Hammerspoon your way to a tidy desktop
I can be a very particular individual. My application windows must be arranged just so… Each in just the right size and in the right position. As my laptop m...
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Belly up to the Bitbar
I have cultivated a decent list of programmers and techies to follow. A week or so ago, one of them retweeted this:
Athena vs Q: Battle of the Data Parsers
What are we fighting for? Here at Traackr, we pull together data from a variety of sources and visualize it in various forms — bar charts, timelines, etc. Ty...
Book Review: SQL Antipatterns
SQL is an interesting yet temperamental tool in the programmer’s kit. You can use it to find amazing insights in your data, but you can watch a poorly forme...
Fresh Baked Roles with Zend Permissions RBAC
As our Traackr application has grown, so has our need to restrict access to features or pieces of features. Recently, our search feature added new filters to...
Yoda conditionals… Change my mind I should?
I had another blog topic in mind but ran across the article “The Mistakes I Made As a Beginner Programmer”. The entire article is worth reading, but this ite...
A pipeline for cleaning up technical debt?
Traackr’s customer facing application is built on top of CakePHP and has accumulated its fair share of technical debt over time. One particular piece of debt...
Book Review: Agile Retrospectives
*cough* *cough* Goodness… It’s a bit dusty around here. Nearly a year of silence will do that. One of the goals our team had last year was to blog more. Thi...
Adventures in Two Factor Authentication
Off we go! Another hack week was upon us, and I had a definite idea in mind. I wanted to add two factor authentication to our web application. Having enabled...
Why I Left Drupal
Background
Lupin the Third versus Detective Conan… Again…
Prior to the official release of the April 21st issue of Shonen Sunday, the Lupin forums were buzzing with a leaked announcement of a new Lupin/Detective Co...
Review: The Woman Called Mine Fujiko
While I have reviewed the individual episodes for FandomPost.com (find them here), I wanted to sit back and reflect on the series as a whole. Lupin fans hav...
Review: Macross 7 Dynamite
When Macross 7 tries to give Moby Dick a happy ending, the result is the exact opposite of dynamite. This four part OVA is a thin two hour tale revolving aro...
Review: Macross 7
You can probably glean my overall opinion of Macross 7 by two facts. First, it has been eight months since I reviewed the first twelve episodes. Second, you ...
Review: Lupin the Third: Blood Seal ~Eternal Mermaid~
Not sure how I missed posting this back in December when I posted it to the main Encyclopedia page, but here we are… My review of last year’s TV special; cli...
One Year Later…
Anyone remember this?
Review: Space Battleship Yamato (2010)
Ah, Star Blazers… You gave me hours of entertainment every morning as a child, and you taught me animation could do more than just portray the rivalries of ...
Review: Macross 7 Episodes 01 - 12
I had planned on writing up a review at the midpoint of the series, but episode twelve of Macross 7 ended on a decent cliffhanger to merit a "quarter way th...
Google+, initial impression "meh"
If you follow tech news at all, you’ve seen countless headlines about the latest entry into the social network space, Google+. A friend of mine passed along ...
Review: Kaleido Star Season 1 & 2
Kaleido Star Season 1 Complete Collection Full Review
Anime Boston 2011
Another year means another Anime Boston. Jm gave me a pass from the daughter duties to head in for Friday, as there was only one reason to go this year. Why?...
My next big project
Picture, 1000 words… Hopefully, you now understand why this blog has been fairly silent the past few months. Fear not… This will not turn into a "Look at th...
Anime Boston 2010
Anime Boston 2011 is rapidly approaching, and I have yet to write about my adventures at the 2010 offering for a variety of reasons. It mainly boils down to ...
Review: Lupin the Third: The Last Job
Synopsis A Japanese cultural treasure has recently been discovered in a former Nazi sanatorium. While it is quite valuable, Lupin knows its true worth lies i...
I’m not dead yet…
Time passes, and my postings here have become infrequent. Life… It moves quickly, and I haven’t managed to post about so many things. Have yet to talk about ...
Review: Opium & the Kung-Fu Master
Opium & the Kung-Fu Master Full Review:
Review: 14 Amazons & Shaolin Hand Lock
Have fallen behind in keeping things here up to date. So many entries that need writing… For now, I will start with posting about my reviews for the first t...
Reflections: Reviewing Evangelion
I am finally starting a project I have been meaning to do for some time. Over time, I’ve blogged in various places – LiveJournal, the AnimeOnDVD.com forums,...
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 26
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 26 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 25
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 25 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 24
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 24 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 23
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 23 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 22
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 22 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 21
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 21 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 20
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 20 Full Review
Farewell, Heroes
Ah… Heroes… When you first told the world in 2006 "Save the Cheerleader; save the world", I did not start watching you despite intriguing previews. My enth...
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 19
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 19 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 18
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 18 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 17
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 17 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 16
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 16 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 15
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 15 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 14
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 14 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 13
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 13 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 12
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 12 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 11
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 11 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 10
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 10 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 09
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 09 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 08
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 08 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 07
Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 07 Full Review
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 06
Episode six has been reviewed. Watch it and let me know what you think.
