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Virtually every industry and profession in America enjoys the backing of an association and its lobbyists. And it doesn't matter whether those lobbyists represent funeral directors, textile manufacturers, dairy farmers or dental consultants. They're all banging on Congress's door with the same message: Our association's members play a vital role in this economy, create jobs, provide important products or services and deserve every possible tax break.
Sometimes, the fervor of these lobbying groups results in messages that sound a bit fanciful, such as when the National Air Transportation Association encouraged President Obama and Mitt Romney to focus in their October 16 debate on "the invaluable services that the general aviation community provide to the U.S. and global economy now and moving forward." Can you imagine Obama or Romney ever saying, "Before I answer that question about Afghanistan [or abortion or unemployment or whatever], let me just take a minute to highlight the invaluable services that the general aviation community provides"? Not gonna happen.
Still, I'm not surprised when business aviation associations issue statements like NATA's. Lobbying groups earn their keep by vigorously promoting the interests of the professions and industries they represent. That's their job.
Occasionally, though, their defenses extend beyond the fanciful to the slightly ridiculous. That's what I think happened after the first presidential debate of 2012, during which Obama suggested that we stop giving tax breaks to companies that are doing well. As he has in the past, the president cited oil companies and businesses that operate corporate jets as examples. Regarding the latter, his comment in full was as follows: "Why wouldn't we eliminate tax breaks for corporate jets? My attitude is if you got a corporate jet, you can probably afford to pay full freight, not get a special break for it."
Judging by the reaction of the National Business Aviation Association and other industry leaders, you'd think the president had called everyone in bizav a crook. Based solely on the two sentences quoted above, NBAA CEO Ed Bolen said the president had "disparaged" the industry, "completely mischaracterized" it, "vilified" it and "denigrated" it. JSSI chairman Lou Seno chimed in, calling Obama's comment an "attack on business aviation" by someone who "does not understand how business is conducted, both in the U.S. and around the world." Retired Cessna CEO Jack Pelton, meanwhile, said, "We cannot continue to be reflected by the president as an industry that is 'bad.'"
Granted, this is a complicated issue—more complicated than the prose that typically issues from either lobbyists or presidential candidates—and nobody's 100-percent right or wrong. On the one hand, it's probably time for the president to find new examples of tax breaks that ought to be eliminated. Ending breaks for business aircraft—an apparent reference to bonus depreciation, which was part of the stimulus package Obama himself signed—wouldn't exactly do much to deflate the national debt. And Obama does make inordinate mention of business aviation in this context, probably because research has shown "corporate jets" to be a phrase that conjures up the ultra-rich among undecided voters.
But Republicans have their catch phrases too, some of which also promote rather inaccurate images. And the reality about corporate jets is probably somewhere between what these undecided voters imagine and what the business jet industry wishes they would envision. As the editor who put together a special issue of Business Jet Traveler called "The Bizav Advantage," I fully understand that business jets are not used primarily to transport the wealthy from playground to playground; they're employed by lots of executives and middle managers to boost efficiency and productivity. But let's get real. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any poor people who own business jets, nor am I even aware of any struggling businesses that are out shopping for jets at the moment. The companies that are buying and operating aircraft in this or any other economy tend to be the ones that are doing better than most. In fact, studies cosponsored by NBAA have repeatedly suggested exactly that. It's questionable how many of these companies would actually forgo jet purchases just because the tax break went away.
Moreover, as I noted in a blog post last year, there are other reasons why the elimination of bonus depreciation for business aircraft buyers might not do significant harm to the industry or the economy. As BJT tax columnist Jeff Wieand has noted, for example, bonus depreciation could ultimately result in higher aircraft prices. Also, the companies that manufacture many of the business jets sold in the U.S. are based outside our borders. As such, a tax break for purchase of their aircraft does little to help the American economy.
All that said, sensible counterarguments exist and I can understand why some people believe corporate jet buyers should receive a special depreciation deduction. That's a reasonable position. What's not reasonable, it seems to me, is suggesting that anyone who disagrees about this is denigrating, vilifying and disparaging business aviation. Advocating elimination of an industry's tax break is just not the same as calling that industry "bad."
Lance (not verified)
October 18, 2012 - 2:26pm
What is not reasonable about the current administration's rhetoric toward corporate aviation is that their messages reinforce an inaccurate image of the corporate traveler as a fat cat with extra money to blow. What is denigrating, vilifying and disparaging is the notion that a corporate aircraft is not worthy of being called a business asset, like a building or a corporate car, which is the bottom line here. It is an asset and provides huge value.
This messaging along with ideas such as per-use taxes are what the NBAA and others are fighting. You might look at a $100 per-use tax as not a big deal; however, when the government infrastructure is put into place to support this effort, they will find that $100 per flight is not enough to support the new bureaucracy, and once the tax is enacted, the government will then have the authority to raise it arbitrarily. You need NBAA fighting this stuff with strong words.
Don't forget the values aviation has brought our country for many years. Why do you think that the Air Commerce Act of 1926 was enacted to bring the newly formed Aeronautic Branch under the Department of Commerce? Because the writers new that aviation would go on to provide the infrastructure and conduit needed for interstate and international commerce. That means that aviation was seen to be a healthy and good thing for the country. I guess that has been lost.
Walt (not verified)
October 19, 2012 - 5:05pm
President Obama's approach is clearly a class warfare ploy selected to alienate and divide. It has very little if anything to do with "fair share" taxation. It's an attempt to pretend he is identifying with "the little guy" while he has no qualms about taking Michelle to dinner in New York and incurring a huge taxpayer expense for all the supporting aircraft that had to accompany them along with Air Force One.
The owners of business jets (I own and fly a 32-year-old Citation 551, with no part of the expenses paid by my company - yes, I'm doing well after building my business over the past 31 years) are already paying taxes and fees through fuel taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, and through the taxes paid by those who receive their income from the operation of business jets (FBO's, insurance companies, etc.). Transportation is a key part of this country's infrastructure and GA is an important part of that infrastructure.
Let's drop the rhetoric and take a serious look at the numbers if you want to argue in favor of Obama's proposals with respect to GA.
John Bisscheroux (not verified)
October 19, 2012 - 5:08pm
You (the USA) are 13 plus or minus TRILLION dollars in overdraft (spending in excess of revenues or taxes collected) which is costing you a large amount of interest which, of course, adds to your yearly budget deficits.
Not to forget the current administration had to cover costs of the inherited wars
and tax cuts made by W. Bush's (Republican) administration.
The people (not President Obama) need to get out of this ginormous hole and
this requires EVERYONE to chip in, including GA. Enough said, except that the people must support the president in efforts to curtail government spending coincident with raising taxes.
A friendly reality check for those of you who are apparently not aware of citizenship obligations.
Jon (not verified)
October 22, 2012 - 8:29am
What's Obama's obligation? To encourage wealth envy, to disparage corporations? You know, while I appreciate that some respect government over the individual in their political view, but it is high time -- and this isn't just about Obama -- that the citizens be more obliged to say, "enough government, already!" and demand a reduction in government. This is NOT citizens' faults, except that we are largely disengaged in the process, like distracted sheep. There's a reality check.
Lance (not verified)
October 25, 2012 - 5:41pm
John, GA already chips in plenty. Your statements are not a reality check. Aviation is a conduit for getting the country out of debt. Aviation promotes commerce.
Doug Watson (not verified)
October 19, 2012 - 5:25pm
This probably won't make me popular on this site but lets's think about some things.
First I am a former airplane owner (several), a person who has flown on company jets many times, and generally is quite familiar with the shortcomings of commercial aviation. I understand the value of having a robust domestic aviation industry with the jobs it provides.
As a person who benefitted greatly by the accelerated depreciation in 2005 when I purchased a new airplane, trust me I get that side of the argument. Preferential tax treatment changes behavior and stimulates economic activity, at least when it is truly preferential. It moves the timing of purchases creating additional demand and arguably additional jobs. But that can be said for backyard swimming pool construction also. Also auto purchases.
However, when the exception becomes the norm I am less convinced there is incremental value. When I compare that to alternatives and the impact of increasing the deficit, laying off teachers, delaying road and bridge repair, funding light rail, etc. I am not sure that the best and most fruitful use of the tax code is to permanently subsidize business aviation.
There are many other things where there is more bang for the buck and where the participants in the behavior will be much more responsive to the preferential tax treatment than will business aircraft purchasers.
In summary, if you need accelerated depreciation to justify the purchase of a private jet you probably don't really need a private jet.
Like I said, this is not going to win friends on an aviation web site and I am a very big fan of general aviation.
Lance (not verified)
October 25, 2012 - 5:46pm
Doug, GA is already taxed, not subsidized. Why shouldn't an airplane receive the same depreciation treatment as any other business asset?
172 flyer (not verified)
October 19, 2012 - 5:52pm
John B, I "chip" in to the governments problem when I pay my fuel taxes. I do not agree with the government bailing out companies that are supposedly "too big to fail". That is truly fiscal irresponsibility as there really is not such thing as too big to fail. If we would get out of the barbarian countries of the Asian continent then we would be a lot better off financially. GA use of airplanes for business is a tax deduction just like a car or building.
I doubt that your country is in any better shape, especially if you are European.
David Fliehr (not verified)
October 19, 2012 - 6:10pm
The unfortunate situation with this current President and administration is their ideology is borderline Communism. That's why President Obama debated so poorly on the first debate, as his ideology was clearly a firewall to effectively debate regarding our countries successful capitalistic nature of how to improve our economy.
Business Aviation is required to ensure a thriving economy such as ours because of its efficient use of people and resources by this technology.
In addition, business aviation institutes innovation at the grass roots level of the business. When I started in the aviation business at an early age with my father whom worked on the Embassies of India, Iran and Afghanistan (I was a line boy there and worked up to Mechanics helper) on USAF Conair's, we would do all sorts of innovative modifications on these aircraft that the airlines only dreamed of. After my 4 years in the Air force on B-52's, I happenstance into Business Aviation in the late 1970's and have been in it ever since. From 1980 to 1995, Business Aviation was far ahead of any airliner in cockpit avionics and interior furnishings. Lately with increased FAA regulation on part 91operations, this innovation is waning in my opinion. Top down Government regulation by incompetent bureaucrats
The reason I bring this up, is to make a point on how a top down government control of the economy through the regulatory process can affect success, innovation and prosperity and growth in a capitalistic economy.
