recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Namibia

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Namibia is a country in Southern Africa

It takes its name from the Namib Desert, which itself means “vast place” in a native language

It was known as German South-West Africa until declaring independence in 1990

Like South Africa, it has transitioned from apartheid rule over the past three decades

The Caprivi Strip, a very narrow strip of land in the Northeast of Namibia, gives the country access to the Zambezi River

Hard-luck Namibian sprinter Frankie Fredericks won the silver medal in both the 100 meter and 200 meter at both the 1992 and 1996 Olympics

## Eulogy 2

Namibia is a country in southern Africa

It is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa and one of the least densely populated in the world

It was first owned by the Germans, who genocided them. Then, it was part of South Africa, who apartheided them. Finally in 1990 Namibia became independent, and things are better

It takes its name from the Namib Desert, which is the oldest desert in the world. The coast of Namibia has the world’s highest sand dunes, and they go right up to the ocean

Namibia has a big long panhandle called the Caprivi Strip. The 280-mile strip exists because Germany wanted access to the Zambezi River.

Namibia’s rugby team has played in several World Cups, and Namibian athletes have won 5 Olympic medals: all silvers. Sprinter Frankie Fredericks won the first four of those medals, as he was runner-up in both the 100 and 200 meters in both 1992 and 1996, finishing second to a different sprinter each time. Both of his 1996 competitors set a World Record in order to beat Fredericks. He later became a council member of a big world track and field organization, but he’s currently being investigated for taking bribes. Seriously there needs to be a Jon Bois video about this guy ASAP, he’s so fascinating

## Tournament

Namibia was defeated by St. Vincent and the Grenadines in Round 2 Matchup 2 of FlagVote after previously defeating Christmas Island. As the 146 seed, it was defeated by Sikkim in Round 2 Matchup 90 of FlagVote 2 after previously defeating Turkmenistan.

## Results

### FlagVote

**Round 1:** Win over Christmas Island 4-1

**Round 2:** Loss to St. Vincent and the Grenadines 6-3

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (367) Turkmenistan 4-0

**Round 2:** Loss to (146) **Namibia** 5-2

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Win over (394) Bowling Green 8-2

**Round 3:** Loss to (138) Estonia 6-5
Koceljeva

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Koceljeva is a municipality in Serbia, which includes multiple villages including the titular Koceljeva

There’s another village called Mali Bošnjak, which unfortunately is not a village of Bosniaks from Mali. Mali is Serbian for “little”, and the village is majority Serb

The municipality as a whole is majority Serb. In fact, out of 13,129 people, there are 6 Bosniaks and 5 Croats. And I’m sure they’re treated wonderfully

The only notable person on Wikipedia is Slobodan Santrac, but he is notable. He was a soccer player in the 1960s and 70s who was the all time leading scorer in the Yugoslavian top league. He later became a manager who coached the Yugoslavian national team to the knockout stages of the 1998 World Cup

## Tournament

As the 488 seed, Koceljeva was defeated by Macedonia (old) in Round 2 Matchup 41 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Malampa.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (537) Malampa 8-1

**Round 2:** Loss to (25) Macedonia (old) 7-2
Qrendi

## Eulogy

*By Gregory Severin*

Qrendi is a village in southern Malta

Qrendi has three fireworks factories, or roughly one fireworks factory for every 900 people in the town

The Maqluba sinkhole, which appeared violently and suddenly in 1343, is in Qrendi. Other sights of note include two Neolithic temples that date back to 3000 BC

Limestone quarries are an important part of Qrendi's economy, as limestone is one of very few natural resources in Malta

Qrendi holds two feast days each year, one in early July and one in mid-August. You can bet the fireworks factories put on a show on those days

## Tournament

As the 561 seed, Qrendi was defeated by Poland in Round 1 Matchup 21 of FlagVote 3.
Jersey

*"It’s just a worse version of Alabama"*

*--Sahil Shah*

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

The Bailiwick of Jersey is an island in the English channel about 14 miles north of Normandy. It is the largest of the Channel Islands

It is a dependency of the British crown, although it has its own government. Being a Bailiwick, the bailiff is an important political position. The current bailiff is Tim Le Cocq

The island’s traditional language is Jèrrais, a Norman language similar to French. As of 2012, only about 5% of people on the island spoke the language, but there has been a recent push to bring it back

New Jersey, a state in the United States of America, is named after Jersey. Sir George Carteret, who had formerly been the Governor of Jersey. was given control of the eastern part of what is now New Jersey, hence the name

Notable people from Jersey include actor Henry Cavill, world golf hall of famer Harry Vardon, and Will Smith. Not the baseball player, the actor, the hockey player, or the baseball player, but the comedian. Sir Walter Raleigh was briefly governor of the island before being imprisoned, and Victor Hugo was exiled there for a few years before being kicked out for criticizing Queen Victoria

## Tournament

Jersey was defeated by Bosnia and Herzegovina in Round 1 Matchup 27 of FlagVote. As the 264 seed, it was defeated by Cumberland in Round 1 Matchup 63 of FlagVote 2. As the 565 seed, it was defeated by Sioux Falls in Round 2 Matchup 117 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Guinea-Bissau.

