February 01, 2015
Durarara!!
I just watched the first episode of Durarara!! season 2 which has been running for a month on Crunchyroll. It seems to be every bit as is every bit as delightfully wackadoodle as its predecessor.
I highly recommend that you watch the first series if you haven't already. Crunchyroll is also running the dub of the first season (which aired on Cartoon Network some years ago). The dub is quite good and is actually a benefit in this show as the story switches maniacally from one focus to another.
For those who are unfamiliar with the shows premise, it is set in Tokyo's Ikebukaro district and is basically a quiet slice of life show that follows several groups of apparently unconnected people as they carry on their day to day activities which are COMPLETELY NORMAL . That is their story and they are sticking to it...as best they can...which isn't well at all actually.
The first series was all kinds of off-beat fun, and I enjoyed it immensely. It's based on a series of light novels by Ryogo Narita who did such a good job with Baccano some years ago and has the same quirky style and mile a minute pacing, reminiscent of a Howard Hawks film or a '40s comedy. If you adored Baccano and never once winced while watching it, you may be deeply disappointed at the jarringly lower amounts of blood in Durrarara!!* However, for the rest of us, this was a feature and not a bug.
Here is a brief look at the characters from season one, minus any spoilers.
OK maybe one spoiler...
*You may also need serious help.
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
09:11 PM
| Comments (1)
| Add Comment
Post contains 275 words, total size 2 kb.
Right Way / Wrong Way
Over at Next Big Future, Brian Wang has been following a story about how the Chinese stole a vast amount of data on the F-35. He has concluded that the Chinese did indeed do so, but when using the data to assemble their own plane they judiciously omitted the design flaws and built a substantially better set of planes. The Chinese are developing the J-20 , and the J-31 amongst others and the Russians are developing the Sukoi T-50.
The F-35 is actually an exceedingly effective money disposal system. The utility of that accomplishment is debatable.
Pierre Sprey is the designer of the F-16 and A-10, which gives him a bit of credibility in the area of military aerospace engineering. He has some thoughts on the F-35.
Not kind thoughts, but thoughts.
David Axe has similar thoughts.
Note too that because of the vast amounts of data regarding the plane's signature reduction that the Chinese have pilfered, the the stealth of the F-35 is probably useless. This is critical since the performance of the plane is far less than other US fighters, stealth was supposed to make up for that. The plane isn't really even a fighter, with a 6-g limit on the marine version, it's a strike aircraft.
Instead of Lightning, they should have named it Devastator.
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
07:13 PM
| Comments (8)
| Add Comment
Post contains 223 words, total size 3 kb.
Just the Darndest Thing...
A cynical person, vaguely aware of the Sheldon Silver scandals that are rocking New York politics right now, might conclude that the spontaneous combustion of a certain warehouse (containing government records) which was so pyrotechnically impressive that it required a 7 alarm response, has caused the evacuation of the surrounding neighborhoods and may burn for days, would be indicative of some truly incendiary information having been in the warehouse, instead of the whole thing being nothing more than a particularly egregious run on sentence and a bad pun.
'What?"
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
05:25 PM
| No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 93 words, total size 2 kb.
January 31, 2015
The Answer is Sarmat
The question is : "What is Russia's new ICBM called?"
Wow. There had been reports that Russia was developing a new heavy ICBM to replace the old R-36 (NATO reporting name SATAN). However, it was assumed that the new heavyweight missile would be a bit smaller than the massive old cold war relic, perhaps something with a payload along the lines of the MX-Peacekeeper.
It was also assumed that ISIS was a JV team, that "Never again" was more than hollow posturing and that we would notice a Russian submarine in the Gulf of Mexico before it left. In keeping with the sterling record of our designated assumers, the stats for the new Russian ICBM have been released.
SARMAT, the replacement has a declared throw weight of 10 tonnes and can hit targets in the US while firing over the south pole. That is the opposite direction most US early warning radars point.
R-36 (SS-18 SATAN) being launched (via the Military today article)
22,046 pounds is an awful lot of ordinance. Keep in mind that the R-36, is, by a WIDE margin the most powerful ICBM in the world. It has a "throw weight" (as reported to comply with the START treaty), of 8.5 tonnes. There was an improved version with a payload of 9.5 tonnes that was cancelled. Reportedly, this was cancelled in order to comply with arms limitation talks. Wikipedia lists some payload options that were cancelled to comply with the 10 warhead treaty limit.
