BoBA ISML 2010 Predictions: Preliminaries, Round 1 Picks, Match Day 4

ARENA 01: Yuno Felli Loss [Akiyama Mio]

ARENA 02: [Ichinose Kotomi] Kotegawa Yui Ryōgi Shiki

ARENA 03: Kawasumi Mai [Uiharu Kazari] Senō Natsuru

ARENA 04: Fujibayashi Ryō Winry Rockbell [Senjōgahara Hitagi]

ARENA 05: [Kotobuki Tsumugi] Sawachika Eri Louise Vallière

ARENA 06: Kamio Misuzu [Sanzen'in Nagi] Sōryū Asuka Langley

ARENA 07: Lambdadelta Kusakabe Misuzu [Shiina Mafuyu]

ARENA 08: [Maria] Hinaichigo Takei Hisa

ARENA 09: Kurata Sayuri [Sangō Shizuku] Sonozaki Shion

ARENA 10: Lisa Kirishima Akari [Sakurano Kurimu]

ARENA 11: Alice Niche [Ryūgū Rena]

ARENA 12: Bernkastel [Hiiragi Tsukasa] Shindō Chihiro

ARENA 13: Nagi Tsukimiya Ayu [Suigintou]

ARENA 14: Furukawa Nagisa Chii [Tainaka Ritsu]

ARENA 15: Yin [Saber] Ranka Lee

ARENA 16: Yoko Littner Kirishima Kotone [Holo]

ARENA 17: [Ikaros] Daidōji Tomoyo Kushieda Minori

ARENA 18: Sōseiseki [Konjiki no Yami] Tsuruya

ARENA 19: Mishima Akane Erurū [Sengoku Nadeko]

ARENA 20: [Ibuki Fūko] Miyamura Miyako Suō Pavlichenko

ARENA 21: Yagami Hayate [Hirasawa Ui] Enma Ai

ARENA 22: Shirayuki Mizore [Isayama Yomi] Kuronuma Sawako

ARENA 23: Beatrice Chiba Kirino [Sunohara Mei]

ARENA 24: [Amae Koromo] Nymph Nishizawa Ayumu

ARENA 25: Sakurazaki Setsuna Hachikuji Mayoi [Takamachi Nanoha]

ARENA 26: [Izumi Konata] Yūki Mikan Ushiromiya Maria

ARENA 27: Mizuno Kaede [C.C.] Shihō Matsuri

ISML 2010: Preliminaries Phase I Standings after Match Day 3

2010 International Saimoe League Preliminaries

Phase I Standings

(through Match Day 3)

Group 1
Akiyama Mio 8
Ichinose Kotomi 8
Ryōgi Shiki 6
Uiharu Kazari 6
Kawasumi Mai 4
Kotegawa Yui 2
Senō Natsuru 2
Felli Loss 0
Yuno 0

Group 2
Sanzen'in Nagi 8
Senjōgahara Hitagi 8
Fujibayashi Ryō 6
Kotobuki Tsumugi 6
Kamio Misuzu 2
Louise Vallière 2
Sawachika Eri 2
Sōryū Asuka Langley 2
Winry Rockbell 0

Group 3
Maria 8
Sangō Shizuku 8
Shiina Mafuyu 8
Kurata Sayuri 4
Sonozaki Shion 4
Kusakabe Misuzu 2
Takei Hisa 2
Hinaichigo 0
Lambdadelta 0

Group 4
Alice 8
Hiiragi Tsukasa 8
Sakurano Kurimu 8
Bernkastel 4
Ryūgū Rena 4
Kirishima Akari 2
Shindō Chihiro 2
Lisa 0
Niche 0

Group 5
Furukawa Nagisa 8
Saber 8
Chii 6
Tainaka Ritsu 6
Suigintou 4
Tsukimiya Ayu 2
Yin 2
Nagi 0
Ranka Lee 0

Group 6
Holo 8
Ikaros 8
Konjiki no Yami 6
Kushieda Minori 6
Sōseiseki 4
Daidōji Tomoyo 2
Tsuruya 2
Kirishima Kotone 0
Yoko Littner 0

Group 7
Hirasawa Ui 8
Ibuki Fūko 8
Sengoku Nadeko 8
Enma Ai 4
Yagami Hayate 4
Miyamura Miyako 2
Suō Pavlichenko 2
Erurū 0
Mishima Akane 0

Group 8
Amae Koromo 8
Sunohara Mei 8
Nishizawa Ayumu 6
Nymph 6
Isayama Yomi 4
Kuronuma Sawako 2
Shirayuki Mizore 2
Beatrice 0
Chiba Kirino 0

Group 9
C.C. 8
Izumi Konata 8
Takamachi Nanoha 8
Shihō Matsuri 4
Yūki Mikan 4
Sakurazaki Setsuna 2
Ushiromiya Maria 2
Hachikuji Mayoi 0
Mizuno Kaede 0

Group 10
Shiina Minatsu 8
Hanato Kobato 6
Kinomoto Sakura 6
Saginomiya Isumi 6
Tsukamoto Yakumo 4
Evangeline McDowell 2
Haibara Ai 2
Oshino Shinobu 2
Ikeda Kana 0

Group 11
Furude Rika 8
Hoshina Utau 8
Suiseiseki 8
Aizawa Sakuya 4
Index Prohibitorum 4
Akashiya Moka 2
Nogizaka Haruka 2
Hanekawa Tsubasa 0
Mizunashi Akari 0

Group 12
Kawashima Ami 8
Shirai Kuroko 8
Akaba Chizuru 6
Furude Hanyū 6
Sawatari Makoto 4
Alice Carroll 2
Hinamori Amu 2
Kataoka Yūki 0
Segawa Izumi 0

Group 13
Saten Ruiko 8
Shinku 8
Sonozaki Mion 8
Amamiya Yūko 4
Minase Nayuki 4
Minami Kana 2
Miyanaga Saki 2
Sheryl Nome 0
Teletha Testarossa 0

Group 14
Illyasviel von Einzbern 8
Misaka Mikoto 8
Minami Chiaki 6
Ayanami Rei 4
Misaka Shiori 4
Katagiri Yūhi 2
Tōyoko Momoko 2
Ushiromiya Ange 2
Isurugi Noe 0

ISML 2010: Toradora!, CLANNAD, Railgun, Rozen, Higurashi and Seitokai roll in Prelims

ISML 2010: Toradora!, CLANNAD, Railgun, Rozen, Higurashi and Seitokai roll in Prelims

February 5, 2010

On World Nutella Day, Toradora!, CLANNAD and To Aru Kagaku No Railgun were among the victors in Match Day 3 of Phase I in the 2010 International Saimoe League Preliminaries. Also coming back strong were the Rozen Maiden Alice Dolls of Shinku and Suiseiseki, as well as the girls from Seitokai no Ichizon and HIgurashi no Naku Koro Ni.

Mikoto Misaka, the Railgun, blasted Chiaki Minami and Yuuhi Katagiri without much difficulty. Mikoto earned 1,840 votes in her Group 14 contest while Chiaki garnered 869 and Yuuhi 647. "There is still a lot of work to be done," Misaka said after her contest, "but I am confident that when I face Illya[sviel von Einzbern], and she goes down, I'm back, baby!"

She wasn't the only one from Academy City holding it down. Kuroko Shirai took out Amu Hinamori and Izumi Segawa in her Group 12 match. Shirai got 1,367 votesm while HInamori and Segawa got 989 and 924, respectively. Ruiko Saten was similarly triumphant in her Group 13 battle with Nayuki Minase, winning 1,289-1,187. Kana Minami was a distant third with 707 votes.

"Onee-sama [Mikoto Misaka] already has experience competing in a league like this," Shirai said afterwards. "I want to show her I can do the same, and that I can beat her, too. Onee-sama~~~~, I'm on my wa~~~y! <3"
"It does feel good to be in the driver's seat," Saten said afterwards, "but I need to win a few more to be sure that I am going to qualify for the ISML. I have yet to face Shinku, and that match with her will tell me if I am going to do well or if I am not going to."

Ami Kawashima and Minori Kushieda were successful in their respective battles. Kushieda bounced back from her Group 6 defeat with a 1,426-1,355 victory over Konjiki no Yami (Golden Darkness). Yoko Littner was third with 624 votes. Kawashima kept her clean sheet with a 1,473-1,255 decision over Hanyuu Furude in Group 12. Alice Carroll was third with 552 votes.

Shinku defeated Yuuko Amamiya 1,387-1,015 in Group 13. Teletha Testarossa was third with 778 votes. Suiseiseki disposed of Index LIbrorum Prohibitorum 1,333-1,198 in her Group 11 match. Moka Akashiya was third with 824 votes.

