BoBA 2010 ISML Tiara Odds

Bedlam on Baltic Avenue
2010 International Saimoe League Tiara Odds
As of 10:01 P.M. PT, April 6 2010

Mio Akiyama 1-7
Mikoto Misaka 1-3
Shana 1-2
Hinagiku Katsura EVEN
Taiga Aisaka 3-2
Saber 3-2
Nadeko Sengoku 2-1
Haruhi Suzumiya 5-2
Yuki Nagato 5-2
Tomoyo Sakagami 3-1
Azusa Nakano 3-1
Hitagi Senjougahara 7-2
Kagami Hiiragi 4-1
Fate Testarossa 4-1
Nagi Sanzen'in 9-2
Kyou Fujibayashi 9-2
Illyasviel von Einzbern 5-1
Holo 5-1
Konata Izumi 5-1
Nanoha Takamachi 11-2
Mafuyu Shiina 11-2
Kurimu Sakurano 11-2
Nagisa Furukawa 6-1
Yui Hirasawa 13-2
Rin Tosaka 7-1
Minatsu Shiina 7-1
Chizuru Akaba 8-1
Mikuru Asahina 8-1
Louise Francoise De La Valliere 9-1
Ami Kawashima 19-2
C.C. 10-1
Ruiko Saten 11-1
Kotomi Ichinose 11-1
Fuuko Ibuki 12-1
Isumi Saginomiya 13-1
Maria 14-1
Minori Kushieda 15-1
Ui Hirasawa 15-1
Mei Sunohara 16-1
Rika Furude 17-1
Tsukasa Hiiragi 17-1
Chiaki Minami 20-1
Nymph 25-1
Golden Darkness 30-1
Ushio Okazaki 40-1
Ryou Fujibayashi 45-1
Ikaros 50-1
Nodoka Haramura 75-1
Mihoko Fukuji 100-1
Hanyuu Furude 200-1

ISML 2010 Aquamarine Final Tally

RankContestant NamePtsWDLSoSSDOSAOVDVFVAPt%PB+/-
1Akiyama Mio2170021787892732302513752100.00%0▲1
2Misaka Mikoto2170021757593272281713490100.00%0▼1
3Shana21700216969123282489612568100.00%0▲2
4Katsura Hinagiku21700216363101412304312902100.00%0▲3
5Aisaka Taiga186011854757879221541427585.71%3▼2
6Saber186011854754273205551628285.71%3▼2
7Sengoku Nadeko186011854753966196841571885.71%3▲1
8Suzumiya Haruhi186011851695967211991523285.71%3▲1
9Nagato Yuki186011848697876223591448385.71%3▼3
10Sakagami Tomoyo186011845663903197121580985.71%3▲2
11Nakano Azusa186011845634512202931578185.71%3▼1
12Senjōgahara Hitagi186011845632787190851629885.71%3▲1
13Hiiragi Kagami155021539783420195731615371.43%6▼2
14Fate Testarossa155021539781259185591730071.43%6▲3
15Sanzen'in Nagi155021539753387196901630371.43%6-
16Fujibayashi Kyō155021530692449188991645071.43%6▼2
17Illyasviel von Einzbern155021530661308184751716771.43%6▲1
18Holo124031230841481187441726357.14%9▼2
19Izumi Konata12403122781-334176971803157.14%9-
20Takamachi Nanoha12403122775-912169631787557.14%9▲4
21Shiina Mafuyu124031224783242191121587057.14%9▼1
22Sakurano Kurimu12403122166-134174571759157.14%9-
23Furukawa Nagisa124031218753307190521574557.14%9▲2
24Hirasawa Yui124031218722388194101702257.14%9▼3
25Tōsaka Rin12403121872299181491785057.14%9▼2
26Shiina Minatsu124031218661221179401671957.14%9-
27Akaba Chizuru930491875-908170441795242.86%12▲1
28Asahina Mikuru93049975-1873173501922342.86%12▲8
29Louise Vallière93049969-587171031769042.86%12-
30Kawashima Ami93049969-3718156491936742.86%12▼3
31C.C.93049963324180361771242.86%12▲4
32Saten Ruiko93049669-976167511772742.86%12▲2
33Ichinose Kotomi62056687-1355170131836828.57%15▼1
34Ibuki Fūko62056678-2498160601855828.57%15▼3
35Saginomiya Isumi62056675-2778160031878128.57%15▼5
36Maria62056378-3664159181958228.57%15▲1
37Kushieda Minori62056375-2386161971858328.57%15▼4
38Hirasawa Ui62056069-3981155861956728.57%15▲1
39Sunohara Mei31063381-5032149471997914.29%18▲6
40Furude Rika31063378-4187150831927014.29%18▼2
41Hiiragi Tsukasa31063375-2828160241885214.29%18▲6
42Minami Chiaki31063375-5647141741982114.29%18▲6
43Nymph31063369-5302143211962314.29%18▼2
44Konjiki no Yami31063081-5283145381982114.29%18▼1
45Okazaki Ushio31063069-5942139221986414.29%18▼5
46Fujibayashi Ryō31063063-3501152501875114.29%18▼4
47Ikaros00070084-597214320202920.00%21▼3
48Haramura Nodoka00070084-144739479239520.00%21▼2
49Fukuji Mihoko00070081-147269299240250.00%21▲1
50Furude Hanyū00070078-732013674209940.00%21▼1

