3/1/07
It’s getting to be crunch time at college, so don’t expect many posts coming up soon. My next big addition to the site will be up/down voting arrows for each of the comics. The only problem is that I haven’t got the foggiest clue how to program for that. I am a cartoonist, not a programmer. However, I’ll talk to my friends and work something out. Hopefully that will be up by next month.
I don’t know why but I am always paranoid that I will run out of comics. I have HUNDREDS, but I freak out when I go a day without thinking of a new comic. It’s a bit sad, logically, but I guess it ensures I’ll have years and years of content, yay.
3/6/07
Alright, so after a lot of different people requesting it, there will be Next/Previous buttons coming up sometime in the future. However, if you learn a simple command, the method I have is much faster.
The problem most people have with my system is that you have to hit the “Back” arrow. However, pressing Back Space or Alt + [Left Arrow] acts just like clicking the Back arrow. Therefore, you can click on my comic, read it, use the keyboard “Back” command, and then your mouse (if you haven’t moved it) is just 2 spaces above or below where it needs to be for the next click!
Also, having my current system eliminates the need for scrolling down to read the comic and adds to the minimalist theme. When all your comics are is just a link to a gif, your comic is pretty minimal. But whatever, I'll bend and make my site more user-friendly.
Up/down voting and Next/Back buttons. I'll have a lot to do over the coming spring break!
3/8/2007
Well, if you have not noticed the new site format, shame on you. Thanks to popular demand I have added Next/Previous Buttons, which turned out to be awesome. I personally think they work the best out of all the Next/Previous Buttons I have ever used, because I use a little secret I like to call . . . anchors. Try it. Try browsing through multiple comics using the Next/Previous Buttons on the top. You don’t even have to move your mouse. I have buttons on the bottom as well because I know that in about 1 year I will be having a few multi-panels thrown in the mix.
I realize the blog has been a bit site-management heavy so I offer you this theory I have:
People’s perception of what is more self-destructive can be analyzed to relate to the mind-body principle. Things that are viewed as more self-destructive are thought to be the most damaging to one’s self. What are the most (non-relationship-wise) self-destructive kinds of actions are there? I personally feel that cutting off one’s own limbs takes the cake (by sheer shock value), followed by actions such as suicide, wrist slashing and self-burning. Then the use of hard, addictive drugs such as coke, meth, crack, etc. Then the consumption of tobacco or alcohol and eating unhealthy.
However, if you think about your self, your mind is your self, and your brain is your mind (Dualists: your brain is your gateway to your mind). Therefore, the most self-destructive things are actually the ones that would harm your brain. Following the logic that the brain is the self, the things that are actually self-destructive would go roughly in this order: Hard, addictive drugs such as coke, meth, crack, then alcohol, then eating unhealthy. Next comes tobacco consumption, then cutting off limbs, and finally wrist slashing. I am still out to lunch on where suicide would technically go. I personally believe it is at the top of self-destructive behaviors because it destroys your brain. According to Dualism, however it would technically just be the peaceful separation of mind and brain (the other brain destructive approaches are drawn-out and therefore more destructive).
However, I find it ironic that wrist slashing is technically one of the least self-destructive behaviors that is typically up there one the list. It just shows that your perception of your self is really that of your body, and of your external body. I propose that while cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking severely harm your lungs and liver respectively they are not viewed as destructive as cutting simply because the results are not visible.
I think it would be fun to make a table of this, I think a table would really help visualize this theory. Anyway, that’s totally enough for now.
3/9/2007
Fixed some minor link problems, there were still a few links to the old archive system instead of the amazing new archive system. The old system just linked to the individual comic images. The new Next/Previous system is pretty annyoing, there is always something I forget to update. Normally it is the title of the image, which is not really that big of a deal. Ah well!
I have been watching Twilight Zone episodes like crazy. They are one of the best social commentaries I've seen. It's pretty awesome. I will admit, I've been watching them on alluc.org. Rod Serling is one of my new heroes, along with James Randi. I'll blog more about the Amazing Randi later, though.
3/10/2007
You know what I am afraid of? Zombies. Normally I would not tell people, especially not people on the internet, but I figure it is very difficult to exploit someone's fear of zombies because they don't exist. Frequently when I go into a room I will think to myself, how can I barricade myself into this room if zombies attacked? How will I escape to get food? What can i make into brain-smashing weapons? I think these are all things everyone should be thinking about when faced with new surroundings.
