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Categories > Anime/Manga > Card Captor Sakura > 52 Curses
Tomoyo, Yamazaki, and the Model Plane0 Reviews
Yamazaki invites his friends to watch him fly a model plane. In a moment of excitement, Tomoyo makes a wish that JOKER can't undo.
Tomoyo looked up at the torii that framed the walkway at the entrance to the Mizuki Shrine. "I never thought I would be so glad to be here," she announced.
"I hope Miss Mizuki can figure out a way to get rid of JOKER," said Sakura. "If she can't, then I don't know what else we can do."
"Let's just ask her first, before we start assuming the worst," suggested Kero. "We'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it."
Sakura eagerly climbed the steps and set out along the stone walkway that led into the shrine grounds. Tomoyo followed timidly, a feeling of unease setting over her as she drew closer and closer to the archway. Suddenly, something felt very wrong with the place, as if she were no longer welcome there.
"Come on!" called Sakura. "We're almost there! Don't you want to be rid of JOKER forever?"
Tomoyo nodded. "Yes," she replied. It was a silly feeling, really, she told herself. There was nothing keeping her back but her own nervousness. She straightened her back and calmly strode through the arch.
In that instant, the world went dark.
Tomoyo's heart raced as she turned around, searching for a hint of light, but she could see nothing. Even her own body was invisible in the total darkness. Just like her dream.... "Sakura!" she cried frantically. "Where are you?"
"Tomoyo?" The reply seemed to come from miles away, but Tomoyo pointed herself in the direction it had come from and started running, wanting desperately to be with Sakura, even if it would mean having to watch her die as in the dream. The loneliness of the darkness was overwhelming. She needed to throw her arms around Sakura and feel her friend's embrace in return, and then everything would be okay.
She smacked into the form of a person in the darkness, and they both fell to the ground. "Tomoyo, is that you?" asked Sakura.
"Sakura!" Tomoyo cried gratefully, pulling Sakura into a tight hug. "Don't let go of me, whatever you do!"
"I won't let you go," Sakura assured her. She sat up, pulling Tomoyo with her. "This is the power of DARK," she said with certainty. "You should be able to use LIGHT to get rid of it."
Tomoyo nodded, even though she knew that Sakura couldn't see it. "JOKER, use LIGHT to banish the darkness," she commanded.
The two girls waited in the darkness, but not a speck of light appeared.
Sakura's arms tightened around Tomoyo. "It didn't work..." she said, her voice trembling.
Tomoyo's heartbeat jumped again as Sakura's body pressed close against her, and she realized that she didn't care whether or not she could see. True, JOKER could use the power of LIGHT, and then they'd be able to see again. But then Sakura would let go of her, and they'd go see Miss Mizuki, and the moment would be forever lost. She squeezed Sakura tighter, enjoying the warmth they were sharing. She couldn't let it end just yet. "I can't," she sighed. "I'm not scared of the dark. Not when I have you with me."
"But we'll never find Miss Mizuki if we can't see," Sakura reminded her.
"Just hold me a while longer," said Tomoyo. "Until I can use the power of LIGHT. Then we can go."
"But we have to be at the park soon!" argued Sakura. "If you can't use JOKER's power, then we'll have to find a way out of this darkness ourselves." She started to stand up, but Tomoyo pulled her back to the ground.
"Don't go, please!" Tomoyo begged, holding Sakura so tightly that the older girl could barely breathe. "I don't want to lose you again!"
"I'm not going anywhere!" said Sakura, pushing Tomoyo's arms away just a bit. "I just want us both to stand up and move somewhere, preferably somewhere where there's light."
Tomoyo felt her face burn with a blush as the girls stood up together, their arms never leaving each other. She was embarrassing herself again, as surely as she had with the flowers, but the darkness was giving her an excuse this time. She couldn't wish for it to go away and let Sakura see her flushed face.
"Hey, is Tomoyo there?" asked a voice a few inches in front of her face. Tomoyo screamed and jumped back, nearly pulling herself and Sakura to the ground again. "I'll take that as a yes," the voice continued.
"It's Li!" Sakura cried excitedly, stretching out an arm to pull him into the group hug. "How did you find us?"
"I felt Tomoyo's presence when she got close to the shrine," he replied. "I went to go catch her before she got there, but then this darkness came over me and I couldn't sense her presence anymore."
"I was trying to feel for Sakura, but found the kid instead," said Kero's voice from the vicinity of Li's head. "It took both of us together to find you girls."
"Tomoyo can't use the power of LIGHT to get us out of this," Sakura told them. "I don't know how we can escape."
"Just head for the street," said Li. "That should be enough."
"Which way is the street?" asked Sakura.
"Pick a direction," replied Li. "And you might want to let go of me and just hold my hand. Or my sleeve, or something," he added hastily, as if trying to cover up an embarrassing statement. "We can't walk around all bunched up like this."
Tomoyo felt Li move away from her as Sakura grabbed his hand, and reluctantly released her own hug and took Sakura's other hand.
"Lead the way, Tomoyo," commanded Li. "You're the one JOKER's interested in."
"Any way will work?" Tomoyo repeated. Li favored her with an affirmative grunt. "Then we'll go this way." She started to walk straight forward, letting Sakura and Li fall into step behind her. Four steps later, the trio found themselves standing under the entryway arch of the Mizuki Shrine.
Sakura collapsed into a sitting position on the steps, letting go of the others' hands. "That was scary!" she exclaimed.
Kero fluttered over to Tomoyo's shoulder. "First SAND, now DARK... what's gotten into your head, kid? How come you're wishing all this bad stuff on yourself all of a sudden?"
Tomoyo shuddered, a result of residual fear from the darkness as well as the slight shock of Kero's touch. "I don't know," she replied. "I don't remember wishing for darkness."
"Well, you must have," retorted Kero. "Because that darkness sure wasn't natural."
"I don't think she wished for the darkness at all," announced Li. "That was JOKER's doing, completely on its own."
Kero darted up to Li's face. "What makes you so sure of that?" he asked. "And how come you suddenly became the expert on how JOKER works, anyway?"
Li casually batted Kero aside. "I had the same idea you three did, and came to see Miss Mizuki earlier this morning. She said that she didn't know exactly what was going on, but that she was sorry that she wouldn't get to see Tomoyo again until the problem was resolved."
"I don't understand," said Sakura.
"She knew that this was going to happen," explained Li. "She knew that JOKER wouldn't let Tomoyo approach the shrine."
"But why not?" asked Sakura. "I thought JOKER was supposed to be helping Tomoyo!"
"But you want to stop it, don't you?" Li asked rhetorically. "That's why you want to see Miss Mizuki. I think JOKER's afraid that if Tomoyo makes it to the shrine, then Miss Mizuki will separate it from her and it won't be able to help her any more. So it's using its power to stop her from getting there."
"It can't do that!" Sakura protested.
Li shrugged. "It's got magic power, and we don't. I'd say it can pretty well do whatever it wants."
"But we escaped from the darkness," Sakura shot back. "It can't use that power again, can it?"
"No, it can't," Li agreed.
"Then maybe we can get to the shrine now," suggested Sakura. She took Tomoyo's hand. "Come on, let's try."
Tomoyo pulled back. "I'm scared!"
"Don't be scared," Sakura cooed reassuringly. "Everything will be fine. Li and I are both here, and we'll keep you safe."
"I don't want to go back in there," Li said flatly, crossing his arms. "JOKER's got a lot of power left, and I don't feel like getting killed over somebody else's problem."
"She's your friend too!" snapped Sakura. "We have to help her get rid of JOKER!"
"Fine, go get killed if you want," said Li. He sat down heavily on the steps and faced away. "Just leave me out of it."
"Come on," urged Sakura, tugging on Tomoyo's arm. "We don't need his help anyway."
Tomoyo swallowed nervously and peered up at the archway. It loomed intimidatingly over her, daring her to cross into the holy ground where JOKER waited to attack her with another power. She squeezed Sakura's hand, and felt a warm pressure in return. Yes, everything would be okay as long as she was with Sakura. "All right," she acquiesced, walking up the stairs.
As they approached the torii, Tomoyo again began to have second thoughts. That was the line; once they stepped through the structure, they would be in JOKER's territory. Tomoyo planted her feet firmly at the base of the arch and stopped. "No! I won't go!"
"We have to!" said Sakura, pulling mightily on Tomoyo's arm. Tomoyo lost her balance and fell across the threshold, landing on her face in the shrine grounds. Sakura gasped and helped her up. "I'm sorry, Tomoyo!" she apologized, brushing some of the dust off Tomoyo's clothes. "Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine," replied Tomoyo, looking around for any signs of JOKER's presence. Nothing out of the ordinary caught her eye immediately, giving her a bit of time to calm down. Perhaps Sakura was right, and the darkness had been the extent of JOKER's disobedience. "Let's keep going."
"Hey, watch out!" Li shouted from the torii. "At your feet!"
Tomoyo felt something like a feather brush her ankle and jumped back, looking down at the ground to see what had touched her. Wisps of green mist were swirling up from the cracks between the paving stones, forming tendrils that were reaching for her and Sakura. In a flash of sickly green and red, a scene from her dream passed before her eyes. "Sakura, look out!" she shouted. "It's MIST!"
"Where?" asked Sakura, spinning around to search for it while oblivious of the death reaching for her legs. Without stopping to think, Tomoyo tackled Sakura, pushing her away from the deadly vapor. Her momentum sent the two girls rolling through the arch and down the steps to land in a heap at the bottom.
"Told you so," Li said without moving to offer any help.
Sakura peeled herself away from Tomoyo and turned to look up at the torii. The shrine grounds were covered in six feet of acidic mist that ended at the torii as if against an invisible wall. She stood up and pushed a pair of imaginary sleeves up her arms. "All right!" she said boldly, pointing toward the arch. "This is what we'll do! Tomoyo, have JOKER use WINDY to blow the mist away, and then we'll -"
"NO!" Tomoyo screamed more forcefully than she'd intended. "No more!"
Sakura turned to argue, but froze in place when she laid eyes on Tomoyo.
"I don't want to fight JOKER any more," Tomoyo continued, choking back tears. "It's too powerful, and I'm scared of what it will do next."
