Category Archives: Advice
Craigslist – Great Way to Sell Old Stuff
Revisions:
8/8/2014: Initial Release.
I don’t know about you guys, but in my house I have some old junk. The question is what is the best way to get rid of it? Do you donate it to charity, sell it at a garage sale, or do you go online and try to sell it off that way?
One service that I use every now and then is Craigslist, and sometimes, if you are lucky, you can get a better deal selling things locally than online. Or on the flip side, as a buyer, you maybe able to purchase things cheaper on Craigslist than on Amazon or Ebay. It just depends on what you are trying to do, and of course, timing.
So about a week ago I put an older tablet I had onto Craigslist for sale (Skypad Alpha 2). It was an OK tablet, but ever since I upgraded to the Nook HD last November, I just didn’t have a need for this extra (and slower) tablet.
Today I made a sale and actually made $10 more because the guy didn’t have a car so I decided to drive up closer to his area (about 10 mins away). He was satisfied because he got a good deal, and I was satisfied because I got rid of the old tablet.
How about you? Have you ever used Craigslist before? Let us know about your experiences and if you got any good tips.
Life Milestone – Marriage
Revisions:
9-19-13: Initial Release.
So as you guys may have known, its been quiet here on the blog for the last few weeks. No, I’m not dead, and I’m not writing for the sake of not writing.
Oh, it’s actually the opposite. I’ve been so busy with my personal life that I just didn’t get a chance to write something until now. If you think this was bad, you should see my Youtube inbox, its just busting at the seams with 50+ comments over 3 weeks worth just waiting to be answered.
The Life of a Youtube Creator – Versatile’s Story
Main page of Youtube.com/MoNeYinPhx
Revisions:
8-10-13: Initial release.
I’ve been a Youtube creator since the 2009, and from 2009 to 2013 present day, I’ve been part of 4 Youtube channels: VersatileNinja, GameDexterity, vstPower, and now MoNeYinPHX.
I will spare you the reasons and history of why I have jumped from one Youtube account to another, but what I can tell you is that during these last 4 years, I have seen a lot of interesting things on Youtube. I’ve probably answered thousands of comments, and made over 1,000 Youtube videos on all kinds of subjects:
- Modding Tutorials
- PC Tech Tutorials
- Life Tutorials
- LAN Tutorials
- and more
Multitasking – How Good Are You At It?
Revisions:
10-14-12: Initial release.
Let’s face it, the world is a busy place. Even though it is the year 2012, depending on what you are doing these days compared to 5, or even 10 years ago, you are probably more busy than ever. Are you?
I know I am. Just 10 years ago, I was in high school, then 5 years later it was finishing up college, and then another 5 years I’m a working professional.
Time flies by so quick, and there are some things that I have learned the hard way (and also the smart way) that I am going to share with you so you too can help get a grip on your own life.
Why Problems such as Abortion, Global Warming, Wealth Distribution, and Many Others are far from Being Solved
Well, there are indeed a wealth of problems:
Abortion
Global Warming
Wealth Distribution
Women being unequal to men
Censorship
Birth Control
Existence of God
Life Support
And anything else you can think of
In any case, it’s blatantly obvious why I’m composing this article. Because a writer possesses a duty to write on subjects of great controversy in our society as to attract the public’s eye, thus people will agree or disagree but either way the writer achieves what he so cleverly desired: to obtain publicity for his piece and stir things up a bit more, causing a ripple effect. This, my friends, is a very diminutive explanation as to what a writer attempts to gain from writing; that and the pleasure of writing, of course.
So you’re asking by now, “What’re you getting at?” Well here’s the gist, these issues (as some consider them) are light years away from being solved because it’s all about moral OPINION. And as much as I believe that individuals have the right to express their opinions, they belong nowhere in the “real world.” One may say, “Abortion is wrong because only God is allowed to take a life,” and another may counter-argue with, “It really comes down to each individual who decides to do it or not do it.” Well, it’s a long line of opinions, and no one can get anything done with mere beliefs. There has to be evidence, persuasion.
Everything goes hand-in-hand, and so if one were to argue that abortion is the work of the Devil, because God would never permit such a malevolent act, then one has to prove the existence of God. And even that, to this day, is debatable. What your religious inclinations are I have no interest in; what I’m simply attempting to state is that there isn’t concise evidence as to whether or not God(s) exist(s). And then scientists come in and say it was the Big Bang, and then various religious folk come in and say it was God and attempt to give reasons, and both sides war over who is the victor, the correct one. The truth of the matter is that there is no victor, because there is a lack of evidence. Now, if Jesus came from the clouds and walked on water and transformed it into wine afterward, then you’d bet your sweet ass I would bow down and worship him.