However, do not mention brain-smashing weapons in front of other people. They tend to get upset, and depending on where you are, you might get in terrible trouble. For instance don't mention waiting at an airport.
I think one of the worst places a zombie attack taking place would be a stadium or a plane. The stadium would be crazy because of the massive amounts of people-turned-zombies and the blocked exits, and the people crawling over each other to get away but there's nowhere to go. The airplane would be so impossible to escape, I think you'd just end up accepting your morbid zombie infection fate. Both are very scary possibilities . . . in the Twilight Zone.
3/14/2007
Happy pi day everyone! (3.14)
3/15/2007
I have just had the worst hour or so trying to connect to Angelfire’s ftp (File Transfer Protocol: it allows me to upload my site from my computer to the internet server). I thought it was Dreamweaver freaking out, so I looked for help files about that. I double-checked all my connection boxes were correct, I checked my firewall settings, I restarted, I tried “repair internet connection”, I figured it was a Dreamweaver bug and searched for patches. I got so frustrated that I downloaded a new ftp program just to get my site’s updates up and running. However, after installing the 30 day trial, that one wouldn’t work either! I was tearing out my hair, but it gave me a clue: the problem was with Angelfire. I searched through their help files, but they did not offer any advice. Just “contact your software provider”. Very frustrating considering the problem is most certainly with you, Angelfire. Anyway, as a last-ditch effort, I replaced the only capital letter in my password with a lowercase letter. It worked. I was able to connect (as you can tell by reading this blog). It is the strangest thing. I’ve been using the capital letter for the past 2 months every day, so I assume this must be a new requirement, but I never got a notice from Angelfire. Shame on you, Angelfire. You stressed me out majorly. I was going to blog about a cool story that happened to me, but I will let you think about this math paradox( . . .?) instead.
If you have 2 points, A and B (and they are not the same point) there is a point which lies exactly in the middle of these 2 points: point C. However, there must also be a point which is exactly in between point A and point C (point D). However, there must also be a point which is exactly in between point A and point D (point E). This keeps going on and on and on, right? There will always be another point in between. If you continue this logic, this means that there will be an infinite number of points between point A and point B.
So far so good, right?
Now, to travel from point A to point B, it follows that you must go through each point there is between A and B. Naturally, to break this premise would accept disappearing in one spot and reappearing at a further destination. Remember, however, that there are an infinite number of points between A and B! You cannot possibly pass through an infinite number of points in a finite amount of time, the idea is absurd. It would be trying to count to infinity. You could have a super computer running at maximum speed for billions upon billions of years, and you’d never count all the way to infinity.
Therefore, mathematically, you should never be able to get from point A to point B; it would take you forever to traverse the infinite number of points. And yet we do it every day. This is Zeno’s Reductio ad absurdum paradox. How does this get rationalized logically? You can argue that the universe is not actually perfect and is quantitized (that is, there is a smallest measurement which allows for a finite number of points) or you can say, oh well calculus solves it for us. But, calculus gives you a math answer and does not address the fundamental problem: going through an infinite number of points. Therefore, you either get one absurd solution (going through an infinite number of points in a finite amount of time) that works out mathmatically or accept a paradox. I personally like a few paradoxes here and there. It makes things interesting.
I have quite a story to tell you.
About a week ago I was sitting in UCSB’s UCen. The Ucen is the center of UCSB, where the bookstore, eateries, information desk, post office, my favorite coffee shop Nicoletti’s, and so on. There’s a large lounge area with lots of couches, desks, and overstuffed chairs that people like to sit at to read, work, drink coffee, meet up, and so on. I personally like to use the area to nap and study. I really enjoy the low murmur of people; for me it’s a pleasant background noise that helps me study.
So about a week ago I was sitting in a big chair trying to nap. I was having a hard time because I normally nap on couches, but all the couches were taken. I couldn’t help but notice this kissy couple next to me. They were cuddling really close and whispering to each other and kissing every 2 minutes. I hate seeing other people do this. (However, I try to be understanding because I admit I’ve been in that couple ignorance bubble before.) I was trying my best to ignore them and go to sleep when the girl of the couple thankfully got up and left. I remember noticing that she had left her stuff, including her purse, and I thought, “What a nice guy to watch her purse for her, he’s a keeper”.
