ukelele lady Posted June 15, 2010 Share Posted June 15, 2010 I know the England flag is everywhere at the moment but I've just bought two coffee mugs with the union jack on and it's been printed on upside down . Ok I'll forgive them if they were made in China but you'd be amazed how many people hang them up upside down especially at these 40s events where they should know better. Isn't it supposed to be an insult to the Queen, so I was once told. :o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vox Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 An upside down Union Flag is a subtle distress signal. If it is flown over a military position in battle, only our own forces (hopefully) would notice that the position was in trouble. There have been a few cock-ups made by "those who should know better" over the years. Notably Downing street once had an "upside down flag" at the signing of a trade agreement with the Chinese. Perhaps it was a discreet signal by Mandelson that he was feeling out of his depth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike142sl Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 I know the England flag is everywhere at the moment but I've just bought two coffee mugs with the union jack on and it's been printed on upside down . Is it printed with some form of 'pole' as that is the only way of working out if it's upside down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukelele lady Posted June 16, 2010 Author Share Posted June 16, 2010 Is it printed with some form of 'pole' as that is the only way of working out if it's upside down. No there's no pole attached to it but it is plainly upside down as with the one in vox's picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukelele lady Posted June 16, 2010 Author Share Posted June 16, 2010 Is it printed with some form of 'pole' as that is the only way of working out if it's upside down. I'll try again to post it as it didn't print it how I wanted it to the last time. Right way Wrong way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiginc Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 I'll try again to post it as it didn't print it how I wanted it to the last time. Right way Wrong way Thats it broad white stripe to the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 Mike is a scout so I agree with him, - it depends where the flagpole is. The one marked "right way" assumes the pole is on the left, so that the thick white stripe is on tiop in the top quadrant closest to the pole. The one marked "wrong way" is wrong if the pole is on the left, - but wouldn't it be correct if the pole was on the right? Amazingly, even a much simpler flag design like the French tricoloure can be flown back to front! Here the colours are blue, white then red going outwards from the pole, and never the other way around. Also, if you turn the flag "upside down" by "rotating it 180 degrees", due to its symmetry wouldn't it look exactly the same, or would you have to "flip it over" to do that? look at how those narrow and broad white bands are arranged. I don't think the 2 ways of turning the flag upside down have the same effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vox Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 Mike is a scout so I agree with him, - it depends where the flagpole is. ==================== Also, if you turn the flag "upside down" by "rotating it 180 degrees", due to its symmetry wouldn't it look exactly the same, or would you have to "flip it over" to do that? look at how those narrow and broad white bands are arranged. I don't think the 2 ways of turning the flag upside down have the same effect. Both ways result in it being upside down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike142sl Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 The flag has to be attached to something to be able to determine if it's upside down or not. (DaveH has got the idea) so if it's just printed on something like a mug without any indication of which side is the 'pole' side then it is not possible to state it is upside down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vox Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 The flag has to be attached to something to be able to determine if it's upside down or not. (DaveH has got the idea) so if it's just printed on something like a mug without any indication of which side is the 'pole' side then it is not possible to state it is upside down. Yes, that's why I "painted" a flag pole onto the rotations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilldweller Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 The flag has to be attached to something to be able to determine if it's upside down or not. (DaveH has got the idea) so if it's just printed on something like a mug without any indication of which side is the 'pole' side then it is not possible to state it is upside down. Whether the flag-pole is on the left or the right, if your lap is full of hot tea, then the mug is upside down ! HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Yes, that's why I "painted" a flag pole onto the rotations. Flipping it over certainly turns it upside down. But when you rotated it 180 you rotated the pole with it. If you rotate just the flag 180, then rejoin it to the pole (which remains on the left) then it doesn't seem to be upside down even though you have technically turned it upside down. The position of the pole does seem to be very important in all this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Whether the flag-pole is on the left or the right, if your lap is full of hot tea, then the mug is upside down ! HD Is the small Union Jack in the top left corner of the antipodean Australian and New Zealand flags upside down? They have been rotated 180 degrees by taking them half way around the world ...Over to our antopedian member THYLACINE on that one. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukelele lady Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Whether the flag-pole is on the left or the right, if your lap is full of hot tea, then the mug is upside down ! HD Nice one HD, that made me laugh. he he Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukelele lady Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Mike is a scout so I agree with him, - it depends where the flagpole is. The one marked "right way" assumes the pole is on the left, so that the thick white stripe is on tiop in the top quadrant closest to the pole. The one marked "wrong way" is wrong if the pole is on the left, - but wouldn't it be correct if the pole was on the right? Well the flags are flying tonight but it has nothing to do with whether it has a pole on it or not, the broad white strip should always be on the top left hand side facing the public. Whether it be on a tee-shirt, cushion cover , a flag hung from the bedroom window with no pole attached. . . . or a coffee cup. Cheers. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 Well the flags are flying tonight but it has nothing to do with whether it has a pole on it or not, the broad white strip should always be on the top left hand side facing the public. Whether it be on a tee-shirt, cushion cover , a flag hung from the bedroom window with no pole attached. . . . or a coffee cup. Cheers. I was taught this same rule at school. But the rule assumes that the pole is on the left of the flag. In fact, all pictures of flags make the assumption that the pole is on the left as you look at it. Take, for example the one you can't miss at the moment, the South African flag. That triangular chevron bit always tapers away from the pole, never towards it. Now, if I was stood "behind" the Union Flag as it were, so that I saw it with the pole on the right, then I would expect to see the broad white stripe on top in the top RIGHT corner rather than the left as this would still be the top corner NEAREST THE POLE. In this position I still would not see the flag as being hung "upside down" and would consider it to be the right way up correctly displayed even though it doesn't conform to the "broad white stripe in the top left corner as you look at it" rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukelele lady Posted June 18, 2010 Author Share Posted June 18, 2010 I was taught this same rule at school. But the rule assumes that the pole is on the left of the flag. In fact, all pictures of flags make the assumption that the pole is on the left as you look at it. Take, for example the one you can't miss at the moment, the South African flag. That triangular chevron bit always tapers away from the pole, never towards it. Now, if I was stood "behind" the Union Flag as it were, so that I saw it with the pole on the right, then I would expect to see the broad white stripe on top in the top RIGHT corner rather than the left as this would still be the top corner NEAREST THE POLE. In this position I still would not see the flag as being hung "upside down" and would consider it to be the right way up correctly displayed even though it doesn't conform to the "broad white stripe in the top left corner as you look at it" rule. Wow Dave, you make a simple thing very complicated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike142sl Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 But the rule assumes that the pole is on the left of the flag. That's the problem with assumptions - they can sometimes be wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Wow Dave, you make a simple thing very complicated. That's the trouble with me ukelele lady, Nothing is ever simple. :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bayleaf Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 In view of England's showing so far, is it possible to fly the St. George's flag upside down as a distress signal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart0742 Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 I was taught this same rule at school. But the rule assumes that the pole is on the left of the flag. Does it not depend on which way the wind is blowing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 In view of England's showing so far, is it possible to fly the St. George's flag upside down as a distress signal? I think the St. George flag is a bit too symetrical to fly upside down, - it would just look the same. That's another thing that foreigners don't understand about our country. It's England that are playing in the World Cup, - so quite rightly the fans are carrying the English St. George cross flag. Its only foreign companies (like Chinese coffee mugs) that are incorrectly using the Union Flag, which represents the United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and not just England. Most foreigners cannot distinguish precicely between the meaning of England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland Ireland Eire (the Irish Republic) United Kingdom Great Britain Britain British Isles I'm not so sure a lot of people that live here can either. If someone asks you your nationality what would you say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Does it not depend on which way the wind is blowing Yes it does, The "rule" once again ASSUMES it is blowing from left to right so that the flag is to the right of the pole (pole on the left) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike142sl Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 If someone asks you your nationality what would you say? That's easy - Yorkshire ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 That's easy - Yorkshire ! Yorkshire,- as an independent nation Who would you make head of state? Now foreigners can't even start to understand the complexities of our counties and Americans can't even pronounce half of them, - they are totlly lost on anything that ends in -shire lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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