My apartment has one main room, a bathroom and a kitchen. The main room is an 8 tatami mat room and the tatami is brand new. Except for the strip of wood you see here where the tv and whatnot is placed, the rest of the floor is tatami. The school provided the tv and vcr, I bought the dresser from my predecessor, bought the chair at Apita (the dept. store), and the closet/shelving/desk unit is the apartments.

This is a view from the main room facing the kitchen.  The kitchen itself seems a little industrial, since it's all stainless steel, but its easy to clean and won't get dated looking.  I 'stole' the range from another predecessor who left it behind, but had to clean it for an hour.  Except for the rice cooker, I bought and/or my predecessor gave me everything on the kitchen rack. I also bought a scale and kitchen/bath mats too. Also, you can't see it but behind that little metal wall there is a washing machine.

This picture was taken in the same location only facing the other direction, into my room.  Since clothes dryers are rare in Japan, every apartment has a porch with a pole in which you can hang stuff on to dry. Right now there's an American flag hanging there both to show my support for team USA and show where the American is living.

Lastley, here's a picture of my closet area and of my bed and couch.  This is what is left of the famous bed that I broke.  I much prefer sleeping on the floor; makes my room look bigger so I'm happy. My predecessor gave me enough blankets for a small army to sleep over so I'll have no problem when guests come to visit, and I bought the couch and chair from her so people have places to sit.  Since I won't use my whole closet for linen stuff, I threw the shelves up there to save space, along with my mirror, iron and ironing board, which literally is a small board. While there are a lot more posters and random stuff around my room, there is nothing on the sliding doors now.  Trying to remove the blue and white info sheet, I found out that while the sliding door paper is slick, it's only paper and tape will remove strips of paper from the door. Yeah.  The wall paper is really durable though so no worries there.  I feel bad about the door, but I guess when you build your house out of straw and paper, things aren't suppose to last forever. I was told tatami has a life span of about 10 years before you should get new.  Imagine replacing your carpet every 10 years.

I'm pretty happy about my apartment. While there are ALT houses available, they are not as new, as clean, or as conveniently located next to stores and a train station like this place. Plus, I think this place is safer; only teachers are allowed to live here and with several of the tennants being English teachers, I've got people to ask questions if any problems arise.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my tour. :D

This whole ordeal was great practice for today's opening ceremony at my host school, where I did a lot better.  The students were a little chatty during the assembaly, but I guess I would be too if the teachers' were enforcing the rules.  On a whole, though, these students were much better.  My host school is the 2nd best high school in Iida and with a strong international studies program, caters to students who are not only college bound, but have their eyes fixed on the better universities of Japan, as well as wish to study abroad.  I'm glad to be placed in two different school environments, and see how these schools compare and contrast.

Courtesy of Sable Lit Reviews.com

If you’re a fan of TLRI or PNC or other Minybuddie videos, Then you are perfect for this party! 

Date: August 22nd (Friday)

Server: Kosciusko

Time: 11:30 Am (PenguinTime)

Room: Coffee Shop

Theme: Construction Workers (to destroy stuff)

Thanks! I hope to see you there! 

Until Next Time…Waddle On!

If you're a fan of TLRI or PNC or other Minybuddie videos, Then you are perfect for this party! 

Date: August 22nd (Friday)

Server: Kosciusko

Time: 11:30 Am (PenguinTime)

Room: Coffee Shop

Theme: Construction Workers (to destroy stuff)

Thanks! I hope to see you there! :D

Until Next Time...Waddle On!

Penguin News Channel™ now has there own website! Click Here for more info. Also check Minybuddie's Channel for a video about it!

Another thing, Because Minybuddie got a iMac computer, he is making Penguin News Channel™ better and also making a great new movie! PNC™'s next episode won't come out for a while (about 1 month). Sorry for any inconvenience.

New Minybuddie Productions™ Movie!

There has been a slight change in my movie plans. I will not be making a video called The Note. I will be making another action movie. The name is still under debate so I can't give you it. Check back for more updates, as always we love to hear what you have to say!