"Tomoyo, your ankle!" cried Sakura, pointing to the place where the mist had touched Tomoyo. The younger girl looked down to see a stream of blood running from the wound, pooling on the sidewalk under her foot. She gasped at the sight and felt faint, but Li was kneeling beside her and rested his hand on her back to keep her upright. With his other hand, he deftly removed his cloth belt and wound it around her ankle several times, pulling it as tight as possible before tying it off.
Sakura's fingers clenched tightly around the handkerchief that she'd only halfway pulled out of her own pocket. She let it go, then sat down beside Tomoyo to hug her. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "You were right all along. I should have listened to you. But I didn't even think about how you felt. I was pretending that it was my own quest and dragging you into danger."
"It's all right, Sakura," Tomoyo whispered back, patting her friend on the back. "I understand. I, too, was excited about getting to see Miss Mizuki and being free of JOKER's power. But I have to accept that it can't happen and just move on."
"Speaking of moving on," Li put in as he stood up, "we'd better get moving if we don't want to miss seeing Yamazaki's model plane."
"We can't go anywhere!" Sakura protested. "You saw Tomoyo's ankle! How do you expect her to walk?"
"Is she just going to sit there all day?" he shot back.
Tomoyo waved off Sakura's retort and got painfully to her feet. "I'm fine," she said, intending it as a white lie until she realized that there was actually very little pain. She took a few steps without stumbling and turned back to her friends. "I'll be able to walk."
"Is that a surprise?" asked Kero as he floated over the torii and came to rest on Sakura's backpack. "I take it the mist kept you guys out?"
"Where were you when it almost killed us, Kero?" demanded Sakura.
"I flew on ahead to the shrine," he replied. "Didn't see any influence from JOKER until I got back. So, what happened to Tomoyo?"
Tomoyo extended her leg to show Kero the bloody bandage. "MIST got me."
Kero swooped down for a closer look. "Ew... that looks pretty nasty. Are you sure you should be walking around?"
"It doesn't hurt much," she replied. "I don't think it's as serious as it looks."
"For your sake, I hope not," said Kero. "Looks like JOKER's really pulling out all the stops here."
"It could have killed both of you if it wanted to," Li said darkly. "The darkness was meant to be a warning, but the mist was its way of showing you it means business. I don't think it will hesitate to use something even more deadly if you try again."
"I don't want to try again," Tomoyo said firmly. "I just want to go see Yamazaki's plane and -"
"What's wrong?" Sakura asked after Tomoyo broke off.
"What if JOKER does something around Yamazaki and his friends?" Tomoyo asked worriedly.
"I wouldn't be too worried about that," replied Kero. "You'll be having fun, right?"
"From what I've seen, JOKER never does anything when you're having a good time," Kero continued. "If you like things the way they are, you don't wish for anything, so JOKER doesn't act up."
"I wish I could believe that," said Tomoyo.
Kero smiled dryly. "Do you think I'm lying?" he asked.
Tomoyo shook her head. "Why would you lie to me?"
"Then that proves I'm not lying," he concluded. "After that wish, if I hadn't been telling the truth, the power of LIBRA would have told you I was lying."
"LIBRA?" repeated Tomoyo. "But I -" She quickly stopped before she could embarrass herself yet again by alluding to the effects of LIBRA that Sakura had forgotten. "Yes, you're right," she agreed meekly. "I would have known."
Li turned away from the girls. "We're going to be late if we don't get moving now. I'm going, whether you want to come or not."
"Wait, Li!" pleaded Sakura. "We're coming! Right, Tomoyo?" She extended a hand to Tomoyo, who grasped it with some reservation and allowed herself to be led away from the shrine where she had staked her last, failed hope.
Tomoyo looked forward to the park during the entire trip, hoping that Kero had been right in supposing that JOKER would behave once she was happy; but as they approached their destination, it became clear that happiness was beyond her grasp. Even after they'd arrived, the lively yet peaceful atmosphere did little to brighten Tomoyo's mood. The knowledge that JOKER would strike at her directly if it felt threatened took precedence over any elation that the setting might have brought her.
Yet all was forgotten when they finally arrived at lakeside, where Yamazaki was getting his model plane ready for takeoff. All of their friends were already gathered around the plane: Chiharu and Yamazaki were attaching tubes to the front of the fuselage; Rika Sasaki and Naoko Yanagisawa, good friends of Chiharu, were watching the procedure with interest; and Mikado Hayashi and Jono Sunamori, two boys from the class who were probably friends of Yamazaki's, were eagerly exchanging facts about the real-life counterpart that the model was based on.
Naoko was the first to spot the new arrivals. "Hey, everyone!" she called, waving with one hand while she pushed her glasses up with the other. "The plane's almost ready to launch!"
"It's a Cessna Caravan!" Hayashi explained as Tomoyo and her friends joined the group. "It's amphibious, so it can take off and land in the water!"
"Wow!" exclaimed Sakura. "But wouldn't it sink?"
"See the special pontoons?" asked Sunamori, pointing to the large canoe-like legs that surrounded the plane's wheels. "Those float, just like boats, and hold the plane up."
Rika nudged Naoko with her elbow. "And I thought Yamazaki made up stories that were hard to believe," she whispered.
"Actually, I think they're telling the truth," Naoko whispered back. "I've seen these amphibious planes on television."
"I saw this exact type of plane used in a spy movie," Hayashi pointed out.
Yamazaki pulled the tubes free and packed them into the wooden box that they were connected to. "True, the Cessna is one of the greatest planes in the world, but it still owes its existence to the Wright Brothers of America, who built the first airplane out of aluminum cans and turtle wax. It was so big and heavy that it took five propellers to get it off the ground. In fact, they couldn't carry enough fuel to operate it, so they had to redesign the engines to run on nothing but air."
Chiharu shook her head sadly. "That's ridiculous. If that type of engine existed, why wouldn't we still be using it today?"
Yamazaki held up a finger. "It overheated easily, and that would set the entire plane on fire."
Chiharu sighed and handed the remote to Yamazaki. "Right, right."
"Just fly the plane already!" said Hayashi. "I want to see it in the air!"
"Yes, I'd like to see it fly as well," agreed Naoko.
Yamazaki pulled a metal object that resembled a corkscrew out of the wooden box and inserted the protruding end into an outlet at the front of the plane. As he pressed a button on the lighter, the propeller leapt to life with a loud hum. Sakura screamed and jumped backwards.
Sunamori chuckled. "It's not going to bite you," he assured her.
"I thought I was going to get sucked into the propeller," Sakura whined.
Chiharu lightly smacked Yamazaki's shoulder. "Now see what your stories have done?"
Hayashi reached down and ran his hand across the plane's back, as if he were petting a cat. "You don't have to worry, Sakura. Planes like this one only attack people they don't like. And it's not smart enough to figure out that I'm really a AAAAAAAAH!" He screamed and leapt back, holding the empty long sleeve of his windbreaker in the only hand he had left.
"WAAAAAAAAAAH!" Sakura screamed, burying her face in Tomoyo's chest. "The propeller cut off Hayashi's hand!"
Hayashi laughed and pulled his sleeve down, exposing the untouched hand within. "You're so easy to tease, Sakura," he said jovially.
"Knock it off, jerk," snapped Li. "That wasn't funny."
Tomoyo rubbed Sakura's head gently and cooed, "It's all right, Sakura. He's not hurt. He was only playing a trick on you."
Sakura turned around to examine Hayashi through tear-filled eyes. "He was?" When she saw the amused expression on his face, she leapt at him, beating him playfully with her fists. "That was really rotten, Hayashi! I thought you were really hurt!"
Hayashi cowered from Sakura's mock fury. "Okay, okay! I'm sorry! It was a joke!"
Sunamori clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "You just lost a lot of compatibility points, dude."
Chiharu groaned. "Your friends are weird, Yamazaki. Now I remember why we don't hang out with them very often."
Undaunted, Yamazaki manipulated the remote control, and the plane slowly turned to face the lake. "It's too dangerous to fly where there are people," he explained, "but Chiharu's father knows someone on the city council who got me a license to fly over the lake."
Hayashi nodded. "That's why you've got to use the amphibious plane, right?"
Yamazaki nodded. "I've got a few other planes at home, including trick planes, but I can only fly them at the airfield outside the city."
As the propeller turned away from her, Sakura gathered her courage and stepped closer to watch the plane take off. Tomoyo also moved closer, wishing she'd thought to bring her video camera with her. Everyone else had to back out of the way as Yamazaki maneuvered the plane into the water, then flipped a switch on the remote. The propeller instantly picked up speed, doubling in volume and startling Sakura again. However, nobody paid her any mind, because they were fixated on the plane as it smoothly accelerated, skimming across the surface of the lake. Three quarters of the way to the far shore, the plane rose from the water and soared into the sky, sailing over the heads of the people below. Everyone within sight of the lake looked up in awe as the plane flew higher and higher, circling over the lake.
"Wow!" the group surrounding Yamazaki enthused in unison, except Li.
"That's nothing," said Yamazaki. "Even though it's not really suited for tricks, this plane can do a bit more than just fly around." As he finished his sentence, the plane turned a perfect barrel roll, then performed a half-loop and flipped over so that it was flying in the opposite direction.
Everyone applauded, although Li didn't seem to put much heart into it. "That's incredible!" Sakura congratulated Yamazaki.
Yamazaki shrugged. "It just takes a bit of practice. I've only been flying for a year. There are some pilots in Europe who can actually work the controls with only their toes."
"Don't they use special controllers for that?" asked Rika. Hayashi and Sunamori grinned knowingly.
"Sometimes they do," Yamazaki conceded. "And then there's an air troupe in Germany made up of animal trainers. They trained mice to walk on the wings while the planes were in the air."
"Did any of the mice get sucked into the propellers?" asked Sakura.
"A few did," Yamazaki admitted as he brought the plane around for another pass. "Then they started a more meticulous training program, and gave the mice tiny parachutes in case of trouble. After that, they never had any accidents."
Sakura sighed with relief. "That's good news. Those poor mice...."
Li shook his head disdainfully. "What a bunch of lies," he said. "Mice don't have hands to pull the ripcords on the parachutes."
"Perhaps they used their tails," Naoko suggested.
Chiharu sighed. "No, I'm pretty sure it's another lie." She tugged on Yamazaki's ear. "You're going to stop lying one of these days, right?"
