Juno has pretty much passed on in my area.
We got between 6" to over 24" depending on where you lived. The western part of the state got less, the Eastern much more. I am roughly in the center, and I received about 12" to 14".

Not bad, really. The snow blowing is done as well as the shoveling. My toes are frozen and the diabetic neuropathy really acts up in these times, but it was kind of nice having an unscheduled day off from work.

Back to the grind tomorrow.

Posted by: topmaker at 07:33 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Ugh. What a disappointment.
I don't know if the series or the manga follow the LN more, but so far, the anime series is just awful.

Ranjou Satuski, the red head with the A-cup angst comes across as a complete pain in the series, while in the manga she is only mostly annoying. Urushibara Shizuno, the well endowed counterpoint in so many ways is much more likable in the manga than in the series. She seems to know more than both Ranjou and the main male character, Haimura Maroha, and keeps the info close to the vest. That comes through in both the anime series and the manga (the only chapter I could find translated).

Interestingly, Haimura recalls her from a past life fairly quickly which I don't think happens in the series. He doesn't remember more than a tracing of Ranjou until it becomes essential to fashion his weapon.

I will give the series another episode, but it is on double secret probation. I start to wonder if there are no more chapters of the manga released because the whole thing turns to crap?

Posted by: topmaker at 01:55 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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So often, while reading a light novel translation, I read about a character making a "wry smile". This happens in situations where the "wry" part does not seem to fit the mood or character invoking it.

Most English definitions concern themselves with irony (humorously or not), cleverness or tiredness. In the light novel translations it seems there is more of a sad or reluctant meaning behind them.

Is this cultural or what might be more of a near miss in translations?

Posted by: topmaker at 07:16 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I had read some good things about Tokyo Ravens and thought I'd give it a shot. It went pretty well up until episode 10 or so and then it sank into a bog. Good action for the most part falls straight into episodes you would normally see at the beginning of a bad harem show.

I know. It's a harem show, but still. Get this crap out of the way early while I am still expecting the flotsam to float on by, not right after you finished two pretty good action arcs.

I do hope it gets better.
more...

Posted by: topmaker at 09:44 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Is there a torrent program that works better than others? Is this even a question i should be asking???

For instance,I want to be sure that nothing runs when I don't want it to. I also don't want spyware as part of the deal, etc.

So what is reliable, safe and allows me to chose which files I can download?

Posted by: topmaker at 01:41 AM | Comments (12) | Add Comment
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Dragonar Academy starts off with a woman speaking to a boy who appears dead, lying in a pool of blood, missing an arm, with a young blond haired girl by his side.

She speaks some words to start our tale off and the show starts rolling.

Later on we witness a scene (in a dream) where a young boy carries a young blond girl piggy back through the woods searching for someone.

It doesn't take too long for the viewers to guess who the two young people are, and who the lady is. What we do not know is what happens between those two points. How the boy loses his arm and how he "gets it back".

I started reading the light novel about where the series ends off, which is not always the smartest way to go about, but is certainly the most lazy leisure way.

We get the rest of that early story from about this point. In a nutshell:
Ash seems disinterested in this required process from the get-go. In spite of this, he receives the gift of the pal bestowed upon him from the Mother Dragon. Knowing how desperate Sylvia was to become a Dragonar, he forcefully rejects the gift - through the "Seikoku" that is writing itself into his flesh, and imparts it to Sylvia.

In doing so, his body reacts to the rejection by explosion due to the energy transmitted. His arm literally rips itself apart, where, after noticing the successful transfer, he passes out near death. Sylvia, overwhelmed by all the blood, passes out from shock.

So how does Ash get his arm back? There is just a bit of confusion about that, and there is other info as well, below the fold (spoilers)
more...

Posted by: topmaker at 09:00 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Merry Christmas to all of you who have helped me and read this bit of fluff.

You are a great bunch.

Posted by: topmaker at 02:44 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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One of the first and of the few light novels I have read through to current translations on BT is the Index stories. It has been announced that the light novels have been licensed for release in English, so BT has decided to abandon the translations, at least for the "old testament" (the beginning through about the end of World War III).

BT has split Index into two different sections. The split would be the point where the licensing ends, which is here, and the part they are still leaving open, which is here.

There is a good breakdown of the event here.

I had either read, saw or both the first two seasons of the anime, plus WWIII, but I realized that I had missed the early side stories. That's what you get for not paying attention. It has been stated that there are PDF versions on the tubes, so I will look for them.

I am also going through some of the later side stories, including one that was hinted at in the end of the sister's arc of Railgun: Liberal Arts City. This is a great story, especially for those who like Saten Ruiko. She is, next to Misaka, the most prominent of the quartet in this series. It also introduces characters you will be hearing from in the main stories.

I made the decision to buy the volumes as Bob has them available. Call it guilt buys or the appreciation to the creators. It puts money in Bob's pocket.

Posted by: topmaker at 07:21 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Back about here I mentioned a manga I had only read one chapter of. It looks like it will be getting a series in the new season (right hand column, fifth row down). While it is a "Boy gets unique powers" story, it is thankfully not another "Boy gets powers only previously allotted to girls" story.

From the first chapter we have two harem members, so that's hurdle number one, but I've gotten somewhat inured to that.

I had been waiting for updates, but this might be even better. Time will tell.

Posted by: topmaker at 03:31 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The manga series Koe no Kitachi has just wrapped up.Starting off as a one shot that garnered enough focus and praise it converted to a full series. Now that the series is over it has been chosen to become an anime series.

I am not prone to read stories that are angst ridden or tragic, but this one was a bit different.  The pessimistic story always became intertwined with instances of optimism and hope.

The story has a very uncomfortable beginning: a deaf girl was bullied to the point of leaving a school system, and the boy who was the prime instigator was himself bullied as a result. His growth and emerging humanity starts him down a road of seeking forgiveness from the girl, her family, his former classmates and himself.

Most of the side characters have their own issues to define why they react the way they do in situations. The reveals are not used as excuses, merely exposition. In fact, the series goes out of its way to avoid both justification and condemnation.

It was a weekly series that lasted about 62 chapters.

My biggest fear is that the anime will drift into a preachy treatise on bullying and how to treat the handicapped. Everybody deals wit the female MC's deafness in different ways, and that is one of the great elements of the story. If it becomes influenced by an activist  mentality, they will ruin a good story. 

Posted by: topmaker at 08:52 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The CIA viciously rejects the report on techniques used to interrogate prisoners. Former Director George Tenet complained the report was "biased, inaccurate and destructive."

However, if I might point out, this is the CIA we are talking about.

I ask "Who are you going to believe?"

I mean really. Here we have a group that relies on subterfuge, lying, spying, denying, underhanded tactics, undercover antics, secretive process and seems to be concerned more with mission than public safety and the general welfare of the American people.

On the other hand we have the CIA.

So, really....

Posted by: topmaker at 10:04 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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...and may I just say that, to us diabetic older types, describing ED as the end isn't funny.

World Trigger, 7 Deadly Sins, Vanadis and some others all seem to have quite a bit of show left after the ending credits, and sometimes take up a fair amount of time before the openings

Or maybe I'm just imagining things.

Such as no Countries.
Or Religion.
It's easy if you try.

Posted by: topmaker at 04:12 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Cool roller coaster in Japan that slips through an opening in the water.



I'm not sure where it is, exactly, but I'd like to ride it.

Posted by: topmaker at 09:40 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I was looking through the manual, but I don't see where one can upload and post audio files. Do we need to youtube it first and then link it?

I have uploaded a file, but I don't see where I can insert anything other than an image file.

Posted by: topmaker at 09:51 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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This video is a little bit R.Crumb, a little bit Ralph Bakshi, a little bit whoever animates Super Jail and a touch of Peter Max.

It has little to do with the song, but I have to appreciate the  mind behind it. Free association at its best.

I haven't been stoned in many, many years, but I  might appreciate it even more in that state.

Posted by: topmaker at 09:04 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Intrigued after the TV series first season finished, I started reading the LN at Baka-Tsuki. The TV series did its job of sparking my curiosity and the story has kept me reading, but the liberties they are taking with their own universe is stretching my commitment near to its breaking point.

In any story of this kind, where a potentially overwhelming protagonist needs to start off with handicaps, the MC is unable to use his elemental spirit - also an overwhelmingly strong spirit, due to an inability to use her at full strength. He still has a connection to a previous elemental spirit that he emotionally cannot let go of. Therefore his current spirit is only at one-tenth strength and he uses up his energy quickly when fighting. The rest of the spirit is still residing in the alternate spirit world, so unless they are there she cannot be used to full effect.

The trouble is, at this point in the story, they are all in that alternate world and there is no increase in his ability to use her. Now the deal is strictly that he is unable to fully commit to her, and that is all. This throws out the other part of the reason, A cheap fix.

Also, there are strict rules presented by the head spirit folks regarding the tournament the contestants are in. It has already been established that spiritual evidence is easy to detect and rather obvious when used. At one point, however, the current big bad team forces upon our hero a cursed seal, which is a flagrant violation. The team also initiates an early attack on the good guys also in violation of the rules.

Teams are supposed to be made up of five elementals - humans who can summon elements or spirits. The big bad team is made up of a demon spirit sword, a "will" of a previous Maou and two humans, plus one I am not sure about yet. Yet another gross violation of the rules.

No one reports these violations? No one notices them? This is a battle for a rather incredible reward. You'd think if you could eliminate the team that appears to be the strongest by far you would. Especially if they are in several rule violations.

As of Vol. 6 chapter 8 it is confirmed that the "will" of the previous Maou is indeed not human at all.

The story has more than its share of jealous tsundere types (yes, including one with red hair twintails) with all too typical reactions from them and the male MC, so that is another tide I stand athwart.

Posted by: topmaker at 09:30 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Many years ago, my best friend met a girl in Rio while he was teaching there. It took over a year and a half to get the paperwork processed, but they prevailed and they have been married now for about ten years. They married in the US.

They moved from the States to Brazil in 2009 due to the sour economy here. With life there getting worse and worse, they are now trying to move back. My friend has already done so and has found a couple of decent jobs. His wife is trying to sell her house ( a story for another post) while he is running the paperwork work through the system - again. Apparently, if the foreign-born spouse does not keep up with some kind of paperwork, they have to jump through many new hoops. This process will take at least six months

This is the price one pays for going the legal route. As steamed as I am about Emperor Three-Putt's immigration forgiveness plan, it can't compare to one who is trying to work within the system and have this kind of thing thrown in his face.

Posted by: topmaker at 06:10 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I just got a new computer. My son wanted the experience of building it and I (being the good dad I am) wanted him to have the experience and the whole thing was quite the experience. It took about three to four weeks to get things running smoothly. Two motherboards (one got fried due to events we haven't quite figured out), one of the memory chips was bad so I was on half strength there until a replacement came in. The CPU and the motherboard had some date issue things wherein it had to be updated and so on. He works second shift on fiber optic stuff and I work first shift trying to keep the business still afloat, so timing was bad, etc., etc.

I don't know much about all this computer hardware stuff, but once it all got working well and good I can't believe the difference compared to my eight (or more?) year old model. I can play 1080p mkv files, my download speed is incredible. My TV, being next to the computer, acts as a second monitor. Heck, my operating system will even accept updates.

I asked some posts ago about the mkv subtitle problem with BD/DVD players and many of you all suggested I upgrade the computer. It seems like that was the right answer and with the TV as a second monitor, I can enjoy shows quite well, thanks.

One thing I don't like?  It is somewhat less successful in loading up the kitchen design, CAD and graphics software (Corel Draw 13). I am having issues with most of them, but I am working through it. The same is true of some games I used to play. Ages of Empires is having some issues, but I can finally play that Fear game I have had for six years.

Now I need to start making money at work and upgrade that unit. The operating system is Windows 2000.

Posted by: topmaker at 12:59 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Dr. Matt Taylor had at least as much to do with landing a satellite on a comet as Jonathan Gruber had in crafting Obamacare. One of these was more or less successful.

Unfortunately, his choice in clothing was itself very successful in setting off the "trigger" happy buzz kills belonging to the perpetually aggrieved. The shirt he wore during an interview had images of women in sexy poses, wearing sexy outfit and generally sporting heat. Unsurprisingly, this set off the sh-t storm that has become so common in all situations that concern socially protected groups (all groups that do not include heterosexual white or asian males).

 I wondered how such an unfortunate decision came from a brain of someone who should have been be more savvy, until I read that the shirt was designed by a lady friend.

Then it clicked.

Perhaps it was a favor. A very costly favor.

Posted by: topmaker at 12:52 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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The first and only fan-tranned chapter of Seiken Tsukai no Kinju Eishou was in July this year. It was a unique manga. Male MC is the peak of a love triangle (so far) between a red haired, gainaxing incapable twin tail who is somewhat insecure about her self (and her breasts) and a darker haired somewhat forward (but possibly not sincerely) girl with dark hair and larger tatas. Needless to say I was intrigued by the originality.

Actually, as derivative as the characters seem, the plot was different enough to at least hold my attention. I would have looked forward to more if anyone ever bothered to continue the translations.

The location is a private high school populated with students who have memories of past lives in another dimension. Some fight the baddies with magic, and some fight the baddies with weapons. What makes our hero special is that he has memories of being both kinds in turn. He also recalls two different girls performing two different roles at his side. One of the girls seems to know more than she tells him. Everyone has secrets. End of chapter.

Most of these stories end up fizzing out, so the same old same old keeps me hoping that someday I will find one with a good through plot and ending. I can then stick a fork in them.

Shana kind of ended well, but very convoluted. It was a bit different than these dragonswordsorcerymagicschool stories anyway.

Familiar of Zero ended okay (the last ep. I saw had them ringing his doorbell), but I haven't picked up the LN yet. I still can't believe he would pick her over the three or six other potential interests. She was terrible, not that he didn't deserve some of it. However, from what I skipped through, it looks like it just starts dragging.

Same with Dragon Academy. the series ended with me wanting to pick up the story, but I just don't feel it's worth it whenever I try to.

I have not read past the point in Bald Dance where the anime left off yet, so that's an open book so far.

Totally dissatisfied with the red headed Sherlock Holmes ammo girl ending.

I wonder if the reason I like High School DxD is because the red head has bewbies?

Posted by: topmaker at 02:28 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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