April Showers Bring May Air Force 1s.

Uptowns baby, uptowns baby...

It was a long winter. But the hibernation is finally over and look at what the nice weather has brought us. On some ninja shit, these joints tip-toed into the stockroom and nobody knew. No sites, no blogs, no forums, no internets- nothing. On Thursday I was told to hit 21 Mercer on Saturday and that was it. I was able to get a little more info and a peek at one of the supposed releases and my interests were piqued.



What we have here are 2 treats, both exclusive to 21 Mercer. The light grey pair was what got me open. Only thing was that the pair I saw was a dark gray, closer to graphite with the ice sole. Shits are so mean. Instead a metallic platinum/matte silver pair was released, style # 381663 001. These are a rare treat and actually the try on pairs for the Air Force 1 Low Premium MX ID, the newest version of the Air Force 1 ID. The try on air force pairs are always a shade of gray and always dope.



This newest version of the IDs have a supreme air force sole, meaning a visible air bubble. There has always been one, thus the "AIR" in air force 1, but until recently it was tucked away. Now you're able to create a sneaker with that sole. The IDs retail for $300, but don't worry, I didn't pay that much. All they cost me was some donuts, not just any donuts. Doughnut Plant donuts. And the Blackout joint. Fucking incredible. Words can't express the greatness. That's the new shit- donuts for kicks. Barter (batter) makes the world go round.



The quality is next galaxy. Creamy soft leather with a suede swoosh and heel tab and the ill sole. Simple. I'd compare them to a a really basic pasta dish with great ingredients. Home made pasta, some fresh mushrooms and a little butter from a local cow named Betty topped with some freshly grated parmigiano reggiano. Capiche? I'm going to call these shits my tagliatelle con funghis. So Italian.




The next joints are part of the Nike 1World series, "18 global influencers harking from the fields of sport, design, music, art and fashion. Each one a visionary. Each one a lifelong devotee to the Air Force 1." That comment is a bit of a stretch but until I'm a 1Worlder I can't say shit. Remember these?

Rio Ferdinand of Manchester United designed these and I have to admit, he did his thing. Again, really simple, but the little touches here and there make these shits say uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh- Nah nah nah nah. Several gold swoosh on white air forces have been released over the past couple of years but the quality was terrible and they didn't validate a purchase. Not true- I copped the 25th anniversary pair but never wore it so does that count? If a sneaker is purchased but never worn and then sold- was it really part of the lineup? I think not.



Like the ID samples, these are on some next level quality. Premium leather sitting on an opaque ice sole. The air unit is visible if you look hard enough. The ice sole raises a red flag as it has the potential to turn piss yellow, but time will tell. The box labels are getting really confusing. No longer does it just say "Air Force 1." As the pair above has to be deciphered, so do these. Air Force 1 Low Sprm INFL6. Sprm being Supreme and INFL6 being Influencer. Not sure why the number 6. Colorway is white/metallic gold- university blue, style # 352633 171. That's another thing, why are there so many different style numbers- the first 6 digits- for air force 1 lows? Whatever.



The toebox, side panels and heel tab have crocodile textured leather and it should be noted that at all seams the leather is pleated, showing no stitch. I don't really dig that look as it makes the back and toe panel appear puffy, but I'll ride with it for now. The eyestay has gold stitching which works real well, and the tongue label is baby blue with gold letters. Baby blue and gold is a win. UCLA, Minneapolis Lakers, Nuggets, etc.



On the right foot a "V" is stitched on the heel tab and on the left a "5" is. For some reason I've always dug the intricacies such as heel tab, ankle and insole graphics, especially stitching. The dubrae on the right foot reads LF-1 06 while the left foot reads TF-1 08. No clue.



The insole reads:

"IF...."I got to play just 1 minute of professional football, I would die a happy man!"

Rio Ferdinand

Not that it really matters who Rio Ferdinand is, because I would have copped anyway, but he's highly celebrated as the centre back for Manchester United and a member of the England national team. Since Man U is sort of like the Yankees in terms of dominance and he's the stand-in captain for the team and he's of mixed descent, he's kind of like Jeter. Rio, if you're reading this, you should be extremely flattered.

Every Time I Walk Away, They Keep Pulling Me Back.

