Bedlam on Baltic Avenue

Saimoe 2007 Third Round Part 4

And so we roll on with more returns.

100% precincts reporting

Round C 3-2

Miyako -Hidamari Sketch 1096
Vita - Nanoha Strikers 1121

Winner – Vita. Looks like some old scores are to be settled. It’s Nanoha vs. Vita in the Group C final.

Round D 3-1

Yuno - Hidamari Sketch 1155
Hayate Yagami -Nanoha Strikers 1104

Winner – Yuno. The franchise character from Hidamari Sketch is still alive. It’s Yuno vs. Rena in the Group D final.

More to come from Saimoe 2007 on BoBA.

Saimoe 2007 Third Round Part 3

The high turnouts are the big story of the day at Saimoe 2007. Here’s the latest returns.

100% precincts reporting

Round C3-1

Luna Edomae -Seto no Hanayome 1702
Nanoha Takamachi- Nanoha Strikers 1746

Winner – Nanoha Takamachi by 44 votes. The White Devil will square off against Vita or Miyako next in the Group C final.

Round D3-2

Rena Ryuuguu -Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 1901
Kagami Hiiragi-Lucky Star 1768

Winner – Rena Ryuuguu. We at the Bedlam knew that Kagami was facing yet another tough opponent, and the results stands witness to the truth. Rena will face Yuno or Hayate Yagami next in the Group D final.

Saimoe 2007 Third Round Part 2

Some more results from Saimoe 2007…

Round A3-2

Tomoe Kashiwaba-Rozen Maiden 553
Nagi Sanzen’in-Hayate no Gotoku 1073

Winner – Nagi in a landslide. This sets up a Shana vs. Nagi Group A Final. Yummy.

Round B3-1

Isumi Saginomiya – Hayate the Combat Butler 803
Konata Izumi - Lucky Star 937

Winner – Konata Izumi, as expected. This sets up a Group B final between Konoka Konoe and Konata Izumi. Will Konoka pull off a third miracle win? Or will the flagship moekko from Lucky Star move on to the round of 8? Stay tuned…

Another brutal weekend of all sorts

This was another brutal weekend of all sorts. First, we will go to what made this weekend brutal for the local teams.

Start with the Angels. They are done. Boston swept L.A., 3-0 with a 9-1 win. Next, the local university football teams. Ugh. USC, what happened? The Trojans lost to a Stanford team that was coached by Jim Harbaugh, a rising sensation, who helped San Diego to winning some nice hardware. And no, I am not talking about the Chargers, I am talking about the Torero football team, who are still continuing on their merry little way under successor Ron Caragher. Harbaugh’s Cardinal pulled off the upset special at the Coliseum.

Meanwhile, Charlie Weis’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish are increasing their prospects of leaving the ESPN Bottom 10 with a victory over UCLA. As if things weren’t bad enough for Karl Dorrell after losing to Utah weeks earlier…it gets even worse.

Also, the Kings and Ducks choked again. The Stanley Cup hangover from hell rolls on. And Marion Jones admitted of her shortcomings. Take her medals away, Lord.

But, there were some good things that happened. In spite of Colt Brennan aggravating his injury, Tyler Graunke takes over and leads the Hawaii Warriors to a 52-37 victory over Utah State. I can see YouTube member ajscoll steaming over this. This guy shut his mouth weeks ago after laying on the smack. I know that if we lose next week, or the week after, or in a few, he will pop his ugly head and enter another troll remark. Warrior ohana on the Tube, that’s what the thumbs-down icon is for. Just in case.

Also, Long Beach State’s men’s water polo, women’s soccer, ice hockey, and women’s volleyball teams roll on to victories, with the women’s tennis team still going on. I guess I was expecting a bit too much from sophomore Derek Wiebe-Bailey, but I will not lay any sympathy out because he’s an underclassman. He will be the one that takes over for Steve McKenzie, so I was a bit perturbed that MIT cut it close in a 9-5 victory for us. He’ll improve. He has to. Otherwise, I reserve the right to ask myself…what is he doing here?

That’s the thing. Even when you win, there is always room to improve. I know those players on those teams know that they didn’t play their best game, and they’ll need to turn it up a notch for next week’s action. They must.

And finally, the Galaxy still are clinging to hope that they will enter the playoffs. They defeated Houston, 2-1. They are now on a tear. Toronto FC is next for them. If they are able to make the playoffs, my jaw is going to drop for a while.

Saimoe 2007 Third Round Part 1

And here we go again with the results…

Round A3-1-

Shana -Shakugan no shana 1152
Segawa Izumi- Hayate no Gotoku 644

Winner – Shana. An easy victory. She will face Nagi Sanzenin or Tomoe Kashiwaba next.

Round B3-2

Konoka Konoe-Negima!? 837
C.C-Code Geass 819

Winner – Konoka. The cardiac chick of legend. She continues her run, and will face either Isumi Saginomiya or Konata Izumi next.

Hard to Handle?

It’s a tradition for me to go to one Lakewood High School home football game, and one St. Anthony High School home football game every fall. It’s a sort of ritual for me, as Lakewood is my alma mater, and St. Anthony is my Catholic prep school of choice to follow. I already did the former, and last night, I decided to do the latter.

I had to make some sacrifices though. Cashing all the pennies I had, combined with trading in my NCAA Football 2008 game for the PS2. In the end, I was having too many problems with the game, and I decided then and there that it was time for someone else to go through the same hell I went through. So I had enough for a meal at Carl’s Jr, and some money for the game and a program.

The Saints were facing the Grizzlies of Downey Calvary Chapel, and up to now, Calvary Chapel were not winning impressively, with close wins. Meanwhile, Austin Muhleka was performing very well as the signal-caller, with a 3-1 record at that time. However, I knew that it was a new game, and the last thing I wanted to watch was a massacre a la the match against the Dolphins of Chadwick. Also, the match was the last game before opening Santa Fe League play against Salesian, so it was a time to impress.

The sun began to set as the Saints went through their stretches. St. Anthony’s football field, Clark Field it was called, looked as if it didn’t miss a single beat. After so many years of use, it looked like the same St. Anthony field when I first watch my very first game at this place: rusted metal, the paint chipping off the wooden bleachers, the scoreboard still looking the same, the years indicating St. Anthony’s 12 league championships, the grass pitch, and the dirt track that surrounded the field. To the north was the Touchdown Club Snack Shack, the only concession stand in the stadium, and Guesno Field, the home to the Saints baseball team. And to the far north lay the Lakewood Center Mall. Far to the south was Long Beach City College, and to the southeast was Lakewood High School. The Lancers were in my neck of the woods, and they were facing the Cabrillo Jaguars that night.

