# Burma Adopts New Flag **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 23, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062 "2010-10-23T01:50:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/21 "2010-10-26T21:21:32Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > My god it’s full of stars… So…Burma is full of _monoliths?_ ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/22 "2010-10-26T21:45:23Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Maybe Burma is full of ninjas. Then what about a flag that’s entirely black? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/23 "2010-10-26T21:56:13Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Then what about a flag that’s entirely black? No, those are the monoliths. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/24 "2010-10-26T22:02:53Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Then what about a flag that’s entirely black? Needs a little white “eye slit” in the center. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/25 "2010-10-26T22:27:55Z")
Made a flag Which we bin needin’ Now everybody’s Eyes are bleedin’ Burma Shave ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/26 "2010-10-26T22:46:53Z")
Why did you say “Burma”? ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/27 "2010-10-27T00:09:17Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Why did you say “Burma”? Intercourse the penguin? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/28 "2010-10-27T05:45:23Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Why did you say “Burma”? The country’s name was changed by the ruling junta; its opponents still call it “Burma”, which admittedly is also a much cooler name than “Myanmar”. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/29 "2010-10-27T06:29:01Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The country’s name was changed by the ruling junta; its opponents still call it “Burma”, which admittedly is also a much cooler name than “Myanmar”. Also, ‘Myanmar’ sounds unappealingly British. (Sorry… “Bri’ish”. Can’t forget the glottal stop.) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/30 "2010-10-27T06:46:25Z")
To me, Myanmar seems like some exotic new synthetic material. Did you know the shell of the International Space Station is nearly 40% structural myanmar? ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/31 "2010-10-27T09:38:26Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > This is just a guess, but knowing these guys like I do, I’d bet dollars to doughnuts that some fortune-teller or _feng shui_ expert told them to do this. The precise time to change is a give-away, although usually it’s not that exact, but rather something like 3:01 or 2:28pm. I was wondering exactly the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/32 "2010-10-28T00:27:04Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > To me, Myanmar seems like some exotic new synthetic material. > > Did you know the shell of the International Space Station is nearly 40% structural myanmar? Does that mean some of the astronauts are under house arrest? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/33 "2010-10-28T00:35:03Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Does that mean some of the astronauts are under house arrest? Nah. There was a treaty. The shell also contains 13% kremlin, 27% nylon, 18% aluminum, and 3% boron. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/34 "2010-10-28T01:55:57Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Does that mean some of the astronauts are under house arrest? Quite the opposite. They’re more likely to be blown out into space due to myanmar failure. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/35 "2010-10-28T02:19:20Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Nah. There was a treaty. The shell also contains 13% kremlin, 27% nylon, 18% aluminum, and 3% boron. That proves they are not in house arrest, or else the percentage of boron would be higher. _If you anyone comes looking for me I’ll be in the corner hanging my head in shame._ ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/36 "2010-10-28T03:34:44Z")
Isn’t Myanmar only one of two countries (along with North Korea) without an Internet connection, at least for the common citizenry? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/37 "2010-10-28T03:37:49Z")
Apparently it’s one of the few countries not to officially switch to metric. Typical for a country apparently deciding policy by astrologer. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/38 "2010-10-28T04:24:37Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Why did you say “Burma”? > [@Alessan](#): > > The country’s name was changed by the ruling junta; its opponents still call it “Burma”, which admittedly is also a much cooler name than “Myanmar”. The correct answer is “[I panicked](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k1ccguXiws#t=3m30s)”. It’s like I don’t even know this place anymore. **Shmendrik** was close, however. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062/39 "2010-10-28T05:36:18Z")
This feels like a good place to mention Rangoon’s [Tiger Girls](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/19/burma-pop-music-tiger-girls-censor). And [here](http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=19412). I think you can see them on YouTube, also. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burma-adopts-new-flag/558062.md?page=1)