I figured now that the annoying distraction had gone I could finally go to sleep. However, the chairs were too uncomfortable for a sleep, so I kept going in and out of sleep limbo. I was in the half-asleep state when I saw the guy get up and leave. I was pretty shocked, he had left all of his stuff plus all of his girlfriend’s stuff sitting on the couch. Now there are signs up all over the UCen warning people not to leave their things alone because there have been strings of theft from the UCen, the RecCen, the library, and other study places off-campus. I was pretty surprised to see this guy leave so much stuff unguarded. Here is a complete list of the things he left alone:
- His girlfriend’s purse: it was pretty big, contained an unknown amount of money, and looked pretty nice. I’m sure the purse alone could have fetched me $20 on ebay if I hadn’t wanted to keep it.
- His girlfrend’s Psychology 1 textbook: It was the newest edition. Textbooks cost around $60 to $100 in the bookstore. Textbooks can normally be sold for at the least $40 if you get a bad deal.
- His own laptop: A Dell Inspiron, I am not sure what specific model. I checked the Dell website and these start around $500 to $700.
- His laptop power cable: A nice bonus, it saves time and effort for the thief who wants a powered laptop.
- His laptop carrying bag: It seemed stuffed with some other things which may or may not have been valuable. I figure it could also have been sold for some cash, although I personally never used my laptop carrying case.
- A set a headphones: Unfortunately, they didn’t seem to be that nice of headphones, but perhaps that was only because they were his portable ones. They were white and that style that wrap around your ears instead of going across your head.
I was shocked that he left so much valuable stuff, about half of which was not his. I rationalized, “well, he must have just gone to the bathroom for a second; he’ll be right back.” I decided to be a good Samaritan and watch over his stuff for him to make sure nothing happened to it. I watched. And watched. And watched. For half an hour. This man left a laptop, laptop accessories, a purse, and an expensive textbook unwatched for half an hour. I looked around to make sure he wasn’t just hanging around watching it from a distance, but no, the man had just totally abandoned the stuff.
Once while I was guarding his stuff this other guy came over and tried to sit down on the couch with all the guy’s things, but he quickly left. When he was trying to sit down I saw him look at me, startle a tad, and then leave. I am not sure if he was trying to steal the stuff or if he just thought the sofa was empty and was trying to sit down. Since I can never be sure, I’ll give the guy the benefit of the doubt.
I was getting sick of watching this guys stuff. I couldn’t fall asleep and I was desperately tired. I wanted to go back to my own room and drift off to sleep. I went to the Bookstore’s customer service desk and quickly explained the situation. They told me I couldn’t leave that much valuable stuff with them, but that the Lost and Found desk was just over in the other side of the UCen and that I could leave the stuff with them.
I returned to the couch and wrote a note to leave for the guy telling him where he could find his laptop. I was worried that it might be some sort of kissy couple police sting, and I figured writing a note before I took his stuff would give me a better alibi. By now the guy had been gone for nearly an hour. If I hadn’t been heading home, I would have waited longer before turning it in.
I casually unplugged his cord and wrapped it up. I put his laptop in the carrying case along with the cord and headphones, although I had some difficulty making it all fit. I shouldered the purse and headed off to the Lost and Found at the Information Desk. It was that easy. Nobody protested. If I had wanted, I could have taken the laptop home; I doubt the Bookstore worker would ever have inquired about it.
However, I know how sucky it would be if I lost my laptop. I have so much on it that would be irreplaceable. I went straight to the Lost and Found and turned everything in. The guy at the desk gave me a totally surprised look that I was turning in so much valuable stuff, and I was nonchalant about it.
I imagine that the guy was probably super-shocked when he came back to his couch and didn’t see all his stuff. He probably freaked out from a distance and then came closer and read the note. I also imagine he was pretty embarrassed about picking the stuff up from the Lost and Found. I always wonder if he told his girlfriend. I thought the short shock would have scared the guy into learning his lesson about not leaving his things alone in the UCen. I then went back home and didn’t really think about it that much.
