Moved!
Finally took the leap. :D
Have moved the weblog to my isp webspace, the address is: http://home.exetel.com.au/cyberia/ or http://home.exetel.com.au/cyberia/weblog/.
Azalae's Weblogs
Friday, July 9
Slam Dunk!
Am watching Slam Dunk, an anime series based on a manga series with the same name created by Inoue Takehiko (井上雄彦). Centered on Sakuragi Hanamichi, a silly brute who joined his high school basketball team to see a girl he liked.
He's strong. He's fast. He's proud. He's ... lacking in skill department. Overall the story is funny and entertainment. Although I must admit there are times (many times) especially during matches that the impulse to wring my hands around his neck is almost too compelling. The guy is a show-off who doesn't care about team work. That's fine if he had skills and was good at the game. But he's very very very far from being a great player.
Anyway it's quite enjoyable. :D And positively long (around 100 episodes!). The manga series is even longer than that! :O
Friends Weblogs
Woohoo Blogger is fixed. Hopefully will stay stable for some times now.
Added some more friends' weblogs. (No not the tv series. :P) Arrgghh it's such a bother to change anything. You have to republish everytime. Imagine if you have 1,000 weblogs. How long would it take. Still like WordPress approach where data and presentation are separate. Can change templates, links, or settings without having to republish anything. Not to mention you can categorize entries.
Kind of busy ATM. :( Oh well.
Wednesday, July 7
Problem At Blogger
A bit late in finding this out. Apparently the problem is not restricted to my and friends' weblogs. There is a problem with one of their machine and they're working on it. Ganbatteee! :D
Here is the status report.
It does seem faster now to me.
Tuesday, July 6
Slow Blogger
Is it merely my imagination or Blogger is slower since yesterday? For some reason it took longer for my new entries to be added. To make matters worse, I had to refresh/reload the page several times before the updated index show up.
Hmm that's strange. Maybe I should give WordPress a much more serious consideration.
Ascendancy
I'm making a new PHP game. Like Realms (RPG), I will put it on my personal webspace.
What, another?! Heheheh yeah. :blush: This time it will be a strategy game, and simpler. Seems like many people were confused on how to play Realms. I wanted it to be very open-ended so can add many more features and build into a massive world as we play. Anyway, I've learned many things from the Realms' development. ;)
Oh yeah, it will be called Ascendancy (noun: superiority or decisive advantage; domination; the state that exists when one person or group has power over another).
Monday, July 5
WordPress
Aarrggghhh soo undecided. :(
I really want to WordPress now that my ISP let members have 60
The only thing holding me back is the problem if later on I move to another ISP. It would be a piece of work moving all the entries. And that if it is possible.
Realm's Devlogs No More
Decided to remove the devlogs for Realms. Not because there is no updates, au contraire there are too many updates to log one by one. It's an on-going development done by one person only (moi). No chance of communication problems here. :D
Indomie in Australia
Today I heard the radio commercial of Indomie, the instant noodle produced by the big Indonesian processed-food manufacturer Indofood.
I knew that it has been distributed internationally yet was still amused when my ears captured the voice: "Indomie, the best instant noodle." (or something like that). Yup, it's in English. Which means they have widen the target market. Not only targeting Indonesian expatriates or students studying abroad, but also the local people.
That simple product has come a long way indeed.
The Blue of Hery's Nectar
Muahaha! Another soul has been captured kicking and screaming. Err ... I mean, familiarized with one aspect of the wonder that is internet. :D
Cult: Your are one of us now.
Hery: I am one of you.
Cult: Internet is good, internet is wonderful.
Hery: Internet is good and wonderful.
Cult: Welcome brother.
Hery: Thank you. Now. Where's the porn sites?
Sunday, July 4
The Darkness That Comes Before
Finally, managed to grab R. Scott Bakker's The Darkness That Comes Before. And here's the cover (click it for a bigger size):
Have been reading favorable reviews about this series/book. The comparison with Steven Erikson only make it that much more attractive. This should lighten the day, after that disaster by Funimation.
It's dark, massive, gothic mature, merciless, complex. Sounds like what I like from fiction. :D Yeah yeah yeah it's a fantasy literature but so what.
Funanimation Virus Spreads
Nooooooo! I was enjoying Bakuretsu Tenshi when I heard the infamous Evil* Funanimation acquired the license for it.
* = Notice the capital E. I'm talking real evil here. Not the kind like: "Muahahaha! All your bases are belong to me. I r0x0rz!" -- mispellings and gramatical errors intended. Oh no, it's of the more serious kind: "We are invincible. Let's butcher the story and put tons of kiddies stuffs. And while at it, hire untalented but cheap artists to make some lame soundtrack that we will sell as CD."
For your clue, Funanimation produced/released the horrifying Power Rangers and Dragon Ball Z.
Friday, July 2
Evil Party of Good
Most people by now should have known about RPG such as the classic Dungeons & Dragons, the upcoming Blizzard's World of Warcraft, Square -Enix's Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, my own Realms (shameless self promotion :P), and many others. Basically in these games, you play a role of a character and spend time improving him/her. The most popular method is going out in the game world, find monsters, and gain some experience points to level up.
These monsters range from many species and familia: orcs, wolves, sharks, ogres, giants, killer rabbits, dragons, bats, rats, dangerous cats, evil dogs, ... the list goes on. You name it and it's there. They are evil. The servants of darkness or some such thing. Or supposedly.
Let's stop and think about it a few moments. Who are the real evil? The players!
Here we have a couple of orcs, both in-love with each other. They are going to the lake to enjoy the cool breeze and laying around feeling the gentle stroke of sun.
Come a party of good characters: a valiant knight, a holy cleric, and a courageous wizard. Without saying hi or introducing themselves, they start attacking the orcs. The knight bellowing some chivalrous warcry such as: 'For the peace of [put fancy kingdom name here], die evil creatures!'. The cleric prays to his god: 'Oh [put nice god name here], bless thee followers with power to banish the evil from this world!'. The wizard doesn't have time to say anything -- busy preparing some powerful magic spells. No no no I mean powerful spells, not that pathetic petrify thingy from Harry Potter. Something like scorcing huge ball of fire, a summoning of lifesucking wraith, or bone-crushing blood-boiling meat-melting wave.
The orcs are surprised. The male tries to defend the female and yells at her: 'Oh no it's humans! Runnnn, I'll hold them here.' and she replies: 'Nooo I won't leave you!'. Well, who said orcs speak in English. (I always find it amusing that in most films everyone speaks English, even monsters and extra terrestrial lifeforms but that's for another entry on another time.) They sound like incomprehensible gibberish guttural sounds. Incomprehensible to humans anyway.
Two peaceful orcs die that day.
At another place, a strong party of a dozen humans, elfs, dwarfs, and halflings are invading the home of a family of ogres. Yes they are invading! What else do you call the act of entering others' property without permission and not even announcing yourself, knocking down doors, destroying furnitures, openning treasure chests, stealing and looting precious items. Not to mention killing the rightful owners and inhabitants?
When these poor creatures try to defend themselves, the 'good' humans, elfs, dwarfs, and hobbits will bring in more reinforcement. Together they slaughter and massacre even the youngest fledglings. Then the job done, will throw a big party, congratulate each others, and make songs and poems of their heroic deeds. Princesses and girls all over the country will swoon at their feet and bestow tokens.
That's prejudice, stereotype, and genocide. No wait, it's worse. It's specicide and ecocide! Sooner or later they will be extinct. All they want is to live peacefully and not be hunted down as game (pun intended) and for experience points. Are they guilty for being borned not as human, elf, dwarf, or hobbit? Is it a sin to have green skin, bigger body size, and longer teeth?
Save these defenseless and innocent creatures. Say no to killing them. Protect these creatures from the evil and aggresive 'good-species'.
Thursday, July 1
Half Full or Half Empty
Have you ever been in the situation where you were enjoying a fine meal with friends, colleagues, loved ones, supermodels or whoever; then one guy with self-confidence and proud look picked up a glass and said to everyone 'Is this glass half full or half empty?'.
When someone asked: 'What's the point?', that smiling same person who threw question would answer: 'It is a very advanced psychological test!'. Some may answer 'half empty', others would say 'half full' -- just out of curiousity.
Totally satisfied that he had gained the entire attention of the table, with high chin and puffed up chest, would then explained that those who answered 'half full' were positive, optimistic, go-getter type of person. The 'half empty' camp was for people with timid personality, who are always afraid to take necessary risks to advance. So on and so on, the blabber would continue. The rest would now be amazed of how smart and enlightened he was.
No, that didn't happen to me. I watched it on some film. Oh the humanity. It's so ... to put it mildly: silly. You understand what I mean right?
All right for those who don't here's why. There is only one correct answer: 'half full'. It has nothing to do with personality or psychology -- who are teaching these guys anyway? It is 'half full' (or a quarter full, or a third full, or whatever) because it is mathematically so.
Empty is zero. Anything of zero is always zero without exception. A half empty = 1/2 x 0 = 0 = empty. Since there is some water in the glass -- about half of it's full capacity, then it is invalid to say that it is empty, or half empty (which is the same as empty), or anything empty. Full is the exact total capacity of the glass. Half full is the volume at the point of being half of this capacity. Thus it is half full not half empty.
Who made that question anyway? I sure hope it's not some professor or we're doomed. Ohh the fruit of our brightest minds.
Amusing this world, where we need use of lifeless vessels to touch other souls.
Previous Posts
- Moved!
- Slam Dunk!
- Friends Weblogs
- Problem At Blogger
- Slow Blogger
- Ascendancy
- WordPress
- Realm's Devlogs No More
- Indomie in Australia
- The Blue of Hery's Nectar
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