Yamazaki pulled the plane through another loop. "Just be glad I didn't bring my authentic World War I fighter plane, or I'd have to strafe all of you with gunfire."
"He doesn't really have a plane that shoots," Chiharu advised the others before anyone could take him seriously again.
Tomoyo just stood back and took it all in. Kero had been right; being with friends and enjoying herself had pushed all of her troublesome desires from her mind. It felt good to live in the moment, when that moment wasn't full of danger for herself and Sakura. And she really was enjoying watching Yamazaki's plane carve its way through the lower atmosphere with its total disregard for gravity, as utterly carefree as its pilot. Yamazaki was so lucky to have a model plane of his own, and the skill to fly it so adeptly. She would give anything to be able to fly a plane like that....
There was something in her hands. Something slightly heavy, and rather box-shaped. She tilted her head down to look at it, but a sudden wave of dizziness came over her, and her eyes couldn't focus on the object. The kids behind her were cheering excitedly, begging Yamazaki to do another trick... but wasn't everyone in front of her?
"Hey, what happened to the remote?" asked Tomoyo's voice from behind her. She spun around to see an exact copy of herself standing next to Li, staring back at her with a puzzled look on her face, complete with a somehow familiar squint.
"What do you mean?" Chiharu asked the other Tomoyo. "Yamazaki's still holding it. Where else would it be?"
"I'm not -" the other Tomoyo began, trailing off as she followed Chiharu's finger, which was pointing at the real Tomoyo. "What am I doing over there?" She cocked her head as if hearing something strange. "And what's with my voice?"
"It sounds perfectly fine to me," said Rika. "Is something wrong?"
Confused, Tomoyo tried to ask what was going on. "I - " That was all she could get out before her throat seized up. Her voice was a lot deeper than she was used to. What was happening to her?
A hand clapped her on the shoulder. "Hey, dude, should the plane be doing that?" asked Hayashi, pointing into the sky where the Cessna was wobbling unsteadily and careening to the left. Tomoyo jerked at his touch, and her thumb pressed a lever on the box in her hands. The plane suddenly spun wildly to the right and plunged toward the trees below.
"Oh no! The plane!" the other Tomoyo screamed, lunging toward the real Tomoyo.
"Watch out!" shouted Chiharu, pushing the impostor away. "Don't distract him while he's flying the plane! He knows what he's doing!"
At that moment, the pieces clicked together in Tomoyo's mind. A quick glance down at her body confirmed it; she had turned into Yamazaki. And presumably, the "other Tomoyo" was in fact Yamazaki in her own body. And the box in her hand was.... She frantically pushed at the controls on the remote, hoping to wrestle the plane under control, but it was diving fast, seconds away from crashing into a thick copse of trees. The people walking near its path screamed and dove out of the way.
Yamazaki gave up trying to fight his way past Chiharu and gestured wildly at Tomoyo. "The left lever! Pull it toward you!"
Tomoyo followed his instruction as quickly as she could, but it was far too late. She watched in horror as the plane started to arc gently away from the ground and flew right into the trees. "Don't crash!" she begged it aloud. "Please don't crash!"
Yamazaki covered his - her? - eyes as the plane vanished below the treeline. However, the anticipated crash never came. Instead, the motor hummed steadily as the plane continued its uninterrupted flight through the trees and rose into the sky again, completely intact.
"Wow, that was amazing!" cheered Naoko. "I thought it was going to hit the trees!"
Chiharu's jaw dropped in shock, and her grip loosened enough to allow Yamazaki to wiggle past her. "What's going on?" he demanded of Tomoyo. "Who are you?"
"Please, don't let anyone else hear you," Tomoyo whispered. "Take the controls and I'll explain." Pushing the remote toward him, she raised her voice for everyone else's benefit. "Here, Tomoyo, would you like to try it?"
"Hey, what's the big idea?" Chiharu fumed as Yamazaki took the controls. "You don't even let ME fly your plane!"
"Just pretend to be Tomoyo," Tomoyo whispered to Yamazaki. "Your mind has been put in Tomoyo's body, but we can't let anyone else find out."
"Then... you're Tomoyo?" he whispered back. "What the heck's going on?"
"I really can't explain right now," she replied. "Can you please trust me and pretend to be me until I figure out what to do?"
Yamazaki sighed. "This has got to be some kind of dream... but I guess I have to go along with it."
"I need to pretend to teach you how to fly the plane," said Tomoyo. She raised her voice again as she pointed vaguely toward the remote. "You have to use that one there," she announced.
"Call it the throttle," Yamazaki hissed. "Tell me to pull it back."
"Pull back the throttle," Tomoyo repeated, pointing to the control that Yamazaki was already manipulating. "Try to keep the plane steady as you bring it around for a landing."
"No problem," replied Yamazaki. The plane circled the lake smoothly and began its landing approach.
"You have to talk like Tomoyo too," she whispered. "Don't say 'No problem,' say 'Okay.'"
"I can't believe I'm doing this," he groaned.
Everyone held their breath until the plane had touched down and slowed to a stop at the lake shore. Tomoyo carefully reached down to fish the plane out of the water, but froze as she saw her reflection on the water's surface. It was her own face, not Yamazaki's, that was looking back at her. She quickly scooped up the plane before anyone could notice the oddity, keeping her hand well clear of the propeller. "Good job, Tomoyo," she congratulated Yamazaki.
"That was amazing!" cheered Sakura. "I didn't know you could fly a model plane, Tomoyo!"
"I thought it took years of practice," said Naoko.
Tomoyo decided to intervene in the interest of keeping the secret safe. "It usually does," she explained, "but there are some people who have the Knack for it."
"The Knack?" asked Hayashi. "Isn't that an American rock group?"
"That's right," Tomoyo agreed, doing her best to stay true to Yamazaki's character. "But they got their name from a word that means 'unexplainable skill.' In this case, it means that Tomoyo had the inborn ability to pilot a plane just as well as I can."
"No fooling?" said Sunamori as he gazed inquisitively at Yamazaki. "Who would have pictured her as an ace pilot?"
"I could see it in her eyes," Tomoyo boasted. "They were just like the eyes of Attila the Hun, the first person ever known to have the Knack. His Knack, of course, was for the yo-yo. He invented more than twenty tricks that nobody since then has ever been able to duplicate."
"Not a bad story," said Sunamori. "I honestly have no idea whether you're lying or not."
"Okay, that's enough of that," Chiharu admonished Tomoyo, removing the remote from Yamazaki's hands and returning it to the person who looked like its rightful owner. "Let's just refuel the plane and get it back in the air."
"No, we can't do that!" Yamazaki protested. "She - I mean, he...."
"It's going to rain soon," Tomoyo said quickly, silently begging JOKER to make it happen. "I picked a bad day for flying."
"What are you talking about?" asked Rika. "There's not a cloud in the sky." She peered upwards to see huge, dark clouds rolling toward the park from all directions. "Well, there wasn't," she corrected herself.
"The weather report didn't say anything about rain," said Naoko.
"Then of course it's going to rain," said Sunamori. "The weather report's never right."
Li strode through the crowd to stand next to Tomoyo. "Tomoyo, we need to talk," he whispered.
She nearly jumped at the sound of her own name. "How did you know it was me?" she asked.
"I'm not stupid," he replied. "I'm not going to ask why you used CHANGE, or why you picked Yamazaki to switch bodies with, but we have to get you back to normal in a hurry."
"What can we do?" she asked. A drop of water landed on her nose.
"We have to get away from everyone first," he advised. "I told Sakura what's going on, and Kero's thinking of a way to change you back in the meantime."
Tomoyo started to ask what he meant by that when it hit her. JOKER could only use the power of CHANGE once, and the only way to reverse the effect would be to use the same power again... a feat which JOKER was incapable of. "What are we going to do?" she asked worriedly.
"Get Yamazaki and make some excuse to get away from everybody else. Sakura and I will be waiting out of sight in the trees." He pointed toward the treeline. "We'll figure something out."
Sakura patted Tomoyo on the shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry. It'll be okay."
Li motioned to Sakura, and the pair quietly excused themselves from the crowd and made their way into the forest to wait for Tomoyo.
Tomoyo took a deep breath and tapped Yamazaki on the shoulder. "May I talk to you in private?" she whispered.
"Are you finally going to tell me what's going on?" he groused.
She nodded. "We have to get away from everyone else first."
Yamazaki sighed. "All right. Get Chiharu to siphon out the fuel and get us back to normal."
"Siphon out the fuel?"
He pointed to where Chiharu was already positioning the wooden box with the fuel bottle and tubes next to the plane, shielding it from the increasingly frequent raindrops with her body. "The fuel's flammable, so it can't sit in the plane."
Tomoyo stepped forward and cleared her throat, once again nearly jumping at the unusually deep sound. "Say, Chiharu," she began, trying to remember Yamazaki's speech pattern. "Think you can handle the cleanup for me?"
Chiharu looked up. "Why? What are you going to do?"
The idea came to her much more quickly than she'd expected. "I need to talk to Tomoyo about flying the model plane."
Chiharu's face darkened. "What's so special about HER all of a sudden?"
"Wait, don't get mad at me!" Yamazaki protested.
Chiharu's attention turned to Yamazaki. "What does he see in you, anyway?"
"Nothing!" Tomoyo protested a bit too quickly. "It's really not like that!"
Sunamori faked a sad sigh. "And I was going to ask Tomoyo out when we got to middle school...."
Tomoyo blushed. "I...." There was no pause between the raindrops now, and the water was beginning to drip off the edge of Yamazaki's hat and soak her shoulders. But she barely noticed the wetness as she tried to figure out whether Sunamori was telling the truth or not.
"Hey, I think Takashi's embarrassed," teased Hayashi. "He really DOES have something going on with Tomoyo!"
"You jerks!" shouted Yamazaki. "Don't even joke about that!"
Everyone took a careful step back as what appeared to be mild-mannered Tomoyo exploded in fury. "Geez, we're sorry, Tomoyo," said Hayashi. "We were just playing around."
"What's wrong, Tomoyo?" Naoko asked with genuine concern. "I've never seen you this upset."
"I bet she's just had a bad day since her dentist appointment yesterday," Tomoyo explained quickly. "Did you know that dentistry began in -"
"Now's not the time for your stories," Chiharu interrupted. She hunched her shoulders and pulled her shirt up to keep the rain from falling on the back of her neck. "I want to get inside before this rain gets any worse."
