recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Peru

*"if the best thing you can say about a coat of arms is that it has "a tree of the same realm" i think you make your own point"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Peru is a country in South America, bordering Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, and Chile

It is classified by Conservation International as one of 17 megadiverse countries. Megadiverse as in megabiodiverse, that is. Its high peaks and arid plains make it the home of over 20,000 species of flora and fauna, and some index lists it as the 7th most biodiverse country in the world. This is ahead of famously biodiverse countries such as Papua New Guinea and the United States

Peru was the home of the Inca Empire, the largest pre-Colombian empire in the Americas. I was surprised to find out it only existed for less than 400 years. Machu Picchu, 50 miles northwest of the Inca capital Cusco, was most likely an estate for the emperor Pachacuti, and it remains the prominent symbol not just of the Inca but of Peru as a whole

From 1836 to 1839, the country was divided between North and South Peru, which both merged with Bolivia to form a larger country. After the 1839 battle of Yungay, the confederation was dissolved and everything went back to normal

Quinoa comes from Peru, and it was first eaten by humans 3000-4000 years ago in the Lake Titicaca basin after being eaten by livestock for a previous 2000 years

In 2019, Jesus Luzardo became the first Peruvian-born major league baseball player. However, his parents are Venezuelan and he grew up in South Florida, so he identifies as American and Venezuelan before Peruvian

## Tournament

Peru was defeated by Amsterdam in Round 2 Matchup 57 of FlagVote after previously defeating Liberia. As the 400 seed, it was defeated by Slovenia in Round 1 Matchup 29 of FlagVote 2. As the 369 seed, it was defeated by Gabon in Round 2 Matchup 20 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Brittany.

## Results

### FlagVote

**Round 1:** Win over Liberia 4-3

**Round 2:** Loss to Amsterdam 4-3

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (656) Brittany 7-3

**Round 2:** Loss to (144) Gabon 9-2
Malampa

## Eulogy

*By Gregory Severin*

Malampa is the central province of Vanuatu

It takes its name from the first syllable of each of its three main islands: Malakula, Ambrym, and Paama

As is the norm in many islands on Vanuatu, each of the three main islands has its own language. Malakula alone has over thirty languages spoken on the island

The council building on the island of Paama is said to have belonged to a Presbyterian missionary who lived on the island for almost 40 years

Ambrym is host to an active volcano that erupts several times a century. It last had a violent eruption in 1913, though, so I'm sure we're fine

## Tournament

As the 537 seed, Malampa was defeated by Koceljeva in Round 1 Matchup 41 of FlagVote 3.
Selenge

*"A loss for selen(a)g(om)e(z)"*

*--Cam Cain*

## Eulogy

*By Gregory Severin*

Selenge Province, or Selenga Province, is a province in northern Mongolia bordering Russia

It is named for the Selenga River, which flows through Mongolia into Russia, eventually draining into Lake Baikal

The province's capital is Sukhbataar, the northernmost stop on the Trans-Mongolian Railway

Selenga Province was established in 1934, six years before Sukhbataar's founding

Darkhan-Uul Province is enclaved by Selenga Province, as it was deemed important enough to be carved out of Selenga in 1994

## Tournament

As the 677 seed, Selenge was defeated by the Royal Greek flag in Round 1 Matchup 113 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Loss to (348) Royal Greek 7-2
Roraima

*"That red line through Roraima ruins it like if that was gone it would be so much better"*

*--Sully Tomich*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Roraima is the northernmost and least populated state in Brazil

It is named after Mount Roraima, located at the tripoint with Venezuela and Guyana. It is Guyana’s highest peak

Mount Roraima inspired Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World

The territory was disputed for several centuries between the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, and English

The red line on the flag depicts the equator, which runs through the lower part of the state

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Roraima is a Brazilian state bordering Guyana and Venezuela

In the colonial era, the region was explored by Portugal (obviously), Spain, and England, and Roraima was the subject of several territorial disputes between these powers

Roraima is also the most isolated Brazilian state, with only one road connecting it to neighboring states. It is also the least populous of Brazil's states

Ecotourism is popular in Roraima, with popular sites being Mount Roraima, Lake Caracaranâ, and Pedra Pintata (Painted Rock), which is a rock featuring a bunch of inscriptions from 4000-year-old civilizations

## Tournament

As the 479 seed, Roraima was defeated by Trinidad and Tobago in Round 1 Matchup 248 of FlagVote 2. As the 735 seed, it was defeated by Astana in Round 1 Matchup 143 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Loss to (34) Trinidad and Tobago 6-0

## Gallery

Roraima with pink lineThin Blue Line RoraimaRoraima with eyes replacing the lineRoraima with the line replaced by the Tocantins sunRoraima-Tocantins-Arkansas mashupRoraima with line replaced by worm on Teletubbies flag
Pick

**Pick**, or :pick: is an emoji in the M-SABR Slack. It is a default emoji. It is often used alongside Homer to reference a homer pick. Its first usage was by Gregory Severin in #gallardocupdraft alongside the emojis 3 and 5 as a reference to the 35th pick in the draft.

