shuu coo moo? uhh...

Hans Rosling Mind the Gap

Biographical from TED:

As a doctor and researcher, Hans Rosling identified a new paralytic disease induced by hunger in rural Africa. Now the global health professor is looking at the bigger picture, increasing our understanding of social and economic development with the remarkable trend-revealing software he created.

http://www.gapminder.org/

あけおめ

Happy New Year! What providence should this one bear?

Maria Holic Streaming Preview

Due to air on Jan 4th a streaming preview of Maria Holic is available now. Refer to the original post at ANN:

The Animate.tv video website has begun streaming the first anime episode based on Minari Endo's Maria Holic romantic comedy manga on Friday. Viewers are first required to register in Japanese and install the latest version of Windows Media Player, and the episode itself is in Japanese. The streaming will last until January 6 at noon, Japan Time.

Star Wars Motivationals

Cause sometimes two minutes of your life is worth it...

(stumbled upon when looking for good Admiral Ackbar pic, ITS A TRAP!)

Figma Mirai

I want this...

Original post over at Danny Choo, click here

Gmail Goggles

From ars technica:

"How many times have you stumbled home after a long night out with friends, only to plop down in front of the computer and start sending e-mails that you would wake up regretting the next day? OK, maybe some of our older readers in the crowd have never moved beyond "drunk dialing," but many of us are probably more familiar with the embarrassing phenomenon, a technological evolution of the drunk dial. Thanks to a new project out of Google Labs, however, you can at least stop yourself from sending "impaired" e-mails during certain hours."


Now, if only they'd do complex integrals using Cauchy Theorem...

Asian Emoticons

Danny Choo has a great article with links and information about the use of Asian emoticons. Check it out here.

Final Geass - SPOILER

Spoiler *** Scroll over text to reveal:

The final episode of Code Geass aired very recently and I think the writers gave the most acceptable ending possible (Zero Requiem). Everyone had high hopes of high body counts; but it wasn't really meant to be... Overall, Code Geass is one of the best animes a collaboration between companies has produced. The only problem is the shallowness of having only 50 episodes present the content of easily twice that many.

Oh, and here's the RANT. In the episodes portraying the decisive battle for Tokyo between the Black Knights and Schnizel the ending of Suzaku firing Freya makes NO SENSE. Given that Orange-kun had joined Lulu on the side of *justice* and basic premises of Lelouch's strategic ability it's hard to believe Lelouch would have not given the order to dispell Suzaku's "live" geass. Having believed Suzaku just tried to betray him to Schnizel, Lelouch would not have been holding any lingering loyalty to any friendship. Then again, killing millions with Freya finally made Suzaku less of an EMO-hypocratic-punk-ass-b*t*h.

Lucky Star OVA Reminder

Released earlier today... In case you didn't know (yeah right).

Race Across Azeroth

From Attack of the Blog "Lose 100 Pounds With 'World of Warcraft'"

Fall Anime Preview

Check out Garten's more detailed description of the Fall anime lineup @ Memento.

BOAS watch list is

• Clannad ~ After Story
• Gundam 00 2nd Season
• Kyo no Go no Ni
  
• ef ~ A Tale of Melodies (still have to finish A Tale of Memories...)
• Lucky Star OVA
• Nodame Cantabile Paris Chapter

LaFlaga Feed C/O Google AJAX Feed API

Implemented RSS feeds from Blog de LaFlaga using Google's AJAX API. Something more dynamic for the frontpage.

Google Code: AJAX Feed API

ARIA - The Secret Garden

LaFlaga Website Version 4.0

Redesign of LaFlaga's website with an emphasis on simplicity. This new site REQUIRES javascript to be allowed to view correctly. It has been tested using Firefox 3.0.1 and is expected to display correctly with previous Mozilla browsers, Safari, and Opera; NO support is given for IE.

Google Update -- The Process that JUST WON'T DIE

http://www.google.com/search?q=googleupdate.exe

After downloading Google Chrome and trying it for a while... it was back to Firefox for BOAS. But as I uninstalled the beta browser; there was still the menacing process googleupdate.exe always in my task manager. To get rid of it fully I actually had to setup a firewall block on Google Installer and manually `rm -rf` (yes I have that in Windoze...) the entire Google directory from "C:\...\Local Settings\Application Data"--a directory that is hidden but exists! Do yourself a favor, if you plan to dl Google Chrome, please find the offline installer for Google software.