This administration has repeatedly lambasted business aviation, because it represents the worst of what they truly believe is wrong with our society. Unfortunately, a lot of other people in this country agree with this administration (at least 45%) and we shall see at this next election cycle exactly what that percentage is.
What I find interesting, when I used to see the USSR's Aeroflot Airliner/Military aircraft coming and going from the Ramps of Palm in Dehli, Merhabad in Iran, and Kabul Afghanistan, I only saw Politburo members enplaning and deplaning as passengers. The aircraft were at least 20 years deficient in technology and were always in a horribly dirty condition than the free countries airliners coming and going at the time. Their schedules could never be trusted as well…
If we continue on the path to Communism, that's what we have to look forward to in aviation my dear Komrads!
Ed Sunderland (not verified)
October 19, 2012 - 6:30pm
1. Barack Obama was a social worker. Bereft of resume, business knowledge, or how the free market operates
2. BizJet owners didn't make current tax policy, congress did and had the option not to structure it the way it is
3. BizJets earn money or they are not operated-if the airlines could offer the speed and efficiency of a BizJet, business wouldn't need them
4. If we had a flat tax and a fair tax policy where business didn't shoulder over 80% of the tax revenue in this country sentence item #3 would still apply
5. Should General Aviation be forced into the same revenue scheme other less aviation oriented countries offer, then general aviation would be destroyed as we know it and that would be a shame considering item#1
6. Obama is a socialist, the United States is not
7. Obama considers successful business bad and the trappings that go with them bad unless that business is union or benefits BO directly
Barack Obama said disparaging remarks about his own tenure with Baskin Robbins saying he felt he was consorting with the enemy. That says all we need to know about this shallow empty suit with a big mouth. The best we can do now in my opinion is maintain what we have until we get a new administration.
Remember, this Obama, has not, against the law, produced a budget since he has been in office. Just how are we supposed to have the slightest bit of respect for him and or his misguided policy?
As far as I am concerned, Barack Obama is unqualified to sit a president period and anything he says has to be suspect as if emanating from pathological liar.
Karl Schneider (not verified)
October 19, 2012 - 7:31pm
the guy (who I mostly like) with exclusive use of the world's most luxurious Private Jet starts criticizing Private Jets...
Jon (not verified)
October 22, 2012 - 8:42am
Yet, you "mostly like" him, while he's an utter rhetorical hypocrite -- unrepentant and repeatedly on this matter, not to mention others like it. So, who else has got a problem with irony as well as the president? You?
Mark Shanahan (not verified)
October 19, 2012 - 7:44pm
Regarding Ed's item 4 - the OMB numbers show total tax revenue for 2011 of 2.3 trillion. Of that, personal income tax provided 1.1T, and business tax provided .2T. That does not include Social Security and Medicare (shared equally by employers and employees). Social Security and Medicare taxes total .8T. Since those taxes are paid equally by employer and employee, the breakdown becomes individuals = 1.5T, business = .6T.
Jim Vinson (not verified)
October 19, 2012 - 9:06pm
I think this is a good article. As a student sport pilot, I have seen the huge disparity in wealth between people who fly in luxury aircraft and ordinary people. I don't think it will send the aviation industry into a tail spin if these people pay a little more in this time of national need.
Mark Johnson (not verified)
October 20, 2012 - 7:37pm
I agree that we all must help with the situation we are in, but the government has to start with balancing its own budget. I do not want one more dime of my money going to a government that is just going to keep wasting it. I am a pilot, not a wealthy individual. I could go on and on but the big elephant in the room is our government spends too much money, and until we fix that problem, not any amount of new taxes is going to fix the problem.
Lord Bowdon (not verified)
October 20, 2012 - 11:06pm
When Obama goes off teleprompter you hear the real man. His attacks on corporate aviation are simply because he is a communist, and jets represent the essence of both freedom and success. Like Stalin, he wants to be the only one with a jet, an SUV and a vacation house in Hawaii. Why should he care about 250,000 aviation related layoffs - they are all in safe Republican states - but his rhetoric can win over the uneducated, and possibly tilt the electoral balance in his favor.
Bob (not verified)
October 21, 2012 - 8:17pm
Well folks, I am an insurance agent. We preach how to age gracefully... In a nursing home.
We tell everyone to spend down their assets so that they qualify for Medicaid. Medicaid is the only way for the 49% s to live in a nursing home and be treated as human. I don't think Mitt has that problem
Bob (not verified)
October 21, 2012 - 8:17pm
Well folks, I am an insurance agent. We preach how to age gracefully... In a nursing home.
We tell everyone to spend down their assets so that they qualify for Medicaid. Medicaid is the only way for the 49% s to live in a nursing home and be treated as human. I don't think Mitt has that problem
Maynard McKillen (not verified)
October 22, 2012 - 12:24am
Kudos to Mr. Burger for the courage to suggest we look past the rhetoric of well-heeled lobbying firms and corporate-funded aviation organizations, those who want to short-circuit any real discussion of how to fund the aviation infrastructure.
The current entitlement program for corporate-jet users, a fuel tax that comes no where near to assuring these affluent freeloaders pay their fair share for services incurred, has got to be revised to a higher percentage. Now.
The status quo, this preferential treatment, is un-american. Affluent freeloaders are not more American, not a higher class of citizen, there is no such constitutional category, and their time is not more valuable than that of any other citizen, not in the eyes of our government, which is still a democratic republic, so let's have an end to all the hogwash about how special and important and exceptional these corporate jet users are. That's fatuous self-promotion. Have any of these self-absorbed misfits heard the word "teleconference", "Twitter", "GoToMeeting.com"? The term "business travel" is an anachronism, a quaint twentieth-century notion, another example of corporate waste and inefficiency.
AOPA, the NBAA, and other pro-entitlement lobbies never admit that corporate jet flights are currently subsidized by the U.S. Taxpayer, and have been for far too long.
There is no rationale for this form of welfare. The recipients don't need it, have done nothing to qualify for it, and don't deserve it.
At any moment now we should hear howls of outrage from the political right about this unearned entitlement. Wait for it....
No, no, keep waiting....
Ah, but wait, the apologists say. Making these corporate jet users pay their fair share will reduce the number of flights they take, and hurt local airports and the local economies from which these jets operate.
So the implied threat is, "If you take away our entitlement, we're going to scream, stomp our feet, and hold our breath until you give in." But mommy and daddy taxpayer cannot afford this indulgence anymore. Corporate-kid is going to have to pay for it using his allowance, the allowance from all the tax breaks he still receives. These kinds of tantrums are inevitable when you spoil a class of people. They threaten to hold you as economic hostages. Time to call the bluff and get on with making this government legislate for the wellbeing of all Americans, not just a select few.
If some aviation-related business or industry cannot thrive without a subsidy from hard working, middle class U.S. taxpayers, who pay taxes at a higher rate than those corporate jet users, that same business or industry is not viable, not a part of the real economy. It is instead a bubble economy.
Doesn't the idea that some privately-held corporations must depend on government largess to stay afloat somehow smack of- dare I say it- socialism?
So kiss your subsidy goodbye, my coddled corporate comrades, it's time to sink or swim. Nothing personal. Business is business, as you like to say. Time to finally shoulder the awesome responsibilities that come with taking entrepreneurial risks in a regulated free-market economy. That is, or at least it used to be, The American Way.
Consider it your coming-of-age moment. Oh, and here's a helpful hint: innovate.
I laugh when I read respondents' claims that the current president is inciting class warfare. Class warfare, my friends, began when Reagan instituted welfare for the wealthy, decades ago. The need to even talk about User Fees is just one of the many consequences of that still-born notion of trickle-down economics. Class warfare? The wealthy have sequestered so much income that was once taxed to provide revenue for infrastructure such as Next-Gen, roads, bridges, defense, that if we had captured it when it was earned, all talk of deficit would vanish. Class warfare? The middle class is down for the count, and unless it demands that the affluent freeloaders pay what has been due for decades, you can kiss goodbye any hope that your children will inherit a functional economy, a functional democratic republic, or any kind of life, liberty, or chance to pursue happiness. It will all become commodities. Guess who will be selling it. Care to guess how much it will cost?
It's become popular, too, to criticize the current president for using Air Force One. The claim: it's a tremendous waste of taxpayer money. I'm sure these respondents were equally critical of Mr. Bush for this same abuse.
Jon (not verified)
October 22, 2012 - 9:36am
How are increased prices for aircraft going to be a good thing? And, how is taking this depreciation away going to HELP the reduction of federal overspending? Oh, it doesn't, it just adds a tiny bandage to the tax revenues of the gov. I see.
I wish some folks would stop trying to understand money, they just don't get it.
Maynard McKillen (not verified)
October 22, 2012 - 11:28am
It's time to slaughter another sacred cow: this one is the whopper being foisted on us by the pro-entitlement crowd, those who believe the affluent-corporate clique deserve special consideration from the government. The topic: collecting User Fees.
Some of this ilk argue that the cost of implementing, administering and collecting the fees will absorb much of the fee itself. Not so: the FAA addressed this right-wing myth during the Bush Administration.
That's not a misprint. Mr. Bush nominated the FAA administrator, Marion Blakely, who served at the pleasure of the president. She signed off on the FAA release quoted below.
"FAA is confident that we can collect fees at minimal administrative cost to the FAA and the users of the system. Not only is this the case with service providers around the world, but the FAA has a good track record in this area; the administrative billing and collection processes for overflight fees have gone extremely smoothly.
Based on best practices from the U.S. and around the world, the administrative cost would be significantly less than 1 percent of the anticipated revenue.
The fact that fewer than 500 users would account for 95 percent of the billable flights presents opportunities for significant efficiencies in the billing and collection process. GA pilots will see no air traffic user fee bills if they do not use the 30 large hub airports."
Now when your readers from the political right peruse and absorb these tidbits approved by the Bush Administration, they will blush with embarrassment that they ever indulged in any conspiracy theories, wild speculation or outright lies about costs associated with administering and collecting User Fees. How quickly one can "forget" that the FAA already collects overflight fees. It's one of those inconvenient truths that deflate overheated rhetoric, lies of omission and calculated misdirections and misrepresentations.
scott elder (not verified)
October 22, 2012 - 11:51am
There's 18000 pages of tax code. 17500 of them for 5% if the people.......why do you think people with big money have Florida residencies.....no state tax.....that's also why they have airplanes....to spend 183 days out side of where they are from... they don't spend 183 days in Florida...just weekends....so all of their other travel also counts as days out of state.....why do you think the corporate jets leave Florida in the evening on Sundays during season...because you get to count Monday as a transit day.....towards your 183......the average population can't use 99% of the tax code.....how is that ever going to work.... so let's have a war for oil....let's aall become Florida residents even though we'll only spend weekends there...let's burn up the worlds oil supply, to maintain our tax breaks...let's set the markets on the weekend at our mansions.....oh.....wait.....we already did all of that........crap.....what now....