CLANNAD's Fuuko Ibuki and Mei Sunohara were flawless in their victories. Ibuki defeated Ai Enma quite easily in Group 7, 1,771-1,164. Eruruu was a distant third with 456 votes. Sunohara made Nymph initial victory a complete aberration with a 1,558-970 rout. Mizore Shirayuki was third with 775 votes.

Seitokai no Ichizon's Chizuru Akaba bounced back from her setback in Group 12 with a 1,485-969 annihilation of Makoto Sawatari. Yuuki Kataoka was third with 656 votes. Minatsu Shiina prevailed over Isumi Saginomiya in Group 10, 1,355-1,250. Yakumo Tsukamoto was third with 629 votes.
"I'm not going to have any false senses of security after getting to the top of the ladder," said Shiina afterwards. "I make it clear that I will win at all costs to be in the big dance. And that's when the fun begins."
"She said it, not me," quoted Akaba in response to Shiina's statement.

Those who thought Konata Izumi was out of sight and out of mind had better think twice about that statement. Izumi thrashed Matsuri Shihou 1,944-907, while Mayoi Hachikuji was third with 576 votes.
"Two words: Too easy," Izumi said afterwards. I'd rather see me match up with C.C. and Nanoha Takamachi rather than this farce of a mismatch.
Indeed, Nanoha and C.C. are on a collision course. C.C. routed Maria Ushiromiya and Setsuna Sakurazaki in emphatic fashion. The glamour girl of Code Geass earned 1,844, while Maria took 768 votes and Setsuna garnered 747.
Takamachi blasted Mikan Yuuki and Kaede Mizuno in her Group 9 contest. Takamachi took 1,507, Yuuki 935 and Mizuno 698.

In Group 6, Holo swallowed up Tomoyo Daidouji and Souseiseki without much difficulty. Holo took home 1,829 votes, Souseiseki 928 and Daidouji 749. Ikaros edged Tsuruya in Group 6 by the score of 1,311-1,265/ Kotome Kirishima was third with 682 votes.

In Group 7, Nadeko Sengoku emerged as the possible second contender from Bakemonogatari. Sengoku finished first in her match with 1,678 votes, while Hayate Yagami and Miyako MIyamura earned 878 and 707 votes, respectively. Ui Hirasawa's dream of joining her older sister Yui in the regular season continued with a 1,735-919 steamrolling on Suo Pavlichenko. Akane Kirishima was third with 598 votes. Both Sengoku and Hirasawa were optimistic about their chances of beating Ibuki.
"Obviously, you never want to underestimate an opponent like Fuuko-chan," Sengoku said. "I do believe that I can beat her, though."
"Fuuko hasn't faced the likes of me or Nadeko yet," Hirasawa said after her win, "so I would guess that she would be in for a big surprise. Stay tuned."

In Group 8, Koromo Amae's run for the field of 50 continued with a 1,304-934 victory over Sawako Kuronuma.  Kirino Chiba was third with 703 votes. Ayumu Nishizawa crushed Yomi Isayama 1,550-916 in her Group 8 contest. Beatrice was third with 767 votes.

Group 10 was a field day for CLAMP. Sakura Kinomoto tore down Evangeline A.K. McDowell 1,426-983 with Ai Haibara garnering 826 votes to finish third. Kobato Hanato bottled up Shinobu Oshino 1,587-932. Kana Ikeda was a distant third with 450 votes.

Utau Hoshina cut it close with Haruka Nogizaka in Group 11, but still won, 1,174-1,119. Tsubasa Hanekawa was third with 864 votes. Rika Furude also kept her run for a third-straight ISML regular season appearance intact with a 1,573-1,148 win over Sakuya Aizawa. Akari Mizunashi was third with 610 votes.

In Group 13, Mion Sonozaki took the wind out of Saki Miyanaga 1,397-1,027. Sheryl Nome was a distant third with 498 votes. Von Einzbern had an easy 1,725-796 victory over Shiori Misaka. Momoko Touyoko was third with 615 votes. And Rei Ayanami scored a surprise 1,074-967 victory over Ange Ushiromiya, continuing the futility for the Umineko no Naku Koro Ni franchise. Noe Isurugi was third with 898 votes.

Voting in the 2010 International Saimoe League preliminaries continues on February 7, 2010. Fans can vote online at internationalsaimoe.com.

So much for me going to the Terry today...

Mother Nature must be doing a job on me...the women's tennis home opener is postponed due to bad weather. Nonetheless, my friend John Ahearn from Keller had a few notes on disaster recovery that I wanted to show you.

In any DR event there is a certain amount of trauma like on the battlefield. It is therefore best practice to approach an emergency as such with the following steps that I have picked up:

1. A good plan with the right people is needed. Make sure that qualified people are responsible for the tasks that have been assigned during the emergency plan. Make sure that you have leaders that are tempered with real experience and will not panic or suffer an anxiety attack under real life situations. I have had many "apparently" cool and tough people completely loose it under a life or death situation and become useless.

2. Practice, test and simulation is always a good way to find out who your leaders are and what they can do under duress. This not only gets everyone use to what they are suppose to do under a panic situation but it also helps to condition them. It has been proven that even the most panicky people can be functional if they can do the basic repetitive action, one that has been engrained in them through practice, over and over.

3. Good leaders on the battlefield diffuse contention and get people working with each other instead of against (i.e. arguing and fighting.) Do not let people blame each other. Keep them busy in constructive ways. Don’t be afraid to decommission someone and let them sit it out and do nothing while you get a better person for the job.

4. Good leaders are positive and not afraid to do the work themselves. They also care about the other people and stay focused on the primary goals. Always convey a positive message to keep the troops stable.

5. Good leaders in the face of disaster are logical and remain calm. The are methodical operations that give the people faith that you have it under control and know what you are doing. Even if you don’t know what you’re doing; it’s important that others NEVER detect fear or see you sweating.

6. A good battlefield leader will always have the ability to force teams to a quick consensus through a majority vote. This gets things done and quickly. This is the concept of “Marshall Law.”

7. After the incident has been addresses, you will still need to run recovery operations in order to bring the operations from emergency to permanent. This is the “clean up ops” and do not sell it short. This is where you can still loose a lot of time, functionality and goodwill by not keeping on top of things.

8. Start documenting all activities and occurrences in preparation of negating risk. Be able to prove your actions where the best under the circumstances and all liability should be steered to negation through an “act of God” circumstance. Liability will become a big topic in the aftermath.

9. PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) will occur in many individuals including you. All people should be interviewed and counseled for any adverse effects that resulted. You should quickly try and get as many people as you can to verify that they have been taken care of.

10. Be able to document and review the system for improvements and modifications. Be able to show that you have done a great job because this stuff is Ugly and "heroes have to be documented" or they become scape goats.

11. Update your resume to include your new talent under “emergency repair operations.”

World Nutella Day 2010

Ritsu: So we are here at the Bedlam on Baltic Avenue cafe with (left to right) myself, Mio, Yui and Tsumugi. Mugi, as we like to call her, is known for providing snacks during our rehearsals and in between events. What is the secret behind those chocolatey treats?

Tsumugi: Ah, it's no secret.

Ritsu: No secret? What do you mean? I don't know what you're telling me.

Tsumugi: It's all about Nutella.

Ritsu: This jar here!?

Tsumugi: Yep.

Ritsu: Whoa.

Mio: Nutella is a cocoa and hazelnut paste that is popular as a breakfast treat on bread.

Tsumugi: Ahem.

Mio: ...or as a dessert application.

Yui: Wow...I wonder if it tastes good on Mugi-chan's eyebrows...

Tsumugi: Eh?

Yui: Nononono, it might actually taste good on Mio-chan's face.

Mio: !!?

Mio: EH!? What the heck are you thinking, Yui!? Are you thinking of something perverted again!!? Oh my God!

Ritsu: Yui...you sure have one vivid imagination about what it can be used for.

Yui: Oh, but onee-chan told me that there are a few sites that show ways that Nutella can be used on.

Ritsu: And an edible body paint is one of them?

Mio: !!!???

Yui: Sorry, I didn't actually look.

Ritsu: Are you sure?

Yui: But I think Mugi-chan wouldn't mind Mio having Nutella spread over her. Right, Mugi-chan? You wouldn't mind it one bit?

Tsumugi: Yui-chan...I think I may need a tissue.

Yui: What's happening? You're starting to blush real wildly. And...is something dripping from your nose? It's red...

Mio: *wails* You perverts! All of you! I want to die...*sobs*

Ritsu: Here we go again...Who cares. Let's eat.

Mio: Can somebody just wake me up when this is all over?