The stadium looked like it was out of a time warp, with the wide goal posts to accommodate kickers of all skills and sizes, but that was the charm of Clark Avenue Field. It was an old lady among the football field of Long Beach, but one that never got old. The sun began to set, giving way to the cool October night as the home team, decked in their purple tops and white bottoms, went through their preliminaries.

A guy by the name of Chris came over to ask some people in the stands to help move the chains. After a small pause, I decided to go ahead and help them for the course of the game. I was decked in my purple yarn scarf, with a purple St. Anthony polo shirt, my Long Beach State rugby sweater and trademark black Beach Pride hat. Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” was blaring through the speakers. This was one of those small-school cozy-feely types of games. It was a good time to see if the Saints were in form to begin league play on the right foot. Last week, they escaped Brethren Christian, 29-26.

Also, I was still recovering from my cold, and my throat was still scratchy. I still owe it to my friend Chris. He prevented me from losing my voice a night ahead of the Beach’s volleyball match with Northridge. The lights went on. Time stood still. I closed my eyes, chain marker in hand. I recalled the days I was on the sidelines, covering junior college football games the past two seasons. I had seen it before. It was nothing new to me. But moving the chains was.

Sometimes, I would not know where to go, but as I went up and down, stretching the chains, I heard the coaches and players confer with each other. I could hear the yelling, the frustration, the elation, and the roller coaster of emotions that came from being on the sidelines. One time, I even showed my disgust at a trick play by Muhleka that went awry in a hurry.

At halftime, a young kid was wearing a Long Beach Pop Warner football jersey. “Love the LB on that sleeve,” I said.

“You do?” he said, beaming.

“Yeah.”

“Hey, it’s you, Super Fan!”

“That’s me.” I said, with my wink and salute. “Are you enjoying the game?”

“Yeah!”

“All right. Enjoy the rest of the game.” And he scurried off to sit down with his parents.

I joked with Chris midway through the fourth quarter on a key Saints drive, “By now, Lakewood should have already crushed Cabrillo right now.” I talked with him and my partner Reno about my team during my senior year, that 1-8 year from hell. Sure enough, as I went on the bus back to the Westside, I walked by Hill and Santa Fe. All quiet. I thought to myself, “The Lancers must have crushed the Jaguars, as I thought.”

I was right. Lakewood won, 48-14. But the Saints made it look like I was watching Lakewood vs. Tesoro all over again. St. Anthony was stuffed in the second half, losing to Calvary Chapel, 20-14. In retrospect, I can’t deny that it wasn’t six dollars wasted. But the prospects of Brian Walsh’s Saints to break out of their 11+ year hoodoo aren’t looking too bright right now.

The Rundown: Saimoe 2007 Third Round

As of 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time, there are less than 8 hours remaining until the polls reopen, but here is a heads-up on who will face who, and when.

To cut to the chase, as I am still reeling from another delicious episode cocktail of Murder Princes mixed with Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei splashed with Lovely Complex and Gurren Lagann and some live-action Bambino on the side, all chased down with some Red Hot Chili Peppers mash-ups, we are now down to 32 candidates for the title of Saimoe 2007 champion (in the female division, the male division defending champ currently is Itsuki Koizumi and voting for that won’t start until next year), and the heat is turned up several degrees centigrade.

The schedule:

October 6:

Group A

Shana (Shakugan no Shana) vs. Izumi Segawa (Hayate the Combat Butler)

Group B

Konoka Konoe (Negima!?) vs. CC (Code Geass)

October 7:

Group A

Tomoe Kawashiba (Rozen Maiden Ouverture) vs. Nagi Sanzenin (Hayate the Combat Butler)

Group B

Isumi Saginomiya (Hayate the Combat Butler) vs. Konata Izumi (Lucky Star)

October 8:

Group C

Lunar Edomae (Seto no Hanayome) vs. Nanoha Takamachi (Nanoha StrikerS)

Group D

Yuno (Hidamari Sketch) vs. Hayate Yagami (Nanoha StrikerS)

October 9:

Group C

Miyako (Hidamari Sketch) vs. Vita (Nanoha Strikers)

Group D

Rena Ryuuguu (Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni) vs. Kagami Hiiragi (Lucky Star)

October 10:

Group E

Shinku (Rozen Maiden Ouverture) vs. Takako Itsukushima (Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru)

Group F

Sun Seto (Seto no Hanayome) vs. Tsukasa Hiiragi (Lucky Star)

October 11:

Group E

Tamao Suzumi (Strawberry Panic) vs. Ayumu Nishizawa (Hayate the Combat Butler)

Group F

Aruru (Utawarerumono) vs. Suiseiseki (Rozen Maiden Traumend)

October 12:

Group G

Suigintou (Rozen Maiden Ouverture) vs. Alicia Florence (ARIA the Natural)

Group H

Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere (Zero no Tsukaima) vs. Eri Sawachika (School Rumble 2^nd Term)

October 13:

Group G

Eruru (Utawarerumono) vs. Sayuri Kurata (Kanon)

Group H

Mion Sonozaki (Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni) vs. Rika Furude (Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni)

A week of voting continues, and the Bedlam will continue to provide you coverage of the results as they happen. Starting from this point forward, coverage of the next few rounds will come day by day. We hope you point your browser to arinaholic.blogspot.com for all the details of this tournament. It has been a great edition, with upsets and surprised aplenty, but there’s more to come. And once again, you make the call.

Just point your browser to

http://animemoe2007.hp.infoseek.co.jp/

and vote on the forums to make your decision!

Mission and Vision of the Beach

I would like to take this time to go ahead and take a breather from the insanity and bedlam and activity thereof on this blog, and give you a special announcement from my university's president. Enjoy.

Dear CSULB Students:

I am pleased to share with you the result of a year-long collaborative effort to revise our campus statements of mission, vision and values to better reflect our current self-conception of CSULB as a university of rising excellence with a global perspective, as a destination of choice for talented students, and as a source of highly-valued degrees.

This revision is the product of last fall’s Academic Senate retreat that focused on mission, vision and values. That lively event, with terrific student participation, yielded many exciting ideas about how to portray our rising excellence.

An experienced committee representing all four University divisions and including the Senate Chair sifted through those exciting ideas. That committee shared drafts and solicited further ideas from the full Academic Senate twice during the spring 2007 semester. The University Vice Presidents, working with the Senate Chair, Staff Council Chair and myself, put finishing touches on the statements over the summer.

