Peace piece

Dear Matt:

What's the origin of the peace symbol-- the circle with the "bird's foot" in it?

-- Peacenick, the net

England, 1958. At the request of peace activist Bertrand Russell, an artist was doodling around for a symbol for the nuclear disarmament movement. A cross in a circle morphed into the sign we know today. It's the combined semaphore signals for N and D. For an N, the flags are held down in an upside-down V shape. For a D, one flag is held straight up, one straight down. Peace, nik.