deliriouslove1970. The life & times of Gary and Denise Flanders. (Free and worth every penny. If you would like to compliment the editor, send to garytheflan@deliriouslove1970.com. If you would like to complain, call your mother.)

Here are some hints: *Flag from a country in North America. *Has been changed 27 times since it’s first ideation. *It has been the official flag for 61 years. *It was designed by a musician who wrote satirical songs, the most famous of which was “The Battle of The Kegs”, this person also invented a harmonica that was played with a keyboard.

On June 14, 1777 the Continental Congress declared: “Resolved, That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”

There have been 27 changes to the design of the stars. The current version was adopted as the official US Flag on July 3, 1960 with the inclusion of Hawaii and Alaska as states. (And yes there are ideas floating around that would change the arrangement to 52 stars: Puerto Rico and Washington DC.)

The question of who designed the US Flag can safely be answered: It was Francis Hopkinson from New Jersey. Popular myth says he was a Congressman from New Jersey – this is not true, his son, Joseph was the congressman.

Francis was a lawyer who had a side gig, a musician who wrote funny songs and played a mean harpsichord. He had a number of popular songs that circulated throughout the young nation. He also designed Naval flags and submitted his design for a US Flag to a few influential politicians. They liked his idea and adopted his design.

The flag of our country means many things to many people. There is no doubt that some hold it in such high esteem that it has become as strong as a religion. It is interesting that even though there is a ‘pretty much official’, not exactly law, not exactly governing it’s use or abuse, called The US Flag Code. That code has no teeth. One cannot be cited or prosecuted for violating the code.

We have an anthem dedicated to just the flag. We all know the first verse to Francis Scott Key’s ‘The Star Spangled Banner’, but do you know any of the other verses?

Verse Three: “Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand,
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!