Duke 61, Butler 59

Blue Devils back on top with 4th NCAA title

INDIANAPOLIS - All season long, defense and rebounding were the buzzwords that carried Duke to the NCAA title game.

It was fitting, then, that one final defensive possession made the Blue Devils NCAA champions Monday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in a 61-59 victory over Butler.

Trailing by one point, upset-minded Butler gave the ball to leading scorer Gordon Hayward. Guarded by Kyle Singler, he tried driving the right side of the lane but was cut off.

Hayward lofted a high-arcing shot that clanged off the rim with five seconds remaining. Seven-foot-1 Brian Zoubek rebounded for Duke with 3.6 seconds left. He made one free throw, and missed the next intentionally.

A half-court heave by Hayward was long off the backcourt at the final horn. Fireworks cracked and confetti fell, and Duke had its fourth NCAA title.

Singler scored 19 points, Jon Scheyer 15 and Nolan Smith 13 for the Blue Devils.

Duke (35-5), the No. 1 seed out of the South Regional, edged the tough Butler team to earn the school's fourth NCAA title. No. 5 seed Butler (33-5) fell just short of completing one of the most improbable championship runs ever as a highly disciplined team from the mid-major Horizon League.

Butler proved every bit as formidable as Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski had predicted the previous day. The game was billed as a classic meeting of a feisty, determined underdog against a highly skilled traditional power after the Blue Devils crushed Big East tournament champion West Virginia 78-57 in Saturdayís NCAA semifinals.

But Butler had won 25 in a row entering the game and showed why with a gritty defensive performance that caused the Blue Devils fits throughout the game. The Bulldogs backed off forward Lance Thomas, Duke's least accomplished scorer, in order to clog the lane and pressure the Blue Devilsí high-scoring trio of Scheyer, Singler and Smith.

It was a brutal, half-court game that fit the styles of both teams and was tightly contested throughout. Although Duke led for much of the game, neither team ever led by more than six points.

In the opening minutes, Butler coach Brad Stevens proved worthy of the high praise Krzyzewski heaped on him the day before the game. Although Duke had a much bigger lineup, with three starters 6-foot-8 or taller, the Bulldogs immediately attacked in the lane on offense.

Matt Howard, the 6-8 forward who played despite suffering a concussion in the NCAA semifinals against Michigan State, thrashed around in the lane without fear, and Duke quickly paid the price.

Just 3:10 into the game, Duke senior forward Thomas committed his second foul, and he immediately came to the bench. Howard's aggression set the tone on the boards, too, where Duke dominated smaller opponents such as Butler throughout the tournament.

In the first half, the Bulldogs outrebounded Duke 24-17 despite starting three players 6-foot-3 or smaller. Nonetheless, Duke held a slim lead throughout most of the first half.

The Blue Devils scored six of the first seven points, fell behind, and scored eight straight points to lead 26-20 on a Kyle Singler driving layup with 5:13 remaining in the first half. Stevens, who looked like he wanted a traveling call on the Singler basket, called timeout and steadied his team.

Over the last four minutes of the half, Howardís backup, Avery Jukes, hit a pair of 3-point shots and a rebound basket to narrow the margin. After Smith missed the front end of a one-and-one at the free throw line with three seconds left in the half and a jumper at the buzzer, Duke led just 33-32 at halftime.

Butler led briefly three times in the opening seven minutes of the second half before Kyle Singler made a 3-pointer and Krzyzewski immediately called timeout with Duke ahead 45-43 and 13:02 remaining.