Hayashi jerked a thumb in the direction of the path. "My dad drove me and Jono here... can we offer any of you girls a ride?" He smiled slyly.
Naoko started to accept, but Rika quickly pushed her aside. "Thanks, but our parents are expecting us. They'll be worried if we ride home with strangers."
"Your mother knows us," Hayashi reminded her. "She was at our play last year and you introduced us."
"Trust me, you guys are strange enough to be strangers," Rika countered. She quickly walked away, pushing Naoko in front of her, before Hayashi could respond.
Sunamori shook his head. "Dude.... Burned."
Hayashi sighed. "Chiharu, how about you?"
"She's got a boyfriend," Sunamori reminded him.
"Yeah, leave her alone!" snapped Yamazaki.
Hayashi chuckled. "Looks like Takashi's got girls fighting over him now."
"I do not!" shouted Yamazaki. Then, remembering his situation, he quickly corrected himself. "I mean, I'm not fighting over him! There's just something we need to talk about, that's all!"
Chiharu sighed. "Fine. Go. I'll be waiting here when you get back."
"Thanks, Chiharu," said Tomoyo. "You're a peach."
Chiharu blushed. "Just go, Yamazaki. And don't take too long."
Tomoyo chuckled nervously. "Don't worry. We'll be right back." She beckoned to Yamazaki and led the way toward where Sakura and Li were waiting. "I'm really sorry about this," she apologized.
"Can you tell me now what's going on?" asked Yamazaki, once they were out of Chiharu's hearing and deep enough in the trees that the leaves blocked most of the rain. "Why am I in your body?"
"It's magic," said Li, as he stepped into view with Sakura. "Ancient, very powerful magic."
Yamazaki turned to face Li and crossed his arms in disbelief. "There's no such thing as magic."
"Then explain why you're in Tomoyo's body," challenged Li.
"Well...." Yamazaki scratched his chin. "I don't know how you did it. But I'm sure this is just a trick, with a simple explanation."
"It's not a trick," said Sakura. "You and Tomoyo have really swapped bodies, and we have to figure out a way to change you back before anyone else finds out!"
"Well, assuming you're telling the truth, which I doubt," said Yamazaki, "why not use whatever swapped us in the first place to swap us back?"
"It's not that simple," explained Li. "The entity that's controlling the magic can only use each power once. Now that it's used the power of CHANGE, it can't be undone so easily."
Kero popped his head out of Sakura's pack. "Our only hope at this point would be to figure out a way to use other powers to recreate the effect of CHANGE."
Yamazaki gaped. "Did that toy just... talk?"
"Hey! Who are you calling a toy?" demanded Kero. He leapt at Yamazaki and hovered right in front of his face. "I'm Kerberos, Guardian Beast of the Clow!"
Yamazaki's eyes rolled, and he fainted dead away.
Kero shook his head sadly. "I guess he just wasn't ready to see a real live Guardian Beast. Not to mention the shock of being in a girl's body."
"He'll wake up soon enough," said Li.
"And when he does, he'll know all about the magic of Clow," Kero pointed out. "In retrospect, maybe showing myself wasn't such a good idea. I don't think we'll be able to explain away a flying, talking stuffed animal."
"Like we could explain away CHANGE," replied Li. "The secret's blown, plain and simple. He knows magic is real, and there's nothing we can do about it."
"I'm sorry," Tomoyo apologized. "It's my fault."
"Don't worry about it," said Kero. "When you're dealing with this level of magic, things are bound to get out of hand sooner or later. We can worry about trying to contain the secret when we've dealt with the bigger problem at hand." He assumed a Thinker pose and sat down in midair to consider the options. "Ah, got it!" he announced at last. "Have you tried just wishing to be back in your own body?"
Tomoyo closed her eyes. "JOKER, please put Yamazaki and me back into our own bodies!"
"Did it work?" asked Sakura.
Tomoyo looked down to where her unconscious body still lay. "No. I'm still Yamazaki."
Kero's expression darkened. "Then we're in a pretty rotten spot. If JOKER couldn't grant your wish, it must not have the power to do it at all."
"Why don't we just wait until JOKER's used up all its power, and use the real CHANGE card to swap them back?" suggested Li.
"That could take weeks!" countered Sakura. "We can't leave them like this for that long!"
"It's not quite that simple," put in Kero.
"What do you mean?" Tomoyo asked nervously.
"Remember that if people switched by the CHANGE card remain in the wrong bodies for more than a day, they're stuck forever," Kero reminded them.
Tomoyo paled. "Then if we don't return to our own bodies by tomorrow...."
Kero nodded. "You'll be going home to the Yamazaki residence from now on."
Tomoyo's knees buckled, dumping her on the ground. She could feel something squeezing within her chest, until her heart felt like it was about to burst. "And Yamazaki too...?"
"He'll be eating your mother's delicious breakfasts for the rest of his life," Kero said regretfully.
"No!" shouted Sakura. "We can't let that happen! We have to think of something!"
"We'll do what we can," said Kero. "But JOKER plays by a whole different set of rules. There's no guarantee a solution even exists."
"It has to!" Sakura insisted. "And we'll find it! Right, Tomoyo?"
Tomoyo nodded noncommittally, certain that some of the water running down her cheeks wasn't from the rain. Despite Sakura's reassurance, she couldn't get rid of the awful feeling inside her. She'd known coming to the park was a bad idea, but she'd come anyway. And now, what she'd been afraid of had happened. One of her friends had been dragged into JOKER's tangled web because of her selfish wish.
Li bent down to look into Tomoyo's face. "You look hurt," he announced.
"Don't feel bad," Kero urged amicably. "The situation's not as horrible as you think. I'm sure we'll find a way to get you back to normal."
Tomoyo shook her head. "It's not that..." she began, but couldn't bring herself to finish. As it happened, there was more than emotions hurting her, but her other problem seemed so petty compared to the big one facing her....
"What's wrong?" asked Sakura. "I'm sure we can help you, whatever it is."
Tomoyo blushed. "I really have to go to the bathroom."
Kero nodded sagely. "Now, THAT," he agreed, "is a conundrum."


text:
2004-01-08 / Front Page
Babylon Town Board to hear senior zoning application for Copiague Tuesday, January 13
The Babylon Town Board will hold a public hearing to consider a change of zone for vacant property on the northeast corner of 46th Street and New Highway in Copiague.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Down to ZERO: Students, Activists Renew Rally Cries
May sees Renewed Activism with "May Day" and "Occupy Student Debt"
May has seen a renewed vigor for certain activist movements, namely "Occupy Student Debt" and, on May 1, "May Day." For it's part, the Occupy Student Debt movement renewed its protest efforts as collective student debts broke the $1 Trillion threshold, with rallies planned for May 2 "at Union Square in Manhattan, and several colleges and universities around the country," according to New York Times. However, thus far, the protesters that comprise Occupy Student Debt have been unsuccessful in achieving their goals, which include government regulation of private interest rates from existing loans offered from private lenders.
Similarly, May Day 2012 was an attempt by the self-proclaimed 99% (including many OWS Protestors) to "remove themselves" economically. Protesters were encouraged to skip out on work, shopping and spending in a globally coordinated attempt to "…collectively change working conditions in our world…" by "stepping out of the systems of production that confine and divide us," according to MayDayNYC.org.
Both events circle back to the lingering disconnect that many New Yorkers – including students, immigrants and parents – have felt since the rise of the Occupy Wall Street movement (which began in Zuccotti Park on Sept. 17, 2011). Since then, those sympathetic with the movement have referred to themselves as "the 99%," a perceived mark of disconnect from financial institutions, corporations, as well as other wealthy establishments and individuals.
Tags: activism, May Day, May Day 2012, New York Times, Occupy Student Debt, Occupy Wall Street, OSD, ows, protest, Rally, Zuccotti Park
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o Commercial off-the-shelf software
o COTS purchases are alternatives to in-house developments or one-off government-funded developments. COTS typically requires configuration that is tailored for specific uses. The use of COTS has been mandated across many government and business programs, as such products may offer significant savings in procurement, development, and maintenance.
o Software functionality acquired from an independent, third-party that is used on a "as is" basis


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text:
Before LiLo was popped for grand theft, Winona Ryder was our favorite little shoplifter, and before there were the Plastics, there were the Heathers. In this cult classic black comedy about teenage popularity and rebellion, Winona plays Veronica, the newest member of a the popular clique at an Ohio High School. The group of girls (three of whom are named Heather) rule their school through manipulation, cruelty, and intimidation. Veronica secretly resents her new popular friends, and silently longs for freedom from the Heathers. When she meets J.D. (Christian Slater) her fantasies quickly become reality as the two plot to overthrow the popular crowd.
Get Veronica's bad-girl look with a structured blazer (the bigger the shoulders the better), a feminine skirt, oxford shoes, and '80′s inspired accessories!
Clockwise from top: The Christian Dior Blazer by Buried Alive Vintage, The Newton Skirt by BB Dakota, The Piaf Beret by deLux, The Knot Stud Earrings by SOOS Rocks, and The Giulia Shoe by *Sole Boutique.


text:
By: mongo83
Extended version of the MK II TV spot
Views: 479 | Posted: 09/12/2011
By: Raiix
Mortal Combat 2 Commercial
Views: 316 | Posted: 05/25/2011
By: dracula
This is me preforming one of baraka's fatalities on various characters from MK II.
Views: 457 | Posted: 05/25/2011
By: Inasid
Finish Him!! The Emperor of Outworld is out for more than blood as Sub Zero and Liu Kang fight to the death. A GoPotato.tv Production Starring Ian Wolterstorff, Tom Nguyen, and Will Thomas McFadden Directed by James Tod McFadden Written by Ian Wolterstorff Music by Christian Saglie- Broadsound Studios
Views: 780 | Posted: 05/25/2011
By: CrazyLikeCatfish
2 mortals in kombat til the death?
Views: 358 | Posted: 05/25/2011
By: ArenaMax300
Extreme thanks goes to MKWarehouse.com for the footage, i highly recommend visiting the site for any and just about all info on the world of Mortal Kombat. I compiled the footage for your viewing pleasure :)
Views: 2,479 | Posted: 05/25/2011
By: MrRVDppv2002
All good things must come to an end. But in this case, it goes out with a bang. Check out the finale of laughter when fatalities attack!