Ms Adventures in Italy

Bleeding Espresso

World Nutella Day

Quick hits, February 4, 2010

Tonight I went to the SHORTSTOP 15th Anniversary Celebration at Gazzella Restaurant in Downtown Long Beach. The scene was great, and I had some pasta and Cabernet Sauvignon. What was also great was the testimonial by a graduate of the program. After his speech, which was about stealing a CD at a Best Buy, he got the CD that he wanted.

To be honest with you, if I was him, I would be familiar with torrents, and grabbed the album there instead. Why go to a store for music if the thing is available online for free. This is why the technology known as bittorent is considered (at least in my view) a godsend for those living on the cheap. But then again, it became a win-win situation. He learned about the system, passed the program, got his CD, and now is committed not to get in trouble with the law again. And the Long Beach Bar Foundation continues to roll. So I'm not one to say that it was a bad idea in the end.

---

As a matter of fact, it was a VERY wise decision for me to be at the dinner. Long Beach State flat-out embarrassed themselves on national TV, the women's hoops team stunk even more, and the women's water polo team are playing like hopeless chunks of rotten cheese under Gavin Arroyo. Fucking embarrassing performance by the Beach. You should be ashamed of yourselves, all three of you.

BoBA ISML 2010 Predictions: Preliminaries, Round 1 Picks, Match Day 3

ARENA 01: Daidōji Tomoyo [Holo] Sōseiseki

ARENA 02: Konjiki no Yami [Kushieda Minori] Yoko Littner

ARENA 03: Kirishima Kotone Tsuruya [Ikaros]

ARENA 04: Miyamura Miyako [Sengoku Nadeko] Yagami Hayate

ARENA 05: [Hirasawa Ui] Suō Pavlichenko Mishima Akane

ARENA 06: Erurū Enma Ai [Ibuki Fūko]

ARENA 07: Chiba Kirino Kuronuma Sawako [Amae Koromo]

ARENA 08: [Nymph] Sunohara Mei Shirayuki Mizore

ARENA 09: Isayama Yomi [Nishizawa Ayumu] Beatrice

ARENA 10: Yūki Mikan [Takamachi Nanoha] Mizuno Kaede

ARENA 11: [C.C.] Ushiromiya Maria Sakurazaki Setsuna

ARENA 12: Hachikuji Mayoi Shihō Matsuri [Izumi Konata]

ARENA 13: Tsukamoto Yakumo Shiina Minatsu [Saginomiya Isumi]

ARENA 14: Haibara Ai [Kinomoto Sakura] Evangeline A.K. McDowell

ARENA 15: Ikeda Kana Oshino Shinobu [Hanato Kobato]

ARENA 16: Akashiya Moka [Suiseiseki] Index Librorum Prohibitorum

ARENA 17: [Hoshina Utau] Nogizaka Haruka Hanekawa Tsubasa

ARENA 18: Mizunashi Akari Aizawa Sakuya [Furude Rika]

ARENA 19: Sawatari Makoto [Akaba Chizuru] Kataoka Yūki

ARENA 20: [Furude Hanyū] Kawashima Ami Alice Carroll

ARENA 21: Hinamori Amu Segawa Izumi [Shirai Kuroko]

ARENA 22: Teletha Testarossa [Shinku] Amamiya Yūko

ARENA 23: [Sonozaki Mion] Miyanaga Saki Sheryl Nome

ARENA 24: Minami Kana Minase Nayuki [Saten Ruiko]

ARENA 25: Katagiri Yūhi [Misaka Mikoto] Minami Chiaki

ARENA 26: [Illyasviel von Einzbern] Tōyoko Momoko Misaka Shiori

ARENA 27: Ayanami Rei Isurugi Noe [Ushiromiya Ange]

ISML 2010: Preliminaries Phase I Standings after Match Day 2

2010 International Saimoe League

Preliminaries, Phase I Standings

(through Match Day 2)

Group 1
Akiyama Mio 8
Ichinose Kotomi 8
Ryōgi Shiki 6
Uiharu Kazari 6
Kawasumi Mai 4
Kotegawa Yui 2
Senō Natsuru 2
Felli Loss 0
Yuno 0

Group 2
Sanzen'in Nagi 8
Senjōgahara Hitagi 8
Fujibayashi Ryō 6
Kotobuki Tsumugi 6
Kamio Misuzu 2
Louise Vallière 2
Sawachika Eri 2
Sōryū Asuka Langley 2
Winry Rockbell 0

Group 3
Maria 8
Sangō Shizuku 8
Shiina Mafuyu 8
Kurata Sayuri 4
Sonozaki Shion 4
Kusakabe Misuzu 2
Takei Hisa 2
Hinaichigo 0
Lambdadelta 0

Group 4
Alice 8
Hiiragi Tsukasa 8
Sakurano Kurimu 8
Bernkastel 4
Ryūgū Rena 4
Kirishima Akari 2
Shindō Chihiro 2
Lisa 0
Niche 0

Group 5
Furukawa Nagisa 8
Saber 8
Chii 6
Tainaka Ritsu 6
Suigintou 4
Tsukimiya Ayu 2
Yin 2
Nagi 0
Ranka Lee 0

Group 6
Holo 4
Ikaros 4
Konjiki no Yami 4
Daidōji Tomoyo 2
Kushieda Minori 2
Sōseiseki 2
Kirishima Kotone 0
Tsuruya 0
Yoko Littner 0

Group 7
Hirasawa Ui 4
Ibuki Fūko 4
Sengoku Nadeko 4
Enma Ai 2
Miyamura Miyako 2
Yagami Hayate 2
Erurū 0
Mishima Akane 0
Suō Pavlichenko 0

Group 8
Amae Koromo 4
Nymph 4
Sunohara Mei 4
Isayama Yomi 2
Nishizawa Ayumu 2
Shirayuki Mizore 2
Beatrice 0
Chiba Kirino 0
Kuronuma Sawako 0

Group 9
C.C. 4
Izumi Konata 4
Takamachi Nanoha 4
Sakurazaki Setsuna 2
Shihō Matsuri 2
Yūki Mikan 2
Hachikuji Mayoi 0
Mizuno Kaede 0
Ushiromiya Maria 0

Group 10
Saginomiya Isumi 4
Shiina Minatsu 4
Tsukamoto Yakumo 4
Haibara Ai 2
Hanato Kobato 2
Kinomoto Sakura 2
Evangeline McDowell 0
Ikeda Kana 0
Oshino Shinobu 0

Group 11
Furude Rika 4
Hoshina Utau 4
Suiseiseki 4
Aizawa Sakuya 2
Akashiya Moka 2
Index Prohibitorum 2
Hanekawa Tsubasa 0
Mizunashi Akari 0
Nogizaka Haruka 0

Group 12
Furude Hanyū 4
Kawashima Ami 4
Shirai Kuroko 4
Akaba Chizuru 2
Alice Carroll 2
Sawatari Makoto 2
Hinamori Amu 0
Kataoka Yūki 0
Segawa Izumi 0

Group 13
Saten Ruiko 4
Shinku 4
Sonozaki Mion 4
Amamiya Yūko 2
Minami Kana 2
Minase Nayuki 2
Miyanaga Saki 0
Sheryl Nome 0
Teletha Testarossa 0

Group 14
Illyasviel von Einzbern 4
Minami Chiaki 4
Misaka Mikoto 4
Katagiri Yūhi 2
Misaka Shiori 2
Tōyoko Momoko 2
Ayanami Rei 0
Isurugi Noe 0
Ushiromiya Ange 0

ISML 2010: K-ON!, CLANNAD, Fate/Stay Night and Railgun big winners in Preliminaries

ISML 2010: K-ON!, CLANNAD, Fate/Stay Night and Railgun big winners in Preliminaries


February 4, 2010

The action continued with the second of five match days in the first phase of the 2010 International Saimoe League Preliminaries. Play began in Groups 10-14 while Groups 1-5 began their second round of this phase. Mio Akiyama, Mikoto Misaka, Nagisa Furukawa, Saber and Kotomi Ichinose were among the winners in their respective matches.

Misaka, known in Academy City as "The Railgun" for her lethal attack that combines a simple coin with a heavy dose of electrical energy, made it clear that she wants to return to the field of 50 after a lackluster 2009 campaign. She wasted no time in dismantling Momoko Toyoko and Noe Isurugi in Group 14 contest that was over before it began. Misaka garnered 1,731 votes, while TOuyoko and Isurugi got 478 and 431, respectively.

"2009, to put it quite frankly, left a bitter taste in my mouth," Misaka said after the contest. "I want to return to the ISML and make it clear that want to wash it away from the first match to the last."