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 05
My review of episode five is up for your approval. Just 21 more episodes to go…
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 04
Another week, another review of Inu Yasha: The Final Act has been posted. You can go read the review, and then come back here to watch the episode and let me...
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 03
Why did we get a filler episode so early on? This and other thoughts in my review for episode three. Drop a comment here and let me know what you thought of ...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 24
An unknown government agency has decided on an interesting plan for dealing with terrorists. They plan to hire terrorists to take out other terrorists. Some...
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 02
My review for episode two has been posted. Go read it, and then circle back here and hit me up with your thoughts.
Review: Inu Yasha: The Final Act Episode 01
Slowly slipping back into my role as an AnimeOnDVD (at mania.com) reviewer, I’ll be tackling the weekly release of Inu Yasha’s "Final Act" as it airs on hulu...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 23
Ah, sweet irony… Not two episodes ago, Duke Togo was hijacking a plane; now, episode twenty-three finds him aboard a hijacked plane. Four criminals hijack a...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 20, 21, 22
Episode twenty takes Golgo to the island of Malta on behalf of the British government. Arnold, an agent of theirs, went rogue, making his escape during his ...
Review: The Sky Crawlers
It is a given that Oshii Mamoru’s works are visually stunning, and The Sky Crawlers is no exception. But how does the story rate? Find out in my review of h...
Review: Gurren Lagann Part 3
Gurren Lagann spirals to an entertaining conclusion. How entertaining? Find out in my last review of the series… at least until the movies hit the US.
Upgrade complete… Spiral Power now at 120% capacity…
Been enjoying my new computer (more on this later) and have used the time on it to upgrade the ol’ blogging software. Aside from gaining the latest fixes, th...
Anime Boston 2009: Saturday Edition
I have been holding off writing this up as there is simply not much to say. Headed into Boston to catch the AnimeOnDVD.com panel. Left a few minutes early to...
Anime Boston 2009: Friday Edition
Spring is here, and that means it is time for another Anime Boston. Given all the line related issues from last year, I was most interested to see how well t...
Review: Star Trek 2009
The 2009 blockbuster season continues with the eleventh entry in the Star Trek film franchise. Could this be the film that finally reverses the odd numbered...
Review: Dollhouse Season 01
Spoilers Ahead Despite the urging of many friends, I have yet to become of one Joss Whedon’s many followers; Buffy never interested me much despite the prese...
Review: X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Managed to get out to see Wolverine on opening weekend, an auspicious start to this season’s blockbuster frenzy. Some of the hyperbole around the film toute...
Review: Lupin the 3rd vs Detective Conan (ルパン三世 vs 名探偵コナン)
Synopsis A wealthy woman and her son are dead from an apparent hunting accident and suicide. The daughter, Princess Mira Julietta Vesparand, pulls the old Pr...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 19
A man has setup a lucrative trade in human organs for transplants and funnels the profits to a terrorist organization. Some government calls in Duke to stop...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 18
After a lengthy hiatus, we’re skipping ahead three episodes to see what the latest target Golgo 13 is. An agent charged with compiling the medical secrets o...
The Joy of Being Mentioned
Bright spot in an otherwise drab week… The Lupin III Encyclopedia was mentioned in the Episode 78 of the Anime World Order Podcast. I’m a shameless self-prom...
Review: Gurren Lagann Part 2
While Gunbuster is still my favorite Gainax robot show, Gurren Lagann continues to be entertaining. Read why in my review of the second set. Let me know wha...
Review: Gurren Lagann Part 1
Gainax proves they can build a fun and yet compelling giant robot show with the first part of Gurren Lagann. It has the right blend of comedy, action, and c...
Review: The Girl Who Leapt through Time
Let’s get right to it; read my review of The Girl Who Leapt through Time, buy it, watch it, and then thank me in the forums for recommending this title. Sim...
Review: Macross Frontier Episodes 17 - 25
I finally managed to carve out enough time to sit down and enjoy the last nine episodes of Macross Frontier in one sitting. While it had its flaws near the ...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 15
Eva Kruger is a brilliant and beautiful assassin with a problem. Her recent job involved the head of one of the New York mafia families. Now, the other fami...
Review: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Complete Collection
I’ve finally broken down and decided to take a look at the anime that spawned an internet dance craze. Is there more to The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Co...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 14
When the CIA is discovered to be stockpiling an incurable poison, Golgo 13 is hired to eliminate all evidence the factory and poison ever existed. The Russi...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 13
Victor Lance is one of the top tabloid photographers; however, he knows his skills are declining. He decides it is time to get of the game while most believ...
Review: Noir Complete Collection
Been awhile since I’ve reviewed something for AoD, and now, they’re not even called AoD anymore. For my first review under the Mania regime, I take a look a...
