Link of the Day [8.06.22]

broderic on August 6, 2022

I think I like train travel. I haven’t really done much, and in America it really doesn’t work, but it is very intriguing to me. I’ve done a few train trips before — once from Paris to Barcelona, a trip into Munich, trips to New York. It’s a small sample size, I know, but still I find it highly interesting.

So today’s link get’s you to see all the American routes of Amtrak. It does show you how to get from one side of the country to the other by the terrible American train network.

https://amtrakexplorer.com/

好きというのはロックだぜ！

broderic on August 5, 2022

Nogizaka46’s 30th single, “Suki to Iu no wa Rock daze!” and in English, “What I like is ROCK!” Kaki Haruka is its center. As a card carrying, 3rd Gen oshi it hurts that this is another single without a 3rd Gen center. The rate they’re going they may never get another center.

Anyhow, I’m not sure about the song. Long and monotonous. At least we get Mizuki in ponytail at the end. I’ll get back to you in a few months when this becomes my favorite song.

Summer Song 2022?

broderic on August 1, 2022

Wet Leg. Chaise Longue. Is this the song that made your summer?

It made mine.

I remember watching some of this last year. Maybe it was their other song, Your Mother. But this is the one that makes me rock out.

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

broderic on July 30, 2022

The numbers came up. Not the lot of them. But enough of them.

I made my money back and that is all that counts.

Actually, I made a profit.

Now what about the taxes?

You Might Find ’em in the Desert

broderic on July 26, 2022

In college a long way back, a friend and I had the midnight slot at our university’s radio station. The Orb’s Little Fluffy Clouds was a track I loved to play. Somehow, it’s been stuck in my brain for years.

Fast forward thirty years (!) and you can find it on the YouTube in several different ways. I chose for you an analog vinyl record. Zonk out to it here.

Thor: Love and Thunder

broderic on July 22, 2022

Taikiki Waititi returns to direct the fourth movie starring the Norse god of thunder, Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder. In his previous Norse god movie the really, really good, Thor Ragnarok, he revived the character and the Thor films. In the fourth installment, he went a bridge too far. It sort of reminds me of the third Spiderman film — ambitious.

Doesn’t it feel like the MCU is spinning its wheels? Like where is the Big Bad who will make these films and movie shows worth it? What is the point of it all?

Anyhow, Thor the character is still great. The return of Natalie Portman and her character is welcome addition. Valkyrie is still very cool. But even then it fell short of being a fine superhero film. It is what is is.

3 of 5 stars.

Bookstore Haul: The Store is Closing

broderic on July 2, 2022

Might as well get to the bookstore for the last time that I’ll see the Criterion Collection on sale to browse. I feel that in its next form it won’t have a movie and music section. I went all out and did get some BluRays. I may go back before the sale ends to see what they may still have. But for now enjoy this list of Criterion BluRays.

Sadly many of these I had on DVD. Damn you technology!

Macross Frontier: The False Songstress

broderic on July 2, 2022

Macross Frontier is my favorite Macross, because the legs of the love triangle have two of my favorite idol singers in the Macross saga, Sheryl Nome and Ranka Lee. Throughout the series, these two had really great songs to sing. Is there anything better than Diamond Crevasse?

Macross Frontier: The False Songstress is the film that came out just after the anime series. It was released way back in 2008 and was part one to a two part series to wrap up the Macross F saga. This was the film that sort of summed up the series. It did not do a great job at it. In fact, if you never saw the series, then you would be lost. It took all the story points of the series and condensed them. It took a few minutes from every episode, sliced them to form an incoherent movie, and let it run for about two hours.

I was really looking forward to this, but I was sorely disappointed. It wasn’t helped that the showing started with 10 minutes of a blank screen. Seriously, it was a mess.

1 of 5 stars.

25% Off All Items

broderic on June 26, 2022

I wandered over to my local book store as is my wont on a Sunday afternoon and I found signs signifying the closing of the store — 25% off of everything. It’s not really closing. It’s moving to a new, smaller location. Downsizing because book selling in the digital age is a challenge.

They also definitely going to change the format. From one suited to browsing aisles to that of the best sellers. It’s going to be highly similar to an Amazon brick and mortar book store. Only the highlights and not a deep catalog. I only think this to be true, because of the smaller storefront where they have the signs up for the move. Parking is also going to be an issue in that it will share their lot with Trader Joe’s who are notorious for choosing small spaces.

This has been my bookstore for the past ten years. I hope it will still stay. But seeing the signs up, and even knowing of the move, I was bummed out about it that I bought $100 worth of merchandise discounted to $83 with tax.