in 1864 used the Red Cross on white background as the original protection symbol and was adopted to honor the founder Henry Dunant. Switzerland had seen a history of political stability and its expertise on high-end technology and commerce could help explain the Swiss phenomenon; a post war-industrial economy that catapulted the country to have one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. Switzerland had always advocated permanent neutrality and an elaborate civil defense mechanism and a strong military are behind this Swiss policy. And the Swiss government is firmly committed to world peace, thus it became a member of the United Nations in 2002. The global market is the target of the nation's economy, as earnings generated from exports makes up almost 50% of its revenues.
by: The Flagman
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
I can't hide the fact that when Italy is mentioned, supercars come to mind. Italy has been the source of these "super toys for big boys," the plaything of the rich around the world. So, if you see on the road model cars like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani and still a lot more, the chance of it being made in Italy is a high 90%. Yes, this supercars have come to symbolize power, speed, the best in aerodynamics and wealth because each is priced at a low 3 to as much as 15million dollars. If you are a religious lot, then the Vatican City would come next with the mere mention of Italy, simply because the Vatican City is the seat of Catholicism around the world, or as the official residence of the pope. It is here that people around the globe congregate during very special religious celebrations - the season of lent or perhaps the advent, to name a few. Then perhaps the Italy flag would be next in line as the symbol most sought after. The flag is known as La bandiera d'Italia, is also a tricolor, that features three equally sized vertical bands of green, white and red, the same flag adopted in 1948. The common interpretation of the colors is that green represents the country's hills and plains; white is for the snowy Alps; and red is for the blood shed by the heroes of the Italian Wars of Independence. But for the majority a more religious interpretation of the tricolor is made, green represents hope, white represents faith and red is for charity. This interpretation follows reference to the three theological virtues.
by: The Flagman
The flag of Sweden or the Sveriges flagga in Swedish has a color combination of blue with a yellow Scandinavian cross that extends the whole breadth of the flag. This color arrangement is believed to have been culled from the present coat of arms of Sweden devised in 1442 that of blue with a cross pattee of gold and patterned after the Danish flag. Blue and yellow has been the color of Sweden, dating back to at least king Magnus Birgersson's royal coat of arms of 1275. Sweden has always maintained a policy of armed neutrality that is why it never was drawn into war for the past two centuries. For the moment it has managed to keep unemployment at an all time low; Sweden has probably the lowest birthrate registered among countries in the world; and the lifestyle of its residents has raised life expectancy to be the world's highest. Success for Sweden has been attributed to the correct blending of socialism and capitalism, particularly relative peace in the labor front as cooperation between the government and labor union had been maintained. The labor unions in Sweden represents 90% of workers and to address labor unrest, the government levied high taxes to finance advanced social programs from education to health and child care and even subsidizing paternal leave. But, this has not been always the case, Sweden had also its share of economic problems. During the 80's, immigrants from Asia, Africa, Latin America joined the Swedish utopia that further put strain to an otherwise expensive social programs that led to cutbacks in 1991. Only stringent economic controls in 1994 eased the situation and by 1998 it has manifested signs of finally having a turnaround.
by: The Flagman
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Easily the most recognizable symbol of France is the Eiffel Tower, a reflection of the French technological edge at a time when most of the world is still grappling with the infusion of new development. In fact it this same technology that was responsible for the building of the Statue of Liberty at the New York City harbor - a gift from the people of France to the citizens of the United States. France is also known the world over because of the various wine and spirits that come from its various refineries. This is actually possible because at least 70% of the landmass of France is arable land and most likely the most grape varieties are grown here. Besides, the country is dependent on its agricultural products to feed its over 60million inhabitants, while the rest is exported to most of the countries in and around Europe. Of equal importance is the flag of France, which had its origin from the French Revolution with the final design being adapted in 1794. It consists of vertical bands of blue, white and red associated with liberty, equality, and fraternity, the basic ideals borne out of the French Revolution. Although the colors were probably derived from those of Paris (red and blue) and combined with the one used by the Bourbon Dynasty, which is white. For the elite, the rich and famous around the world, nothing or nobody beats Paris, the capital City of France, in grandeur, sophistication and style. Fashion trend around the world is dictated to by Paris fashion and the rest simply follow its lead, while maybe by association social sophistication comes natural with the French.