Review: Macross Frontier Episode 16
Spoilers ahead
Review: Lupin the Third: Sweet Lost Night ~Magic Lamp’s Nightmare Premonition~ (ルパン三世 sweet lost night～魔法のランプは悪夢の予感～)
Synopsis Lupin scores a "magic lamp" and finds it does hold a genie. However, the stroke of 7PM strikes, and that is the last thing he remembers. Finding him...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 12
When Duke kills a star quarterback during a game, an aging detective makes it his personal mission to show his old fashioned ways can still deal with a mode...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 11
Katz is another in a long line of brash young bucks who believe they have the skills to retire Golgo 13. And this time, there is a chance he could be right....
Review: Macross Zero
With episode 10 of Macross Frontier tying back into the story of Macross Zero, it was a good excuse to go back and re-watch Zero. When Zero was released, i...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 10
Ah… They finally managed to pen an interesting episode. Duke is hired to assassinate mafia boss Bugsy "Big" Gabole before the FBI can turn him into their st...
Review: Macross Frontier Episode 10
Spoilers ahead
Review: Macross Frontier Episode 09
Spoilers ahead
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 09
Duke finds himself in prison once again, but Pandora Island is renowned for being an inescapable fortress. Run by a sadistic little warden, many have tried,...
Review: Macross Frontier Episode 08
Spoilers ahead
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 08
A small time mafia Don hires Golgo 13 to take down the New York Don trying to muscle in on his territory. The odds are stacked against him – bulletproof gla...
Review: Macross Frontier Episode 07
Spoilers ahead
Review: Macross Frontier Episode 06
Spoilers ahead
Review: Macross Frontier Episode 05
Spoilers ahead
Review: Macross Frontier Episode 04
Spoilers ahead
Review: Macross Frontier Episode 03
Spoilers ahead
Review: Macross Frontier Episode 02
Spoilers ahead
Review: Macross Frontier Episode 01
Spoilers ahead
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 07
Thomas Simpson was one of the world’s greatest violinists. However, a broken string during his encore with the London Symphony Orchestra has left him a brok...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 06
Duke holds a bunch of balloons… That alone was worth the price of admission for this episode. It is the most incongruous image I’ve seen in quite some time....
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 05
Golgo 13’s mission this time out is a precision mission, one that must take place at an exact time and place. The president of a theater company has caught ...
Review: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Spoilers ahead It has been nearly twenty years since Indy went on his Last Crusade, and I was eager to see if the magic of that film could be recaptured aft...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 04
Duke’s mission this episode is to kill another mafia boss so his arm candy Linda can be free to start a new life in Florida. However, the boss is a recluse a...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 03
Duke’s first physical battle of the series pits him against a gun manufacturer’s latest advanced models. While the manufacturer wants to show the superiority...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 02
This episode shows us that even the mighty Duke Togo isn’t immune from the whim of fate. His mission is as always a success despite the impossible odds of hi...
Review: Golgo 13 Episode 01
Haven’t done as much writing lately as I should, so I’m going to give myself a kick in the pants by reviewing some of the anime I am currently watching for m...
Review: Iron Man
Finally found a break in the busy month of May to see Iron Man; the first super hero tale you tell theatrically is always the hardest. You need to appeal to...
This chapter is over… another begins…
Yes, after four plus years, I turned in my notice over two weeks ago and left my job with Astaro; it was an odd feeling saying goodbye to the place and reali...
Figure: PansonWorks Lupin the Third Green VS Red
Packed in with the limited edition DVD of the recent Green VS Red OVA was a special figure sculpted by PansonWorks. Dressed in a black jacket, the preview ph...
Review: Lupin the Third: Green VS Red
Thought I would try something a bit different for this review. Let me know what you think of this experiment!
Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Final Plus
The TV series ending just wasn’t enough for the world of Seed Destiny; Final Plus polishes up the final battle and adds a proper prologue for the series. Th...
Anime Boston 2008
Haven’t rushed to get this written, as there isn’t much to write about this year’s Anime Boston. Picked up my badge Thursday and spent most of Friday killing...
Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Volume 12
Seed Destiny finally closes on the same notes its predecessor hits. Read my review of the final volume for my final thoughts and add yours in the AoD forum.
Review: Juno
Thanks to a pair of passes acquired at the company Yankee swap, Jm and I caught this two weekends ago (busy life = untimely blogging). I was interested in s...
Listen to me ramble on the Lupin the Show podcast
Reed Nelson of LupinTheThird.net invited me to be a guest for the fourth episode of his Lupin the Show podcast (he hates that term though… don’t ask). Downl...
Lupin the Show: Episode 06
Reed Nelson’s podcast soldiers on with much better audio in the sixth episode. Yours truly was invited back to discuss Geneon’s handling of the third episod...
Review: Cyber Familator Lite
When I first saw this cross the wires, I knew I had to have one; it didn’t matter I only own one Famicom cartridge, the Lupin game, of course. I had to have...
Review: Sweeny Todd
Went to see Sweeny Todd yesterday fully expecting the usual Tim Burton storytelling and aesthetic. He did not disappoint; the scenery was classic Burton – da...
Review: Nadia, the Secret of Blue Water Perfect Collection
I take a second look at the Gainax classic Nadia, the Secret of Blue Water. It is still enjoyable but showing its age; let the AoD forums know if you agree.
