The details of my life are quite inconsequential...

Very well, where do I begin? I was born in Indianapolis, IN roughly 26 years ago. I have lived here my whole life, except for a brief (6 1/2 year) stint in West Lafayette to attend Purdue University. I got a Bachelor's and a Master's in Electrical Engineering, then came back to Indy for a job.

I prefer a hard truth to a comforting fiction.

I'm generally quiet and introverted, but once I know you I can be more outgoing, and I can be fairly opinionated as well, though I'm trying to be better at considering all sides of any controversial issue. I like discussions or a political or (sometimes) philosophical nature, and I tend to have a policy of taking a rational, scientific approach to issues.

In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, trying to play guitar, reading, working out, playing basketball, watching movies, playing video games, chatting online, and so on.

I'm still looking for my true purpose in life. I like what I do, but I want to do something that affects the lives of others and contributes to the advancement of our species. I think it would be cool to teach astronomy some day.

I played trumpet for 8 years, and have performed on stage at Carnegie Hall with my middle school band. I no longer play, but I do appreciate classical/jazz/swing music from time to time, especially if it has good brass.

I love following sports also, but mostly just the NBA and NFL. I currently plan to watch as much of the NBA Playoffs as I can. (Oh, and for the record, the pros are better than college!)

...I can get a bit too passionate about that sometimes...

I'm definitely a non-smoker, I don't use drugs, and I drink occasionally, but have never been drunk.

I live in Indianapolis and do electrical circuit design for a defense contractor. It's certainly an interesting job... to nerds like me anyway. I wouldn't mind eventually escaping to some place warm though.

I seem to be fairly good at my job - digital circuit design with an emphasis on custom logic.... otherwise, I'm decent at math, remembering useless trivia, and maybe some other stuff that I've already mentioned above.

I look pretty young for my age...

Books - Why People Believe Weird Things, Pale Blue Dot, A Short History Of Nearly Everything, The Demon-Haunted World: Science As A Candle In The Dark, The Lord Of The Rings, Jurassic Park, nerdy science books (books on astronomy interest me in particular)

Currently reading: The Mismeasure Of Man

Movies - Lord Of The Rings, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Gladiator, Good Will Hunting, The Matrix (it's a shame they never made any sequels....), Gattaca, James Bond movies, Spiderman, The Fugitive, Dumb And Dumber, The Italian Job, probably many others

Music - Bon Jovi, Guns N Roses, Aerosmith, Def Leppard, Scorpions, Skid Row, Poison, Alice Cooper, Boston, Santana, Pink Floyd, Offspring, Led Zeppelin, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, Three Doors Down, Collective Soul... you get the idea. The linked video was the inspiration for my profile name.

Food - I like food, I guess

1. The internet, sadly
2. Music, electric guitar
3. Intellectual curiosity

That's all I can really think of now

What I can do to promote the spread of rationality, critical thinking and scientific literacy

Various political issues du jour. I enjoy debating politics from time to time, and try to keep up with what's going on.

How to get rid of the song that's stuck in my head

What makes people tick.. I can tend to be a very opinionated person, and certainly have my thoughts on certain matters relating to politics and religion, and it's hard to avoid animosity when dealing with others who don't see things the same way. I try to keep a level head and see things from all sides, and to remember Spinoza's dictum: I have made a ceaseless effort not to ridicule, not to bewail, not to scorn human actions, but to understand them.

*Comment deleted since some loser flagged my last picture*

And I used to be in a chess club in grade school.

...you want to chat. A basic understanding of grammar would help, other than that I'll talk to most anyone. I probably prefer the IM feature to messages; I have a short attention span and like instant feedback in my conversations :p