Well...since you asked...I'll tell you - so this is the part where I get to spout some ideology at you. Make some personal contact, and all that muck :]

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     The first reason is because making webpages is fun, and this gives me stuff to put on it. Especially when I'm bored and/or trying to procrastinate.

     But the deeper reasons are that I like sharing what I've learned. I needed to sit down and write these things out anyway for one reason or another (reviewing for finals yada yada) or else just need to put them down clearly somewhere other than my doodle-infested notes so that I myself never forget what I learned and how I felt at the time. If this helps someone else out there while they're trying to get some inspiration for a paper, then I'm glad. If it strikes a common note with someone else (and, dare I hope, inspires them as it did me?) and gets them to pick up a copy of one of the works and start reading up - that'd just thrill me to pieces (and if this happens to anyone, please let me know - I'd be happy to chit chat :]). Lastly, it's interesting to have someone read my own opinions about these things, other than my GSI's (TA's for all of you who go to schools where a Grad Student doesn't handle your grades) - I just want to get out there, shout my words to the wind, see where they blow.