I’m big in Japan: Top 10 Tips for Visiting Japan (parting thoughts)
It took me over two years, but I finally finished my travelogue of our trip to Japan. Figured I would wrap things up with a list of helpful tips for anyone ...
I’m big in Japan: Kyoto Imperial Palace… the last full day (2005 May 18)
Another breakfast at Sazuya (902¥) prepared us for our last full day in Japan and our tour of the Kyoto Imperial Palace. They have a guided tour in English; ...
I’m big in Japan: Ja! Mata ne! (2005 May 19)
It was with heavy hearts that we woke up and picked up our last taste of yummy Japanese breads at Sazuya (693¥). Our flight home to the frigid north would b...
I’m big in Japan: Back to Kyoto; mmm… sushi (2005 May 17)
After enjoying the garden, we stopped across the street and had some green tea soft serve ice cream (500¥). It was dispensed via a nifty machine; the lady p...
I’m big in Japan: A ghost story & Kōko-en (2005 May 17)
Amazing how the brain works sometimes; just sitting here editing the photos for this post and suddenly remembered I left out an interesting tidbit about Hime...
I’m big in Japan: Himeji Castle (2005 May 17)
Our goal for the day was to hop onto a train towards Osaka and visit Himeji Castle. We stopped into Sazuya for another round of breakfast breads (1039¥); a p...
Upgraded to MT4.01
Decided to spend my Black Friday upgrading to Movable Type 4; so far, I like what I see though some of the new features don’t seem to be working quite right ...
Review: Kaleido Star: New Wings True Star Collection
The second half of Kaleido Star, New Wings, captivated me as much as the first. Find out why in my review of ADV’s True Star Collection, the box set for the...
I’m big in Japan: Ending another day in Kyoto (2005 May 16)
Neglected to mention we picked up some soft-serve green tea ice cream (600¥) on the way down from Kiyomizu-dera. Wish someone, anyone in our area sold this; ...
I’m big in Japan: Kōdai-ji, Maruyama Park, & Chion’in (2005 May 16)
Next on the walking tour was Kōdai-ji; you guessed it… another temple. Didn’t take a lot of photos here; just spent the time walking around the beautiful ga...
Review: Wings of Honneamise
While I do not have a HD-DVD player yet, I have managed to take a look at the DVD side of Bandai Visual’s release of the classic Wings of Honneamise. This f...
Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Volume 11
Seed Destiny provides some poignant moments in an otherwise mediocre volume; read my review of the eleventh volume for my thoughts and add yours in the AoD ...
Review: Lupin the 3rd: The Fuma Conspiracy
Cagliostro is the king of Lupin films, but Fuma Conspiracy comes damn close to matching it. Discotek has released their DVD, and I find it worth a double-di...
I’m big in Japan: Kiyomizu-dera (2005 May 16)
Started our day with another hearty breakfast of tasty breads from Sazuya (818¥) before heading off on a walking tour. The Higashiyama walking tour from Kyot...
Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Volume 10
Seed Destiny’s latest volume does not fare well in my latest review; add your opinion in the AoD forum.
Figure: Revoltech VF-1J Super Valkyrie
Pre-ordered this from HobbyLink Japan as soon as I saw it cross the various Japanese figure blogs. Had heard good things about the Revoltech line of figures ...
I’m big in Japan: Kyoto Handcraft Center (2005 May 15)
Our tour was over, and the bus took us to the drop-off spot, the Kyoto Handcraft center. The center was filled with scrolls, paintings, ceramics, and other ...
I’m big in Japan: Kasuga-taisha (2005 May 15)
If you guessed another shrine was the next tour stop, you would be correct! Kasuga-taisha is famous for its lanterns having over a thousand stone lanterns li...
Review: Afro Samurai
Fusing pop culture from the East and West, Funimation has released Afro Samurai and its brutal tale of revenge. Read my review and find out how this fusion ...
Review: 3x3 Eyes Volume 02
Geneon has re-released the second half of the classic series from the early 1990s on DVD; read and see if it fared better than the first volume. Add your th...
I’m big in Japan: Tōdai-ji (2005 May 15)
Next stop on the tour was Tōdai-ji, the largest wooden building in the world and home to a colossal bronze Buddha statue. The temple was in the middle of Na...
I’m big in Japan: Kinkaku-ji (2005 May 15)
Next on the tour turned out to be one of my favorite spots near Kyoto, Kinkaku-ji, the "Golden Pavilion". The centerpiece of the large temple grounds is the...
I’m big in Japan: Kitano Tenman-gū (2005 May 15)
The second stop on our tour was meant to be the Imperial Palace; however, the Palace was closed to normal tour groups because of the festival. Instead, we w...
Review: Lupin the Third Elusivness of the Fog (ルパン三世テレビスペシャル 霧のエリューシヴ)
Synopsis On the ocean floor, Lupin is once again seeking a treasure hoping to get on Fujiko’s good side. As Zenigata chases them on sea and land, people arou...
Review: 3x3 Eyes Volume 01
Geneon has re-released a classic series from the early 1990s on DVD; read how well the first half of 3X3 Eyes has held up over a decade later. Add your thou...