Views: 888 | Posted: 05/25/2011
By: MrRVDppv2002
Martha Stewart's got nothing on Scorpion's cooking skills. Watch as he slices and dices! Yum!
Views: 533 | Posted: 05/25/2011
By: MrDan71
Mortal Kombat 2 for the PSN!! Great arcade game for the PS3 online and offline! Fatatily!!
Views: 183 | Posted: 05/25/2011
By: Keesa
The second episode of [b]'Search for the Hidden Skull'[/b] Thought it was amusing when everyone was trying to find the hidden skulls on Halo 3. So Master Chief is at it again, only this time the MK warriors are in the way..
Views: 1,940 | Posted: 05/25/2011
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The sequel to Costume Quest continues the players' adventurous trek for candy on Halloween.
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Play as officer Wei Shen and infiltrate Triad organization called Sun On Yee, in Sleeping Dogs from Square Enix.
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A turn-based strategy game exclusively for PS3, from Atlas and NIS America.
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A suvival horror game from the creator of the Resident Evil series.
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The Walking Dead: Season Two will continue the story of Clementine, a young girl orphaned at the outset of the undead...
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text:
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Fiocchi® Exacta Super Match Grade .22LR 40 Grain RN 50 rounds
Item # WX2-105229
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This item cannot ship via any of our Next Day or Second Day Express delivery methods.
You must be 21 years of age to purchase this item.
Shipping restrictions apply to this product under some jurisdictions. Known age, state and local shipping restrictions are applied at checkout and may result in changes to an order. PLEASE NOTE: We do not accept returns of Ammunition for safety reasons. NEVER use any Ammunition unless it is specifically designed for your firearm.
Shipping restrictions apply to this product under some jurisdictions. Known age, state and local shipping requirements are applied at checkout and may result in changes to an order.
This item cannot ship to Canada.
This item cannot ship internationally.
- Details & Specs
Fiocchi® Rimfire Bullets, .22 Short and .22LR available
This .22 Rimfire Super Match Line is manufactured in small lots. This line combines high quality performance with ballistic uniformity and is designed for shooters like you who demand shot to shot dependability. Round nose (RN) bullets.
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- Muzzle Velocity (F.P.S.): 1050
- Muzzle Energy (Ft.-lbs.): 97
- Rounds: 50
- Reviews
Customer Reviews
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text:
Originally Posted by DVision
Sorry I'm not up on it! I guess I'm the slow one
If you see a poster using the words "stoopid" or "imgrate" it's very old joke.
And now, in the interest of equal time, here is a message from the National Institute of Pancakes: It reads, and I quote, **** waffles.......G Carlin
Forum Rules


text: It's All In The Question By jbat - June 30, 2008 Tweet Kevin Kelly makes the point, riffing on Chris's ideas about the "end of theory." Related PostsGoogle+: Now Serving 90 Million. But…Where's the Engagement Data!"The Information" by James GleickContentSenseFrom Static to Realtime SearchAn Idea About Language and The InternetLarry Page on AI


text:
Our beloved grandfather, Poppy Sol, started this business in an open-air market. Three generations later, we're still bringing smiles to our customers' faces.
North American Bear Center
The Wildlife Research Institute and the North American Bear Center need your help!
The non-profit North American Bear Center's (NABC) mission is to advance the long-term survival of bears worldwide by replacing misconceptions with scientific facts about bears, their role in ecosystems, and their relations with humans.
The NABC works closely with the non-profit Wildlife Research Institute (WRI) to create and update exhibits for the Bear Center. WRI's world-renowned trust-based research methods allow close observation of wild black bears as they go about their lives. WRI's video footage—which documents wild black bear behavior and food choices—helps keep the Bear Center exhibits fresh. Bear Center staff provides a wide variety of foods to the Ambassador black bears Ted, Honey, Lucky, and Holly. Nuts are an important part of their diet. Send the bears some of their favorite nuts! When you donate nuts, the dollar amount will be put on our account. This gives us the flexibility to purchase bear food that we need and when we need it. It helps us manage the highest quality foods and eliminates storing excess food.
Plus, when you donate nuts, you will also be helping the Wildlife Research Institute (WRI). The NABC and the WRI coordinate their needs from your donations at nuts.com. The WRI also uses nuts as part of their ongoing research with habituated black bears. Quality nuts are essential to the success of this trust-based research.
Learn more about these bears by visiting www.bear.org and www.bearstudy.org.
We thank you for your support!
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Leave online feedback and share your thoughts with other customers!
Louise, Kissimmee, FL July 29, 2010
"Very happy with my order, sampled everything! Thanks for dried fruit gift! Most of all, thank you so much for helping our bears!"
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"I just feel so good when I can send nuts to NABC to help them get close to the bears. This is my 4th shipment and I will be sending more....Thanks for making it easy for us to send what the bears love with no cost for shipping!!"
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"Found Nuts Online when I clicked on a link at The North American Bear Center. I wanted to find out about donating nuts to the Center and this company has a great way for you to purchase nuts with no shipping fee. Thanks you guys, at Nuts Online, for supporting the bears!
Of course I had to try a few of their products because of their support of the bears. I purchased Tropical Mix, pecans, and pistachios. I just finished trying the Tropical Mix and am in heaven. You now have a customer for life! "
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"Great idea! Just sent 3 packs."
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"My pecans are the best I've ever had. Thanks so much. I can also rest assured that the nuts for the bears are of the finest quality!! Thanks for doing that for the bears. You are now my go-to people for nuts!!"
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"Thank you for helping us support the bears at NABC by shipping the Nuts for Bears snack packs for free!"
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"I have been a customer of Nuts On Line for some time now. I order 25+ pounds at time for my wildlife work. I am so tickled that NOL is now helping out the North American Bear Center!!! Thank you !!! There could not be a better new team than NOL and NABC!!!! Want the best nuts in a shell? No other place than here..no kidding!!!"
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"This experience with Lily and Hope has been phenomenal. Thank you, nutsonline, for your help, both in facilitating delivery of NABC's "drug of choice", and also for providing additional exposure to their long-term efforts/education goals."
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"I have been watching this live den cam since before Lily gave birth to Hope. I have read the NABC site from stem to stern. Through my observation and reading, my attitude toward the black bear and research of same has done a 360! It is absolutely amazing what Dr. Lynn Rogers, Sue and their supporting staff have done, and continue to do. PLEASE, help support these beautiful creatures and the NABC's cause. "
Showing 21-30 of 30
Don Karhoff, Ocqueoc, Michigan July 10, 2014
"Been ordering nuts from Nuts-online for quite sometime now - we have many bears and squirrels that visit our place and they absolutely love the nuts. As a Lilly fan - glad to donate to the Bear Center."
Packaged in the same facility as peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, and milk products.
Store at room temperature for up to 6 months.
Country of Origin: United States


text:
DIY voting sticker - no visit to the polls for Oregonians #votebymail #stickerenvy #vote #Obama
I must admit I am a little jealous of those of you who get to visit a polling location today. It's so much more thrilling to go into that little booth to mark your ballot, than sitting at home on my sofa.
Also, no stickers, although that's obviously not a guarantee at the polls!
On the plus side, it's awesome to vote at home because:
Thanks to all of you who rose early or will stand in line after work today to get your vote in. It's making me feel like the lazy one!
Here in Oregon, we're pretty much guaranteed to swing for Obama, but we also have some really important local races that will be interesting to watch. Our City Council of five will have at least 2, maybe 3 new faces on it. Schools and arts programs are seeking funding. Our opinions are also sought on casinos, gill netting, and pot!
While a little nervous about the results of the national race, I'm also totally excited. I love watching election returns and seeing how my choices match up. Happy democracy day!!
This tumblelog is powered by Tumblr and was designed by Bill Israel.


text:
The Hon. Tony Burke MP
Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Historic agreement provides certainty for Tasmania's forests and forest industry
Media release
7 August 2011
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings have this morning signed a landmark agreement that will provide certainty for Tasmanias forestry industry, support local jobs and communities, and protect the states ancient forests.
The agreement has been reached between the Federal and State Labor Governments after a long period of collaboration and consultation with key industry and environmental stakeholders.
The agreement will help the forest industry adapt to market changes while protecting the communities and families that rely on the sector to survive.
Under the agreement a total of $276 million, including $15 million from the State Government, will be provided in the following key areas:
- $85 million to support contractors and their families affected by the downturn in the industry, and in particular Gunns Limiteds decision to exit native forest harvesting
- $43 million to facilitate protection of new areas of high conservation value forests
- $120 million over 15 years, including an initial payment of $20 million to identify and fund appropriate regional development projects
- $7 million per annum ongoing to manage new reserves.
The industry support package includes up front funding of up to $25 million for immediate employment and training support for redundant forest workers.
Those made redundant from eligible companies in the forestry industry will receive intensive and accelerated support through Job Services Australia and other providers.
In recognition of the impact of the forestry industry changes on the people in the timber communities, the Agreement also provides $15 million to ForestWorks Ltd to administer transition support payments for workers and contractor employees as well as $1 million in support through Rural Alive and Well.
The Australian Government will provide $45 million in assistance for voluntary exits from public native forest operations for haulage, harvest and/or silvicultural contractors.
Significantly, the agreement guarantees protection for Tasmanias most iconic ancient forests.
Tasmania will immediately place 430,000 hectares of native forest into informal reserve, subject to verification, which the governments will protect under a Conservation Agreement.
Reserves will include areas such as the iconic forests in the Styx, Upper Florentine, Huon, Picton and Weld Valleys and the Great Western Tiers, Tarkine and Wielangta areas. These forests will not be accessed for harvest while verification takes place.
An Independent Verification Group will be established to provide advice to the Prime Minister and the Tasmanian Premier on sustainable timber supply requirements and areas and boundaries of reserves from within the ENGO-nominated 572,000 hectares of High Conservation Value native forest.
For the first time, this process will provide an independent and robust assessment of the definition of high conservation values and recommendations of the areas that should be protected in permanent reserve.
Once this process is complete the State will develop legislation to formalise reserves and guarantee annual sustainable timber supply from production areas in public forests of at least 155,000 cubic metres of high quality sawlog per year.
