Alt key for special characters

I started seeing people using these characters in Fluff friends on FB and I thought it was SO cute. See the two examples below...
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..:: ♦♦♦♦ Please Pet Name! ♦♦♦♦::..
http://apps.facebook.com/fluff/fluffbook.php?...

..:: THANK YOU! ::..
☺☻☺☻☺Leave your link!☺☻☺☻☺
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(\(\
(='.')
o(_")")
Please pet Name
http://apps.facebook.com/fluff/fluffbook.php?...
Thankx!
(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´
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So as I was saying...and then I got an email from my niece and it had a hearts at the end of her message ♥♥♥♥ and i thought to myself, no ways! I am going to find out how to do this...

See, it's easy using a normal keyboard, but when you using a laptop and when you using Linux it is different. Well not THAT different...below each heading, do that first then use the codes as shown after that.

Windows + normal Keyboard
Hold the Alt Key, then press the numbers while still holding down the Alt key.

Laptop
I'm using Toshiba and the NUM lock key is one of the function (Fn)keys. So i pressed Fn F11 (the NUM lock key), then once NUM lock is on, I had to use the numerical keys from the numeric keypad overlay (as they refer to in the manual) - in plain English its that buttons that share buttons with other buttons e.g. usually the text on that key will be white and then the overlay keys are grey.

Ubuntu Linux + normal keyboard
It's the toughest cause you got to hold Ctrl, Shift, U

Smiley face 1 ☺
Smiley face 2 ☻
Heart 3 ♥
Diamond 4 ♦
Club 5 ♣
Spade 6 ♠
Bullet 7 •
Bullet 8 ◘
9 ○
10 ◙
11 ♂
12 ♀
Music Notes 1, 4 ♪
Sun 1, 5 ☼
Arrows 23 - 29 ► ◄↕
Greek Alphabet 224 - 238
Math Symbols 240 - 253


◙ ◙ ◙ ◙ That's all for today ◙ ◙ ◙ ◙