Vexillology

I learned a new word today; it means “the study of flags”. I was pointed to a cool site by a Plastic post, New EU Logo Looks Like TV Test Pattern about an article pointing out EU may get new ‘bar-code’ logo on Ananova. The logo has not been accepted yet (nor is it likely to be, if you look to the left). The current logo is 12 stars in an circle (like a clock face) over a blue background. EU rejects call to change flag (also on Ananova) reports:

“All the ideas put forward at our meeting have been welcomed with interest, but we did not commission a design for a new flag and there is no intention of replacing the current one” said a Commission spokesman.”

One of the Plastic posts pointed out The world’s flags given letter grades, which grades every flag in the world by several criteria, like “Rule 1: Do not write the name of your country on your flag” or “Rule 3: Do not use a tricolour unless you are in Europe”. Read up on his methodology before heading over to the grades (sorted by name or grade).

Notably, Pakistan, Switzerland and Turkey all got an A. China got a B (“too many stars”). Only 3 flags got an F: Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands and Northern Mariana Islands. Take a look. The grade is well deserved in all three cases. They all look like some potentate’s cousin who got kicked a bit too hard during milking one morning “won” the contract to design their flags. The United States got a C+, rated as “too many stars” and “too busy”.