## Gallery

Pick emoji (Apple)Pick emoji (Samsung)First usage of Pick
Seychelles (1977-1996)

## Eulogy

*By ChatGPT and Sahil Shah*

Ladies and gentlemen, we gather here today to pay our respects to the old flag of Seychelles. For many years, this flag has represented the country and its people, a symbol of their history and struggle for independence. The old flag featured the Union Jack, a symbol of British colonialism, and the country's coat of arms on a blue background. Despite its colonial roots, this flag was a source of pride for many Seychellois, a reminder of their heritage and their journey towards self-determination.

This flag flew high during some of the most significant moments in Seychelles' history, from the struggle for independence to the country's early years as a new nation. It represented the sacrifices and the hard work of the Seychellois people, and it will always hold a special place in their hearts.

As we say goodbye to the old flag of Seychelles, let us remember the history it represents and the memories it has brought us. It may no longer fly above us, but its legacy will continue to live on in the hearts and minds of the Seychellois people for generations to come. May it rest in peace, knowing that its spirit will forever be a part of the vibrant culture and unique identity of Seychelles.

## Tournament

As the 332 seed, this flag was defeated by New Orleans in Round 1 Matchup 91 of FlagVote 2. As the 375 seed, it was defeated by Estonia in Round 2 Matchup 180 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Pewsey.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Loss to (181) New Orleans 4-3

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (650) Pewsey 8-3

**Round 2:** Loss to (138) Estonia 9-2
New Zealand

*"super extra bonus new zealand fact: @Can does a note-perfect nz accent. it is hilarious."*

--Gregory Severin

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

New Zealand is a country east of Australia made up of two main islands and hundreds of smaller islands

The country’s wide range of topography has been the filming location of many movies, including the Lord of the Rings series

The flightless Kiwi bird is a symbol of the country

Sheep population has dropped from its peak in the ’80s of 70 million to roughly 28 million. Still, they outnumber humans 5 to 1

New Zealand was originally colonized by the Dutch, who named it after Zeeland

The Maori name for the country is “Aotearoa” or “Land of the Long White Cloud”

   The national rugby team, nicknamed “All Blacks” has won two of the past three World Cups

## Eulogy 2

*By Cam Cain*

New Zealand is a nation east of Australia

The native Maori people arrived sometime around 1300 AD, making New Zealand the last large land mass to be settled by humans. They call the land Aotearoa, which roughly means “land of the long white cloud”

New Zealand was the first country to adopt a minimum wage and the first country to allow women to vote

The South Island of New Zealand is dominated by a mountain range called the Southern Alps. The highest point is Mount Cook at 12,218 feet. The North Island is largely volcanic

Notable people from New Zealand include Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan, singer Lorde, Everest summiter Edmund Hillary, director Taika Waititi, actress Lucy Lawless, and the Flight of the Conchords

## Tournament

New Zealand defeated Yemen in Round 1 Matchup 116 of FlagVote before being eliminated by Sierra Leone in Round 2. As the 286 seed, New Zealand was defeated by Chile in Round 1 Matchup 143 of FlagVote 2. As the 523 seed, it was defeated by Alaska in Round 2 Matchup 241 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Warwickshire.

## Results

### FlagVote

**Round 1:** Win over Yemen 5-4

**Round 2:** Loss to Sierra Leone 4-1

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (502) Warwickshire 6-5

**Round 2:** Loss to (11) Alaska 8-1
Mozambique

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Mozambique is a long skinny country on the southeast coast of Africa

It was colonized by Portugal in 1498 after Vasco da Gama himself arrived. It was named after the Island of Mozambique, an island off the north coast of modern-day Mozambique. The island itself was named after Mussa Bin Bique, an Arab trader who lived there

The country declared independence in 1975 and established a one-party Marxist state and tried to kill all opposition. This led to a 15-year-long bloody civil war that the country is still recovering from. It currently ranks 185th in Human Development Index

Though Mozambique does have elections now, it still has its share of issues. A massive cyclone devastated the country in the year 2000, and there are suspicions that the party in power diverted foreign aid away from those in need.

Remember ISIS? Yeah, they’re trying to set up a state in the northern part of Mozambique by the Tanzania border. The city of Palma was fully seized by ISIS for about a week in early 2021 before being recaptured by Mozambique, and it’s all ramping up quickly

Roller hockey is very popular in Mozambique. In 2011, Mozambique finished 4th in the Roller Hockey World Cup, which was initially scheduled to take place in the Mozambican capital of Maputo but was moved to Argentina for reasons I can’t find. Mozambique had wins over the US, Angola, and Brazil before losing a tight one to eventual champions Spain in the semifinals

The Kalashnikov rifle on the flag represents vigilance and the struggle for independence. There was a proposal in 2005 to change the flag because it was representative of the country’s violent past, but the ruling party chose to keep it for the same reason

## Tournament

Mozambique was defeated by Scotland in Round 1 Matchup 11 of FlagVote. As the 225 seed, it was defeated by Nepal in Round 1 Matchup 15 of FlagVote 2. As the 470 seed, it was defeated by Spokane in Round 2 Matchup 253 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Indonesia.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (555) Indonesia 9-2

**Round 2:** Loss to (43) Spokane 9-0
Painting Flags

*"I think more flags should look like paintings"*

*--Lexy Lee*

On August 16th 2022, #vexillology voted in Flagpoll XXXIX, the 39th round of voting in FlagPoll 2. The flag that sparked the most interest was the flag of Venice. Due to its gaudy design, it had the highest standard deviation of the day and one of the highest of the tournament. Greg was notably a fan of the design, while other voters were against it. In response to Sully saying that the flag has "WAY too much going on," Greg declared his love for the over-the-top design, and he wished that more flags would look like Bosch paintings. Cam, inspired by this comment, took a cropped image of Heironymus Bosch's *The Garden of Earthly Delights* and added the word "KANSAS" in a blue font, uploading it to the channel as a mock flag of the state.