Google Chrome

Google Chrome (BETA) for Windows

Google Chrome is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier.

Like saving 3% fuel economy by properly inflating your tires it makes good sense to download Google Chrome.

On another note--Internet Explorer 8: Over 2x “Fatter” than Firefox

Minami-ke Anime's 3rd Season Reportedly Green-Lit - Anime News Network

A third season of the anime adaptation of Coharu Sakuraba's Minami-ke manga series has been reportedly green-lit in Japan.

Source: 2ch @ ANN

Ubiquity

I know its been a LONG time since I blogged about anything (work+life happens); but if you didn't already make the leap for WORLD RECORD then Ubiquity may be the reason to upgrade to Mozilla Firefox 3.x. Lofty idea; but cool implementation.

http://labs.mozilla.com/2008/08/introducing-ubiquity/

OMG OMEGA CUTE!!!

Virus Visualization

Some artwork inspired by computer virus are shown here, created by MessageLabs.

ARIA the ORIGINATION OST & Canvas Single by Hirai Ken

Great music for the first time in a long time...

DC: XBOX World

Interesting post from Dannychoo.com

http://www.dannychoo.com/fauna_detail/eng/1320/XBOX+World/

Spring 08 Anime

Line up for anime showing Spring this year; see anything you like? BOAS is definitely into Code Geass R2 and curious about the new xxxHolic. Itazura no Kiss had a fairly successful j-dorama adaptation. Also Vampire Knight was recommended by a friend for its pretty manga artwork.

Hatsune Miku Nendoroid Odori

3D+Dolls=Nightmares

From dannychoo.com "Blythe Dolls" (WARNING DO NOT FOLLOW LINK IF YOU ARE PRONE TO NIGHTMARES)

I originally came to the conclusion that there were 4 types of male Otaku.

* 1.Prefers 3D (real human like Idols) girls.
* 2.Prefers 2D (anime, eroge, illustration) girls.
* 3.Prefers dolls (Candy Girl etc).
* 4.Prefers hybrid mix of 3D and 2D (Anigao Girls) girls.

Today I discovered via Jyohoya that there seems to be another type - the otaku who prefers a hybrid mix of 3D human and dolls...

Stylish

Good Neighbors

This is a picture from a protest in Australia against Japanese whaling. Fitting for post #666.

(Anti)X-mas Mikuru

For some reason some Otaku are against X-mas?

メリークリスマス

Hayate Bell

Touch Special

Play a free preview of Alcot's eroge Fairchild.

ピチパチマリアーギン様17歳ーエテナル!!

Hayate no Gotoku! 35

Read AIR Online

AIR manga translated by LaFlaga is available online at onemanga. Oh the memories...

Fight Cub

BOAS can take 23 five year olds in a fight!

23

J-Leisure Suit

Gives a new meaning to "Business in front; party in back". Former PM Koizumi would be proud.

http://www.dannychoo.com/.../Japanese+Business+Suit/

Warning Site/Link is EXPLICIT

KPOPxFFAC

From ANN:

On Friday, December 7, Judge Gu Hoe-geun of the Seoul Central District Court ruled against the Korean media production company Fantom Entertainment in a lawsuit that asserted a music video plagiarized from Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children computer-graphics anime movie. Square Enix filed the lawsuit earlier in the year over the music video for Korean artist Ivy's song, "Temptation Sonata."

HAHAHA LOL; But seriously, don't watch the video (it's terrible).

Seven Seas Strawberry Panic Disappointment

BOAS is saddened by the unprofessional actions of Seven Seas to publish Strawberry Panic manga. The release dates posted on their website have changed from Nov. 07 to Dec. 07 with no date attached to either month. Worse, their "official" posting on amazon.com has pushed the "date" back from Dec. 11th to Dec. 23rd just one day before the original release date. This string of disappointments is really showing how this publisher isn't to the standard of quality shown by companies like VIZ and Tokyopop.

AIR the Motion Picture (12/11/07)

Domestic release date; go get it!

Kimi ga Nozomu Eien ~ Next Season Trailer

Source ANN:

The official website for Kimi ga Nozomu Eien ~Next Season~, an alternate retelling of the Kimi ga Nozomu Eien or Rumbling Hearts romance adventure game and anime franchise, has posted a promotional video for its first DVD on December 4. The first DVD will ship in Japan on December 21. The Next Season video series and the earlier Kimi ga Nozomu Eien television series are based on a series of games about a boy (Takayuki Narumi) and his relationships with several girls before and after a tragedy.

Microsoft Linux LOL

CLANNAD Fandub

Seriously! It's not that bad, the male roles could use some work but that's true across the board for English dubs of anime. BRAVO.

The Trend in Outsourcing joesmith@university.edu

From Inside Higher Ed

In the world of e-mail, outsourcing means two things: Google or Microsoft. Both have been marketing Web-based messaging services to small businesses, nonprofits and other groups, and they’ve focused more intensely on the higher education market over the past year. Besides services that are completely free and interfaces that are familiar to students, they offer a wide array of features, tools that let people collaborate in real time — and of course, the cool factor.

ef ~ a tale of memories

ef ~ a tale of memories is a surprising delight from the Fall anime season. Take BOAS' word for it and at least watch until episode 8.

Synchronicity Single

The OP for Tsubasa Chronicles Tokyo Revelations. Can't wait for the next season.

Candy Boy Online Episode

From ANN:

The Cho! animelo audiovisual website and the Nico Nico Douga online video service have started streaming a free eight-minute episode of the Candy Boy "romantic school comedy" on November 22. The short story revolves around Kanade and Yukino Sakurai, twin sisters in their second year in a Tokyo high school in the fall of 2007, and a freshman girl, the super-rich Sakuya Kamiyama.

This is a cute yuri snippet that is amazing for being 8 minutes in length.

GO GO SUPER COMPUTING

Cracking GO By Feng - Hsiung Hsu

First Published October 2007

Brute-force computation has eclipsed humans in chess, and it could soon do the same in this ancient Asian game

http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/oct07/5552/

Clannad Cameo

Misuzu's favorite peach pulp juice box makes a cameo in Clannad!

Clannad Canned BREAD

As a promotion for the new television anime series Clannad, visitors to Japan Railways' Akihabara Station in October can pick up an unusual special edition snack: Clannad Canned Bread.

The bread is being sold in and around the station area at a cost of 350 yen (about US$3.20) per can. Some of the bread is being sold from vending machines. The packaging is similar to the canned oden often sold in the Akihabara area, but the bread itself draws inspiration from the bread shops seen in the Clannad series. The bread is available in seven flavors: chocolate, green tea, strawberry, butter, raisin, blueberry, and milk. The company responsible for developing and selling the bread is Pan Akimoto, who first developed the canned pastries in the wake of the Hanshin Awaji earthquake that struck the Kobe area in 1995.

SRC: ANN

CLANNAD

KEY's so-called spring title is running for the autumn season. Be sure to check it out.

BTW. AIR == SUMMER,
KANON == WINTER

EPS1 @ Memento

ダカーポ 。Ⅱ。

The perfect blend of nostalgia, romance, and intrigue (what's down those stairs!? >.<)

ナナ ー 七

Nana Vol. 7 2morrow.

Geneon USA Halts All DVD Distribution Today

From ANN:

The onetime anime distribution company Geneon Entertainment (USA) Inc. has notified its retail customers that it will cease "the sales of DVDs and all related distribution and marketing operations as of 5 p.m. on Friday, September 28, 2007." The deadline for ordering all Geneon USA products is that time and date, and only orders for "catalog products in inventory or new releases with a street date" of November 6 or earlier will be accepted. Any outstanding retail orders will ship as soon as stock is available. No more returns will be accepted after 5:00 p.m. on November 30, and new orders after September 21 cannot be returned at all. The letter to retailers also says that "payables to Geneon remain unchanged."

アエル 映画

AIR Movie will be released by ADVFilms on December 11th.

Zetsubou Sensei ED Single Zessei Bijin

1. Zessei Bijin
2. Kagerou
3. Zessei Bijin (Uta Nashi)
4. Kagerou (Kafuka Nashi)

AIR Vol 2 9.25.2007

Don't forget... but don't throw your pet over it!

(Un)Official Teaser Trailer for Kanon

ADV has not confirmed but strongly hinted at the license of the 2006 remake of Kanon (Key's Winter).

SRC: ANN

Follow up: The license of the Kanon remake has been confirmed by ADV.

SRC: ANN

素敵な一日

Mandela is DEAD

More ARIA

ARIA ~ Arietta OP/ED Single

Can't wait for ARIA the Origination; get your prima on!

Tracklist:
1. Nana iro no Sora wo
2. Ashita, Yuugure Made
3. Nana iro no Sora wo (Instrumental)
4. Ashita, Yuugure Made (Instrumental)
5. Nana iro no Sora wo ~Hikigatari~

Philosophy of Colors

This is a really nice blog about the origins and nature of colors. The text is Japanese but the pictures and colors speak for themselves.

http://blurrs.exblog.jp/

GIMP GUI Redesign

GIMP is finally getting serious over its GUI Redesign. Does anyone else remember the short lived success of gimp shop?

SRC: /.

Animated Model of Haruhi

From ANN:

To promote The Promise of Haruhi Suzumiya PSP adventure game with its exclusive "Motion Portrait" CG modeling of the characters and "Seamless Operation System" for gameplay, Bandai Namco Games has posted an interactive 3D sample of Haruhi's head. The 3D-modeled, cel-shaded head and chest of Haruhi responds with uncanny facial expressions to mouse movement. Source: Kotaku

Manga Shares Rise as Abe Prepares to Step Down

The Japanese Manga industry as Taro Aso leads the candidates for the new Japanese PM.

SRC: BBC World

Shounen Onmyouji Musical

The musical production of Shounen Onmyouji is in the news with pictures of the cast available at mainichi news. Which one is Akiko-hime?

SRC: Mainichi

お嫁にしなさいっ ラキースタ

More random awesomeness featuring Lucky Star:

Chatmonchy Dai Dai

The twelfth ending song for Bleach is "Dai Dai" by Chatmonchy. The album includes two other tracks:

1. Dai Dai
2. Cosmo(politan) town
3. Real

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8vbBYK2LQc

ARIA ~ Arietta OVA

まだまだ つづく の 夏 素敵でそよね。いつまでも アリア と，そして 大切な人と 一緒に 素敵な 思い出 作りましょ。

ARIA Third Season

From ANN:

The October issue (on sale August 30) of Mag Garden's Comic Blade magazine will announce that a third animated television season based on Kozue Amano's Aria surreal slice-of-life manga was greenlit. Director Junichi Sato (Gate Keepers, Pretear, Princess Tutu) will return after overseeing both of the previous Aria television seasons and the OVA. The staff will largely be the same as the OVA version's. The broadcast date has not been set yet, but the third season has been in production since this past spring. Source: Moon Phase

Source: ANN

Kawada Mami 'Get My Way' Single

The second ending song for Hayate no Gotoku!

Baccano

New anime -- something about a train and alchemy; but it's really all about the characters. It's like they've got pizazz! A good number of very familiar seiyuu (VA) appear.

Watch the PV on YouTube

Mononoke

A "new" anime that is really a spin-off from Ayakashi ~ Classic Japanese Horror Bakeneko; we once again see the deeds of the exorcising traveling medicine seller.

Official Site

End of the Rebellion

Remember that the delayed season finale to Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion aired yesterday at an obscene hour. Be sure to catch it at a more humane time soon!

LILO L 01 01 99 99 !!! *&^@!*%

So did a install of Mandriva Linux on a really old Dell PC (Ubuntu was not working). That damn boot loader LILO gave me so many problems with their L 01 01 99 99 crap. The solution was to go to grub!

Evangelion Rebuild Trailer

Great... Another version of Neon Genesis Evangelion (sigh -.-)
BTW First YouTube on Blog de la Flaga

From the Top--Lucky Star

And you ask why its so popular!?

Zetsubou Sensei

A new anime that's got some serious 20s charm in a rather depressing (totally not Charleston way). Yet so beautiful.

ADV to Publish AIR TV

Just got whiff of this but ADVfilms is set to release the AIR TV anime series starting 8/14/2007. They're taking preorders right now! BOAS could not be happier.

ADVFilms AIR TV Official Site

The 2nd Melancholy

Recent Newtype article proclaiming a serious second season for Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu. More details expected to be released today!

AnimeSuki Forum

NANA DAY 7/7/07

Happy Nana Day Everyone!

To celebrate BOAS has been falling in love with the VIZ domestic release of Nana; but... IN volume 3 on page 38 in the bottom right hand corner the translation states that Naoki is the bassist for Trapnest. What a glaring TYPO. Are we supposed to believe Hachi doesn't even know that Takumi plays the bass even though he is her favorite member at that time?