Scott Elder (not verified)
October 22, 2012 - 12:23pm
There are 18,000 pages of tax code....17,500 written for 3% of the population....big money looks at taxes, taxes, and taxes.....why do you think the wealthy use their jets to go to Florida for weekends.....they're typically Fl residents, maintaining their residency requirements....not that they spend half the year in Fl...they just need to spend half a year outside of their own state.....the jets line up on Sunday evening in Florida to go back to where ever they're from....let's not leave until Sunday night....that way we get to count Monday too.....maybe we can set the markets at our mansions for when the market opens on Monday morning....you know do all our CDL trading on Sunday....get a step ahead of the game.....that way we all know what to do on Monday when the market opens.....so let's have a war for oil so we can keep this operation going.........oh, wait.....we already did that.....crap, what now?
matt (not verified)
October 22, 2012 - 12:34pm
Mr. McKillen has no idea how the aviation system works. The atc system as it is now used was set up due to 2 airliners colliding over the grand canyon in the early sixties. There has never been a collision of corporate aircraft. Airliners always get first come, first served because they have a dispatch staff that files flight plans days ahead of when they are used. Everyone else gets whatever is leftover. Think that corporate jets are overloading the system? Try checking out DCA during rush times or when weather is bad. The only corporate jets or other turbine aircraft that go into DCA on a regular basis are government aircraft due to the crazy TSA rules and yet the FAA still has to issue edict times to regulate airliner departure and arrival times. Still don't believe me, you should check out the departure delays that happen in Teteboro when the weather is bad. Aircraft get released out of TEB to fit into gaps in airliner traffic out of the New York area, not the other way around. With the FAA's wonderfull past record of budget mismanagement do you really think the FAA could run a user fee program that efficiently? Once you open the door on user fees for the "rich corporate jet" owners it is only a matter of time before it spreads to eveything else in aviation in the US. Don't believe that then check on the NRA's record on lobbying. They learned the hard way on giving in on selective issues. If more funds are needed then increase the fuel tax. That has a proven record and does not require any further government involvement.
John Bisscheroux (not verified)
October 22, 2012 - 7:22pm
Can you show me the statistics to prove this item ?
(vis Colorado, Brazil......not too long ago)
New item in follow up to a previous posting I made and comments I read;
I presume we are all open to frank discussions when I write the following;
I think that most will agree that the USA is lumbering itself with having declared itself the "policeman" of the world "to "save ourselves" from being attacked and to defend democracy etc). That cost an enormous amount of money that needs to be paid by the taxpayer. Somehow this came about after WW2, which took Pearl Harbour to make a committment to go to war with the Germans and Japanese .
If Obama (Democrats) would introduce a policy of reducing the civil service and military (reduce government spending) and let other countries sort out their own problems,
I would wager a safe bet that the Republicans would fight it tooth and nails, all to the benefit of the top earners in the country who are also the most interested in keeping the defense industry supplied in orders and have a serious interest in providing enough "enemies" to the Nation to keep the ball rolling. Not to forget the fact that most of the money spent on defense could accellerate replacement of fossil fuels and dependance on the oil cartel.
If Democrats would introduce a stop on foreign money investments for purposes of tax evasion he would be attacked viciously by the Republicans.
If Democrats want every citizen of the USA to pay his/her share of the income they receive he's attacked by the Republicans, but......................
When Obama did away with Bin Laden silence from the Republicans
When Obama gave all Americans access to Medicare and doing away with sending untold numbers of citizens into bankruptcy, outcries of communist and dictator from the Republicans, because, as is alleged, the insurance companies need to change their policies of refusing bad risks etc.
What on earth do Americans want, if not a peaceful existence moderated by what you can realy efford and not by how much you can stack on to your borrowings piling up the National debt ? ? (16 trillion according to my last information) This goes for every Nation who are under the strains of severe overdrafts ! Do you realy think this can on ad infinitum? USA is up for sale to other interests as is shown by China's share of the National debt !
As someone witnessing this from outside, I cannot but observe that the modus operandi of most of the the Republicans is " I am all right and screw the rest of you" attitude ! Is that the relationship you cherish between citizens?
It takes more than a saint to get the lot together in straightening out the situation you're in. Co-operation rather than outright filibusting would be a good start.
discouraged (not verified)
February 21, 2013 - 4:41pm
I closed my aircraft sales business after the last election. I have struggled far too much the past few years. I am proud to say that by working several part time the past few yers I was able to operate my business on cash so I am not going bankrupt, but it is not worth it anymore. Our fearless leader whom enjoys the priviledge of private aviation has left me stupified, discouraged, and indignant with his remarks during and after the election about corporate jet owners needing to ante'-up and pay more taxes for flying private. So now I am struggling to make it as a full time employee in a new industry, working 3 part time jobs again, my wife is working full time in a new career as well, and our children just keep getting juggled to and fro. If it weren't for corporate jet owners/companies I wouldn't have made a living selling aircraft the past decade. I am thankful for them.


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I hope everyone comes out healthy. The Colts can't afford injuries to any of their best players.... ...This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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I hope everyone comes out healthy. The Colts can't afford injuries to any of their best players.... ...
Nice play Mr. Luck!!!
That was pretty. Hilton's having a nice day so far, be nice if him or Brazill could become nice 2nd receivers.
That TD pass by Luck to Hilton was the first time I saw a throw that was really what a good NFL QB can do. Everything is dinks and dunks trying to keep the defense off of him. He has yet to air it out like RGIII did on the first play of the game. That was a great TD play under pressure..... Our line couldn't block yo' mama.... ...
I'm excited for Hilton. The team took a hit when Garcon signed with Washington, and we lost our burner wideout. Hilton isn't as tall as Garcon obviously, but he can certainly run faster.
Last edited by CompACE; 08-25-2012 at 05:00 PM.
I did, but he didn't throw it 50+ yards like RGIII has been doing...... ...
So far we are seeing the strengths of both QB's
RGIII is a much better athlete with a LIVE, strong arm that brings a serious deep threat to the game. I haven't seen whether his accuracy is strong (hasnt needed to throw into a right window), but his arm and athleticism is definitely going to be two things he can count on during his career.
Luck has pretty good accuracy, but what I'm impressed with is the amount of different plays and formations we are able to run during the preseason. Most rookies aren't able to understand every concept within an offensive play book, let alone ha r the smarts to run so many play variations.
Luck seems to have a very average arm on some I'd these deep outs and comebacks. Though it's not career suicide, he'll definitely need to master anticipation and throwing guys open as his career progresses.
Freeney's been pretty invisible today, all preseason really
Luck's arm is no worse than Peyton's. Peyton's arm probably is the worst of the 3
I've barely heard about Mathis too.
Maybe so, but Petyton MASTETED the art of ball placement, anticipation, and throwing guys open. I'm not saying that he cant or won't develop those skills, just saying for him to be successful, these are things he'll need to be good at
Why are we letting them milk the clock when we have all three timeouts? I want to see Luck on the field again before halftime.
Freeman needs to duct tape that helmet to his head
Angerer, Powers, and Mathis all out. They'll fix it. That's what I'm going with.
Why exactly do you think that Luck was #1 and ahead of RGIII --because he bakes better cookies? Luck has demonstrated that he could do those things pretty well at least at the college level.
Man, Luck stinks. Why did he throw another short pass instead of airing it out?
Monday's cut day. Expect like, 50 signings by us.
I'm expecting a ton of Eagle and Raven players.
get up Reggie...
Richards says starters get 1 more series in the 2nd half
I don't know what you are watching but RGIII has completely outplayed Luck in this game. He has shown a cannon of an arm although he didn't connect on those passes, he showed it to the Colts and that opens up many things for him. I see dink pass after dink pass by Luck running for his life behind a terrible offensive line. I think Luck has a long, long way to go and RGIII is going to win and be a star for the Redskins right now. I don't know who you are listening too calling this game but Joe Theisman said that he doesn't see Luck staying healthy all season behind this line. I don't either.... ...
I don't think it was that far. Did you hear Joe Theisman say that Luck would have to be very "lucky" to stay healthy behind this line. What I have seen is RGIII completely outclassing luck and Garcon` looks great too... Again, preseason games mean nothing but I think that this offensive line will not be able to keep the rush off of Luck and he will go down and go down hard.... That is what happens when you draft your franchise QB before you have an offensive line to protect him. Luck could lead the league in sacks taken.... ...

subset: commoncrawl


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Josh Freeman wants to leave the team that just benched him, saying a trade is "probably the best option."
In an interview with ESPN's Josina Anderson on Thursday, Freeman went public with his desire to be traded in the aftermath of his benching by Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano. On Wednesday, Schiano announced Freeman would be replaced in the lineup by rookie Mike Glennon for Sunday's game against Arizona at Raymond James Stadium.
MORE: Schiano, Glennon could face two weeks of hell
"The bottom line is, if you want things to change, something has got to change," Freeman told Anderson about a trade possibility. "At the end of the day, yes, I think that moving forward, that might be, that is going to be probably the best option."
Freeman, who's in the final year of his contract, has completed less than 50 percent of his passes this season and Tampa Bay has scored only three offensive touchdowns in losing to the Jets, Saints and Patriots. The Bucs have dropped eight of nine overall, dating to last season, with Freeman at quarterback.
"I look at our offense in the last nine games. I don't think we've performed up to the level of our expectations," Schiano said, stressing he has confidence in Glennon to provide a spark. Glennon will become the third rookie quarterback to start this season, after the Bills' EJ Manuel and the Jets' Geno Smith.
ESPN reported this week that the Bucs are willing to deal Freeman, 25. The trade deadline is Oct. 29, but Tampa Bay GM Mark Dominik told USA Today this week that the Bucs had not been contacted by any teams.