A few hours passed, and discussion of the flag seemed to die down. However, at 7:52, Lexy commented that more flags should look like paintings. Two minutes later, Cam posted a new flag which had the words "república de nicaragua" written in comic sans over Goya's *Saturn Devouring His Son*. Andrew quickly followed suit, posting a flag which said "Cleavland" in pink over Jackson Pollock's *Autumn Rhythm (Number 30).* Greg soon joined in as well, writing "PROUD to BE POCATELLO © POCATELLO, ID" over Monet's *Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge*.

## Gallery

Cam's Flag of KansasCam's Flag of NicaraguaAndrew's Flag of "Cleavland"Greg's Flag of Pocatello
Sikkim

*"kim jong-un got coronavirus, now he's"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy 1

*By Gregory Severin*

This is the flag of the Kingdom of Sikkim, a monarchy that existed from 1642 to 1975

Kangchenjunga, the third tallest mountain on Earth, is located in Sikkim

Today, Sikkim is a state in northeast India (RIP), bordering Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet

Sikkim has implemented a ban on plastic water bottles in all state government functions

## Eulogy 2

*By Playground AI*

Ladies and gentlemen, today we gather to mourn the loss of a symbol that has represented the proud people of Sikkim for many years - the flag of Sikkim.

This flag, with its distinctive design of a snow lion and red and yellow stripes, has been a source of pride and unity for the people of Sikkim since it was first introduced in 1967. It has flown high above government buildings, schools, and homes, serving as a constant reminder of the unique history and culture of this beautiful region.

Today, we say goodbye to this beloved symbol, as it has been officially retired and replaced with the national flag of India. While we may be sad to see the flag of Sikkim go, we must also remember the many moments of joy and pride it brought us over the years.

We remember the countless celebrations and festivals where the flag was proudly displayed, waving in the wind as a symbol of hope and unity. We remember the times when we looked up at the flag and felt a sense of belonging, knowing that we were part of a larger community of people who shared our values and beliefs.

And so, as we bid farewell to the flag of Sikkim, we do so with heavy hearts but also with gratitude for all that it has meant to us. We honor the spirit of the flag and the people it represented, and we pledge to carry that spirit with us always.

Rest in peace, dear flag of Sikkim. You will always hold a special place in our hearts.

## Tournament

As the 111 seed, Sikkim was defeated by Hong Kong in Round 3 Matchup 60 of FlagVote 2. As the 223 seed, it was defeated by Astana in Round 2 Matchup 142 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (402) United Arab Emirates 4-2

**Round 2:** Win over (146) Namibia 5-2

**Round 3:** Loss to (18) Hong Kong 5-0

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Loss to (290) Astana 6-5
Libya

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Libya is a country on the north coast of Africa

It was an Italian colony until becoming an independent kingdom in 1951

There was significant warfare in Libya during World War II

From 1977-2011, the flag was a green rectangle. It was chosen by Gaddafi to represent his ideologies

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Libya is a North African country in between Tunisia and Egypt

It was ruled by Carthaginians, Greeks, and Persians before the Romans arrived and made it an early center of Christianity. After an interim period of Islamic conversion and Ottoman and Spanish rule, it found itself once again a subject of Italians - only this time it was Mussolini

After gaining independence post-WWII, it was a kingdom for a decade or so until Gaddafi showed up, took over, and made the flag green. It was only changed back after his overthrow in 2011 during the Arab Spring

The first recorded use of the word "Libya" was by Ramesses "Ozymandias" II when discussing the alliances of an ongoing conflict

In 2009, then-leader of Libya Muammar Gaddafi called for a Jihad against Switzerland. He also introduced a proposal to literally abolish Switzerland, partitioning it between France, Italy, and Germany. The UN rejected this proposal for hopefully obvious reasons

An Islamist attack on American government facilities in the Libyan city of Benghazi was labeled a scandal by certain partisan actors in the US government and media. After *ten separate investigations,* these accusations proven unfounded, meaning this entire thing was a waste of everyone's time. Michael Bay ended up making a movie about the whole snafu (the attack, not the media fallout), and it's apparently one of his better movies? I mean it's no *The Rock* or even *AmbuLAnce* but it's got to be better than his *Transformers* dreck, right?

## Tournament

Libya was defeated by Serbia in Round 1 Matchup 54 of FlagVote. As the 351 seed, it was defeated by Thailand in Round 1 Matchup 246 of FlagVote 2. As the 156 seed, it was defeated by Antigua and Barbuda in Round 2 Matchup 108 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Loss to (357) Antigua and Barbuda 6-5
Montserrado County

*"I may be forgetting one but this is probably my favorite Liberian county"*

*--Sully Tomich*

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Montserrado County is the smallest Liberian county by area and the largest by population

The county capital is the town of Bensonville, home of former Liberian president William Tolbert. Tolbert planned on moving the national capital to Bensonville, but he was assassinated as Liberian presidents tend to be

The actual national capital, Monrovia, is also located in Montserrado County. Monrovia is one of two national capitals named after US presidents. Does anyone know the other?