Three of these versions would carry regular warheads—38 × 250 kt yield, 24 × 500 kt yield, or 15–17 × 1 Mt yield. Two modifications were supposed to carry guided warheads ("upravlyaemaya golovnaya chast")—28 × 250 kt or 19 × 500 kt.Note that one of the two latest versions of the R-36 is a single warhead version as well, carrying a huge 20 megaton warhead that was, in part developed to maximize EMP effects. These huge warheads were removed and stored in 2009 as the Russians sought to maximize the number of warheads given the 10 warhead limit and the dwindling number of serviceable missiles. The R-36 was manufactured and serviced in Ukraine and recent events....well...the replacement program is a rather high priority. It need not, however be a challenging one. The Russians are quite capable at rocketry and the characteristics are a modest improvement on 1970's technology, but without parts made in Ukraine. Indeed, it appears that testing will begin this year. There is more on this (in Russian) here (google translate version behind spoiler tag)
This rocket is fearsome, but it is not a huge advance over the missile it replaces. However, it may itself represent a further rejection of the arms limitation treaties. and it drives home the fact that the Russians are very serious about relying on their nuclear forces.
What could possibly go wrong?
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
08:31 PM
| Comments (2)
| Add Comment
Post contains 482 words, total size 6 kb.
Log Horizon Continues
The show continues to focus on the trek of Minori's party. It seems that, due to circumstances, our plucky, peripatetic protagonists have lost their horses, and so must PUSH their colorful conestoga from town to town. They are thus far unable to solve (or frequently notice) any of the actual mysteries that they encounter, since they keep getting distracted by monsters who aren't wearing any rubber masks.
For instance, it's unclear if Serrara takes any rice with her mayo.
The meddling kids do find a new companion. Roe2 is the meganekko in the top left of the picture. In keeping with the saturday morning theme, this weeks special guest star teaches our viewers an important and cautionary lesson about min-maxing.
Along the way Serrera continues to be a tad creepy and there is a disquisition on the comparative merits and drawbacks of various sauces and philosophies...
Not pictured: Bolshevism.
Meanwhile, the adults back in Akihabara are dealing with political intrigues and societal issues...
All the while Minori's party continues to plod along their way doing good, discovering new things, and...making new friends.
This was a quiet episode which mainly consisted of conversations around dinner or the office, and yet it was thoroughly engaging, moved the plot along quite a bit and added materially to the shows suspense. There is a LOT more going on here than was previously apparent and they only have eight or nine episodes to pull it off, leading to some concern. Nevertheless, Log Horizon remains an enjoyable and surprisingly thoughtful show.
UPDATE: This show is solid enough that it's earned a dub from Sentai and the casting looks to be pretty decent, with lots of people from Highschool of the Dead, Gai Rei Zero and Baccano which were themselves above average dubs.
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
05:06 PM
| Comments (3)
| Add Comment
Post contains 238 words, total size 5 kb.
January 26, 2015
Wait...What?
Via.
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
08:28 PM
| Comments (5)
| Add Comment
Post contains 2 words, total size 1 kb.
Tonight...
...a remarkably strong winter storm looks to be forming up on the northeast.
If I were malevolent and had planned ahead, tonight would be the night I'd have myself and some conspirators try to take some pot shots at sub stations. Hopefully the weather is too bad for such mayhem.
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
08:10 PM
| Comments (5)
| Add Comment
Post contains 51 words, total size 1 kb.
....It Gets Worse
A quick addendum to all the unbridled joy in this recent post. It appears that the new Saudi King may have a few additional ...issues.
King Salman, Saudi Arabia’s newly crowned monarch, has a controversial history of helping to fund radical terror groups and has maintained ties with several anti-Semitic Muslim clerics known for advocating radical positions,
Words are failing me at the moment, so I'll let this young lady provide commentary on the matter.
Happy Monday.
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
06:45 AM
| No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 80 words, total size 1 kb.
January 25, 2015
A Few Quick Notes
I have a fair amount of homework due this week so posting is likely to be sporadic at best, especially Tuesday. As compensation for that and the banality below the fold, here is some Kongos .
more...
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
02:53 PM
| No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 407 words, total size 3 kb.
January 24, 2015
In 1986 I Would Have Been Unsurprised At Speculation That Such a Thing Would Be For Sale in 2015
One of the "Brickmuppet's Crack Team of Science Babes" has thoughts on this development...
Allow me to explain...
Suidobashi Heavy Industries has offered a 12 foot tall mech starter kit. (via)
It appears to be kit build rather than a complete vehicle.
It's available on Amazon Japan.
From Google Translate...
So the arms, and hands are separate meaning that getting the full super robot experience and participating in the mechatronic gladiatorial combat (which will surely be the killer ap for this device) will take some time. Note however, that this is a tripod, which might facilitate going for a slightly different aesthetic.
- Weight about 5 tons, height 3.8m engine driven human four-legged giant toy robot (weight, height, changes in both optional)
- Unlike normal riding toy, safety and comfort is not guaranteed, you can guarantee the dream of mankind "consisting robot pilot".
- It will be the starter kit without arms, forearms, please purchase separately option.
"Uuu Laaa!"
One hopes that a heat ray and Thunder Child RC target model will be forthcoming.
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
10:21 PM
| No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 190 words, total size 5 kb.
The End of an Era
Moot quit.
more...
He has retired from 4-Chan.
While this is unlikely to be a matter of any earth-shaking import, it is probably worthy of note. 4-Chan has certainly been a significant force in some ways, Whether that has been a net positive is a matter of debate. However, Moot single handedly built a place that appeals on some level to about 20 million visitors a month, so he must have done something right.
Moot held forth for 8 hours on his last Q&A.
If you want to peruse that, well, go knock yourself out.
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
04:17 PM
| Comments (6)
| Add Comment
Post contains 104 words, total size 1 kb.
The Buried Lede
...in the State of the Union Speech is actually kind of disturbing...
more...
"CRAP!...this sounds like it's gonna involve discussing Politics and I don't wanna get struggled against this early in the semester!"
Don't worry. We put these things below the fold...
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
02:32 PM
| No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 439 words, total size 5 kb.
Arabian Entropy
As I type this, the news is abuzz with a story that has sufficiently severe ramifications that it has finally galvanized the nation into focusing on current events.
However, we here at Brickmuppet Blog have nothing to add to the high-stakes investigation into under-inflated footballs.
Instead, we find our attention drawn to events in the vicinity of the Persian Gulf, where the government of Yemen, until a US ally in the fight against Al-Quaeda has collapsed and the nations capital has been overrun by a group calling itself the Houthis. The State Department had this to say...
"The Houthis are a legitimate political constituency in Yemen and have a right to participate in affairs of the state. We urge them to be a part of a peaceful transition process," Psaki said.
This does not sound terrible on the face of it and reports indicate that the Houthis , being affiliated with a Shia sect, are violently opposed to AQIAP, the same Al-Quaeda affiliate that we've been fighting in Yemen. This encouraging bit of information was somewhat tempered by actually doing a cursory web search to discover who they are and who these Houthis are affiliated with. To our considerable surprise and dismay, the list did not contain any Blowfish at all, but rather organizations such as Hezzbolah, Iran and Syria. The groups ideology consists of Anti-Americanism, Anti-Zionism and Antisemitism and just to clarify things their slogan (which has been loudly chanted of late ) is "Death to America, death to Israel, a curse on the Jews and victory to Islam". This seems at first glance like a rather more sub-optimal development than the White House is letting on. With this group of raving crazies facing Al-Quaeda, the best option would seem to be to stand back and hope they both loose,. Unfortunately the situation is more complicated due to the long suffering nation's geography.
Yemen borders Saudi Arabia, and borders or is close to the Gulf States who control vast amounts of the worlds oil. While that is not as important as it once was, these states, while being human rights hell holes that, amongst other things, practice slavery are opposed to both Al-Quaeda and Iran. The fall of Yemen puts these countries between Iran, Yemen, which has just become an Iranian client state, and the expanding abattoir that is ISIS. Al-Quaeda continues to operate in the region sowing further discord.
Now one will note that ISIS (and Al-Quaeda), being Sunni and Iran's coalition being Shia are unlikely to coordinate their efforts in any meaningful way as they hate each other with a passion, but they both crave control of the vast oil reserves of the Arabian peninsula and in particular the theological legitimacy that Mecca and Medina could bestow upon the group that controls the birthplaces of Islam. If Saudi Arabia...or just Mecca, Medina or both fall to one of these groups, then it will be a huge propaganda victory and recruitment tool and perhaps a deciding factor in the 1200+ year old war between these two islamic sects. Control of the region's oil will force states like China to legitimize them, and sale of the oil will give them the capital to fund much mischief. All three groups are dedicated to Israel's destruction and expansion of the House of Islam into what they call The House of War via unconventional warfare.
In other words, this is bad.
It gets worse...
The King of Saudi Arabia just died. This throws Saudi Arabia into a state of flux just as all this compost is hitting the fan. The late King had actually made baby steps toward reform, allowing women to have ID cards and conduct financial transactions, and was an opponent of Islamic terrorism, however many in the Saudi royal family are staunch supporters of Al-Quaeda. Fortunately, the succession seems to have gone smoothy for now...
But, it gets worse....
There are reports that, due to its perilous situation and the near certainty of arch enemy Iran obtaining nukes, Saudi Arabia (which financed much of Pakistan's nuclear research) has called in their favor and has obtained or have on retainer a number of atomic weapons from Pakistan. These weapons are as much of a prize to the area's extremists as anything, and if the reports of their being in Saudi hands are not apocryphal, then, given the threats arrayed against the Saudis we could see nuclear weapons used in anger.
It gets worse...
The large number of Saudi aristocrats with extremist tendencies is going to require considerable competence and vigilance to keep those weapons out of unwanted hands even if the nation is overrun.
However, you might be surprised to learn that...
It gets worse...
You see, the new King is in poor health and suffering from dementia....
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
02:01 AM
| Comments (1)
| Add Comment
Post contains 800 words, total size 7 kb.
January 22, 2015
Oddly, This Subject Came Up At a Steakhouse the Other Day
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
08:48 PM
| Comments (2)
| Add Comment
Post contains 11 words, total size 1 kb.
Open Thread!
Yes the "Open Thread".
The international, IMO approved, SOLAS compliant, universally recognized code used by bloggers who are engaged in a three front war against school, work, and writers block.
Here are some random linky bits, just in case, like me, you have nuthin'.
Suburban Banshee suggests that ISIS may not be as well read on their stated policy manual as they claim to be.
On a completely different note...Don links to an article which proposes that suggestions that our society has entered a slow decline may be erroneous.
He also links to this thing that I can't spell.
Wonderduck is unaware that it is not Saturday.
Steven reminds us that opining on cartoons from time to time...doesn't contradict our assertions that we're not kids anymore.
With that in mind...Medieval Otaku claims to have found the BEST BOXING ANIME EVER! It's hard to disagree.
Borepatch has video on steam, steel and DREADNOUGHTS!
Tam and others have thoughts on flag rank payola.
Dr Pournelle seems to be recovering from his stroke and is opining on current events again. Some of it is trigger worthy.
Dustbury...poor Dustburry.
CDR Salamander on China and VietNam.
Russian Newkyoulur forces current status.
Meanwhile...In Gibraltar...
Finally, Tekalili...
Meganekko of Yith by Aor Saiun
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
05:25 PM
| Comments (6)
| Add Comment
Post contains 232 words, total size 4 kb.
January 18, 2015
It Wasn't Deceptions After All
Beagle 2 has been found apparently intact, with no other nearby robots or their botprints in evidence.
"No!...My THESIS! "
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
10:25 PM
| Comments (4)
| Add Comment
Post contains 25 words, total size 1 kb.
How Limited
...is the budget of Log Horizon?
more...
Well, besides the mediocre animation, there's the fact that they couldn't pony up the cash to commission a new song for the bard to sing....
"I didn't write it, it's just a cover of something I heard....somewhere."
I must say, though that her version of the closing credits is better.
Of course, if you're still watching this show, you are not doing so to be wowed by the amazing visual effects or score, both of which, while not incompetent, are mediocre at best. Rather, you're watching this show because the story and characterizations transcend all that.
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
04:39 PM
| Comments (7)
| Add Comment
Post contains 407 words, total size 9 kb.
January 15, 2015
Cautionary Tale or 'How To' Manual?
I guess it depends on who reads these things.
Pixy has thoughts on one of the less appealing responses to the recent massacre in Paris.
I urge you to read the whole thing.
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
08:37 PM
| No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 38 words, total size 1 kb.
That is Frequently My Stated Rationale as Well
Steven explains the indefatigable and scholarly curiosity that motivates his thoughtful analysis of non-photographic visual media.
I wanted to see just how bad the pandering was, so I downloaded raws of the first two episodes...
For my own part, I find that the first week of school has left me too busy for such inquisitiveness (or rationalizations), so, to compensate my readers for the recent lack of postings, here is 35 feet of cheesecake ...
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
07:13 AM
| Comments (2)
| Add Comment
Post contains 88 words, total size 1 kb.
January 11, 2015
Browser Compatibility Test
Let's try captioning this picture of Hanako.
Because Hanako is awesome.
Well, the superscript function doesn't work in Midori either.
Now some spoilers...
Holy crap! Blake is a catgirl! (Who could have POSSIBLY seen that coming?)
Now lets see if we can highlight some quotes without breaking the blog.
The only question is whether this is intended as satire
(hmmm... that didn't work right)
Let's try that again.I filched it from Pixy's blog where it looked like this.
The only question is whether this is intended as satire
The italicized "intended" seems to have broken the attempt to italicize the whole thing...first let's see if we can italicize something in Midori without italicizing the whole paragraph.
OK that worked (at least in the dashboard), now lets try the usual workaround in the quote field...
The only question is whether this is intended as satire....which broke the blog yesterday.
Finally I'll try another work around that only just now occoured to me....
The only question is whether this is intended as satire
Finally, I'll try the same workaround on a hidden tag.
This revelation about Mikoto's musical abilities may not be entirely accurate.
Let's see if any of this worked.
Update: Nope.... back to work...
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
01:40 PM
| Comments (5)
| Add Comment
Post contains 39 words, total size 7 kb.
131kb generated in CPU 0.0369, elapsed 0.1722 seconds.
81 queries taking 0.1497 seconds, 468 records returned.
Powered by Minx 1.1.6c-pink.
81 queries taking 0.1497 seconds, 468 records returned.
Powered by Minx 1.1.6c-pink.