May Ai Yazawa's pure creation capture generations to come.

(It's the will of the demon lord ^_^)

Stop Tazmo

BS latest release of Naruto contained this little easter egg. The fan community for manga and anime was built off of something free and easily available to everyone with NO ONE profiting off it. Not only has this provided a plethora of exposure to creativity it has also developed into a healthy business model.Follow Up (7/8/07) Manga Updates has posted this draft on their front page and are telling fans to stop supporting narutofan.com

Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru Licensed

By Media Blasters.

Tu Year Anniversary

Happy posting as Blog de LaFlaga enters its second year of pointless musings.

Hidamari Sketch ~ Toukubetsu Hen

New radio drama from the very talented seiyuu of Hidamari Sketch. Massugu GO! (listen and you'll understand).

ARIA of My Vacation

BOAS just spent some wonderful memories with ARIA the Natural that pretty much constitute the entirety of my vacation this summer. That may sound BAD; but let me remind you of the feeling you get after a real vacation (I need a vacation). At least AQUA isn't some kind of Kincaid Antiguan pseudo-paradise. May ARIA sing out gently to your hearts in need of R&R ^_^

とび魚のバタフライ / 世界が終わる夜に

New Single from Chatmonchy--you know that Japanese chick band that did the ending for Hataraki Man.

Touka Gettan OP/ED Singles

Opening better than ending; good bonus tracks on both singles.

Siren (The Singing Water Fairy)

LaFlaga needs more pretty pictures

Ayakashi ~ Samurai Horror

Domesticated by Geneon.

Ayakashi

Rozen Maiden

BOAS caught an banner ad for the US release of Rozen Maiden Vol 1 from Geneon and I swear the subtitle was "Some dolls you just don't play with". Who writes this stuff? Personally, I would have went with "because we're man enough to watch other men play with dolls" (>_<)

www.rozendvd.com

Touka Gettan In Reverse

BOAS doesn't know if everyone who watches Touka Gettan knows this but it is being aired in reverse chronological order--that is the first is the last and the last is the first. Makes a bit more sense now doesn't it? No? Yeah me neither.

SRC: ANN

At the Movies with BOAS

So just picked up a couple of movies and one is Kamikaze Girls (AKA Shimotsuma Monogatari) which is absolutely brilliant, hilarious, rococo. But BOAS also happened across a super discounted DVD of Millennium Actress and felt so sorry that I just had to buy it. Maybe some people don't agree with me but Millennium Actress is really a movie only a critic could love.

VIZ: Kamikaze Girls
Millennium Actress The Movie

Just a quick follow up; Millennium Actress is better than I remembered it to be. Still kinda cheesy but heart felt.

Teddy

Are you serious!? I mean will these things have red crosses painted on them?

BBC: Robot Teddy BEAR Rescues Soldiers

AIR Manga in Russian

A scanlation group that is translating LaFlaga's release of AIR into Russian. Give them your support!

Kuroshiro

FAQ Page up on LaFlaga

http://laflaga.googlepages.com/faq.html

It's All About Style

Some tips for coding with style that is clear and concise

IBM Developers Network

And how to do the opposite

How to write unmaintainable code

But at least you'll have job security ;)

Touka Gettan OST

It has Momoka on the cover :)

But don't be confused that this is the music from the anime--it isn't! BOAS will be looking forward to the anime OST as well. Doesn't that music between Touka and Yumiko sound a bit cheeky?

Kami-chama Karin OP Single Ankoku Tengoku

The opening single for Kami-chama Karin titled Ankoku Tengoku is new from ALI PROJECT. It's got a jazz rhythm that's pretty interesting.

"I AM GOD", Kami-chama Karin

China's Sola

This picture from the Associated Press found on the BBC world news page shows Chinese workers dressed in Army fatigues holding out umbrellas for the Chinese Congress. ARE THOSE THE UMBRELLAS FROM SOLA?

I don't know what to title this?

So it's basically some pictures about Chinese performance artists living in a glass box day and night somewhere in Beijing. AND NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT!

SRC: BBC World News

This Season With BOAS

Everything has been terribly busy but BOAS still wants to share some picks for this anime season:

1. Touka Gettan
2. Claymore
3. Lucky Star
4. Shining Tears X Wind
5. Seto no Hanayome
6. Kiss Dum Engage Planet
7. Sola
8. Murder Princess