I’m big in Japan: Nijō Castle (2005 May 15)
Our first full day in Kyoto was mostly planned for us; while the city would be putting on its festival, we would be on a tour to Nara Park and other points o...
Review: The Simpsons Movie
I took a long lunch on Friday to observe the holiest of holy days, The Feast of Maximum Occupancy. Yes, after years of waiting, The Simpsons Movie was final...
Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Volume 09
Seed Destiny continues to be a decent but not overly impressive series; read my review of the ninth volume for my thoughts and add yours in the AoD forum.
I’m big in Japan: Off to Kyoto (2005 May 14)
It was Jm’s birthday! How nice to be spending it in Japan. Hmm… my last entry was a bit off; this day saw our last breakfast at Jurin (5082¥). After break...
Review: Inu Yasha Volume 55
That’s it! I’m done! Finished! I wash my hands of Inu Yasha in my review of volume 55. Did anyone else make it through this dog and demon show? Tell me your...
Review: Inu Yasha Volume 54
I’m just one volume away from washing my hands of Inu Yasha; how does volume 54 fare? Read my review and respond in the AoD forums.
Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
The world’s still the same; there’s just less in it. – Captain Jack Sparrow
I’m big in Japan: Tokyo Bay (2005 May 13)
Note: I’m relying on Jm’s notes and my memory from here; I neglected my journal keeping during the remainder of the trip.
Review: Densha Otoko (TV)
Once again, I am behind the times, but I have finally managed to sit down and watch all eleven episodes of Densha Otoko and the special. This is your standa...
Review: 24 Day 6
The latest season of 24 had promise but did not have me on the edge of my seat, even during the finale. It had plenty of action and cool "I can’t believe Jac...
I’m big in Japan: Harajuku & Shibuya (2005 May 12)
Change of plan
Review: Spider-Man 3
I finally managed to catch Spider-Man 3 this past weekend; a cold and familial obligations prevented me from seeing it the first two weeks it was out. As the...
Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Volume 08
Seed Destiny just can’t find the knack of building an epic story in my review of the eighth volume. Let me know in the AoD forums if you think I’m on target...
Lupin the Box… I had $810
If memory serves me, I once wished I had $810; fate intervened back in March, when a friend contacted me about a consulting gig. Six weeks of nights and wee...
Figure: 1/7 Motoko Kusanagi SAC 2nd GIG PVC
Ah… spring is finally here in New England, and some authentic sunshine means I can finally get some decent shots of my figures. Ordered this figure from Hobb...
Review: Inu Yasha Volume 53
Almost there… nearly done with this beast as I knock back volume 53. Are you tired of this series? Wish there was more on the way? Let me know in the AoD fo...
I’m big in Japan: Akihabara (2005 May 11)
Today was slated for shopping at Akihabara, the mecca for electronics and anime shopping. Another pricey breakfast in the hotel (5082¥) filled us up for the...
Anime Boston 2007
The fifth Anime Boston is now behind me, and my collection of Japanese signatures has grown. I managed to roll in around 9AM on Friday, April 20 and did not ...
Review: Legend of the Mystical Ninja (Ganbare Goemon) Complete Collection
While I’ll stick with playing the video games, I found the complete collection of Legend of the Mystical Ninja (a.k.a., Ganbare Goemon) to be a decent serie...
I’m big in Japan: Ginza and Roppongi (2005 May 10)
Another trip on the subway (320¥) brought us back to Ginza, and I steered us straight to the Sony building. Spent a bit of time drooling over the high price...
Review: Inu Yasha Volume 52
Volume 52 provides some tension but resets us back to the beginning of the usual pattern. Not much else to say in my latest review. Sound off in the AoD for...
I’m big in Japan: Nezu Jinja and Taitō stroll (2005 May 10)
Nezu Jinja is a Shinto shrine tucked away down a side street in Ueno. When we left Ueno Park, there were few street signs to help us get our bearings, but t...
I’m big in Japan: Ueno Park (2005 May 10)
Our agenda for the day was a walking tour of Ueno Park and the surrounding area suggested by our National Geographic guide. It would take a better part of t...
Review: Angel Links Complete Collection
Angel Links wasn’t quite a hit with me, but it did have promise. You can read my review of the series and let me know what you think in the AoD forums.
I’m big in Japan: Strolling about Shinjuku (2005 May 9)
To return to Tokyo, we had decided on the Shinkansen option rather than having the bus haul us back. Turned out to be a brilliant idea overall; we were sche...
Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Volume 07
Seed Destiny shows another flash of brilliance in my review of the seventh volume. Think the series is mostly on the right track? Let me know in the AoD for...
Review: 300
A co-worker and I took an extended lunch Friday to watch 300; I read that it was pretty much a frame for frame translation of the graphic novel of the same n...
Review: Lupin ni wa Shi o, Zenigata ni wa Koi o
Lupin the Third has his third game released on the PS2; the official site has teased us for months with promising screen shots. Has this latest entry finall...
I’m big in Japan: Hakone (2005 May 9)
Our final stop of the tour took us on a boat ride across Lake Ashinoko and then a cable car ride to the top of an extinct volcano in Hakone. The lake was fo...