Our prior mission statement, written in the early 1980s, was a lengthy two-page document and contained long lists of generic ideas. With our emerging University excellence and our new comprehensive (fund-raising) campaign, we needed to develop more concise statements of our mission, vision and values. The new statements are included in this email message and can be found on our campus website:

CSULB continues to be a vibrant engine of economic and social mobility for many students. The access and excellence that we provide make essential educational opportunities available to thousands of students each year. Thus, I am particularly excited about highlighting the fact that our University is a place that is “changing lives for a changing world.”

Each and every member of our campus community has contributed to the rising excellence of our University. Any statement of our mission or vision for the future is really a tribute to the hard work and dedication of faculty and staff to make CSULB a center of excellence and a gateway to educational opportunity. I hope you like our new, more concise language to portray the excellence that you have helped create over the years.

Warmly,

F. King Alexander
President

Mission Statement

California State University, Long Beach is a diverse, student-centered, globally-engaged public university committed to providing highly-valued undergraduate and graduate educational opportunities through superior teaching, research, creative activity and service for the people of California and the world.

Vision Statement

California State University, Long Beach envisions changing lives by expanding educational opportunities, championing creativity, and preparing leaders for a changing world.

Values

Educational Opportunity
Excellence
Diversity
Integrity
Service

Academic Purpose

Our academic purpose is to graduate students with highly-valued degrees.

Envisioned Future

CSULB is committed to being an outstanding teaching-intensive, research-driven university that emphasizes student engagement, scholarly and creative achievement, civic participation, and global perspectives.

Teaching-Intensive, Research-Driven University

CSULB students have many opportunities in their studies to gain a love of ideas; an appreciation of artistic expression, science, and technology; and an understanding of varied cultures.
CSULB faculty members fully integrate the results of their research and creative activities into their teaching, invigorating and enhancing student learning.
Students receive the advising and mentoring they need to realize their dreams because of the student-centered philosophy of CSULB's faculty and staff.
CSULB faculty members are widely recognized for their outstanding teaching, research, and creative activities.
The University has the highest average graduation rate and the lowest average time to graduation among the public master's-degree-granting universities in the West.
The University continues to enhance the highly collegial climate that enables broad and deep collaboration in research, creative activities, and teaching.
CSULB graduates have the necessary skills for successful careers in various fields and disciplines.
CSULB is recognized for the rich diversity of its student body and the accomplishments of its students will demonstrate that it is both possible and essential to offer broad access to high quality education.

Student Engagement

CSULB is widely recognized for its high quality of services, activities and programs for students.
CSULB has strong partnerships with faculty, staff, student and community groups so that we may serve as primary advocates to meet the needs of our diverse student population.
CSULB embraces a culture of evidence that strives for continued quality improvement in our programs and services.
CSULB invests in our human and technological resources so that we may optimally respond in a dynamic environment.
CSULB makes a positive contribution to the greater society by developing responsible citizens, with highly valued degrees, for the 21st century.
CSULB students graduate as skilled problem-solvers and practitioners of their disciplines through participation in research projects, creative endeavors, community service learning, and internships.
"Beach pride" is pervasive not just among current faculty, staff, and students, but among graduates and friends of the campus, and most alumni will retain significant ties to campus programs, return to campus often, and support the campus financially.
Other universities look to CSULB as the source of best practices in student engagement, instructional innovations, academic technologies, and student services.
Each CSULB student has the opportunity to enhance his or her educational experience through co-curricular activities that include student-to-student relationship-building in clubs, cultural activities sponsored by departments and colleges, and international programs and events.
CSULB faculty receive adequate and appropriate recognition and reward for engaging in pedagogical practices such as community service learning that prepare students for responsible civic participation.
CSULB is recognized as an "engaged campus," where students, faculty, and staff are actively involved in campus life and activities.

Scholarly and Creative Achievement

The expertise and research interests of CSULB faculty are recognized and valued nationally and internationally for their advancement of knowledge.
CSULB faculty members receive both internal and external support for their research and creative activities.
CSULB faculty researchers make significant contributions to resolving community and regional problems and planning for future needs of our region and the nation.
Research/technology parks in the Greater Long Beach area include a high proportion of small companies spun off from campus-originated faculty-staff-student research projects.

Community Engagement

CSULB faculty, staff, and students are intensely involved in community service and partnerships with community agencies and non-profits, schools, and local government agencies.
One of the fastest growing areas of campus activity is the business and technology "incubator" program, whereby faculty-staff-student research teams work together to bring ideas developed through external funding into the marketplace.
All students have the opportunity and necessary financial support to earn credit toward degree through internships with area companies and community organizations.

Global Perspectives

The variety and scope of the University's international curricular offerings are continuously broadened and deepened.
Through a wide variety of curricular and extracurricular stratagems, all CSULB students are significantly exposed to a global perspective and many will develop multi-lingual abilities.
Faculty and staff are significantly supported in internationally-related teaching and research.
The international strengths of the University are promoted and communicated, both internally and externally.

Services and Support

CSULB is widely recognized as providing the best services in the CSU System.
CSULB provides facilitative, quality, customer-oriented services.
CSULB provides the campus community with a flexible physical environment and user friendly services.
CSULB provides logistical, financial, and technological support to the campus community.
CSULB maintains and enhances the University’s infrastructure.
CSULB provides an inviting environment that promotes respect and collaboration.

-Dr. F. King Alexander
President, California State University Long Beach

In memory of Elisa Gigliotti..

Collision anniversary - News

Your spirit's alive...

Saimoe Second Round: Groups G and H

The Bedlam completes its second round coverage with results from Groups G and H.

Group G:

Round G1.

Ayu Tsukimiya -Kanon 1117
Chigusa Sakai-Shakugan no Shana 255
Eruru (Elulu)-Utawarerumono 1156

Winner – Eruru. Biggest turnout of votes in this second round in Group G.

Round G2-

Alice Carroll- Aria the Natural 349
Sayuri Kurata- Kanon 599
Akari Mizunashi -Aria the Natural 283

Winner – Sayuri Kurata. A Kanon heavy hitter dismissing two ARIA hopefuls…not very happy times down in Neo-Venezia.

Round G3-

Gretel- Otogi-Jūshi Akazukin 440
Mion Sonozaki- Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 723
Ayane- Nagasarete Airantou 319

Results- Mion Sonozaki

Round G4-

Nono Ichinose- Hitohira 287
Matsuri Sakuragi- Ichigo Mashimaro 180
Rika Furude- Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 714

Winner – Rika Furude.