These just dropped overseas and should be dropping stateside in the next month or so. I love the OG safari colorway so these might be a go. After releasing a billion air forces for the 25th anniversary in 2007, word was that Nike would fall back from over saturation mode. Well, they lied. So far at least 30 pairs have dropped in '08 and many more are on the way. The above shoe is part of an Air Max inspired Air Force line slated for April to late summer drops.

Air Force 1/ Mowabb:


Air Force 1/ Neon 95s:


Air Force 1/ Wildwood:


Air Force 1/ Air Max 90 Infrared:


Air Force 1/ Air Max 97:



The inspiration for the safari...



All this air force talk got me summer time day dreaming. And that Sheek Louch "Good Love" joint is the perfect accompaniment. Even the most lyrical/bedroom beat making/fuck hot 97 cats should recognize this. As long as you got ears you should be able to rock. Summer time comes early type steez.

Sheek Louch- Good Love

I Know You Got Sole- White Sole That Is.

When I saw these Huarache Air Force Ones and read they were about to drop next month I got open ($125). Real open. Royal blue is number one on the color scale and all white soles are a rare and lost art form. Perfection squared. The lime green lining adds a little extra, but that's just a throw in. It's the sole that separates the Air Force 1 from the dunk, court force, vandal, etc. The sole is what defines the sneaker. That thick, bulky, NYC storm trooping sole. So of course it plays an intricate role in design, and depending on how it is tweaked, the final product can be a sure shot classic or just a come and go colorway. With that said, I've come to realize that solid soles on air force 1s are a beautiful thing. Especially all white soles. It fully brings out whatever colors are sitting atop them. The contrast with the white makes you pay attention to whatever is happening above the sole (white on whites excluded.) I would prefer not using the term "pop", but the shit "pops" on a white sole. Peep my "pop"-offs "pop"-po before you get "pop"-ped for being un-"pop"-ular. Word is born.



In all the years I can remember, and I've been wearing forces since around 1990, the utilization of an all white sole is very far and few between. I can remember 20 or so all white soles since the early '90s. There have been close to 1,000 different Air Force 1s manufactured over the last 25 years or so. We're talking about 2-4 percent here. Rarefied territory. Maybe that's why they're dope to me- the novelty of it. But it's more than that. Aesthetically they're kind of bugged. We're brought up in a symmetrical world and these buck the trend. They keep you off kilter. There's no full circle.



I own 4 pairs of white soles. It's becoming very clear to me why I own them. Originally I wouldn't point to the sole when discussing the sneakers. I'd mention it in terms of the simplicity, but now I understand that the sole was the motivating factor for the purchase. Or maybe I knew it, but just couldn't articulate. One of the pairs, the Orcas- black and white like the whale, has been discussed in detail and received top honors at Nike Mercer. For one day I wore the dopest shit on the planet. Period. I still swear these are some of the baddest joints. That's why I had to double up.



Another pair is the white with light stone trim. What a beauty. Packer's in Teaneck had them on the humble one day and luckily an 11.5 was in the stockroom. These are so close to a white on white, but oh so far. I was surprised to see these since they were out several years prior. A spot on the Concourse off 188th St. in the Fordham area of the Bronx- not the spot that stunk like ass- but the one next to it- had them for years just sitting on the wall. Just not my size. With such minimal color on the sneaker you would think the outsole would add some flavor. But Nike took the minimalist approach and won. There is only color outlining the swoosh, on the heel tab, tongue tag, and the "AIR" on the sole. Nike used the same coloring template with pink in 2004 as a quickstrike. I never liked pink but I kind of dug the sneaker. Now I know why. Even when Cam had the whole New York wearing pink I had to puff puff pass.




The other 2 white soles went against my anti-patent leather M.O. But the relaxed feel of the wrinkled leather made them approachable. That's what I hate about patent leather. It's too stiff and shiny. Ease up a little. And I got a reasonable price so I went in. They are part of the Slam Jam pack, Slam Jam being an Italian streetwear brand. There was also a hard to find all yellow and all black pair (see above- not mine). The simplicity got me again. The all white leather/rubber sole, referred to as an insideout sole, made the colors, for lack of a better word, "pop". That varsity red is crazy.