According to a report in the Tampa Bay Times, Freeman may be demoted to the No. 3 QB role for Sunday's game as a result of the interview with ESPN. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported the interview wasn't authorized by the Bucs. Freeman didn't meet with local media on Wednesday or Thursday after being benched. If Freeman is demoted, Dan Orlovsky would be the backup to Glennon on Sunday.
"The bottom line is for me as (a) player, I can't worry about everyone else," Freeman told ESPN. "I can't worry about what everybody is doing. I just have to focus on the best situation for me. ...
"Obviously the head coach has come out and said that this isn't the place for me to be a starting quarterback. He doesn't think that I give this team the best chance to win. I don't agree, but at the same time, I'm the player and he's the coach. Whatever happens next, I'm moving on. I'm going to be excited to go out and make the most of any situation."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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What's this? An actual doctor saying the path Danny has taken is, *gasp*, NORMAL!
And then he goes into how there's different ways to treat it, you know, because we've all been told that the Pacers misdiagnosed it from the beginning since they've changed tactics...Kaeding said it's not uncommon for athletes to have setbacks while working their way back from the injury. The Pacers were also prepared for the possibility of Granger running into a roadblock.
You start to feel better, but as soon as you get back and you start going hard, it's not uncommon for the pain to come back," Kaeding said. "That's why it's such a challenging problem."
Cue up the internet doctors."It seriously is a difficult problem to deal with," Kaeding said. "There's probably 15 or 20 treatments people use to quiet it down. The fact that there's so many treatments tells you not one of them works great. If one was great, the other 19 would go away."Surgery is an option but that doesn't have a "slam dunk-high success rate," according to Kaeding. The he Pacers have avoided that route thus far.
"Again, once it's well established, it's not an easy problem to treat, specially in athletes who continue to be active," Kaeding said. "If it was someone like myself, I could take a couple of months off. It's hard for athletes to do that, especially elite and professional athletes."


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Hal and Sinestro return in exclusive new versions with comic pack in...
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For t-shirts, take a look at 80sTees.com.
Much has been said about this summers Green Lantern film and the products it has spawned, most notably the 4 inch and Movie Masters lineups from Mattel. But this summer also saw more Green Lantern comic book-related toy releases, including a superb two figure set thats perfect for anyone just getting into the comics. Out now from DC Direct is the Green Lantern Rebirth set that includes new figures of both Hal Jordan and Sinestro as Green Lanterns, along with the new paperback version of the now classic Green Lantern: Rebirth storyline.
Back in 2004, Hal Jordan was a ghost... literally. He had turned evil during the Emerald Twilight story, tried to re-create the universe in Zero Hour, and finally died in 1998s Final Night. Jordan puttered around in the afterlife for a while, eventually becoming the Spectre during Geoff Johns Day of Judgment event. Johns had much more in store for the fan-favorite character, but it would have to wait. Finally, Green Lantern: Rebirth saw Hal fight off Parallax (retconned to be an independent entity) and return to life and the Green Lantern Corps. Its an epic book that is justifiably credited for restarting Green Lantern for the modern audience and making it as popular as it has become.
DC Directs Rebirth set comes packaged in a really nice display worthy window box. You can see both figures and their accessories, while the graphic novel looks like a background image behind them. Theres plenty of info and art on the box, making for a very attractive package.
There are countless Hal Jordan figures out there, but this one is a bit different. Representing the resurrected Green Lantern, this figure really does evoke the art of Ethan Van Sciver. At just over 6 ½ inches tall it has a good, solid feel, and it has the specific uniform details like the green torso that ends at a point. The sculpt is very good, along the lines of what weve come to expect from DC Direct. Of note are Hals hands (the right clenched into a fist wielding the ring as usual and the left open) and the aforementioned comic accurate head sculpt.
Colors are vivid and strong, dominated by a deep matte green and solid black. White of course shows up on the chest symbol and the Lanterns gloves. Another hallmark of DC Directs figures is articulation that takes a backseat to the sculpt, and thats true here. Hal looks great, but he is not super poseable. With joints at the neck, shoulders, elbows, T-crotch, and knees, youre limited to a few iconic poses.
Sinestro too has appeared in toy form many times, but pretty infrequently in his Green Lantern incarnation. Rebirth tells of the long history between the two Lanterns, including their first meeting, and so it was high time to get a new GL Sinestro. Put simply, this one knocked it out of the park. At first glance it was obvious that some parts were reused from the previously released White Lantern Sinestro (see my review HERE), but on final examination its not that much. Sinestro stands about 6 ¾ inches tall, appropriately taller than Hal. He has a slim yet defined physique thats topped off by a slightly altered version of the head first seen on the White Lantern figure. This was an awesome head sculpt then, and its perfect now. Tall, eggplant-shaped, and haughty, Sinestros head has the weird hairline, pencil moustache, and mischievous smile that captured his early identity perfectly. Sinestro has the opposite hand sculpts as Hal with a closed left hand (with ring) and open right.
Colors are also the same on the two figures, though Sinestros uniform design reflects the earlier style. His head is a pink shade with purple lips and pinprick yellow eyes. The former Green Lantern hero actually has a vastly improved articulation scheme with joints at the neck, ball-jointed shoulders, elbows, wrists, T-crotch, knees, and calves.
Both figures come with identical accessories: Green Lantern power batteries that they can hold in their hands and Green Lantern symbol display bases like weve been seeing since the beginning of the modern DC Direct Green Lantern figure line. Of course, the other main draw of this set is the Rebirth book, which I highly recommend to any existing or potential Green Lantern fan.
Your mileage may vary on this set, as its definitely on the expensive side (due to the inclusion of the book) if youre only buying it for the figures. Unfortunately, this is the only way to get these figures, so dont miss out on it if you need them for your collection. Im really happy with them, especially Sinestro as its been a long time since we had a Green Lantern version from DC Direct and it doesnt really hold up today. This new Hal has a pretty specific look that Van Sciver fans will appreciate, and it contrasts nicely with the recent single-packed release that reflects Doug Mahnke art (see my review HERE). You should be able to find the Rebirth set at your local comic book store.
Review and Photos by Scott Rubin


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Chemical engineers are problem solvers – they bring new medicines to market, develop alternative fuels, keep food manufacturing safe, and create new manufacturing materials. They move small-scale designs to commercial production, while limiting costs and harmful effects on the environment. At the Russ College, you'll get a technical foundation in chemistry, math, and science, and you'll learn to apply it to make the world healthier, safer, and more sustainable. You'll learn how you can create for good.
Russ College chemical engineering junior Josh Greenlee recently clinched a spot in the highly competitive Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) Scholars Summer Internship Program, created by SCI, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the American Chemical Society (ACS). (read more)


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Organize to Impress
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When you've got your content in order and are putting the presentation together, keep your information clearly organized into neat sections. Avery Index Maker® Clear Label Dividers with Easy Apply™ Labels give your audience quick, easy access to different sections of your presentation without having to rifle through all the pages. And with Easy Apply labels and free Avery Templates, it's easy to create tab descriptions that are tailored to your presentation. You'll get dividers that have a professional, print-shop look in no time flat.
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What's the first thing your audience will see when they receive your presentation? The clean and professional-looking cover you'll create for your presentation. It's important to make a great impression right from the start. The Avery Framed View Presentation Binder has a window that frames your title page, so you automatically get that polished look. Our Templates can also help you design your cover or title page, and show you how you can create a nifty spine for your binder so your presentation can be a stand out even when it's sitting on a shelf.
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Luhnow, scouts considering options for No. 1 Draft pick
HOUSTON -- With a little more than six weeks remaining before the Astros make the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft, the team has been sending scouts and members of the front office from coast to coast to see potential top picks.
Like last year, when the Astros took 17-year-old Puerto Rican shortstop Carlos Correa with the top pick, there is no consensus No. 1 overall. The Astros are considering a handful of names, including Stanford pitcher Mark Appel, Oklahoma pitcher Jonathan Gray, Indiana State lefty Sean Manaea and University of San Diego outfielder/third baseman Kris Bryant.
Former Astros players Enos Cabell and Roger Clemens, both of whom serve in an advisory role to the general manager, have been going out to scout players at the request of director of amateur scouting Mike Elias.
"Elias has done a terrific job," general manager Jeff Luhnow said. "We're involving not only our entire scouting staff, but different people from the front office. I'll be going out, too. At the end of the day, I'll have seen between nine and 10 of the guys that go in the first round. ... We've been getting a lot of different views, lots of different opinions, and we'll put it all together. It's a decent Draft. There are some good players that are available."
Brian McTaggart is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, Tag's Lines. Follow @brianmctaggart on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Toby Keith Sounds Off About 'The Hip-Hop Thing' in Country Music
Toby Keith, who is about to release his new album 'Drinks After Work' on Oct. 29, is sticking with traditional, classic country songs on the album. He isn't about to cave or bend to trends, like adding a little hip-hop flavor in order to increase sales, to gain more traction at radio or to attract new fans. He's having none of that, thank you very much.


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CLEARLAKE -- An Austin Park playground will be renamed in memory of 4-year-old Skyler Rapp. The unanimous vote took place Thursday at the Clearlake City Council meeting.
The toddler was shot and killed in June 2011 during a backyard party at his home.
Orlando Lopez Jr. and Paul Braden were both convicted of murder in June for shooting Rapp and each sentenced to more than 300 years in prison for their crimes.
In September, the council approved establishing a policy for naming and renaming city parks and facilities following a request from community member Yolanda Hernandez to rename Highlands Park after Rapp.
City Manager Joan Phillipe said a meeting was held on the proposal with council member Joyce Overton, Vice Mayor Jeri Spittler, Public Works Director Doug Herren, Interim City Engineer Bob Galusha and City Clerk Melissa Swanson.
She said no action was taken on the proposal at the meeting, but an idea was generated to rename the playground at Austin Park to honor Rapp.
Phillipe said it was a "fitting recommendation."
Spittler said it was a kind gesture.
"I think it'll help the healing of the family involved, but also of our community to remind us where we don't want to end up again," she said.
Council member Judy Thein said Rapp "never had a chance to grow up here."
"Now, he'll be able to go on with life in a different way," Thein said.
One part of the city's policy stated that the person, family or organization requesting the action provide sufficient funds to purchase any plaque associated with the recognition.
Phillipe said she would meet with Hernandez to work out a payment arrangement.
In other matters, the council adopted a policy for use of the city council chambers for a candidate forum to broadcast on Lake County Public, Education and Government (PEG) TV channel 8.
