HomeVexiBits 2024

Vexibits of the Month 2024

This page promotes the enjoyment of flags and the interesting stories behind them. Other flags will have no stories and will have to speak for themselves. Each month we feature an unusual flag or two, how they came to be, and their histories. Please enjoy these flags and the stories as we do...
We have archived the previous Vexibits for you to visit starting in 2018 and including this year. We invite you to revisit these early Vexibit entries and enjoy them.

Send Vexibits suggestions to Pete Loeser, Website Editor — webeditor@nava.org
We always welcome new suggestions.

Vexibits for June 2024 — Beach Warning Flags Quiz

Summer is upon us, and this means, among other things, going to the beach. On previous visits you've probably noticed flags flying near the surf, on or near lifeguard towers, or even on floats near the shore. They have different patterns of green, yellow, red, white, and sometimes even purple. But do you know what these beach warning flags all mean? Take this quick quiz to see how many you really recognize. Quite frankly your life may depend on it.

Beach Warning Flag #1

Beach Warning Flag #2

Beach Warning Flag #3

Beach Warning Flag #4

Beach Warning Flag #5

Beach Warning Flag #6

Beach Warning Flag #7

Beach Warning Flag #8

Beach Warning Flags #9

Beach Warning Flag #10

Beach Warning Flag #11

Beach Warning Flag #12

Beach safety flags are mandated by the United States Lifesaving Association and the International Life Saving Federation. So luckily, they are fairly standardized and there are only a few flags to remember! But while many manufacturer's variants (not shown here) add text to the flags (attempting to make their messages easier to understand), knowing the basic colors and patterns is quite important. Being aware of the flag types will help you and your friends and family be safe in the surf.

Basically, any red flag is the most serious of all beach warning flags—red flags warn swimmers of serious hazards in the water. One red flag means that the surf is high or there are dangerous currents, or both. Though you can still swim if there is a red flag, you should use extreme caution and go in the water only if you’re a strong swimmer. (If you see two red flags together, immediately get dry unless you have a death wish.) If you see white flag with a black shark diagram it means that a shark is currently near the beach, and beach users must get out of the water. Usually, a siren is sounded, when the white flag is raised. If you see a black flag with a shark on it that means that the conditions for spotting a shark are poor, but no sharks have currently been seen.

Click Here for the answers to the quiz.

Vexibits for May 2024 — It's about Climate Warming and Change this Month... and Vegans?

The month of May seems to be a great time to begin thinking and discussing climate change with our neighbors and friends. It's going to be a very warm summer. Flags about global climate changes, climate warming, and their causes have been around for years.

So here are a couple possibilities to consider.

On the left is the Climate Flag of the Climate Flag Organization. The yellow, white, blue, and green stripes symbolize the sun, the atmosphere, the waters, and green technologies. The light blue circle was inspired by the Big Blue Marble, the first image humanity saw of the Earth from space.

The one on the right is the Climate Change Flag designed by the Climate Change Organization. The dark green of the arrow represents a “green” and sustainable future. The light green represents land, and the plants and animals that live there. The dark blue represents water, the lakes, rivers, and oceans that host aquatic life. The light blue represents the atmosphere that surrounds and impacts almost all life on earth.

Of course, having text on flags has become a big "no-no" in popular modern design practices since the lighter materials used on flags today to reduce weight make the flags transparent and basically one-sided, but sometimes this proscription is ignored. Words are sometimes used in an attempt to hit viewers over the head with the message. Two of many examples are illustrated here. On left (Flags for Good), on right (DaukstaLT Flags)

Climatologist Ed Hawkins designed the "Warming Stripes" (or "Climate Stripes Flag") as a visualization of our planet's warming over time. The progression from blue cool stripes to red warmer stripes represents the long-term increases of the average global temperature from 1850 to 2018.
His warming climate graph has become a popular way to display the uncomfortable reality of climate warming. (Flags for Good)

On the left is Christopher DeCaro's unofficial redesign of the California Bear flag, hoping to bring attention in California that the winter's flooding was caused by the global climate changes. (Flags for Good) An unusually hot summer is predicted, with warmer than average temperatures for June, July, and August for most of the nation.

On the right is a reminder of the plight of the animal kingdom caused by both global warming and human pollution. The Polar Bear is already near extinction as one of those victims. This garden flag sometimes appears with the words "Climate Change is Real".

Vegan Flag - Oops

Sadly, sometimes flag manufacturers and flag sellers get it wrong, and the Vegan Flag on the right would be an example. A friend of mine was proudly displaying his new "Climate Change Flag" when I asked him when he had become a vegan? "No, no", he said, "I bought this from a dealer who said it was a Climate Change flag". Sure enough, he showed me on his computer where the Vegan Flag was being sold as a Climate Change flag, so once again... beware of what you find on the internet!

Vexibits for April 2024 — It's about Health this Month

Naturally there are flags for such events, here are several you may wish to display. Since April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day, and begins the Autism Acceptance Month, the flag on the left is being marketed to observe the event. Another possibility would the flag on the right which is a more general Mental Health Flag. The first week of April is also National Public Health Week.