The city of Monrovia was founded in 1822 as a place to relocate former American slaves. 23 years later, a constitutional convention was held in Monrovia to form the nation of Liberia.

George Weah, former soccer star and current Liberian president, was born in Monrovia and previously served as senator of Montserrado County. In his previous career, he won the 1995 Ballon d’Or, the only African player to ever do so, and he was later named African Player of the century.

## Tournament

As the 500 seed, Montserrado County was defeated by Norway in Round 1 Matchup 97 of FlagVote 2. As the 696 seed, it was defeated by the German Empire in Round 1 Matchup 57 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Loss to (329) German Empire 8-2
Please Don't Talk About the Reds

*"You heard the bot"*

*--Cam Cain*

**Please Don't Talk About the Reds** was a Slackbot created on 4-9-18 by Cam Cain. It was in use from April 9th through April 12th of that year. It responded to any mention of "Reds" with the phrase "Please don't talk about the Reds." At the time of creation, the Reds were 2-7 and would eventually bottom out at 3-18. Cam tested the bot for himself at 6:18 PM, and it was first triggered in #general at 8:57 by Greg. It was called a total of 10 times, 7 of which were in #gallardoclub. It was quietly removed from Slack sometime between April 12th and April 15th.
Liberia

*"hey look it's that thing in the canton of all the liberian county flags"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Liberia is a country in West Africa

It is divided into 15 provinces

It was founded as a colony of former American slaves who were sent back by the American Colonization Society. It did not work out very well

Liberia is one of two countries whose capital cities are named after US presidents

Liberia had two devastating Civil Wars which lasted from the late 1980s into the early 2000s

11% of the world’s boats are registered under Liberia, and almost 70% of the country’s economy is based on merchant shipping

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Liberia is a West African country bordering Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast

It was founded by the American Colonization Society, a group of Quakers and slaveholders who believed "repatriating" freed slaves to Africa would both benefit them and avoid slave rebellions

This had many issues, especially as Americo-Liberians developed elitist views over the indigenous tribes in the colony. There wouldn't be a non-Americo-Liberian President until 1980

Liberia became independent in 1848, though the US was unable to formally recognize its independence until the slaveholder states all briefly left the Union as a part of their big ol' hissy fit in the early 1860s

Alongside South Africa, Liberia was one of only two African countries to have signed the Treaty of Versailles

Liberia is one of the few countries to have not adopted the metric system. The US's imperial legacy at work, folks

Today, the Liberian president is former AC Milan and Man City striker George Weah, who is the first non-European and the only African soccer player to ever win the Golden Ball and is frequently considered the best player to have never appeared in a World Cup

## Tournament

Liberia was defeated by Peru in Round 1 Matchup 113 of FlagVote. As the 237 seed, it was defeated by Cuba in Round 2 Matchup 56 of FlagVote 2 after previously defeating French Polynesia. As the 615 seed, it was defeated by New Ireland in Round 1 Matchup 172 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (276) French Polynesia 4-3

**Round 2:** Loss to (20) Cuba 5-0

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Loss to (410) New Ireland 8-2
Shohei Ohtani

*Did you mean: [REDACTED]?*

**Shohei Ohtani** is a Japanese professional baseball player who can both hit and pitch. He has been the subject of several debates and memes on the Slack, including memes about his status as a two-way player and memes about the memes about his status as a two-way player.

## Trivia

Did you know Shohei Ohtani can both hit and pitch?
Isle of Skye

*"Just realized Skye lost. Devastating news"*

*--Lexy Lee*

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

The Isle of Skye is the largest island of the Inner Hebrides, off the east coast of Scotland

The etymology is mostly unknown, but it is believed that it comes from a Celtic word meaning ‘winged’ in reference to the shape of the island. Lexy Winged Lee

It is dominated by cliffs and big hills made of basalt and gabbro. The mountains, or Munros, in Skye make for some of the British Isles’ best rock climbing

Jethro Tull lead singer Ian “not the pitcher” Anderson lived on Skye and wrote lots of songs about the isle

The flag of Skye was designed by a local 9 year old boy in 2020. The cross represents the Nordic heritage, the circle on the cross represents the Gaelic heritage, and the boat is an old Gaelic birlinn. This type of boat was a naval vessel and dates back to at least the mid 12th century

## Tournament

As the 287 seed, Skye was defeated by Tanzania in Round 3 Matchup 69 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (738) Zavala 7-1

**Round 2:** Win over (226) Cesinovo-Oblesevo 7-3

**Round 3:** Loss to (31) Tanzania 9-1

## Gallery

Skye boat emojiBoatcantinsSkye with Quebec City boatSkyeeeeeeee
Karpos

## Eulogy

*By Gregory Severin*

Karpoš Municipality is a neighborhood in the Macedonian capital of Skopje

It was built in the 1970s, adjacent to the city centre

The name Karpoš comes from Petar Karposh, an anti-Ottoman rebel who led a failed uprising in 1689. He was executed on a stone bridge, which is presumably what inspired the city seal you see on the flag

Over 60,000 people live in Karpoš, and it is twinned with neighborhoods in Sofia, Belgrade, and Novi Sad

## Tournament

As the 306 seed, Karpos was defeated by Amsterdam in Round 2 Matchup 150 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Milwaukee.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (719) Milwaukee 8-1

**Round 2:** Loss to (207) Amsterdam 7-4
Aquino (Slackbot)

*"OH BABY PUNISH ME"*

*--Cam Cain*

**Aquino** was a short-lived Slackbot command. When a user would comment "Aquino," Slackbot would respond "😍😍😍." It was created by Cam on 8-10-19 at the peak of Aquinomania after Reds outfielder Aristides "The Punisher" Aquino had a 3-homer game. It was seen a total of 19 times over its life. It was removed on 7-11-20. Aquino never lived up to the hype from his first month with the Reds, however as of June 2022 he was still with the team.