It’s a Higurashi 3^rd round showdown in Group G. Take your pick.

Group H:

Round H1

Satoko Hojo -Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 305
Suigintou -Rozen Maiden 1790
Fate T. Harlaown -Nanoha Strikers 1624

Winner – Suigintou. Biggest turnout in Group H. And the Rozen Maiden Party gets a huge boost, while the Nanoha party is dealt a critical blow to their campaign.

Round H2

Misaki Nakahara -Welcome to the N.H.K. 259
Shamal -Nanoha Strikers 356
Alicia Florence -ARIA The NATURAL 597

Winner – Alicia Florence. The only ARIA undine remaining in the tournament.

With the first and second rounds under our belts, we now get to the good stuff. The third round is next.

Round H3

Mai Kawasumi- Kanon 795
Louise Francois Le Blanc De La Valliere- Zero no Tsukaima 797
Ringo Kinoshita- Otogi-Jūshi Akazukin 148

Winner – Louise De La Valliere. By two votes. The closest race in the second round, by far.

Round H-4

Miyo Takano- Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 339
Ibarahime- Otogi-Jūshi Akazukin 288
Eri Sawachika - School Rumble 541

Winner – Eri Sawachika. She will face Louise De La Valliere for a spot in the Group H final.

Now we get to the good stuff. The third round, the group semifinals, is underway. Vote now.

Wake me up when September ends.

It’s great to see the underdog triumph, because it proves that on any given day, a top team can be felled, and it reinforces that timeless adage: You have to play the game. So I have see some top teams fall from their perch on September 29, 2007. West Virginia lost to South Florida, 21-13. Oklahoma was edged by a Colorado field goal, 27-24. Auburn also booted a field goal to drain Florida’s swamp, 20-17. Texas was given a Kansas State-style lynching, 41-21. Rutgers was routed by Maryland, 34-24. Clemson got shacked by Georgia Tech, 13-3. Illinois outlasted Penn State, 27-20. And Florida State squeaked by Alabama, 21-14.

However, calling this Saturday “Insanity Saturday” is just Pat Forde’s shyster way of stretching the impact of this weekend’s results to make it look like the end of the world. It’s not being fair to the top teams who are still alive, specifically the top two teams. USC and LSU are still on track to be in the show. The Trojans defeated Washington, 27-24. The Tigers, after a shaky start, defeated Tulane, 34-9. Cal and Ohio State are still in the running, too. The Golden Bears dismissed Oregon, 31-24, while Ohio State continued on its merry way, 30-7. Wisconsin, Boston College, and Kentucky also survived, so they are the latest contenders. And the only difference between the interceptions that Hawaii and Idaho made was that the Warriors were able to convert them into points (48-20 Hawaii).

Keep in mind that App State was not involved, either. The Mountaineers, after being upset themselves by Wofford, got back to business, dismissing Elon, 49-32.

Meanwhile, the USA gutted themselves of any hope to salvage 3^rd place, starting Brianna “The Hag” Scurry against Norway. I predict that the Norwegians got this one in the bag. The world will have ended if the USA wins this one. The world will be saved if the USA finishes 4^th, and Greg “I am Hope Solo’s worst enemy, and will be lynched for my faggotry” Ryan is sacked.

In other news, my Anaheim Ducks are feeling London Burning right now. Hey Randy Carlyle, call 99999 already! Punk. On the other side of the world, the Angels continue their warm-ups, felling the Athletics, 3-2. In Canada, the President’s Cup is all but going to go to the Yanks, as they are 7-up on the rest of the world.

And the Cubans will be crushed tomorrow in Valdivia, Chile. You may have our number in baseball, Fidel Castro, but these soon-to-be defectors are due to roll over and die come Sunday Bloody Sunday. It’s their duty.

St. Jimmy and Jesus of Suburbia, send help. And bring some Novocain with you while you’re rolling down this boulevard of broken dreams, bruised egos, and American idiots. This is a request from the Bedlam.

Saimoe 2007 Second Round: Groups E and F

And the Bedlam continues its coverage of Saimoe 2007 with results from the second round in Groups E and F.

Group E

Round E1-

Sion(Shion) Jujo -Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru. 201
Shinku-Rozen Maiden 818
Nodoka Miyazaki -Negima!? 539

Winner – Shinku

Round E2-

Ginga Nakajima -Nanoha Strikers 448
Takako Itsukushima- Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru 573
Shimako Tōdō -Maria-sama ga Miteru OVA 269

Winner - Takako Itsukushima

Takako and Shinku will square off in the third round.

Round E3-

Saki Kijima-Hayate no Gotoku 445
Henrietta-Zero no Tsukaima 575
Tamao Suzumi-Strawberry Panic 675

Winner - Tamao Suzumi. The only player from Strawberry Panic remaining, she continues to hold her ground.

Round E4-

Ayumu Nishizawa - Hayate no Gotoku 830
Asa Shigure- Shuffle Memories 161
Teana Lanster - Nanoha Strikers 767

Winner – Ayumu Nishizawa. It will be Tamao vs. Ayumu for a spot in the Group E final.

Group F

Round F1-

Yoshino Shimazu-Maria-sama ga Miteru 243
Arurū -Utawarerumono 661
Rein-Fushigiboshi no Futagohime Gyu! 438

Winner – Arurū

Round F2-

Asuna Kagurazaka-Negima 462
Suiseiseki-Rozen Maiden 888
Momoko Kuzuryū -Sumomo mo Momo mo ~Chijō Saikyō no Yome~ 122

Winner – Suiseiseki desu. The defender continues her march towards protecting her crown desu. It’s Suiseiseki vs. Arurū for a spot in the group final. Desu.

Round F3-

Miyuki Takara -Lucky Star 318
Souseiseki- Rozen Maiden 706
Sun Seto- Seto no Hanayome 982

Winner – Sun Seto. Great news for the Hanayome party, but not very good news for the Lucky Star and Rozen Maiden nations: both franchise characters from Seto no Hanayome are still alive.

Round F4-

Aika S. Granzchesta - ARIA The NATURAL 415
Kaede Fuyou - Shuffle! Memories 287
Tsukasa Hiiragi - Lucky Star 1048

Winner – Tsukasa Hiiragi. Three out of four ain’t too dang shabby.

She will face her toughest test yet: a date with Suiseiseki for a spot in the Group F final. Will she be able to topple the defending champ? Stay tuned.

We will wrap our second round coverage with results from Groups G and H on the Bedlam.

Moore of the same. And the city waits...

