And some days it's difficult to be a human being.

That's rad. I might go just in case they play "Picture of a Tree." Love that song.

What was their setlist like? I've only recently discovered these guys, but I'm really into everything I've heard.

Politicians ask the best type of questions.

You'd think they'd be able to make just as much in taxes as they would from expensive fines and tickets. I think the more important thing is for fireworks themselves to be closely regulated. While you can't prevent people from being idiots, maybe some people could be saved from harm if inexpensive and potentially more defective fireworks were removed from the equation.

Also, props to you on the relevant username.

I hadn't even considered internet trolling as an option. That's totally true. I've seen it happen as well where a certain person, politicians and celebrities included, will become targeted. On websites where people can be largely anonymous, death threats and calls for violence can be quick to surface, and bandwagoning is common. Online spamming is definitely equivalent to a mob mentality. I hadn't considered that before. With modern resources, it takes about 3 clicks for you to ruin someone's life, and I think a lot of people forget that the internet is still very much real life.

The creation of a religion based on "harmless untruths" really spoke to me. Whenever I have seemingly arbitrary encounters with people repeatedly, I can't help but think in terms of the karass.

As an incoming freshman at Iowa State, this is great news. Nothing like research fraud to help a reputation.

I think states banning fireworks are missing an important source of revenue. I live in Iowa, where fireworks are still illegal. At major holidays, (and pretty much in general) this doesn't stop fireworks from being used. My brothers just drive south into Missouri to buy them, and Iowa misses out on the tax revenue. Now, there's currently a bill in the Iowa house to legalize them. Making fireworks illegal hasn't solved any safety issues. But then again, explosives have never been heralded for their safety.

I can't actually put my finger on it. It tastes a lot richer with a lower fat content. Why, I couldn't say. But if you ever have the chance to go to Denmark, I highly recommend it.

I'm a big fan of the multiple journal approach. I keep one with me at all times to write down thoughts that occur to me over time, and then I also keep a journal to keep track of thoughts related to books I'm reading. I've found that the biggest benefit to keeping a daily journal is that it helps me be more observant. I'm more aware of events and places surrounding me. I've noticed more in the past year than ever before.

That book is the only reason I play as much bad tennis as I do. The way he mathematically describes the game using limits was one of the coolest inter-disciplinary discussions I have had the pleasure of reading.

Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov made me a 17-year-old nihilist.

I'm in the exact same situation as you are. I'm an aspiring writer, but I don't really have any concept of how to turn that into a tangible job. However I would recommend taking a trip or a vacation or something. It doesn't have to be a backpacking-across-Europe extravaganza (though it could be), it could be as simple as a series of day trips. I just went on a road trip across the US, and getting out of my hometown helped me think about where I want to go in the future, and it gave me a different perspective on where I already was.

I did the Udacity programming course, and I found it really helpful. I was in high school at the time, but I could pick it up at night and it felt really low pressure.

The coffee shop atmosphere can be surprisingly conducive to productivity, and you can meet some interesting people. I've gotten into a lot of good discussions about writing style by reading my book at a coffee shop instead of at home.

I'm seeing Cloud Nothings in my hometown this weekend, and I'm looking forward to it. I liked the entire "Here and Nowhere Else" EP. They remind me a lot of this band I was really into a couple of years ago, No Age.

No Age - Teen Creeps

For some reason, a lot of my underlining seems to be character focused. Like I'll underline passages that I think show defining attributes or descriptions of characters. However, I also underline striking passages. Ones that are written really well, pose an interesting thought, or seem to be linked to some sort of theme. In the end, this is probably why I underline too much of my books. I feel like the whole mess is probably driven by the notion that, at some point, I might need a quick reminder of certain aspects of the book, whether it's for an essay or simply just to remind myself.

Every time I hear mention of the game Spore, I think part of me dies. Such a missed opportunity. Civilization V does really well as a substitute for the the civilization stage (duh) of it though.

I think when I upgrade I'm moving to an android phone. I'm reaching this newfound level of maturity where I don't need to follow the Apple hype train, and I'm excited about it.

Highlighting in kindle I feel much better about. It allows for me to quickly come back to things without leaving a permanent mark. However, I really love finding old inscriptions in books. Like there's something about an old message shared in a book between two people I'll never meet that I find haunting in a interesting way.

Whenever I have a pen in my hand, I can never decide what is actually important enough to underline. Thus, I underline probably too much. This is especially apparent in my school books. I'm scared to try and reread my copy of "The Brothers Karamazov" because I think it's riddled with unnecessary underlines and jotted notes.

I was wondering if he'd reference it. I read Broom of the System, and I liked noting the stylistic similarities between the two. Noticeably with the manmade creation of desolate wastelands in both of them.

My brother swears by PCPartPicker, I'll be there soon once I get the money.

I wish I could play it! My phone is too old.

I'm really excited about the "I was an idiot/did I actually think that?" phase.

That's my issue. I feel like if I'm reading for pleasure, I should just leave the pen alone and enjoy the book. But I'm the same way, if I feel like I'm going to reread the book, I shouldn't ruin the perfect condition. I don't go to college for a month yet, so until next week I'm blissfully unaware of textbook costs.

It's mainstream, but Fallout 4. That game alone makes me want to craft a PC Gaming desktop.

My plan is to start The Pale King during the fall semester. How does it compare?

Not so much hah, but I'm currently reading East of Eden, by Steinbeck, and it puts the "Cain and Abel" Christian parable in a new light. Basically, instead of Cain being punished by God for murdering his brother, he instead is given the power to defeat sin. "Human morality can triumph" or something.