If I could turn back the hands of time, here's a list of the all white soles I'd make sure to cop multiples of. We need to spark it with the all purple highs from '93. Man I love those. A truly beautiful sneaker. Nike's never used that purple on an air force since. These won the NYC Nike 1 Vote which I posted back in January of '08 so they might be reproduced. But there was some controversy with the vote count- seriously- so who knows. That pic isn't mine- mine are long gone, but I copped them in Foot Action in Cross County in Yonkers. Nowadays that place has absolutely nothing. These are close to impossible to find in great condition, and if so, you're dropping way more than you'd want.



Next up would be the 1996 Olympic pair of lows. All white with a navy swoosh and "USA" on the heel tab in red, white and gold. Such a nice quality sneaker. And so clean. Perfect in the summertime with that Yankee fitted. Impossible to find.



Nike must have been into the all white sole because these joints came out around the same time as the USAs. Or they had problems in the factory dying the rubber. These snake joints are mean. Putting snake on the heel tab gives them a much richer feel. There is also a pair with a navy snakeskin swoosh that is just as fly. IMPOSSIBLE to find.



In 2005 this pair dropped and I should be in possession of them. But I slept. Originally a Euro release as part of the Matrix pack, these seeped into several foot lockers/champs in the tri-state area. I remember holding these in the Fordham Foot Locker but 10.5 was the biggest size they had. Shits are fire. Crocodile skin uppers with the black swoosh and gold outline. "AIR" and the line in black on the sole but we can fuck with it. Attainable with the proper amount of work.



One last joint that is so ill to me are these. Dropped in 2007 but never released commercially- only 24 pairs I hear to VIPs- this color combo is sick. I keep telling you I don't need crazy shit on my feet. This is my rendition of "30 Something." Burgundy forces are so ill, and don't drop too often.

Thanks to Sole Collector and Kicksonfire.com for providing several of the photos. It's difficult to find images of a lot of these joints. The Japanese mags got them but the scans wouldn't come out too well. If you're interested in stepping up your uptown knowledge head over to Nike's 1Thology. They have images of close to 1,000 Air Forces.



I felt it would be fitting to bring some symmetry to this post. I'm sure a lot of you are freaked out right now. Your color allotment meters must be all askew. So I'm going to land this baby and bring some normalcy back to life. The counterpart of the all white sole is the all colored sole. That can get its own post, but for now it will serve as the yang to the first sneaker's yin. This spring an all white air force with a completely royal sole will be dropping at Footlocker for $88. You know I was hyped about these too- though that pricepoint means shitty quality. Fuck it. We can take it back and rock opposites. Just put the scream green laces in the white to balance it out. How fresh? So fresh.

Sneakers & Drugs Don't Mix- Busy P Air Force 1.

Thursday, 11/30/08, 4 pm, marked the release of the Busy P Nike Air Force 1 at the Nike Sportswear store on Mercer St. Eager little snearkerheads had been lining up nights before to ensure they would be one of the few people to put rainbows on their feet. Wristbands were given out that morning to those in line so chaos wouldn't ensue as the clock reached 16 hours and so that Mercer St. wouldn't become a sneaker covention. I happened to stroll by a little after 5 pm and walked out with a pair close to 6:30. All in a hard day's work.

As part of the 1World pack, Nike has chosen individuals over the globe they consider "influencers." Most recently ?uestlove from The Roots created an air force 1 (wack) and the graf artist Krink has an Air Force 1 (dope) dropping shortly. Busy P is a French DJ/prodcucer and founder/owner of Ed Banger Records who has worked with Daft Punk and Cassius, along with a slew of other house artists. I personally don't care for his shit, but I'm sure some pill poppers do. You be the judge HERE. Keep it on for more than 2 minutes and your brain can't take it. Especially on a Sunday evening after a weekend of imbibition.

Busy definitely took creative control to the next level with this one- something I complement. The left sneaker is considered the "Craziness Side" while the right sneaker is the "Reason Side." I'm hoping that deep inside his noodle he was playing a joke on sneaker enthusiasts and creating something that most people would consider ugly, and that's being polite. Even if that's not the case, I'll believe it is.









Here's an image of the throng of people outside 21 Mercer just as the doors opened. Props to freshnessmag.com for the photo.

The Beginning of the End.

For me at least when it comes to kick copping. You might hate yourself for watching this, so don't say I didn't warn you. This is a harrowing expose into sneaker culture and should be watched by all. I really don't want to come off like I'm spewing vitriolic lungies. I am still sick so lungies are inevitable, but I'm trying to keep them benign. This flu still wants to chill in the crib. I've made it clear to get the fuck out. On top of that the antibiotics are nasty- full disclosure, I can't swallow pills and these taste worse than the worse taste you can imagine- and it lingers. Back to the video- good for dude that he can afford to cop kicks that have a cumulative value of a down payment on a house. Unless he's the white Rick Ross, I imagine his parents are funding his footwear escapades. To be fair I do like the Air Force 1 Low ID he did- red/white swoosh with the gum bottom is clean- I just would have had a white stich on the sole instead of the red.

The problem with this video, aside from his excessive use of yessirs, strongs, earlies, terrible grammar, and the fact that he wears his shades in the crib, is that the sneaker isn't important, but the price and exclusivity are. It turns into one big pissing contest and becomes a competition between dudes trying to one up each other. Price and availability will always affect an opinion, it's a fact, but the sneaker itself should be the determining factor- how it looks, colors, etc. That is lost today. These young kids, even young adults, are so caught up in it and trying to be fly that they stress their parents or drop every dollar they saved up mowing lawns on some rare shit. That's some pressure. All we had to worry about back in the days was a Starter jacket and possibly a pair of Jordans. Or a pair of Cavariccis for my Italianos. Not $800 Nike SBs (that the Nike Skate Boarding division).

I haven't paid more than 2 bills on a pair of kicks and have no plans of doing so. The first $200 sneaker I copped was the Air Max 95 Neon 1999 retro. This was the 2nd retro of that model, 1997 being the first, and I loved that shoe having never copped it in 1995. I thought I had a connect at Hermann's to get a pair back then but it fell through. So I waited, and finally I pounced. If anything I felt bad for dropping 2 bills- this was around 2001- and the price wasn't anything I wanted to talk about. I would rather brag about getting a steal. Having some clean joints on the feet was all I needed. Turned out the sz 12 was too small. I needed a 13, 12.5 would have been perfect but that's almost impossible to find. I wound up getting a sz 13 off a friend several years ago so it's gravy now. To all potential AM95 buyers, be aware that they run small.

The fucked up thing is that these companies are so aware of the spending habits of this sneaker copping population that they have began to design and produce kicks that start at a price point that the average consumer might find appalling. It should be noted that the excessive prices being paid are not to a direct Nike retailer, but rather to a reseller or consignment shop, namely Flight Club. That means Nike isn't seeing that grotesque mark-up. I imagine Nike's on some Frank White King of NY shit, "A pair of forces get sold on Ebay- I want in." (Give it a listen- this shit never gets old.)

The Nike army moves fast. Special Ops scouted and they're reconnaissance has become evident. They now make an Air Force 1 Supreme Max which retailed in '07 for $225, but with the recession looming nowadays, the price dropped to an even $200. Thank you Nike. Now I can buy milk. Retail on the lowest air force model is $85, followed by $125-$135, increased to $150-$175 depending on the type of release, and then to the $200 cadillac of forces. The $85 model is complete shit- looks and feels like plastic and creases like a motherfucker. The next models might be decent but the majority of quality seem to be only a touch better. The Supreme Max are really nice though- leather insole and lining- top quality leather and a visible air bubble. We shouldn't have to justify the price by saying the quality is great. I mean the quality should be great regardless of the model. But these marketers know how to play and by having us think it's better, we can justify dropping that loot. A lot of the pairs get marked down since they are so expensive- but $150 for a pair of forces is still a grip.

Having completed my diatribe, I am still madly in love with sneakers. I wonder if it's possible to love sneakers and not cop. I will begin the experiment. There are a couple on my hitlist that will be grandfathered- just need to complete the puzzle. About 2 months ago I took photos for a sneaker magazine that was interested in featuring my Air Force 1s. I don't think they're going to run due to the not-so-professional quality of the images. They work GREAT for this blog however, so I'll share. It took so much energy taking those shits out and putting them back that it's only right that somebody reaps the fruits of my labor. The first pair bottom left cost me $62 and they made 24,364 pairs, then $93 limited to 12,500 pairs, then $85... I kid. The fucked up shit is that I remember the price and location of coppage for almost each sneaker. Good memories I guess, or trauma inducing which cause me to carry this shit everyday.

Howfresh's Kicks Spotted at 21 Mercer.

And his brown socks. Peep it HERE.

These motherfucking paparazzi can't let the kid breathe. I mean I'm looking at kicks and they swarm me on some boy band shit. I started getting mad claustrophobic and the walls started to cave in. That's why you see me about to lunge at the lens. Last time I let security cop bootleg Louis on Canal.

On the plus side your boy was chosen amongst 2,426 shoeheads as having the "sneaker of the day" at 21 Mercer St. An arduous journey to the peak of Mt. Mysneakersaretheshit, but well worth it. It's a daily occurrence, cats line up to be granted the honor of carrying the torch.



What we have here are the Nike Air Force 1 Orcas from mid 2004. Black and white. That's it. Mad simple, but in my top 5 of all time. I have all these colorful joints in boxes that scream too loud for me, not for me as in "Wear Me!!" but as in look at my feet. I prefer quiet, simple, powerful shit. People think you're wearing all whites, and then (insert sound of killer whale). The black swoosh and back panels set it off. But what really catches people off guard is the all white sole. That makes the black sections pop that much more. That's why it's imperative that these remain clean. The crisp white needs to contrast with the black, otherwise the shit doesn't work. Summer time you see them out the gate, but with jeans on you play mind games.

I believe the "Orca" title derived from the similarities it shares with the Orca aka Killer Whale. These were part of a pack with the Air Trainer 1 and Dunk Hi, and a dunk lo was released a little later. This could be total bullshit but I recall reading that the designer of the pack was a Japanese cat named Oruka, and that was the official name of the pack. But the coincidence of the colors and orca makes that hard to believe.

I take care of these on some super meticulous shit, if not obsessive. Clean the soles after every wear. Look at them- I've worn these 50-75 times since 2004 and they look fairly crisp. The sole is getting worn down but we walk in this city. I do have a second pair but I'm scared to break them out and make them unpure. Seriously.



Here is the gem of this post... if you're an air force head and do not own the Tarrago Sport Cleaner- you're playing yourself. I couldn't find the item on the link, but that's the company. They're based out of Espana. It's sold in NYC but I don't care for the store so I prefer not to publicly endorse them. If you know me then you know where, and if you don't, email me and I'll put you on. I have never seen any other product clean the rubber soles on forces like this. Jeans bleed- no sweat, driving and get pedal marks- ain't nothing, wear your joints out and they get abused- this shit is your First-Aid kit. For real. And it costs about $2. Always have an extra on hand.

On the topic of forces, uptowns, A-1s, ups, airs, willy dees, etc. peep the video below. Taken at the Nike Playmakers III event Wednesday night at Nike Town. Clark Kent was on the tables and the AF1s were the star of the show. The air force cup runneth over. 3.5 minutes of some unbelievable joints. Video courtesy of SneakrAddicts.


SneakrAddicts DVD X Nike Playmakers Part 3 from SneakrAddicts on Vimeo.

Wack on the Walls but Dope on the Dogs- A Black Friday Fable.

To be clear, this isn't a fable. There really isn't any moral to be learned. Maybe some behavior to avoid. This is more of a story, a tale. I just wanted maximum alliteration.

You know how it goes. A sneaker gets hyped on the internet. The images look pretty good so you consider the cop. Then you see it in person and think damn, that shit is wack. Doesn't happen that often, seldom in fact, however this is precisely what happened with the Eddie Cruz "West" Nike Air Force 1s. Purple and yellow is my thing- Kobe all day, but the red outsole really freaked me out. I know my style isn't considered "progressive", but red? Shit didn't make any sense.



Store after store these shiny purple joints kept bugging. This is a sneaker that historically I should like sans the patent swoosh. My disdain runs deep. It's an air force. It's a premium air force, it has snake skin, it is purple, it has different stitch on the tongue tag and the O.44 sticky rubber logo is embossed on the heel. The little intricacies I gets downs with. But no, not interested. Not even a second chance. Like they did me dirty and were left to rot. Until I peeped them on feet. I was like, Hold Up!! Wait a minute!! My man Wes, being the astute Nike employee that he is, had them joints on for the ultimate sell. On some, "yeah, I thought they were pretty weak sauce too, but peep now." It worked on me. I'm not sure exactly why, maybe the new perspective of looking down as opposed to eye level. My style's over your head, I enjoy the aerial view. The red wasn't as noticeable and the shiny snakeskin wasn't as overwhelming.



So now they're on the radar, but for $135 not a necessity. Plus I have the purple with yellow LA forces so I'm thinking I'll call these skip. But the textures are different so that thought is thrown at the window. My boy tells me he can get them for $81, so that entices me more, but I'm still not fully convinced. Until Black Friday. When all sense and rationale gets thrown out the window and the lunacy ensues. No, there weren't any fly pony hair jumpoffs this year.



I'm in Goliath when I see the purple piff (not really, but again, my alliteration obsession) on the wall with a 40% off sign, thus making them $81. No longer an eyesore, I grab the joints to do some last minute recon. As I'm holding them, I hear 2 dudes ask for an 11 and 11.5, my size. I didn't even get a chance to make a play on them. Uh oh. Call it territorial, call it mania, attack mode is instantaneously triggered. I run to catch Dee, malt liquor extraordinaire, as he returns from the stock room. Stop him and ask on the humble if that's the last 11.5. For those in the know, an 11.5 is pretty rare, and usually only 1 pair per size run. He nods affirmative. Ask if there are more 11s, he throws up the "3" sign. Seeing I want them he says I got you, hitting me with the box just as Jim Kelly used to place the pigskin in Thurman Thomas' bread basket.

Feeling like I just stole the last Linden's cookie from the cookie jar, I quickly sit on the bench in the back sliding the pair underneath, hiding all evidence. I don't turn around, feeling like I just snaked some dude for his kicks. Dudes make their way towards the back, me thinking I'm going to have a problem. Never that, they just want to know about DQM, so I hit them with the bullet points, they say good looks and leave me be. Do the right foot try on. All signals say go and I'm at the register. Rose bags them (What up Rose!!), AMEX debt increases, and I'm out the door. Once that cool November air hits, waking me from my semi-delirious sneaker blindness, I look at the kicks again and realize why I never liked them in the first place.



Fuck it, what's another pair of kicks? Just another albatross around my neck. Another nail in the coffin. But at least my feets will look oh so fresh.

I've been racking my brain to think of other kicks that might have looked wack upon first glance and then flipped the script on me. I'm coming up blank. However what you see below might fit the bill. Shits offended me on the wall, but after trying them on and feeling the rabbit ass on my toes, yo, I might need them in my life. It's a big step for me though. Hold my hand.

Nike Air Force 1- VOTE OR DIE!!!!!!!!

In 2007 Nike celebrated the 25th anniversary of their most celebrated sneaker, the Air Force 1. Beginning in November 2007 Nike began the 1Vote campaign where the I-95 cities (NYC, Philly, and Baltimore- all of which are given credit for the sneaker's worldwide fame) get a chance to vote for their favorite model. Baltimore voted in November, Philly in December, and NYC is currently accepting votes.



Baltimore chose the Ueno Sakura, a very hard to find sneaker released in 2005. The shoe has cherry blossoms lasered on the front in recognition of the more than 1,000 cherry blossom trees in Ueno Park, in Tokyo. I imagine the appeal is due to the super limited quantity and rather excessive cost. I've seen pairs go for more than this.



Philly elected the 2003 Mark Smith Lasers, another rare and hard to find sneaker. Limited to 2,500 pairs, many people weren't able to get their hands on this one. This was one of Nike's first 1-piece designs, where the sneaker is made of only 1 piece of leather, and the swoosh and "stitch" are lasered on.



Now NYC, it's up to you to decide which Air Force 1 truly represents this great city. It's a close call so far between the 2006 Stash/Futura Insideout forces, the all purple highs from 1993 (copped them from Foot Action in Cross County when they dropped), and an all gold high top also from 1993. Disclaimer- The photo is not mine.

You might look at this and think it's just a gimmick by Nike, but some people are taking this very seriously, voting up to 600 times at a time. If you have some free time, and I emphasize free, take a glance at this tomfoolery.

Don't get fooled by all this caucus and primary talk. This is the real vote.

Check out the site for more info and up to the minute standings- Nike 1Vote.

You can vote at Jimmy Jazz on 125th St., Transit on Broadway at Bond Street, Nike Town on 57th Street, and Brooklyn USA on Fulton Street. Voting ends 1/31/08. Please make it count.