Personal website of Sunny Aggarwal - thoughts on software engineering, distributed systems, and technologyhttps://sunnya97.com/en-ushttps://sunnya97.com/blog/proof-of-break/https://sunnya97.com/blog/proof-of-break/What happens to Satoshi's coins in a post-quantum world, and why the first entity to break Bitcoin's cryptography may have a responsibility to secure them.Sun, 22 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/fixing-content-coins/https://sunnya97.com/blog/fixing-content-coins/Why content coins are broken and how we might build better systems for content speculationSun, 03 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/crown-and-commons/https://sunnya97.com/blog/crown-and-commons/Exploring a recurring historical pattern where rulers align with the masses to bypass intermediary power structures, from Caesar to modern democracies.Wed, 16 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMTPoliticsHistoryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/ok-fine-sf-wins/https://sunnya97.com/blog/ok-fine-sf-wins/After five years defending NYC in the city wars, I'm finally admitting defeat and moving back to San Francisco as the tech scene has evolved.Wed, 21 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://sunnya97.com/blog/nyc-guide/https://sunnya97.com/blog/nyc-guide/My personal recommendations for things to do in New York City, including theater shows, museums, restaurants, activities, and hidden gems.Mon, 03 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://sunnya97.com/blog/open-law-the-fourth-crypto-narrative/https://sunnya97.com/blog/open-law-the-fourth-crypto-narrative/Exploring Open Law as an emerging fourth narrative for crypto, where legal contracts become smart contracts and law becomes software.Tue, 16 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainGovernanceDAOshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/web3-the-third-crypto-narrative/https://sunnya97.com/blog/web3-the-third-crypto-narrative/Exploring Web3 as a distinct narrative in the crypto space, focusing on technological decentralization and its role in the broader blockchain ecosystem.Mon, 15 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainWeb3https://sunnya97.com/blog/crypto-maze/https://sunnya97.com/blog/crypto-maze/Exploring the crypto idea maze by analyzing Sound Money and Open Finance narratives, with thoughts on why fiat-native DeFi focused on openness and transparency is the path forward.Sun, 14 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/hamilton-2-0/https://sunnya97.com/blog/hamilton-2-0/Thoughts on why Hamilton was the perfect choice for a musical protagonist and speculation about which historical figure deserves the next Lin Manuel Miranda treatment.Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMTHistoryLiteraryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/monetizing-smart-contracts-with-gastoken/https://sunnya97.com/blog/monetizing-smart-contracts-with-gastoken/A devious method for Ethereum smart contract developers to monetize their contracts using GasToken creation and trading.Tue, 07 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/the-etc-midgame/https://sunnya97.com/blog/the-etc-midgame/Ethereum Classic is losing the blockchain war by playing catch-up instead of innovating - to win the technology phase of this multi-year conflict, ETC needs its own technological vision rather than just copying Ethereum.Sun, 05 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/war-on-different-scales/https://sunnya97.com/blog/war-on-different-scales/Wars on different timescales are won by different factors - economics (2 years), technology (20 years), or ideology (200 years) - revealing why fascism was never truly defeated and why the US-China conflict's outcome depends on which timescale we compete on.Fri, 03 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMTHistoryPoliticshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/esmeralda-of-the-wolves/https://sunnya97.com/blog/esmeralda-of-the-wolves/An observation about a potential connection between characters in Pulp Fiction through the Spanish word for wolf, "Lobo", found in deleted scenes.Fri, 20 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMTLiteraryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/generalized-slashing-slash-people-not-coins/https://sunnya97.com/blog/generalized-slashing-slash-people-not-coins/A dark humor thought experiment about taking blockchain slashing mechanisms to their extreme logical conclusion, featuring hypothetical physical consequences.Thu, 19 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/why-im-no-longer-a-libertarian/https://sunnya97.com/blog/why-im-no-longer-a-libertarian/My intellectual journey away from libertarianism, inspired by Devon Zuegel's post, examining why my political philosophy has evolved.Sat, 14 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/the-17th-amendment-killed-federalism/https://sunnya97.com/blog/the-17th-amendment-killed-federalism/The 17th Amendment's shift to direct election of Senators removed state governments' representation in Congress, eliminating a crucial check on federal power expansion - sometimes increasing democracy can actually decrease decentralization.Thu, 12 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMTHistoryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/daoifying-uniswap-automated-market-maker-pools/https://sunnya97.com/blog/daoifying-uniswap-automated-market-maker-pools/A proposal to enhance Uniswap by turning liquidity pools into DAOs with governance control over curve parameters and enabling competition between pools.Thu, 13 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/switzerland-decal-lectures/https://sunnya97.com/blog/switzerland-decal-lectures/Video recordings from my UC Berkeley