Akiyama and Ichinose are set for a clash of epic proportions that could be seen as a preview of the regular season. They were huge winners in their respective Group 1 matches. Akiyama thrashed Mai Kawasumi and Yui Kotegawa with reckless abandon. She earned 1,691 votes, while Kawasumi and Kotegawa earned 726 and 467 votes, respectively.
Ichinose, meanwhile, had an easy time dismissing Natsuru Seno and Felli LOss. Ichinose earned 1686 votes, while Seno and Loss earned 571 and 431 votes.
"Kotomi is a competent opponent, and one of the best in this group," Akiyama said. "I have great amount of respect for her. However, I know that of all the others in this group, I have the best chance of defeating her."
"Mio is no pushover," Ichinose said after her contest. "But let's see what happens."

Saber showed no signs of slowing down her momentum for her first contest in Group 5. She finished first in her match ahead of Ritsu Tainaka and Nagi. Saber earned 1,611 votes, Tainaka earned 861 and Nagi earned 451.
Furukawa had an easier time putting away Ayu Tsukimiya and Ranka Lee. She earned 1,616 votes while Tsukimiya finished second with 601 votes and Lee 394.
"Saber is always fearsome from start to finish," Furukawa said. "It seems that with every battle she becomes stronger and more determined to win. I love that Brit."
"While I appreciate the compliment from Nagisa," Saber said after her match, "I have my eyes set on the big prize at the end of this season. I take this campaign one match at a time, concentrating on each opponent as I go along."

In Group 10, Isumi Saginomiya established herself as the opponent to beat. The 2chan Anime Saimoe quarterfinalist from 2009 defeated both Kobato Hanato and Evangeline A.K. McDowell. Saginomiya earned 1,206 votes, Hanato finished second with 858 and McDowell was third with 706.
A close contest awaited Minatsu Shiina as she took on a well-seasoned veteran of the moe competition circuit in Sakura Kinomoto. It wasn't anything she couldn't handle, defeating the Clow card wielder 1,201-1,040. Shinobu Oshino finished third with 599 votes. Also in Group 10, Yakumo Tsukamoto gave hope for a surprise appearance from School Rumble, finishing first in her match with 1,034 votes. Ai Haibara was second with 777 votes and Kana Ikeda was third with 645.

Suiseiseki, a prior champion of the 2006 Anizone Best Moe and 2chan Anime Saimoe tournaments, never missed a beat in defeating Sakuya Aizawa 1,084-929 in Group 11. Haruka Nogizaka was third in the match with 785 votes. Another veteran of the circuit, Rika Furude, was all business against Index L. Prohibitorum and Tsubasa Hanekawa. Furude finished first in her match with 1,233 votes, Prohibitorum garnered 912 to finish second, and Hanekawa was a distant third with 627 votes.
"I never get enough of this," Furude was quoted as saying after the contest. "It's all old hat. But it's fun. And that's the important thing in the ISML."
Utau Hoshina was looking to ride on the coattails on Amu Hinamori's 2009 campaign. Flying the flag for Shugo Chara!, she won a close contest with Moka Akashiya 939-918, while AKari Mizunashi finished third with 648.

Ami Kawashima, another holdover from the 2009 season, had a tough contest with Chizuru Akaba in her big to join Taiga Aisaka in the field of 50. She escaped, winning her Group 12 contest 1,097-1,060, while Izumi Segawa was third with 611 votes.
Kuroko Shirai also was a winner in Group 12, defeating Yuuki Kataoka and Alice Carroll. The teleporter known for her rather unhealthy/highly publicized relationship with Misaka finished first with 1,093 votes. Carroll was second with 774 votes, while Kataoka garnered 687 to finish third. Finally in Group 12, Hanyuu Furude disposed of Hinamori and Makoto Sawatari with 1,113 votes. Sawatari was second with 821 votes while Hinamori garned 788 to finish third.

In Group 13, Shinku and Nayuki Minase were locked in a very close battle. In the end, the Pure Ruby prevailed 1,034-1,005 while Saki Miyanaga finished third with 694 votes. Ruiko Saten opened her ISML campaign with a 1,153-1025 decision over Yuko Amamiya. Sheryl Nome finished third in her match with 411 votes.
"I may be a Level 0, but that doesn't mean I don't know how to compete in battles like this," Saten said after the contest. "As a matter of fact, this may suit me. And the best part is...no Level Upper needed!"
Finally in Group 13, Mion Sonozaki skated past Kana Minami and Teletha Testarossa. Sonozaki garnered 1,050 votes to finish first, while Minami and Testarossa finished with 813 and 745 votes.

Kana's younger sister, Chiaki, was more fortunate. The futility for Umineko no Naku KOro Ni continued with a victory over Ange Ushiromiya and Shiori Misaka of Kanon. Chiaki tallied 1,145 votes, Shiori 838 and Ange 615.
Illyasviel von Einzbern also made a commitment to return to the ISML with a convincing victory over Yuuhi Katagiri and Rei Ayanami. Von Einzbern finished with 1,279 votes while Katagiri and Ayanami earned 735 and 661 votes, respectively.

Despite the victories, Chiaki and Illya admitted that they were facing a roadblock in Mikoto.
"She is a huge electrical fence that stands in my path," Von Einzbern was quoted as saying. "I don't even Berserker can crush her without getting dismantled. She may not even get a scratch. We'll just have to hope for a miracle."
"Mikoto isn't messing around," noted Chiaki. "She may have a terrible taste when it comes to swimsuits and has a complex for khaki shorts and grade school outfits, but when she fights, only the best in the league can stop her."
In another Group 1 contest, Shiki Ryogi got on the winning path with a 1,022-971 victory over Kazari Uiharu. Yuno was third with 538 votes.

Hitagi Senjougahara and Nagi Sanzen'in established themselves as the competitors to beat in Group 2. Flying the flag for Bakemonogatari, Senjougahara routed Eri Sawachika and Misuzu Kamio with 1,302 votes. Kamio was third with 797 votes, while Sawachika managed just 665.
Sanzen'in took out Ryou Fujibayashi and Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere in her match with 1,151 votes. Fujibayashi, the younger sister of automatic qualifier Kyou, was second with 897 votes while De La Valliere was third with 830 votes.
Tsumugi Kotobuki got her first ISML victory with a 1,237-828 annihilation of Asuka Langley Shikinami. Winry Rockbell was third with 703 votes.

In Group 3, Mafuyu made it a sweep for the Shiina sisters with an easy 1,513-758 drubbing of Sayuri Kurata. Hina-Ichigo was third with 420 votes. Shizuku Sango was the beacon of hope for the Kampfer team again, slashing past HIsa Takei and Lambdadelta. Sango earned 1057 votes, Takei 724 and Lambdadelta 600.
Maria didn't waste any time putting away Misuzu Kasukabe and Shion Sonozaki in her Group 3 contest. She finished first with 1,354 votes, while Sonozaki and Kasukabe earned 794 and 610 votes.

It was an easier outing for Group 4 favorite Kurimu Sakurano. She blew past Fredrica Bernkastel 1,436-827. Niche was a distant third with 288 votes. Tsukasa Hiiragi kept her dream to be reunited with older sister Kagami alive with a 1,260-1,105 victory over Rena Ryuuguu. Lisa was left in the dust with 401 votes to finish third.
Alice, meanwhile, cut it close with Chihiro Shindou in her match. Nonetheless, she prevailed 954-847 while Akari Kirishima was third with 627.

Finally, Suigintou's campaign sems to be in tatters after losing 994-988 to Chii. Yin was third with 739 votes. This upset could be a sign that the tide is turning against Rozen Maiden. However, it's early in the phase, and things can change.

Voting continues in Phase I of the 2010 International Saimoe League Prelims with Match Day 3. Fans can vote at internationalsaimoe.com for more information.

