A quick note about my signature--the jolie rouge. It's intended as the ultimate 'red flag'--a dire warning, and it has an interesting history. (I'm an amateur historian, by the way.)
In the 17th century, upon encountering an intended victim a pirate captain would fly a crimson flag to alert the other captain that if he did not strike his colours and surrender, no quarter would be given and all aboard would be killed. The flag was called a 'jolie rouge'--French for bright or beautiful red, and this was the origin of the term "Jolly Roger" as the expression made its way into English. The practice was also the origin of our notion of a red flag as a dire warning.
The 'skull and crossbones' flags were more or less personal signatures--identifiers for individual pirate captains, and were rarely red in colour as they didn't necessarily convey the same warning that no prisoners would be taken.
I 'fly' the jolie rouge as a warning to pumpers and touts that I will relentlessly oppose hype and lies.