student-taught course on Switzerland, covering the country's history, politics, and culture - taught in Fall 2017 after I had already dropped out but still honored my teaching commitment.Thu, 21 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMTHistoryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/gasdrop/https://sunnya97.com/blog/gasdrop/A proposal for rewarding Ethereum developers based on gas usage rather than Ether deposits, addressing flaws in Edgeware's contract signaling mechanism.Tue, 19 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/fixing-the-lockdrop/https://sunnya97.com/blog/fixing-the-lockdrop/An analysis of the Edgeware lockdrop mechanism's flaws and a proposal for improvements, leading to the creation of the Straightedge fork.Fri, 08 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/legacy-and-american-universities/https://sunnya97.com/blog/legacy-and-american-universities/Comparing American and European university admissions systems in light of college admissions scandals, examining legacy preferences and meritocracy.Fri, 29 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/the-memecoin-thesis/https://sunnya97.com/blog/the-memecoin-thesis/An exploration of how cryptocurrencies derive value from memes and cultural narratives rather than technology, using Litecoin as a prime example.Mon, 04 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/of-flying-helicarriers-and-the-depressing-state-of-technology/https://sunnya97.com/blog/of-flying-helicarriers-and-the-depressing-state-of-technology/Reflections on technological stagnation inspired by Marvel's flying helicarriers, examining why we haven't achieved the future we imagined.Sat, 02 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMTTechnologyPoliticshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/back-to-android/https://sunnya97.com/blog/back-to-android/My experience switching from Android to iPhone and why I ultimately returned to Android after just a week and a half due to iOS limitations.Mon, 28 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMTTechnologyhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/florida-mule/https://sunnya97.com/blog/florida-mule/My personal twist on the Moscow Mule cocktail recipe, substituting oranges for limes and adding cinnamon, creating what I call the Florida Mule.Sun, 20 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMTRecipeshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/cosmos-sdk-tutorial-nameshake/https://sunnya97.com/blog/cosmos-sdk-tutorial-nameshake/A tutorial for building blockchain applications with Cosmos SDK, creating a nameservice where buyers must pay more than the previous owner paid.Wed, 24 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/introducing-the-anti-atom/https://sunnya97.com/blog/introducing-the-anti-atom/An April Fools' post introducing Anti-Atoms as Cosmos' April Fools prank, drawing parallels between antimatter physics and blockchain technology.Sun, 01 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainCosmoshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/blockchain-protocol-governance-resources/https://sunnya97.com/blog/blockchain-protocol-governance-resources/A curated reading list for the Conspiratus podcast on blockchain protocol governance, featuring resources from experts like Vlad Zamfir and Vitalik Buterin.Sat, 13 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainPoliticshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/sunny-s-blockchain-for-beginners-faq/https://sunnya97.com/blog/sunny-s-blockchain-for-beginners-faq/A beginner-friendly FAQ answering common questions about blockchain and cryptocurrency, with curated resources for further learning.Thu, 21 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/unpopular-ideas-about-blockchains/https://sunnya97.com/blog/unpopular-ideas-about-blockchains/A compilation of contrarian and unpopular ideas about blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, inspired by Julia Galef's series.Sun, 26 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/thoughts-on-iota/https://sunnya97.com/blog/thoughts-on-iota/A critical analysis of IOTA's Tangle technology and its challenges, originally posted as Reddit comments in r/ethereum and r/iota.Mon, 09 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/thoughts-on-tezos/https://sunnya97.com/blog/thoughts-on-tezos/An analysis of the Tezos blockchain project, co-written with Nate Rush, examining its unique features and potential challenges.Tue, 11 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/understanding-ether-vs-gas/https://sunnya97.com/blog/understanding-ether-vs-gas/An explanation of the distinction between Ether and Gas in Ethereum, clarifying their relationship as currency versus commodity.Sat, 17 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/flooded-seeds-in-the-arctic/https://sunnya97.com/blog/flooded-seeds-in-the-arctic/Commentary on the irony of the Arctic Global Seed Vault flooding due to climate change despite being designed to survive global disasters.Thu, 01 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMTEnvironmenthttps://sunnya97.com/blog/innovation-through-economic-states-of-exception/https://sunnya97.com/blog/innovation-through-economic-states-of-exception/An exploration of how economic crises and states of exception can drive innovation, starting with Peter Thiel's pessimistic view of America's trajectory.Sat, 06 May 2017 00:00:00 GMTTechnologyPoliticsHistoryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/creating-financial-systems/https://sunnya97.com/blog/creating-financial-systems/Reflections from the IC3 Winter Conference on how Hamilton's quote about financial systems inspires continued work in cryptocurrency despite challenges.Mon, 27 