BoBA ISML 2010 Predictions: Preliminaries, Round 1 - Picks

ARENA 01: [Shiina Minatsu] Kinomoto Sakura Oshino Shinobu

ARENA 02: [Saginomiya Isumi] Evangeline A.K. McDowell Hanato Kobato

ARENA 03: Tsukamoto Yakumo Haibara Ai [Ikeda Kana]

ARENA 04: [Suiseiseki] Nogizaka Haruka Aizawa Sakuya

ARENA 05: Index Librorum Prohibitorum [Hanekawa Tsubasa] Furude Rika

ARENA 06: Akashiya Moka [Hoshina Utau] Mizunashi Akari

ARENA 07: [Akaba Chizuru] Kawashima Ami Segawa Izumi

ARENA 08: Kataoka Yūki Alice Carroll [Shirai Kuroko]

ARENA 09: Sawatari Makoto [Furude Hanyū] Hinamori Amu

ARENA 10: [Shinku] Miyanaga Saki Minase Nayuki

ARENA 11: Amamiya Yūko Sheryl Nome [Saten Ruiko]

ARENA 12: Teletha Testarossa Sonozaki Mion [Minami Kana]

ARENA 13: [Misaka Mikoto] Tōyoko Momoko Isurugi Noe

ARENA 14: Minami Chiaki Misaka Shiori [Ushiromiya Ange]

ARENA 15: Katagiri Yūhi Illyasviel von Einzbern [Ayanami Rei]

ARENA 16: Kotegawa Yui [Akiyama Mio] Kawasumi Mai

ARENA 17: [Uiharu Kazari] Ryōgi Shiki Yuno

ARENA 18: Felli Loss Senō Natsuru [Ichinose Kotomi]

ARENA 19: Sawachika Eri [Senjōgahara Hitagi] Kamio Misuzu

ARENA 20: [Sanzen'in Nagi] Louise Vallière Fujibayashi Ryō

ARENA 21: Winry Rockbell Sōryū Asuka Langley [Kotobuki Tsumugi]

ARENA 22: Hinaichigo [Shiina Mafuyu] Kurata Sayuri

ARENA 23: [Sangō Shizuku] Takei Hisa Lambdadelta

ARENA 24: Kusakabe Misuzu Sonozaki Shion [Maria]

ARENA 25: Niche [Sakurano Kurimu] Bernkastel

ARENA 26: [Hiiragi Tsukasa] Ryūgū Rena Lisa

ARENA 27: Kirishima Akari Shindō Chihiro [Alice]

ARENA 28: Chii [Suigintou] Yin

ARENA 29: Saber [Tainaka Ritsu] Nagi

ARENA 30: Tsukimiya Ayu Ranka Lee [Furukawa Nagisa]

ISML 2010: Preliminaries Phase I Standings after Match Day 1

2010 International Saimoe League Preliminaries

Phase I Standings

(through Match Day 1)

Group 1
Akiyama Mio 4
Ichinose Kotomi 4
Uiharu Kazari 4
Kawasumi Mai 2
Kotegawa Yui 2
Ryōgi Shiki 2
Felli Loss 0
Senō Natsuru 0
Yuno 0

Group 2
Fujibayashi Ryō 4
Sanzen'in Nagi 4
Senjōgahara Hitagi 4
Kotobuki Tsumugi 2
Louise Vallière 2
Sawachika Eri 2
Kamio Misuzu 0
Sōryū Asuka Langley 0
Winry Rockbell 0

Group 3
Maria 4
Sangō Shizuku 4
Shiina Mafuyu 4
Kurata Sayuri 2
Kusakabe Misuzu 2
Sonozaki Shion 2
Hinaichigo 0
Lambdadelta 0
Takei Hisa 0

Group 4
Alice 4
Hiiragi Tsukasa 4
Sakurano Kurimu 4
Bernkastel 2
Kirishima Akari 2
Ryūgū Rena 2
Lisa 0
Niche 0
Shindō Chihiro 0

Group 5
Furukawa Nagisa 4
Saber 4
Tainaka Ritsu 4
Chii 2
Suigintou 2
Yin 2
Nagi 0
Ranka Lee 0
Tsukimiya Ayu 0

Group 6
Holo 4
Ikaros 4
Konjiki no Yami 4
Daidōji Tomoyo 2
Kushieda Minori 2
Sōseiseki 2
Kirishima Kotone 0
Tsuruya 0
Yoko Littner 0

Group 7
Hirasawa Ui 4
Ibuki Fūko 4
Sengoku Nadeko 4
Enma Ai 2
Miyamura Miyako 2
Yagami Hayate 2
Erurū 0
Mishima Akane 0
Suō Pavlichenko 0

Group 8
Amae Koromo 4
Nymph 4
Sunohara Mei 4
Isayama Yomi 2
Nishizawa Ayumu 2
Shirayuki Mizore 2
Beatrice 0
Chiba Kirino 0
Kuronuma Sawako 0

Group 9
C.C. 4
Izumi Konata 4
Takamachi Nanoha 4
Sakurazaki Setsuna 2
Shihō Matsuri 2
Yūki Mikan 2
Hachikuji Mayoi 0
Mizuno Kaede 0
Ushiromiya Maria 0

Group 10
Evangeline McDowell 0
Haibara Ai 0
Hanato Kobato 0
Ikeda Kana 0
Kinomoto Sakura 0
Oshino Shinobu 0
Saginomiya Isumi 0
Shiina Minatsu 0
Tsukamoto Yakumo 0

Group 11
Aizawa Sakuya 0
Akashiya Moka 0
Furude Rika 0
Hanekawa Tsubasa 0
Hoshina Utau 0
Index Prohibitorum 0
Mizunashi Akari 0
Nogizaka Haruka 0
Suiseiseki 0

Group 12
Akaba Chizuru 0
Alice Carroll 0
Furude Hanyū 0
Hinamori Amu 0
Kataoka Yūki 0
Kawashima Ami 0
Sawatari Makoto 0
Segawa Izumi 0
Shirai Kuroko 0

Group 13
Amamiya Yūko 0
Minami Kana 0
Minase Nayuki 0
Miyanaga Saki 0
Saten Ruiko 0
Sheryl Nome 0
Shinku 0
Sonozaki Mion 0
Teletha Testarossa 0

Group 14
Ayanami Rei 0
Illyasviel von Einzbern 0
Isurugi Noe 0
Katagiri Yūhi 0
Minami Chiaki 0
Misaka Mikoto 0
Misaka Shiori 0
Tōyoko Momoko 0
Ushiromiya Ange 0

ISML 2010: The journey begins!

ISML 2010: The journey begins!


February 2, 2010


It was only not too long ago that Hinagiku Katsura became the second holder of the International Saimoe League Tiara. However, while the tiara stays in the atrium of Hakuoh Academy's administration building, a new year brings new competition and the need for a strong title defense could not be any more necessary.

January 31, 2010 began the preliminaries for the 34 at-large slots in the 2010 edition of the world's premier anime character competition.

A number of fresh faces established their intentions to be in the field of 50, while a number of well-established veterans held their ground.

For the first preliminary phase, the field was divided in 14 groups, with matches between three contestants in each group.

In Group 1, Mio Akiyama of K-ON!, who was embarassed in the 2009 2chan Anime Saimoe first round against Kana Minami, took her frustrations out on Shiki Ryogi and Natsuru Seno. Akiyama garnered 2,198 votes, while Ryogi and Seno managed just 848 and 464, respectively.

"It does feel like a breath of fresh air to be doing something other than playing bass in a band," Akiyama said after the match in the music room of Sakuragaoka High School. "Last year brought a very unsavory taste to my mouth, and I intend on avenging that."
"The dangerous queen has spoken," added Ritsu Tainaka, Mio's best friend and lover, who also plays drums for Hokago Tea Time (HTT for short). She received a severe headbump afterwards, followed by a string of expletives.

Tainaka herself scored a breakthrough win, defeating Suigintou 1461-1428. Ranka Lee finished a distant third in their subgroup with 411 votes.
"I have all due respect for Suigintou," Tainaka said after her win. "However, you gotta give others a [expletive]in' chance, y'know? This year..it's our turn!" she said with a wink and a smile.

In other Group 1 action, Kotomi Ichinose's charm didn't see to waver just yet. She finished first in her subgroup with 1,739 votes, while Mai Kawasumi and Yuno earned 883 691, respectively.
"I look forward to taking on new challenges," Ichinose was quoted to say. "And I have a new violin, too." The people at the press conference trembled in fear, as if she would drown them out like Sergio from SNL.
Also in Group 1, Kazari Uiharu won a battle of newcomers, finishing ahead of Yui Kotegawa and Felli Loss. Uiharu, from Academy City's Sakagawa Junior High, earned 1309 votes while Kotegawa and Loss tallied 674, respectively.
"This tournament is a new thing for me," admitted Uiharu. "But I am good friends with (automatic qualifier) Yui (Hirasawa), and I have her support to be in this field, so I plan to give it all I got."

In Group 2, ISML at-large favorite Hitagi Senjougahara took no prisoners against Louise Francoise Le Blanc De LA Valliere and Asuka Langley Shikinami. Senjougahara earned 1,527 votes to win her match, while De La Valliere got 1,270 and Shikinami 690.
"I heard about this tournament from a friend of (fiancee Koyomi) Araragi-kun," Senjougahara said after the match. "I plan to make a statement."
A close contest awaited Ryou Fujibayashi and Tsumugi Kotobuki in Group 2. In the end, Ryou was able to prevail, 1,213-1,182. Misuzu Kamio finished third with 989.
"I think with this contest," Ryou said afterwards, "that I will have a clearer idea of who I will be up against."

