The Union Flag upside down!

[#1]

I've just been watching the news.  It was nice to see Gordon Brown smiling.  Unfortunately he got lost in number 10 and went down the wrong hallway, but it's easy to get lost, when you're saving the world.
What made me reach for the Sky+ remote and rewind, was the scene where good old GB and the Chinese Prime minister were signing some very important document.  Someone had kindly put a couple of flags in the ink well.  Unfortunately, they'd managed to get the union flag the wrong way up!
My wife reckons that I'm the only sad *** that would notice.
Am I? 
She reckons that hardly anyone knows what way it's supposed to go anyway!
Is she right?
John

[#2]

No she's not right, though she does sound very much like my wife 

[#3]

I didn't see that one, but I've seen many occasions when people have put it upside down.
Surprising how many people don't really know which way it's supposed to go.

[#4]

well one of the uses for upside down is I am in distress

[#5]

blowed if i can tell.

[#6]

deleted - something went wrong ?  - why isn't there a delete button like most other forums ?

[#7]

I think it is somewhat common to see it - but goodness knows why - it is so easy to tell the difference.
But unforgivable in any Civil servant especially the Foreign office.
The broader white part of the cross is uppermost close to the flag pole
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_flag

[#8]

The flag was inserted the right way up but the inkwell appears to have been inverted at the last minute.

[#9]

like how easy?  i got pix of the flag both ways and i still can't see it.

[#10]

Look at left and side - white diagonal stripe - the top part is much wider than the bottom. That side is wher the pole would be, and the lanyard at the bottom is usually longer that at the top which is very short so flag goes to top of pole.
Blame the people that took over Ireland - that is what confused it ( and not the Irish themselves )

[#11]

Mal you pic proves nufin.
The Broad white band should be at the top nearest the pole, so from one side its on the left, the other its in the right, pictures normally show the pole on the left, this can confuse some people.
inverted pic 
correct  

[#12]

see http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/geography/unionjack7.html  for good exapmple and bad ones of upside down flags in distress.
and I didnt have to google it spent over 25 years as a scout leader

[#13]

The convention is - if displayed off a flag pole - it is always assumed the flag pole is on the left.
If you see a flag pole as in real life the broad white stripe is always uppermost  close to the pole.
It's very easy - if taught correctly - and if you were in the Navy " like what I was"  - it was drummed into us.

[#14]

So it's not just me then 
John

[#15]

GB should get the Boy Scouts in to sort out his Union flags out.
They could train the foreign workers employed in Number 10 which way up our flag goes
They could do it for Bob a Job week