Phillipe said concern arose on the issue during the 2010 elections regarding potentially biased campaign forums being broadcast on the station.
The matter was raised again recently with a request to use the chambers for a candidate forum and it was not clear that the conditions of presenting an unbiased forum were met.
Phillipe said the city government is responsible for what is presented in the council chambers and for all material broadcast on the PEG channel. The city can be held liable for fines and possible litigation if election information is not presented in a fair and balanced manner that involved all candidates.
Thein suggested adding language that each candidate answer the same question and that the city manager approve of the forum's format.
The policy was amended to reflect the changes and was unanimously approved.
The council approved re-appointing council member Curt Giambruno to the Lake County Vector Control District Board of Trustees for a two-year term by a 4-0 vote.
Giambruno said he served on the board since 1999 and wanted to see a new laboratory built in a building the district was attempting to purchase.
"I would really enjoy finishing out my years there to see the building and lab get completed for the county," he said.
Giambruno recused himself for the vote whether to re-appoint him.
Spittler said she was in favor of a two-year term in the event Giambruno wanted to retire.
Thein was in favor of a four-year term.
Mayor Joey Luiz said he favored a two-year term to be fair to the next city council.
Earlier, Luiz read into the record a proclamation declaring October as Bullying Prevention Month in Clearlake.
The council received an update of the weeklong design study for the Lakeshore Drive corridor before the preliminary plan was unveiled Friday.
Consideration of an ordinance establishing regulations for taxicabs and for-hire vehicles was continued to the Oct. 25 meeting.
Kevin N. Hume can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 14. Follow on Twitter: @KevinNHume.


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|MOVE Checklist Municipalities 9 16 10 final.pdf
|Municipal Clerks MOVE Checklist Guide and Memo.pdf
Yesterday, the Federal court for the Western District of Wisconsin entered an order to resolve the lawsuit based upon a MOVE Act consent decree reached by U.S. DOJ and the Board, with the assistance of the Wisconsin Department of Justice. We sent a copy of the signed order to you last evening.
Now that the consent decree is law, in this communication, we are sharing the promised guidance for complying with the Federal court order that ensures our military and overseas voters are able to receive, mark and return their ballots for the November 2 General Election in enough time to have them counted. For additional background regarding the MOVE Act and its impact on Wisconsin, you may refer to our previous communication at this link.
Step-by-step checklists and guides are attached that provide a more concise itemization with additional details to help municipal and county election officials accomplish the required steps. We appreciate that these changes required by the Federal lawsuit are coming late in the process, and thank you for your patience and assistance. The main changes from current procedures and statutes contained in both the Federal court order and the Board's order require accelerating the completion of the canvass for the Partisan Primary by:
- Ensuring that absentee ballots are transmitted to military and overseas voters with a request on file no later than October 1, 2010, and enclosing a special notice provided by the Board;
- Promptly reporting the transmission of such ballots in SVRS through October 4, 2010; and
- Extending the deadline for receipt of absentee ballots from military and overseas voters until November 19, 2010, provided that the ballot is postmarked by Election Day, November 2, 2010.
We appreciate your assistance with this special emphasis on processing the absentee ballots of military and overseas voters. Please feel free to contact Kathryn Mueller with questions at (608) 267-7890, or firstname.lastname@example.com. Thank you!
cc: Kevin J. Kennedy
Director and General Counsel
Government Accountability Board
Wisconsin County Clerks
Milwaukee County Election Commission


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Grand Theft Auto.......
Posted 19 July 2006 - 01:34 AM
Chapter 30: Set the Wheel in Motion
Friday December 31st, 2006. 11:36 A.M.
Roberto is getting dressed in his room while Carl, Sweet, Dante, and Divo sleep in the living room. He looks at himself in the mirror; tattered blue jeans, white muscle shirt covered by a red leather jacket, and a baseball cap. The cold is biting his skin but he doesnt mind. The thoughts of killing Mr. Gray keep his mind distracted. He leaves the room and wakes everyone up.
Roberto: (Walks over and shakes Carl) Guess what today is Carl?
Carl: (Slowly opens his eyes and looks at Roberto) Obviously, its tha thirty firs. Ya was talkin none stop abou it las nigh.
Roberto: Well, wake up. We got to start gathering everything and reviewing the final plan.
Carl: Can ya give me five mo minutes?
Roberto: (Looks straight at Carl) No! We have to prepare.
Carl: (Sits up) Fine. Ill go pack tha car up wit tha nitro and ya wake tha others up. (Heads into the next room)
Roberto: (Runs over and wakes Sweet up) Hey wake up, todays the day. (Shakes him) Wake up Sweet.
Sweet: (Rolls and faces away from Roberto) Nigga, five mo minutes.
Roberto: No, Carl is packing the car. I have to wake everyone up now.
Sweet: Naw, I aint goin now.
Roberto: (Kicks Sweet) Wake up! Now!
Sweet: (Stands up and tries to reach for his gun) Wha tha f*ck is ya problem. (Looks down for his pistol) And where is my gun, foo.
Roberto: (Pulls the gun out of his pocket) Ill give it back if you get in the car.
Sweet: (Stares at the pistol swinging back and forth) Fine. (Grabs the pistol and heads outside for the car)
Roberto: (Looks down at Dante and Divo) Now for you two pain in the asses. (Pulls out a silenced pistol and aims near Dantes head. Shoots and hits the floor two inches away from Dantes head)
Dante: (Heads the bullets impact with the ground. Jumps up and stares at Roberto) What tha f*ck is ya problem nigga?!
Roberto: (Pockets the pistol) Get dressed in the Janitor uniform and get in the car. And take your homie here with you.
Dante: (Shakes Divo and drags him to get dressed) Crazy foo. (Shuts the door)
Roberto: (Sighs) The things I have to deal with. (Heads outside and sees Carl idling the car with Sweet in the passenger seat. Yells to Carl) Dante and Divo are getting dressed. Ill go in the Leone Sentinel. (Heads over to the Leone Sentinel and waits to Dante and Divo to come out) What the hell is taking so long. Are they playing with their dicks or something? (Watches as Dante and Divo come out dressed like Janitors and enter the Greenwood) Finally, they come out. (Follows the Greenwood to Mr. Grays headquarters)
Friday December 31st, 2006. 12:36 P.M.
The Greenwood parks about 500 feet away from Mr. Grays headquarters. The Leone Sentinel rolls up behind and Roberto steps out. He walks over to the Greenwood and pops the trunk. He pulls out two trash bags with the Nitro inside. Dante and Divo come out and each take one.
Roberto: (Looks at the two) So do you know what you two are going to do?
Dante: Ya. I go ta tha firs floo and put tha jars in tha ventilation system.
Divo: I go ta tha second floo and put them in tha ventilation too.
Roberto: Good, and what happens if someone sees you placing the jar there?
Dante and Divo: We tell em we saw a rat, and tha containa is a ja of glue ta catch it.
Roberto: Great. So go in there and place the jars. That should take about an hour if you use every jar. (Counts in his head) I think we got about forty jars. That should take down this problem easily.
Carl: (Steps out of the car) Like a grenade in a model house.
Roberto: (Looks at Carl) Yeah. Just like that. Now go on ahead. Carl, Sweet and I will wait in this alley over here for you guys to come out. Are your earpieces in?
Dante: Ya, mines on.
Roberto: (Turns to Divo) What about yours?
Divo: I don know. How can I tell if its on?
Roberto: (Reaches into the Greenwood and pulls out a microphone) Tell me if you hear this. (Screams into microphone) Is your earpiece on?!
Divo: (Screams) Wha tha f*ck! Yeah its on nigga. Now did ya ave ta scream?
Roberto: (Stares at Divo) Get your ass in the building and set the bombs. (Gets into the Leone Sentinel and backs into the alley nearby)
Carl: (Watches Dante and Divo walk over the steps and into the building) Well, lets hope all goes well. (Gets into the Greenwood and follows Roberto into the alley)
Friday December 31st, 2006. 2:02 P.M.
Roberto is asleep in the car and is awoken by the feedback on the earpiece. He immediately wakes up and hears Dante talking.
Dante: Yo, I finished down here on tha firs floo.
Roberto: (Looks at the clock in the car) What the hell took so long?
Dante: I got hungry, so I grabbed something ta eat.
Roberto: (Sighs) Okay, Ill let that slip. Any word on Divos progress?
Dante: Naw. Haven seen him since we separated in tha lobby.
Roberto: Okay, find him, help him out, and get your asses out here.
Dante: Aight. (Slowly fades out)
Roberto: (Looks across the street from the alley and sees a vending machine) Im going to go grab something real quick. (Heads out and over to the Sprunk machine) Lets see, thats (Looks at the price) Holy sh*t, three dollars for a can, are they crazy?! (Checks his wallet and finds two dollars and seventy nine cents) Crap. (Starts to shake the vending machine) Give me a f*cking drink you piece of sh*t. (Kicks it one more time and a can come rolling out) Finally. (Opens the can and drinks it on his way back to the car. He gets into the car and hears Dante talking) I wonder how long hes been talking. (Opens the can and takes a sip)
Dante: (Over the earpiece) Naw, we wasn doin anything wrong man. Hey, get ya hands off me foo. What makes ya think ya can grab me like tha. I told ya ta stay tha f*ck away from me. (A gunshot is heard)
Roberto: (Spits out his soda) f*ck! (Listens more carefully)
Divo: (Screaming) Nigga, ya killed my brotha. Ya gonna pay fo tha. (Pauses for a few seconds) Wait, I didn mean it like tha. Please pu tha gun down. (Another gunshot is fired)
Roberto: (Stares blankly at the vending machine across the street) Oh sh*t theyre dead.
Stranger: (Picks up earpiece) Hello, is anyone there?
Roberto: (Hears the voice) Who the f*ck do you think you are. You just dug yourself a grave man.
Stranger: (Laughs) You, kill me? Nice one. How about you live up to your word? Ill meet you out in the street. We can fight, mano and mano, like men. How about that?
Roberto: Who the f*ck do you think you are to just challenge me?
Stranger: I think you would be very surprised to see who I am (Drops the earpiece)
Roberto: (Slams the microphone against the door) I hope he knows what he is getting himself into. (Looks over at Carl and Sweet sleeping in the Greenwood next to him) I think they should be fine. (Gets out and heads for the entrance of the building)
Friday December 31st, 2006. 2:15 P.M.