Indeed, the sister theme was rampant. Tsukasa Hiiragi's bid to join Kagami in the tournament was clear in a 1,948-931 blowout of Akari Kirishima in Group 4. Niche finished third with 397 votes. And in Group 7, Ui Hirasawa launched her campaign to be with older sister Yui, slamming down Miyako Miyamura 1,725-903, with Eruruu tallying 563 votes.

The irony is that Eruruu defeated Haruhi Suzumiya and Yuki Nagato (both automatic qualifiers) in last year's Anime Saimoe Tournament. As one can see, success in one tournament may not always translate to similar success in another, especially when that tournament is the ISML.

Nagi Sanzen'in never lost any of her form from last year in an easy victory over Eri Sawachika and Winry Rockbell. Sanzen'in garnered 1,940 votes, Sawachika 754 and Rockbell 742.
"A new year is here, and with it, a new ISML," Sanzen'in said after the match at Hakuoh. "Let's do this."

In Group 3, Mafuyu Shiina of Sapporo's Heikiyou Academy defeated Shion Sonozaki 1,667-1,019. Hisa Takei finished third with 586 votes. "In a tournament like this, putting your game face on is a requirement," Mafuyu said afterwards.
Maria defeated Sayuri Kurata 1,658-1,011 in a match harking back to last year's contest. Lambdadelta, one of the witches of Rokkenjima, was badly beated, finishing third with 690 votes. "It's all about business," the maid of the Sanzen'in mansion said. "Nothing too fancy."
Finally in Group 3, a tenacious catfight between Shizuku Sango and Misuzu Kasukabe saw the student council president from Seitetsu Gakuin prevail 1,207-1,013. Hinaichigo finished third with 768 votes. "Overall, I would like to believe that it wasn't too bad of a performance," Sango said. "But the best is yet to come."

Kurimu Sakurano was highly touted as a worthy entrant from Group 4. However, she had to withstand a fierce test from Rena Ryuuguu. Nonetheless, Hekiyou's student council president weathered the cleaver storm and won, 1,362-1,268. Chihiro Shindou finished third with 713.
"I think I got thrown into the fire," Sakurano said after the contest. "Rena, I heard, is a very competent opponent. Many of the opponents in this pool aren't easy to take down."
One of those opponents is Alice. She took faced a stiff challenge from Frederica Bernkastel. Alice won, 1,283-1,180, while Lisa finished a distant third with 586 votes. "I'm one of the longshots here," Alice said. "But sometimes the best longshots can end up becoming the best favorites just like that. I hope I am one of them."

Nagisa Furukawa, already energized by the presence of her daughter Ushio, made it clear of her intentions to qualify. She blitzed by Yin and Nagi, who could only muster 920 and 610 votes, respectively. Furukawa earned 1,881.
"Well, only one thing for me to say...hang on Ushio-chan, mama is on her way!" to the laughter and applause of the crowd at Hikarizaka High School
"Go Mama go!" added Ushio, further inciting more cheers and applause.
With Rin Tosaka automatically qualified, Saber felt that she had an opportunity to also go through. Also known as Arthuria Pendragon, Saber slashed past Chii and Ayu Tsukimiya in Group 5 with 1865 votes. Chii managed 834 while Tsukimiya only got 792. "I have a new mission now," she said in her cool, determined voice. "I am ready."

In Group 6, Holo had plans to return to the ISML battlefield once again with a 1561-1175 victory over Minori Kushieda. Tsuruya only eanred 712 voted in her third-place finish. "I'll take no prisoners," the wolf-goddess of Yoitsu said, "because I already have (Kraft) Lawrence."
"I hope you realized said that with a straight face," Lawrance was quoted as saying afterwards. She only returned a naughty smirk afterwards.
Ikaros, Tomoki Sakurai's Type-Alpha-class Angeloid, launched her bid for the ISML field of 50 in grand fashion with a 1,323-1,100 victory over Souseiseki. Yoko Littner finished third with 885. "I believe it's a huge privilege to be in a tournament like this," she said. "I also understand that Nymph is groing through the preliminary rounds as well. We will make sure that we do not let town our master."

Nymph, a Beta-Class Angeloid, won her own match with Yomi Isayama and Kirino Chiba in Group 8. Nymph earned 1,355 votes, Isayama 1,012 and Chiba 555.
"It's always exciting to be in a battle like this," Nymph said afterwards. "You never know who you will be up against next. I look forward to the next match with a sense of resolve and a determination to make my master happy."

Also in Group 6, Konjiki no Yami (Golden Darkness) was all business, defeating Kotone Kirishima and Tomoyo Daidouji. Yami earned 1,469 voted, Daidouji 934 and Kirishima 708. "If I have to fly the flag again for the To-Love-Ru team," she said afterwards, "I will."

Senjougahara wasn't the only one tasting the fruits of victory for the Bakemonogatari team.

Nadeko Sengoku of defeated Ai Enma to win her Group 7 contest, 1,554-1,055. Suo Pavlichenko finished a distant third with 576 votes. "This is exciting," Sengoku was quoted as saying, dressed in her trademark orange cap and jacket over shoulders.
Fuuko Ibuki was another of the veterans who didn't miss a beat from last year. SHe breezed by Hayate Yagami and Akane Mishma with 1,806 votes. Yagami earned 882 votes and Mishima only 558.
"Fuuko says that this is going to be another exciting International Saimoe League campaign," said Fuuko in her third-person style. "Fuuko says, 'BRING IT ON!' And Fuuko says thank you."

In Group 8, Mei Sunohara took care of Ayumu Nishizawa in her contest, 1,444-1,081. Sawako Kuronuma finished third with 798 votes. "It's always exciting to be at it again," Sunohara said. "I hope to do better this year when I make the field, but I know it won't be easy."
Koromo Amae, the mahjong ace from Ryumonbuchi High School, faced a difficult test from Mizore Shirayuki. Amae prevailed, 1,171-1,039 while Beatrice finished a surprisingly disastrous third with 893 votes. "Mahjong, has been, and always will be, my greatest strength," Amae said after the contest. "I, however, have reached a point in my young life where I need to broaden my horizons. The ISML is it."

Just mention the phrase 'Nanoha Takamachi' and everyone raises her hands in despair and disbelief. The White Devil was back in action; this time, in the preliminaries. Takamachi wasted little time in defeating Matsuri Shihou and Maria Ushiromiya, securing a futile day from Umineko no Naku Koro Ni. Takamachi won with 1,500 votes flat, while Shihou tallied 868 and Ushiromiya 793.
"Every tournament is different," Takamachi was quoted to say. "No two tournaments are the same. But the competitiveness, the desire, the will to win at all costs for he big prize, is shared by all. I hope to make the field and see how I do this year."
This group was a good outing for a couple more familiar faces in a sweep for the veterans.
Konata Izumi skated her way past Setsuna Sakurazaki and Kaede Mizuno. Izumi won with 1,998 votes, Sakurazeki was second with 749 and Mizuno finished third with 633.
"It never gets old," Izumi said afterwards, "and if it did, there would be no mystique. I've been to a number of tournaments in Japan, Korea and China, but the International Saimoe League has to be the toughest of all of them. It's like the Tour de France of the Saimoe Circuit. This is big. 2chan's the Giro and Anizone is La Vuelta. But again, this is a tournament that I want to put maximum effort on. Let's do it!"
C.C., the franchise character from Code Geass, took out Mikan Yuuki and Mayoi Hachikuji with realative ease. C.C. earned 1,906 votes, Yuuki finished second with 855 and Hachikuji finished third with 597.
"It's a nice start," admitted C.C. after the match. "But compared to the many battles I've been in, this just a mere skirmish. A rout, if you will. I think we got plenty more on the way."

Action from Groups 10-14 will be starting on Match Day 2 of the Preliminary Period Phase I, scheduled for Tuesday, February 2, 2010. Vote online at www.internationalsaimoe.com.