Until Next Time...Waddle On!

Click in the pic to enlarge ,,, =3

thank you,, ahem ,, small comic from my imagination for WA3,,, <3

NOTE :: No one allow to use it any where in sites, in forum .. ect !

Pertanyaan itu saya dapatkan dari microsite HP, persisnya di halaman Quiz, ketika saya iseng-iseng berselancar mencari informasi tentang printer dan tintanya. Microsite ini tentu saja milik HP Indonesia.

Ehm, memangnya mau beli mesin cetak, Ndoro? Oh, bukan, Ki Sanak. Bukan. Saya mencari informasi itu karena tuntutan pekerjaan. Halah. Lagi pula, saya toh harus mengetahui banyak hal, biar ndak terlalu ketinggalan kabar, dan tetap bisa ngeblog.

Nah, kebetulan saya sering lewat kawasan pertokoan di dekat rumah saya. Ada salah satu toko di sana yang menarik perhatian. Toko itu menyediakan layanan isi ulang tinta printer. Hampir setiap hari toko itu dipenuhi pembeli.

Dalam hati saya bertanya-tanya, kenapa toko itu laris? Apakah menggunakan tinta isi ulang benar-benar menguntungkan konsumen?

Terus terang saya ndak tahu jawabannya. Saya bukan tukang IT, techno geek atau apa pun namanya. Saya hanya orang yang selalu penasaran dan ingin tahu. Saya lalu berusaha mencari jawabannya di Google.

Dan, nyasarlah saya di microsite HP yang cukup informatif. Setelah saya baca-baca, lantas bertanya kiri dan kanan, menelepon si Anu dan si Una, saya beroleh informasi tentang tinta printer dan pernak-pernik lainnya. Antara lain saya menemukan jawaban seperti ini,

Selama ini banyak pemahaman keliru seputar Original HP Supplies, seperti harga tinta yang mahal, pengisian tinta yang repot, dan mesin printer yang rewel (gampang rusak).

Melalui pengujian TUV SUV PSB (lembaga sertifikasi produk internasional) ternyata Original HP Supllies terbukti lebih hemat (murah) karena memiliki kemampuan mencetak kertas yang 2,4 kali lebih banyak dibandingkan tinta refill dan tahan pudar hingga 200 tahun.

Jika tinta isi ulang (refill) mencetak 1000 lembar, maka Original HP Supplies mampu mencetak hingga 2.400 lembar dengan jumlah milliliter tinta yang sama.

Selain itu terdapat lebih dari 80 outlet resmi HP, sehingga pengisian tinta dapat dilayani secara terjamin, dan usia pemakaian printer juga akan jauh lebih panjang jika selalu memakai tinta asli HP.

Saya membatin, hmmm ... boleh juga infonya. Saya teruskan tamasya informasi itu dengan menelusuri microsite HP yang lain. Saya menemukan beberapa informasi baru, di antaranya tentang HP Office Jet all-in-one.

Menurut juru kabar:

Saat ini HP sedang mengadakan online campaign. Dalam event ini HP memperkenalkan salah satu andalannya, printer inkjet HP OfficeJet all-in-one.

Dengan harga mulai dari Rp 750.000, konsumen bisa memperoleh printer inkjet multifungsi yang sangat praktis. Alat ini mampu untuk print, scan, fax, dan fotokopi, sekaligus -- namanya juga multifungsi. Dengan fungsi yang lengkap itu, printer inkjet HP OfficeJet menghemat biaya dan waktu.

Owkey. Dalam hati saya membayangkan produk multifungsi (all-in-one) ini seperti kucing, nyawanya rangkap tujuh alias susah mati. Kenapa?

Jika salah satu fungsinya rusak, misalnya tak bisa mencetak, fungsi yang lain tak kena getahnya. Dia masih tetap dipakai mengirim fax.

Lantas, saya baca lagi informasi yang juga penting diketahui:

Calon konsumen produk seri Officejet ini bisa memilih sendiri dan mengunduh hadiah langsungnya dari microsite HP Officjet.