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMTBlockchainhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/educational-youtube-channels/https://sunnya97.com/blog/educational-youtube-channels/A curated list of educational YouTube channels organized by topic, featuring content on science, geopolitics, philosophy, and more.Sun, 26 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMTEducationhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/go-west-young-man/https://sunnya97.com/blog/go-west-young-man/Reflections on why I moved across the country to California for college, exploring the romanticization of westward migration and the American Dream.Sat, 18 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMTBerkeleyhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/how-abandoning-the-gold-standard-helped-the-rise-of-centrally-planned-economies/https://sunnya97.com/blog/how-abandoning-the-gold-standard-helped-the-rise-of-centrally-planned-economies/An analysis of Polanyi's argument that abandoning the Gold Standard led to economic nationalism and the rise of centrally planned economies in the 20th century.Thu, 26 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMTEconomicsHistoryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/steaming-box-remotes/https://sunnya97.com/blog/steaming-box-remotes/Examining how major streaming device remotes share remarkably similar designs with directional pads and select buttons, while Apple's innovative Siri remote touchscreen earned just 1.5 stars - showing that breaking established conventions doesn't always mean better.Sun, 22 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMTTechnologyDesignhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/switzerland-and-belgium/https://sunnya97.com/blog/switzerland-and-belgium/Exploring how Switzerland forged a cohesive national identity across four languages through ethno-symbolic nation-building and federalism, while Belgium's linguistic divisions between French and Flemish speakers continue to threaten its unity.Mon, 19 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMTHistoryPoliticshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/free-society/https://sunnya97.com/blog/free-society/My vision for a free society based on equality of opportunity, individual merit, and limited government protecting rights without overreach.Sun, 11 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/repeal-the-electoral-college/https://sunnya97.com/blog/repeal-the-electoral-college/An argument for abolishing the Electoral College, asserting that democracy should represent people not states, written after the 2016 election.Fri, 18 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/election-day/https://sunnya97.com/blog/election-day/A firsthand account from a poll observer about the unusual demographics of voters during the 2016 election, noting a surge in working-class participation.Mon, 14 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/an-ancien-military-regime/https://sunnya97.com/blog/an-ancien-military-regime/An academic analysis challenging the traditional "nation-in-arms" narrative of French Revolutionary Wars, examining the role of military tactics versus soldier morale.Sun, 06 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMTHistoryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/the-dark-knights-joker/https://sunnya97.com/blog/the-dark-knights-joker/Analyzing how The Dark Knight's Joker became cinema's perfect villain through brilliant writing that made him Batman's ideological opposite and Heath Ledger's legendary performance that brought the chaotic character to life.Thu, 03 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMTLiteraryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/british-colonialism-and-social-change-in-the-metropole/https://sunnya97.com/blog/british-colonialism-and-social-change-in-the-metropole/An examination of how British colonialism and exceptionalism influenced social reforms in 19th century Britain, including poverty reduction and women's suffrage.Tue, 01 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMTHistoryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/batman-begins/https://sunnya97.com/blog/batman-begins/An analysis of why Batman Begins stands out as the definitive superhero origin story, focusing on character transformation over action spectacle.Tue, 04 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMTLiteraryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/insomnia-a-nolan-film/https://sunnya97.com/blog/insomnia-a-nolan-film/An analysis of why Insomnia feels different from Christopher Nolan's other films, lacking his signature plot twists and moral ambiguity.Tue, 20 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMTLiteraryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/the-commission-on-presidential-debates/https://sunnya97.com/blog/the-commission-on-presidential-debates/A private organization wielding immense control over political discourse by arbitrarily deciding which candidates get debate exposure threatens democracy - no candidate on the ballot in all 50 states should be denied a podium.Sun, 18 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/seven-feelings/https://sunnya97.com/blog/seven-feelings/A poetic reflection on seven universal human experiences, from the adrenaline of the unexpected to the pride of lasting contribution.Sat, 17 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://sunnya97.com/blog/defining-the-nation-state/https://sunnya97.com/blog/defining-the-nation-state/An exploration of the concepts of "nation" and "state" and how their alignment creates nation-states, examining historical examples and modern confederations.Thu, 15 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMTHistoryPoliticshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/the-following-film-style/https://sunnya97.com/blog/the-following-film-style/How