BoBA ISML 2010 Predictions: Preliminaries, Round 1 - Picks

ARENA 01: Abstained [Akiyama Mio] Ryōgi Shiki Senō Natsuru
ARENA 02: Abstained Kawasumi Mai Yuno [Ichinose Kotomi]
ARENA 03: Abstained Kotegawa Yui [Uiharu Kazari] Felli Loss
ARENA 04: Abstained [Senjōgahara Hitagi] Louise Vallière Sōryū Asuka Langley
ARENA 05: Abstained Kamio Misuzu Fujibayashi Ryō [Kotobuki Tsumugi]
ARENA 06: Abstained Sawachika Eri [Sanzen'in Nagi] Winry Rockbell
ARENA 07: Abstained [Shiina Mafuyu] Takei Hisa Sonozaki Shion
ARENA 08: Abstained Kurata Sayuri Lambdadelta [Maria]
ARENA 09: Abstained Hinaichigo Sangō Shizuku [Kusakabe Misuzu]
ARENA 10: Abstained [Sakurano Kurimu] Ryūgū Rena Shindō Chihiro
ARENA 11: Abstained Bernkastel Lisa [Alice]
ARENA 12: Abstained Niche [Hiiragi Tsukasa] Kirishima Akari
ARENA 13: Abstained Suigintou [Tainaka Ritsu] Ranka Lee
ARENA 14: Abstained Yin Nagi [Furukawa Nagisa]
ARENA 15: Abstained Chii [Saber] Tsukimiya Ayu
ARENA 16: Abstained [Holo] Kushieda Minori Tsuruya
ARENA 17: Abstained Sōseiseki Yoko Littner [Ikaros]
ARENA 18: Abstained Daidōji Tomoyo [Konjiki no Yami] Kirishima Kotone
ARENA 19: Abstained [Sengoku Nadeko] Suō Pavlichenko Enma Ai
ARENA 20: Abstained Yagami Hayate Mishima Akane [Ibuki Fūko]
ARENA 21: Abstained Miyamura Miyako [Hirasawa Ui] Erurū
ARENA 22: Abstained Kuronuma Sawako Sunohara Mei [Nishizawa Ayumu]
ARENA 23: Abstained Amae Koromo Shirayuki Mizore [Beatrice]
ARENA 24: Abstained Chiba Kirino [Nymph] Isayama Yomi
ARENA 25: Abstained [Takamachi Nanoha] Ushiromiya Maria Shihō Matsuri
ARENA 26: Abstained Mizuno Kaede Sakurazaki Setsuna [Izumi Konata]
ARENA 27: Abstained Yūki Mikan [C.C.] Hachikuji Mayoi

BoBA ISML Predictions: Preliminaries, Round 1

Winners


Group 1 - Mio Akiyama, K-ON!
Group 2 - Hitagi Senjougahara, Bakemonogatari
Group 3 - Mafuyu Shiina, Seitokai no Ichizon
Group 4 - Kurimu Sakurano, Seitokai no Ichizon
Group 5 - Ritsu Tainaka, K-ON!
Group 6 - Horo, Spice & Wolf
Group 7 - Fuuko Ibuki, CLANNAD
Group 8 - Beatrice, Umineko no Naku Koro Ni
Group 9 - Nanoha Takamachi, Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha
Group 10 - Minatsu Shiina, Seitokai no Ichizon
Group 11 - Suiseiseki, Rozen Maiden
Group 12 - Kuroko Shirai, To Aru Majutsu no Index/To Aru Kagaku no Railgun
Group 13 - Shinku, Rozen Maiden
Group 14 - Mikoto Misaka, To Aru Majutsu no Index/To Aru Kagaku no Railgun

ISML Best Available - Winners


1. Mio Akiyama, K-ON!
2. Hitagi Senjougahara, Bakemonogatari
3. Kurimu Sakurano, Seitokai no Ichizon
4. Nanoha Takamachi, Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha
5. Suiseiseki, Rozen Maiden
6. Shinku, Rozen Maiden
7. Mikoto Misaka, To Aru Majutsu no Index/To Aru Kagaku no Railgun
8. Ritsu Tainaka, K-ON!
9. Mafuyu Shiina, Seitokai no Ichizon
10. Fuuko Ibuki, CLANNAD
11. Kuroko Shirai, To Aru Majutsu no Index/To Aru Kagaku no Railgun
12. Minatsu Shiina, Seitokai no Ichizon
13. Beatrice, Umineko no Naku Koro Ni
14. Horo, Spice & Wolf

Predicted order of finish - Groups


Group 1


1. Mio Akiyama - K-ON!
2. Kotomi Ichinose - CLANNAD
3. Mai Kawasumi - Kanon
4. Kazari Uiharu - To Aru Kagaku no Railgun
5. Shiki Ryogi - Kara no Kyoukai
6. Yui Kotegawa - To-Love-Ru
7. Felli Loss - Chrome Shelled Regios
8. Natsuru Seno - Kampfer
9. Yuno - Hidamari Sketch


Group 2


1. Hitagi Senjougahara - Bakemonogatari
2. Tsumugi Kotobuki - K-ON!
3. Nagi Sanzen'in - Hayate the Combat Butler
4. Ryou Fujibayashi - CLANNAD
5. Asuka Langley Shikinami - Neon Genesis Evangelion
6. Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere - Zero no Tsukaima
7. Misuzu Kamio - AIR
8. Winry Rockbell - Full Metal Alchemist
9. Eri Sawachika - School Rumble


Group 3


1. Mafuyu Shiina - Seitokai no Ichizon
2. Maria - Hayate the Combat Butler
3. Misuzu Kusakabe - 11eyes
4. Hina-Ichigo - Rozen Maiden
5. Hisa Takei - Saki
6. Sayuri Kurata - Kanon
7. Lambdadelta - Umineko no Naku Koro Ni
8. Shion Sonozaki - Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni
9. Shizuku Sango - Kampfer


Group 4


1. Kurimu Sakurano - Seitokai no Ichizon
2. Tsukasa Hiiragi - Lucky Star
3. Alice - Pandora Hearts
4. Fredrica Bernkastel - Umineko no Naku Koro Ni
5. Akari Kirishima - Nyan Koi!
6. Chihiro Shindou - ef-a tale of memories
7. Rena Ryuuguu - Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni
8. Lisa - Seiken no Blacksmith
9. Niche - Letter Bee


Group 5


1. Ritsu Tainaka - K-ON!
2. Suigintou - Rozen Maiden
3. Nagisa Furukawa - CLANNAD
4. Saber - fate/stay night
5. Ranka Lee - Macross Frontier
6. Chii - Chobits
7. Ayu Tsukimiya - Kanon
8. Yin - Darker Than Black
9. Nagi - Kannagi-Crazy Shrine Maidens



Group 6


1. Horo - Spice & Wolf
2. Minori Kushieda - Toradora!
3. Golden Darkness (Konjiki no Yami) - To-Love-Ru
4. Yoko Littner - Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
5. Ikaros - Sora no Otoshimono
6. Tsuruya - The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
7. Kotone Kirishima - Nyan Koi!
8. Souseiseki - Rozen Maiden
9. Tomoyo Daidouji - Card Captor Sakura


Group 7


1. Fuuko Ibuki - CLANNAD
2. Ui Hirasawa - K-ON!
3. Eruruu - Utawarerumono
4. Nadeko Sengoku - Bakemonogatari
5. Hayate Yagami - Mahou Shoujo Lyrical nanoha
6. Miyako Miyamura - ef - a tale of memories
7. Akane Mishima - Kampfer
8. Suo Pavlichenko - Darker Than Black
9. Ai Enma - Jigoku Shoujo


Group 8


1. Beatrice - Umineko no Naku Koro Ni
2. Mei Sunohara - CLANNAD
3. Ayumu Nishizawa - Hayate The Combat Butler
4. Koromo Amae - Saki
5. Yomi Isayama - Ga-Rei Zero
6. Nymph - Sora no Otoshimono
7. Sawako Kuronuma - Kimi ni Todoke
8. Mizore Shirayuki - Rosario+Vampire
9. Kirino Chiba - Bamboo Blade


Group 9


1. Nanoha Takamachi - Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha
2. Konata Izumi - Lucky Star
3. C.C. - Code Geass
4. Maria Ushiromiya - Umineko no Naku Koro Ni
5. Mayoi Hachikuji - Bakemonogatari
6. Mikan Yuuki - To-Love-Ru
7. Setsuna Sakurazaki - Mahou Sensei Negima!
8. Kaede Mizuno - Nyan Koi!
9. Matsuri Shihou - Sola


Group 10


1. Minatsu Shiina - Seitokai no Ichizon
2. Kobato Hanato - Kobato
3. Kana Ikeda - Saki
4. Isumi Saginomiya - Hayate the Combat Butler
5. Shinobu Oshino - Bakemonogatari
6. Sakura Kinomoto - Card Captor Sakura
7. Evangeline A.K. McDowell - Mahou Sensei Negima!
8. Ai Haibara - Detective Conan
9. Yakumo Tsukamoto - School Rumble


Group 11


1. Suiseiseki - Rozen Maiden
2. Haruka Nogizaka - Haruka Nogizaka's Secret
3. Tsubasa Hanekawa - Bakemonogatari
4. Rika Furude - Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni
5. Utau Hoshina - Shugo Chara
6. Index Librorum Prohibitorum - To Aru Majutsu No Index
7. Sakuya Aizawa - Hayate the Combat Butler!
8. Moka Akashiya - Rasario+Vampire
9. Akari Mizunashi - ARIA


Group 12


1. Kuroko Shirai - To Aru Majutsu No Index/To Aru Kagaku No Railgun
2. Ami Kawashima - Toradora!
3. Chizuru Akaba - Seitokai no Ichizon
4. Hanyuu Furude - Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni
5. Yuuki Kataoka - Saki
6. Amu Hinamori - Shugo Chara!
7. Izumi Segawa - Hayate the Combat Butler!
8. Makoto Sawatari - Kanon
9. Alice Carroll - ARIA


Group 13


1. Shinku - Rozen Maiden
2. Ruiko Saten - To Aru Kagaku No Railgun
3. Saki Miyanaga - Saki
4. Mion Sonozaki - Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni
5. Nayuki Minase - Kanon
6. Kana Minami - The Minami Family
7. Sheryl Nome - Macross Frontier
8. Yuuko Amamiya - ef-a tale of memories
9. Teletha Testarossa - Full Metal Panic!


