March Madness: National Semifinals

March Madness: National Semifinals

The Rules: For each of the pairs of flags pitted against each other, indicate your favorite.  Explication, derision, and/or analysis will not affect the scoring, but is nevertheless encouraged.  Each winner will advance to the Final.



North and West Finals Voting Deadline: 9 a.m. PDT, Sunday, March 27.




North Champion vs. West Champion



Ohio vs. New Mexico

Ohio

New Mexico

East Champion vs. South Champion

Maryland vs. Tennessee

Maryland

Tennessee

Make your votes in the comments.

The Final Four Verbiage

...and then there were four, as the 2011 tournament winds down to its final few games.  Upsets abounded in the regional finals, all of which were highly competitive among L&TM5K voters but decided but near unanimity among Vexillophiliacs.  The only #1 seed still standing is Maryland, which knocked down the District of Columbia 17-10; Maryland will take on #5 seed Tennessee, which upset #2 Puerto Rico by the same score.

In both the North and West, #1 seeds fell to #2, with New Mexico besting Alaska 18-8 and Ohio topping Wyoming 17-9.  Tennessee is the only fly still flying, however, which was playing on opening day; New Mexico, Ohio, and Maryland all entered the tournament with a bye-week.

March Madness: North and West Finals!!!

March Madness: North and West Finals!!!

The Rules: For each of the pairs of flags pitted against each other, indicate your favorite.  Explication, derision, and/or analysis will not affect the scoring, but is nevertheless encouraged.  Each winner will advance to the Final.



North and West Finals Voting Deadline: 9 p.m. PDT, TOMMOROW, Wednesday, March 23.
South and East Finals Voting Deadline: 9 p.m. PDT, TODAY Tuesday, March 22.




North Final



Wyoming vs. Ohio 

Wyoming

Ohio

West Final



Alaska vs. New Mexico

Alaska

New Mexico

Make your votes in the comments.

Then Everything Changed

I am a big fan of the "Alternate History" genre of fiction: stories about "what if". For more info about alternate history books, check out Uchronia.

I am currently reading Then Everything Changed: Stunning Alternate Histories of American Politics: JFK, RFK, Carter, Ford, Reagan, by Jeff Greenfield. What if JFK did not survive to his inauguration? What if RFK did? How would history have turned out differently? For more, see this New York Times review.

Of course, the reason it is featured here is the interesting flag graphic on the cover, with the stripes on the American flag veering off in unforeseen directions.

March Madness: South and East Finals!!!

March Madness: South and East Finals!!!

The Rules: For each of the pairs of flags pitted against each other, indicate your favorite.  Explication, derision, and/or analysis will not affect the scoring, but is nevertheless encouraged.  Each winner will advance to the Final Four.

South and East Finals Voting Deadline: 9 p.m. PDT, TOMORROW, Tuesday, March 22.




East Final



Maryland vs. District of Columbia

Maryland

District of Columbia

South Final


Tennessee vs. Puerto Rico

Tennessee

Puerto Rico

Make your votes in the comments.

March Madness Semifinal Results!

East

#1 Maryland 19, #4 Massachusetts 5
#3 D.C. 18, #2 Rhode Island 6

South

#5 Tennessee 13, #1 South Carolina 11 (Upset!!)
#2 Puerto Rico 19, #3 Texas 5

North

#1 Wyoming 19, #5 Iowa 7
#2 Ohio 15, #3 Indiana 11

West

#1 Alaska 16, #4 Hawaii 10
#2 New Mexico 20, #3 Arizona 5

March Madness: North and West Semifinals

March Madness: North and West Semifinals!!!

The Rules: For each of the pairs of flags pitted against each other, indicate your favorite.  Explication, derision, and/or analysis will not affect the scoring, but is nevertheless encouraged.  Each winner will advance to the Sweet Sixteen.



North and West Semifinals Voting Deadline: 9 p.m. PDT, Sunday, March 20.
South and East Semifinals Voting Deadline: 9 p.m. PDT, Saturday, March 19.




North



Wyoming vs. Iowa

Wyoming

Iowa

Indiana vs. Ohio

Indiana

Ohio

West



Alaska vs. Hawaii

Alaska

Hawaii

Arizona vs. New Mexico

Arizona

New Mexico

Make your votes in the comments.