Christopher Nolan's $6000 debut film "The Following" used handheld 16mm footage and natural lighting to create a neo-noir aesthetic that enhanced the protagonist's psychological journey through innovative low-budget filmmaking.Tue, 06 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMTLiteraryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/why-i-study-the-social-sciences/https://sunnya97.com/blog/why-i-study-the-social-sciences/A concise explanation of my interdisciplinary approach - philosophy shows how people ought to act, economics predicts how they will act, history reveals how they actually acted, and psychology explains why reality diverges from theory.Sun, 07 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMTHistoryPoliticsEconomicshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/why-third-parties-matter/https://sunnya97.com/blog/why-third-parties-matter/Third party votes aren't wasted - they're messages that can inspire local movements, shift political discourse, and potentially replace dying major parties, just as Republicans replaced the Whigs in the 1850s.Mon, 01 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/illumio-intern-experience/https://sunnya97.com/blog/illumio-intern-experience/A blog post co-written with Vedant Saran about our internship experience at cybersecurity startup Illumio, originally published on the company blog.Wed, 27 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMTTechnologyStartupshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/cega-trace-research-project-reflection/https://sunnya97.com/blog/cega-trace-research-project-reflection/A reflection on leading the CEGA Trace project at BIDS, which aimed to track research influence on public policy through web scraping and data analysis.Sun, 19 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMTTechnologyData-Sciencehttps://sunnya97.com/blog/eagle-scout-court-of-honor-speech/https://sunnya97.com/blog/eagle-scout-court-of-honor-speech/My speech reflecting on ten years of Scouting experiences, from learning outdoor skills to leadership lessons and lifelong friendships.Sat, 21 May 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://sunnya97.com/blog/littlefingers-sabotage/https://sunnya97.com/blog/littlefingers-sabotage/An analysis of how Littlefinger sabotaged not just the Starks but also Tywin Lannister's master plan in Game of Thrones.Tue, 16 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMTLiteraryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/5-things-to-think-about-when-choosing-a-college/https://sunnya97.com/blog/5-things-to-think-about-when-choosing-a-college/A look the most important factors to consider when selecting a college, including program rigor, location, diversity, cost, and prestige.Mon, 01 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://sunnya97.com/blog/government-and-innovation/https://sunnya97.com/blog/government-and-innovation/An examination of government's crucial role in spurring innovation through providing motivation, capital, and protection to the private sector.Thu, 10 Dec 2015 00:00:00 GMTPoliticsTechnologyhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/bringing-two-way-streets-to-berkeley-southside/https://sunnya97.com/blog/bringing-two-way-streets-to-berkeley-southside/An analysis of the proposal to convert Bancroft, Durant, and Dana Streets in Berkeley to two-way traffic, examining safety benefits and economic impacts.Mon, 30 Nov 2015 00:00:00 GMTBerkeleyhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/animal-farm-responses/https://sunnya97.com/blog/animal-farm-responses/A collection of short reflections written while reading George Orwell's Animal Farm, examining themes of power, knowledge, propaganda, and political systems.Wed, 28 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMTLiteraryPoliticsHistoryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/icarus/https://sunnya97.com/blog/icarus/The story of how my drone literally flew too close to the sun and crashed on a UC Berkeley dorm balcony, living up to its mythological namesake.Thu, 15 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMThttps://sunnya97.com/blog/how-we-hacked-techcrunch-disrupt/https://sunnya97.com/blog/how-we-hacked-techcrunch-disrupt/The story of how we used creative guerrilla marketing tactics to stand out among 500 startups at TechCrunch Disrupt.Tue, 06 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMTStartupshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/a-group-story/https://sunnya97.com/blog/a-group-story/A whimsical collaborative story written during an EE16A discussion, featuring animal transformations and unexpected friendships.Wed, 16 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMThttps://sunnya97.com/blog/the-rhetoric-behind-the-silent-car/https://sunnya97.com/blog/the-rhetoric-behind-the-silent-car/Analyzing Elon Musk's masterful rhetorical strategies in defending Tesla through appeals to logic, credibility, and emotion while combating misconceptions about electric vehicles' environmental impact, safety, and business model.Thu, 10 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMThttps://sunnya97.com/blog/a-modern-winters-tale/https://sunnya97.com/blog/a-modern-winters-tale/A humorous modern slang translation of lines 1-64 from Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale Act IV Scene IV.Wed, 09 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMTLiteraryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/why-i-am-not-a-christian-by-bertrand-russell/https://sunnya97.com/blog/why-i-am-not-a-christian-by-bertrand-russell/Reflecting on Bertrand Russell's systematic refutation of common "proofs" for God's existence and