Contracts for 265,000 cubic metres of peeler billets will be honoured and protected. In addition, speciality timber will be provided and all contracts for native wood supply will also be honoured.
The Agreement is consistent with the Statement of Principles agreement between environment non-government organisations, the Tasmanian forestry industry and the CFMEU, which was presented by independent facilitator Mr Bill Kelty last month.
The Federal and State Governments urged all parties to recognise the opportunity to move forward after more than 30 years of bitter conflict in order to build a stronger future for Tasmania.
This agreement marks a new chapter in the diversification of the state economy and the protection of Tasmanias precious environment.
Download PDF of Intergovernmental agreement and supporting reserves map


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jeff crandall
I'll be honest, the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup became sort of an afterthought following the Fire's disappointing overtime exit to the Michigan Bucks back in May.
I believe FDR biographer Hugh Gallagher said it best when speaking about the former President's attitude towards his paralysis, "Denial is a useful thing in its place." With the team knocked out, it just became easier to take this route.
Of course as the summer went on and the tournament reached its final rounds, we were all faced with the scary prospect of seeing Seattle Sounders FC equal our club's MLS-record four Open Cup titles. Come mid-July, the only thing that stood in their way was Sporting KC, who to some great resentment in Cascadia, outbid the three-time defending champions to host the final at LiveSTRONG Sporting Park.
With the news that his second-year stadium would host the final, Sporting CEO and serial tweeter Robb Heineman was understandably excited and encouraged the traveling support from Seattle to join in what would be a vibrant night at his newish stadium.
It is well known in MLS supporter's circles that LiveSTRONG isn't exactly as open in accommodating away fans in the same way that most other MLS stadia are (mainly with the use of flag poles). With that in mind, Sporting KC supporter @KarahM318 followed up on his tweet and Heineman even went a step further.
Flag poles for the final! Why not?
Certainly Heineman had already recognized the stature of the occasion when the bid money cleared his checking account but it was a great move on the club's part to allow Sounders FC fans to support their team in a way they're used to in the Final.
Despite severe weather that delayed the start of the match, the audible and visual atmosphere created by both sides was fantastic. While we're no fan of rave green in these parts, the contrasting flags (on poles) looked great.
(Photo Courtesy of Aaron Riner)
Of course in the end, Sporting thwarted Seattle's bid to tie the Fire's Open Cup record and for that, we're all thankful.
Perhaps enthused by KC's willingness to allow Seattle fans help create more atmosphere at the match, Section 8 Chicago Chairman Joel Biden tweeted to Heineman asking if the same courtesy would be afforded Fire supporters upon their visit there in September…
Robb's response…
And this leads to the crux of the problem.
I have the utmost respect for Robb Heineman and what his group has accomplished in KC but if memory serves, it was he that was the biggest champion of his club's new-found rivalry with the Fire last year. Seeing rivalries as organic things that come through supporters and a history of on-the-field battles, the Fire front office didn't go along with the "plan".
Given Heineman's tweet, I'm left to wonder if he and Sporting have left the "rivalry" behind and if that's the case, then why?
Does it have to do with the Fire's domination since it "started"? (The Men in Red are 3-0-1 against Sporting KC since it "began" last year).
If not, I have to ask why the season series finale against your biggest rival, one that has certain MLS Cup playoff implications isn't deemed, "special"? Certainly allowing the traveling support from Chicago to wave flags in your stadium will make your place that much better for the national television audience tuning in on NBC Sports Network…
When Sporting KC brought 400 people to watch the Men in Red take one of their aforementioned "rivalry" victories this past May, the Fire allowed those from the KC Cauldron to wave flags in support of their team throughout the 2-1 loss. It's a practice that's long been in place at Toyota Park, even going back to those days that Sporting were known as the Wizards (see photo below).
Maybe it's supporter-style gamesmanship, or perhaps PVC piping is just more dangerous in Kansas but the vast majority of MLS stadia allow this type of support from both sides of fans.
MLS has a league-wide list of in-stadium Supporters Exemptions that allow for the use of drums, horns and other musical instruments, banners and signs that meet what can be described as a "good taste" criteria and most importantly to this blog, flags on poles.
The caveat is that all use of the above items are "permitted at locations and times determined by the club or venue management."
LiveSTRONG Sporting Park security has already proven capable of dealing with the waving flags in the stands, so really what is the issue?
Should MLS stadia that currently allow this type of support take a "quid pro quo" approach with fans whose home venues do not? Should there be a true, across the board set of standards for visiting supporters throughout the league's 19 home venues?
In either case, I challenge Fire supporters to agitate for this right at LiveSTRONG Sporting Park when the team looks to sweep the season series there on Friday, September 28.
If you agree with this article, tweet it or even just your thoughts on the subject to @SportingKC and most importantly their CEO @RobbHeineman using hashtag #FearTheFlag. Or use the tweet button to the right and it'll do it all for you!
Flag poles or not, a contingent from Section 8 Chicago and Sector Latino will be heading to support the Fire at next month's all-important match at LiveSTRONG Sporting Park. Secure your bus and match ticket by clicking here.
Lets be honest, with the Men in Red losing 4-2 at DC on Wednesday and being the only MLS team with this weekend off, you had a little bit of concern regarding where the team would be sitting come Monday morning.
Luckily for the Fire, teams from north of the border made this idle weekend a reasonably good one (if not tighter) heading into next Sunday's all-important home clash vs. Houston.
A quick wrap up of weekend results that have to do with the Eastern Conference playoff race...
Montreal Impact 3, DC United 0
Highlights: Montreal 3, D.C. United 0
Riding off their 4-2 defeat of the Fire at midweek, DC United visited the Montreal Impact in a Saturday afternoon matinee. Despite their result on Wednesday, the game marked United's third in six days (forcing Ben Olsen to bring starters Dwayne De Rosario, Chris Pontius and Branco Boskovic off the bench) and came against an Impact side that has taken 10 of its 12 victories at home this season.
Longtime Canadian international Patrice Bernier stole the show on the day, setting up Marco Di Vaio's 24th minute goal before talllying a 50th minute penalty and icing the match with his second goal deep into second half stoppage time.
United rarely threatened and saw their best chance come in the 78th minute when Troy Perkins thwarted Marcelo Saragosa from close range.
With the victory, Montreal (12-13-3; 39pts.) moves within one point of DC (12;9-4; 40pts.) for the final playoff spot in the East but time isn't on their side. With 28 games played, Jesse Marsch's team has taken the field more than any other MLS team this season and will likely need 12-15 points from their remaining matches, plus get a little help along the way to become just the third expansion team in league history to qualify for the playoffs in their inaugural year.
Good omen for Jesse, he was part of the first one that did it...
UP NEXT: More games with playoff implications as DC continues its torrid stretch, playing their fourth game in 10 days when they host New York on Wednesday, August 29 (7pm CT; Galavision) while Montreal visits upstart Columbus next Saturday, September 1 (6:30pm CT; MLS Live, Direct Kick)
Columbus Crew 4, New England Revolution 3
HIGHLIGHTS: Columbus 4, New England 3
This is the one that didn't go our way, though from the early-going, things looked good when some sloppy defending from the Crew saw Ryan Guy and Jerry Bengtson put the Revs up 2-0 inside 23 minutes.
Showing the inconsistent nature of New England this season, the Crew took the lead though even before halftime as two stunning free kicks from Columbus DP Federico Higuain sandwiched around a Jairo Arrieta finish to take the home side into the half up 3-2. Yes Fire fans, Higuain is the real deal and Crew head coach Robert Warzycha knows it.
New England stabilized at the break and would pull things level in the 81st minute when Lee Ngyuen sent substitute goalkeeper Matt Lampson the wrong way on a penalty kick. The Crew would have the last laugh minutes later as Arrieta ran onto Tony Tchani's through ball into the box and poked his second goal of the night past Matt Reis, ending a wild night of scoring at Crew Stadium.
Though there was little doubt New England's (6-14-5; 23pts.) season was over, this one hammered the coffin shut while the victory extended Columbus' (10-8-6; 36pts.) unbeaten run to four matches and kept the Crew within three points of sixth place Montreal and four behind DC for the final playoff spot in the East.
UP NEXT: Both teams are back in action Wednesday when the Crew will hope to win their third straight as they visit Philadelphia (7pm CT; MLS Live, Direct Kick) while New England will hope to snap their eight-match winless run when they welcome Chivas USA to Gillette Stadium (7pm CT; MLS Live, Direct Kick).
Houston Dynamo 1, Toronto FC1
With Toronto well at the bottom of the East, any points they can take from higher teams helps a lot. This game marked midfielder Ricardo Clark's first appearance since returning to the Dynamo from stints in Germany and Norway and also provided a good view into the current form of the Fire's next two league opponents.
Houston would take the lead in the 21st minute when forward Will Bruin ran on to Boniek Garcia's ball out of midfield before chipping onrushing TFC 'keeper Freddy Hall. The Dynamo threatened for the second goal throughout and would end the game witha 14-8 shots advantage but surrendered the equalizer and two points in the 84st minute when sloppy marking at the back saw Terry Dunfield head home Darren O'Dea's cross from the right.
With the result, Houston (11-6-9; 42pts.) remains in third place, just one point ahead of the Fire, with the good guys holding one game in hand. To say next Sunday's match against the orange-clad team at Toyota Park is a pivotal one would be an understatement. The result keeps Toronto FC (5-15-6; 21pts.) in the Eastern Conference cellar but also shows a team that can't be taken lightly heading into the home stretch.
UP NEXT: Houston takes a break from MLS action as they travel back to Central America for the second time in a week to face Honduran side Olimpia in CONCACAF Champions League group play on Thursday, August 30 (Fox Soccer; 9pm CT) before heading to Chicago for next Sunday's game (6pm CT; NBC Nonstop, Galavision). Toronto FC will hope to do better in CONCACAF play when they host Santos Laguna in the Champions League on Tuesday, August, 28 (7pm CT; Fox Soccer) before continuing its spoiler bid in a visit to Sporting KC on Saturday, September 1 (7:30pm CT; MLS Live, Direct Kick).
A quick view at the Eastern Conference Standings after last night...
First place in the Eastern Conference (Sporting KC) hosts the second place New York in their first of three meetings over the next two months, live tonight at 8pm CT on ESPN2.
Fire fans holding out hope for the top seed in the East would do well to hope for a draw in the game ...
If you had a good time at last night's Chicago Fire Foundation White Party, jump in the air.
For the second year in a row, the White Party was a big success, with nearly 700 attendees and raising over $40,000 for the Chicago Fire Foundation.
One day I hope the American travel ban to Cuba is broken. If not, I'll always have the memory of wearing the cabana outfit I sported Thursday night. Big props to the Fire Communications and Digital Team on dressing quite well.
(PHOTO: Me, Chrissy Koob, Leo Flores, Brendan Hanna, Nick Sintich and Eunice Kim)
It was good to see Fire captain and Foundation board member Logan Pause at the event as well:
More props to the @MLS_Insider, Josh Whisenhunt for gracing us with his presence for the evening…
And even more to Foundation Director Jessica Yavitz (pictured below with me) and her great staff Jen Van Sparrentak, Jack Sheehan, Jamie Miller and Andrew Steffen.
And a few more candid shots courtesy of Jordan Quinn Lukianuk.
The long-standing rumors of Fire midfielder Marco Pappa's move across the pond finally came true last Monday as the Fire and Dutch club SC Heerenveen jointly announced the Guatemalan international would move to the Netherlands effective January 1, 2013.
While Pappa has been a key part of the team the last four seasons, his desire to go to Europe at the end of his MLS contract was pretty well known. The Fire did right by Pappa and according to the interview to the right, the midfielder is looking to do right by the club that gave him the shop-window opportunity.
WATCH: Pappa Talks Fire Focus
"I still have a contract with the Fire," said Pappa. "We talked about this situation. I'm going to keep doing my best like I always do and I'm happy for the opportunity but right now it would be good to get a championship [here] before going to Europe."
While a player signing a contract with another club before the one he's with is finished seems a little odd, it's common practice throughout the world and is becoming more regular in MLS. For instance it was just three years ago that Fire forward Chris Rolfe signed a pre-contract with Aalborg BK in the Danish SuperLiga.
The best thing about Rolfe's situation was that the Fire played the MLS rules well, giving the forward a "qualifying offer", that is an offer deemed credible for his market value, before he signed with Aalborg. By doing that, the club retained his MLS rights, paving the way for his smooth return earlier this April.
Though defender Gonzalo Segares didn't sign a pre-contract with Cypriot club Apollon Limassol during 2009, his situation is similar to that of Rolfe's. The Costa Rican international played the first six months of 2010 in Cyprus before returning to the Fire that August, a move again made easier by the qualifying offer.
When Wilman Conde made his desire known to return to MLS from Mexican side Atlas earlier this year, the Fire cashed on the qualifying offer made to the Colombian defender at the end of 2010, earning a nice chunk of allocation money in January's trade that sent him to New York.
Aside from doing right by a player that has performed for the club, the best part of Pappa's move to Holland is that like in the differing case of Rolfe, Segares and Conde, the Fire have kept future options open with the player.
Most will agree that Marco has all the tools to be successful in Holland but unforeseen things can happen and though no transfer fee is being wired from The Netherlands to Chicago, it's a sign the Fire have done some good business.
With 10 regular season matches plus a potential playoff run, Pappa still has plenty to prove before heading to Holland.
There was a point Sunday afternoon in which things were looking pretty good for the Fire's positioning in the East. DC United had just suffered a somewhat controversial 1-1 draw at home to Philadelphia while due north Bright Dike and Darlington Nagbe had put the West's bottom team Portland up 2-0 at New York.
Of course Kenny Cooper and Tim Cahill had pulled the home side back level before halftime, the Timbers flubbed two breakaway chances and Heath Pearce headed home the winner in the 83rd minute to push New York back into sole possession of second place in the East.
Later on Sunday night, Columbus used goals from Cole Grossman and Eddie Gaven to erase a 1-0 deficit but had to settle for a 2-2 draw when Andy Gruenebaum muffed Adam Moffat's 82nd minute equalizer.
WATCH: Red Bull 3, Timbers 2
The result meant that the Top 5 in the Eastern Conference closed the weekend the same way they entered it, effectively pushing the Fire back down to fourth place (losing the goals scored tie breaker to Houston).
All this is by way of saying its going to be a scrap or as Brendan Hannan put it this morning, a "real dog fight" the rest of the way in the Eastern Conference. With 10 matches remaining and five of them against the other four in the Top Five, the Fire control their playoff destiny and seeding perhaps just as much as anyone in the East.
"[Playoff qualification] is in our hands," head coach Frank Klopas told Chicago-Fire.com Monday. "They're all obviously difficult matches because most of the games we play are going to be against teams that are going to be right there until the end. Its exciting but I think we feel good about having those games at home and having the opportunity to control our own destiny."
While Montreal and Columbus still have a shot at the postseason, popular opinion has the top five now remaining the top five come October 28 making a "mini-league" of sorts the rest of the way for the Fire, Sporting KC, Red Bull, the Dynamo and United.
See below the "mini-league" grid of remaining matches between the East's top 5 teams.
vs. 8/26
@ 9/19
@ 10/20
|vs. 9/14
|vs. 9/28
@ 8/26
vs. 9/19
vs. 10/20
|vs. 10/6
|@ 8/29
|@ 9/14
|@ 9/2
|@ 9/28
|@ 10/6
|vs. 9/2
@ 8/22
vs. 10/27
|vs. 8/29
vs. 8/22
@ 10/27
When looking at the chart, two things undoubtedly stick out...
1) No that's not a mistake, the East's top two teams Sporting KC and New York, will play eachother three more times through the end of the season. Depending on how their other matches go (something that will continue to be a common theme), the Conference's top seeds could well be decided in those three games.
2) The Fire are the only team in the Top 5 that will play everyone around them and have two games against D.C., meaning the team seems to have the best shot of controlling it's own destiny in the tight playoff race. With 15 points available in these matches, if the Men in Red can take anywhere around 11 or 12, they could be in very good shape for a top two finish.
Either way, the Fire manager reiterated the game of most importance is the one upcoming.
"It's up to us," continued Klopas. "We don't have to rely on other teams like we did last year but the most important thing is to not look too far down the road and so our next game against D.C. is what we have to hone in on right now."
While Fire first teamers Sean Johnson, Marco Pappa and Orr Barouch all take to the field for their national sides Wednesday, another player in the club will be part of an international friendly as well.
Meet Reid Strain. A member of the 2012 Chicago Fire U18 Youth Academy side that went 26-1-1 en route to the 2012 U.S. Club Soccer National Championship, the Barrington, Ill. product has joined the Puerto Rican national team for Wednesday's friendly against Spain in Bayamon.
Eligible for Puerto Rico through his mother, Strain missed the U18 Youth Academy's run at last month's U.S. Club Soccer National championships after being called up for the territory's U-20 CONCACAF World Championship qualifying matches.
"He was very reluctant to play for the U-20 Puerto Rican national team when he got the call up last month," said Chicago Fire U18 Youth Academy head coach Paul Cadwell. "He didn't want to miss the national championships with his Fire team so it took some talking to him from his parents and from myself to encourage him to not miss such an opportunity."
In those games, the forward tallied two goals, both game winners, in 2-0 victories over Barbados and Bermuda. A 0-0 draw in the group finale vs. Haiti pushed Puerto Rico to a second-place finish on goal difference but advanced the side to the final round of CONCACAF's Caribbean U-20 Finals – the first time a Puerto Rican team has made it out of its qualifying group in and youth tournament.
The finals will be played November 3-11 in Jamaica and with his role in the previous matches as well as being the only uncapped player called up for Wednesday's friendly vs. Spain, it's a good bet Strain will play a part.
Why haven't we heard more of Strain until now?
"Unfortunately, Reid has been plagued by an ankle injury the last 18 months," said U18 Youth Academy Head Coach Paul Cadwell. It's one of the reasons he didn't make our Fall [U.S. Soccer Development] Academy team. We didn't get the ability to get a good look at him but he's a great youth player for us this season. He has shown the ability to score a variety of goals."
I'm very proud of Reid at having the opportunity to play against the world's number one team is a dream. Whether he sees the field or not, just the fact that he is going be listed in a squad that plays the current world and European champions is something that he will never forget."
Former Fire forward Brian McBride is stepping back out of retirement tomorrow as he lines up for ninth-tier English side Wembley FC in the aptly named "Extra Preliminary Round" of the 2012/13 F.A. Cup.
In a move sponsored by Budweiser, the legendary American striker who played for Fulham, Everton and Preston North End will lineup with the likes of fellow former English Premier League stars Martin Keown, Ray Parlour, Claudio Caniggia and Graeme Le Saux as Wembley opens up Cup play against Langford FC Saturday morning. Fans can watch the match LIVE on Facebook beginning at 6:45am CT
The game marks the second time McBride has "stepped out of retirement" to take to the field in England. Last year the former Fire forward lined up with fellow American Brad Friedel and the New York Cosmos to play in Paul Scholes Testimonial match at Old Trafford in Manchester last summer.
Check out the full read on Brian's return to English football from Avi Creditor at Soccer By Ives
With his equalizer in Saturday's 2-1 victory over Toronto FC, Fire midfielder Marco Pappa moved into a tie for fourth on the club's all-time regular season goals list with former captain Peter Nowak at 26.
Throughout his time with the Fire, the Guatemalan international has quietly moved up the goal chart, bagging more than half of his goals (14) in the last 18 months.
Sitting eighth at the start of 2012, Pappa began his ascendency up the chart this season by tying Nate Jaqua at 21 goals with his "Olimipico" on April 28 vs. Seattle. A week later, his late game-winner at Chivas moved him into a three-way tie for fifth with Damani Ralph and Dema Kovalenko at 22.
Pappa took over fifth place with another game-winner vs. Dallas on May 23 and built towards Nowak with goals vs. Columbus (June 23) at Sporting KC (June 29) before tying the former Polish international Saturday night.
Sitting six goals back of Josh Wolff at third place on the list (32), I pose this question: Can Marco pass Josh with 12 matches remaining in the 2012 campaign?
While Pappa has never scored more than eight goals in one single campaign, it's important to also note that he's never had six this early in a season.
History could be construed to be on Pappa's side in this quest as well as he's tallied 11 career goals against the team's remaining opponents and has scored two goals each against the likes of D.C. United (who the Fire still play twice), Toronto FC, Sporting KC and Red Bull New York.
Two of those remaining 12 games also come against the two worst defenses in Major League Soccer in Montreal (43 goals conceded) and Toronto FC again (40). All he needs is six to tie…
What becomes more evident with Pappa is the team's success rate when he finds the back of the net. Marco has tallied 26 goals in 23 matches and the team has earned points in 19 of those games, winning 13. Over the course of his time with the Men in Red, the Fire have only lost four times when he's tallied, once in each season since 2009.
With the team already losing a match in which he's scored this season, you can tie a lot to wanting to see Marco hit at least for six more goals before the end of the campaign.
So what do you think, can Marco do it? Vote to the right and comment below to give me your thoughts...
When I think of Gonzalo Segares, the first thing that comes to mind is a tough tackle followed by a yellow card. The Costa Rican international has definitely done well to carry on the tradition of hard-nosed Fire defenders like C.J. Brown, Lubos Kubik and Francis Okaroh.
Deep down though, Gonzalo is one of the classiest guys on the team and one with a definite sweet tooth. In that spirit we took him on a field trip to Molly's Cupcakes in Lincoln Park (2536 N. Clark) to get a feel for what it takes to make one of life's fine delicacies.
Watch his escapade below and be sure to visit Molly's this month to purchase the Chicago Fire Velvet Swirl cupcake. When you do, one dollar from every purchase goes to benefit the Chicago Fire Foundation!
As I'm sure you've come to realize the last week, picking a Top 15 list for this club is a daunting task. Weighing personal accomplishments along with how the team did during a players tenure and how that player represented the badge – let's just say you can enter everything you want into an Excel Spreadsheet and you'll still change your mind 43 different times.
Luckily for everyone else voting, your ballot is private, so you don't have to worry about excluding someone very deserving, or even someone you see on a daily basis.
After much deliberation, here are my public picks for the Top 15 Fire players of all time.
DISCLAIMER – These are my own picks and do not necessarily reflect voting trends or the ballots of other voters.
#15 Frank Klopas (1998-99) – Though Frank played only two seasons for the Fire, he was part of the original group that wore the badge with pride. His "Golden Goal" in the 1998 U.S. Open Cup Final started the club's tradition of success in the tournament and few players have meant as much to the club as Frank as reflected by being chosen second into the Ring of Fire back in 2004.
#14 Hristo Stoitchkov (2000-02) – Stoitchkov only won one trophy in Chicago, following up Frank's '98 Golden Goal with the game-winner in the 2000 U.S. Open Cup Final. A world renowned star, when the Mad Bulgarian came to Chicago, he reinforced the spirit of the hardworking, win-at-all cost teams that the Fire became known for early on in the league. With 24 goals and 22 assists in just 70 competitive matches, Stoitchkov was on the score sheet in some form 66% of the time during his Fire stay.
#13 Gonzalo Segares (2005-present) - Segares is one of the few true left backs the Fire have ever had and most of the reason for that is the fact that he's locked down the position for half the club's existence. One of only three players on the current roster to win a trophy with the club, Segares sits behind only Lubos Kubik for most offense produced by a defender and seems destined to become just the eighth player in club history to hit 200 competitive appearances before season's end.
#12 Logan Pause (2003-present) – The current club captain, Logan Pause stands as the club's connection to the near treble winning year of 2003. A hard-working midfielder that's modeled himself after the likes of Chris Armas and Jesse Marsch, Pause has been a constant in the Fire lineup the past 10 seasons, even going to play at right back when needed. Though lacking in offensive achievements, Pause has been a part of three title winning teams and sits second behind only C.J. Brown on the club's all-time appearance list at 291 games played.
#11 Jesse Marsch (1998-05) – Like Gutierrez, Marsch combined with Armas, Pause and others throughout the years to make the Fire midfield an undesirable place for opponents. Never accuse of being the most skilled, Marsch was always smart on the ball while quietly tallying 23 goals (9th all-time) and 32 assists (6th all-time) on his way to winning five of six of the club's domestic titles.
#10 Chris Rolfe (2005-09; 2012-present) – The highest on the list of the current Fire roster, Rolfe became the club's second all-time leading goal scorer before leaving for Denmark at the end of 2009. That feat is even more impressive when you consider a lot of games saw him playing out of position on the right wing and he never tallied 10 goals in a season. The two goals since his return have him at 41 but it will take a while for him to catch Ante Razov at 95…
#9 DaMarcus Beasley (2000-04) – One of the most fouled players in MLS during four and a half seasons in Chicago, Beasley provided speed and constant danger to aid the likes of Razov, Peter Nowak, Josh Wolff and Damani Ralph. A winner of three domestic titles with the Fire, his stats (134 GP, 18 goals, 28 assists) would be much higher had he not left for PSV Eindhoven midway through 2004.
#8 Cuauhtemoc Blanco (2007-09) – The only player on my Top 15 list that never won a trophy in Chicago, Blanco proved those wrong that anticipated him viewing MLS as a retirement league. The legendary Mexican midfielder tallied 19 goals and 28 assists in his 77 appearances for the Fire (61% conversion rate) and led the team to three consecutive Eastern Conference finals as well as the 2009 SuperLiga championship match.
#7 Carlos Bocanegra (2000-03) – Boca's case is very similar to that of Beasley's in that his stats and accomplishments would likely be much greater if he hadn't left for Fulham after 2003. Still, Boca was the 2000 Rookie of the Year, two-time MLS Defender of the Year and Best XI selections (2002-03) along with three domestic titles. There are few defenders all-time in MLS that have been quite as dominant as Carlos Bocanegra was in his time with the Fire.
#6 Lubos Kubik (1998-00) – The backbone of the 1998 double-winning team, Kubik won MLS Defender of the Year that season and was likely one of the few MLS defenders more dominant than Bocanegra during his three seasons in Chicago. The third inductee into the Ring of Fire, Kubik also holds the distinction of being the most offensive defender in club history, tallying 19 goals and 25 assists in 88 matches.
#5 Zach Thornton (1998-2006) – One of only three players to be part of all six domestic championship teams, Thornton beat out Jorge Campos to win the starting job during his first season in Chicago. He holds the distinction of holding most of the club's goalkeeping records and is one of Major League Soccer's top goalkeepers of all-time.
#3 Ante Razov (1998-2004) – What can you say about a guy that nearly scored 100 goals in a Fire uniform? Having tallied double-digit goals in five of his seven seasons in Chicago, Razov's offensive achievements with the Fire (95 goals, 51 assists in 196 games) match up with anyone else's in Major League Soccer. Despite his incredible scoring record, Razov was just once named to the MLS Best XI (2003) and All-Star Game (2000).
#2 Chris Armas (1998-2007) – A revelation of sorts when he joined Chicago via trade from LA in 1998, Armas epitomized the work ethic and attitude that would come to be known from Fire teams in years to come. His play in Chicago helped him carve out a place with the U.S. Men's National Team and if not for a devastating injury, would have taken part in at least one FIFA World Cup. Despite being known as the ultimate destroyer in midfield, Armas quietly racked up 53 assists, good enough for second on the club's all-time list. The club's second captain, Armas was a five-time MLS Best XI selection, four-time all-star and is one of seven members of the Ring of Fire.
#1 Peter Nowak (1998-02) – I hope there was little doubt that Nowak would always be the number one choice. The first captain in club history, it was the former Polish international that often times put the team on his shoulders during the early seasons. The only player in Fire history that can claim an MLS Cup MVP award, Nowak is the club's all-time leader in assists with 60, a three-time Chicago Fire MVP and MLS Best XI selection and the original inductee in the club's Ring of Fire.
Flame away or continue to vote for your #Fire15 players through August 1 by clicking here.


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I just found this very educative and enlightening video via Ikhide's blog.
As he says, 'watch and weep'.
I just found this very educative and enlightening video via Ikhide's blog.
As he says, 'watch and weep'.
I know sontin about the Half of a Yellow Sun film. I have been sitting on it for weeks.
No, not that Genevieve's part (may have)/has been cut. That's old news. But I may know certain factors surrounding this. In other words, why.
I would love to talk about it, not because of gossip – it's not really my style – but because of the conversation I want to start about Nollywood and …and…grrrrr! I can't even say the next thing because of the ultra smart people who will guess and I have my source (yes, the same one that worked on the set of the film) to protect.
We need this conversation. We need it.
What to do, what to do?
(I did this post last night but the feeling stays).
Today, I am both ashamed and afraid to be Nigerian.
I don't know what happened in Aluu – I don't care for the conflicting accounts. All I know is that four (some accounts say thee) Univeristy of Port Harcourt boys were stripped naked, beaten and burnt to death on the SUSPICION of being robbers. They were tried on the spot by elders of the community too. How's that for 21st century Nigerian justice?
It reminded me of the Bakassi Boys from when I was a teenager in Anambra state – those fierce men of indeterminate origin who were sanctioned to rid the state of 'armed robbers' by any means necessary. This audio I made will tell you what you need to know. I apologise, it is unscripted and I an popping like crazy so obviously have shamed my broadcasting trainers. And I am talking slowly because I am angry and when I get angry, I am incoherent. I had to slow down for you to hear me.
UPDATE: HUH. Ifite Dunu, not Ifite Awka. I must read properly (but in my defence I've been having a fever for three days now.)
Flavour gini? Biko he's too far away!
I must be SERIOUSLY slacking in my life because I did not know that P-Square are from Awka. My very doormout. How could I not know? I need to hand my National Union of Journalists badge back because I am a disgrace to the profession.
Anyway, if you're done drooling, the boys whose mother died on the 11th of July five hours after heart surgery in India will be in Ifite-Dunu to bury her on the 2nd of August.
May God be with them at this time. And I mean that in every way. Some people are just coming to 'chop their money'. They need to go to the Imo-Owka oracle and kee nkwucha (also known as a spiritual 'Tuck n' Tape) otherwise plenti plenti girls will have their bread buttered for life via child support payments.


text: Room was clean, sheets smelled good. I usually don't sleep we'll in motels and I went right to sleep each night. Coffee was good also. Staff was friendly and called daily to check if we needed our room cleaned. Size of room wasn't huge, but we weren't hardly in it anyways. We originally had reservations at another motel in town,... More