First Week of School

This is my first post from the iPod Touch in a while. I promised myself that I would reflect on my first week some time during the weekend...but I kind of forgot about that. Regardless, I will simply say that it has ben like any other year, with the exception that my schedule was rather messed up when I first got it. However I was fortunate enough to get that taken care of on the first day. I'll go ahead and say something my friend say back in 2004 - "This will be a long year."

APUSH Project Status Update 6 - The Watergate Break-in Intro

Hmm, 6 video layers just to make this one...at least it didnt' take too long to produce this video.

APUSH Project Status Update 5 - The Case of Richard Nixon

Sigh...I miss writing my daily blog posts about my day at COSMOS. It just doesn't feel the same at home, even if I am updating myself on the stuff about how the history project is going. Likewise, I think I am wasting time uploading these videos to blogger. I should be uploading them to YouTube under a playlist for the entire documentary. But then again, I also want to upload stuff from Alaska and Disneyland first. This is why I wish YouTube could organize the videos I uploaded by date, much like the way Flickr handles video.

APUSH Project Status Update 4 - Baking Soda Commercial

Only four more videos left to be produced today, because I declared today to be an "APUSH work day." That means I am going to produce at least 5 segments of the entire project. And the soreness in my jaws from my wisdom teeth removal isn't helping.

This is the baking soda commercial, Version 9.0820.1 RC. Two ads down, one to go.

Also, on the refrigerator, there's a that magnet that says "COSMOS UCI" and "Vail Resorts"

Credits:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clevercupcakes/ / CC BY 2.0

- Thanks clevercupcakes for publishing this picture under a creative commons license with the requirement of attribution. That way I can feature your cupcakes in this video as one of the "sweet treats."
Sunny Select Baking Soda - I'm using their brand name. I consider this a fair use because it's not for commercial purposes and is for my school project only.

APUSH Project Status Update 3 - Intro

Here is my introduction for the documentary. This is the best I can do for now, since I am not perfect with video editing. I was considering to use the audio recorded from the external mic that is not shown in the video, but the quality was not that good. I decided to stick with the mono input from the Flip Mino HD instead.

For those of you who are aspiring videographers, you all know that this is not HD 720p. That's because I'm too lazy to wait that large of a file to upload as a draft. As always, comments are welcome.

Dr. Wisdom Removal, DS

In a few hours I will be taking an antibiotic, without eating breakfast. Afterward, I will be taken to my oral surgeon's office to be prepared for a rather self explanatory procedure. I will be much more stupid afterward, of course.

Today is the last day I get to eat with that "wisdom" teeth of mine. Frankly, they are just blocking the way and cramming against my bottom molars. After a very long treatment with Dr. Axelrode for straightening my teeth, it is highly recommended for me to have my wisdom teeth removed. Otherwise, they would jam into my straightened teeth, and cause them to shift out of what is supposed to be the "ideal" position.

In general, the procedure is supposed to be relatively fail-safe - in which I am going to be partially asleep while the procedure is carried out, so that if I do not get enough oxygen, I will still be able to respond with my body's natural reactions.

As for now, it should just be a laughing matter.





From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrous_oxide, of course.

APUSH Project Status Update - Tele Tapper

As of now, I have created this first ad. Anyone is welcome to comment on the 4 hours I worked on this. I think I can't be as perfect with the rest of the documentary. Of course, I also spent some time writing the music to go along with this, and I needed to use GIMP for make a good video overlay. This is the best I can do for this commercial, and it will be Version 9.0817 RC.




I'll consider changing the street address to something fake later.

APUSH Project Status Update 1

Most people who know me should know that I had to make a documentary about Nixon and Watergate with my two of my friends over the summer. COSMOS basically prevented me from being able to do anything whatsoever. And likewise, it prevented me from reading too much in The Scarlet Letter. But we have finally accomplished enough to have some kind of status.

Here are a list of the things we have accomplished:

• The script has been finalized since yesterday. All three of us agree to using version 9.0815.3.
• The Introduction and Conclusion/Aftermath Analysis is recorded.
• The audio for "The Watergate Break-in" and "The Case of Richard Nixon" is recorded.
• Telephone-tapping commercial is recorded.
• Baking soda commercial is recorded.
• Tape Recorder commercial is recorded.

There are other things left to do, and plenty of editing and looking up stuff left. I just wonder how cumbersome this project is going to be.

Alaska Day 2

At a steady speed of about 20 knots, Sea Princess was pushing the water away to travel north toward Alaska. Our first port of call is Ketchikan, Alaska, so it took more than 48 hours of nonstop traveling through the Pacific Ocean to reach that city.
Being at sea for two days, one can walk to every part of the ship at least once without missing too many planned entertainment or meals.

There are various ways to pass time while sailing in the Pacific Ocean. One of which is the Internet Café keeping you connected to the rest of the world through satellite Internet, at the rate of $0.75 per minute. This café is definitely really useful, especially when one does not have the ability to send pictures or videos to their friends.

Alaska Cruise Day 1

At Pier 35 in San Francisco, a large floating object is near the dock. Inside that object is what is supposed to be a paradise on the high seas. This object is basically the Sea Princess cruise ship, which is going to be my home for the next ten days sailing the Atlantic Ocean and/or the Alaskan Inside Passage. Since it is already Monday, I am writing about the day before since I was too tired.

Shortly after going through security, I realized that this is the first time a metal detector ever detected something on my person. I realized it was one of the cameras in my pocket. I took that out, and walked through again, only to find that I still had my Flip Mino HD camcorder tucked inside my shirt. I lifted that up to the security guard and was about to turn back, but he waved the scanning baton thing over my chest and said, “No, you’re fine.” I was hoping that I would never have to be stopped at a metal detector in my life. Oh well. One simple complaint, shoes were not required to be taken off to be inspected. Shoe bombs that are not made out of metal could easily be smuggled on board, according to this physics professor at UC Berkeley. I agree with him that shoes should have been removed, and I would have felt more confident in the security system if shoes were required to be removed.

Our luggage was being handled by the porters, and therefore my family proceeded directly to the buffet line to eat our (late) lunch. At 15:15, our ship would be having a drill for evacuation procedures in case of an emergency, as required by International Maritime Law. The signal, as I know already, is seven short blasts and one long blast.

Around 16:00, the engines were put in reverse, along with the help of a few tug boats, to get the ship away from the port, and set sail to leave the San Francisco Bay, while waving good-bye to bikers and people walking across the Golden Gate Bridge.