Group 14


1. Mikoto Misaka - To Aru Majutsu No Index/To Aru Kagaku No Railgun
2. Ange Ushiromiya - Umineko no Naku Koro Ni
3. Rei Ayanami - Neon Genesis Evangelion
4. Illyasviel von Einzbern - Fate/Stay Night
5. Momoko Toyoko - Saki
6. Chiaki Minami - The Minami Family
7. Shiori Misaka - Kanon
8. Yuuhi Katagiri - Akane-Iro Ni Somaru Saka
9. Noe Isurugi - True Tears

Quick hits, January 23, 2010

On the mad countdown to World Nutella Day, the boredom of having a single class, and the lagging Lakers.

World Nutella Day is in two weeks. TWO BLOODY WEEKS! Well, now it's less than. I am wondering two things. One: when will this storm finally pass? And two: when are my K-ON plushinhas (pronounced plush-een-yas; yes, I just love that nh in Portuguese) getting over here? I need them for the shot involving a Nutella jar.

I'm a bit nervous here. As it stands, they are still in transit. I am aware that they could arrive well after WND, and that would be a drag. But if they do arrive, are they going to be in tip-top condition? Azusa is not going to available for the shoot; she won't be setting sail for the Beach until March at the earliest. Nothing I can do about that.

But I have plans about the Hokago Tea Time and their crazy antics with Nutella. I would imagine that a number of chocolate desserts Tsumugi Kotobuki of K-ON! brings are made with Nutella.

Those whose minds have been in the gutter since childbirth will know where this is going. What? You don't have a clue? Ask Mugi the yuri-obsessed blonde ditzmistress for the details. She'l fill you eeen.

---

So I am now in Week 2-3 of my Disaster Recovery course. I am learning some stuff about the analysis phase and documentation this, recommendation that. And for some hare-brained reason unbeknownst to me...I am bored.

I want to travel for once. But it's cold. It's too warm and feels too good in my classroom. I need to crawl under a kotetsu right now, but all I see are chairs, tables, a projector screen, a few laptops, fluorescent lights and a projector.

Did I mention a professor and students? I am so bored.

---

The Lakers still can't beat the likes of the Cavaliers. I literally exploded when they stumbled again. Once could swear I was on meth when I screamed like one of those Huntington Beach punk bands.

I love punk rock. I don't know how much more I could handle. I think I could handle a lot more...if my other family members didn't intervene.

But to hell with their ineptitude. How will they successfully defend their title if they can't beat the Beasts from the East?

---

I'm happy for Rachel Alexandra. I knew she was going to win the Horse of the Year Award. Zenyatta had no chance.

I Have A Dream

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."¹

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

                Free at last! Free at last!

                Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

ISML 2010: BoBA At-Large Top 20

With the Preliminaries concluded, I now provide a revised version of my list of the best available for 20 of the 34 at-large spots in the 2010 International Saimoe League. In my next entry, I will make my predictions on who will win their respective preliminary groups.

Note that this is not the order of how many nomination ballots, this is a subjective ranking.

1. Mio Akiyama - K-ON! (last edition: 1, unchanged)
2. Mafuyu Shiiina - Seitokai no Ichizon (last edition: unranked, new entry)
3. Hitagi Senjougahara - Bakemonogatari (last edition: 7, up 4)
4. Kurimu Sakurano - Seitokai no Ichizon (last edition: 9, up 5) 
5. Ritsu Tainaka - K-ON! (last edition: 3, down 2)
6. Nadeko Sengoku - Bakemonogatari (last edition: unranked, new entry)
7. Ruiko Saten -  To Aru Kagaku No Railgun (last edition: unranked, new entry)
8. Saki Miyanaga - Saki (last edition: 2, down 6)
9. Kuroko Shirai - To Aru Kagaku No Railgun (last edition: 19, up 10)
10. Tsumugi Kotobuki - K-ON! (last edition: 6, down 4)
11. Minatsu Shiina - Seitokai no Ichizon (last edition: 17, up 6)
12. Kobato Hanato - Kobato (last edition: 18, up 6)
13. Beatrice - Umineko no Naku Koro Ni (last edition 20, up 7)
14. Sawako Kuronuma - Kimi ni Todoke (last edition: unranked, new entry)
15. Kazari Uiharu - To Aru Kagaku no Railgun (last edition: unranked, new entry) 
16. Chizuru Akaba - Seitokai no Ichizon (last edition: unranked, new entry)
17. Ikaros - Sora no Otoshimono (last edition: unranked, new entry)
18. Alice - Pandora Hearts (last edition: unranked, new entry)
19. Shizuku Sango - Kampfer (last edition: unranked, new entry) 
20. Utau Hoshina - Shugo Chara! (last edition: 5, down 15)

Bedlam and Despondency in Haiti

Fears of major catastrophe as 7.0 quake rocks Haiti

By Clarens Renois (AFP) – 3 days ago

PORT-AU-PRINCE — A huge quake measuring 7.0 rocked the impoverished Caribbean nation of Haiti Tuesday toppling buildings and causing widespread damage and panic, officials and AFP witnesses said.

"I think it's really a catastrophe of major proportions," Haiti's ambassador to the United States, Raymond Alcide Joseph, told CNN television.

All communications with the island went down after the earthquake and no details were immediately available on any people killed or injured in the disaster.

A tsunami alert for the Carribean region was immediately issued after the earthquake struck at 2153 GMT.

An AFP correspondent said the ground shook for more than a minute. Later three aftershocks measuring 5.9, 5.5 and 5.1 on the moment magnitude scale hit, US officials said.

In Port-au-Prince, local media reported that the presidential palace, parliament, cathedral and several ministries were badly damaged.

An AFP correspondent in Petionville, a suburb east of the capital, said one three-story building, housing two offices, was toppled by the quake, and a tractor was already at the scene trying to dig out victims as people fled onto the streets in panic.

The up-scale area is home to many foreign diplomats and members of a major United Nations mission to the country.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the powerful quake was initially measured at 7.3 and struck 16 kilometers (ten miles) from the capital Port-au-Prince, and 27 kilometers (17 miles) from Petionville.

The earthquake struck at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), the USGS said.

In Washington, President Barack Obama said the United States stood ready to help.

"My thoughts and prayers go out to those who have been affected by this earthquake," Obama said. "We are closely monitoring the situation and we stand ready to assist the people of Haiti."

A US Southern Command spokesman in Miami said the agency was "monitoring the situation and coordinating everything to respond rapidly."

A tsunami warning issued for Haiti, Cuba, the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic was scrapped shortly afterwards.

Haiti's ambassador told CNN he was heartbroken as he had just spoken by telephone with a senior presidential aide who described scenes of chaos and devastation.

"He had to stop his car just about half an hour ago, and take to the streets, start walking, but he said houses were crumbling on the right side of the street and the left side of the street," Joseph said.

Already the poorest nation in the Americas, Haiti has been hit by a series of disasters recently and was battered by hurricanes in 2008.

Four big storms -- Tropical Storm Fay and hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike -- pounded impoverished Haiti in August and September 2008, killing a total of 793 people and leaving more than 300 others missing, according to government figures.

The country was also gripped by a tense political standoff in April 2008 amid riots over skyrocketing food prices. UN troops are a regular sight throughout much of the country.

Seventy percent of Haiti's population lives on less than two dollars per day and half of its 8.5 million people are unemployed.

According to official figures, food insecurity already affects more than a quarter of Haiti's population, some 1.9 million people, with women and children the worst affected.

The Food and Agriculture Organization has designated Haiti as one of the world's most economically vulnerable countries.

The WFP serves one meal a day to more than 500,000 Haitian schoolchildren, providing them with what is often their only meal of the day.

The organization also feeds 100,000 women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and 50,000 children under the age of five.

Since mid-2004, the Brazilian-led MINUSTAH has been keeping the peace in the impoverished Caribbean island nation.

Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved