Paying money to have your name on a brass plaque (e.g. in a building or on a bench) is not very different to writing your name somewhere yourself (grafitti/vandalism). In either case there's that bit of gratification that your name is on display. Also, there's the guilt that you have been ostentatious/egoistic. People that are truly benevolent do not need or want their name in brass or things named after them. It's an elitist form of grafitti - it's occurs in prominent places as opposed to random ones, and it's socially acceptable. I wonder why people have the urge to write their name on the world. Another concern of mine, which is somewhat related, is why people (particularly Americans) like to shove/stick their flag everywhere.

To all the people out there that don't like eating fish (and aren't vegetarians)... you guys are missing out on some great stuff.

"The voice of the intellect is a soft one, but it does not rest until it has gained a hearing. Ultimately, after endlessly repeated rebuffs, it suceeds. This is one of the few points in which one may be optimistic about the future of mankind."
- S. Freud

Annonymous confessions... an interesting read. For some reason I felt like reading a lot. In part, cuz some people are so weird. Also, I was curious to see what things bother people. After doing some introspection... I didn't feel like I had anything I wanted to unload/confess. Maybe I'm in denial? Or maybe I'm just a goodie-goodie.

Blogs can sometimes function as a place to unload/vent/confess. I don't really understand why people would want to post things that could incriminate them, though. I can see why some people don't want their parents reading their blogs. Just check out this article.

40% of Americans think cloning a sheep is unethical, but 65% cheat on their mate.

"We're going to have the best-educated American people in the world."
- Dan Quayle

Big muscles cannot make up for small character.

4/5 New Yorkers that own a telescope don't use it to look at the stars... I live in a perverted place.

When someone says "You have (a) nice curtains/jacket/whatever" it's appropriate to say "thank you" cuz it's a compliment. However, is it technically appropriate to say "thank you" when they say "I like your curtains/jacket/whatever?" In the first case, they're saying you have good taste. In the second, they're just saying they like the thing(s). Saying "thank you" is the instinctive response, but when thinking about it for a bit, you're thanking them for their taste, which is a little odd. Maybe the appropriate response is "sorry, you can't have it!"

Dang I really want to take aikido... been wanting to for some time.

"The purpose of Aikido is not in fighting and defeating an enemy, but in fighting and defeating your own aggressive instincts. The strengths of Aikido are not in muscular force but in flexibility, communication, timing, control and modesty."
- O Sensei Morihei Ueshiba, Founder of Aikido

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
- George Bernard Shaw

To beard or not to beard, that is the question. Why do guys shave? To look young? So their faces aren't covered? So they are smooth when they get kisses on the cheek? Because society says so? Shaving is not good for the skin. And it takes time. And it has nothing to do with hygiene. And blades, shaving cream and other products aren't good for the environment. If you think beards look bad... it's because they aren't really socially acceptable. Society has brainwashed you into thinking they are bad.

I realize that shaving is one of the few socially acceptable vanity practices that guys have. The other is getting hair cuts. I realize that society has made girls have to deal with many more issues. However, not only am I an advocate for a reduction of (or end to) male shaving... I also don't think that girls have to shave (legs, armpits, etc) anywhere as near as often as they do. Or wear as much makeup. Or straighten their hair and put highlights. Or wear heels. Or very tight clothing. Or whatever else they have to do.

Bottom line... society, if you were a person, you and I would sit down and have a long chat. And if you don't like what I have to say, I'll twist your arm behind your back till you promise to change. I can't go for a Gandhi-eqsue non-violent protest/resistance... since you won't care if I starve and die. What people stand for is more important than the clothes/shoes they stand in and the style/appearance they adopt. I want people to stop judging others from the outside. If everyone stopped worrying about their presentation (hygiene, hopefully they'll still take care of), imagine how much time/energy people would have to do other things!

"An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come."
- Victor Hugo, Histoire d'un Crime

"Dripping water bores a hole through stone."
- Chinese proverb

This mentality is maladaptive in the West - if you want to go through stone, you should smash it. It's faster, more effective, increases self-efficacy, asserts control, satisfies individual wants, etc. There's less concern for harmony.

There's a woman that lives upstairs, who I sometimes hear in the stairwell calling: "Hey Andy! Come on Andy! Let's go Andy! Come on, it's time to go! Aaaaaanndy!" I always thought she was calling a young, lazy or delinquent boy. Tonight I realized that Andy is a dog. I even saw him. I never thought “Andy” could be the name of a dog… probably because over the course of my life I’ve met like 5 different human Andys. This is significant because... it reminds me that automatic schemas that I use can be wrong, and that I shouldn't assume things so readily.

To Ph.D or not to Ph.D, that is the question. I can launch into a big essay on it... but this isn't really the right place.

"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances; if there is any reaction, both are transformed."
- Carl Jung

It's GREAT having an 80W speaker system (40W subwoofer) and being able to go pretty loud! (not blast it... cuz it's new and I don't wanna bust it!) It's perfect not having any people that live underneath me... there's no one that's going to complain to the cops about a vibrating ceiling.

I'm crazy about Heartland Granola Cereal (the original kind)!!! I don't know why. I wonder if it'll pass or if it'll endure. I love the texture, and it has the right amount of sweetness (well, a little on the sweeter side, but it's nice). The flavor is so good!

"To whom much is given, much is required."
(A few days after hearing this, I found that it comes from the Bible)