## Results

### FlagVote

**Round 1:** Loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina 5-0

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Loss to (249) Cumberland 6-1

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (460) Guinea-Bissau 6-5

**Round 2:** Loss to (53) Sioux Falls 8-2
Iroquois Confederation

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

This flag represents the Iroquois people

The Iroquois previously claimed land all through the eastern Great Lakes region including Michigan, Ohio, and even down to Virginia. It now exists in pockets of Western New York and Ontario

They refer to themselves as Haudenosaunee, or People of the Longhouse

The Iroquois Confederacy was founded sometime in the 15th-17th centuries, bringing together 5 nations from the region, namely the Mohawk, the Oneida, the Onondaga, the Seneca, and the Cayuga. You may recognize these tribes as namesakes for various lakes in New York, finger lake or otherwise. The Tuscarora people were later admitted into the Confederacy in 1722

The Iroquois people invented the sport of lacrosse, and they compete individually at the World Lacrosse Championship. They finished third place in each of the last two editions of the tournament, behind the United States and Canada each time. This flag was designed in 1980 so the lacrosse team would have something to fly

Robbie Robertson, lead singer of The Band who passed away last week, is Iroquois on his mother’s side

## Tournament

As the 211 seed, the Iroquois Confederation was defeated by India in Round 3 Matchup 111 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Ingushetia.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Win over (302) Ingushetia 8-2

**Round 3:** Loss to (46) India 8-2
Papua New Guinea

*"there is one good southern cross flag and it's papua new guinea"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Papua New Guinea is a country in the Pacific Ocean

It is the only country in Oceania that borders another country

Papua New Guinea is home to the only poisonous bird in the world

There are 851 known languages, the two official ones being Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin

There are believed to be many undiscovered plants, animals, and cultures in the isolated center of the country

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Papua New Guinea is a country on the eastern half of New Guinea island and some of the Solomon Islands (the islands that aren't in the Solomon Islands, to be precise)

It is one of the most rural countries in the world, as less than one-eighth of its population lives in urban centers

Because of this, it's hard to get an estimate of the country's population. The government says it's about 9.4 million, but a recent study says it's almost double that

The name "Papua New Guinea" came about because originally the country was two separate territories. The southern part, originally called Papua, became a British protectorate in the 1880s, and the northern part, originally called German New Guinea, was captured by Australians and annexed by the British during World War I. The two only merged following World War II

Papua New Guinea is also famous for its diversity of both ethnicities and languages (over 800 languages are spoken there, more than any other country in the world), the frequency of its seismic activity and volcanoes, and the incredible biodiversity of its rainforests

About 8% of the world's vertebrate species, including 10% of the world's fish species, can be found in Papua New Guinea and its surrounding waters, which is really something considering its territory makes up only half a percent of the world's total land surface

## Tournament

Papua New Guinea was defeated by Barbados in Round 4 Matchup 9 of FlagVote. As the 64 seed, it was defeated by Duluth in Round 2 Matchup 4 of FlagVote 2 after previously defeating Johnston Atoll.

## Results

### FlagVote

**Round 1:** Win over Dominican Republic 5-2

**Round 2:** Win over Afghanistan 4-2

**Round 3:** Win over Myanmar 5-1

**Round 4:** Loss to Barbados 6-1

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (449) Johnston Atoll 7-0

**Round 2:** Loss to (193) Duluth 4-3

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (676) Coquimbo 8-1

**Round 2:** Loss to (164) Sudbury 7-3
Michigan (flag)

*"Michigan: The State That Unites Us All™️"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy

*By Sully Tomich*

Michigan is a state in the Great Lakes region of the midwestern United States. It was admitted into the union on January 26th, 1837, as the 26th state. Per the 2020 census, it is the 10th largest state by population, the 11th largest by land area, and is the largest state by land area east of the Mississippi River if you include water area owned by the territory (2nd largest if you don’t). The name Michigan originates from the Ojibwe word “Mishigami” meaning “large water” or “large lake”.

Known as “The Mitten State”, “The Mighty Mitten”, or just “The Mitten” for short, Michigan consists of two peninsulas, the lower, of which is where the state gets its nickname, and the upper, known as the “U.P.” . The UP was originally owned by the Ohio territory, but was traded to Michigan for the Toledo Strip and a heated state rivalry to be named later. These two peninsulas are separated by the Strait of Mackinac (Mack-i-naw) and connected by the Mackinac bridge, also known as “The Big Mac”.Michigan has the longest freshwater coastline of any state in the country, and also contains so many inland lakes and ponds that you are never more than 6 or 7 miles from a lake no matter where in the state you are, And yet Minnesota gets the title “Land of 10,000 Lakes” even though Michigan has almost 6 times the amount of lakes.

Michigan’s most well known industries Are the automotive industry and the music business. The hit genre of Motown was developed in Detroit, in a recording studio now nicknamed “Hitsville, USA”. This genre sparked the careers of artists such as Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, the Temptations and Stevie Wonder. Detroit is also the birthplace of Techno, a now worldwide phenomenon in which its festivals draw millions around the globe. The Detroit techno sound was once described as “If Kraftwerk and George Clinton were stuck in an elevator”. The invention of techno, coupled with the rise of Chicago house music helped inspire artists such as Daft Punk, deadmau5, and hundreds of others.

