post 405 ~ noein, quantum, and parallel theory…


“noein”
post 405 ~ noein, quantum, and parallel theory…

  • xjaymanx’s crash course in quantum theory ~ lol, don’t be afraid, i’ll do the best i can from high-school and college memory…

    okay, on the common everyday macroscopic scale, matter and existence could be considered “absolute”… in other words, if we see a ball bouncing along the street, you can turn around and reasonably expect it to continue bouncing behind your back… and conventional Newtonian laws (as well as extended Einsteinian/relativistic laws) of physics would apply without fail…

    however, on the subatomic or quantum level, matter and existence are not so absolute… for the simple reason that any attempt to observe them affects the outcome… that is, since the act of observation (where light is made up of photons) is on the same subatomic scale as the bouncing particles you are trying to observe in the first place, those photons would hit/interfere/affect the “certain” outcome of those particles (hence, the “uncertainty principle”)…

    using the “bouncing ball” metaphor, if you tried to see the ball, this time, you would only observe an infinite fog of possible bounces and paths, where nothing would be certain… since direct observation is impossible in ascertaining the absolute state of particles, they are described (for lack of a better way) in terms of mathematical “probabilities”… in other words, if one outcome/existence cannot be ascertained, then ALL outcomes/existences must also exist (in terms of probabilities)…

    inevitably, such a titanic contradiction between these two contradictory descriptions of the universe (macroscopic vs. quantum) even rattled Einstein and gave birth to his famous anti-quantum exclamation: “God doesn’t play dice with the universe”… consequently in the decades since, one attempt to resolve this seeming contradiction is the “many worlds” or “parallel universe” theory/interpretation…

    in a nutshell, it allows for the “certainty” of an outcome on the “observable” macro scale, while simultaneously permitting the “uncertainty” of probabilities on the “unobservable” quantum scale… in other words, while we live in one “ascertainable” universe, ALL other parallel universes must also exist as probabilities…

    but one thing that most profoundly emerges from this interpretation, is that the nature of the universe is suddenly and undeniably dependent upon the role of human observation/consciousness/awareness and its power to define an outcome/existence/reality…

  • noein ~ i bring this up because i just finished watching the anime series “noein”… and it uses quantum and parallel theories with such incredible story-telling skill!… there are many references to quantum theory including Schrodinger’s dead (and also simultaneously NOT dead) cat, as well as Einstein’s dice quote… and all without bogging the story down… on the contrary, along with its symphonically-epic soundtrack, the warm nostalgia of childhood memories, and the emotional pain of possible realities, “noein” earns FIVE STARS…

post 404 ~ snapshot of post 361

post 404 ~ WOW, it’s been 3 months since i started these ever-updated anime lists on post 361… so just for my own purpose, i thought i’d take a static snapshot of post 361, as of today…

  • DONE LIST – ANIME:

    May-June
    +++++ Ah! My Goddess (Season 1: 1-24) – Finished.
    +++++ Gankutsuou: Count of Monte Cristo (1-24) – Finished.
    ++++ Midori Days (1-13) – Finished 6/10.
    +++++ My HiME (Mai HiME) (1-26) – Finished 6/14.
    +++ Mahoromatic (Season 1: 1-12) – Finished 6/15.
    ++++ Fate Stay Night (1-24) – Finished 6/18.
    ++++ Samurai 7 (1-26) – Finished 6/18.
    ++++ Mahoromatic (Season 2: 1-14) – Finished 6/20.
    +++ Please Teacher! (1-13) – Finished 6/22 via Netflix.
    +++++ Trinity Blood (1-24) – Finished 6/25 (Marathon Sunday!).
    ++++ Full Metal Panic (Second Raid: 1-13) – Finished 6/28.
    July
    +++ Speed Grapher (1-24) – Finished 7/4.
    +++ Fushigi Yuugi – Season 1 (1-26) – Finished 7/8.
    +++++ Shuffle! (1-24) – Finished 7/16.
    ++++ Kasimasi (Girl Meets Girl: 1-12) – Finished 7/22.
    ++++ Ikki Tousen (1-13) – Finished 7/22 via Netflix.
    +++ Haibane-Renmei (1-13) – Finished 7/30.
    August
    +++++ Mai Otome (1-26) – Finished 8/8.
    ++++ Onegai (Please) Twins (1-13) – Finished 8/9.
    ++ F3 (Hentai: 1-3) – Finished 8/9.
    +++++ Negima! (1-26) – Finished 8/11.
    +++ To Heart (1-13) – Finished 8/20.
    ++++ You’re Under Arrest – S1 (1-26 of 52) – Finished first half 8/29.
    ++++ To Heart – Season 2 (1-13) – Finished 8/30.
    September
    ++++ Tenjho Tenge (1-24) – Finished 9/4.
    +++ Paradise Kiss (1-12) – Finished 9/9.
    ++++ IGPX – Season 1 (1-13) – Finished 9/12.
    ++++ Sunabouzu (Desert Punk: 1-24) – Finished 9/16 via Netflix.
    ++++ Scrapped Princess (1-24) – Finished 9/19.
    +++++ You’re Under Arrest – S1 (1-51) – Finished 9/19.
    +++++ Solty Rei (1-24) – Finished 9/24.
    +++++ Blood+ (1-50) – Finished 9/25.

  • DOING LIST – ANIME:

    [watching an incomplete series or download]
    +++++ Ah! My Goddess (Season 2: 1-18 of 24?) – Thru Ep. 15.
    ++ Air Gear (1-3 of ?) – Thru Ep. 1.
    o Black Blood Brothers (1-2 of ?) – Not yet.
    +++++ Ergo Proxy (1-21 of ?) – Thru Ep. 21. *Active*
    +++ Hellsing Ultimate (1-2 of 10) – Thru Vol. 1.
    ++ Karas (1-3 of 6) – Thru Ep. 3.
    +++++ NANA (1-21.5 of ?) – Thru Ep. 21.5.

    [watching a completed series and download]
    o Azumanga Daioh (1-26) – Not yet.
    ++++ Black Lagoon (1-12) – Thru Ep. 3.
    +++ Daphne in the Brilliant Blue (1-24) – Thru Ep. 4.
    +++ Densha Otoko (Train Man: 1-12) – Thru Ep. 2.
    +++ Eureka Seven (1-50) – Thru Ep. 6.
    +++ Fushigi Yuugi – Season 2 (27-52) – Thru Ep. 27.
    ++++ Fruits Basket (1-26) – Thru Ep. 10 via Netflix. *Active*
    +++ Ichigo Mashimaro (Strawberry Marshmallow: 1-12) – Thru Ep. 1.
    +++ Jigoku Shoujo (1-26) – Thru Ep. 2.
    +++ Jinki Extend (1-12) – Thru Ep. 2.
    ++ Madlax (1-26) – Thru Ep. 4 via Netflix.
    ++ Mars Daybreak (1-26) – Thru Ep. 3.
    +++ Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (1-14) – Thru Ep. 1.
    ++++ Noein (1-24) – Thru Ep. 18. *Active*
    ++++ Planetes (1-26) – Thru Ep. 2.
    o Rozen Maiden – S1 (1-12) – Not yet.
    o Rozen Maiden – Traumend (1-12) – Not yet.
    o Shakugan no Shana (1-24) – Not yet.
    o You’re Under Arrest – S2 (1-26) – Not yet.

post 403 ~ nankurunaisa!


“saya & hagi” from BLOOD+

post 403 ~ some random japanese and filipino stuff…

  • BLOOD+ ~ i finished watching this anime a couple days ago… but last night, after burning/archiving the last two episodes 49 and 50 of “BLOOD+” onto disc, i tested them on the big TV like i always do, but then i let myself be transported back to its world by watching parts of them again… such a tearful yet hopeful conclusion…

    in fact, the entire 50-episode series was such an utterly well-crafted and sublime anime, visually, musically, emotionally… so much so that it has become my #1 anime, even above “ghost in the shell” and “wolf’s rain”… and as its overall idea, nankurunaisa! (everything will work out in the end!)

  • visit to my old job ~ yesterday, before work, chatted with vanessa… how she’s still swamped as always, still looking for another job, and how the others are depressed as their boss piles more work onto them… so i decided to visit and maybe cheer them up, despite her “warning” that it wasn’t worth the trip, LOL…

    well, i did, got there at about 10:30am, and the cramped old office has hardly changed, hahaha… kiyomi and don were still there, the main developers who’ve been there since before i started there 3 years ago… plus even more wires, cables and instruments growing on their cubicles!

    hahaha, tried out my japanese with kiyomi… she asked how, and i said tons of anime!… “tadaima” (i’m back!), “baka” (idiot, fool), “itadakimasu” (i will receive! said before meals) and “itekimasu” (i’m leaving, i’m off!) and “ja ne” (see you later!)… so that was fun… talked with the others, how things were going, met the new tech writer (another new one!)…

    when vanessa finally off the phone, we chatted about the upcoming birthday for her soon-6-yr-old son tristan… showed her the ZipZaps radio-controlled matchbox car i was thinking of giving, but she said there were too many parts! and it would quickly get broken! haha… so she suggested a DVD like “curious george” or “cars” or “ice age” or something with dinosaurs or astronomy… typical smart kid!…

    i also pointed out how the others were smiling, didn’t seem depressed, but she said they weren’t trying to be, but you could tell in general… talked about the filipino food planned for the party: “lumpia” (kinda like mini egg rolls), “adobo” (like a chicken stew/gumbo), but LOL, no “balut” (cooked duck embryo still in its eggshell) which i loved as a kid… lastly, i offered to help with any document-related stuff, she could email the office guidelines draft to me if she needed to… and sadly, at about 11:30am, it was time for me to go to work, lol…

  • nankurunaisa! ~ i’ve told vanessa and morgaine how some things seem to be a battle of “guilt” versus “regret”… the “guilt” of NOT doing enough for others… and the “regret” of NOT doing the things you want for yourself… sometimes you can’t let family or friends or bosses or coworkers or others become too much of a responsibility that you feel so guilty not doing things for them… sometimes you gotta live for yourself…

    yeah, easier said than done, but “regret over oneself” can be much WORSE than the “guilt over others”… the key idea is: can you TRUST others to be able to take care of themselves? without having to look over their shoulder?… if you can, then you can smile more easily and happily in life…

    nankurunaisa!… everything will work out in the end!

  • p.s. the “unfair” issue at LasVegasOtaku.org has also been straightened out… just a simple matter of word choice and individual differences in etiquette…

post 400 ~ going all the rei!

post 400 ~ hey, my 400th post!!!… so below is my second submission to the LasVegasOtaku.org Subarashii blog/zine… or visit the site itself to see the article there… enjoy!

Rei Ayanami from Evangelion. Click to enlarge.
Preview: Going All the Rei!

If you’re a figure collector, or even if you’re not, you’re probably tired of seeing the seemingly endless versions of Rei and Asuka from the classic anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. But that feeling may soon change!

Coming this November, a stunning new GothLoli Rei Ayanami will be available for your collecting pleasure. Sculpted by Suzu (Atomic-bom) and manufactured by Amie-Grand, this eye-catcher depicts a demurely kneeling Rei in a frilly white choker and top, as well as a leathery black skirt and stockings. At an impressively detailed 1/6 scale, Rei kneels at nearly 7-inches tall.

However, the sturdier polystone resin pushes her price to a blue-hair-raising $110-120 USD. Is she worth it? Well, if you’re a die-hard fan of Evangelion, GothLoli culture, or both — and can maybe skip meals for a few weeks — Rei might very well be!

post 399 ~ eight ain’t enough?


(1) “asuka as gothic-lolita” and (2) “saber in swimsuit” (from last month)

closeup of (1) “asuka as gothloli”

(1), (2), and (3) “seras victoria as vampire”

closeup of (3) “seras victoria as vampire”

(3), (4) “ryofu in rags”, and (5) “saki in cosplay”

closeup of (4) “ryofu in rags”

more (4) and (5)

(5), (6+7) “lumiere” (blue) with “eclair” (red), and (8) “motoko as part-clear”

more (6+7) and (8)
post 399 ~ eight is enough?… well, today, saturday afternoon, before heading out for groceries, got two packages at my front door… so after coming back, i opened them, and… WHOA, EIGHT NEW ANIME FIGURES!… plus a ninth box that i hadn’t opened since last month (“saber in swimsuit”)…

  • (1) 1/7-scale “asuka as gothic-lolita” ~ from the classic epic psycho-drama “evangelion”… for me, after accepting for ages that she was unavailable or sold out at all my favorites figure sites, i recently widened my search, and finally found her at a finnish website! it was like finding the “holy grail”!
  • (2) 1/6 “saber in swimsuit” (from last month) ~ from the action-fantasy “fate/stay night”
  • (3) 1/8 “seras victoria as vampire” ~ from the horror-favorite “hellsing”
  • (4) 1/6 “ryofu in rags” ~ from the sexy martial-arts “ikki tousen”
  • (5) 1/8 “saki in cosplay” ~ from the college-otaku-geek comedy “genshiken”
  • (6+7) 1/8 “lumiere” (blue) with “eclair” (red) ~ from the sexy dramedy “kiddy grade”
  • (8) 1/10 “motoko as part-clear” ~ from the legendary cyber-punk saga “ghost in the shell”
  • (9) 1/10 “motoko as not-clear” (not shown)

damn, definitely have tons of figure photoshoots ahead of me!… hmmm, maybe i’ll try some backyard outdoor-lit shots for my next LVO-Sabarashii blog/zine review… and maybe get more shelf space!… we’ll see…

post 397 ~ ears, breasts and figures

post 397 ~ ears, breasts and figures!

  • ear test ~ well, yesterday, had my wednesday ear appointment… recently, i seemed to have noticed that my right ear feels maybe 5% less perceptive than my left… so if my left was 100%, then my right felt like 90-95%… small but noticeable… besides, haven’t had my ears checked since my mom the doctor checked mine as a little kid!
    • well, the main doc checked them out… he said it looked like i had some draining tubes inserted as a child, and “tubes” did sound familiar to me… but overall, they looked fine…
    • so next was the sound booth, with the secondary doc named lisa… she was maybe my age, maybe older, plus/minus 5 years, but was also attractive, petite-height, shoulder-length hair, wore a pink outfit, including a low-cut shirt that highlighted her cleavage… now the reason i bother to mention this, is that when she fitted the special metallic headphones over my head, there was no choice… her low-cut cleavage was literally in front of my face… i mean, i tried to look away, but it was still in my peripheral vision… not that i minded…
    • so the wobbly sound test… click a button when i hear something loud or soft… left ear, right ear… repeat the list of words she says… left ear, right ear… and so on…
    • but then, there was a second sound test… and this time, when she fitted the next set of headphones, i was less shy about peeking… i mean, she must know she’s wearing a low-cut shirt, and she must know she’ll be fitting headphones at her job… so, why not? i guess i was braver…
    • so the next sound text used an intentional white-noise hiss or static, through which i would hear the same wobbly sounds… click when i hear the wobblies through the hiss/static (like a silent ninja in the rustling forest, lol)… loud or soft… and in a few minutes, that was it!
    • afterwards, we sat down to discuss the results, i still tried to avoid her cleavage, lol… apparently, my right ear does, in fact, have a slight 5% hearing loss in the lower audible range… most likely since i was a kid, i agreed… but now i know i wasn’t imagining anything… pretty perceptive, huh?
    • interesting though, when i took the main doctor’s business card from the pay desk, not only was he an ear-nose-throat specialist, he was also a facial-cosmetic and breast-enhancement surgeon!… damn!… coincidence?
  • more figures??? ~ double-damn!… today, thursday, just got an email from Twin Moon (tmpanime.com) that 6 more figures have shipped out today!… damn, all at once?
    • 1/10 ghost in the shell ~ motoko kusanagi
    • 1/10 ghost in the shell ~ motoko kusanagi (clear)
    • 1/8 genshiken ~ saki kasukabe (standing)
    • 1/8 hellsing ~ seras victoria
    • 1/7 kiddy grade ~ eclair & lumiere (bome set)
    • 1/6 ikki tousen ~ ryofu housen

post 396 ~ saber in black!


“saber” from “fate/hollow ataraxia”

without skirt or sword

with full dress and sword
post 396 ~ saber in black!… yup, last week, received yet another rendition of “saber”… this time, 1/8-scale in her black goth-loli (gothic-lolita) dress… back in march-april 2006, SHE was the first figure i fell in love with, enough to finally BUY, before i ever knew who “saber” was, and before i ever started my figure collection (now numbering 14!!!)

post 395 ~ knight saber!

post 395 ~ well, monday morning, i got an email from the LasVegasOtaku.org forum/admin (ganguro) that myself and one other guy (sirhc) were chosen and welcomed as the newest staff writers for the fan-organized Subarashii blog/zine… apparently, the editor (rukia) liked our sample reviews and forum behavior (not bad!)… now all i gotta do is keep up my anime figure reviews (my choice) of at least 1-2 times per week (not my choice)… and besides the blog, there are future plans to print (or photocopy, lol) actual bi-monthly zines… hey, why not?… below was my sample, as well as my first submission to the blog/zine…

Saber from Fate/Stay Night. Click to enlarge.
Knight Saber!

If you think your anime figure collection is complete without this sword-wielding warrior, think again!

Sculpted by Takeshi Miyagawa and manufactured by Clayz, this 1/6-scale PVC figure is a glorious rendition of Saber, one of the primary characters of Fate/Stay Night, the title of the fantasy-action anime series, as well as the original H-game by TYPE-MOON upon which the anime is based.

With her long flowing blue skirt and white petticoat spanning horizontally over 6-inches to the tips, Saber stands proudly at nearly 10-inches tall, and is noticeably heavier than most figures of the same scale. But the weight does nothing to detract from the overall appearance, which is effortlessly detailed with Saber’s signature blonde curl, wide green eyes, blue hair ribbon, and trusty Excalibur sword. Even the touches of her armored footwear and the gold trim on her deep-blue dress doesn’t go unnoticed. Meanwhile, Saber carries herself in a relaxed yet poised and proud pose, as if to calmly say, “What are you waiting for?”

If anything detracts from the package, it is the scabbard (not pictured) which fits over the sword. While just as finely detailed in blue and gold, it may be somewhat superfluous for some who prefer to display the sword itself. Nevertheless, at a price between $50-60, this figure is definitely worth it.

That is, if you can still find it, and it’s not already sold out in your area!

post 394 ~ figures and friends


“saya & hagi” from “blood+”

“saya & hagi”

“saya & hagi”

“saya & hagi”

“saya & hagi”

“saya & hagi”
post 394 ~ newest figures!

  • saya & hagi ~ ah yes!… in graceful 1/8-scale form, the lead characters of my all-time favorite vampire-anime series “blood+“… watched 1-48, just downloaded episode 49 of 52!… even more profound, dramatic, touching, and epic than “hellsing”… and that’s saying a lot! ;)))
  • saber, coming soon ~ two more boxes i haven’t opened yet… 1/6 saber from “fate/stay night” in white swimsuit… and 1/8 saber in black goth-loli dress…
  • in other news ~ finished my pen-and-paper letter to , just gotta mail it on monday… also, finished burning the “smallville” season 1 episodes for , just gotta write the pen-and-paper letter to go with it ;)))… plus reached episode 22 of “scrapped princess”, an epic medieval-and-magic tale of humanity being sealed in a matrix-like cage of illusion, and a favorite anime of , just 2 more episodes to go!

post 392 ~ japanese beauty


Misaki Ito
post 392 ~ japanese beauty… just had to post about Misaki Ito… according to her wikipedia article, she is “considered a great beauty within Japan and has been the face of Shiseido Cosmetics since 2000″… and her bright smile kinda reminds me of chinese actress ziyi zhang

