So I've been really busy.  I've had to study orgo, do math problem sets, write programs, write papers, run a club, and help throw a birthday party.  Thus, I'm behind on any reading that isn't directly related to a grade (and some that is).  But, to avoid complete negligence, here's a few of the things that I plan on reading... as soon as I have some time.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=is-killing-yourself-adaptive-that-d-2010-10-11

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/10/11/think_again_global_aging?print=yes&hidecomments=yes&page=full

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/3e52897c-d0ee-11df-a426-00144feabdc0,dwp_uuid=14c54e92-b4ca-11dd-b780-0000779fd18c,print=yes.html

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2010/11/mccain-201011?printable=true&currentPage=all

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/06/the-spoils-of-happiness/?pagemode=print

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/print/1969/12/the-gentle-art-of-poverty/8241/

http://www.believermag.com/issues/201010/?read=article_baron

http://www.slate.com/toolbar.aspx?action=print&id=2269245

Yeah... It's a long list.  But it could have been a lot longer.  You should have seen it before I edited it down for public consumption.

Resources

These are two of the coolest resources out there on the web.  

One- WolframAlpha is for you math/science people out there.  Basically, if it can be calculated, WolframAlpha can do it.  It also includes a lot of data that isn't really related to math or computation at all.  Some incredibly helpful features include: listing alternative forms of equations/expressions, a variety of socioeconomic and geographic data, anagram solving, and showing steps to solve an equation.  Since its beginning, WolframAlpha has undergone a lot of development, especially in the addition of information on non-computational subjects. There are examples available to demonstrate syntax when necessary.

Two- EasyBib is aimed at students of the humanities and social sciences.  Basically, any one who writes papers can use it.  Given a minimum amount of information, such as ISBN, EasyBib will develop a bibliography entry in the format of your choice.  EasyBib is particularly useful with tricky sources, like a map found online, a congressional publication, or a mailing list.  It's also great if you have the ISBN number for a book, but can't find a particular piece of data to fit in the MLA formula.  I would still recommend knowing your sources well enough to cite them yourself, but EasyBib is fast, and is open at midnight the night before your paper is due, whereas the good old library might not be.

Disclaimer:  I personally believe in being honest about your work, but I also think that these tools can be useful for honest purposes.  WolframAlpha in particular could be abused, but I would rather believe that every student in the world is just checking their answers, or better yet, is using it on optional problems to increase their understanding of the material.  Idealistic, maybe.  But maybe the world should be that way.

Midterms

I just finished my first orgo midterm of the year.  Have you ever had the sensation of walking out of an exam feeling relatively good, only to have all your hopes and dreams crushed by someone else who insists on talking about the exam?  Yeah.  I can tell this year is gonna be great.  I have a math exam on Monday, and I've spent all my time studying chemistry, so here's some more randomness for your life.

http://www.raptitude.com/2010/03/40-belief-shaking-remarks-from-a-ruthless-nonconformist/

http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Food/Recipes/9-Things-You-Didn-t-Know-About-Starbucks.html

http://www.fastcompany.com/1692055/why-the-apple-logo-is-like-a-crucifix-or-star-of-david-for-mac-lovers

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/van-goghs-paintings-get

Movie Theaters

I realllly like small, independent movie theaters.  I love them.  

When I came to Brown last year, it was a big transition, not just academically and socially.  The buildings on campus weren't particularly disarming; they looked like university buildings.  Most universities' architecture shares a feel, even though it's a category that spans many styles.  There's usually some older buildings, some newer, but all imbued with a sense of import.  Learning happens here.  Minds are molded.  An excess of gravitas has settled on any building located on the Main Green.  

However, the feel of a campus is distinctly different from the feel of a residential neighborhood.  The abundance of cute little shops and restaurants managed to shock me though.  In a mid-size blue-collar town in the Midwest, the vast majority of shopping is done in Wal-Mart, Target, or a grocery store (Krogers).  The difference in architecture in general also through me off my game.  To me, the ordinary houses here didn't look like homes, they looked like the quaint essence of New England architecture.

Now, part of the reason I chose Brown was because I didn't want to live somewhere just like 'home'.  I was sick of it.  But it's still nice to have some sign of familiarity when adjusting.

One of the few things that spoke of 'home' to me was a tiny little movie theater on Thayer St. that I passed on my way to the library.  In my home town, there's a slightly larger little movie theater of the same name that I frequented.  The theaters are probably about the same age, with similar vintage neon signs.  They both have beautiful interiors and specialize in indie movies.  

The first time I stepped into the campus Avon, memories of home Avon enveloped me.  Seeing The Rocky Horror Picture Show for the first time, at a midnight showing, in costume, with a full shadow cast. (an annual tradition)  Waiting in line for hours to get into the midnight opening of Dark Knight.  (In recent years, home Avon has expanded from one screen to two, and has included some more mainstream fair)  Watching Big Fat Greek Wedding with my mom after it was held over, and over, and over, and over. (home Avon was playing it when it first came out, before it went big)  Trying to see the ghost that supposedly lives in the home Avon balcony.

Now I'm working on making some memories in the campus Avon, and its going pretty well so far.  Memories don't have to be from the best movies out there.  Sometimes a hilarious experience at a Korean vampire drama is better than seeing a blockbuster again.

I love little movie theaters, especially when they're personal.

(I also love the awful websites both Avons have)