Aha! Sebuah godaan yang menggiurkan. Bagaimana menurut sampean, Ki Sanak? Apakah printer ini layak dicoba? Mana pula yang akan sampean pilih: tinta asli, isi ulang, atau palsu?

三菱電機は15日、商用の通信衛星「スーパーバード７号機（Ｃ２号機）」の打ち上げに成功したと発表した。設計から製造まで同社が手掛けた初の国産商用衛星。現在、国内の通信・放送会社は18機の人工衛星を運用しているが、すべて米国製という。

　15日午前5時40分ごろ、南米ギアナから欧州アリアンスペース社の「アリアン５」ロケットで打ち上げた。打ち上げ時の衛星質量は約５トンで、設計寿命は15年。ＣＳ運営会社、宇宙通信の次期通信衛星で、運転試験などを実施後、秋ごろに引き渡す。映像などの配信に使用する。

　三菱電機は衛星の設計・製造から打ち上げまで請け負い、受注額は数百億円規模という。

三菱電機株式会社（執行役社長：下村　節宏）は、宇宙通信株式会社（以下、宇宙通信）の次期通信衛星「スーパーバード7号機（C2号機）」※1の打ち上げに成功しましたのでお知らせします。
　日本時間8月15日午前5時44分（仏領ギアナ時間8月14日午後5時44分）に仏領ギアナのギアナスペースセンターからアリアンスペース社のアリアン 5ロケットで打ち上げられた「スーパーバード7号機（C2号機）」は、日本時間午前6時9分にロケットから分離し、午前7時2分には太陽電池パドル※2の展開に成功しました。
　今後は、地表から約36,000km上空の静止軌道に投入し、9月末まで静止軌道上で性能確認試験を実施する予定です。
※1： スーパーバード7号機は、現在運用されているスーパーバードC号機の後継衛星で、運用開始後、スーパーバードC2号機と呼称されます。
※2： 太陽電池パドルは、太陽光のエネルギーを電気エネルギーに変換し、衛星に電力を供給する装置です。

戦後GHQによって、日本は航空機の製造を禁じられ(7年間だそうです)、航空機産業・ロケット産業は先進国に対しは遅れをとってしまいました。
が、日本もついにようやくここまできたんだ、という感じです。
自動車産業のこともありますし、アメリカも内心ヒヤヒヤしているのではないでしょうか。
Hondaが開発したビジネスジェットHonda Jet、さらには三菱重工が国産の旅客機MRJを開発中です。
技術大国ニッポンの復活を期待してしまいます。

HondaJet PV

三菱重工　国産旅客機　MRJ

The Legend Of Rockhopper Island™ party was a huge success. We had lots of fun! What was your favorite part? :D

Updates:

We have made many updates to our forum! It now has a intro page and new buttons! And also the website banner has been made darker. Do you like it? Anyway... And the TLRI page has been changed to Minybuddie's Movies page. There are also some other changes!

Until Next Time...Waddle On!

HI EVERYBODY, BILLY MAYS HERE! I WAS RECENTLY INFORMED THAT I AM INVITED TO JOIN THE AWESOME SQUAD. I WAS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE TUESDAY, BUT THEN I REMEMBERED THAT I COULD JUST BUY A PRIVATE JET AND GET HERE A DAY EARLY! WHO NEEDS STANDARD AIRFARE WHEN YOU CAN SET UNAWESOME THINGS ON FIRE WITH YOUR EYES!

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE! AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE A BIG THANKS TO THE PEOPLE THAT SUPPLIED THAT WONDERFUL PICTURE OF ME.

(Notes from the desk of AssassinDolphin): I will soon start making parodys of other people's blogs for SPLHCS. I ask that you grow a sense of humor and the ability to laugh at yourself so that you can truly enjoy the upcoming posts by me. (and not get angry and write useless complaints.)

P.S. Envision Fat People wearing nothing but leg warmers and cowboy boots while jogging.