Review: Inu Yasha Volume 51
Back to back reviews just for you… Volume 51 scores a better result but not by much in this review. Sound off in the AoD forums.
Review: Inu Yasha Volume 50
Reaching volume fifty, my latest Inu Yasha review will likely anger the hardcore fans. Sound off in the AoD forums; give me your best shot. I can take it.
I’m big in Japan: Heiwa Koen (2005 May 9)
Heiwa Koen in the city of Gotenba was our next stop; unfortunately, there seems to be no decent resources to link to for this wonderful sprawling park of gar...
I’m big in Japan: Mt. Fuji (2005 May 9)
It is another early morning as we awake at 6AM to prepare for our day trip to Mt. Fuji and Hakone. Breakfast at Jurin was simple and light, juice and croiss...
Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Volume 06
My thoughts on the close of the first half of Seed Destiny are in for your reading pleasure. Share your opinion on the series in the AoD forums.
Jm’s YouTube Debut
One of the short films Jm has done has finally been posted to YouTube! It is a strange little piece called .glen echo. written and directed by Michael Cimphe...
I’m big in Japan: A night of Kabuki (2005 May 8)
We were off to experience the traditional theater experience of Kabuki and needed to be at the Hamamatsucho bus terminal by 5:30PM. While I knew which statio...
Review: Elfen Lied Complete Collection
My review of the lackluster Elfen Lied Complete Collection. Agree or disagree? Sound off in the AoD forums and let me know.
I’m Big in Japan: Asakusa & Ginza (2005 May 8)
The final stop on our morning tour was the bustling Asakusa Buddhist temple. Rika-san lead us into the middle of the grounds and gave some brief history of t...
I’m Big in Japan: Imperial Palace East Gardens (2005 May 8)
Our bus took a nice scenic drive towards the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace (there are no good links for the gardens); we drove by Tokyo Tower and recei...
An exercise in patience
Spent a good portion of late last night and today hacking away at a few site related things. After some stress at work, I remembered why Javascript is still ...
I’m Big in Japan: Meiji Shrine (2005 May 8)
We awoke early for our first morning in Japan after a good night’s rest and were ready for a good breakfast. The hotel had a buffet that opened early at Cof...
Review: Original Dirty Pair OVA Collection
Taking a break from the Japan travelogue to post my review of Original Dirty Pair OVA Collection. Old school fans sound off in the AoD forums and share the ...
I’m Big in Japan: The Arrival (2005 May 6 - 7)
One thing I neglected to mention about preparing for the trip was the issue of exchanging currency. Over the years, plenty of sites and people have stated ...
I’m Big in Japan: Securing transportation, lodging, etc.
Jm and I both agreed that we wanted to make the most of the trip to Japan, so we planned on spending two weeks less two days allotted for flying. We would h...
I’m big in Japan: Prologue
It is a brand new year, and I still don’t have my on-line travelogue of my Japan trip up yet. It is coming close to the two year mark since I went, and I’m d...
Review: Inu Yasha Volume 49
With all the Christmas joy of the past few days, I nearly forgot to post about my latest Inu Yasha review. As always, sound off in the AoD forums.
Reviewing the Sacred Bull - Epilogue, the movies
Been a few months since last visiting this topic, but I’ve finally sat down and watched the Evangelion movies. Death turned out to be a decent recap of the ...
Tachikoma Trading Figures
Another early Xmas present to myself from HobbyLink Japan (3600¥). Cute little buggers… Got a full set out of the case including two secret colors – silver a...
Review: Ranma ½ Movie Box Set
I’ve owned Big Trouble in Nekonron China, dubbed no less(!), on VHS for a number of years; was interesting to finally review it and the second Ranma movie a...
Review: Inu Yasha Volume 48
Only eight more volumes to go… Read my thoughts on volume 48 and sound off in the AoD forums.
Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Volume 05
Read my musings on the latest volume of mecha mayhem. Short version is that it was better than the previous volume. Tell me what you think in the AoD forums.
Gunbuster One Coin Figures
Picked up a case of these (6000¥) as an early Xmas gift to myself from HobbyLink Japan. I’ve been wanting these for quite some time, and I’m glad I picked th...
Nothing to see here…
Testing a bit of functionality I’ve whipped up to easily include photo sets… No pics you haven’t already seen on here, so no reason to click into the post. G...
Making things pretty
Finally took a bit of time to conjure up a spiffy looking banner for this blog. The source is a panoramic photo I took of Himeji Castle last year. Cropped it...
Review: Koi Kaze Complete Collection
Sure to be one of the more controversial titles I’ve reviewed, Koi Kaze is not going to be a hit with everyone. Not an easy title to get through, and one I’...
Prepare to qualify…
I finally broke down and hooked up Mario Kart DS to my wireless network. Not sure how often I’ll actually seek out a net game, but feel free to drop me your ...
Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Volume 04
Read and discuss. I’ve never been a huge Gundam fan; I can watch its various incarnations but never get really turned on or off about it. Can’t say this ser...
