Wow! Someone took a huge chunk of Karma, incorrectly claiming that I had defaced the Union Jack. If it were not obvious from the message left by my detractor that it was the act of one who was simply ill-informed, it would have been a real slap in the face.
It is hardly defacing the UK flag, any more than other countries with historical ties to the UK have defaced the Union Jack by paying tribute to the UK by including the design in their flag. The flag I use is the Grand Union Flag, an early American flag. It was created in about 1775, prior to the Delclaration of Independence and was at least somewhat symbolic of the desire of the American Colonies to reach accomodation with the British Crown. Here's a link to the wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Union_Flag
BTW, it is also quite similar to the flag of the British East India Company. One might also note that it is based on the 1606 Original Union Flag, as opposed to the 1801 version currently used, which incorporated the Irish cross into the design.
I put the Grand Union Flag as my avatar as an indication of my friendship with the British people and how much I enjoy your country. Apparently, no good deed goes unpunished. If folks find it offensive I'll strike my colors, but this is the first objection that has been voiced.
It was also a pretty sneaky act, as the person who clobbered my karma managed to omit his handle. I'm not inclined to pay heed to the comments of someone who does not have the guts to stand behind his words.