That hasn’t happened up until now, so I remain skeptical. It’s the same with everything else; it all boils down to morals. Some say global warming is caused by us, the inhabitants not taking proper care of our Mother, but some scientists have theorized that due to global warming we’ve prevented a mini-ice age from dooming us all! (By mini I mean a couple thousand years) Others are also attempting to relate the peak of the periods in which the Sun ejects sun spots and relate that to global warming: the highest period of sun spots results in much higher temperatures, basically. They have evidence, but is it enough to prove it? The answer is no, and whatever you believe in, make sure to stick with it because no one is really right (so far).
One thing I must mention though, is that people should mind their own business. Whether or not someone gets an abortion or recycles, or is richer than you, or has a different religious denomination than yours, just leave that person alone. You have your beliefs and they have theirs; you believe yours are right and vice versa. Don’t mistake your duties as a member of society with a false duty to “save” individuals from whatever you believe in, that a person is living a misconstrued path and he should follow yours because yours is “right.” No one likes an over-exaggerative, bible thumping bigot, so piss off and let others be. Of course this is just my moral opinion, so you shouldn’t really listen to me, either. He he.
In any case, comment and share your mind (there’s me doing my job as a writer).
Take a Couple of Minutes to Protect Your Rights
If you haven’t heard about ACTA, you’ve obviously been cut off from the world with no interaction whatsoever. However if this is the case, let me clarify: ACTA, in essence, will censor the Internet, and will prohibit many websites such as Megaupload.com (which has already been shut down, FYI) and will not allow you to exercise your basic human right to view the internet without governmental interference. If you do truly care about your rights, please sign this petition on the official White House website that tells government officials that the people do not wish to be censored.
It honestly takes a couple of minutes of your time, and I promise you that down the road that one e-signature will be worth your weight in gold when you are allowed to exercise your rights freely.
I also have a few other links that I will be posting below, which all relate to Anonymous or your rights in some way. Anonymous fights for your rights, which are more valuable than anything else, because you cannot enjoy life without them.
If you’re unsure of who Anonymous is, then I, once agian, assume that you’ve been living somewhere in a dark cave that has no access to the outside world (only a joke). Here is a WikiLink that roughly explains what Anonymous is. I also recommend that you scavenge for more Youtube videos and perform more Google searches, while the law still allows it…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymous_(group)
Very true and reliable source for Anonymous news:
http://youranonnews.tumblr.com/
Video showing that Anonymous (and the people) are a force to be reckoned with:
Dear PIPA and ACTA, I Hate You
Piracy is an enormous problem, without a doubt. So I’m just going to jump into things right off the bat and begin by stating something that I haven’t heard anyone say so far regarding PIPA and ACTA: There are numerous other problems that are exponentially worse. Sure, piracy is a crime, but if it gets “omitted,” will that change the world for the better? I can, off of the top of my head, dish out a list of better causes that drops to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
1. Solve world hunger
2. Shelter the homeless
3. Solve global warming issues
4. Stop aids
5. Stop breast cancer
6. Stop any disease
7. Increase literacy rates
8. Stop oil starvation
9. Population control
10. Solve poor/rich distribution of wealth
This, I will not deceive you, is a list conjured from a pile of rubbish I thought up in thirty seconds. Although all of the above can be debated widely, the point is nonetheless clear: THERE ARE NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF GREATER PROBLEMS THAN PIRACY!
Now, let me begin with the comparisons. There is a vast array of countries that prohibit piracy, and America is one of them (obviously). Now, my question to you, the reader, is “what is the only major country that piracy is not frowned upon?” Allow me to give you a hint or two: It’s a world superpower, it’s located in Asia, and over 95% of the goods sold in America derive from there. That’s right, you’ve guessed it! China!
Amazingly, real copies of things are harder to find than burnt ones! If one were to walk into a video store and attempt to browse their selection, you could find any movie without a doubt. Why? Because everything is burned, my good friend! Every movie you could possibly imagine, burned on a previously blank DVD that is now titled with a sharpie. Same goes for video games, programs, and just about any other form of data. What’s more amazing is that if the price is put into equivalent of the United States economy, the average movie would only cost you a whopping fifty cents! That’s right, the latest and greatest for only half of a dollar. Prices vary depending on how big the file is and how difficult it was to burn; still, the most expensive piece of data (if applied to our economy, once again) would be no more than five dollars.
Now, could you even possibly imagine how excellent it would be if you were only asked to dish out fifty cents for the newest blockbuster hit? Well I’d say that you don’t need to pirate whatsoever, because data doesn’t cost ridiculous amounts. Doesn’t it chafe you at least the tiniest bit knowing that a Chinese citizen only spends eight minutes out of his minimum-wage paycheck to purchase the newest release while you work for three plus hours to buy the “original” copy of that same exact movie? I assume it does. And the list doesn’t end there! Xbox 360 games, PS3 games, PC games, all programs, operating systems, and just about anything else you can imagine, all for under five dollars.
China, considered to be one of the most communist and controlled countries on Earth, condones piracy while America, said to be one of the freest and most prosperous countries in the world, does not? My fellow reader, if there is one thing I ask of you it is that you at least consider the possibility of betrayal by the American system and that you will also consider making a stand for yourself.
Long live free-world.
Looking for Free Boxes? Try the Post Office!
Revisions:
6-22-11: Initial release.
A few weeks ago I was at my local USA Postal Office, and I was asking them about what I would need to do to ship a gift to my friend in Canada. After learning a bit about the customs forms I would have to fill out, I then asked the post office worker what should I do about boxes.
He then told me about this flat rate program about cardboard boxes made specifically for this purpose, and he pointed me to a shelf of boxes behind me. As I looked at it, I then asked him can I take the box home ahead of time and package my materials there rather than try to do it at the post office and he said yes.
At that moment in time, I just had a revelation. My brother told me that if he needed a free envelope for storing his school papers, he would stop by the local post office and just nab a whole bunch of expensive envelopes. He didn’t pay for them because the train of thought is you will mail it out and at the time of mailing, you will get charged for the postage (which includes the weight of the envelope).
However, if you are savvy, maybe you just take the envelopes for your own personal purpose and never mail anything out! In return, you got free envelopes! I didn’t believe it, but when I went to the post office and realized I can take home a bunch of boxes (which I could use for personal storage), I just had a great epiphany.
Say what you want. Am I cheap bastard? Perhaps. But do you want to go to the store and shell out a couple bucks to buy a big plastic bin to store your junk, or would you rather use a free cardboard box? >_>
So the next time you need a box for storage, or moving, look no further than your local USPS post office building. They have what you are looking for and you just hadn’t realized it!
There’s Nothing Like The First
Have you ever read a book or watched a movie that had a truly deep effect on you? I’m sure everyone has, and I’m also sure that everyone says the same thing to themselves after reading or viewing it: “I wish I could be experiencing this for the first time again.”
We, as people, feel attached to feelings and experiences over anything else. You watch your favorite movie, and the one thing you’d want more than anything is to watch it again for the first time. It’s clearly logical that you can only watch something once for the first time. It’s a sad truth.
My favorite movie is Fight Club, and every single time I watch it, I wish I could be watching it for the first time. If you’ve ever repeated something that you’ve enjoyed, you desperately wish that you were experiencing it from the very beginning. And although there is no possible way to make it like the primaries and remembering it, there are some actions to take so that what you’ve done lasts a lifetime.
Remembrance. Don’t forget what it felt like by making some form of personal goals, beliefs, or life lessons that you’ve set or gained from your specific encounter. With Fight Club, for example, there are many quotes and dogmas that I take into account when I go about my daily routines, my normal life. Let what you have gained from your experience change you for better or for worse, because you might regret it if you don’t.
Let’s not forget about basic life experiences, though. Often times, we observe something that is nature at its most random, and will most likely never occur again before your eyes or ears. It can be anything from a god coming down from the heavens and talking to you, or something as simple as an eagle diving down and snatching a squirrel in your presence.
Although I highly doubt anyone has seen a god, that is of minimal importance. What is relevant is whether the observer truly believes that he was lying in his god’s presence and what sort of impact it had on him. From this, he may gain certain principles and opinions that will most likely shape the rest of his life according to what had happened to him; same goes for the smaller stuff. Just as well with the eagle snatching the squirrel, one may expand this minimal observation and press certain ideologies to his life. He might say, “The world might be more vicious than I thought;” In correlation, it might confirm certain speculations involving previous encounters: “The world is vicious, just like I guessed before.”
Every little thing that one does can have the biggest impact on him. It’s all about perception—the way one sees things. Each thing can simply be defined by how it appears or what it obviously means, or that same thing can have a deep philosophical meaning to which one can learn a life lesson from. It’s a big world, even in its tiniest specs.
Welcome to the Underground. 