I could go on and on about all the amazing things in this state, but we do not have time trot that, so I will leave you with some notable Michiganders in history (either born here or Grew up here). They include but are not limited to: Francis Ford Coppola, Jerry Bruckheimer, John Hughes, Jeff Daniels, Chris Hansen, Taylor Lautner, Tom Selleck, Gus Johnson, Jack Kevorkian, Big Sean, Alice Cooper, Marshall Mathers, Madonna, Ted Nugent, Iggy Pop, Jack White, etc etc etc.

## Tournament

As the 601 seed, Michigan was defeaeted by Comoros in Round 1 Matchup 47 of FlagVote 3.
Kazakh Khanate

*"MAH WIFE’s khanate"*

*--Cam Cain*

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

The Kazakh Khanate was a state in central Asia, roughly corresponding with the borders of modern-day Kazakhstan

A successor to various hordes in the region, it existed from the 1400s all the way through to the Polk presidency

The khanate was eventually absorbed into the Russian Empire over the course of the 19th century

This flag probably never really existed. It is just used by the Turkish government as a symbol of the Khanate. The knot on the flag is not Kazakh in origin, but rather Buddhist and Hindu. It is believed to have arrived in Kazakhstan via trade with other nearby nations

## Tournament

As the 367 seed, the Kazakh Khanate was defeated by Kirkcudbrightshire in Round 2 Matchup 156 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Belize.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (658) Belize 7-1

**Round 2:** Loss to (146) Kirkcudbrightshire 10-1
Merionethshire

*"THE ICARUS GOAT FLAG???"*

*--Lexy Lee*

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Merionethshire, or Meirionnydd, is a county of Wales

It has one of the highest Welsh speaking populations in Wales, largely owed to the fact that it does not border England

Tywyn, one of the largest towns in the county, will be voted on later in this tournament

Much of Snowdonia National Park, the most famous in Wales, lies in Merionethshire

The flag comes from a description of a banner in the 17th century poem “Battle of Agincourt” by Michael Drayton. It is believed to be the only flag in the world with the sun located in the bottom left corner

## Tournament

As the 532 seed, Merionethshire was defeated by Dingli in Round 1 Matchup 90 of FlagVote 3.
Laval

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Laval is a suburb of Montreal and the third largest city in Quebec

It was largely rural before experiencing rapid growth in the 1950s and 60s

It is home to the Cosmodome, Canada’s only space museum and home to one of just two moon rocks in Canada. Rocket de Laval, a minor league hockey team, are also located in the city. The team is not named after the space museum, but rather Canadiens legend Maurice “Rocket” Richard

Marlins rookie infielder Charles Leblanc became the first Lavallois to play in the majors this year. Hockey Hall of Famer and UVM legend Martin St. Louis comes from Laval as well

The blockiness of the L on the flag is supposed to represent the development of Laval. The letters are really close together to signify that the city was formed as a merger between 14 municipalities

## Tournament

As the 758 seed, Laval was defeated by San Marino in Round 1 Matchup 243 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Loss to (267) San Marino 6-2
Mariners Baseball

*"MY OH MY!"*

--Slackbot

**Mariners Baseball**, also known as "My Oh My", is a Slackbot command in the M-SABR Slack. It was created by Gregory Severin on April 1, 2018 as an homage to the late Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus' signature call. Unlike other Mariners-themed Slackbot commands, Mariners Baseball is usually associated with positivity, or as a means to drum up some sort of hype about the Mariners. Due to this, Mariners Baseball is not a Slackbot command that is frequently invoked.
San Sebastian

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

San Sebastian is a town in northwestern Puerto Rico, bordering Añasco among others

It was founded by Basque immigrants and named after their patron saint

The Robles Waterfall is a popular tourist attraction in San Sabastian, but several tourists have died there in recent years

The original name of the town was Las Vegas del Pepino, which means Cucumber Fields. The coat of arms features cucumbers

Former center fielder and 1977 Gold Glover Juan Beniquez hails from San Sebastian, as does serial killer Altemio Sanchez

## Tournament

As the 371 seed, San Sebastian was defeated by Ottawa in Round 2 Matchup 212 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Utrecht.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (654) Utrecht 11-0

**Round 2:** Loss to (142) Ottawa 6-2
No One Cares About Your Fantasy Team

*"We need to get rid of this Slackbot"*

*--Sahil Shah*

**No One Cares About Your Fantasy Team** was a Slackbot command. When someone would say "fantasy," Slackbot would respond "No one cares about your fantasy team *if you are talking about an M-SABR league, please move your discussion to that league's channel*" It was conceived by Cam on 4-18-19 in an attempt to prevent discussion about the Dynasty league from spreading outside of #dynastybaseball. However, it was quickly discovered that it was impossible to prevent the Slackbot from appearing in the Dynasty Baseball channel. As such, the Slackbot quickly became unpopular, and the responses were often quickly deleted.

The last appearance of the Slackbot was on 10-3-20. It is unclear when it was officially removed, as the Slackbot response was often deleted, so it is unknown which comment of "fantasy" was truly the last to have a Slackbot reply.