by: The Flagman
"Wir sind ein volk" or we are one people is the song that the crowds enthusiastically sang on November 9, 1989 as East Germans started demolition of the oppressive Berlin Wall (erected in 1961 to stop the refugees crossing to west Berlin), the single most important symbol that separated Germany. Then a year later, just after midnight on October 3, 1990, Germany was once again unified under one German National Flag, one people divided after the end of World War II and after almost five decades. The flag of the unified Germany is a tricolor consisting of three equal horizontal bands of black, red and gold, the official national colors. This color had played an important role in the history of Germany, and is blessed with various meanings. It signifies among others republican democracy formed after World War II and represents the meaning of German unity and freedom - not only for the country but also for personal freedom of the German people. Germany has evolved to be Europe's strongest economic and industrial power, and also ranks as the most populous country outside of Russia. It's over 82million inhabitants are diverse and occupies the fertile northern plains that stretch to the far south, up to areas bordering the Baltic Sea, to the central highlands and even the rugged and mountainous region of the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) and the Alps. For years, Germany has become a magnet for foreign workers as some 7.3 million had made it their home. German industry is known the world over, like car giants Daimler Chrysler and Volkswagen, telecommunications pioneer Siemens; or the high-end Transrapid System that uses the maglev railway technology and Nordex wind turbines a new technology developed that is absolutely environment friendly.
by: The Flagman
Monday, October 6, 2008
The United Kingdom is actually a union of four distinct nationalities, composed of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This union is aptly named as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, and flies a unified national flag known locally as the Union Flag or more popularly, the Union Jack. The current design of the United Kingdom flag was devised during the union of Ireland and Great Britain in 1801. Although the original union of Wales and England (1536) previously was represented by the red cross of Saint George (the patron saint of England), with the white edging and superimposed on the Cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which are then wholly superimposed on the Saltire of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland). In 1922 Ireland freed itself from British rule and seceded from the union leaving the volatile Northern Ireland who opted to remain as a province of the United Kingdom. As of the moment, the United Kingdom has a total land area of 242,910 square kilometers and a population of over 60million, about 49million of which lives in and around England. London the capital is home to over 9million residents. The word "industrial revolution" was born in Britain in the 18th century, thus making it the first industrialized nation of the world. The economy of the United Kingdom is dependent on its industry (machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, and ship building); agricultural products (cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables, cattle, fish); and exports (manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverage, and tobacco). Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy and the most important head of state is her royal highness, the Queen.
by: The Flagman
The Minnesota State flag is once again at the forefront of history making its presence felt as it plays host to the 2008 Republican National Convention. Of subsequent forays into national politics, John McCain will accept the party's mandate as official candidate and should he win, he will be the oldest President ever, serving his first term in office. Of equal stature will be his rival, Barack Obama who will be the first black President if elected, being also the first African-American official party candidate of the Democrats. This will be a toss-up of many firsts, as we delve into the first decade of the new millennium. The official venue of the 2008 RNC will be the Saint Paul's Xcel Energy Center from September 1-4. It is expected that over 45,000 Republican delegates will flock to the Center, composed mostly of alternate delegates, volunteers, members of media, and various party guests. Out of this convention, Minneapolis-St. Paul will be recipient of a positive economic boost estimated at 150-160million dollars. The state of Minnesota covers 225,171 square kilometers and a vibrant population of 5,059,375, and is the northernmost of the lower 48 states. The Great Lakes of Minnesota provides accessible waterway to the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mississippi River that emanates from here is the vital link that connects to the Gulf of Mexico. Although agriculture mainly revved up the economy, Minnesota (mid west) has now become a magnet for high-tech industries, while the 15,000 lakes attract summer visitors. This should be a plus to the thousand of delegates that will come for the Republican Party Convention, as they will be treated to the best amenities this side of the country.
