February 27, 2005
Island, Islands, Schmislands
The next Map-Tennis TM match is about an island group, just like the last one. Unlike the Tasmanian islands, however, these islands are arranged in a pretty unique constellation. So, for folks who are familiar with that particular corner of the world, this could be easy.
This week's round comes to you courtesy of the MT fanclub in Dortmund, West Germany. I used to live in Dortmund. It's is a friendly, mid-sized town where they play good soccer and brew good beer. And -- in our humble opinion -- that's really what it's all about.
February 21, 2005
Surprise Winners Pummel Map-Tennis Veterans
Furneaux Island Group: || about 25 islands || ca. 900 sq mi (2,330 sq km) || Population: approx. 1,010 || location: Tasmania, SE Australia, in Bass Strait between Tasmania and the Australian mainland.
The largest island is Flinders Island, and the group forms Flinders municipality. The islands were explored in 1773 by the British navigator Tobias Furneaux.
"Focus on Flinders" / Photos Flinders Business InfoThis is where stars are born. And we believe we are witnessing true champions in the making: my friend Katrin and her sidekick Dennis. Map-Tennis veterans, here are two newcomers to watch out for!
It looked to be an extremely boring match. The usual heavyweights either weren't playing, had already given up, or were just too ashamed to admit that they were totally clueless about this one.
Until the strong Katrin/Dennis duo from Dortmund, Germany, got warmed up, that is. They turned the slow match around and scored with a brilliantly placed long-line volley. Indeed, the islands named "Furneaux Group" north-east of Tasmania is what we were looking for in the first 2005 season game.
Congratulations to the geographical badasses from Dortmund. You know what to do. Submit a new map-idea and keep the ball rolling. And if you want to be really cool about it, you part ways from here on out. Flip a coin, winner submits a map, play head-to-head, get nasty.
February 14, 2005
The 2005 Map-Tennis(TM) Season Begins
Folks, the snow is slowly melting, and that means one thing: the new Map-Tennis season is beginning. Right now. Right here.
The 2005 Map-Tennis(TM) Season Begins
What is the name of this island? Leave a comment and get your chance to challenge the rest of us in a new game of Map-Tennis.
We're back at center court at one of the best kept and nerdiest secrets in the virtual sports landscape: The Capital Morgenpost's very own Map Tennis (TM). We know you've missed it, and so -- without further ado -- we present to you the first match of the new year. We're kicking it off with a nice clean serve. No spin, no trickery, just hard.
Tickets, as always, are entirely free. And now that your humble referee has the ability to receive comments again, determining the winner will be a snap. Mind, however, if you enter your answer into the comment form, you will not immediately see it until we approve it; the reason being the hundreds of comment spammers that we first have to clean out. The order in which the comments are received will not be jeopardized, though. So, if you're quick, you'll get the credit.
February 12, 2005
Another Try at Comments
I've fiddled a bit with a few mechanisms that could protect this humble little internet pamphlet from the tons and tons of comment spam that we've been getting when we had commenting enabled. So, for the time being, comments are turned back ON. Let's see if it works.
Bei Angriff Kaffeekränzchen
Bei "Ground Zero" im Pentagon gab's noch vor ein paar Jahren vor allem eins: frischen Kaffee und Vogelgezwitscher. Bis zum elften September.
Pentagon Infos:
Baujahr 1942/43 -- 23.000 Angestellte -- 131 Treppen -- 19 Aufzüge -- 200.000 ausgehende Telefonate täglich -- 100.000 Meilen Telefonkabel -- 284 Klos -- 4.200 Wanduhren -- 17.5 Meilen Flur.
Bevor der Begriff nämlich durch die Anschläge gegen das World Trade Center zu trauriger Berühmtheit gelangte, gab es in dem kleinen Park in der exakten geometrischen Mitte des Fünfecks eine kleine Kaffeebude mit eben diesem Namen. Die paar Bäume und Bänke drumherum machen das Ambiente nicht wirklich schön, doch die Leute die hier ihre Mittagspause verbringen sind eben keine Landschaftsgärtner.
Der Begriff "Ground Zero" heisst frei übersetzt so etwas wie "Katastrophen-Epizentrum". Und die Vorstellung davon war hierzulande noch bis vor zehn, fünfzehn Jahren ein atomarer Erstschlag der Sowjetunion. Man braucht kein Meister-Spion zu sein um zu mutmaßen, daß das Pentagon als Nervenzentrum des U.S. Militärs bei den Russen ganz oben auf der Zielliste stand -- mit der Kaffeebude im Bull's Eye.
Mittlerweile hat man die Bude umbenannt. Vermutlich in irgendwas mit "Freiheit".
Milch und Zucker?