  • densha otoko (train man) ~ i first saw her in the 2005 romantic comedy “densha otoko” about an anime otaku (geek) who defends a rich and beautiful woman (her) from a bully on the subway… funny and touching…
  • you’re under arrest ~ but then after downloading the 2002 live-action drama “you’re under arrest” based on the anime i’ve been praising and downloading… about two strong and beautiful police women, i immediately recognized her as one of those women!
  • must be fate, lol ;)

post 391 ~ benefits of writing :)


“whatPAINTBALLgear?” (2006) magazine


“Sand Sports” (July/Aug 2006) magazine

post 391 ~ ah, yes, the benefits of writing ;)

  • in the past, when the writer’s bug bit me and i stuck with it, occasionally, i’d reach a level of inspiration (or obsession, lol) where i’d research stuff i never planned… in past fics, i’ve researched network hacking, electronic tax service centers, the yakuza (japanese mafia), rationalist philosophy, the kansas city royals baseball team, and so on…
  • and now, in the midst of my sci-fic “the rosetta” at , when i visited the Borders bookstore today, a couple of magazines caught my eye… “whatPAINTBALLgear?” and “Sand Sports” magazines!… incredible stuff! just absorbing the actual terminology of parts and pieces!…
  • for paintball, there’s the “marker” (main body of the gun), the “loader” (a top-feeding ellipsoid container which can store up to 200 balls), and the bottom-attached “bottle” (which provides the tank-pressurized air)…

  • sand/dune buggies are also referred to as “sand rails” (for the rail frame) or “sand cars”, etc… i’ll need to remove the “glove compartment” in my fic, since hardly any buggies display one…
  • so now i’ll have to go back and update/tweak my story a bit to make it more vivid and real for myself… which is another thing that makes this fun ;)))

post 390 ~ under a restful sky!


“you’re under arrest” (1994 japan; 2004 usa)


“me in the backyard again”

post 390 ~ yup, under a restful sky!… get it? under a rest?… ah, forget it… ;)

  • you’re under arrest ~ after watching previews of this anime months ago and then more recently, i finally decided several weeks ago to download and watch it for myself… and after watching the first 34 of 52 episodes (just the 1st season, there’s a 2nd season plus more!), i was surprised how good it is!… even something from the 90s!…

    it’s about two japanese policewomen Miyuki and Natsumi, who have fun catching the bad guys, getting into trouble with each other, and enjoying their friends and vehicles, hehe… i’m already attached to these characters… this is what i’m aiming for in my own fiction!

    so if you like keichi’s love of motorized vehicles and the playful humor from the “oh my goddess!” and “ah my goddess!” manga/anime, this is the same creator/writer Kosuke Fujishima!… highly recommended 5 of 5 stars!… yup, i finally had to say it!!!

    in fact, i like YUA so much, i’ve downloaded season 2, the original manga, the artbook, and the original soundtracks!… and i’m still downloading the live-action series that followed, as well as the anime movie!… just by the quantity and quality of material, i can sense how popular these were, and still are, in japan!

  • random photos ~ also took a few photos to update my site or journals or something… or maybe just to have them… or maybe i felt good today after accidentally finding a solution to opening a corrupted Word DOC, and then completing that high-priority project in a couple hours… who knows? ;)

post 389 ~ back to work

post 389 ~ hey, it’s been a while… a relaxing 4-day “labor day” weekend (since i worked from home on friday)…

  • some updates to my story… feedback is welcome…
  • haha, a funny update to my scrapbook… no poem…
  • also, some random bookstore browsing, office and grocery shopping, and autumn house cleaning… finally threw out some old TIME mags, other mags, and other junk from the garage, to replace it with old holiday junk from my new bedroom… plus reboxed and moved tons of jen’s books from my bedroom into her bedroom… both of which gives my bedroom and shelves more room… even unfolded and climbed the 12-foot ladder to change the air filter in the ceiling…
  • and now, tuesday, back to work… {{yawn}}…