" If you stayed with us and enjoy your time, you'll not be alone "

This is what Virginia says to Jet<< in my new fanfiction (( Harvest Day )) ofcourse >83

NOTE :: No one allow to use it any where in sites, in forum .. ect !

If you've read my blog more than once, chances are you've picked up on the fact that I am a huge cynic. If you've read my blog enough to already know this, and after reading the title of this post worried about me destroying a children's show, then I thank you for reading so much, and should probably assuage your worries with the assurance that I'm going to do no such thing. Mostly.

First of all, I started watching this show after a friend recommended it to me a few episodes into the second season. The first episode I saw was "Zuko Alone", a huge deviation from the series because it focused on "villain" as opposed to the avatar and his friends, who, once I finally saw them in action, found increasingly annoying, Aang and Katara in particular. I much preferred Zuko's story, which was surprisingly complicated for a Nick show. Zuko was an incredibly well-done character pulled back and forth between good and evil by conflicting motives, and gave the show a sort of hidden sophistication.

There wasn't a whole lot of this in the third, and final, season.

This season was presented in two halves, episodes 1-11 aired last fall, and episodes 12-21 this summer, while I was on hiatus (no, that's not why I was on hiatus, that'd be pretty sad). The first half was very weak and generally a huge disappointment. A great series of episodes ending the second season detailed the fall of the last free city in the world, which was actually being run by a sort of secret police casting an illusion of peace over the city, hiding the war from the politicians seen in charge and using them as puppets, and ended with a key moment for the a character dangling on the edge between good and evil, and choosing evil at the absolute worst moment, leading to the downfall of the city just as its political corruption was about to be erased. The second episode of the third season centered around a dance party for a bunch of 12-year olds.

You can see my concern.

The first half of the third season had very little Zuko, which destroyed the momentum the show gained from all the recent character developments it had given him. What we got instead was the Aang and his friends running around the Fire Nation generally not getting much done. Although this offered us a very subtle look at what the Fire Nation society was actually like and how bad it really was, between the general public unawareness of a biased history created by the government and various reaches of poverty and environmental destruction (which was one of the few good parts, in my opinion), not much else happened that actually conveyed the sense of finality a last season should have had. The only episode before the Invasion episodes that really advanced the story as much as it should have was "The Avatar and the Firelord", which was all flashback, serving as a prologue and (somewhat weak) explanation for the war. The only episode that I felt actually captured the heights the show could, and frequently did before the third season, reach was "The Puppetmaster", which had great fight sequences and a properly dark story centered on morality and the effects of war on both those who wage it and those who are destroyed by it, and at what point both sides push too far. On the other hand, this season also offered the series's worst episode and biggest jump the shark moment in "The Beach", which was basically Avatar: Swimsuit Edition both in terms of animation and how shallow a story could get. It very nearly ruined the maturity of the story arc with Zuko and Azula, and those other people they hang out with, when they all open up to each other about their weaknesses and self loathings and whatnot around a campfire, which felt very out of place and out of character, since the episode cast them as friends, which they are all very far from being. After all this, I was worried that the second half of the last season would be just as poor and resolve disappointingly.

Thankfully, it got better. While "The Western Air Temple" was very underwhelming and disappointing because it finally depicted Zuko changing sides and joining the firebender, but in a very anticlimactic and almost cliched way (Zuko's anguished "Why am I so bad at being good?" would have been laughable if I wasn't so groan-worthy at how it was supposed to be serious), but from "The Boiling Rock" on out, the show had recovered itself to what I think is possibly its best state. "The Boiling Rock" and "The Southern Raiders" were as intelligent and dark as I could have hoped for, inducing plenty of long-overdue character development in a very believable way, and actually presented more great moral questions that actually made you think.