So, the Lakewood Lancers choked again against Poly, 13-6. I’m not going to buy into any talk from Poly saying that this was a bad game for them. A win is a win. Whether or not Compton will have to m.o. to beat the Jackrabbits remains to be seen. The Tarbabes won’t face the stiffs from Atlantic and PCH until November 2.

Meanwhile, I am seeing police cars roll right past me. It’s Friday night, and they are laying a crackdown on the offenders. Babylon in action. The 49er hockey team opened the season defeating Arizona State 3-2, and the women’s volleyball team swept Riverside, but our women’s soccer team was not ready for USC, getting shut out 3-0. If our ladies can beat the Galaxy, then USC’s Women of Troy will make the game look like a farce by halftime.

Finally, Melbourne Victory…actually got a victory, defeating the Queensland Roar, 2-0. I guess tuning in to SEN 1116 for the first time in a while has its benefits. Meanwhile, Greg Ryan lost his mind by tampering with the lineup, and the WNT dropped a 4-0 decision to Brazil. That won’t be the only thing he will lose. I guarantee you. And it’s easy as putting the pieces together. (Hint: Hope Solo will be vindicated for spilling out the cold truth.)

MLS Cup '96. Those were the days...

As I ask myself, “Who is Rosel Mateus?” while delving into the annals of netnography, I take a stroll down memory lane.

I am currently watching a flash from the past: MLS Cup 96, the first edition of Major League Soccer’s championship game. I am looking at the players the Galaxy had on that team. It was 1996, and Foxboro Stadium was the venue. I can notice some key differences. Back in 1996…

MLS used the countdown method that the NCAA uses. No stoppage time. No two extra time periods followed by a shootout. Only overtime sudden death periods.
The Galaxians were the only support group for the Galaxy. The Riot Squad would not be created until a few years later.
The G’s played at the Rose Bowl. The Home Depot Center would not be built for nearly a decade.
The introductions of the teams did not follow FIFA protocol back then.
Chivas USA was just an idea that someone would come up with. They would not be around until about a decade later.
Landon Donovan was still in high school.
David Beckham was at his peak down at Manchester United.
I only followed them every now and then. I was just starting middle school.

DC United would defeat LA in overtime, 3-2. But I saw some of the people that have since retired. Eduardo Hurtado was the ace of the G’s at the time. Robin Fraser was the captain. Harut Karapetyan was playing, as well as some unknowns that new Galaxy fans may not have heard of. Tampa Bay had a number of award winners. The Mutiny, after a few seasons, folded.

Fast forward to this year, and Cobi Jones is retiring at the end of this season. This will be the end of an era when the final home game is done. After a decade of success, the Galaxy fell on tough times, and now my team enters a period of transition.

I will miss Cobi Jones. I’m not kidding.

Introducing the Bobby Knight of Big XII football…Mike Gundy?

There already is an equivalent of Bobby Knight in Big Ten football. He was a guy by the name of Woody Hayes. But up until this point, I though Woody Hayes was the only Bobby Knight of college football. It turned out that I was wrong..by a country mile.

Enter the 40-year old football virgin, Mike Gundy. Here he is, after a 49-45 slugfest over Texas Tech, in which he rips apart Jenna Carlson for her presumed smack-talking of one of the reserve quarterbacks who is benched anyway…and he does an average, if D-grade, effort in delivering the backlash.

I mean, it’s hilarious, and I applaud the fact that he is standing by his words, at the risk of being chewed up like Hank Hill in the first episode of King of the Hill. At least, he didn’t pull out a Don Imus-like impersonation. Carlson can breathe easy, now that she wasn’t painted in the same brush as the runner-ups on the Rutgers women’s basketball team.

But it takes courage to stand by your words, and face the music. Even I have trouble apologizing for my choice of words, because I believe that apologies never reversed the damage done, and it won’t. You gotta hand it to coaches like Mike Gundy. They would bring tears to Bud Kilmer’s eyes, or at least a chuckle or a smirk.

And one wonders if Bobby Knight is impressed by the choice of words, if at all. After all, he now coaches the basketball team from the university that Mike Gundy’s boys defeated the other weekend.

So much for getting the facts straight…

Saimoe Second Round: Groups C and D

The Bedlam rolls on with its Saimoe 2007 coverage with the second round in Groups C and D.

Group C

Round C1

Suzu - Nagasarete Airantou 198
Lunar Edomae -Seto no Hanayome 899
Hinagiku Katsura -Hayate no Gotoku 870

Winner - Lunar Edomae

Biggest upset of the tournament so far. The Hayate harem nation is crying foul at this point, while the Hanayome team is popping the confetti.

Round C2-

Chika Ito -Ichigo Mashimaro 574
Vivio -Nanoha Strikers 197
Nanoha Takamachi- Nanoha Strikers 842

Winner – Never missing a beat, Nanoha Takamachi rolls on, setting up a big clash between idol sensation and the White Devil of the TSAB.

Round C3-

Caro Ru Lushe-Nanoha Strikers 588
Miyako -Hidamari Sketch 657
Makoto Sawatari(The “auuuu” one)-Kanon 458

Winner – Miyako.

Danger! Danger! The Hidamari heavy hitters are coming through.

Round C4-

Ai -ARIA The NATURAL 193
Vita-Nanoha Strikers 778
Matsuri Shihō –Sola 760

Winner – Vita. Closest result in this group: 18 votes.

It will be Miyako vs. Vita for a spot in the Group C final. Uh-oh. Could this be a Nanoha vs. Vita Group C final!? Stay tuned…

Group D

Round D1-

Yuno -Hidamari Sketch 784
Miu Matsuoka -Ichigo Mashimaro 379
Barasuishou-Rozen Maiden 500

Winner – You know who. [pun intended]

We noted on the Bedlam that one should keep an eye on the heavy hitters from Hidamari Sketch, and here’s more proof why.

Round D2-

Akiko Minase-Kanon 382
Hayate Yagami -Nanoha Strikers 931
Kaori Misaka -Kanon 173

Winner – Hayate Yagami. Biggest second-round winning margin in this group.

Round D3-

Shiori Misaka -Kanon 583
Rena Ryuuguu -Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 825
Yue Ayase -Negima!? 319

Winner – Rena Ryuuguu. And the franchise yanderekko from Higurashi (at least in my book) rolls on.

Round D4-

Mugi Asai –Hitohira 324
Kagami Hiiragi-Lucky Star 1155
Hiro-Hidamari Sketch 363

Winner- Kagami Hiiragi. Interesting to note that she had to survive a showdown with Maria from Hayate the Combat Butler just to get to this round. This time, the voters award her courage, and this wasn’t even close. Already battle-tested, the road doesn’t get any easier, with Rena Ryuuguu from Higurashi up next, setting up a nice Group D semifinal!

