MSG Jul 6, 2007
A lot of beef jerky (possibly all of it) has MSG.  This surprised me for a minute when I was buying it at the store because I thought MSG caused cranial melting or heart relocation.  Wikipedia (it's on the internet; it must be true) says some people have bad physical reactions to it, including burning or numbing sensations or pain in various parts of the body.  But if you don't have these symptoms, you don't have a problem.  Several reports have come out through the years linking MSG with eye damage, obesity, and excitotoxicity (you don't know what that is?), but none of the reports' findings have been supported by verifiable research.  When the reports started coming out, it caused a global health scare and created a new disease:  Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, which is a fancy word to describe the aforementioned reactions to MSG.  Despite the fact that no research has really proven any negative effects associated with MSG, the damage to MSG's reputation has been solidified. 

In conclusion, MSG isn't all that bad.  Or at least there's no evidence that proves it's any worse than using a microwave to warm food, storing food in plastic containers, keeping a cell phone in your pocket, using a Bluetooth headset in your ear, or recording shows with your DVR (don't get in the way of the remote!).  In a few years, scientists will prove that all these activities cause stupidity, obesity, and cancer, but hey, at least we'll all be in it together. #food
Cadaver Calculator (2) Jul 6, 2007
Because of my age, height, weight, and lack of major surgeries, I just learned this bit of information: 
Congratulations, your dead body is worth $4525!
That's awesome.  From the Cadaver Calculator (via Neatorama). #health
Remembering names Jul 5, 2007
Part of my dislike of human interaction stems from the fact that I can't remember people's names.  And since I know what it feels like to have someone call you the wrong name, I have an immense fear of calling other people the wrong name.  I've tried the tricks like repeating the name in my head 7,000 times or writing it on my forehead in reverse so it shows up correctly in a mirror, but nothing works.  I freeze up under pressure.  And a lot times, it's not that I don't remember it, it's that I'm not completely sure.  This happens with people from other countries (sorry Asian people, Sung is too close to Chung for my brain to remember the difference) and people who work or are otherwise closely associated with other.  If two guys sit together at work, my brain says, "That's Jim and Bob.  Jim and Bob sit there.  That area contains Jim and Bob."  If I see Jim or Bob away from his respective counterpart, I usually won't remember which one was which, and likely won't take a chance at guessing. #psychology
Gambling Jul 5, 2007
Based on a recent stay at Foxwoods in Connecticut, I've developed an official stance on gambling:  I don't like it.  Sorry Mike and Becca, it was a fun thing to do and a nice place to stay, but I'm not into gambling at all.  It could definitely have something to do with not winning.  Since I've never won any money, "gambling" is another word for "slowly losing my money".  I could think of no less than 5,000,000 other ways to lose my money, most of which would be more thrilling than sticking dollar bills into a machine.  Yes, I realize I would probably have a better chance of winning at a table, but I have a generalized fear of human interaction, especially when (a) I'm forced to learn a new game (b) involving cards and (c) my money. 

There are two other main reasons why I don't like gambling, and both involve people (surprise!):  First, gambling seems to fit in quite nicely with drinking, smoking, and motorcycles.  Oh, and obesity.  But that one's not all that important.  I'm not a big drinker.  I'm not a big smoker.  I'd like to ride a motorcycle but I have an acute fear of death via dismemberment and/or decapitation.  All in all, I just don't fit in with the gambling crowd.  Second, the waitresses skirts are too short.  I thought this was a Las Vegas thing.  Nope.  For a place that advertises its child-friendliness and family-vacation atmosphere, I saw incredibly too much nylon-covered upper thigh.  On a side note, perhaps there should be an age limit.  I'm just saying. 

On the plus side, I enjoy free things, so I gladly accepted free drinks while I slowly gambled away my quarters.  And casinos generally have a lot of food, sights, sounds, and activities, so it's possible to have a good time without even gambling a penny.  Hello, Bellagio. 

On a gambling-related side note, Wendy's mom tithes her gambling winnings (gives ten percent to her church).  I find this hilarious, yet oddly appropriate.  Sure, her money was gained through a less-than-holy cause, but it's cool that she knows her Bible well enough to remember the parts about tithing. #psychology
Expensive gadgets (5) Jul 5, 2007
This past weekend, 700,000 iPhones were sold at a price of around $600 each. 

I have a tendency to buy some expensive gadgets.  It's not so I can be "the guy with the cool toy".  It's because I actually have a use for gadgets.  But before I buy anything expensive, I look around at my options.  I can usually get it cheaper online.  There are often mail-in rebates and things like that.  If there's a similar product for a lower price, I'll compare the two and see if I'm actually willing to spend more money for a few extra features. 

I wasn't one of the 700,000 people who bought the iPhone.  Not only am I not all that impressed by it, I'm not willing to spend $600 for it.  Also, I know that if I wait a few months or a year, the price will drop.  Plus, there's the fact that it's a cell phone, which means it's accompanied by a cell phone plan.  You don't just sign up for a cell phone plan on a whim.  You need to think about network availability, speed, reliability, cost, etc.  That's what surprises me most about this gadget.  Hundreds of thousands of people likely canceled their old cell phone contracts or took on a whole new one just so they could use this new device.  Granted, some of those 700,000 were writers and editors who bought the device with company money for the purpose of testing it out and writing a review.  And another chunk of those people worked for companies that bought it for them simply because $600 isn't much money for a huge corporation.  But the rest of the people spent their own hard-earned $600 for a fancy gadget with a nice user interface.  I'm surprised as much by the high price tag as with the number of people willing to pay it.  I guess I just don't have that much of a disposable income.  Or, like my analysis of expensive habits, I guess I just need to realize that different people spend huge amounts of money on different things. 

This is similar to value and worth. #business
Major World Jul 5, 2007
Dear Major World,
I hate you.  I guarantee you I'll never ever buy a car from you.  Your stupid loud radio commercials insult my intelligence by assuming my purchasing decisions are based on whoever yells the loudest.  You're wrong.  I buy things based on price, usefulness, and how the product is advertised. 

Every time your commercials come on the radio, I immediately change the channel, hoping some sort of tracking device is being used to figure out what stations I listen to, which would in turn cause you to lose revenue.  I can hear your commercials coming from a mile away, even when they start off all calm and welcoming.  I suppose your method of advertising works:  I know who you are and what product you peddle.  But because I hate your advertising methods so much, I pledge to never even consider engaging in a financial transaction with you, and I'll recommend the same to every person I know. 

To everyone I know:  Stay clear of Major World in Long Island City, Queens.  They are the devil.
Sincerely,
Concerned Consumer #entertainment
Internet and academia Jul 2, 2007
Despite the unending and ever-increasing amount of information and number of resources available on the internet, I've always found it to be utterly worthless when it comes to academia.  Whenever I search for how to solve a certain type of engineering problem or what to do with a specific variable or quantity, I'm never able to find anything close to useful.  I usually come across a few research papers or journal articles that have nothing to do with what I'm looking for, and even if they sound useful, they're behind a paywall.  Occasionally I'll find some sort of amateur rocket enthusiast's homebrew calculations with quantities involving confusing amalgamations of English and metric units, or I'll stumble across a wine aficionado's recipe for the perfect sauvignon blanc.  The internet is surprisingly lacking in terms of academic materials that are designed to teach or aid in typical problem solving. #technology