As great as those three episodes were though, by favorite could possibly have been the hilariously tounge-in-cheek "The Ember Island Players", where the characters attend a play about themselves which lampooned the entire series. Seeing every character exaggerated and skewered, blowing everything out of proportion from Aang's immaturity to Katara's hope (my favorites being a subtly overacting Fire Lord Ozai and extra-obsessive Zuko) not only created laugh after laugh, mostly making fun of itself ("Prince Zuko, it is time to talk... about your hair!") but actually presented a great opportunity for the characters to think about themselves and their choices, especially in Zuko's case, making the episode not only hilarious, but intelligent and necessary. Although I have to complain just a little about the ending (which showed fire nation society to be pretty much okay with their fascist leader killing a little kid in order to take over the world for himself and engulf it in flames... kind of a stretch...), the rest of the episode was so gloriously tongue-in-cheek it's more than made up for ("Did Jet just... die?" "You know, it was pretty unclear.")

After this episode was the finale, and it was near perfect. The two-hour finale was an epic sense of climax that actually rivals that of Star Wars and Harry Potter, with what were quite possibly the best fight sequences the show ever had. The sense of urgency actually manages to escalate throughout the episode, which was pretty hard to do since we went into it knowing that there were basically two days until the world ended, and concluded in a great way as well, tying together all loose ends except one that it brought up with five minutes to go, which I felt was actually a nice touch. The battle between Ozai and Aang was wonderfully epic and the fight between Zuko and Azula was absolutely beautiful (light orchestrated music as the screen filled up with red and blue fire), even if the reasons for how that fight happened weren't exactly logical, although Azula losing her mind and succumbing to extreme paranoia was brilliant. Everyone else, from Sokka and Toph to Iroh and every other character you would want to see in the finale, played an important role in the epic finale, giving it a real sense that the show was holding absolutely nothing back and ending wonderfully. My only complaint would have to be the deus ex machina that enables Aang to defeat the firelord without killing him, which is strictly against his moral code, by energybending. This was never brought up in the show until a few minutes before the final fight even began, and the lion turtle that taught it to him was (although referenced to in but a handful of scenes throughout the series where it was either seen or stated in passing and quietly) also kind of a "Oh hey, this has actually been important the whole time but not really" kind of way. And the lion turtle's "wisdom" was both nonsensical and hard to follow. And this is a complaint not just against Avatar but against television and movies in general, don't use voice altering effects that make everything as unclear as Power Ranger's Zordon! Really, when Aang asked for the lion turtle's help and it answered, it could have recited the theme song to Fresh Prince and I wouldn't have noticed, it was so unintelligible. It really kind of takes away from the effect when the dialogue basically sounds like:

"I need your help, lion turtle! I need to save the world by killing the Fire Lord, but I've been told not to kill people! What should I do?"

"BWAAAAAAA! GWAAAAAAAA! WA WA WA WAAAAAAAA! GLURRRRRRRRRGH!"

"Thanks, lion turtle!"

Aaaaanyway, I had my doubts during this season, but Avatar: The Last Airbender actually ended its run on a great number of episodes that I thoroughly enjoyed and now that it's over, will actually miss. I'd recommend it.

Anyway, next is Himeji.

Mustang Sally – Creedence Clearwater Revival

Are You Gonna Be My Girl – Jet

Imagine – John Lennon

Dyer Maker – Led Zeppelin

Rollin' Stone – Muddy Waters

Planet Caravan – Pantera

Money – Pink Floyd

Every Rose Has Its Thorn – Poison

Another One Bites The Dust – Queen

Brown Sugar – The Rolling Stones

Salute Your Salution – The Raconteurs

Bullet With Butterfly Wings – Smashing Pumpkins

Time 4:00 Pm (PenguinTime)

Place Lighthouse Beacon

Date August 17th, 2008 (Sunday)

Server Kosciusko

Many of you can't find the server and you say it doesn't exsist, YEST IT DOES!

And in another matter, I can't record things! Whenever I am in the server Wind Chill, LEAVE ME ALONE! Every time that I log on, somebody come on and says "hi!". If I am in any other server, I would love for you to say hi, but not in Wind Chill! When people disturb me it causes so much interuptions, that I have to re-record.

Thanks! Hope to see you at my party!