## Cam's progression though the Aquino hype train

Cam celebrates Aquino's first career home run live from AtlantaCam notes Aquino's power and armCam refers to Aquino as 'Puig Jr' in trade negotiationsAquisus ChristCam and Sahil debate Aquino vs YelichSahil notices Aquino SlackbotSully reacts with a needle emoji to another Aquino homerGreg makes a makeshift Aquino reactCam leverages Aquinobot in trade negotiationsReds DFA AquinoCam celebrates Aquino's triumphant return to the majors
Flagpoll Stats by Participant

The following is a list of the participants in Flagpoll and their statistics, as well as a link to the overall ideal flag for the group.

* Cam Cain Flagpoll Statistics
* Gregory Severin Flagpoll Statistics
* Andrew Beaudoin Flagpoll Statistics
* Conor Stemme Flagpoll Statistics
* Sully Tomich Flagpoll Statistics
* Yuki Mori Flagpoll Statistics
* Alex Fischer Flagpoll Statistics
* People's Flag
Santiago del Estero

*"i predict that at least two people are going to bitch about santiago del estero's ratio"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Santiago del Estero is a province in the north of Argentina

Its capital is the city of Santiago del Estero, the 12th largest city in the country.

The name translates to Saint James of the Lagoon, and as you would imagine, there are several lagoons in the province’s flatlands

Copo National Park preserves the province’s trees as well as the endangered Chacoan peccary, a weird boar-looking mammal that was once thought to be extinct

The Rio Hondo hot springs in the province are a popular Argentine tourist destination, particularly in the early to mid 20th century. The waters are believed to have healing properties

## Tournament

As the 396 seed, Santiago del Estero was defeated by Hokkaido in Round 2 Matchup 115 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Izmail.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (629) Izmail 8-2

**Round 2:** Loss to (117) Hokkaido 6-4

## Gallery

Cam attemps to fix the flag ratioGreg's horizontal Santiago del Estero flag
Seychelles

*"shells. there i said it"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Seychelles is an island nation in the Indian Ocean

Its 115 islands are roughly 1000 miles east of mainland Africa

It was a British colony until declaring independence in 1976

The islands are believed to have been uninhabited until European settlers arrived in the 1500s

42% of the country’s territory is designated for conservation of threatened species

## Eulogy 2

*By Cam Cain*

Seychelles is an island nation off the east coast of Africa and north of Madagascar

It is Africa’s smallest and least populated country with a population a little under the capacity of the Big House

Its 100+ islands had no native population until the British and French both showed up in the 1500s

Seychelles has a largely matrilineal society, and it is one of the only African countries with enshrined LGBT rights

Seychelles has the highest literacy rate of any country in sub-Saharan Africa. It also has the highest rate of heroin usage of any country in the world at a disturbing 10% of adults

In 2025, Seychelles are set to host the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. It will mark their first appearance in the tournament. For those wondering, Brazil has had the most success in the tournament, but Russia are the reigning champs

## Tournament

Seychelles was defeated by South Africa in Round 4 Matchup 4 of FlagVote. As the 135 seed, it was defeated by the Maori flag in Round 2 Matchup 98 of FlagVote 2 after previously defeating Gambier Islands. As the 107 seed, it was defeated by St. Vincent and the Grenadines in Round 3 Matchup 126 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Nantucket.

## Results

### FlagVote

**Round 1:** Win over Burundi 5-0

**Round 2:** Win over Antigua and Barbuda 5-4

**Round 3:** Win over Australia 7-0

**Round 4:** Loss to South Africa 5-2

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (378) Gambier Islands 5-2

**Round 2:** Loss to (122) Maori 5-1

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Win over (406) Nantucket 6-5

**Round 3:** Loss to (150) St. Vincent and the Grenadines 6-3
Midway Islands

*"fuckin cartoon birdy strikes again"*

*--Cam Cain*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

The Midway Islands are an atoll in the Hawaiian archipelago of the North Pacific

Visitation to the islands is limited to business purposes. In 2012, the final year it allowed tourists, 332 people made their vacation in the Midway Islands

The Battle of Midway in 1942 was an important battle in the Pacific Theatre of World War II

Midway was claimed by the US in the 1850s after the Guano Islands Act, which gave the US authority to claim any uninhabited island, ostensibly for the purpose of mining guano

It is home to many endangered bird species, such as the Laysan Duck

## Eulogy 2

*By Cam Cain and Lexy Lee*

The Midway Islands are an atoll in the North Pacific Ocean.

The islands had no indigenous population before being claimed by the United States in the 1850s under everyone’s favorite act: the Guano Islands Act. Its population peaked at around 2300 in the 1960s but is now currently either 0 or 40 or 60 depending on which paragraph in the Wiki article you want to read

They are part of the Hawaiian island chain, meaning that it formed from the same hotspot. The Midway Islands were formed around 28 million years ago when lava flows built up. A coral reef that is 516 ft thick surrounds the island.