by: The Flagman
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Every time I attend trade fairs, seminars, business conferences, I'm always very particular about the motif. And in most cases when such is in red and white, Monaco comes to my mind. You see, the Monaco flag is basically a horizontal representation of red on the upper part and white on the lower half, plain and really simple not even its country's coat of arms is added. I treat Monaco as something special because it somehow answered my childhood perception of a perfect monarchy. I think of it as the Camelot, with King Arthur and his Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot of the Knights of the Round Table. It describes of a time of tales and saga's, as if nothing could really go wrong. And all of this royal observation had been revived when the monarch Prince Rainier III came to the United Stated and married Grace Kelly, an American actress. Thus the fantasies of most women were fulfilled, and the plain Grace became Princess Grace and becomes the ultimate embodiment of royalty. Their story started with "once upon a time" and ended up with "they lived happily ever after," perfect just like in the fairy tales. But through it all, Monaco is a thriving principality with a population of just over 30,000 and depends solely on revenues generated by its resort facilities, beaches, hotels which are the favorite havens of the rich and the famous around the world. Anytime of the year, celebrities are seen cavorting on the resorts and trying their hand at the gambling casinos in Monte Carlo. All residents are exempt from income taxes that make the principality attractive to the rich. At present the monarch is Prince Albert, the second child of Princess Grace.
by: The Flagman
I was asked by an officemate to give pointers on what to do because he intends to buy a used car. We started with the usual banter like car make and model, then check the mileage, scrutinize the car's servicing, ask for experts advice on the condition of the engine, and last check the under chassis by raising the car on a hydraulic lift. After a while, here he comes again requesting that I accompany him to the used car dealer's showroom for he needs my opinion, considering that I've been driving one for the last five years. Of particular importance is he wants me to test drive the car that he had obviously selected. So, off we go. When we reached the entrance to the showroom, I purposely stopped at the foot of the tall custom attention flag that dominates the facade. There were five sets of attention flags colored red and white with the word Hyundai printed on either side. But, what makes it spectacular is its size and height that was about 25 or 30feet. This showroom emblem was visible from afar, just as we turned the corner still around 800meters away. The test drive turned out well as the car was already repaired and fine-tuned by the dealer's mechanic. But, still my officemate was adamant because the car is not American but is Korean made. This is usually the reservations made by would be owners, particularly on the reliability of the car and availability of spare parts, if such is not made in the USA. To allay his fears, I informed him that Hyundai is also American, because it has cemented partnership with American car giant General Motors Corporation.
by: The Flagman
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Since Christopher Columbus' discovery five centuries ago, and its strategic location and agricultural wealth, Cuba has become a coveted gem. And by mid 1800's its sugar production supplied one third of the world needs. And who could forget the Cuban cigar? Cuba is just across the channel from Florida, yet information comes in trickles maybe because it has adapted isolationist measures since it became a communist state in 1961. This single act of Fidel Castro sent over a million refugees to the shores of the United States. Thus when Fidel Castro resigned in February 2008, some forms of access was allowed, most prominent of which is the use of the cellular phone. When hurricane Gustav visited Cuba a couple of weeks ago, a major portion of its infrastructure were damaged, power lines were toppled, hundreds became homeless and flooding not experienced in its history inundated the countryside. Major consideration was afforded to its tourism facilities that have somehow injected fresh hope to the ailing economy, but Cuba is resilient, thanks in part to Canadian, European, and Latin American investments. Millions of tourists visit Cuba annually, to see the thousand species of plants and animals that are endemic only to the country. Plus, the nation is home to protected natural areas that take up about 22% of the countryside and is the habitat for crocodiles, flamingos, orchids and many more. Politically however, the Cuban Government still restricts human freedoms, although some religious concessions were restored in 1998, as Christmas, December 25 was reinstated as a national holiday. Thus when expatriates return home after almost half a century, they will find the Cuban National Flag, hoisted and waving to welcome the long lost son's and daughter's under a new atmosphere.