his critique of Christianity, though I disagree with his attacks on Jesus Christ whom I consider one of history's greatest humans.Sun, 30 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMTReligionhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/from-sea-to-shining-sea--the-birth-of-union-pacific/https://sunnya97.com/blog/from-sea-to-shining-sea--the-birth-of-union-pacific/The story of Union Pacific Railroad's founding and completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, examining the corruption and determination behind this engineering feat.Mon, 17 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMTHistoryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/virgil-the-epic-poet/https://sunnya97.com/blog/virgil-the-epic-poet/Exploring how Virgil's masterworks - the Eclogues, Georgics, and Aeneid - were shaped by his rural upbringing, Roman pride during the Pax Romana, and reverent rivalry with Homer, making him history's greatest Roman poet.Mon, 17 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMTLiteraryHistoryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/alice-in-wonderland-political-allusions/https://sunnya97.com/blog/alice-in-wonderland-political-allusions/An analysis of the political allusions in Lewis Carroll's Alice stories, including references to corrupted court systems and the Wars of the Roses.Sun, 09 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMTLiteraryHistoryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/conspiracy-movie/https://sunnya97.com/blog/conspiracy-movie/A critical analysis of the 2001 HBO film "Conspiracy" about the Wannsee Conference, exploring how Nazi officials were portrayed as educated and cultured rather than monsters.Sun, 09 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMTLiteraryHistoryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/hitchhikers-guide-to-the-galaxy/https://sunnya97.com/blog/hitchhikers-guide-to-the-galaxy/A review of Douglas Adams' hilarious science fiction trilogy, comparing its nonsense humor to Alice in Wonderland and exploring the meaning of 42.Sun, 09 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMTLiteraryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/night-by-eli-wiesel/https://sunnya97.com/blog/night-by-eli-wiesel/A reflection on Eli Wiesel's Night, exploring the theme of loss - of family, faith, and humanity - during the Holocaust.Sun, 09 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMTHistoryLiteraryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/slavery-in-united-states/https://sunnya97.com/blog/slavery-in-united-states/Modern slavery and human trafficking persist within US borders today, making it a top destination for this horrific trade - a reality that might finally spur powerful governments to act internationally against this atrocity.Sun, 09 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://sunnya97.com/blog/what-are-we-responsible-for/https://sunnya97.com/blog/what-are-we-responsible-for/Following Ayn Rand's Objectivism, humans have only one true responsibility - to keep ourselves content - and every seemingly altruistic action ultimately stems from this fundamental drive for self-satisfaction.Sun, 09 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMTPhilosophyhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/what-makes-us-human/https://sunnya97.com/blog/what-makes-us-human/What separates humans from 7.7 million other species isn't our opposable thumbs or intelligence - it's our hardwired desire to communicate, share knowledge across generations, and leave a lasting legacy through language, art, and writing.Fri, 07 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMTPhilosophyhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/a-dylar-dream/https://sunnya97.com/blog/a-dylar-dream/A creative video project exploring a fever dreamlike experience.Thu, 04 Jun 2015 00:00:00 GMTLiteraryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/forgotten/https://sunnya97.com/blog/forgotten/A short film I helped create with friends for submission to the NJ High School film festival.Fri, 01 May 2015 00:00:00 GMThttps://sunnya97.com/blog/gaddafis-libya-as-an-empire/https://sunnya97.com/blog/gaddafis-libya-as-an-empire/An analysis of Muammar Gaddafi's rule in Libya, examining his rise to power, early achievements, and the eventual fall of his regime during the Arab Spring.Thu, 16 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMTHistoryhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/an-exposition-on-robotics-competitions/https://sunnya97.com/blog/an-exposition-on-robotics-competitions/A comprehensive comparison of major robotics competitions including RoboCup Jr., FIRST, ZeroRobotics, and VEX, analyzing their focus on mechanical, electrical, and programming aspects.Wed, 04 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMTTechnologyEducationhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/ios-7-is-good-but-still-not-better/https://sunnya97.com/blog/ios-7-is-good-but-still-not-better/A comparison of iOS 7 and Android, arguing that despite major improvements, iOS still lags behind Android in features like widgets and customization.Thu, 15 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMTTechnologyhttps://sunnya97.com/blog/lessons-from-a-guy-in-a-hot-tub/https://sunnya97.com/blog/lessons-from-a-guy-in-a-hot-tub/An unexpected life lesson from a stranger at the FBLA National Leadership Conference about being open to learning from unexpected encounters.Thu, 18 Jul 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://sunnya97.com/blog/welcome/https://sunnya97.com/blog/welcome/An introductory post welcoming readers to the blog, where I'll share thoughts, ideas, and opinions on various topics.Sun, 30 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT