Think

Plato: I think what you think should be what I think. And I think you should think for yourself.

Aristotle: I think I do think for myself.

Plato: Ah, but do you think for yourself because you do think for yourself, or do you think for yourself because I think you should and therefore you let me think for you?

Aristotle: I don't think so.

Plato: Because I think you should?

Aristotle: I think you think too much.

Plato: You think so?

Aristotle: I think, therefore I am.

Plato. No, you don’t think. I think and you’re just a coincidence.

Aristotle: You should try not to think at all. If you don’t think, but I still can think, then I think I think for myself.

Plato: No. Think, silly. If you think what I think and I think you should think for yourself, then inevitably you think what I think when you think for yourself because I think you should. No matter what you think, you think it because I think you should think it. Even if I don’t think, I still think it.

Aristotle: But then I don't think for myself because I think what you think. But you think I should think for myself. Since I don't, I don't think what you think and therefore think for myself. Which I don't think means what you think.

Plato: I think you think in circles and I think you know what I mean.

Aristotle: I think so. Let me think. You think I should think for myself. So I do, I think. But you think I think for myself because you think I should. Which means I don’t really think for myself at all—I just think I do.

Plato: I think you’ve finally got it.

Aristotle: Thank you.

Product Review: Denali Mint Moose Tracks

It all started with the original Moose Tracks flavor of ice cream: vanilla with veins and ribbons of chocolate, punctuated with mini peanut butter cups. Then came the derivatives: Caramel Caribou (with caramel ribbons and cups), Bear Foot Brownie (with chunks of brownie), etc. As the popularity of their ice creams continued to grow, Denali introduced new flavors but left off coming up with creative new names and simply added the flavor to the moniker "Moose Tracks". Thus we now have Cherry Moose Tracks, Fudge Moose Tracks, Malted Moose Tracks, and Mint Moose Tracks.[1] I'd previously tried Denali's Glacier Mint (mint ice cream with chocolate ribbons and mini mint cups), but not Mint Moose Tracks. Since it's hard to find Glacier Mint, I gave this one a shot.

Product Review: Boing! Guanábana Juice

I never heard of a soursop (guanábana in Spanish) while I was on my mission in Monterrey, México.[1] I was completely unaware of their existence until I started noticing fruit juice boxes at Mexican tiendas that were guanábana flavored. A few months ago I actually found a soursop in one of those tiendas and bought it since I was in charge of treats for lab meeting that week.[2] More recently those fruit juice boxes have started showing up at regular grocery stores. So I finally bought one and tried it.

Product Review: Hostess Cherry Pie

School lunch was generally a monotonous affair in elementary school, though there were a few highlights.[1] One such delight were the cherry pies we were infrequently given. I had a friend, Adam Witt, who always gave me his. Not because he didn't like them, but because on two separate occasions he choked on one and Donna, the head custodian (?), had to give him the Heimlich Maneuver. Thus those days were doubly good to me. For a while now every time I walk past the Hostess fruit pies at the grocery store I've considered whether they're as good as I remember. I finally gave in and bought one.

Recipe: Italian Cream Soda

Leann and I first experienced Italian sodas at a wedding reception held at Thanksgiving Point. Leann was curious, but timid, so she made me go get one first. It was really good. We went back for more. My favorite was the pomegranate-flavored soda while hers was the blackberry. Since there aren't that many places that offer Italian sodas, I decided to figure out whether I could make my own. As it turns out, it wasn't that hard.

Custom Halo: Reach Map Variant: Spiral

As I've mentioned earlier, Halo 3 and Halo: Reach include a feature where you can edit the maps that you play on.[1] Some maps are very flexible, like Forge World [2]; others are not. One of the maps included in Halo: Reach is called Spire. It is one of the less tractable maps, but I felt that it needed a few modifications.

Movie Review: The Most Beautiful

The Most Beautiful (一番美しく) is a Japanese film released by Akira Kurosawa in 1944 in support of Japan's war effort during World War II.[1] This was the second film he ever directed. It depicts a group of women who are employed at an optics factory. In response to gains made by the United States in the Pacific theater, the factory is forced to increase the daily production quotas. The women respond by striving to surpass their already strenuous quotas.