Duke led 60-55 with two minutes remaining, but went cold in the final three minutes. Howard scored a layup with 1:42 left and another after Smith missed a layup with 54.8 seconds left to cut the Blue Devilsí advantage to 60-59.

Singler missed a 15-foot jumper, and the rebound went out of bounds off Zoubekís leg with 33.7 seconds remaining. Zoubek deflected a Butler pass out of bounds with 13.6 seconds left.
ktysiac@charlotteobserver.com or 919-829-8942, or @kentysiac on Twitter

ISML 2010: O Sole Mio! Akiyama pips Mikoto Misaka for Aquamarine necklace

ISML 2010: O Sole Mio! 
Akiyama pips Mikoto Misaka for Aquamarine necklace

By JR Salazar (Bongaboi)
April 6, 2010


Mikoto Misaka's victory over Taiga Aisaka wasn't good enough for her to hold off Mio Akiyama, who earns the first necklace of the 2010 International Saimoe League.

It all boiled down to the numbers. Misaka scored a 3507-3173 over Aisaka, the 2009 2chan Anime Saimoe and Anizone Best Moe winner. Yuki Nagato also put up a good fight, losing 3147-3520.

The superior vote margin for Akiyama-373 to 334-combine with a superior votes cast by 13, gave Akiyama the advantage heading into the Topaz.

"The important thing to take here is that I didn't lose," Misaka said after the match, sitting next to a disconsolate Kuroko Shirai. "So I'm still unbeaten. I think it's going to be a great contest between me and Akiyama-san."

"Onee-sama," Shirai said, sobbing, "can I lie on your lap?" She was wearing a maid outfit.

Sighing, Misaka said, "Oh Kuroko, you are such a pitiful person to be with. Fine." The tears continued to fall as Misaka petted her head before Shirai fell into a deep sleep. Turning back to the press, she said, "But once again, I think this campaign is going in the right direction."

At Sakuragaoka High, it was a party in the auditorium. The moment the news flashed, the whole crowd jumped and cheered as one. Many were waving flags of Hokago Tea Time's insignia, and signs such as "Moe Moe Kyun!", "The Dangerous Queen Does It Again!", "One More Banzai for Mai Waifu!", "Mio, you are so amazing!" and the simple yet disturbing "I came" were raised in the air.

Akiyama, surrounded by her friends that included current ISML competitors Yui Hirasawa, Ui Hirasawa and Azusa Nakano as well as Ritsu Tainaka and Tsumugi Kotobuki played "Heart Goes Boom!", an original piece written by Akiyama and composed by the band as a whole.

After the performance, she addressed the sellout crowd. "Everyone, this is just the beginning of a long journey for me, Yui, Ui, Azusa, and for you. Tonight, the first crucial step has been taken.

"I want to thank everyone on this stage for their support. Even though some of us will be facing each other, we all have the same goal in mind. But if we should fall, one will rise to carry our school's name. Sakuragaoka High has been great to us, and to me. And I especially want to thank you, my fans, for your support."

The crowd roared in approval.

"But this is just the beginning. We all have a long road ahead of us. So me, Yui, Ui and Azusa hope that you continue to vote for us in the coming months ahead. Thank you everyone!"

"I knew that my time was up in terms of defending the necklace," said a disappointed Shana, who defeated Saber 3883-2842. "I just didn't have the chance I wanted because I wasn't facing the opponents Mio and Mikoto had. But I didn't lose, either, and when I face either of them, the plans for full payback are going to be in full effect." Shana was eating her fifth loaf of melon bread at the press conference.

Defending champion Hinagiku Katsura didn't care much about the necklace contention, but rather the clean sheet seven matches into the contest.

"As the current Tiara holder, I want to win as many matches as I can," Katsura said at a Hakuoh Academy press conference after pummeling Kyou Fujibayashi 3768-2667. "With that being said, I believe I am in a good position to give the Mio, Mikoto and Shana a great fight. Especially Shana, since I had to defeat her in order to win the Tiara last season.

"I now know what Mio and Mikoto are capable of. Mikoto has improved a lot since last year's tournament. Taiga was right in her prognostications. She only finished second because Mio had a better advantage, based on the numbers, against Yuki Nagato, whose stock I think is starting to fall a bit.

"I would love to see both of them duel it out in another Match Day 7. It will be pivotal. But only if I take care of them first," she said with a wink and a smile.

