Writing on the go: Still in Florida

Currently still in Orlando, Florida. But will be returning to Canada starting today. Hopefully home by Jan 1st.
We've driven about 2000km from Toronto. O_O!

The picture above was the first hotel we stayed at during the travel from Toronto, in Charlotte. Hyatt Place.

The second hotel was in Bellmont. That was in Orlando already. We stayed there for 3 days.

The third hotel and last hotel before we leave is Howard Johnson. We stayed here for 2 days.

We will most likely stay overnight at another hotel on the trip back. Editted: Stayed at Super8 Motel on the way home
Website: http://www.super8.com/Super8/control/home

During the trip, we mainly visited Disneyland. We went to 4 of the main parks within Disneyland. Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Magical Kingdom, and Hollywood Studio.

I'll include pictures later when I have uploaded them. Good vacation all and all. No souvenirs though.

- Written on the go from my iPhone 3GS

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Its exam time !

Wee.. its already the end of my 3B university term. Nothing much has changed. Nothing much to talk about either. Somewhat busy. Staying home right now, will go back to university a few days prior to exam.

My exams are...
Chem 310 - Inorganic Chemistry - Dec 22
Chem 323 - Analytical Chemistry - Dec 11
Chem 356 - Quantum Mechanics - Dec 14
Chem 450 - Introduction to Computational Chemistry - Dec 15-17 (Take home exam)

Lucky me. I have an exam on the last day. Yay.

If anyone reading this has the same exam as me. Good luck to you! and maybe I'll see you there!

PS. This is for the University of Waterloo.

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Quick Announcement

Due to my previous blunders (forgetting to resize photos), I have used up pretty much all my space for uploading images. orz
Therefore I will be uploading images from now on onto picasa then providing a link from the post directly to the album. I hope that is ok with everyone.

Also, I will be editting the older posts (ie. Anime North 2008, and Anime Expo 2008, and any other posts with large amounts of images which takes up excessive space) to move them to picasa as well.

I hope I won't explode my picasa account either ^^;;

Editted: All the changes should have been made, ie. Large galleries should now lead to my piscasa album of the appropriate title.

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Otaku Test !

I do not own any of the contents. But during my daily visit to nekomagic, I found this post so I thought I'd provide a link.

Otaku Test
http://www.nekomagic.com/?p=8651

FYI, I only got about...11 hahaha orz
1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

(I cant believe I missed Marisa...) *RAGE* D: !

For the full test, theres another link (Japanese, beware!)
http://blog.livedoor.jp/goldennews/archives/51346696.html

Images of My display cases as of Sept 2009. (The closer shots are of the things I bought from Japan, I will hopefully post more pictures should time permit.) Busy busy >: !

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Happy Halloween!

I hope you all had lots of fun on Halloween. Trick or treating, enjoying yourselves with friends, eating tasty candies. Exploding pumpkins. Having a blast.

As for me...
zzzzZZZZZzzzz...

Its just work after work. I don't have much time to do much else.

I even stopped watching animes and games D: !
The world has ended for me D: !!

Midterm time anyway. Atleast its nearly over. Though after that are final projects, followed closely by final exams. =_=;;

I'll try to drop in some time with a post about a more relevant topic. Until then I'll leave with a few things I found over the internet while I was busy working away.

Window 7 Burger.
http://gizmodo.com/5394184/i-ate-the-windows-7-burger?skyline=true&s=i
Larger, newer NDS.
http://gizmodo.com/5393387/video-first-good-look-at-the-larger-nintendo-dsi-xl
Halloween Pumpkins, (Geek style!)
http://kotaku.com/5394390/kotakus-super-huge-pumpkin-patch-part-one/gallery/

Lots of other news that happened over the past several weeks. I would advise you readers to be regularly keeping track of your interests (even if it may seem irrelevant). Afterall, you don't want to be some boring stranger on the street right? ;)

Since I'm studying analytical instrumentation, I'll post an interesting fact from our prof.

The first digital computer was called the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer). First made in 1946. It was made up of 17468 vacuum tubes, 7200 crystal diodes, 1500 relays, 70000 resistors, 10000 capacitors. It weighs ~27 tons and takes up 63 meters cubed (2.6m x 0.9m x 26m)! It takes 160kW and only lasted 116h before errors occurred.

WOW !

We have advanced in computational instruments so much. We should be proud. Though I said that, don't forget to go outside once in a while to get some fresh air and exercise!

Expand your horizons, I always say! ;)

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orz Life Sux

Well, theres a reason why I haven't posted anything recently. I've recently asked a friend of mine to make an appearance in my blog! (In what way, you'll know later, I hope =x)

But currently, my main desktop I use for everything is dead. Virus/Worm/Trojan, whatever, its dead. I'm trying to recover it since all my stuff is there (photos, work, games, animes, etc). So I won't be posting about things much while I have problems to sort out.

