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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