by: The Flagman
Have you ever been to Jamaica? I have and together with my family enjoyed what the island has to offer. It was supposed to be a business trip, but I've decided to bring my family along because it coincided with the incoming Carnival in Jamaica, a kind of celebration that tourists must not miss. We landed in Jamaica a week before the season of Lent and luckily we had booked our hotel accommodations in advance, otherwise we won't have a place to stay. Of great interest had been the traditional walk and street dancing participated in by actors and actresses scantily clad and gyrating to reggae music. But what caught our attention were the hundreds of stalls offering street foods that lined both sides of the street during the final event of the festival. It is not just an ordinary street food fare, but one sponsored by large hotels and restaurant chains in Jamaica. So, we tried especially the delicacy of the island, chicken and pork jerk together with the fruit juice in season. It was a hell of a delicacy, one that will truly satisfy your discriminating palate. Back now in New York, Jamaica seems to be etched in my mind because when I was watching the Olympic coverage on TV, the Jamaica country flag was obviously visible held by track runner Hosain Bolt after winning the century dash finals. Then again it (the flag of Jamaica) flew supreme as another athlete, now a woman won her track and field event. After a fortnight, the Olympics finally came to a close and I would finally be freed of Jamaica, but then hurricane Gustav came and devastated parts of the island.
by: The Flagman
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
After seeing so much of the devastation wrought by hurricane Gustav, little is heard about the Dominican Republic, although it was one of the worst hit. Unlike Haiti that hugs the limelight because of scarce food supply, this sturdy country in the West Indies simply moved and used all its resources to restore the damage brought by the hurricane. What makes this republic stand on its own? As history would have it, the Dominican Republic occupies two thirds of the Island of Hispaniola and is the second largest country in the West Indies after Cuba. Christopher Columbus came to the Island in 1492, colonized by the Spaniards in 1493 and on it built the first chartered university, cathedral, and monastery in the Americas. The capital, Santo Domingo was founded in 1496 and thus is the oldest European settlement in the Western Hemisphere. The nation became independent in 1844, but was initially governed by repressive governments and endured cycles of political instability. But today the Dominican Republic is a thriving democracy, economically dependent on agriculture (sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cacao, cattle); industry (tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel, gold mining, textiles) and exports (ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver and coffee). Like any independent republic, it has a Dominican Republic National Flag and features a white central cross that covers the entire breadth that divides it into four rectangles - top is blue and red while the bottom rectangles are red and blue. And a small coat of arms is strategically placed at the center of the cross that depicts an open Bible, particularly the first chapter of the Gospel of St. John. Further, white stands for salvation, while red signifies blood of its heroes, and the color blue is for liberty.
by: The Flagman
The indomitable spirit of a country and its people is best expressed in the Haiti national flag , for it admonishes among others, defense of freedom, independence and sovereignty. But such aspiration becomes a melodramatic rhetoric when the majority of the inhabitants are starving, when local agricultural products cannot sustain, and the country is sadly dependent on international food aid to feed the needy and hungry. Although the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization is in the forefront of extending help and introducing new technologies to avert food shortages, still the effort is not enough as clearly manifested by the rampant malnutrition on the countryside. Just last week, Haiti had been drenched by tropical storm Fay, and all its crops flattened and irrigation damaged by hurricane Gustav, making life barely tolerable on a country that survives on its agricultural production. As if one crisis is not enough, international food aid is again hampered by the erratic climatic patterns. July saw riots staged by the starved citizenry, and to quell such unrest World Vision International has vowed to send in at least 500 metric tons of food in August, while it was making strides, the hurricane came making continuation of the humanitarian mission almost impossible. Ministry officials had expressed apprehensions that the impact of the storms would be felt in the coming months, as local harvests would be meager affecting the earning capacity of the inhabitants and putting a lot of strain to a reeling economy. And to make things really worst as it is, tropical storm Hanna is brewing north of the Bahamas, while a tropical wave is developing from the African coast. Haitian's know that the worst may not be over yet.
by: The Flagman
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