Somaliland, by contrast, is an unrecognised state larger than England and home to 3.5 million people, but it has an independent, democratically elected government and its own army, flag, media and border control, but must rely on an uneasy relationship with Somalia for matters like international diplomacy and large scale public works.

BBC: Somaliland: Africa��s unofficial country

First of all, on virtually all of the hot button social issues -- flag burning, abortion, gun control, gay rights, funding for the arts -- Jesse Helms has been, if not the central figure, one of the central figures.

CNN: Jonathan Karl: Helms built North Carolina GOP

The Democratic Union Party (PYD), a PKK offshoot, promptly established control, hoisting the Kurdish flag over Syrian government buildings along with large posters of the imprisoned PKK leader, Abdullah Ocalan.

ECONOMIST: Turkey��s Kurds

One of my Ideasicle Experts, upon hearing me bat this idea around, suggested that we create a voting poll on the NARC site, or even on the remote control itself, for users to flag their favorite ads, making the ads served in these elective categories user-generated.

FORBES: The Answer To Dish Network's 'Auto Hop': A National Advertising Registry For Consumers

Most kites have a wrist leash that releases one side of the kite when the surfer lets go of the control bar, so the kite flaps uselessly like a flag instead of dragging the surfer underwater (it can happen).

FORBES: Hook In and Hold On

Yeah, we know that most of you probably won't be affected by this either way, since the Broadcast Flag only governs digital over-the-air broadcasts and the vast majority of Americans homes get their TV via cable or satellite (which have copy control mechanisms of their own), but the Broadcast Flag establishes a very dangerous precedent.

ENGADGET: Help stop the Broadcast Flag

Defenders of national control over taxes will be tempted to regard Mr Bolkestein as their flag-bearer.

ECONOMIST: Farewell, pan-European tax harmony?