Groups E and F up next…

Know your place, Mariners.

Thank god [sic] that the Mariner Miracle never materialized and the Curse of Jorge Campillo was lifted.

On Fan Appreciation Day, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim defeated the Seattle Mariners, 7-4. And the champagne, which was on ice the past two days, was uncorked, and it was a fun party all over.

Meanwhile, Long Beach State’s women’s soccer team wraps up their trip in Norman, Oklahoma with a 5-0 win over North Texas, exacting payback for a 1-0 defeat in their last meeting in 1999. The day wasn’t so great for the men’s water polo team, getting their comeuppance from the alumni, 8-7. Next year, old boys, brings some whips with you, to haze them for their futility [sic].

Some bad news…and good news…for Charleston Southern.

The bad news:

The Buccaneers got crushed, 66-10.

The good news:

A number of things.

They got two interceptions. And the first play from scrimmage for Hawaii
resulted in their first pick.
They held Hawaii to only 21 points in the first
half, and trailed by as little as 21-10.
They even were 7-7 for a good period
of time, thrusting some concerns among the Aloha Stadium crowd, and keeping the
people in North Charleston giddy for a bit in the early morning.
Hawaii was unable to cover. The Warriors were favored by 60. Charleston Southern only lost by 56.
Northern Colorado still lost by a bigger margin: 57 points. One point
worse.
And Northern Colorado still gained the least points against UH so far
this season: 6 points. 4 points less than Charleston Southern.

Don’t look now, but the Big South might give the Big Sky some fits, should they tangle in the postseason. Bravo, Charleston Southern. You guys performed better than I expected. There might be some hope for you as the season progresses down in your neck of the woods. Pray that your plane doesn't crash like the Marshall team of 1970 on the flight home.

So…who’s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf, anyway?

It ain’t me, of course. The Big Bad Wolf I am referring to is UCSB men’s water polo coach Wolf Wigo. He thought he could come to our house, and huff, and puff, and blow it down. And the UCSB fans thought the same way. Fools! We bent, but didn’t break, and Gavin Arroyo’s guys took it to ‘em, 9-8.

Bring out the lime, Beach Nation, on November 11^th…a whitewash may be in order. I’m not scared of wolves…I’m a 49er, inshallah. I hunt wolves! I may have to pantomime a shotgun and pretend to point it at the Big Bad Wolf next meeting, if he complains that I am ruining his concentration. There are bigger things to worry about than suffering another heartbreaker. I leave it to you to figure it out, Gaucho[ke]s.

Now, we aren’t done yet with those punks from Goleta. Our women’s volleyball team isn’t feeling too happy after getting an assraping of the worst kind from the Mustangs of Cal Poly. But if they can’t successfully take their anger out on UC Santa Barbara down at the Thunderdome tonight, I won’t be done chewing Brian Gimmillaro up and spitting him out for his Central Coast futility, either, God forbid it happens.

EDIT: It didn't. The Beach swept 'em, 3-0. Our job's done here for today.

Regis Philbin! You said that “It’s time to stop the bleeding.” Well, when the Jews crucified Jesus (yes, it was the Jews, via the Romans, Caiaphas, the chief priests and those bloody Pharisees, the scumbags, not our sins, that crucified Jesus), they didn’t stop the bleeding. Why should it stop for Charlie Weis’s Fighting Irish football team? Michigan State took it to them, 31-14.

Next time, Mr. Philbin, two words: SHUT UP.

Now here is a brewing storyline that even the Wyrd sisters from Macbeth couldn’t have concocted even if they gave 1000% on it: the Seattle Mariners winning the rest of their games, while the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim lose the rest of their games.

In Seattle, they can call it “The Mariner Miracle.” In Anaheim, we should call it “The Curse of Jorge Campillo.” Seattle won, 3-2. One is still the “magic number.”

Haruhi Suzumiya, send help.

Saimoe 2007 Second Round: Groups A and B

And here we go again in Groups A and B, with the second round results. It’s down to four remaining in both group.

Group A

Round A1-

Shana(Shakugan no shana) 975
Evangeline AK Mcdowell(Negima) 811
Karen Stadtfeld-Code Geass 213
Kanaria(Rozen Maiden) 177

Winner – Shana

Round A2-

Segawa Izumi- Hayate no Gotoku 730
Lisianthus(Sia)-Shuffle Memories! 208
Konomi Yuzuhara -ToHeart 2 OVA 521

Winner – Izumi

It will be a battle between Shana and Izumi for a spot in the Group A final.

Round A3-

Miki Hanabishi-Hayate no Gotoku 288
Yukari Hirai-Shakugan no Shana 381
Tomoe Kashiwaba-Rozen Maiden 613

Winner - Tomoe

Round A4-

Tomari Kurusu-Kashimashi 253
Nagi Sanzen’in-Hayate no Gotoku 994
Ayano Minegishi-Lucky Star 267

Winner – Nagi. The most lopsided result of the group.

It will be Nagi vs. Tomoe for a spot in the Group A final. Can Kawashiba make it another upset special? Stay tuned…

Group B

Round B1-

Isumi Saginomiya-Hayate 1010
Yui Narumi-Lucky Star 274
Siesta-Zero no Tsukaima 568

Winner – Isumi. The first blowout from this group.

Round B2-

Nayuki Minase- Kanon 674
Konata Izumi-Lucky Star 824
Ellis- EL CALADOR 174

Winner – Konata

It’s Isumi vs. Izumi for a spot in the Group B final.

Round B3-

Konoka Konoe-Negima!? 543
Mika “Mikan” Inamori- Manabi Straight 537
Sae-Hidamari Sketch 239

Winner – Konoka. Closest result in this group: six votes.

Round B4-

C.C-Code Geass 775
Chikaru Minamoto-Strawberry Panic 660
Urutori–Utawarerumono 122

Winner – C.C.

Konoka will face off against C.C. for a spot in the Group B final.

Groups C and D up next…on BoBA.

Hello, Canadian fart-sniffers.

As if things weren’t bad enough for Canadian soccer, seeing that the women’s national team, a.k.a. “Big Red”, give up a late goal to Australia and see them knocked out of the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the salt was rubbed in the already gaping wounds of those who followed the round ball up in the Great White North.

That bunch of fart-sniffers, also known as the Canadian Soccer Association, decided to give CONCACAF, and Canadian associated football aficionados in general, the middle finger by rejecting an offer to host the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament.