Review: Inu Yasha Volume 47
One more boring step towards the end of Inu Yasha. Read and discuss.
If I had $810…
I would buy this lovely limited edition DVD box set from Vap. All three Lupin the Third TV series (that’s 228 episodes for those playing along at home) are ...
How I feed
I follow various news and entertainment sites via their RSS feeds. With the explosion of blogs, RSS has become important enough to warrant numerous reader ap...
Upgraded
I’ve recently upgraded to the latest revision of MoveableType. Everything appears to be fine, but please e-mail me if you find anything broken.
Review: Inu Yasha Volume 46
My latest review of the series that just doesn’t know when to quit is up for your perusal. Talk about it in the official forum thread if you like.
New Lupin PS2 game! Translation is tough!!!
A random comment in a post to the Y! Lupin the Third group combined with the recent Tokyo Game Show made me check out the official Banpresto game site to see...
Review: New Getter Robo Box Set
My latest review tackles the splatterfest OVA New Getter Robo. Talk about the review in the forum thread if you so desire.
Five years ago today…
Two little words changed my life forever and made me one of the luckiest men alive.
My new project is super weird!
Decided to break down and pick up a copy of Urusei Yatsura: Endless Summer from NCSX and use it as a tool to immerse myself in studying Japanese. My first t...
Lupin the Third: Seven Day’s Rhapsody
Finally had a chance to sit down and watch this year’s Lupin special. While I cannot say it was terrible, I cannot also say that it was particularly good ei...
Don’t bother me; I’m in a galaxy far, far away…
Yesterday was a glorious day, one I had been waiting on for months. Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy was released. When the first Lego Star Wars game...
Mission Complete
After finally securing a completely working DS Lite, I was able to sit down and enjoy the latest Mario incarnation aptly titled New Super Mario Brothers. Ha...
魔術王の遺産 Playstation 2 Pre-Order Bonus
Back when the very first Lupin the Third PS2 game was announced in Japan, there was a bonus item for those who pre-ordered the game. It was a set of “Play Do...
Review: Castle of Cagliostro Special Edition
Is this edition really special? Read the review and find out, and then post your comments in the AoD forum.
Review: Inu Yasha Movie 04
The last Inu Yasha film (at least for now) receives my attention. Agree or disagree with me in the forum.
Review: Inu Yasha Volume 45
Only eleven more volumes to go; you can read the review and then savage me in the forums.
Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Volume 03
AnimeOnDVD.com review for Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny volume 03 has been posted. Read it and talk.
An exercise in patience
I certainly hope the old adage is true; using the birthday money I received, I decided to treat myself to a shiny new DS Lite along with New Super Mario Brot...
Put not your faith in old adages
Third time was not a charm; blew my entire lunch hour hauling DS#2 to the Watertown store for another exchange. The sales clerk tried pushing the extended wa...
Fab Four?
DS4 is charged and tested; so far, no dead pixels or sound issues. I may finally have a winner here. The Braintree Best Buy finally had some in stock, and ...
And so it begins…
Behold my new blog… yeah, default templates are never pretty, but it will be improving over time. Basically, I’ve been running a LiveJournal for roughly two ...
Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
Saw this over the weekend, and I have to say it is difficult to review this movie properly. It is the first of a two part story which means that you can’t co...
Reviewing the Sacred Bull - Disc 6, the Director’s Cut
The director’s cut of Evangelion episodes 21 - 24 are now behind me; final thoughts on the series follow.
Pollution in China redux
Pollution costs equal 10% of China’s GDP
Reviewing the Sacred Bull - Disc 4 & 5
After a weekend marathon, I have finally seen the original version of Evangelion (episodes 16 - 26); time for some thoughts before diving into the director’...
Random news from around the world
Some interesting bits from around the world…
Hooray for old tech
OK, the tech isn’t that old…
Anime Boston 2006
While I did not spend as much time as I have in the past, this year’s Anime Boston proved to be my personal favorite simply because of the two Japanese guest...
Reviewing the Sacred Bull - Disc 3
Five more episodes of Evangelion (episodes 11 - 15), so it’s time for some more thoughts.
Reviewing the Sacred Bull - Disc 2
Greetings all; I’m back from a much needed vacation with my thoughts on disc two of Evangelion (episodes 6 - 10). I’d like to say thank you to everyone who ...
Reviewing the Sacred Bull - Prologue
After reviewing for a few years now, it is high time for a bit of an experiment and give you, the readers, a chance to be a part of my reviewing process. Wh...
Reviewing the Sacred Bull - Disc 1
First disc is in the can; small disclaimer, this is not meant to be a review of the individual disc. This is merely a stream of consciousness note taking ab...
My God, it’s full of boxes…
This is a post that has been simmering in my mind for some time; however, I have been unable to articulate my thoughts in the past few drafts. Time to just b...
The Last Disk
The bittersweet day has finally arrived, and she mocks us from the screen. "See you next time" is her parting message to us, but there will be no next time, ...
End of an era
In front of me stands something many of us never thought we would see… the final set of Urusei Yatsura DVDs, the last five discs of the long running series. ...