Also school hasn't exactly been nice to me either. I haven't had much of a break since the first week of school. >_< !!

So to sum this up.
1. I haven't given up.
2. Life sux.
3. Expect something soon (perhaps).

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Is Japan a dying nation?

"It is, literally, a country that is slowly dying." [Robin Lustig]

NAN DA TO?!

CHIGAU!

Apparently the Europeans (or this European), thinks it is. And this is his spectulation,

"I'm no social psychologist, so I wouldn't dare to come up with an explanation for why Japanese couples aren't having enough babies. But one theory is that Japanese women are increasingly reluctant to marry, because they think Japanese men have shown themselves unable to adapt to the needs of a new, more flexible society - and have retreated into a fantasy world of comics, video games and animated pornography where they feel less threatened"

Let me say this on behalf of probably all the readers who reads this. WRONG ! These articles are nothing but biased discrimination. They are just as bad and wrong as articles relating killing to games. Its just not right. They needed something to blame the actions of some random individual, since they don't want to say "our education sucked" or "the parents didn't do a good job", so they go "hey, lets blame gaming!".

Games are nothing more than a mean to entertain yourself. Games are in no way different than movies (except you actually do something instead of sitting on your behind and staring at a screen). They both provide you with entertainment. I see lots of movies where someone kills another. I don't see anyone blaming those for the killings that go around. So why gaming? Stop being so discriminant. If someone killed someone else, you can't put blame on anything or anyone. It was his choice, I'm sure his parents tried to tell him to stop, but he chose not to listen. What more can be said?

Anyway, back on the topic at hand.

I may not have data to back up what I'm about to say. You may say that I may be bullsh!tting you. But I've been to Japan myself and I've also a mind and an opinion.

Consider this, in Japan, the sales clerks shouts out into the streets the deals they are offering, and works very hard to promote their products, something I don't see in any Canadian or American store that I've been to. I think the Japanese are actually more hard working and adaptable than what the article have given credits for.

The world of comics, video games, and animated pornography are just objects to satisfy our boredom. It is no different than your world of books, movies, and sports. I won't go as far as what the people of 2ch said, but those material objects will not turn a country into ruin.

Although, I can say that the fantasy world of 2D (comics, games, animes), is alot less stressful, as some people from 2ch have pointed out, "2D world is ideal". However, every country has things where the people can fall back into when they feel like the world has ended for them. You can just as easily replace comics, games, and animes into books, sports, and movies and say that every country is dying. Because everyone country has those. But sooner or later, they will recover and grow out of those objects. Its wrong to base the future of a country solely on material goods.

Just because Japan has a subculture of comics, games, and animes which a large minority enjoy, it only means just that. Nothing else.

"On the one hand, it is the nation of Toyota, Hitachi, Panasonic and Mitsubishi, global leaders and still very much a force to be reckoned with. On the other, it is the nation of manga comics and young women who dress up as French maids to pander to the fantasies of lonely men."

I don't know about you, but I don't see the problems in Japan regarding manga comics and young women dressing up as French maids. Manga comics are like any american comics, only drawn by Japanese people, and has romance in their plots (for the majority). So are you going to say that America is slowly dying too? Also mangas are there to please people who reads them, they are also BOOKs. So please don't tell me that books are going to make a country die because or else we shouldn't have libraries. Cause or else the Government building libraries (ie. book piles) to kill their country makes TOO MUCH SENSE.

French maids... I have a simple way to explain why that statement is just totally biased. One. A uniform is a uniform. Two. A job is a job. So what if their jobs are to serve tea or cakes to lonely men who happens to enter their cafe? They get paid to do whats called waitering. And if you don't know, waiters/waitresses exist everywhere. They may not have a uniform for waiters/waitresses at some places but that is irrelevant. Why? Because a uniform is just a dress code employed by the employer to promote organization and to give their store/restaurant a nicer visual impression. We all know many jobs have dress codes, such as banks and other business firms. Usually in terms of a dress shirt, dress pants, dress shoes. So whats wrong with maid cafes employing that same strategy to improve their appeal of their restaurant? Its just a business strategy to attract costumers. As a plus, with more appealing uniforms (ie French Maid uniforms), they can attract more customers. On a side note, being able to appeal to men's taste in terms of fashion is another point in "adaptation", wouldn't you say? So whats this "Japanese men have shown themselves to be unable to adapt..." stuff you were mentioning?

Besides, a job is a job, whether its testing manufactured products (my old job), or saving a life, or serving people food while wearing a maid uniform. It provides financial support and passes time. Good enough.

One last thing I should mention. I'm sure the women doing the actual maid service is having more fun than you sitting on that plane and typing up that article. Because, I don't know if you know, some of those maid cafes that you believe is the root of evil, allows their female employees to play games with customers. Be it card games or computer games, playing is playing. And its heck alot more fun than any normal job.

If I missed any point, I'll gladly point it out.

I wish people could stop discriminating on other countries and how they function and worry about themselves. Because no country is perfect, instead of hiring people to write up stories about what they believe is going on wrong with someone else. Why not hire someone who can fix up the country that he/she lives in? Thats a whole lot more benefiting than going out to say "Japan is a dying country because they got something we don't, and I'm jealous even though I can't say that." Even my previous job has more of an impact than writing about other people. Atleast I could say the products I tested are harmless to my fellow Canadians, so you can rest assured.

Original Article: Source
Kotaku's Version: Source
Sankaku's Version: Source (NSFW)

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Photos from Japan

I know its been a long time since I got back, but things been coming up one after another. Im already in my school term and its more hectic than ever! D: ! The photos are posted below as links to my Picasa account.

Why you ask? Because theres just too many photos to upload onto blogspot.
1. I'll exhaust what storage I have left.
2. It takes too much time to re-orientate the photos right-side-up (Picasa does it automatically, thank god)
3. It saves time.
4. It saves more time.

Day 1: Toronto and Tokyo
Day 2: Odaiba Harajuku Omotosando Shinjuku
Day 3: Shibuya Yokohama
Day 4: Osaka
Day 5: GINZA & Imperial Palace
Day 6: Akihabara
Day 7: Ueno and the trip back home

As you can probably see, some photos are more than terrible. I'll try to remove those when I have time. Not all of them were taken by me, you see ;P

Another note: I shoulda taken more photos of Akihabara, but I wasn't exactly sure if I was allowed to take pictures inside stores. Also, I didn't know how to (or should I have) asked maido-san tachi for a photo. You know, I'm shy. LOL !
Ok... no joke, I seriously am.

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My Brute on IPhone/ITouch

It has been a while since I posted about mybrute. But recently (well not really), about 2 months ago, Mybrute was released as an IPhone/ITouch app. Costing a whopping $4.99 on normal price and $0.99 on discounted price (which seems to be staying that way ;____; my 4 dollars..). Oh well, because I started early, I was able to pick up lots of pupils >=O !

The game itself is the same as the computer version except for a number of changes.
- pets are alot easier to obtain
- 5 fights a day
- maximum of 9 brutes per IPhone (linked to Serial, so deleting the game and reinstalling will not delete your brutes ;D )
- ability to see other brutes' locations (if they were honest during input)
- Worldwide Ranking for Brutes and Dojos
- Different Arenas to fight in
- Master system: - 2x exp for 3 days
- new arena

Come join the game and play!

Btw, my master code is DCEDFHFE :D
If you wish to help, just input that code in after you answer "Yes" to the question "Do you have a master?"
My dojo rank is currently 52nd >=O !

Come challenge me if you play already >=O (you get no exp if you lose to someone 3 lvls above you or more, but 4 exp for winning. Likewise, beating someone 3 levels lower than yourself or more gives no exp.)
Levels 28, 45-47
Flandre (29), Puru Two (46), El Puru (46), Uraki Kyo (46), Amuro Ray (46), Char Aznable (46), Hamon Karn (46), Kamille Bidan (47), Fa Yuufi (47)

If you realized, nearly all of those names are from Gundam !!
Flandre is from Touhou.

Thanks a bunch for reading and see you in the arena >=O !

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Returned from Japan, Souvenirs

D: !!! It's Over D: !!!

And now its school... ;_;
Fun trip, missed out on a bit (like eating sushi in a place which invented sushi.. FAIL! orz). I saw lots of places, took tons of photos, I'll need to upload them sometime. I'll upload photos of my haul from Japan.

Let me tell you, carrying gundam models across the airports and airplace was NOT fun. (>x<;) Lots of Touhou stuff<3!>w<)! Yay! I will upload the other photos when I have time/find a way to upload tons of photos at once. Also I need to resize them. Souvenirs Photos:





Ever so slightly NSFW:


More pictures: Here

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Blogs from Myspace

Over the past couple of years, I used myspace mainly for uploading photos regarding myself and the events occuring around me. I posted poems, works, game replays, and photos there. I am not sure how to import the blogs from myspace to blogspot, so I will just post the link to my myspace blog as well as my username there incase anyone wants to add me.

I will mention first though, I don't regularly go on myspace anymore.

My Myspace Blog:
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=117170536

My Myspace Username:
Starfury117

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Banner at the Ready ! >=O !

Because I received an email from E2046, to exchange banners, I thought I had to create one. Their banner can be found on the side of the blog under advertisement (since they are a retailer).

Since I like working with photoshop, I had some fun with the project. I had a few friends give me constructive criticism. Which was the "unfun" and hard part. It really is hard to satisfy other people ^^;;;. With that said, I'm not 100% happy with it either. I always think theres room for improvement, but theres no point just spending years just to try perfecting it (since it'll be futile anyway).

468x60 Banner
Version 1

<br /><a href="http://www.springscalling.blogspot.com" title="SpringsCalling"><img style="width: 468; height: 60; border: 0;" alt="Text Description" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0lc0AL3PqN1W-cf9c5h1FxYKtobg-mS9dIJLYXr1I4tSH3s44DTJtVde9NjkRxb_txfQj3-_k00rTi1Ot2flhmCRO5fmuieo1RmxCg6gVgcRiOITRPdx_UJvfbOvh0mR-6kjNbj1wfAQ/s1600/SpringsCalling+Promotion+Banner+468x60.jpg" /></a><br />

Version 2

<br /><a href="http://www.springscalling.blogspot.com" title="SpringsCalling"><img style="width: 468; height: 60; border: 0;" alt="Text Description" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGU5XjRxhFZCb35fs66n_DsN6yTAj8ee6Ipl4fMZdNg0vwDxgXcmYuoV0Cy6xeaMrF0a2GECamqJreOjj9ldg_se85X2_jxCzEaeomTEeTckZONvS0-6SaDXDubz_Fstf6B45qapc23g/s1600/SpringsCalling+Promotion+Banner+468x60v2.jpg" /></a><br />

Version 3

<br /><a href="http://www.springscalling.blogspot.com" title="SpringsCalling"><img style="width: 468; height: 60; border: 0;" alt="Text Description" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Q8zJzOK42aHpcvA1xYf29d3WFLH1pLcqnrvW32MPrAHzeOpk811HyYYfUz4HGOM4n_qClukn_zkvdQZJrg5T8ynETdIfzE_MbOSphknydjOGbdq9Kc08g78_-xhAYoIIv2Qb5Ca2x2g/s1600/SpringsCalling+Promotion+Banner+468x60v3.jpg" /></a><br />

Version 4

<br /><a href="http://www.springscalling.blogspot.com" title="SpringsCalling"><img style="width: 468; height: 60; border: 0;" alt="Text Description" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELAs6XRRNaO0fFNpj27hY7ZpIhPQYQmgIwrj4T6xnDM1JP31RoI1fqZpsby4HjBw7CjgM3ljR4llOMPqV2REXT9JedsOi_a9kZOWpJeY0h6n-3Ydg8-Z62tWe6Yf9p9veUd4eiRYViKc/s1600/SpringsCalling+Promotion+Banner+468x60v4.jpg" /></a><br />

105x55 Banner

<br /><a href="http://www.springscalling.blogspot.com" title="SpringsCalling"><img style="width: 468; height: 60; border: 0;" alt="Text Description" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIaudxsJ8SfGaj3LDD1vLlwBsnmPREVTgnVt5E9eeZM-GKR7Rn-T_ZfVwTwdUA41YxR7oCXghX851PwxZOCkyXOKbnGT4W6mbsF51fTWHGXVq8Xv8tazemOVIeNVAVxkE4RDZ2pQmVREo/s1600/SpringsCalling+Promotional+Banner+105x55.jpg" /></a><br />


I personally like the 4th version of the 468x60 banner most, but I heard other answers, so I might as well put up all 4, since I made them anyway.

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My First Patlabor Model

Today I just finished building my brother's Patlabor MG model which he abandoned halfway. The mecha is the Ingram 2, one of the three robots used by the "good guys". To be honest, I did not want to build it, since I prefer Gundams over the other series. I like the face of a Gundam, their arsenal is more impressive too. The Ingram 2 only had a shield, baton, shotgun, and pistol. Gundams has beam sabers, beam rifles, hyper bazookas, funnels, axes, and much much more.

Source: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10022857

Though (unless we lost it), we didn't find a battery in the model kit to try out the lights. (>o<)! I am also helping him build his 2nd Patlabor model, which is also MG, and ALSO Ingram 2... He said it was on discount in Japan... The last time he went. My thoughts on the model kit was that it was more difficult than the Gundam MG models I've done in the past. There were screws which needed to be put on and wiring (which was actually quite easy). The main difference between this and Gundams are the foldable grey rubbery plastic used. Because unlike a gundam which only uses hard plastic, the Ingram 2 had rubber pieces to cover the joints in the robot. Those parts are not there to make the model joints more rigid but they actually are supposed to be in the robots. (That paragraph might make no sense, especially when I started trying to explain the grey pieces which covers the joint, if you are interested in knowing, just send me a message here or email). Although I think the number of boards used on this model and on other Gundam MG model kits are about the same, I feel that there are less detail on this model, I'm not sure why. However, based on difficulty to build, this would be ranked higher in my opinion, compared to MG Gundams. Gallery:

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