Never underestimate the lengths people will go to to prove that they are right. Always assume that those you trust have a hidden motive. Paranoia is a facet of sanity. Speak in tongues when the mood strikes you; formal language is not capable of rendering sense upon all the chaos in our minds. In a room of multi-coloured walls, what colour would you lean upon? Be consistent when it suits your purposes; throw people for a loop when you get too predictable. Wisdom is a matter of timing. Always test a psychic with a game of rock-paper-scissors. Don't be afraid to warn people that you're in a bad mood. Always find a way to brighten someone's day; you'll never have trouble sleeping again.

It's a gloomy day in the neghborhood, a gloomy day in the neighborhood...

It's time for some new Sesame Street spin-offs. They could go prime time with some of those characters. Base the action around Bert and Ernie's apartment. Tales every week about the wild misadventures amongst their friends. You could do an entire episode about Big Bird being hunted by a poacher for his feathers. Have a guest appearance by Buffy, versus The Count. Or the Swedish Chef's guest appearance on the Martha Stewart show. No real actors, though, all muppet characterizations of famous people. As fake as some people appear to be, you'd hardly notice the difference.

Every nation, religion, culture, and so on down the line, all work toward a legacy. We spend our existence in trying to leave something behind. Most sins are derived in some fashion from the need to leave a legacy; great deeds just the opposite.

I haven't heard the phrase "cult of personality" for a while, but it's just as true as it ever was. The world, the media, is obsessed with the minute details of people who don't really matter; meanwhile, the important things fall by the wayside. I should be proud of my country, my culture, but every day there are more reasons to be despondent and disappointed by the path we are on.