The Year of Reviews, 2005
While my official year anniversary as a reviewer is not for a few months, I thought I would take a look back at 2005 and recap the year. First, a few stats a...
Making the Grade
Out with the old and in with the new… Rather than cut and paste my old blog posts into the new system, this is the opportune moment to revisit and polish the...
Star Wars Episode III: Lucas’ Last Chance
OK, so I downloaded the new Ep3 trailer that was shown on the OC last night. Damn, it looks like a sweet film, but the catch is that the trailers for Eps 1 &...
Yarr… a rambling update
I look back at this journal and realize that I have failed utterly in what I wanted to do with it. I wanted to use it as a tool to write, but I’ve come to th...
Way cool
Thanks to a tip from my brother-in-law, I just picked up one of these. Way cool item; just need a few more pieces, and I’ll be all set for Halloween.
My life has officially gone to shit
My life has officially gone to shit…
The Lion King
As a delayed birthday gift for my brother-in-law, Jm and I took him to the Lion King musical at the Boston Opera House. I had never watched the film due to t...
A little of this, a little of that
Been an interesting week so far; work has been mellow for the most part. This was due partially to the fact that I worked from home on Wed. Amazing how much ...
They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway…
Jm and I took a four day weekend for the Labor Day holiday and had an early anniversary celebration in New York City. When cleaning up my Treo beforehand, I ...
Don’t scare us like that
The doctor’s ran their tests today and determined it was not my grandpa’s heart. Apparently, the new pillow he is using caused him to severely pinch a nerve ...
Damn it
My grandfather had another heart attack on his vacation; he had one last year during his vacation. Lesson to be learned… stop taking vacations. Waiting for t...
It all happens at once…
Been awhile since my last real posting, but quite a bit has happened recently. This is going to be long, so it will be broken into a series of cuts. Pick the...
Ted’s got the beef
“My Beef with Big Media” by Ted Turner
Review: Lost in Translation
Jm and I finally sat down and watched Lost in Translation; we had heard mixed reviews from friends and relatives that had watched it. After watching all 100+...
Givin’ back
At work, we use a CRM service called Salesforce; part of my job has been to use their API to integrate our web site with their service. Primarily, this consi...
Papers please…
MBTA set to begin passenger ID stops
Home split
Yep, broke down and split things into Firefox and Thunderbird on my home box today. Doubt I’ll ever go back to using Mozilla for both; having separate applic...
Fire and Thunder
Decided to take the plunge on my work machine and dump Mozilla in favor of running FireFox and Thunderbird as my browser and mail client respectively. Both a...
Techno Blues: Sometimes technology just gets you down
I happen to run a little web site dedicated to Lupin III, and I am also working once again as a web developer. The latter finally brought out the itch I have...
My God… It’s full of snow…
Summary While I did not get to do or see everything I wanted to, I had a blast at Anime Boston. Kudos to the entire staff behind this event; having the deale...
Lord of the Oscars
(Yeah, I’m sure that’s been used already; so sue me)
You are not a Jedi yet…
All I’ll say about this past week’s Simpsons is “meh”.
It may live, but it ain’t all good… but it ain’t all bad either
My Treo apparently suffered another wound during the latest round of DIY repairs. Let’s recap; my Treo’s battery was pretty much dead. Couldn’t hold a charge...
I’m Henry the 8th, I am, I am… and other sundries
Meh… last night’s Simpsons had a few funny moments but ended up being mostly dull. The magic just hasn’t been there for the show for quite some time. I hope ...
I’m a little bit high; I’m a little bit low…
I’ll start off by saying that I am tired… very tired… My body has decided for the past ten days that three hours of sleep is my limit. Anything after that re...
My God… It’s full of snow…
I spent roughly four hours today shoveling snow. Four hours… Spent this morning digging my wife’s car out so she could go to work tomorrow. Helped another la...
First snowfall…
While it was only a brief flurry where I live, this can only mean one thing. The eternal war between man and nature has entered the bitter, freezing stage. O...
Mokkori…
As you may or may not know, I began reviewing DVDs for AnimeOnDVD.com a few months back. Initially, I would send in my alternate angle reviews to AoD for Lup...
You’ve mastered a dead tongue; let’s see how you handle a live one!
I really miss taking a Japanese language class; I took one at Harvard for a year and really enjoyed it. As seems to be my way, I could read the language easi...
To absent friends, in memory still bright
If I am going to have a journal, I really need to update it more. I wanted to write more, but here I am letting day after day go by without jotting something...
Reflections…
It has now officially been over one year since I was laid off from PacketVideo. It’s been a very long and emotionally emasculating year. What follows are my ...
How Luis got his muse back
So… It’s been nearly a year since I became gainfully unemployed. I’ve taken up a temp job; doing data entry for a health care provider. Dreadfully boring, bu...
Anime Boston 2003
Below is a dump of my notes from the very first Anime Boston.
Quebec
Day 1 - May 24 Woke up early to catch the 6AM shuttle to the airport. Getting through airport security was no problem. Had to show ID numerous times. Jm was ...