## Gallery

Cam workshops the spacing for the botGreg requests the botSahil uses the bot to call Cam out for talking about fantasySlackbot responds in a fantasy channelSlackbot responds to an out of context usage of the word 'fantasy'
Nauru

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Nauru is the third smallest and third least populated country in the world

Located in the South Pacific, its flag depicts its location relative to the equator

After its phosphate reserves ran out, Nauru briefly decided to be a tax haven

It is one of just five UN countries to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia. It does so in exchange for aid from Russia

97% of men and 93% of women in Nauru are overweight

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Nauru is the smallest island country in the world, and the third-smallest overall at just 8.1 square miles of area

It, like a few other Pacific Islands I could mention, was colonized by the Germans and occupied by the Japanese before becoming independent in the sixties

The first European to spot Nauru called it "Pleasant Island" because it looked so nice, and for a time that's what people called it instead of Nauru

Phosphate mining was a major part of the island's industry for a while, but then they ran out of phosphates to mine. Today, their biggest source of income is aid from Australia

Nauru actually used to be pretty rich, and was once dubbed "The Kuwait of the Pacific." However, resource depletion and extremely poor investments (including financing the infamously dreadful West End musical Leonardo the Musical: A Portrait of Love) left the country in a severe debt crisis from which it has yet to recover

## Tournament

Nauru was defeated by Barbados in Round 1 Matchup 65 of FlagVote. As the 200 seed, it was defeated by Denver in Round 2 Matchup 29 of FlagVote 2. As the 255 seed, it was defeated by Thailand (old) in Round 2 Matchup 130 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (313) Australia 4-3

**Round 2:** Loss to (57) Denver 5-1

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Loss to (258) Thailand (old) 8-3
Mora

*"who else remembers melvin mora"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Mora is a canton in Costa Rica, near the capital of San Jose

It is named after Juan Rafael Mora Porras, the second president of Costa Rica. He is known for instituting reforms allowing only rich people to vote before eventually being overthrown in 1859. Actress Madeleine Stowe, known for her roles in 12 Monkeys and The Last of the Mohicans is his great great great grandniece

The indigenous territory of Quitirrisí in Mora is known for its handcrafted items

The UN University of Peace, a multinational university, is headquartered in the city of Colón

Mora is the safest of Costa Rica’s 84 cantons. It is unclear whether the presence of a Cloud Man or Cloud Men was factored into this ranking

## Tournament

As the 678 seed, Mora was defeated by Kiribati in Round 1 Matchup 241 of FlagVote 3.
Ireland Harp

*"i'll pour out a guinness for the slag on the flag"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

This flag first appeared in 1642 when it was used by Gaelic soldier Eoghan Ruadh O’Neill

Ireland’s coat of arms features a different version of the harp

It was more prominent than the tricolor for much of Ireland’s history

It is now commonly used by United Irishmen, a nationalist group

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

This was the unofficial Irish flag for a few hundred years

It features the cláirseach, or a Celtic harp, which was a symbol of status and culture in Gaelic Ireland

Originally the harp was on a blue background, but it changed to green after the color started to be associated with the Emerald Isle. Wonder why

This flag was also the party flag for the United Irishmen, a nationalist movement in the 18th century

The flag of Leinster province looks similar to this one, but it's a slightly different harp on a slightly darker shade of green

Today's Irish Naval Jack also looks like this flag, and has the same shade of green, but its harp does not have a nice lady on it

## Tournament

As the 108 seed, the Irish Harp was defeated by Iceland in Round 3 Matchup 21 of FlagVote 2. As the 509 seed, it was defeated by North Macedonia in Round 2 Matchup 65 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Cesinovo-Oblesevo (old).

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (405) Paraguay 6-0

**Round 2:** Win over (149) Palau 4-2

**Round 3:** Loss to (21) Iceland 5-1

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (516) Cesinovo-Oblesevo (old) 8-3

**Round 2:** Loss to (4) North Macedonia 8-3
South Yemen

*"south? yea, man!"*

*--Cam Cain*

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

South Yemen was a communist nation that made up the eastern 2/3 of the country of Yemen from 1967 to 1990

The land was formerly the Aden Protectorate under British control. Once the British withdrew, it became independent and established close ties with the Soviet Union

Relations with North Yemen were largely friendly but strained. South Yemen, however, did fight amongst itself and had a brief Civil War in 1986. Shortly thereafter, the two Yemens merged

There is a movement to once again have independence in South Yemen, and in 1994 they started a brief and unsuccessful Civil War. There hasn’t been much unrest about it since. Yemen is currently in the midst of another turbulent Civil War, although it is unrelated and not along these lines

## Tournament

As the 362 seed, South Yemen was defeated by Palau in Round 1 Matchup 83 of FlagVote 2. As the 311 seed, it was defeated by South Uist in Round 3 Matchup 91 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (714) Canadian Air Force 11-0

**Round 2:** Win over (202) French Polynesia 7-4

**Round 3:** Loss to (55) South Uist 8-1
Saint Barthelemy

*"Petition to call flags that receive both a 10 and a 1 a 'Yuki' after the St. Bart’s Conundrum"*

*--Zach Betron*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Saint Barthelemy is an island in the Caribbean

Its population is 9793, or roughly the size of an Econ 101 lecture

Saint Barthelemy is one of many French overseas territories, although it had been owned by Sweden for several years

The territory seceded from the larger territory of Guadeloupe in 2003

   Taino and Arawak people named the island “Ouanalao.” Though no non-Europeans ever inhabited the island, they are believed to have visited on occasion

Turtles are very common along the territory’s many beaches

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Saint Barthelemy is a French overseas collectivity in the Caribbean

Along with Guadeloupe (from which it seceded in 2003), Martinique, and St. Martin it is a part of the French West Indies

St. Barthelemy was the only Caribbean island to be ruled by Sweden after it was ceded to the Swedes (Sweded? no that's already a thing) during the Napoleonic Wars

Its capital Le Carénage was renamed to Gustavia after the transfer, and apparently they just didn't rename it back when Sweden sold it back to France

Today, St. Barthelemy is a popular tourist destination for really rich people, and on New Year's Eve their yachts flock there in droves

## Tournament

St. Barthelemy was defeated by Switzerland in Round 1 Matchup 67 of FlagVote. As the 355 seed it was defeated by Morocco in Round 1 Matchup 142 of FlagVote 2. As the 666 seed, it was defeated by Jekabpils in Round 1 Matchup 173 of FlagVote 3.