"Oy, Hina, you got quite an analytical mind for such a loud mouth," Nagi Sanzen'in said, seated next to her.
"Was that supposed to be an insult or a compliment?" she asked.
"I don't know; perhaps I should leave it to you to figure it out."
"Based on your remarks, I suspect it's the former, isn't it?"
"I wonder," Sanzen'in said with a naughty face. The two stared at each other for the longest time.
"Ladies, ladies, let's be professional just congratulate Ms. Akiyama on her victory," Maria said.
"Absoultely," said Hayate Ayasaki, who came out of nowhere to embrace all three.
"Hayate..." they moaned in unison.
"And thank you to our fans your support of our candidates." The three of them continued to blush.

Mikuru Asahina was all business against Maria in a 3339-3062 victory, while Sanzen'in took care of business against Kurimu Sakurano 3638-2602.

In other ISML action that saw massive turnouts for the over on Easter Sunday...Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere pounded Mihoko Fukuji 4285-1729, Ui Hirasawa rolled past Hanyuu Furude 3481-2771, Hitagi Senjougahara wrapped up her Aquamarine run with a 3401-3139 win over Yui Hirasawa, C.C. tore past Rika Furude 3498-2604, Fate Testarossa scored a close 3172-3097 and Tomoya Sakagami had the advantage over Rin Tosaka 3473-2951.

Mei Sunohara  cruised to a 3047-2838 win over Nymph, Ruiko Saten secured a sweep for the Railgun participants with an easy 4110-1708 annihilation of Nodoka Haramura, Azusa Nakano prevailed over Mafuyu Shiina 3339-3069, Chizuru Akaba took out Minori Kushieda 3332-2775, Haruhi Suzumiya trampled down Konata Izumi 3668-2685, Nanoha Takamachi secured a TSAB-Lyrical sweep with a 3049-2955 thriller over Fuuko Ibuki and Golden Darkness (Konjiki no Yami) took out Ikaros 2890-2704.

Wrapping up the Aquamarine phase...Tsukasa Hiiragi scored a 3129-2672 win over Ryou Fujibayashi, the closest match of the day saw Chiaki Minami get on the win column with a 2952-2930 thriller over Ushio Okazaki, Minatsu Shiina finished her maiden necklace campaign on a winning note  by pounding Ami Kawashima 3434-2685, Illyasviel von Einzbern delivered a 3323-2883 blow to Kotomi Ichinose, and Nadeko Sengoku ensured a clean sweep for Bakemonogatari with a 3311-3071 victory over Kagami Hiiragi.

In a special match for this day, Final Fantasy's Yuffie Kisaragi was never troubled the least bit with a 3250-1454 whipping of KOS-MOS from Xenosaga.


So now we turn from the tides...to the sun. The 2010 International Saimoe League Topaz Phase begins on April 14, 2010 on InternationalSaimoe.com. Be sure to catch up on the Bedlam's exclusive coverage of the action on the Bedlam on Baltic Avenue at bedlamba.blogspot.com and on deviantART at bongaboi.deviantart.com.

Duke 78, West Virginia 57

Duke makes it look easy, to play for title Monday

By Ken Tysiac
ktysiac@charlotteoberver.com
Posted: Sunday, Apr. 04, 2010

INDIANAPOLIS -- One of Duke's coaches shouted to guard Nolan Smith as the shot clock wound down with West Virginia desperately needing to stop the Blue Devils to get back in the game.

"Six, five."

Smith dribbled right, turned the corner at the free throw line and drove for a gorgeous right-handed layup with 7 minutes, 7 seconds remaining.

Too easy. In what was supposed to be a defensive duel, West Virginia never found a way to stop Smith, Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer as Duke rolled to a 78-57 win Saturday night in the NCAA semifinals in front of a crowd of 71,298 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Blue Devils used excellent 3-point shooting and tenacious rebounding by center Brian Zoubek to advance to the NCAA championship game for the first time since they won the 2001 NCAA title.

Duke (34-5), the No. 1 seed out of the South Region, will play No. 5 regional seed Butler (33-4) at 9:21 p.m. Monday in the NCAA championship game.

This season's Duke team crashed its way into the Final Four by depending largely on physical half-court defense. On Saturday, though, Duke's half-court offense cranked into high gear.

Scheyer scored 23 points, Singler 21 and Smith 19 Duke shot 29-for-55 from the field, including 13-for-25 from 3-point range.

"Can't we guard?" exasperated West Virginia coach Bob Huggins pleaded with his team early in the second half.