Roberto is standing in the street in front of Mr. Grays building waiting for the man who killed Dante and Divo. He turns around and looks at the building entrance. A man comes out dressed in a nice suit. He makes his way down the stairs. He is young, around the age of twenty five.
Stranger: Its nice to see you again Roberto.
Roberto: (Looks at his face) No it cant be. I thought you said you wanted to help me take down Mr. Gray, Luigi?
Luigi: (Grins) That is a good one. Me, help out the killer of the Don of the most powerful Mafia family in this city? You must be out of your mind. I decided to join up here with Mr. Gray, since we have both the same desires, to take you out.
Roberto: Have you had the pleasure of meeting him yourself?
Luigi: (Cracks his knuckles) No. He was busy today, but after I am finished with you here I will alert him of the bombs you have placed around the building.
Roberto: (Stares at Luigi) How did you
Luigi: Amazing how much information two Negros would divulge when a gun is put to their head, especially with no weapon or person to protect them. They told me everything. How you were going to blow the building and other things.
Roberto: (Cracks his neck) Well, too bad you wont be able to tell Mr. Gray anything, because it ends here.
Luigi: Im going to enjoy killing you (Runs over to Roberto and uppercuts him straight into the stomach) How does that feel?
Roberto: (Drops onto the floor) That felt good how does this feel? (Stands up and punches Luigi across the face knocking him to the floor)
Luigi: (Chuckles) That was a pretty good punch. (Tries to stand up)
Roberto: (Kicks Luigi in the stomach) Now, what were you saying about winning?
Luigi: (Coughs and looks at Roberto) You think thats it? (Pulls out a knife)
Roberto: (Stares at the knife) Whatever happened to mano and mano?
Luigi: (Stands up straight with his knife in his hand) Oh come on. A fare fight? When has that ever happened? (Lunges at Roberto with the knife)
Roberto: (Dodges to the right and grabs the arm with the knife) Oh right. (He twists his arm until he drops the knife. Throws Luigi on the floor a few feet away and picks up the knife) Did you really think you were going to kill me? (Walks over to Luigi lying on the floor) Did you?
Luigi: (Looking up at Roberto) Did? I still think I can. (Kicks Robertos knee causing him to slam onto the floor and throwing the knife a few feet away) Now, I would like my knife back. (Stands up and goes down to pick up the knife)
Roberto: (Looks at Luigi reaching for the knife) Not so fast you f*cking Guinea. (Kicks Luigis foot from under him) How about that?
Luigi: (Lands on his elbow and breaks it) f*ck well, you got to break a few eggs to make an omelet. (Tries to reach the knife with the broken arm)
Roberto: (Stands up and steps on Luigis arm) Not so hot now (Kneels down to grab knife while still standing on Luigis broken arm)
Luigi: (Punches Roberto in the ribs while he is distracted with his good arm) Oh Im going to enjoy this (Grabs the knife out of Robertos arm while Roberto lies on the floor in pain) Im going to carve you up
Roberto: (Grins) Any last words?
Luigi: (Looks at Roberto quizzically) Shouldnt I be asking that question? (A bullet goes through Luigis head. His body drops limp on top of Roberto)
Roberto: (Throws him off and gets up) Thanks Sweet.
Sweet: (Runs up to Roberto) Ya alright?
Roberto: Yeah. Im sorry to sya, but Dante and Divo are dead. This cocksucker shot the both. (Looks down at Luigi)
Sweet: (Looks down at Luigi) I cant believe this guy could kill em. (Looks back at Roberto) So since we got no one else ta lose, should we run back ta tha car an blow this mother f*cker up?
Roberto: (Looks up the building) Sure. I want this place to be a pile of rubble by the end of the day. (Walks back to his Leone Sentinel)
Posted 19 July 2006 - 03:18 AM
Posted 19 July 2006 - 05:16 AM
can't wait for number 31
Posted 22 July 2006 - 02:58 PM
Posted 24 July 2006 - 01:00 AM
You deserve them!
Posted 24 July 2006 - 09:36 AM
If this was the story for the next GTA... i would buy it...
Posted 25 July 2006 - 11:44 AM
It rules... completely. It's perfect, flawless; infallible. Pure genius. You should work for Rockstar.
I love you, man. And since I've never had good "Smilies" to use. Cookies and Rampages for ya.
Posted 25 July 2006 - 11:31 PM
Chapter 31: The Calm Before The Storm
Friday December 31st, 2006. 2:31 P.M.
Roberto is sitting in his car fiddling with the detonator to the bombs. He looks up and down the building watching for something. He looks at the top floor and sees a light turn on. It is Mr. Grays office.
Roberto: (Looking at the lit up room) I want to have a word with him before I blow the sh*t out of his corporation and business. (He puts down the detonator and grabs a pistol. He steps out of the car) Just hope Carl and Sweet dont get ahead of themselves. (Runs into the building and sees it empty of any people except for two men dressed in suits. They are dressed like Leone Family members) So, I thought I took down the infamous Leone Crime Family?
Leone #1: (Cracks his knuckles) Well, we are the last ones remaining and of course Luigi.
Roberto: (Chuckles) So, its just you two?
Leone #2: And Mr. Goterelli, dont forget about him.
Roberto: Oh! You mean the man me and my associate killed?
Leone #2: (Looks at Roberto) What are you talking about? Luigi is dead?
Roberto: Well, now Im not sure. If a bullet enters the brain, then leaves, is the person dead?
Leone #1: (Pulls out a pistol) You f*cker. (Cocks the gun)
Roberto: (Pulls out his pistol and shoots the first Leone member through the head) Can you check if hes dead? Not sure if a bullet would kill a person if it goes through their head.
Leone #2: (Drops his pistol) Okay, you win. I dropped my weapons, just let me go.
Roberto: (Walks over and shoves the gun down his throat) What? You are giving up that easily? At least your partner here tried. (Chuckles) Well not really, but at least he took out his gun and pointed it at me. You think you can live with yourself as a coward who dropped his weapon?
Leone #2: (Starts to sob with the gun in his mouth) I haf a hamily.
Roberto: (Pulls the gun out) What did you say?
Leone #2: (Wipes his tears) I have a family; two kids and a wife.
Roberto: (Puts the gun down his throat again) Dont give me that bullsh*t. I have seen enough movies to know you have no family. Youre just using that as an excuse to get out of this alive. Now if you ask me, thats even more cowardly than just asking to leave. Now, I am going to shoot you.
Leone #2: (Starts to cry) Oh gaw no!
Roberto: (Takes the gun out of his mouth) Now, the bullet isnt going to kill you, its just going to wound you badly. (Shoots the gang member in the shoulder) Now you better get to the hospital, and hope there are people there.
Leone #2: Youre going to pay! (Puts his hand over the whole and runs out of the building)
Roberto: (Watches him run out) Now, to get to Mr. Gray. (Bends down and picks up the other gang members pistol) Im going to keep this. (Loads both pistols and heads to the elevator) Lets see the president of a company this big is bound to have an office over looking everything so he is probably on the top floor. (Hits the button for the twenty first floor)
Friday December 31st, 2006. 2:53 P.M.
The elevator stops and opens to reveal a long hallway with velvet curtains lining the walls. A Moroccan rug lies on the floor and stretches to a door about a hundred feet away. Roberto steps out and makes his way to the door.
Roberto: Well, it looks fancy out here. I wonder what his office looks like. (Hears a creak and turns around with a pistol in each hand) Who the hell is there? (Looks around)
Jake: (Steps out of a room and sees Roberto) Hey, what are you doing? (Starts to walk towards Roberto)
Roberto: (Takes a few steps back still pointing the guns at the kid) Who the hell are you?
Jake: (Still walking towards Roberto) What are you talking about? (Reaches into his pocket)
Roberto: (Pulls both the triggers and watches the bullets pierce Jakes chest) You didnt answer me.
Jake: (Falls on the floor with blood slowly spreading on the Moroccan rug) Why (Slowly goes into unconsciousness)
Roberto: (Turns around and continues his walk to the door) Damn it, its one body after the other. (Kicks the door in) Mr. Gray, guess who?
Mr. Gray: (Spins around in his chair and looks at Roberto) My, my, what a pleasant little surprise. Have a seat?
Roberto: (Walks up to a chair in front of Mr. Grays desk) So, what have you been up to, Mr. Gray?
Mr. Gray: (Spins around and looks out the window) Just waiting for you.
Roberto: Really? Now why would you be waiting for me?
Mr. Gray: To tell you a secret.
Roberto: Well? What is it?
Mr. Gray: Youll find out soon.
Roberto: (Leans forward) Im actually curious. What is it?
Mr. Gray: I think it would be more amusing if you found out on your own
Roberto: Really? Well, then I cant miss this.
Mr. Gray: (Turns around and looks at Roberto) Your friends are coming up. I just saw them leave their car and are heading up here.
Roberto: Will they get to hear this secret? (Leans back into the seat)
Mr. Gray: (Chuckles) Of course they will.
Roberto: Well then lets just wait for them.
Mr. Gray: Let us. (Leans into the seat the stairs at the doors behind Roberto) But in the mean time, Im curious as to why you didnt blow up the building while I was here?
Roberto: (Sits upright and looks at Mr. Gray) How did you know that?
Mr. Gray: Lets just say, I gave you the idea.
Roberto: (Keeps staring at Mr. Gray) Please explain.
Mr. Gray: Well, Im sure you know Marissa. She has been relaying messages between me and you, such as your plan to blow this building up and other things.
Roberto: So shes been on your side?
Mr. Gray: Perhaps.
Roberto: (Starts to get frustrated) Stop being so vague. That is a yes or no question.
Mr. Gray: Not at the moment it isnt.
Roberto: What are you talking about?
Mr. Gray: Once the secret is revealed, everything will become clear.
Roberto: (Clutches the pistols) What the f*ck is the secret? Now I have to know.
Mr. Gray: I told you, it will be revealed soon.
Roberto: (Stands up and pints the pistols at Mr. Gray) What the hell is it?!
Mr. Gray: (Remains seated) I wouldnt do that.
Roberto: (Cocks the guns) Why not? Why not blow your head off now?
Mr. Gray: (Chuckles) That would ruin the secret.
Roberto: (Holds the guns steady) Tell me the secret now!
Mr. Gray: I think youre friends are here. So you should know in about a few seconds.