To which BoBA responds simply with, “What is this faggotry!?”

From the London Free Press:

CHENGDU, CHINA -- The battleground is supposed to be 28,269 seat Chengdu Sports Stadium in the middle of downtown in this Sichuan Province capital city of seven million people.

It's where Canada plays Australia tomorrow in the go on or home game in Group C of the Women's World Cup.

But it was a practice field behind a bowling alley here yesterday where the shots were being fired as the Canadian players expressed disappointment and coach Even Pellerud and manager Les Meszaros escalated their outrage at the Canadian Soccer Association here yesterday.

That's where the spit hit the fan with the revelation on Sunday that the CSA turned down a CONCACAF request to play host to the Olympic qualifying tournament.

Angus Barrett of St. John's, the head of delegation, executive member of the association and director at large, was confronted by media members here to explain the decision.

He said the CSA, an organization currently without a president, a CEO or an executive director, "couldn't afford the $300,000 to $400,000 it would cost" to play host to the six-team tournament in Canada despite the advantage it would give Canada in getting to next summer's Beijing Olympic Games. The event is now likely to be held in Haiti.

"Haiti can afford it but Canada can't?" said Meszaros. "How do you explain that to the Canadian public?"

You can't. Especially after Pellerud, who is on the final year of his contract, was inspired to reveal more of the dirty details.

"We're talking about pocket money. We could easily get all that money back in ticket sales if we put up the money," he said of the event next March.

Do the math. It's chump change.

Pellerud said he'd even arranged a local organizing committee to play host to the event in Victoria.

"I told the association they could take the money out of our team budget. That was my offer to them. We believed there would be no problem at all recovering it. The CSA simply didn't want to make the effort to do it. It's a very big disappointment to me and the whole team."

Kara Lang, a member of the Canadian team which finished in the final four of the Women's World Cup four years ago but then lost the get-to-the-Olympics game against Mexico in the qualifying tournament in Costa Rica, said it was "extremely disappointing" to the team.

"It really would have put us at an advantage. It would have made it a lot easier."

"It's disappointing for sure," said veteran Andrea Neil. "I don't know if there are reasons for it that we don't understand."

Barrett said: "The CSA decided it would cost us too much to host. Next year is going to be a very expensive year with World Cup qualifying games for the men's team and the women's team preparations for the Olympic qualifying. There are huge demands for national teams next year."

He said despite setting a record attendance of 1,192,161 in playing host to the recent FIFA U-20 World Cup, the association managed to lose money. Five years ago, the association played host to the FIFA U-19 Women's World Championships centred in Edmonton and made enough money to cover costs and pay FIFA host seeding money back.

Barrett didn't dispute the advantage it would give Canada to qualify at home.

"I agree. There's no doubt about it," he said. "I don't blame Even one bit. He wants the best for his players."

And the CSA doesn't? Where there's a will, there's a way.

Pellerud showed the will and the way.

The Canadian Soccer Association has clearly lost their way. The organization has become a national disgrace.

No question, this group of fart-sniffers has no respect for the game itself, and one must ask of their qualification to make these types of faggotrical decision-making. I, for one, am disgusted, and laugh at their faces in smite, as Haiti, a once war-torn country where Jean Bertrand Aristide ran amok like Baron Samedi on a Sunday morning, will pick up the pieces and do the right thing for once.

“They who give the middle finger to an excellent opportunity must be shot, and left to rot in the street.” -Anonymous

Farewell, Jose Mourinho.

Well, this has to be some shocking news, since I follow the Chelsea over land and sea (and Leicester, maybe)...

Jose Mourinho's three-year reign at Chelsea came to an abrupt end on Thursday
as the Portuguese manager's fraught relationship with the club's Russian owner,
Roman Abramovich, finally reached breaking point.
An announcement that will
send shockwaves through English and European football came in the early hours of
Thursday morning with Chelsea claiming that Mourinho had left "by mutual
consent."
A terse statement posted on the London club's website stated:
"Chelsea Football Club and Jose Mourinho have agreed to part company today
(Thursday) by mutual consent."
Mourinho had reportedly informed Frank Lampard
and other senior players that he was on his way out on Wednesday evening and
late-night talks at Stamford Bridge concluded with confirmation of his
departure.
The Portuguese manager, who made his reputation by guiding FC
Porto to UEFA Champions League glory in 2004, has transformed the English
football landscape since taking over at Stamford Bridge in June 2004, winning
two Premier League titles in his first two years in charge, the FA Cup last
season and the League Cup in 2005 and 2007.
Of the 185 games he has been in
charge, Chelsea have won 124, drawn 40 and lost 21, a record that includes a
60-match unbeaten run in Premier League matches at Stamford Bridge.
The
statistics go some way towards justifying Mourinho's famous description of
himself as "a special one."
That comment was made in his first press
conference in England and it is a judgement that few Chelsea fans would dispute
after three years which saw the club end its 50-year wait to be crowned
champions and establish itself as one of the most feared teams in
Europe.
However, the success has failed to seduce Abramovich and the
Russian's relationship with his most outspoken employee turned sour last season
when he refused to come up with the funds Mourinho required to land his January
transfer targets, a stance the Portuguese believes contributed to Chelsea
conceding the Premier League title to Manchester United.
On the other side of
the feud, Abramovich has grown increasingly impatient with the fact that, after
investing nearly 500 million pounds (one billion dollars) in the club, Chelsea
have failed to conquer Europe and continue to lag behind the likes of Arsenal,
Barcelona and Manchester United in terms of entertainment value.
Tuesday's
disappointing 1-1 Champions League draw with Norwegian side Rosenberg - watched
by fewer than 25,000 fans - appears to have brought simmering tensions to the
boil, and with hindsight, Mourinho's pre-match comments about the need to buy
the best eggs to make the best omelette offered a hint that things were not
going smoothly behind the scenes.
Mourinho and Abramovich appeared to have
agreed to bury their differences over the summer and the manager had started
this campaign pledging that he would be a much more "chilled" figure than in his
first two seasons in England.
However, the strain of Chelsea's poor recent
form was evident on Saturday, when Mourinho tossed a flat-screen television set
to the ground in frustration over a disallowed goal in his side's 0-0 draw with
Blackburn.
The manager has also made no attempt to disguise his frustration
with Chelsea's misfiring striker Andriy Shevchenko, whose £30 million signing
from AC Milan is widely believed to have been ordered by Abramovich.
Mourinho
has also clashed with the Russian owner over backroom appointments, notably the
May 2005 recruitment of Dutchman Frank Arnesen as the club's youth/scouting
supremo and the appointment of Avram Grant as director of football.
Grant is
likely to be in charge of Chelsea for Sunday's trip to Manchester United but it
is thought likely that Abramovich will be looking to bring in a high-profile
successor to Mourinho.
Russia coach Guus Hiddink and former Germany boss
Jurgen Klinsmann are likely to top the speculative short-list, which may also
include Sevilla's highly-rated Juande Ramos.

