Archive for 'Essays'
Why I’m an Optimist
Posted on 03. Mar, 2010 by Bran Rainey.
It isn’t hard to figure out how to be optimist; it’s hard to figure out why.
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Why Five-Paragraph Essays are Bullshit
Posted on 06. Dec, 2009 by Bran Rainey.
There’s nothing more classic than the five-paragraph essay. They’re what people think of when they hear the word: an introduction, a thesis, three body paragraphs, a conclusion, and a bibliography. Everyone has written some in school before, so they must be the pinnacle of academic achievement, right? Nope.
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Your Life is a Plotline
Posted on 23. Nov, 2009 by Bran Rainey.
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the paths we take through life. I like to think of it in terms of movies: what would make for an interesting plotline? You’d be surprised how much life can mimic the story arc of a good movie…
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Scrobbling: a blessing and a curse
Posted on 29. Oct, 2009 by Bran Rainey.
Last.fm is a lot of fun, but it might have some unexpected consequences. It’s actually pretty predictable if you think about it. Isn’t a large portion of the music industry funded by people’s egos? I do recommend that you join the site if you haven’t already, but I won’t hold it against you if you choose not to. Not everyone likes to be part of the high-horse circlejerk that Last.fm can easily become.