## Trivia

* St. Barthelemy received notoriety in Flagpoll 2 when Yuki gave the flag a 1 after previously giving it a 10 in the first Flagpoll.
Italy

*"gabagool in shambles"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Italy is a country in Europe

It has been home to a variety of different cultures, including the Roman Empire

It is the sixth most populous European country and third most populous in the EU. It is also the sixth most visited country

Italy has one of the world’s longest life expectancies

Seven Major Leaguers were born in Italy, including Michigan alum and Tigers infielder Reno Bertoia. In 2011 Alex Liddi became the first person raised in Italy to play in the majors

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Italy is the bootlike peninsula kicking the island of Sicily, which is also a part of the Italian Republic

The peninsula is sometimes called the Apennine Peninsula due to the Apennine mountain range coursing down the boot's calf down to its ankle. The Apennines join their more famous cousins, the Alps, up in the north, and I'm sure Lexy could tell you all about both ranges.

The Italy we know and love today didn't exist until the 19th century, the peninsula having previously hosted either a conglomeration of various smaller states or the Roman Empire

Two of these smaller states live on as enclaves: San Marino in the northeast, and the Vatican City (Holy See) in Rome. Both are among the five smallest countries by area in the world

Oh yeah, Rome is here too. Rome was host to a whole lot of stuff, but it isn't nearly all Italy has to offer (Florence, Venice, Cinque Terre in the north; Pompeii, Naples, Sicily in the south)

Italy is the largest wine producer in the world, and chianti may be its finest contribution to our global cultural heritage. Other less great but important things they invented include gnocchi, modern astronomy, the movie Bicycle Thieves, pizza, and Renaissance art. Wait do the ninja turtles love pizza because they're all named after Italian artists? That's clever

Italy also invented fascism, but it somewhat made up for it by overthrowing Mussolini and becoming a founding member of the European Union in the late forties

There are a whole lot of famous people from Italy, and I'm sure you don't need to tell me who they are. I did just learn that Martin Scorsese holds Italian citizenship as of 2018, though, which is kinda neat

## Tournament

Italy was defeated by New Mexico in Round 2 Matchup 49 of FlagVote after previously defeating Malawi. As the 195 seed, it was defeated by Northern Savonia in Round 2 Matchup 68 of FlagVote 2 after previously defeating Crimea. As the 304 seed, it was defeated by Slovenia in Round 2 Matchup 30 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Walbrzyski County.

## Results

### FlagVote

**Round 1:** Win over Malawi 6-1

**Round 2:** Loss to New Mexico 5-2

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (318) Crimea 7-0

**Round 2:** Loss to (62) Northern Savonia 4-2

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (721) Walbrzyski County 8-1

**Round 2:** Loss to (209) Slovenia 6-5
Mali

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Mali is a large landlocked country in West Africa

It takes its name from the Mali Empire, one of the richest empires in African History. It encompassed most of modern-day Mali and Mauritania, as well as most of modern Senegal and the Gambia. It existed for about four centuries before succumbing to infighting in the early 1600s

Mali’s capital and largest city is Bamako, which means “crocodile river,” as it is located on the Niger River

Mali’s most well known city is Timbuktu, located in the Sahara. It became massively wealthy in its early history due to the salt trade, and it earned a sort of mythical status as an impossibly far away city filled with gold and riches. It was a center of Islamic education and learning in the mid second millennium. It is also a sister city of Tempe, Arizona

Music is very important in Malian culture. Those of you in #music will recognize traditional musician Toumani Diabate

Mali’s national soccer team has never qualified for a World Cup, but they had back to back third place finishes at the African Cup of Nations in 2012 and 2013. Basketball is also popular in Mali, and Malian power forward Adama Sanogo was just named Final Four Most Outstanding Player with UConn this year, becoming the first African player to do so since Hakeem Olajuwon 40 years prior

## Tournament

Mali was defeated by North Korea in Round 1 Matchup 14 of FlagVote. As the 357 seed, it was defeated by Timor Leste in Round 1 Matchup 78 of FlagVote 2. As the 411 seed, it was defeated by the Jolly Roger in Round 2 Matchup 235 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Saskatchewan.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Loss to (156) Timor Leste 7-0

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (614) Saskatchewan 10-0

**Round 2:** Loss to (102) Jolly Roger 7-2
Sicily

*"god, it's like h.r. giger redesigned the isle of man flag"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Sicily is a region of Italy located at the toe of Italy’s boot

It is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea

Sicily is home to Mount Etna, the largest volcano in Europe. It had a large eruption over the second half of 2021, so large in fact that the height of the mountain increased by 100 feet

Many Roman temples still exist in Sicily, such as the Temple of Concordia and the Temple of Segesta

The term ‘mafia’ originated with the Sicilian Mafia, and derives from the Sicilian word mafiusu which roughly translates to swagger. The Italian-American mafia largely originated with Sicilian immigrants

Marsala wine, a wonderful fortified wine, comes from the town of Marsala in Sicily

## Tournament

As the 465 seed, Sicily was defeated by Richmond in Round 1 Matchup 24 of FlagVote 2. As the 675 seed, it was defeated by Chile in Round 1 Matchup 209 of FlagVote 3.
Laser Kiwi

*"i can't wait for facts about laser kiwis"*

--Andrew Beaudoin

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

The Laser Kiwi was a proposed flag during New Zealand’s flag referendum of 2015

New Zealand seeked (sic) to change their flag for obvious reasons, so they looked to crowdsource suggestions

The ‘laser kiwi’ became a sensation, although it didn’t make the 6 finalists

The kiwi is a bird native to New Zealand and a term referring to New Zealanders. The silver fern is also a symbol of the country

   After several long months, New Zealand chose to stick with its current flag

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

The Laser Kiwi is a flag designed for the 2015 New Zealand flag referendum that ultimately changed nothing about the New Zealander flag

Back when New Zealand wanted to (but ultimately didn't) change its flag, an AV tech and political activist named Lucy Gray whipped up this design, called "Fire the Lazer!", in MS Paint one day

Gray's accompanying description of the flag read "the laser beam projects a powerful image of New Zealand. I believe my design is so powerful it does not need to be discussed."

The flag was reportedly also inspired by New Zealand's lack of dangerous animals relative to their neighbors Australia

Since the referendum, the Laser Kiwi flag has made appearances in sporting events and concerts both in New Zealand and internationally

## Tournament

As the 446 seed, Laser Kiwi was defeated by African Union in Round 1 Matchup 133 of FlagVote 2. As the 382 seed, it was upset by Norfolk in Round 1 Matchup 197 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Loss to (67) African Union 4-2
Maryland

*Not to be confused with Maryland County*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam CAin*

Maryland is a state in the eastern United States

Typhoid was common in colonial Maryland, and the life expectancy was 10 years shorter than in New England

Crab fishing is a big deal in Maryland

The black and yellow things on the flag come from the coat of arms of Lord Baltimore, and the red and white things are a confederate secessionist symbol

Eight baseball hall of famers were born in Maryland, including Cal Ripken Jr, Jimmie Foxx, and a George Herman Ruth

## Eulogy 2

*By Sahil Shah*

Maryland was the 7th state admitted to the Union on April 28, 1788. Before that, it was home to several groups of Native Americans -- most notably, the Algonquians and to a lesser extent, the Iroquian and Siouan. One of the original thirteen colonies, it was first founded by George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore, who sought to provide a religious haven for Catholics persecuted in England. It was not until 1760, however, that the borders of the state were officially set, as there were a series of territorial disputes with Pennsylvania.

Maryland's early settlements and population centers clustered around rivers and other waterways that empty into the Chesapeake Bay. Its economy was heavily plantation-based and centered mostly on the cultivation of tobacco. Maryland was a significant player during the Civil War -- even though they were a Slave State, they opted to stay as part of the Union. Since the 1940's, the state has grown rapidly and has become of the most densely populated states in the United States. It now has the highest median household income of any state, in large part due to its proximity to Washington DC.

16 of Maryland's 23 counties, as well as the city of Baltimore, border the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay estuary and its many tributaries. It features a variety of climate and topographical features for such a small state. Additionally, it is one of the most diverse populations in the United States.

The flag itself consists the 17th-century heraldic banner of arms of Cecil, 2nd Baron of Baltimore. It consists of the arms of his father George, 1st Baron Baltimore) 1579–1632), quartered with those of his grandmother, heiress of the Crossland family. The flag was officially adopted by the General Assembly of Maryland in 1904.

## Tournament

Maryland was defeated by Wales in Round 4 Matchup 5 of FlagVote after previously defeating Nicaragua, Cocos Islands, and Guyana. As the 307 seed, it was defeated by Laos in Round 1 Matchup 154 of FlagVote 2. As the 219 seed, it was defeated by Iceland in Round 3 Matchup 119 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Tywyn.

## Results

### FlagVote

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

**Round 2:** Win over Cocos Islands 5-1

**Round 3:** Win over Guyana 4-3

**Round 4:** Loss to Wales 6-1

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Win over (294) Tywyn 6-5

**Round 3:** Loss to (38) Iceland 8-2
Recursive Slackbot

*"slackbot not being recursive is a sore subject"*

*--Gregory Severin*

**Recursive Slackbot** was a Slackbot command implemented by Cam Cain on 3-31-18. The command was "recursive slackbot" and the response was "recursive slackbot." The hope was that Slackbot would respond to the command in its own message repeatedly until crashing. However, Slackbot failed to act in the intended manner, and it stopped after saying "recursive slackbot" once.
Kurgan Oblast

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Kurgan Oblast is a province in central Russia in the Ural region bordering Kazakhstan

The largest city in the oblast is the titular Kurgan with 333,000 folks

Large industry in Kurgan began during world war 2

36% of the population claims to be “spiritual but not religious” which is some major Libra energy

