As a child, I watched movies on my grandma's black and white TV. That was way back when semaphores were used by navy personnel in signaling other ships using two
flags to communicate. The beauty of watching a seaman wave different flags in clock-like precision with a calisthenics-type of motion seemed so appealing. Well, at least at that time. Nowadays, it's hard to even find it in the internet. Perhaps a search in Google would yield the following description of a semaphore, "A semaphore is nothing but a term used in UNIX for a variable which acts as a counter. For instance there may be times when two processes try to access the same file simultaneously. In this event we must control the access of the file when the other process is accessing. This is done by assigning value to semaphore." What? At least I understand that the concept of signaling is there.
The semaphore flag signaling system is actually an alphabet system based on the waving of a pair of hand-held flags. Boy scouts were taught this skill. In those days, you can never be an Eagle Scout if you didn't have the necessary skill to communicate using this system. You will forever be relegated to the most honorable position of bearer of the troop flag. Nowadays, scouts simply use their mobile phones to communicate with each other. Even radio communication sets extensively used in the military have already been done with. How convenient is it to call headquarters and update them on the progress of the scouts' field training? Even on emergencies, dialing 911 is simply a breeze. Most of all, when taps has been sounded and the
American flag has been retreated from the flagpole, how convenient is it to lie down on your tent and dial Dominoes. "Can we have a pizza delivered please?" Ah, the beauty of scouting nowadays.
by:
The Flagman