April 7 is World Health Day, celebrated across the globe to raise awareness about the importance of health. It focuses on contemporary health issues, and it seems that displaying one of the World Health Organization flags would be a perfect fit. WHO's mission is to coordinate the world’s response to health emergencies, promote well-being, prevent disease, and expand access to health care. Find out more at the World Health Organization website.

Since we are on the subject of health here are a few more health related flags, both official and not so official, currently on the market. Enjoy... and remember to cover your mouth when you cough🤒

US Public Health Service

Health & Human Services

Safety and Health Services

Healthcare Heroes

For other health service flags you might use, take a look at the Flag Designs for Those Fighting the Coronavirus (Vexibits for May 2020).

Vexibits for March 2024 — A Celtic Nation Flag

The ancient Celts celebrated several significant holidays throughout the year, aligning with seasonal and solar events. One of their biggest was the Spring Equinox (around March 21) which to them was a day of balance because day and night were of equal length, representing equilibrium. They celebrated this at the ancient sites of Loughcrew and Newgrange, where tombs were perfectly aligned with the sun during this day.

For those wishing to honor their Celtic roots, this flag or one of its variants may fill the bill.

This combination flag features the flags of the six modern Celtic nations (clockwise from upper left): Brittany, the Isle of Man, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, and Ireland. According to vexillologist Cyndi Balfour-Traill, the emblem at the center of this flag is called the triskele. The insigne of the Isle of Man, three human legs radiating from a central point, is another form of the same motif. The spiral triskele on the flag is a very ancient Celtic design, and one of the most frequently found symbols at ancient sites inhabited by Celtic people. Happy Balance Day to you all.

Vexibits for February 2024 — A Flag for Mars

There is no official flag for Mars, since there is no government or other authority in existence capable of adopting such a flag, but the idea a possible flag meant to symbolize the planet Mars (or to represent a fictional Martian government) is alive in fiction and the classroom. These flags exist in abundance and are being manufactured—just search for "Flags of Mars" and be prepared for a Martian invasion.

During a mission to refurbish and repair the Hubble Space Telescope, the Space Shuttle Discovery carried a red/green/blue tri-color Mars flag (at left) into orbit. This inspired NAVA member Michael Orelove to develop a lesson plan designed to encourage students to design their own Mars Flags.

On the space shuttle flag the red, green, and blue colors were derive from the stages of transforming Mars from barrenness to life, as depicted in the epic "Red Mars", "Green Mars", "Blue Mars" trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson. In Michael Orelove's lesson, he presents his own example flag (on the right). His design is explained in his activity A Flag for Mars. For those interested in this activity and similar activities visit the Astronomical Society of the Pacific website and The Universe in the Classroom.

On the left is a design by Dermot McDonagh, a designer from Dublin, who suggests that our landing will take place this year (2024) and needs a flag to capture the moment, complete with a coat of arms to represent the founding of humanity's "second" home.
As previously stated, there are many other flag designs for the planet Mars being manufactured and here is a quick selection of some I found interesting, but there are many more. I wonder if any Martins are the least bit interested in our fascination with providing them with a flag. Maybe we should pay a visit and ask them...

Vexibits for January 2024 — We Don't Like You Either!

The State of New Jersey has been the victim of a slew of polls slamming the state unfairly for various reasons. Factoring in a change in population (folks moving out of state), a Gallup poll on "state pride" gave New Jersey low ratings. An Instagram survey of 320,000 people also gave it low marks. A poll from the data analytics firm of YouGov ranked New Jersey 48 out of 50, above only Mississippi and Alabama, as one of the worst states in the nation. To top all of this off, this included criticism of the design of its state flag, which dates back to the continental line of the American Revolution and George Washington, who in 1779 directed that the state flag should be dark blue, faced with buff.

We Don't Like You Either!

Not surprisingly all this has resulted in New Jerseyans fighting back to the criticism with a "We Don't Like You Either" campaign, complete with a new flag. The Garden State residents were quick to defend their beloved state, highlighting its positive aspects of great restaurants, its iconic coastline, the Jersey Shores with beautiful beaches and recreational activities, and its strong education system.

New Jersey Flag 1779

There has been movement to replacing this historical New Jersey flag generated by the new design directions being taken for flags used by other states, and an unofficial survey is being conducted by True Jersey.com ranking the top ten designs out of about 400 submitted. You can see these proposed designs at a: Vote for a new flag for New Jersey.

The NAVA Vexibits of the Month Archives

Vexibits 2024 marks the seventth year that our monthly Vexibits of the Month feature has appeared on the NAVA website, and we invite you to visit the past postings that are being archived for your enjoyment. These pages continue to promote the enjoyment of flags and provide the interesting stories behind them. Please enjoy these flags and their stories as we do...

Have an interesting flag or story to share? Send those Vexibits suggestions to Pete Loeser, our Website Editor — webeditor@nava.org