Then, two days ago, I was in the UCen again and I saw the same kissy couple. I recognized them by their kissyness and their items. I shuddered, but I was happy to see their stuff had been returned to them. Then I noticed something similar. . . the girl left, leaving her purse in the guy’s care. The guy then, would leave his stuff alone intermittently. He would go to the bathroom (giving a thief ample time to steal everything if they wanted) or he would go outside and talk on the phone. I am sure he was not paying attention to the stuff on the couch and that I could have easily had a second laptop.
While he didn’t leave his stuff alone for such large blocks of time as before, I was shocked. He must not have been concerned for his items. I looked around the signs warning people “Do not leave laptops unattended” and shook my head. Some people never learn. This time, I didn’t watch over the guys stuff. I just worked on my essay and enjoyed my coffee.
(Both images of this blog are taken from www.ucen.ucsb.edu/ and www.dell.com)
3/21/2007
Thought I'd show you a cool image I made of my campus as a treasure map. The X is at the UCen lawn, there’s nothing really special about that place; it’s just a nice open space. Excellent place for . . . buried treasure? It was a fun way to relax during finals. Enjoy. Also did some site reorganizing and design upgrade. Thanks go out to real webmaster in my life for the inertia of this design idea. Hope you like BLUE.
3/24/2007
Sorry about the late-ish update. I tried to take one of those “midnight naps” but it ended up turning into a sleep all night. I set my alarm for 12:30pm instead of 12:30am and totally got behind on all the stuff I was doing. I even left a load of laundry in the washing machine (ick!). Luckily, my roommate woke me up in time for work the next day! Unfortunately, now instead of being behind on everything, I am now super, super behind on everything! I just need to wait it out, soon enough things will return to a normal pace.
3/26/2007
Well Internet, I got myself a Wacom Tablet! I will now be drawing my comics on the tablet directly! It is the most awesome thing ever, totally worth the wait. Using the tablet takes awhile to get used to. You draw on the tablet and see it on the computer, so you can’t look at the spot you are drawing; it’s slightly disorientating. However, I know once I get used to it, the drawing will get way, way easier for me to do and I can focus on making new ones, yay. Until then, this thing is the coolest toy I’ve gotten for awhile, since I haven’t gotten any new consoles or games in general lately. The coolest thing is using it like a mouse with the stylus pen, it’s like you’re the God-computer guy from the Matrix with his little pen, hehe! Anyway, look forward to the transition next month, the first few comics may look a little shaky, but cleaner. Maybe even a little. . . color on occasion?
3/29/2007
Fantastic! The new Bonus Comic section is now up! I enjoy reading other webcomics, but I’m always irked by the fact that they update MWF and then Tuesday and Thursday I’m left craving something funny. The weekends usually deal with themselves, but that Tuesday/Thursday slump can be killer. So I’ve decided to give you an extra dose of fun! I choose random pictures, gratis of several random image generators, and I add little comments to them. Any photoshopping of the images is only to remove extraneous image size or to make the text easier to read. I am glad I started this on a Thursday so I have extra time to make the browsing buttons for the Bonus comics, haha!
I also cleaned up the left-side menu buttons, but truth be told that design still does not sit right with me. I am sure I will come up with something better soon enough! I am also planning on resizing the title banner so that it fits better onto the new, fixed page width. After fixing that there will be basically nothing left of the original site design, for those of you with me from the very beginning. I like my site to be just right.
Oh, I suppose I should also blog about the Wacom Tablet. It is totally awesome. I am very much in love with it. It’s great for drawing comics, and pretty soon I will be using Wacom Tablet comics. You know the other awesome thing it is good for? A mouse! It is the best mouse ever. It’s kinda like being the white monitor room guy (The Explainer) from The Matrix 2 because you have the pen that controls everything. The best use of the mouse as a pen is in playing Spider Solitaire. I played it once, and was amazed. I think Wacom Tablet Spider Solitaire is something I will save for special occasions.
3/31/2007
Sorry for all the site bugs lately, I've been having trouble getting my updates right! All the site changes look small, but really they take forever because I'm a perfectionist like that. I still have to redo the main title bar, but that's a project I'm saving for later. I've updated the comics half a day early because I am going on an overnight trip to Disney Land, the most magical place on earth. I won't be bringing my computer and I don't know how to set it up for automatic updates (or else I'd do that all the time). So enjoy tomorrow's comic a day early, I guess it's like you're going to Tomorrowland with me, haha. OK, later.