Roberto: (Points one gun at the door and one at Mr. Gray) How the hell do I know its them?!
Mr. Gray: What? You dont trust me?
Roberto: (Keeps switching between the door and Mr. Gray) Who the hell are they?! (Watches as the doors open and fires a shot) Oh sh*t
Sweet: (Falls on his knees with his hand over his stomach) Nigga shot me.
Carl: (Stares at Roberto) Wha tha hell is ya problem? Ya shot Sweet.
Roberto: (Staring at Sweet on the floor) Um one second.
Carl: Roberto! Get ya ass ova here an help me out.
Roberto: (Looks over at Carl) One minute!
Carl: (Walks over to Roberto) Help me wit Sweet! (Grabs Roberto)
Roberto: (Pulls away) One f*cking minute!
Carl: What are you waiting for?!
Roberto: For Mr. Gray to tell me this secret!
Carl: (Pulls out his pistol) Where is he?
Roberto: (Turns around) Right there! (Points his pistols at an empty chair) What the
Carl: Well?
Roberto: (Looks around the room) I think I know the secret
Posted 26 July 2006 - 12:30 AM
Excellent job, man, keep it up.
Posted 26 July 2006 - 02:00 AM
Here's your pay from me:
Five cookies for every chapter. Enjoy!
Hmmm, if only there was a milk emoticon...
Posted 27 July 2006 - 02:45 AM
Chapter 32: The Storm
Friday December 31st, 2006. 3:07 P.M.
Roberto looked around the room trying to find Mr. Gray, but to no avail. Carl and Sweet are looking at him as if he had lost his mind. Maybe he has
Roberto: (Looking at Carl) I swear, I was talking to Mr. Gray. He was sitting here. I was having a conversation with him.
Carl: (Grabs Roberto by his shoulders) Look man, no one is sittin there. Its empty.
Sweet: (Slowly gets up with his hand still over the bullet wound) Man, les get outta here. He jus shot me, an tha aint cool.
Roberto: (Pulls away from Carl and looks at Sweet) Fine. Leave. I dont need you anymore. Ive figured out whats going on anyways. (Starts to riffle through the desk)
Carl: (Looks at Roberto across the desk) Wha is goin on Roberto?
Roberto: (Finds a book in the drawer) Im trying to figure that out.
Sweet: Well, Im out. (Looks at Carl) Ya comin?
Carl: (Looks at Roberto one last time then to Sweet) Fine. Were goin back ta Los Santos. I should neva ave come here. All this fo nothin. (Leaves the room with Sweet)
Roberto: (Watches as Sweet and Carl enter the elevator) What the hell is going on here? (Opens the book and starts to read) Dear Roberto, if you are reading this than you must have stumbled onto what has been happening. If you havent figured out for yourself, than let me put it in black and white for you. You are me. I am your split personality. I hope this doesnt change our relationship (Slams the book shut) That cant be possible.
Mr. Gray: (Walks up to Roberto) Not necessarily. It is completely possible.
Roberto: (Spins around and points the gun at Mr. Gray) What the hell is going on?
Mr. Gray: (Laughs) I told you it would be much more amusing if I saw you figure it out for yourself.
Roberto: (Cocks the gun) Then explain how Joey was working for me, while I was in Vice. I want to hear that explanation.
Mr. Gray: Well, the Mr. Gray Joey worked for is not the same Mr. Gray you know.
Roberto: As if that couldnt get any vaguer, explain.
Mr. Gray: (Thinks for a moment) Well, I got someone to dress up the way you described me as looking so Joey knew it was me. Then I, or should I say you, called the impersonator and gave him orders.
Roberto: Well, that will sort of explain that, in a way, but what about everything else?
Mr. Gray: Everything else?
Roberto: Well, obviously this isnt my corporation. Who owns it?
Mr. Gray: This should be interesting to tell you. (Clears his throat) How clearly do you remember the night of August 10th, 2006?
Roberto: (Lowers the gun and thinks for a second) You mean the night I killed Claude Speed?
Mr. Gray: Yes, that night. How did you kill Mr. Speed again?
Roberto: (Tries hard to remember) I think it was (Sees a mental image of him throwing Claude into the trunk of a car and parking it in the Harwood junkyard) I threw him into the trunk of a car and let the car crusher do the rest. There is no way he could have survived.
Mr. Gray: Are you sure he went into the car crusher?
Roberto: (Strains his brain thinking of that night) The only thing I remember is throwing him into the trunk and parking it under the crane magnet.
Mr. Gray: (Chuckles) Well, what if I told you, in-between the time you parked the car, and you arrived at Joeys, I was in control. What then?
Roberto: (His eyes dart around the room) That would mean Claude is alive
Mr. Gray: Perhaps.
Roberto: (Raises his gun again) What kind of game are you playing, and what does this have to do with your corporation?
Mr. Gray: Does the name Kelsey Vercetti ring a bell?
Roberto: (Walks up to Mr. Gray and shoves the gun into his ribs) What did you do with her?
Mr. Gray: (Looks down at the gun) What are you going to do? Shoot your imaginary friend?
Roberto: (Pulls the trigger and sees the bullet fly through Mr. Gray and plant itself in the wall across the room) God damn it
Mr. Gray: Now, put the gun down because it wont do you any good.
Roberto: I want answers first.
Mr. Gray: Only if the question is a yes or no question.
Roberto: (Thinks for a second) Well, did Claude Speed help in anyway with this corporation?
Mr. Gray: Yes.
Roberto: Is he in the building?
Mr. Gray: Yes.
Roberto: Is Kelsey in trouble? (Looks at Mr. Gray) Is she in trouble?
Mr. Gray: (Pauses for a few seconds) Yes.
Roberto: So then the final question is; Is Claude Speed putting her in danger?
Mr. Gray: (Nods) Yes.
Roberto: (Lifts the gun up) Thanks for being so helpful. (Bashes Mr. Gray over the head) Even though bullets cant hurt you, at least I can still bash your brains out. (Runs out of the room)
Mr. Gray: (Watches Roberto leave) I hope you arent too late! (Lies down on the floor)
Friday December 31st, 2006. 3:36 P.M.
Roberto is running around the building trying to find Claudes location. He has searched the first ten floors, but found no one. The building is empty of anyone and everyone.
Roberto: (Stops to catch his breath) Where the hell can he be? (Looks straight up) He might be on the roof (Runs up the emergency stairs to the roof) God damn it, I hope he hasnt done anything he is going to regret. (Reaches the top of the stairs and sees the roof access door) This is it. (Kicks in the door and sees and empty pool basin along with some empty shacks) What the hell is this place? (Looks to his right and sees Claude standing on the roofs edge with an M4 hanging out of his right hand and Kelsey tied up sitting next to him) f*ck, maybe I can catch him off guard
Claude: (Points the gun at Kelseys head and shakes his head)
Roberto: (Stops walking) Claude what do you think youre doing?
Claude: (Turns around and looks Roberto in the eyes. He then lifts up his M4, points it at Robertos pistol and waves the gun to tell him to drop the pistol)
Roberto: (Puts pistol on the floor) Claude give me Kelsey.
Claude: (Shakes his head and grabs Kelseys hair)
Roberto: (Watches Kelsey try to pull away, but is pulled towards Claude) She hasnt done a thing to you. Let her go, and die like a man. Dont hide behind a girl.
Claude: (Gives a little smirk and throws Kelsey aside)
Roberto: Now, just drop your gun.
Claude: (Shakes his head slowly aims the M4 at Robertos head)
Roberto: (Grins) I knew you were going to pull that. (Pulls out the other pistol and shoots Claudes right knee)
Claude: (Looses balance and pulls the trigger causing the bullets to spray all across the roof)
Roberto: (Jumps into the empty pool basin) That should keep him preoccupied. Now, I have to get Kelsey out of here safely. (Pokes his head over the pools edge and sees Claude regaining balance)
Claude: (Stands up and looks at the pool basin. He slowly limps to the pool edge reloading the gun on the way)
Roberto: (Listens to Claudes footsteps) Three two one (Grabs Claudes foot as he steps near the edge and throws him onto the basin floor) Now for Kelsey. (Runs over and picks up Kelsey) Ill put you in this shack for now. (Places Kelsey in a shack near the roof access stairwell)
Claude: (Climbs out of the pool and aims the M4 at Robertos shoulder and fires. He lands a shot on Robertos shoulder)
Roberto: (Throws his right hand over the wound) Mute mother f*cker. (Points his pistol at Claudes stomach and blows two bullets into it)
Claude: (Stumbles back from the recoil and drops his M4. He tries to steady himself)
Roberto: (Runs over to Claude and knees him in the ribs) I should have seen to it you died that night. (Grabs Claude and slides him across the rooftop so he is one foot away from the edge)
Claude: (Tries to get up but is stopped by another kick from Roberto into the ribs)
Roberto: (Feels rain start to fall) Well, this is the end for you Claude Speed. (Picks Claude up by his jacket and hangs him over the buildings edge)
Claude: (Struggles to get out of the grip but is beat in the face with Robertos fist)
Roberto: (Stares into Claudes eyes) You are going to die, right about (Lets go of Claude) Now.
Claude: (Grabs Robertos foot as he falls)
Roberto: (Grabs onto the roofs edge while Claude hangs onto his foot) f*ck! (Tightens his grip on the ledge) get the hell off of me! (Tries shaking his foot, but Claude has a grip on it)
Claude: (Grabs the jeans Roberto is wearing and starts to slowly climb up Roberto)
Roberto: (The rain starts to loosen his grip on the roof) Kelsey!
Claude: (He has managed to climb onto Robertos back)
Roberto: (Starts yelling) Kelsey! It would be great if you came! (Starts to claw up to keep his grip on the roof)
Claude: (Shoves his heels into Robertos shoulders and leaps onto the building top)
Roberto: (Stares up at Claudes soaked face) Go ahead, I dare you.
Claude: (Steps on Robertos right hand and stands to grind it into the roof)
Roberto: (Tries to grab Claudes foot but fails) This is the end then Claude.
Claude: (Gives off a wicked grin then steps on Robertos other hand)
Roberto: (Looks up again at Claude and sees a figure with a gun) Hey Claude, think fast
Claude: (Looks at Roberto then hears bullets pierce the rain and start to enter his back. He falls onto his knees then falls off the building)
Roberto: (Tries with all the strength left and pulls himself onto the roof) Thanks.