Godspeed, Jose Mourinho. I hope either Guus or Jurgen gets it. Not sure about Juande. Either way, it should be nice GET! for Chelsea and Roman Abramovich.

2007 Long Beach State Hockey Schedule

Long Beach State: Better hockey than the Ice Dogs.

September
28 Fri 7:30pm Home Arizona State University DI
29 Sat 7:30pm Home Arizona State University DI

OCTOBER
04Thu 8:50pm Home University of Southern California
05Fri Away University of Southern California
11Thu Away University of Utah
12Fri Away Brigham Young University
13Sat Away Utah State University
19Fri 9:15pm Home UCLA
20Sat Away UCLA
26Fri Away Colorado University
27Sat Away Virginia Tech University
28Sun Away San Jose State University

NOVEMBER
02Fri 7:30pm HOME Arizona State University
03Sat 7:45pm HOME Arizona State University
09Fri Away University of Arizona DI
10Sat Away University of Arizona DI
15Thu 8:50pm Home Colorado State University
17Sat 7:30pm Home Colorado State University
30Fri 7:30pm Home University of Utah

DECEMBER
01 Sat 7:30pm Home University of Utah
07 Fri Away University of Southern California
08 Sat 7:30pm Home University of Southern California

JANUARY
11Thu Away Arizona State University
12Sat Away Arizona State University
17Thu 8:50pm Home University of Washington
18Fri 9:15pm Home Brigham Young University

19Sat 7:30pm Home Brigham Young University

FEBRUARY
01 Fri 9:15pm Home Loyola Marymount University
07 Thu Away Loyola Marymount University
08 Fri 9:15pm Home San Jose State University

21-23 TBA Away National Regional

Student body commemorates 9/11 anniversary - News

CRUSHED! FELLED! FINISHED! OWNED! GAR!

Team Microsoft has been crushed! The European Court runs up the score in the poor Washingtonians in a landmark decision that makes Appalachian State’s victory over Michigan look like a drop in the ocean.

From ZDNet reports:

Microsoft suffered a stunning defeat on Monday when a European Union court backed a European Commission ruling that the U.S. software giant illegally abused its market power to crush competitors.

The European Union's second-highest court dismissed the company's appeal on all substantive points of the 2004 antitrust ruling.

Microsoft shares traded in Frankfurt were down 2 percent at 20.40 euros in trading on Monday, underperforming the European technology index, which was down 0.4 percent. About 15,000 shares had changed hands, roughly the 30-day average daily trading volume.

The court said Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, was unjustified in tying new applications to its Windows operating system in a way that harmed consumer choice.

The verdict, which may be appealed only on points of law and not of fact, could force Microsoft to change its business practices.

It also gives EU Competition Commission Neelie Kroes a green light to pursue other antitrust cases and complaints involving Microsoft, Intel, Qualcomm and Rambus, and to issue draft new antitrust guidelines that were put on ice pending the ruling.

"Microsoft must now comply fully with its legal obligations to desist from engaging in anticompetitive conduct. The Commission will do its utmost to ensure that Microsoft complies swiftly," Kroes said in a statement.

The court upheld a record $689 million fine imposed on the company as part of the original decision.

More important, it endorsed Commission sanctions against Microsoft's tying together of software and refusal to give rival makers of office servers information to enable their products to work smoothly with Windows, used by 95 percent of computers.

It annulled only the EU regulator's imposition of a Microsoft-funded independent trustee to monitor compliance.

"The Court of First Instance essentially upholds the Commission's decision finding that Microsoft abused its dominant position," a court statement said.

Downbeat
Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith was downbeat in speaking to reporters at the courtroom, promising the company would obey the ruling in full. He said there was no decision yet on whether to appeal to the European Court of Justice.

"It is clearly very important to us as a company that we comply with our obligations under European law," Smith said. "We will study this decision carefully and if there additional steps we need to take in order to comply with it, we will take them."

Microsoft has used every recourse open to it in every case brought against it by governments and regulators.

The company has weathered a series of defeats in antitrust cases in the last decade and sees legal setbacks as almost part of its business model and a price for its near-monopoly.

Microsoft has already moved to new battlegrounds such as seeking acceptance of its technical standards across the industry, while continuing to bundle new features into its new Vista desktop software.

Rivals welcomed the EU court decision as a signal that authorities do not intend to allow Microsoft to pursue anticompetitive practices with impunity.

The Commission ordered the company to sell a version of Windows without the Windows Media Player application used for video and music, which few have bought, and to share information allowing rivals' office servers to work smoothly with Windows.

No objective justification
"Microsoft has not demonstrated the existence of objective justification for the bundling, and ... the remedy imposed by the Commission is proportionate," the court statement said.

A spokesman for Microsoft opponents, the European Committee for Interoperable Systems, said the ruling confirmed Microsoft had abused its near-monopoly in computer operating systems and set ground rules for the company's behavior.

"This decision establishes principles for the behavior of this company. Microsoft should now finally comply with the Commission decision on operability," lawyer Thomas Vinje said.

Another winner was the Free Software Foundation, which makes free, open software for work group servers. "Microsoft can consider itself above the law no longer," said Georg Greve, president of the FSF Europe.

The judges ordered Microsoft to pay the costs of FSF and those of the software giant's business rivals, which had supported the Commission's case. By contrast, Microsoft's allies were forced to bear their own costs.

The Commission must pay 20 percent of its own costs and 20 percent of Microsoft's while Microsoft must pay 80 percent of its own costs and 80 percent of the Commission's.

The ruling was made by the 13-judge Grand Chamber of the Court of First Instance in Luxembourg, the first time such a matter has been broadcast on live television.

Since the original decision, the Commission has fined Microsoft a further $381.4 million, saying it had failed to comply with the interoperability sanction. The EU regulator is considering a further fine for noncompliance. The Commission also says it'll seek to reduce Microsoft's market share in Europe.

"A market level of much less than 95 percent would be a way of measuring success ... You can't draw a line and say exactly 50 (percent) is correct, but a significant drop in market share is what we would like to see," Kroes told a news conference.

The company's Windows operating system runs on about 95 percent of the world's personal computers.