They couldn't, and Zoubek added to the offense as he crashed the boards hard with his 7-foot-1 frame to grab 10 rebounds. He added three assists, many of them on kick-out passes to 3-point shooters after offensive rebounds.

It wasn't a perfect night for Duke, by any means. West Virginia (31-7), the No. 2 seed from the East Regional, demonstrated on offense in the first half why it had won the Big East tournament and upset top-seeded Kentucky in the regional final.

The Mountaineers shot 13-for-26 from the field in the first half, but West Virginia's defense never found an answer for Duke.

After a week of questions from reporters about how Duke would handle West Virginia's 1-3-1 zone defense, the Mountaineers opened in a man-to-man.

Regardless of the defense used, junior forward Singler was ready after shooting an abysmal 0-for-10 from the field in the Blue Devils' regional final win over Baylor.

The Blue Devils immediately got the ball to Singler in the low post on a set play. The shot was blocked, but Singler bounced back quickly. Coach Mike Krzyzewski clapped his hands hard after Singler scored early on a driving layup.

By halftime, Singler had 14 points on 6-for-12 from the field as Duke was on target from 3-point range. Smith made three 3-pointers and Singler and Scheyer two apiece as Duke led by as many as 11 points in the first half and held a 39-31 advantage at halftime.

West Virginia tried its zone just once before halftime. Smith immediately sank a 3-pointer to take the Mountaineers out of it.

The only negative point for the Blue Devils in the first half was that Smith committed three fouls and spent the final 2:54 of the half on the bench.

Although West Virginia closed the gap to six points early in the second half, Scheyer immediately answered with a 3-pointer from the wing with 15:28 remaining, and Duke began to pull away to a lead that reached 15 points.

ktysiac@charlotteobserver.com or 919-829-8942

Easter Sunday 2010

I went on an Easter Sunday journey. One that I never knew would be so fruitful. It took me to Downtown Los Angeles, East L.A., Pasadena, Little Tokyo, the Rose Bowl and Angels Flight.

Part 1: Mass. I went to the 8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass, and I was a bit sleepy, but energized. Actually, my mom didn't even wake me up. I dreamt I was in the middle of a swimming pool, ablw to swim from one end to the other without drowning. And once I rose up, I suddenly looked at the time.

3:45 AM!? The first bus already left Del Amo Station! Actually, I missed two more trains heading northbound. Now I had to transfer to a special shuttle because of road work on Pico/Chick Hearn Station. You see, the new Expo Line is being built. Therefore, some roadwork had to be done.

Once I got to the Cathedral (I transferred via Civic Center), I see that the gates are closed. Well this will give to eat breakfast. So I think that I head off at McDonald's. Instead, the place is occupied by a Famima!!. Drat. So I decided, ah well. Four hash browns, two curry buns and a hatful of tea shouldn't be too much to ask, right?

So after I eat breakfast, I go back on the train, get off at Civic Center...lo and behold, the place is open. Divine intervention, maybe?

Who knows. Regardless, I step inside...after taking some exterior shots of the place.


The pastor of this church is a clergyman by the name of Monsignor Kevin Kostelnik. He talked about the trip with his company of clergy to Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and of the local Franciscan Friar who asked why they traveled 8,000 miles to come here. Now I don't know if a Friar would logically be so rude as to turn someone away after they traveled so long out of a labor of love to come to a sacred spot as this. Doesn't make any sense, you know?
I didn't say this at the mass, but now that I thik about it...it was just a clever cover-up to hide the real issue, which is the scandal that all you blogging minds have been inundated with and chose to inundate other vigin blogging souls with. Yes, you know what I'm talking about.
But we'll save that for another time.
Anyway, the place is swell. The masses here are a little longer, a little more elaborate, and the architecture is different from the churches you see elsewhere. Now, I understand the anger some parishioners had regarding the design, but let's be honest. This was made in 2002, not 1902. There is a difference. A 1902 design would be consistent with the other churches not affected by the Northridge quake. Heck, if the Big One of 1994 never happened, this Church would never have been constructed, and we would've been stuck with St. Vibiana's Cathedral (which is a now degenerated into an mere events hosting venue). And this draws over 1,000,000 churchgoers a year. So if whoever decries the architecture still goes to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels for mass, the Bedlam will right now lay the gauntlet and declare the said person to be a hypocrite and a fool.

  
That was Our Lady of the Angels. And I got to meet Cardinal Mahony once again. Next!

Part 2: The Angels Flight. I learned about Angels Flight a few days ago. This was a little, unassuming, historical railroad that only returned to business a few weeks ago. Now Angels Flight, with its two cars of Sinai and Olivet moving up and down the track, shut down in 2001 after the death of an elderly couple riding it. The operator of that train fled to Mexico to avoid being extradited. Ouch.

So it took nine years-NINE YEARS!-before Angels Flight was ready for takeoff. To celebrate, I brought the plush version of the band minus Azusa (she is still being shipped and won't arrive until mid-April), to sit down and ride the train. It was beautiful to ride something as old as this-and the band is riding it, too. Magical.

I hope no one ever has to go through nine years of waiting for this gem to go back running. In fact, I don't want this thing to stop running. It's too sacred to be shut down anymore.

Part 3: Atlantic. So now, I decided to tour the Eastside Extension of the Gold Line for the first time. Just a few months ago, the Eastside Extension to Atlantic Station opened. It included an abandoned subway originally intended for the Red Line. That is now part of the Gold Line. I took a few shots here and there of the station...and one of the popular eateries nearby. I think this should be familiar to you, if you are a citizen of a country on this planet.

This was the first time I drank a McDonald's Frappe. This will be the cold drink that saves McCafe. Well to be honest, it's not like it really needs one, but it will add more to the bottom line in a really big way. It's smooth, goes down easy, and provides a nice pick-you-up. Perfect. And it's cheaper than the Starbucks version, too. Great stuff.

Part 4: Sierra Madre Villa. Okay, so I've already gone to the southern terminus, why not the northern terminus? Oooh. Northern terminus. Let's see....hmmmm, that has to be...Oh! I got it! Sierra Madre Villa Station!
I am such a genius.

And so I took the Gold Line all the way to Pasadena. This was the first time I entered the city since the Tournament of Roses on January 1. So it's been more than three months. Couldn't resist. So I went to the northern terminus and took some shots.

This will be where the Foothill Extension will take place. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, this Gold Line will be going all the way to Azusa...and then Montclair. Not Anaheim or Rancho Cucamonga, unfortunately; the secod phase will not reach that far even though there is a Metrolink service to Anaheim. The next station from here, once the Foothill is complete, will be Arcadia Station.
San Gabriel Mountains...delicious.

Part 5: The Rose Bowl. My feet were hurting like heck when I went to the Rose Bowl. But I did go. This is the plan.
  • Get off at Memorial Park
  • Walk up Fair Oaks north to Mountain St.
  • Turn left at Mountain St.
  • Follow Mountain St. until it becomes Seco St. Keep going.
  • Stadium is at your right.
30 minutes and some sore feet later, I took some shots.


 Such class. And then I filed a complaint at the Vons on Fair Oaks and Orange Grover decrying the vandalism of the restrooms. If they don't do something about this...this could be problematic.

Part 6: St. Andrew's Church. The main church in the heart of Pasadena is the oldest. I love the campanile that's there. I couldn't locate the city hall because I was short on time, but I decided, I'll just take some photos of this instead.
Part 7: Memorial Park. I then decided to take a few shots of Memorial Park, specifically the amphitheater.
Part 8: Little Tokyo. Oh, this was fun. I couldn't eat one of the cornets because they only accept cash. They are not going to gain a lot of customers if they can't accept cards. Not like I would care too much; the cornets have icing. The ones in Lucky Star and the Mitsuwa Marketplace don't. No matter; time for some yuri.


Oh, I'm so sorry. Did I creep you folks out? Too bad. Girl love is here, and it's here to stay, Prop 8 flaunters!

Part 9: A Sikh Festival!? Now this wasn't what I was expecting. I head up the stairs to try to get to the shuttle on 7th and Hope, and I find that I am stuck in Slumdog Millionaire...without being blown up by some uncultured female suicide bomber. Aren't I lucky. Non merde.


Part 10: The long ride home. I was lucky to get in a car that smelled good. The one I originally sat in, according to one teenage passenger in a loud voice, "SMELLS LIKE SHIIIIIIIT!!!" So I decided to move to the one above. Now I originally didn't know who came into the compartment like his body decomposed in broad daylight, but I wasn't going to stand for bums stitting in the car I'm riding, so I moved up to the front.
And would you believe it, the car is dedicated to my favorite Long Beach suburb: Lakewood.
That concludes the trip. And you can see more of these photos here.