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With media attention generally concentrated on foreclosed homeowners, this article will take a brief look to consider the effect on homebuilders such as Isaac Toussie.

Embittered homeowners who have been foreclosed upon have taken to trashing the property before getting kicked out, with anecdotal estimates by real estate agents putting the number of such vandalized properties at up to fifty percent of all such units. But given all the media coverage of foreclosed homeowners, it’s time to take a look now at how the same crisis is affecting homebuilders like Isaac Toussie. After all, many of the small-time businessmen had to take out loans in order to finance their housing developments. Of course, there are no such developers out on the street, and their cases, unfortunate in themselves, are not anywhere near comparable to that of homeowners who have nowhere to go at all. But it’s helpful to see how things can turn out for businessmen and women caught up in the same economic twister, and how responses can differ – or not.

For instance, many small homebuilders have had to dip into personal savings just to keep their companies afloat, a familiar state of affairs to many homeowners. Buyers were disappearing with cash deposits of several thousand left on the table, proof that local residential property markets had turned ice-cold. Even more unfortunately, many homebuilders have proceeded since then to file for bankruptcy protection, with vast sums owed not only to their lenders but also their subcontractors and workers. But still worse yet, these small-time builders have often financed their businesses with so-called recourse debt which allows banks to seize homes, cars, and other personal assets in case of default – again, quite a familiar scenario comparable to that faced by many homeowners.

Such circumstances have increased and are now considered commonplace across the country. Many a builder has been left with unsold units and land, falling behind on interest payments and facing foreclosures. And in a very bad sign of the extent of the destruction involved, even very large homebuilders are in trouble, with legendary builders such as Levitt & Sons, founders of Levittown, New York on Long Island, famous for epitomizing postwar suburbia, forced into bankruptcy like some small ill-fated start-up.

It’s gotten so bad that once solid partnerships and friendships have frayed as an every-man-for-himself mentality creeps into the proceedings. Contractors and subcontractors have had to take out liens on the property they build in order to protect themselves. And it is in this respect that the problems of homeowners and homebuilders differ: the latter have almost no hope of any governmental assistance whatsoever, despite being affected by the same subprime mortgage industry shenanigans that’s made owning a home so suddenly burdensome.

Legal Disclaimer: Be advised that such information as has been presented so far only constitutes mere opinion and should under no circumstances be misconstrued for professional advice of any kind whatsoever! Always consult those properly licensed and/or otherwise qualified when it comes to making business decisions of any financial importance.

Though the existing economic catastrophe has also affected Connecticut realty, industry experts like Isaac Toussie believe that there’s no danger of oversupply in Connecticut mostly due to the state’s inventory levels being rather constant, possibly because of Connecticut’s housing escaping the kind of speculation other places have seen. Such a happy instance is probably also on account of the fact that Connecticut hosts some with the most expensive land anywhere in the country after California, with above three percent of them priced around a million dollars as of the turn of the century. Southwestern Connecticut lies within the greater New York City metropolitan region, but areas further away, such as those communities in the northeast, are better described as luxury retreats for the monied classes, given median home values in the multiple of millions.

There can be a lot of “upside” to Connecticut realty. Condominium inventory in Connecticut are actually at steady ranges despite the financial downturn of late, which is really an extremely positive sign that bodes well for the overall real estate market there. Connecticut land ought to be fine pretty soon. Investing in commercial properties there is frequently a good bet even in this economy. Slow but steady growth has marked the history of Connecticut property for some time. In truth, despite of the current financial meltdown these days, the State of Connecticut has not witnessed a lot of overly dramatic shifts.

The Danbury Fair, the state’s largest shopping mall, is a case in point. Founded in 1947, it has three levels, forty-seven shops, and nearly four hundred thousand square feet of retail space. Industry experts like Isaac Toussie feel that once the New York City Metropolitan Area recovers, retail outlets like this one in Connecticut will follow right along. Indeed, three of the state’s eight counties, which also happen to house most of the population, make up the Tri-State Region of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

Even with such proximity to a world-class metropolis like New York City, it should be noted that Connecticut was never that hot a real estate market, so it shouldn’t be surprising that Connecticut has endured the housing scandal and its subsequent crisis much better than many other states. Indeed, once-industrial and then dilapidated Waterbury now attracts newcomers, most notably Orthodox Jewry, a welcome development that has brought new life to the local economy.

Certainly, Connecticut has in fact done well relative to states like Florida, Nevada, and even California, for sales are already reported to be running at about 70% of 2008 levels, and though median prices have moderated they are at least not nose-diving! Yes, mortgages are harder to come by, but a lot of this is because of the long-overdue correction of slipshod lending practices in the first place and is actually, in the long term, a positive development for Connecticut’s economy.

Having said all that, readers are still advised to consult those properly licensed and/or otherwise qualified when it comes to making business decisions of any financial importance as neither author nor publisher shall be held liable for such information as has been presented so far, which only constitutes mere opinion and should under no circumstances be misconstrued for financial advice of any kind whatsoever!

Wedding favors truly add to the “sentimental interest” of one of the most important occasion in anyone’s live. A wide selection exists on the market for almost every possible purpose, with every theme including religious ones, well represented.

For example, Asian themed wedding favors are one of the most popular bestsellers these days, though traditional favorites like the fairytale still dominate the industry. And perhaps in a sign of our times, you can find even varieties that incorporate casino objects such as dice and playing cards into their designs!

Indeed, the range of wedding favors available for today’s brides is richly diverse. There are even edible favors like personalized mints and cookies! There are also favors by season, favors by political persuasion, and favors that acknowledge the very location of the wedding ceremony, for example Hawaiian themes for a ceremony in Hawai’i. Have a favorite TV show? There are sure to be gifts based on it!

General favors for guests have included copies of the music played at the wedding reception and party, shot glasses filled with candy, and of course silver picture frames with a photo of the couple. Of course, those for your groomsmen and bridesmaids should be different than any you give away to guests.

These favors should be much more personalized, reflecting not only the wedding but the extra unique roles the recipients play in helping to make it all happen. Probably the most popular types for groomsmen seem to be commeorative colognes and watches, while bridesmaids have typically been limited to bags! (Still a far cry from the old days when favors consisted of sugar cubes or almonds, in an age when such commodities were expensive luxuries!) In the end, the point of a gift is to communicate love. In sharing their happiness, a couple further cements the bonds of companionship even as they embark on the creation of new familial ones.

Who in the world types terms like “high risk business loans bad credit” on the search engines? It seems one of the most popular keyword phrases stumbled upon daily by them, as scored by volume reported, but who are the folks that write – and therefore think – this way? So ungrammatical, so casual, so carelessly…entrepreneurs?

It seems as if nearly every small enterprise is in dire need of Small business loans or if not, then gives a distinct silent cry for a loan. Of course if anyone falls in a financial pit, there’s almost no escape nor is there any strength to fight back, sequencing fatal results for this business. Shame on those sloppy enough to have not realized anything about preserving their business, I blame personal and emotional interference.

And just what does it say about business people that they are given over to such conceptual mash-ups such as “high risk business loans bad credit” anyway? Talk about stream-of-consciousness writing! Joyce would be proud, in all likelihood. Yet that’s precisely the mindset of a success story. While there are numerous highly intelligent and highly literate successes in business, there are vastly more who succeed despite, it would seem, themselves – that is to say, you needn’t be an intellectual in order to make big money. You basically need to learn how to make a lot of money and go about doing it.

If that means getting literate, being an intellectual, then so be it. But one really has nothing regarding the other. That’s why we get people Googling high risk business loans bad credit each day. These are obviously businessmen and women who are needing money and yet are high risks themselves! Moreover, consider that they understand that they are hazardous propositions and yet half-expect, at least, to find someone willing to lend them money. What audacity without a doubt – the same hard thick-skinned nerve that’s in the DNA of most any entrepreneur, only exponentially elevated!

It’s a great thing, such cheek, such gall, such moxie, such temerity. It’s this kind of gumption that got you to be an entrepreneur to begin with, all things considered. But several of your peers have it in abundance – and that’s actually an understatement! So they’re going around scouring the web for all signs of a business loan for those with poor credit, fully expecting that where there’s a need there’s a businessman or woman who has figured out ways to meet it!

And indeed, such intuition is proven right: there is indeed a way for those with bad credit histories to obtain money for their businesses. Additionally, they can pay back the funds over time, practically taking their sweet time to do so! This is no loan, however, but cold hard cash that’s advanced against anticipated credit card sales. You would only pay back a certain previously agreed upon percentage of the monthly receipts – that’s it!

Wine racks are vital accessories for the true collector. Although the word “accessories” originally referred to those items which aren’t essential to a product but which might enhance the enjoyment of that product, in the case of wine racks they are so helpful in organizing and displaying one’s collection that they are really quite necessary, particularly when a collection runs into the multiple scores or even hundreds.

But when speaking of wine racks, one usually thinks of a casual collection, almost amateur in its scope – though the proud owner might be just as devoted as any professional trader or dealer. This kind of display rack is generally wall-mounted in a prominent spot, for instance the kitchen (most often) or den.

These racks are almost always carefully chosen for their designs to complement the room as well as offer safe storage. Most such racks or holders are made out of wood while others are wrought of iron. Wood is such a favorite material because of the role it plays in winemaking; many wines are very carefully aged in wooden caskets prior to being bottled. Iron is a close second in popularity because the nature of metal is such that sinuous shapes may be created, a feature a lot harder to accomplish with wood.

While many of these racks offer only enough space for a few bottles, full-sized racks can take up an entire basement. For those who do not know their wine, it may seem extravagant to devote an entire level of one’s house, but almost all agree that simple holders are a great way to store wine.

But people being people, there are even automated models out there which will pull your bottles for you! The super-fancy varieties can also be pretty expensive, but are quite popular. But no matter which type is chosen, it’s much more elegant than simply stowing your bottles in a cupboard!

State tax forms are required to file state taxes – but where is our tax money going? Taxes are utilized to support the government, but in a democracy the government is supposed to be “for the people,” as a popular rumor has it. All the state tax forms filed year in, year out seem to have no effect on our local governments, which across the nation are a lot more likely than not operating at a deficit. How is this possible with all of the money pouring into government coffers?

Most people merely file their state tax forms and leave it at that, too busy with their lives and some even hoping not to attract any government attention. But a growing number of our fellow citizens and residents are deeply concerned over where “their money” is going. Virtually everyone agrees with paying for firefighters, sanitation workers, and other civil servants, but even then there can be a lot of controversy over the details.

Take educators for example. Again, nearly everyone agrees that teachers are needed. But how to compensate them with our tax dollars, exactly? Currently, numerous individuals across the country are up in arms over teacher perks and salaries.

It is felt that teachers have things much too comfortable, and there are individuals who would like to make the profession of teaching a job like any other, which in the United States means “hire and fire at will.”

These folks want to, they say, hold teachers more “accountable” for student performance, which is often proposed to be measured by standardized test scores. But the other side of the argument believes that teaching is not just a job like any other, that the training of minds and the inspiration of hearts is not something which can be neatly measured on a quarterly or yearly basis like some corporate earnings report.

As famous as the team is, it is an open question whether Dallas Cowboys merchandise would’ve been as popular as they are without the equally popular Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. These ladies aren’t just any ol’ football cheerleading squad members, but make up a veritable franchise in themselves.

No less than two made-for-TV movies have appeared about them, not to mention any number of Dallas Cowboys merchandise bearing their likeness somewhere on the product! For when you think of Texas football, you think the Cowboys – and when you think Cowboys, you think of their cheerleaders.

For sure the die-hard fan might prefer his Dallas Cowboys towel “straight-up” but many others who are not so hard-core would most likely welcome a shot of the cheerleaders illustrating their fan merchandise! No other collection of young ladies so epitomize the American woman: young, fun, and fit; spirited; glamorous; intelligent.

Yes, in spite of the voyeurism involved these beauties know how to comport themselves and market themselves. Team try-outs obviously focus on athleticism and physical attractiveness but as spokesmodels for the team a good amount of social savvy and hence intelligence is needed, too.

The only other set of females that have left such a deep impression on popular culture worldwide would have to be Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Bunnies. Interestingly, the Cowboys’ cheerleading squad really started out mixed, with both males and females, as was high school and collegiate football tradition.

And indeed, it was local high school students that really made up the squad back in the 1960s. In 1969, however a deliberate attempt was made to increase in-game attendance by offering only female cheerleaders whose routines were unlike those prevalent at school games. By 1972, all cheerleaders were over the age of eighteen as their moves became increasingly much more like sexy dance routines.

“Multimedia” and “virtual reality” used to be big buzzwords all through the second half of the ’90s, before the “dot bomb” when internet start-ups were going up like crazy and the stock market couldn’t get enough of them, throwing money at almost every one in a confident shotgun way.

And now those days are long gone, having moved onto the next big bubble (which was, by the way, subprime mortgages, something that’s still a crisis the world over), but virtual reality and multimedia have only become better and better – though full sci-fic implementation is still quite some way off. That’s because a lot is involved in total sensory replication, though for many, the “rated-G” audiences of families on a vacation package, say, something like the New York Skyride by serial entrepreneur Zalman Silber would be just fine (it is, briefly, an IMAX-like helicopter fly-over of famous city sites synchronized to motion seating). But in research and development labs around the world, all the biggest names in consumer electronics are busy figuring out how to apply declassified military technology in a relevant way to ever more immersive videogaming and other kinds of entertainment.

Two trends appear ready to finally come to fruition: 3D and kinetics. First, three-dimensional technology is one of the most heavily investigated fields in home electronics, and it seems poised for a prime-time debut in the form of astonishingly advanced television screens that require no 3D glasses to view 3D imagery. Secondly, the multiple billion-dollar videogaming industry has been pivotal in developing kinetic controls, whereby user commands are conveyed not through a physical interface but through the user’s own body movements. These two advances are being marketed right now by some of the biggest names in the business, famous labels such as Nintendo and Microsoft, companies that have a proven record of success in most of the things they do. A far cry from the likes of Zalman Silber!

Besides entertainment, the most obvious other uses for these technologies would be in real estate as well as education. Teaching subjects like chemistry and physics will certainly be revolutionized by the implementation of intuitive user controls and interactive 3D graphics that do not require a special interface. Wholesale property investment already makes significant use of virtual reality by providing 360-degree views and video walk-throughs of real estate to potential buyers from around the world. Using virtual tours over the internet, likely buyers can figure out from the comfort of their own homes whether an actual site visit is warranted, though property is also often bought simply on the basis of the virtual tour!

An exam glove is utilized by medical professionals to conduct examinations without contaminating the sample or patient as well as themselves. Most such exam gloves used to be produced out of rubber latex, but the possibility of allergic reactions has made the likes of neoprene and nitrile, the materials of choice for numerous modern medical exam glove. It’s almost impossible to tell them apart at first glance, however each presents its own unique characteristics that make some people prefer one over the other.

The standard exam glove these days is made of synthetic rubber that tends to cost more than natural latex alternatives, a concern in these recessionary times when even famous hospitals like Saint Vincent’s in the Bronx, New York can shutter because of financial difficulties.

Also, something like nitrile rubber has inferior strength and flexibility when compared to natural rubber, though it is much more resistant to oils and acids. Neoprene, on the other hand, resists burning much better and will frequently be found inside the weather stripping applied to fire doors as well as inside the examination gloves of a healthcare provider.

Exam gloves were first instituted with William Stewart Halsted’s 1890 practice of using rubber gloves that protect healthcare workers from skin exposure to carbolic acid, a required sterilizing agent. Carbolic acid, or phenol, was adopted originally by Sir Joseph Lister for use in antiseptic surgery, but skin discomfort lead to the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company’s invention of a rubber glove that could withstand the organic compound.

Interestingly, latex gloves are still much preferred in surgery these days mainly because of the fine control and greater sensitivity they offer. The one exception to this fact is the polyisoprene glove, but these are over twice as expensive as their natural latex counterparts, and as mentioned previously, hospitals have now turn into really cost-sensitive environments.

One way of making money on the internet is to find explosive niches to blog about, wildly popular topics that individuals go on the internet to research and read. For example, you can start a web site devoted to a profitable Tv shows with a huge audience. This ensures interest in your website, which is the first step in making money online: providing something that individuals find valuable.

This is what it means to find explosive niches to blog; you want to offer a forum where individuals enthusiastic about a certain topic can gather and exchange views. In order to make money, the topic has to be “explosive” but “niche” – popular but not so popular where you are likely to be a Johnny-come-lately to the proceedings.

The trick is to find that delicate balance where the territory is still fresh enough, so to speak, so that you can claim your own stake, and territory that isn’t so out of the way such that really few people will be interested in dropping by (your website).

That’s how you can blog residual cash to your business, generating money even while you sleep because the whole thing is computerized and automated! The idea is that you have what’s known as a turn-key system set up which will basically run on its own without needing your constant supervision.

So to continue with our Tv show example from above, you would produce a web site devoted to that Television show, with gossip, news, and reviews about the stars, episodes, and plotlines – anything that would be of interest to a fan of that show. This show has to be popular enough to assure you of numbers (really important as any salesman will tell you: only 1-3% of “eyeballs” actually “convert” into real sales – money in your pocket), but not so popular such that other individuals already have websites up (which you will be hard-pressed to steal readers from!).

Data recovery is an essential part of our modern day world, with machines facilitating the vast majority of our lives online and off. The loss of personal data and customer data would be catastrophic for any corporation, and so data recovery software is a popular kind of insurance for many. But, more broadly speaking, data recovery or memory space itself has been a favorite subject of science fiction, with many plots revolving around the uncanny sensation that we are nothing more than our memories – which, in a perfectly digitized world, would be nothing but easily copied bits of data!

Exciting as these considerations are, for an even more explosive idea all you have to do is mix them with old-fashioned notions of clairvoyance and déjà vu. First coined by New Age spiritualist P.M.H. Atwater (née Phyllis Johnston), future memory is conceived of as the phenomenon whereby one can know the future.

With plain old prophetic foresight now repackaged in 21st Century techno-speak, science fiction writers are busy exploring the nexus between man and machine, self and other, reality and virtual reality. The gist of it all is pregnant with implication: if we are nothing but our memories; if our memories are but bits of information; if technological innovation can capture these bits the same way it manipulates all other data; then what does it mean to be oneself?

Philip K. Dick touched on these very questions in his short story “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” Adapted into a kind of futuristic film noir under the title of Blade Runner, the topic centers on just what it means to be human in a world where very humanlike androids can be made.

Another movie adapted from a Dick short is Total Recall, involving a federal agent’s manufactured memories. More recently, the Leonardo Dicaprio vehicle Deception also explored the same what-if scenarios: what if memories could be planted? Never mind data recovery; seems like technologies will one day create the need for deliberate data loss! And indeed, there are any number of science fiction stories devoted to that topic, too…

Ah, summer – baseball, backyard barbecues, and swimming pool resurfacing. That’s correct, swimming pool resurfacing. Once an occasional chore every other year, it is now practically a once-every-other-decade spring or even summer pastime (for those who like to wait until the very last minute) – all thanks to the new do-it-yourself fiberglass pool resurfacing in a can made possible by modern chemistry.

Swimming pool resurfacing done right means fiberglass in this day and age. Swimming pool resurfacing is an essential aspect of swimming pool ownership, just the sort of renovation that’s made periodically to counter the effects of corrosion. Whether constructed of gunite, concrete, plaster, or wood (especially wood), swimming pools will deteriorate over time to the point that a complete resurfacing isn’t only advisable but required.

Thankfully, as previously mentioned, modern technology has made it possible for the finest kind of resurfacing, fiberglass resurfacing, to be performed entirely by oneself safely and relatively quickly. Best of all, it’s as permanent as any job handled by licensed contractors but much less expensive.

Fiberglass swimming pool surfaces have a proven track record of more than three decades now as a durable coating that happens to also provide other benefits, such as decrease operating coasts. Fiberglass is really a material that bonds really well with existing surfaces, giving pools a nice sheen that makes them appear to be brand new.

This wondrous product is now available in simple cans like paint, easily applicable and requiring no sand-blasting. Approved for both commercial and residential use, do-it-yourself fiberglass resurfacing will require less maintenance than even marcite or vinyl pools. Additionally, with proper care you won’t need to worry about your swimming pool’s surface for another twenty to thirty years or more!

Much less prone to staining. Gorgeous shiny protective shell. All easily applied and ready for duty within one day. That’s swimming pool resurfacing in the 21st Century. Now that’s progress!

Bronze sculpture is the most common form of cast metal sculptures because of a characteristic trait that is as unusual as it’s desirable. Commonly used bronze alloys will expand a little just before being set so that even the finest details of a mold are filled.

Bronze sculptures are also strong while ductile, or lacking in brittleness, allowing figures to be depicted in actions such as leaps and flights. Supports for bronze statues require smaller cross-sections as a result of such qualities, as may be seen in equestrian statues where only two hooves are on the base.

Today’s examples are usually made of ninety percent copper and ten percent tin, while in antiquity bronze works were occasionally created with other elements such as phosphorus, manganese, aluminum, or silicon. Interestingly, far more stone and ceramic works have come down to us through the ages than those made of bronze, as the metal was very precious and often melted down to produce new sculptures or weapons and armor in times of war.

Thus, very few big examples in bronze are available from ancient times, and of these most are not in good condition. Indeed, most works exhibited in museums, while still full of the evidence of wear and tear, have been painstakingly restored to a quality suitable for display.

Working successfully with bronze usually requires a high level of skill, and a number of distinct casting processes might need to be employed, such as lost-wax casting as well as the related modern-day technique of investment casting. Other methods include sand casting and centrifugal casting.

After final polishing, corrosive materials might be applied to bronze works in order to form a patina or film made by oxidation or some other chemical method and establish some control over the color and finish. For example, reactive chemicals might be applied to produce a novel marble-like appearance.

Some of the most well-known of museum replicas are those famous Italian marble statues every person knows: David, Augustus Caesar, The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa. These are some of the most prized examples of marble sculpture anywhere, with a fine smoothness and absolute realism.

No wonder everyone wants a copy! They truly lend an air of elegance and even authority – gravitas – to a setting. They’re veritable objets d’art in themselves, though can also stylishly serve as bookends and even paperweights!

No, those are not ignominious fates for such masterpieces of Italian marble. After all, there is no shame in being practical in addition to being amazing, and if anything making use of miniature versions of beloved marble statues in novel ways can only further cement their reputations. For what is the purpose of art if not to lift us above the everyday? And what better way to do that than to suffuse the everyday with art, in the manner of a deus ex machina!

Having replicas of museum masterpieces in your home or office can put you in a great mood all day long if you truly appreciate art. You’ll go through your day surrounded by a few of the most inspirational works ever produced by humankind, landmarks of human achievement and imagination. Who knows, they may even “rub off” on you and inspire creations of your own!

Ultimately, the point in owning such things is how they put us in touch with the cultural heritage of our species. We are reminded of where we came from and what we can achieve. What they teach us is that the human capacity for imagination is boundless; they put us in a spiritual realm where we can all take pride in the legacy of the ancients. Sounds too good to be true? Get your own and see!

Greek vases are among the most well-known museum replicas anywhere, and no wonder. The pottery of ancient Greece aren’t only stunning objects of art but bear witness to one of the most intellectually important civilizations of humankind. Obtaining a museum replica of Greek vases oneself can be a way of connecting to a glorious golden age and lends a “blue-blooded” kind of elegance to any setting.

After all, it can be argued that the Greek vase has set the aesthetic standard for the Western Civilization for hundreds if not thousands of years. Having one on your desk, mantle, or shelf can create the right atmosphere for oneself to be inspired! There is something to be said about having a faithful reproduction of a museum masterpiece in your very own home or office. Imagine the feeling on your next trip to the museum as you walk through a collection, identifying those which you own a personal copy of!

Museum replicas let us all to play the part of a refined collector of antiques – not “antiques” in the now commonly debased sense of someone’s grandmother’s grandmother’s quilt abandoned at a yard sale, but treasures of the ancients now owns to enjoy thanks to the painstaking skills of replica sculptors who work in the traditional methods with conventional materials.

Almost always handmade, such replicas of vases could be so faithfully reproduced as to fool even professional appraisers! Available in a wide variety of styles, these fine works are truly no less art objects in themselves, so exquisitely crafted as to warrant being their own museum pieces!

They also tend to be really affordable, too, allowing true connoisseurs the opportunity to own more than one. Finally, they make excellent gifts, too: thoughtful, and a little out of the ordinary, after all its not everyday you get a Greek vase as a present.

Arsène Lupin III is a formidable thief capable of cracking all the safes in the world. A fictional character introduced by the mangaka (Japanese for “comicbook artist”) Kazuhiko Kato, better known as Monkey Punch, in the 10 August 1967 issue of Weekly Manga Action, Lupin is meant to be the grandson of another fictional character, Arsène Lupin, a French gentleman thief and detective created by Maurice Leblanc, the best-selling early Twentieth Century pulp fiction writer. As the world’s number one thief, in addition to safes Lupin is also a master at disarming traps and alarms. His journeys have proved him quite a talented driver and pilot as well, and he is an expert shot – with a pistol, no less.

For all his skills, however, Lupin has a doltish, even idiotic appearance. Yet they belie his ferocious reasoning abilities and social charms; Lupin is able to get past people with about the same ease as when negotiating safes, particularly booby-trapped ones.

When not practicing his art – he seems to steal a lot more for the challenge than for any personal gain, frequently discarding treasures or not caring if he should lose them after first conquering the quest of acquiring them – Lupin enjoys fishing, gambling, and dating lovely women – not necessarily in that order!

Giving rigor to the dubious proverb about honor among thieves, Lupin will frequently foil other criminals who are engaged in activities of a violent, murderous nature. Actually, most of his adventures involve not only the police, epitomized by his nemesis Inspector Zenigata, but genuinely sinister characters of deep malice.

Immensely well-liked and voted among the Ten Most Iconic Anime Heroes, Arsène Lupin III has been ubiquitous in three television series, five feature films, almost two dozen television specials, and several original video animations and videogames.