Kelsey: (Drops the M4) Youre bleeding badly! (Runs over to Roberto)
Roberto: (Waves Kelsey off and slowly rises to his feet) You were a bit late, but its okay. I just need to get some tequila and gauze.
Kelsey: (Looks at Roberto) Well, youre coming back to Vice with me.
Roberto: I cant, not right now. I need to finish something. Meet me at the airport. (Walks into the stairwell and heads down to his final meeting)
Posted 27 July 2006 - 04:03 AM
Heres your pay like I promised:
Kudos on another fabulous chapter.
Posted 27 July 2006 - 05:38 AM
Posted 29 July 2006 - 01:22 AM
|QUOTE (The general2 @ Jul 27 2006, 01:38)
|good chapter man i am glad that you mit have killed cluade cause he is a mute mother f*cker
Another dynamite chapter, Cubanwhip. Now you need something healthy after all those cookies.
Posted 30 July 2006 - 02:20 AM
|QUOTE (Archaon, Lord of End Times @ Jul 29 2006, 01:22)
Another dynamite chapter, Cubanwhip. Now you need something healthy after all those cookies.
Hmmm, then I should pay you in cookies and bread... I'm getting anxious, I need to read the next chapter!
Posted 30 July 2006 - 02:43 AM Edited by S. Leone, 30 July 2006 - 02:46 AM.
Posted 31 July 2006 - 07:08 PM
Posted 01 August 2006 - 05:32 AM
Posted 01 August 2006 - 06:09 PM
Posted 01 August 2006 - 10:44 PM
Posted 06 August 2006 - 03:25 AM
Chapter 33: One After the Other
Friday December 31st, 2006. 4:01 P.M.
Roberto is speeding down past Bedford Point in his Leone Sentinel. He looks at the once bright and beautiful neon signs fly by. They are now dark and desolate. The sun is setting and the rain is still falling hard. The car has a hard time gripping the road as he speeds and makes his way to Portland.
Roberto: (Turns on the windshield wipers) Damn rain, always coming at the most dramatic moments. I just hope I make it to the house before its too late. (Speeds across the Callahan bridge and head towards Saint Marks) It doesnt seem to be letting up. Anyways (Pulls out his pistol and loads it) Let me just get ready. (Makes a right and looks up the street straight ahead and stops the car) That wall up there has always blocked Joeys house. Shame though, the house would look beautiful over looking this street. It would make it more pleasant, and less desolate. (Makes a right and parks inside an alleyway) Well, Im here; now to finish tie up loose ends and return to Vice City. (Walks up to the door and knocks) Wait until I see the look on her face.
Marissa: (Opens the door and looks at shocked) Oh my god! Youre alive!
Roberto: (Points the gun at Marissas head) Aw, isnt that cute. You were worried. You can quite playing stupid because I know about your lying ass. Fess up.
Marissa: (Looks at the gun barrel, then back at Roberto) How much do you know?
Roberto: (Holds the gun steady) Everything. Im just here to tie up loose ends. (Cocks the gun)
Marissa: (Starts to cry) What is that suppose to mean? Are you going to kill me?
Roberto: (Gives her an evil smirk) Well, you have been lying to me for the past months. I was my own worst enemy, and you were just playing along with it. You were relaying messages between both my personalities.
Marissa: (Wipes her tears off) What?
Roberto: (Walks up to her and rubs the gun barrel up and down the length of her cheek) I told you to not play dumb with me.
Marissa: (Shoves the gun away from her face and looks a little flustered) I dont know what youre talking about. Yes, its true that I have been giving messages between you and Mr. Gray, but what is it with the personalities? (Pauses for a few seconds and realizes the situation) Oh my god you are Mr. Gray
Roberto: (Looks at her like she was crazy) What? You didnt know that? Thats a load of bullsh*t. (Points the gun at her forehead)
Marissa: (Looks at the gun barrel) No! I didnt know, I swear!
Roberto: I dont believe youre f*cking lying ass.
Marissa: (Starts to get angry) Now I see it.
Roberto: See what?
Marissa: I see how you and Mr. Gray are alike. You have the same temper. You are slowly becoming him.
Roberto: (Cracks his neck and sticks the gun inside Marissas mouth) Take that back.
Marissa: (Shakes her head and tries to speak with the gun barrel in her mouth) Neha.
Roberto: So be it (Pulls the gun out of her mouth) Well Marissa, its been a blast. Hope you burn in hell. (Shoots a clean shot straight through her forehead) There, thats it.
Mr. Gray: (Steps out of the shadows) That was one smooth move.
Roberto: (Turns around and looks at Mr. Gray) Just who I was looking for.
Mr. Gray: Really? Well, what do you want? Im here.
Roberto: Well, its time to take you out of the picture.
Mr. Gray: (Laughs) Roberto, now how will you go about doing that?
Roberto: The only way I can. (Points his gun to his own head)
Mr. Gray: Well played. So what are you going to do? Kill yourself? That would not be very wise. I mean, it might get rid of me, but my organization is still up. Even after my death, Liberty will perish under it.
Roberto: Then Ill take care of that first. (Pulls the detonator out of his pocket)
Mr. Gray: You still have it? I thought you lost it?
Roberto: Nope. (Presses the button and an echoing roar is heard across the entire city) So, now with that out of the picture, you have nothing.
Mr. Gray: Correct, aside from little Ms. Vercetti. I had a chance to send one of my lackeys to pick her up at the airport. I hope you dont mind if she joins us?
Roberto: (Hears a tire screech outside) That is impossible. How is she going to see you and me?
Mr. Gray: Well, I guess it will just be you two in the room, or maybe me and her. (Grins)
Roberto: (Stares blankly at Mr. Gray) You wouldnt
Kelsey: (Gets shoved through the door and is shut behind her) Roberto! Im so glad to see you. Whats happening here?
Roberto: (Grabs Kelsey by the shoulders) Get out of here now!
Kelsey: (Looks around) Why? Were safe in here.
Roberto: You dont understand, I am my own worst enemy. I am Mr. Gray. He is my split personality. You need to get out of here!
Kelsey: (Shakes her head) No, that isnt possible.
Roberto: He has already threatened to kill you.
Kelsey: (Shakes off Robertos hands) But then that means, you would kill me
Roberto: (Runs to the window and throws the gun out of it) Search this apartment for anything that can be used as a weapon and throw it out the window.
Kelsey: (Stands in the middle of the room and Roberto walks around grabbing various objects and throwing them out the window) I refuse to believe it. You cant be him.
Roberto: (Throws a drawer full of knives out the window) You have to get out of here or I will kill you.
Kelsey: (Grabs Roberto) I wont let you.
Roberto: (Throws her off) You have no choice! Mr. Gray is going to come out and strangle you, or worse.
Kelsey: (Starts to pace and occasionally look at Roberto) What if I tie you down?
Roberto: (Looks around the room and pulls a chair to the center of the room) Find something to tie me down with.
Kelsey: (Pulls off her belt and ties Robertos arms behind his back) There. Are your legs necessary?
Roberto: Yeah. Rip that curtain and tie my legs to the chair.
Kelsey: (Runs over and rips the curtain and proceeds to tie Roberto to the chair) What should I do now?
Roberto: (Looks around) Try to climb out the window.
Kelsey: (Looks out the window and sees the mess from all the potential weapons four floors below) Its too high, I cant do it.
Roberto: (Twists his head around to look at Kelsey) On second thought, just untie me, and we can figure something out.
Kelsey: (Walks over and starts to untie Roberto, but stops) Wait, what if Mr. Gray comes out?
Roberto: Dont worry about that, just untie me.
Kelsey: (Unties his legs) Are you sure?
Roberto: (Grins) No. (Kicks Kelsey across the face causing her to slide across the room) Oh, Im sorry, did I hurt you?
Kelsey: (Looks up at Roberto) Oh no youre Mr. Gray.
Roberto/Mr. Gray: (Grabs Kelsey by the neck) You should have stayed in Vice City you whore.
Kelsey: (Watches her feet leave the floor) Let go of me!
Roberto/Mr. Gray: (Tightens his grip on her neck) No. I have to kill you, then your father, then Im going to own everything from here to Vice City. I will be unstoppable.
Kelsey: (Starts swinging her legs and catches him in the ribs causing him to drop her) Asshole. (Runs towards the door but is stopped by another man)
Man: (Chuckles) Where are you going in such a rush?
Roberto/Mr. Gray: (Stands up and recovers from the blow from Kelsey) Good job Mr. Toreno. Just keep her there so I can finish her up. (Pulls out a pistol from and ankle holster) Im surprised Roberto forgot about this little gun. (Points it at Kelsey) Any last words?
Kelsey: (Elbows Mike in the stomach and grabs his pistol and points it at Roberto) Put the gun down!
Roberto/Mr. Gray: Kelsey, you put the gun down. You dont know what youre getting yourself into.
Mike: (Grabs Kelsey from behind and jerks her arm to throw the pistol across the room) Go ahead, kill her.
Roberto/Mr. Gray: (Winks) My pleasure. (Shoots the mini pistol and Mike Torenos dead body hits the floor)
Kelsey: (Turns around and looks at Mikes body then turns around and looks at Roberto) Is that you?
Roberto: (Smiles) Of course. Now we can go to Vice and I can get a psychiatrist to help me with this schizophrenia.
Kelsey: (Runs over and hugs Roberto) Do you think you can make it to Vice without Mr. Gray regaining control of your body?
Roberto: (Embraces Kelsey) Im not sure, but I will try my hardest to stop him. (Walks over to Mikes dead body) And to believe I trusted this rat. (Kicks the body) Lets go. I need some rest. (Heads outside)
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Managing Joint Disease in the Sport Horse
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JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The president of South Africa's football association and four other leading officials have been suspended in the wake of a FIFA report into a match-fixing scandal, the country's soccer authority said on Monday.
Kirsten Nematandani and a quartet of SAFA administrators, including new chief executive officer Dennis Mumble, have been relieved of duty for their role in the fixing of four friendlies South Africa played ahead of the 2010 World Cup.
A FIFA investigation into the activity of convicted Singaporean match-fixer Wilson Perumal and his Football 4U organization highlighted the involvement of the five South African officials, a press briefing was told.
The results of matches against Thailand, Bulgaria, Colombia and Guatemala in the weeks leading up the 2010 World Cup were found to have been pre-arranged to benefit an Asian betting syndicate.
Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by John O'Brien