In 1942, there was a battle at Midway known as the Battle of Midway. The US got its first naval victory over Japan in what proved to be a major turning point in the Pacific Theatre

Chicago’s Midway Airport is named after the Battle of Midway for some reason

Midway Atoll is a designated National Wildlife Refuge and an Important Bird Area. Additionally, it is a part of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Many albatross species thrive here. Nearly all of the 1.5 million Laysan Albatrosses that live here have plastic in their digestive system, and one third of their chicks die due to the plastic pollution. In the water nearby, monk seals, green sea turtles and spinner dolphins are found.

## Tournament

As the 192 seed, Midway Islands were defeated by Somalia in Round 2 Matchup 3 of FlagVote 2. As the 77 seed, it was defeated by Botswana in Round 4 Matchup 22 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (321) Armenia 4-2

**Round 2:** Loss to (65) Somalia 4-3

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Win over (436) Melekeok 7-4

**Round 3:** Win over (180) Nigeria 6-5

**Round 4:** Loss to (52) Botswana 7-4
Pakistan

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Pakistan is the fifth most populous country in the world

Several ancient cultures lived in Pakistan, including the Indus Valley civilization. It was part of British India until gaining independence in 1947. It was established as a place for the Muslims of the former British Raj. In the time since, it has alternated between fundamentalist and secular governance. It’s currently a secular government, but the majority of Pakistanis support declaring Sharia law

Believe it or not, the name Pakistan (originally Pakstan) is an acronym, with the letters standing for different homelands across Asia. P for Punjab, A for Afghan, K for Kashmir, S for Sindh, and -stan meaning land

Pakistan’s official language is Urdu, which has the same grammar and script as Hindi but has some Persian vocabulary mixed in

Pakistan and India do not like eachother nowadays and they have gone to war in the past over the region of Kashmir. India currently occupies it, but this claim is currently disputed by Pakistan. Pakistan does maintain control over the state of Azad Kashmir, however

Cricket is Pakistan’s most popular sport by far. In 2017, an estimated 400 million people worldwide watched Pakistan defeat rival India in the ICC World Championship. 21 men in Kashmir were arrested by Indian police with sedition charges for celebrating Pakistan’s victory, but the charges were later dropped

Pakistan’s soccer team, meanwhile, is ranked 195th of 211 participating nations and territories despite the country’s size. It ranks behind behemoths such as South Sudan, Montserrat, and the Cook Islands

## Tournament

Pakistan was defeated by Kazakhstan in Round 2 Matchup 37 of FlagVote after previously defeating Latvia. As the 129 seed, it was defeated by Brunei in Round 1 Matchup 3 of FlagVote 2. As the 277 seed, it was cleanly swept by Kazakhstan in Round 3 Matchup 61 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote

**Round 1:** Win over Latvia 5-2

**Round 2:** Loss to Kazakhstan 6-1

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (748) Wallis and Futuna 9-0

**Round 2:** Win over (236) Cumberland 6-5
Maine (old)

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

This flag represented the US state of Maine from the years 1901-1909

The pine tree is a symbol of New England and especially Maine, nicknamed the Pine Tree State

In 1909, a law was enacted changing the flag to the boring current flag, the state seal on a blue background

It has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, as many residents have wanted it to replace the current flag

## Eulogy 2

*By Cam Cain*

Maine is the largest and northernmost New England state

Its largest city is Portland, which is the namesake for Oregon’s largest city. No one in this channel will argue that Maine has the cooler Portland, and it’s honestly one of the coolest cities around

Seafood and agriculture are important in Maine. Everyone knows Maine is the top lobster producing state in the country, but did you know they produce 99% of the nation’s blueberries? They were also once the top potato producer before Idaho made that their whole thing.

Much of northern Maine is empty and beautiful. The trees are very tall. The rocky Acadia National Park, the Northeast’s only national park, is located in Downeast Maine. For those not from the area, Downeast literally refers to coastal northern Maine, but people basically use it to mean any part of Maine that isn’t Portland

Mount Katahdin is the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail and the second most prominent peak in New England. The mountain became famous when Henry David Thoreau climbed it in 1840 and wrote all about it

This flag was the official flag of Maine from 1901 to 1909, when it was replaced by the much more boring current flag. Since the 1990s, there have been several proposals to make this flag official again, but they keep getting defeated, most recently in 2021. Still, they love this flag, and you’ll see it flown proudly and displayed on merchandise all around Maine

Notable Mainers include Stephen King, Angus King (no relation), Anna Kendrick, Patrick Dempsey, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Garnet Hathaway

## Tournament

As the 197 seed, Maine was defeated by Donetsk Oblast in Round 2 Matchup 36 of FlagVote 2 after previously defeating Qatar. As the 238 seed, it was defeated by Royal Scotland in Round 2 Matchup 218 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (316) Qatar 5-1

**Round 2:** Loss to (60) Donetsk Oblast 4-1

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Loss to (275) Royal Scotland 6-5
Antigua and Barbuda

*"It feels like something a kid put together with construction paper in their 2nd grade art class"*

*--Sahil Shah*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Antigua and Barbuda is an island nation in the Caribbean

97% of the population lives on the island of Antigua, with the rest living on smaller islands such as Barbuda and Green

Hurricane Irma destroyed the vast majority of Barbuda in 2017, and all 1600 residents evacuated to Antigua

Antigua is Spanish for ancient, and Barbuda is Spanish for hobo

The country declared independence from the UK in 1981, but Queen Elizabeth is still the head of state

## Eulogy 2

*By Cam Cain*

Antigua and Barbuda is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles

In addition to its two main islands, it’s got several smaller ones including Prickly Pear, Green Bird, and its own Guiana. 97% of the population lives on Antigua though

The island was first settled around 3100 BC then forcefully settled by Caribs around 1200 AD. Christopher Columbus arrived in 1493, gave it its current name, and killed most of the population with smallpox

The highest point in Antigua is the 1319 foot Boggy Peak. From 2009 to 2016 it was renamed Mount Obama

Cricket is the nation’s most popular sport, and longtime West Indies captain Viv Richards is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. Antigua has never won an Olympic medal, but American 2020 gold medal sprinter Rai Benjamin has Antiguan parents and represented Antigua in his youth

You can buy an Antiguan passport and become a citizen for $130,000. Timothy Dalton and Oprah have done this

## Tournament

Antigua and Barbuda was defeated by Seychelles in Round 2 Matchup 15 of FlagVote after previously defeating Cape Verde. As the 100 seed it was defeated by Montpelier in Round 2 Matchup 58 of FlagVote 2 after previously defeating New England.

## Results

### FlagVote

**Round 1:** Win over Cape Verde 5-1

**Round 2:** Loss to Seychelles 5-4

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (413) New England 6-1

**Round 2:** Loss to (157) Montpelier 5-1

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (668) Franco-Tenois 10-1

**Round 2:** Win over (156) Libya 6-5

**Round 3:** Loss to (101) Cedar Rapids 6-1
Sergipe

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Sergipe is a state in Northeastern Brazil

It is the country’s smallest state and the sixth least populous. This averages out to the sixth most densely populated Brazilian state

In the 1930s, the state was known for having a lot of outlaws. In particular, a bandit named Lampião led a band of robbers and murderers for years in Sergipe before being beheaded by local police.

In 1942, Nazi submarines attacked coastal cities in Sergipe, leading to Brazil joining the Allied Powers at the end of that year

Soccer star Diego Costa was born and raised in the city of Lagarto, Sergipe. However, he represented Spain internationally instead of Brazil

The five stars on the flag represent the five rivers in the state, with the large central one representing the Sergipe River. For roughly 13 months in the early 1950s, a different version of the flag with 35 stars was used, signifying the 35 municipalities in the state

## Tournament

As the 441 seed, Sergipe was defeated by Spain in Round 1 Matchup 60 of FlagVote 2. As the 524 seed, it was defeated by Aruba in Round 2 Matchup 113 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (501) Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina 7-4
Riverside

*"THE DESTINATION OF THIS TRAIN IS: RIVERSIDE"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Riverside is a city in Southern California. It’s located in the “Inland Empire” region about 50 miles east of Los Angeles

It takes its name due to its proximity to the Santa Ana River

The first orange tree in California were planted in Riverside in 1871, and a whole bunch more were planted 2 years later. The city is still famous for its citrus industry, and it’s got a big museum and state park about oranges. One of the original navel orange trees from 1873 is still standing

Riverside’s Mission Inn is considered the largest mission-style building in America. The bell on the city flag is taken from it

The World’s Largest Paper Cup is on Iowa Street in Riverside. Made of concrete, it stands in front of the former manufacturing plant for Dixie cups

Lots of baseball players come from Riverside including Bobby Bonds, Dusty Baker, Alvin Davis, and Jake Marisnick. Other notable people from the city include basketball star Reggie Miller, basketball star Cheryl Miller, rapper Skee-Lo, and the lead singer of Evanescence

## Tournament

As the 88 seed, Riverside was defeated by Tunisia in Round 4 Matchup 16 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Win over (425) United States 8-2

**Round 3:** Win over (169) Switzerland 7-3

**Round 4:** Loss to (41) Tunisia 6-5
Sliema

*"on maltese nickelodeon you don't get slimed you get sliema'd"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy

*By Gregory Severin*

Sliema is a town on the northeast coast of Malta

It is also the most densely populated city in Malta, and its bustling nightlife has attracted a lot of foreigners to move to the town

Its name comes from the Maltese word for "peace" and was used as a greeting, similar to Arabic's salaam

A popular stereotype of people from Sliema, or Slimiżi, is that English is their first language and they speak very poor Maltese. This is probably due to a combination of all of the expats living there and many youths from the area being priced out as expensive development continues in the town

## Tournament

As the 324 seed, Sliema was defeated by the Ecuador Navy in Round 2 Matchup 72 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Sao Paulo.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (701) Sao Paulo 11-0

**Round 2:** Loss to (189) Ecuador Navy 6-5
Mali (1959-1961)

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Mali is a nation in West Africa

The stick figure is known as a ‘kanaga.’ It is an African symbol

It was removed from the flag in 1961 since the Muslim majority in the country is opposed to representations of the human figure

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

This was the flag of the Mali Federation, and was later used as the flag of independent Mali in 1960-61

The Mali Federation was a short-lived federation between today's Senegal and Mali (then known as French Sudan). It was successful in earning independence from France but dissolved shortly after due to internal political tensions

Mali got to keep the flag in the divorce, but changed it after a year because it's 90% Muslim and Islamic fundamentalists don't really like depicting images of people

The fellow on the flag is a kanaga, an effigy picture used by the Dogon people

When Mali was known as French Sudan, its flag was the French Tricolour with a kanaga in the middle

## Tournament

As the 422 seed, this flag was defeated by North Korea in Round 1 Matchup 181 of FlagVote 2. As the 690 seed, it was defeated by Singapore in Round 1 Matchup 153 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Loss to (91) North Korea 6-0
South Carolina

*"holy shit that palmetto tree is ugly"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

South Carolina is a state in the southeastern United States

The capital is Columbia, but the largest and most important city is Charleston, and the largest metropolitan area is actually Greenville

It is one of the least educated states in the country

In 1960 (sic) it was the first state to secede from the Union

Two Hall of Famers come from South Carolina: Larry Doby and Jim Rice. However, the state’s WAR leader is actually Willie Randolph, with Shoeless Joe Jackson in second place

## Tournament

South Carolina was defeated by Kazakhstan in Round 1 Matchup 73 of FlagVote. As the 80 seed, it was defeated by Saga in Round 3 Matchup 7 of FlagVote 2.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (433) Nicaragua 6-1

**Round 2:** Win over (336) Hawaii 5-2

**Round 3:** Loss to (49) Saga 4-2
Omsk Oblast

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Omsk Oblast is an oblast in Siberia, bordering Kazakhstan

Even though it’s the southern part of Siberia, it still gets really cold there. Average January temperatures are -20 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the summers can get real hot

The blue wavy line on the flag represents the Irtysh River, which flows over 4000km south to north in Central Asia. A tributary of the Ob, it is the second longest tributary in the world

The capital and largest city is Omsk, which is home to 1.1 million Omskers

Canucks forward Ilya Mikheyev and BJs prospect Yegor Chinakhov come from Omsk. Fyodor Dostoyevsky was in exile there for 5 years

## Tournament

As the 599 seed, Omsk Oblast was defeated by Bosnian-Podrinje in Round 1 Matchup 192 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Loss to (426) Bosnian-Podrinje 9-2
Balearic Islands

*"The fact that the purple square doesn’t line up with the stripes is awful"*

*--Sahil Shah*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

The Balearic Islands are a set of islands in the Balearic sea off the coast of Spain

The major islands, including Mallorca and Ibiza, are major tourist and party destinations

The islands form an autonomous community, or province, within Spain, and they primarily speak Catalan

The flag incorporates the Senyera, the Catalan flag

Tennis star and second best player of his era Rafael Nadal hails from Mallorca

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

The Balearic Islands are an island chain off the eastern coast of Spain

Its four major islands, Mallorca, Menorca, Formentera, and Ibiza, are extremely popular tourist destinations

Ibiza in particular is world-famous for its nightlife and electronic music scene, and its festivals have attracted genre heavyweights like the Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, and Soulwax. The Vengaboys' third- or fourth-best song is called "We're Going to Ibiza", so presumably they've been there as well; I highly doubt the Vengaboys would lie to us

The name Balearic comes from the ancient Greek word for "to launch," as the islands held a reputation for producing skilled slingers. In antiquity, the Greeks called the islands the Gymnesiae due to the inhabitants' apparent distaste for clothing

Menorca was briefly ceded to the British in the same treaty that gave the Brits control over Gibraltar, but was returned to Spain after the Seven Years' War

Tennis star and former world No. 1 Rafael Nadal is from the Balearic Islands, more specifically Mallorca

## Tournament

As the 434 seed, the Balearic Islands were defeated by Goliad in Round 1 Matchup 229 of FlagVote 2. As the 663 seed, it was defeated by the flag of Andrew in Round 1 Matchup 189 of FlagVote 3.
Oman

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Oman is a country in the Arabian Peninsula

From the 17th to 19th centuries the Omani Sultanate was one of the world’s powers, and its empire included much of Africa’s east coast

The Global Peace Index ranks Oman as the 69th most peaceful country in the world

Oman has recently become a hotspot for whale watching, to see the isolated and endangered Arabian humpback whale

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

The Sultanate of Oman is a country on the eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula

From the 1600s to its peak in the 1800s, the Omani sultanate was an empire stretching from modern Iran and Pakistan to as far south as Zanzibar. Before that, it had been under Portuguese and Seljuk influence for around 300 years

At the empire's absolute peak in the 19th century, Oman moved its capital to Zanzibar. That's right 🎵the Sultan of Oman lives in Zanzibar now🎵

Given its history as an empire, Oman has more cultural diversity than its neighbors; this is reflected in the variety of traditional music and clothing. Cultural tourism in Oman is booming, and in 2012 Lonely Planet ranked its capital city Muscat as the second-best city in the world to visit

If you couldn't tell from its official name, Oman is still an absolute monarchy today. In 2020 Sultan Qaboos bin Said died, ending his fifty-year-long rule and starting a minor succession crisis after leaving no children to take up the throne

## Tournament

Oman was defeated by Saudi Arabia in Round 1 Matchup 102 of FlagVote. As the 413 seed, it was defeated by the Dutch Navy in Round 1 Matchup 236 of FlagVote 2. As the 633 seed, it was defeated by Digbeth in Round 1 Matchup 35 of FlagVote 3.