2175: Flag Interpretation - Revision history

SomebodyElse: /* Explanation */ just linking characters' names

2026-05-15T12:13:13Z

‎Explanation: just linking characters' names

Lettherebedarklight: /* Table */ "recently"

2026-04-27T09:19:24Z

‎Table: "recently"

Psychoticpotato: /* Table */

2024-06-03T20:41:55Z

‎Table

172.70.86.41: /* Table */

2023-10-22T10:14:36Z

‎Table

B for brain: /* Table */

2023-10-22T09:43:09Z

‎Table

B for brain: /* Table */

2023-10-22T09:41:10Z

‎Table

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2022-05-26T19:45:20Z

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Donald Trump: Reverted edit by anti-crap user

2022-05-26T19:06:53Z

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2022-05-26T17:59:40Z

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2022-05-26T17:12:26Z

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@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 The definition of half-staff, or half-mast, differs between countries and does not necessarily imply flying the flag at half the height of the pole or mast. For example, in the USA the flag is usually flown at half the height of the pole, whereas UK practice is to leave space for an 'invisible flag' above the flown flag, which may mean flying the flag near the top of the pole depending on its height. These differing practices contribute to confusion and ambiguity concerning the flag height, which is exploited in the comic.
-Randall, as usual, makes a humorous list of fictional additional traditions.
+[[Randall]], as usual, makes a humorous list of fictional additional traditions.
 The title text is a reference to ''{{w|The Persistence of Memory}}'' and other paintings and sculptures by {{w|Salvador Dalí}} which include watches and other objects that are melting.

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 |Since on average [https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/ someone dies every few seconds], it would indeed be extremely unlikely that no one would die for weeks in a row. Although not having anyone die seems good on the surface, it would trigger alarm about why this was happening; what mysterious force could possibly cause cessation of all deaths? And will it continue into the future, triggering an overpopulation crisis in short order?
 In real life, flying the US flag {{w|Distress_signal#Inverted_flags|upside down}} is widely considered a distress signal, "a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property", and would not be intended to indicate an important figure has died.
 |-
 |One normal-sized flag at half mast and five tiny flags at full mast

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 |Since on average [https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/ someone dies every few seconds], it would indeed be extremely unlikely that no one would die for weeks in a row. Although not having anyone die seems good on the surface, it would trigger alarm about why this was happening; what mysterious force could possibly cause cessation of all deaths? And will it continue into the future, triggering an overpopulation crisis in short order?
 In real life, flying the US flag {{w|Distress_signal#Inverted_flags|upside down}} is widely considered a distress signal, "a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property", and would not be intended to indicate an important figure has died.
 |-
 |One normal-sized flag at half mast and five tiny flags at full mast

@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 |Someone diverted a trolley to save five people by killing one important person.
 |This is a reference to the {{w|Trolley problem}}, a well-known thought experiment in ethics: An out-of-control trolley is running toward five people who are on the tracks. If you do nothing, these five will be killed. However, you can trigger a switch that will divert the trolley onto a side track, where there is one person who would be killed. Which is the more ethical option?
-In this case, the important person was sacrificed, and so is commemorated by the usual custom of lowering the flag to half-mast. The small flags, which represent the non-important people, fly at full mast to indicate those people's continued survival.
+In this case, the important person was sacrificed, and so is commemorated by the usual custom of lowering the flag to half-mast. The small flags, which represent the less important people, fly at full mast to indicate those people's continued survival.
 |-
 |No flag on the pole
 |The person who knows where the flag is stored at night died.
-|Presumably the flag-keeper died during the night, and nobody living knows where the flag is stored and can't seem to locate it to put it on the flagpole. Amusingly, this is not symbolic at all, being a natural consequence of the flag-keeper's death.
+|Presumably the flag-keeper died during the night, and nobody living knows where the flag is stored and can't seem to locate it to put it on the flagpole. Amusingly, this is not symbolic at all, being an automatic consequence of the flag-keeper's death.
 |-
-|Melted flagpole (title-text)
+|Melted flagpole (title text)
 |Salvador Dalí died
-|{{w|Salvador Dalí}} was a painter who was most famous for making all the stuff in his paintings look "melted". [[Randall]] is saying that when he died, the flag-raisers melted the flagpoles to make it look like his paintings, and it took them months to do so.
+|{{w|Salvador Dalí}} was a painter who was most famous for making objects in his paintings look "melted". [[Randall]] is saying that, when he died, the flag-raisers melted the flagpoles to make them resemble his paintings, and that it took them months to do so.
 |}

@@ Line 57: / Line 57: @@
 |Melted flagpole (title-text)
 |Salvador Dalí died
-|{{w|Salvador Dalí}} was a painter who was most famous for making all the stuff in his paintings look "melted". [[Randall]] is saying that when he died, the flag-raisers melted the flagpoles to make it look like his paintings, and it took them 15 years to do so.
+|{{w|Salvador Dalí}} was a painter who was most famous for making all the stuff in his paintings look "melted". [[Randall]] is saying that when he died, the flag-raisers melted the flagpoles to make it look like his paintings, and it took them months to do so.
 |}