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13 May

I have desk space

Published by alekth

I used to love my Logitech G15, but over time I really stopped using any of the special function and it just turned into a huge waste of desk space. Plus I got it when I wasn't at college and wasn't really writing a lot on my desk, that is writing by hand.

I got this bluetooth mini keyboard for my iPad today and wow, does it feel good on my desk. I'm definitely going to use it more as a regular keyboard than an iPad keyboard. I'm going to look around for something similar but PC-centric, and if there isn't, I might well get a regular mac keyboard. Not that I really use the numpad, but I miss some of the keys, and this thing doesn't seem very remappeable (maybe it's because of the bluetooth).

edit: I found a program for mapping fn+arrow keys for home/end/pg up/pg down and fn+delete for... what should be a delete, but delete is backspace on this keyboard. I'm pretty charmed by the thing at this point, don't think I'll be looking for a full keyboard. Now I'm really annoyed at having waited for so long and bothering with pushing my old keyboard around all the time. I thought about selling the Logitech, but then again it's not going to have much value now and having a spare keyboard isn't a bad thing. Sucks that I'm quitting my job due to Japan year, otherwise I'd have brought it there, it's by all means better than a $10 clanky abomination.

 

 

Mood 

surprised
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13 May

I have no idea what this is about anymore

Published by alekth

So a MAL recommendation for this anime The Skull Man popped up as similar to Mouryou no Hako (which I liked and remember quite well). Now, half of the time MAL user recommendations are complete nonsense, the trouble here is that I've actually seen both of these, only, this time I can't tell. I remember absolutely nothing about this Skull Man, aside from having watched it. Even the Wiki entry didn't ring a bell at all. I'd rated it as very good too, so I had to go lower it into oblivion because it couldn't have been that good if nothing's left of it with me. Someday I will go through my anime list to check if there are many more titles like this one, although I really doubt it.

Mood 

tired
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10 May

I'll keep this in mind for when I feel like snacking

Published by alekth

Gintama episode 251 - Kagura eating a bun with toothpaste

Mood 

amused
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10 May

Classical Japan and Science

Published by alekth

I was thinking today about why Japan didn't really advance much scientifically until they opened to the West. When I was writing my paper on Takasugi Shinsaku last year (because I love the Takasugi Shinsuke in Gintama, who's based on him), it seems he was one of the first to realize just how useful guns were for fighting. Even though the Chinese have had gun prototypes for like 10 centuries at this point. But not just adopting guns, science overall just wasn't there large-scale.

One of my theories is that they just didn't fight external wars - which is supposed to be the biggest factor for science in Europe developing. But even so, science in Europe wasn't just in the military realm, even technology wasn't. Japan also had its share of internal wars.

My other theory is Zen Buddhism. Although it seems rather far-fetched, Zen Buddhism has this thing about reaching enlightenment/satori by meditation. The-truth-is-inside-of-you type of thing. Maybe meditation can make you calmer, happier and whatnot, but I certainly don't think it enhances curiosity in the physical world, nor actual knowledge. Aristotle sort of had this idea, and while he did advance things a lot, his influence is one of the reasons that people just didn't seem to think theories needed any sort of experiment until Galileo or so.

They do like their robots though, as demonstrated by this picture of Karakuri Ningyou.

Mood 

bored
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