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Kurgan Oblast is a Russian oblast bordering Kazakhstan

Though several pipelines pass through the oblast, its economy is mostly agriculture-focused

Its largest city, also named Kurgan, was established in the 17th century and granted city rights by Catherine the Great. Clearly this was why she earned that "the Great" title

Both the Oblast and the city are named for a large burial mound, or kurgan, that was close to the original settlement

Notable people from Kurgan include fencing gold medalist Larisa Korobeynikova, chess grandmaster Sergei Rublevsky, and Alexander Solonik, a mob hitman who was nicknamed "Superkiller"

## Tournament

As the 455 seed, Kurgan Oblast was defeated by Washington DC in Round 1 Matchup 200 of FlagVote 2. As the 596 seed, it was defeated by Agistri Island in Round 1 Matchup 96 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Loss to (58) Washington DC 5-2

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Loss to (429) Agistri Island 6-3
Northern Cyprus

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Northern Cyprus is a de facto nation covering the northeast part of Cyprus

It is recognized only by Turkey

The split bisects the national capital of Nicosia

It is very culturally distinct from the Greek southern half of the island

Casinos comprise a very large part of the Turkish Cypriot economy

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Northern Cyprus is the northern part of Cyprus

It's controlled (aligned? idk) by the Turkish, and therefore at odds with the Greek southern part

This is very sad and has led to ethnic conflict. This is also the reason why Cyprus is in the EU but not the Schengen area

The whole snafu started after Turkey invaded the island in 1974 following a coup d'etat attempt and subsequent plans for Greece to annex the island. The Turks have not left since

Obviously everyone is talking about reunification but the last referendum failed in 2004; It was accepted by the Turkish side but the Greeks rejected it pretty soundly

The British also have like three peacekeeping bases on Cyprus, ostensibly to keep an eye on all this stuff going down

## Tournament

As the 251 seed, Northern Cyprus was defeated by South Korea in Round 2 Matchup 96 of FlagVote 2 after previously defeating Gambia. As the 177 seed, it was defeated by North Korea in Round 3 Matchup 12 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Isle of Wight.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (262) Gambia 5-1

**Round 2:** Loss to (6) South Korea 6-1

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Win over (336) Isle of Wight 8-3

**Round 3:** Loss to (80) North Korea 7-2
Moldavia

*"moo"*

*--Sully Tomich*

## Eulogy 1

*By Gregory Severin*

Moldavia is a former Eastern European principality

Today it is spread across Ukraine, Romania, and Moldova

Its union with Wallachia was what first created Romania

Slavery existed in Moldavia until the mid-1800s

## Eulogy 2

*By Cam Cain*

Moldavia was a nation in eastern Europe from 1346 to 1859

Its territory is now part of Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine

The name, as is Moldova’s name, was taken from the Moldova River. The river runs through modern-day Romania but not Moldova

This flag dates to the 14th century. It features an auroch, a cattle species in the region that is now extinct

The country’s capital and economic center was Iasi, now the third largest city in Romania.

There were various revolutions in the mid 19th century until it eventually merged with neighboring Wallachia to form the basis of Romania, although some borders shifted slightly over the next little while

## Tournament

As the 114 seed, Moldavia was defeated by Kyrgyzstan in Round 3 Matchup 16 of FlagVote 2. As the 176 seed, it was defeated by Madeira in Round 3 Matchup 16 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Baltimore.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (399) Transnistria 4-0

**Round 2:** Win over (143) Anaheim 4-3

**Round 3:** Loss to (15) Kyrgyzstan 4-2

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Win over (337) Baltimore 6-5

**Round 3:** Loss to (81) Madeira 7-3
Los Angeles

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Los Angeles is a sprawling city in the southwestern United States

It is known as a hub for films and media within the nation

In addition to being the second largest city by population, it is the eight largest by area in the lower 48 states

The full name of the city is El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles

Five baseball hall of famers have their birthplace listed as Los Angeles: Tony Gwynn, Eddie Murray, Duke Snider, Joe Gordon, and Bobby Doerr. Current players include Mike Moustakas and Keone Kela

## Eulogy 2

*By Cam Cain*

Los Angeles is the second largest city in the United States, and according to that Sporcle quiz from a few days ago, the most populous city in the UTC-8 time zone

It is perhaps best known for Hollywood, the center of American cinema. Lots of film techniques and styles that we take for granted originated in Hollywood

The land was initially settled by Chumash and Tongva people. These tribes were mostly wiped out by the Spanish when they arrived in the 1500s, but small populations still remain. The first mission in Los Angeles was the 1771 Mission San Gabriel Arcangel, which still exists!

Los Angeles hosted the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics, and it is set to host the 2028 Olympics.

For many years, the pronunciation of the city was under dispute. The anglicized pronunciation we know today was heavily used in the latter half of the 19th Century. However, the Los Angeles Times advocated in the early 1900s for the Spanish pronunciation to be made official. In 1934, the US Board of Geographic Names, a new dream job of mine now that I know it exists, decreed the former to be the official pronunciation

Laurel Canyon, a neighborhood located in the hills surrounding LA, was a hotbed of music and counterculture. Many famous musicians lived there and collaborated and partied, including Frank Zappa, Jim Morrison, Mama Cass, Neil Young, and Brian Wilson

## Tournament

As the 470 seed, Los Angeles was defeated by South Uist in Round 1 Matchup 169 of FlagVote 2. As the 582 seed, it was defeated by Lobeski County in Round 1 Matchup 232 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Loss to (443) Lobeski County 7-3
Mauritania

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Mauritania is a country in Western Africa

The official language is Arabic, but much of the media and academia uses French, as the country was a French colony until 1960

The name comes from the ancient Berber kingdom of Mauretania

Mauritania is one of 13 countries that punishes athiesm by death.

In 2017 Mauritania added two red stripes to the flag, symbolizing the blood of people who fought for the country

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Mauritania is a West African country south of Western Sahara

As a matter of fact, Mauritania annexed Western Sahara in 1976 along with Morocco, though it ceded its claims three years laterIts name is derived from an old Berber kingdom, though historical Mauretania was on the Mediterranean and modern Mauritania is not

Culturally, the country is a mix of Arab-Berber identities, as well as minority sub-Saharan ethnic groups

Mauritania was the last country in the world to outlaw slavery, which it did in... 1981!? Slavery is still prevalent in the country, though, and since passing a law to prosecute slaveholders in... 2007(!!), only one person has actually been prosecuted for owning slaves

## Tournament

Mauritania was defeated by Tajikistan in Round 1 Matchup 122 of FlagVote. As the 274 seed, it was defeated by San Marino in Round 1 Matchup 239 of FlagVote 2. As the 301 seed, it was defeated by the Chilean Antarctic Territory in Round 2 Matchup 94 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Zanzibar.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Loss to (239) San Marino 4-3

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (724) Zanzibar 8-3

**Round 2:** Loss to (212) Chilean Antarctic Territory 8-2
Northumberland

*"northumberland looks like one of those things at the arcade where you try to throw the ball at the guy's teeth"*

*--Andrew Beaudoin*

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain and Gregory Severin*

Northumberland is the northernmost county of England, and along with Cumbria, it makes up the border with Scotland

Much of Hadrian's Wall, a World Heritage Site that marked the boundary of Roman control during their imperial days, is in Northumberland

Northumberland ranks 44th out of 48 counties in terms of population, one spot ahead of everyone’s favorite county Herefordshire

Northumberland is sometimes called the "Cradle of Christianity" because the English conversion to Christianity began there. Guess nobody told them about Bethlehem

also sting and the guy earl grey was named after were from there, or at least sting was born there

## Tournament

As the 399 seed, Northumberland was cleanly swept by Burlington in Round 1 Matchup 100 of FlagVote 2. As the 573 seed, it was defeated by Antarctica in Round 1 Matchup 70 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Loss to (116) Burlington 7-0

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Loss to (452) Antarctica 7-2
Shilluk

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

The Shilluk Kingdom was a kingdom on the east bank of the White Nile, in modern day Sudan and South Sudan, that existed from ~1490 to 1861

The king, or Reth, was believed to have divine power

The people in the kingdom were largely semi-nomadic cattle farmers. They also frequently looted neighboring Dinka and Funj people

The kingdom was toppled by the Ottoman Empire in the 1860s. There is still a Shilluk King. His name is His Majesty Rek Kwongo Dak Padiet, although he does not have any political power

## Tournament

As the 691 seed, Shilluk was defeated by Berlin in Round 1 Matchup 217 of FlagVote 3.
Somaliland

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

**Somaliland** is a disputed region in northern Somalia

It has declared itself to be its own country, but no other nation recognizes its sovereignty

   The Somali Civil War has been fought over the region since 1991

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Somaliland is an unrecognized state making up the northern bit of Somalia

It has its roots in the Somali Protectorate administered by Britain for about 80 years

The protectorate was briefly annexed by Italy during World War II

After becoming independent in 1960, Somaliland joined up with the other part of Somalia to form one unified state. They immediately regretted this decision, and have spent the past sixty or so years trying to unmake that mistake

One of the districts in Somaliland is named Sahil, presumably after @Sahil Shah

## Tournament

As the 430 seed, Somaliland was defeated by Greece in Round 1 Matchup 83 of FlagVote 2. As the 653 seed, it was defeated by Lesotho in Round 1 Matchup 85 of FlagVote 3.
Kinshasa

*"how to respond when someone texts you 'i'm a dr by the way'"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy

Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of Doctor Congo

It was established as a trading post by Henry Morton Stanley in 1881, and since then has become one of the world's fastest-growing megacities with a population north of 17 million. This also makes Kinshasa the largest official Francophone city in the world, though Lingala is more commonly spoken day to day

Kinshasa was originally named Léopoldville after Belgium's King Leopold II. It was renamed, much like the country itself, during Mobutu Sese Seko's Zairianisation campaign that ~~stripped Doctor Congo of his medical license~~ would rename the country itself

The city is situated along the Congo River, directly facing its counterpart in the Republic of Congo, Brazzaville. Not counting Rome and the Vatican City, Kinshasa and Brazzaville are the pair of state capitals closest to one another in the world

In 1974, Kinshasa hosted the legendary Rumble in the Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Forman, where the underdog Ali first employed his famous "rope-a-dope" strategy of letting his stronger opponent tire himself out by delivering ineffective body blows while Ali just hung out on the ropes for a bit

## Tournament

As the 744 seed, Kinshasa was defeated by Busan in Round 1 Matchup 42 of FlagVote 3.