A Summing Up

Let us consider where our rapidly accumulating store of knowledge about the universe is leading us. That it provides satisfaction to a host of curiosity-motivated physicists and astronomers is beyond dispute. However, some view it as a humbling experience in that each increase in knowledge seems to reveal more clearly our own relative insignificance in the grand scheme of things. Thus, in chronological order, we humans have come to realise that

• Our Earth is not the center of the solar system.
• Our Sun is but one star among many in our galaxy.
• Our galaxy is but one of many, and our Sun is an insignificant star in it.
• Our Earth has existed for perhaps only a third of the age of the universe and will surely disappear when our Sun burns up its fuel and becomes a red gaint.
• Our species has inhabited Earth for less than a million years – a blink in cosmological time.

Although out position in the universe may be insignificant, the laws of physics that we have discovered (uncovered?) seem to hold true throughout the universe and – as far as we know – have held since the universe began and will continue to hold for all future time. At least, there is no evidence that other laws hold in other parts of the universe. Thus, until someone complains, we are entitles to stamp the laws of physics “Discovered on Earth.” Much remains to be discovered: “The universe is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” That declaration allows us to answer one last time the question “What is physics?” Physics is the gateway to those magical things.

I love Physics. I love Science. Even now, when I open up a new chapter, a new topic, excitement bubbles inside of me (impatience?) to learn new things and better understand the world around me. Physics is to me like The Underground is to Versatile or  NBA is to Toughtrasher 😉

What do you like? What thing matters most to you? What is it that excites that curious little brain of yours? Share it with us, and we might be able to learn from each other! On this note, I would like to end the 1000^th article created on the Underground Blog. I would also like to use this opportunity to congratulate Versatile, Voltaire and all the other authors due to whom we have come this far! Lets spread knowledge!

Do Not Underestimate the Power of School

Revisions:

8-21-10:  Initial release.

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For many of our readers, we are going back to school whether that is going back to to elementary, middle, high school, college, university, or other type of training.  Regardless of what you are learning, or studying, there is an important message that I want to relay to all of my viewers:   Do not blow off school.

Why?  Do you hate school because of the homework?  Maybe its the essays or the assignments?  Do you have bullies at school that boss you around? A teacher that is notoriously known to be “evil”?

Whatever the reasons may be, I ask of you to just find a way to deal with it.  Sure, while you are at school everything seems like a pain, but in the end it has a better purpose.

Let me illustrate.  When I was going through school as a kid, the teacher made us do all kinds of reading assignments. They say that the more you read, the better writer you become?  Why is that?  This is because you are exposed to new vocabulary, as well as different writing styles and ideas. Through reading, you immerse yourself into how others are expressing their ideas, and then you slowly start to adapt this type of knowledge into your subconscious without you even knowing it.

Now fast forward about 10 years or so and here I am graduating from a university debt free. Yes, that is right. No loans, and no debts. How is that possible? Well, I filled out several scholarship forms (which were a pain), and I had to not only write a personal statement, but I had to get 3 letters of recommendation from my teachers and within the community where I had done volunteer work.  Long story short, I won enough scholarships that paid for my tuition throughout school, and all I had to cover was my textbooks and living expenses which were nothing compared to the 10K+ tuition fee I had.

So what is the moral of my story?  Everyone knows that school is important, but why do some students begrudge it?  It is at school where you are given the chance to practice your reading, writing, and arithmetic skills.  It is the place where you start to do public speaking, and learning how to do research. Are these skills useless?

Absolutely not. As a working professional, I can tell you right now that communication skills (verbally and written), as well as people skills are the most important skills to have. Sure, you need to some kind of intellect and reasoning skills, but learning how to talk and write really is at the top of personal self-development list.

If you find yourself at school and wishing you can just go back home and play that newest game, or just skipping your homework, I ask that you do not. Look up how to stay motivated if you must.  School is always number 1. I ‘ve seen people leave their jobs, their girlfriends, and even their families to go back to school because honestly, it is the gateway to other doors.

Got a bully problem? Report it to the counselor.  Schools take student violence very seriously, and if you are trying to learn and your education is being distruped by others, then report it!  It is your money! You paid (or your parents did) good money so you can go to school to learn to better yourself and one day have a successful and lucrative job. 🙂

More knowledge = more skills = more jobs.  What do you think?  Are you in school and find it useless or beneficial?  Let us know!

Don’t Be a Tool. Learn For Yourself, Seriously.

The Internet is an awesome place.  Due to technology, I could be instant messing with someone on the other side of the world.  It can help you send your message to the masses, and during your adventure, you will find lots of awesome information like news and tutorials to improve yourself.

Along the way, you meet all kinds of people.  Some are really smart, and some are just lazy or stupid.  During my adventure, I’ve come across something very annoying as I started to answer people’s questions whether it is from Email, blog, YouYube, or even the hamachi networks.  This is story #3.

[TiT] That’s It Tuesday – Issue 28

Hi underground visitors! Welcome to the twenty-eighth issue of TIT, or That’s It Tuesday! Every Tuesday, I, Versatile1, will give you a rant of whats going on in the blog, whats intended for the future, hope, dreams, etc.

I am back in action this week, and I’ve been pondering what to do with future articles. As you can see, every day almost there is a theme I try to adhere too, but after awhile it gets hard trying to pull things out of thin air. Or is it? The internet is full of useful information, right? Of course it is, otherwise I wouldn’t have wankers asking me about modding their consoles or asking how to find porn passwords. As both you and I know, this is useful information apparently.

What if I were to start a series something like “Confessions of a Pirate”, “Into The Mind of a Pirate”, “A Pirate’s Life”, etc where I would find someone to interview to talk about what it takes to be a technological pirate in the year of 2008. No, I’m not talking about pirates in the common sense like Jack Sparrow with parrots and pillaging, but a pirate like someone who:

• Enjoys using the internet to get illegal copies of digital media through bittorrent, usegroups, IRC, Rapidshare, and etc.
• Enjoys saving money and screwing the big time corporations out of their crappy products
• Enjoys exploiting their hardware
• Enjoys “free” software while smirking at those who buy for the same things
• Enjoys living care free despite possible copyright infringement
• Enjoys keeping hard drives full of digital media (CDs, or DVDs) in boxes or binders
• Enjoys ripping DVDs and converting them to avi files or copying DVDs

The list goes on and on and on. Perhaps you want to learn the tactics of the pirate, or you want to understand their mentality. Or perhaps you think pirates are evil, and you want to voice your opinion. Sounds interesting? It does to me.

However, if I were to bring such a series to life, what does that mean for the blog? Will you consider us evil for providing such information? If I said I was a pirate, does that influence your view of me? What if I said I despise pirates? What then? Piracy is a big issue, don’t get me wrong. It requires ethics, and I’m sure a whole slew of other controversial ideas.

There are blogs/websites that specialize in Warez, we will not. Education is what I will strive for, so drawing a fine line between legal and illegal information is hard for me. We’ll see. If you think this is a badass idea, sound off in comments please. Just writing about this makes me excited. Thanks!

Weekly education from urbandictionary

[Advisory]  Word below may not be appropriate.  Read with caution. – Versatile1 

Today’s word: Angry Pirate

The act of receiving oral sex while standing up right, ending with the receiver not only shotting his sperm rocket into one of the giver’s eyes, but also kicking the giver in one of his/her shins, thereby hindering the giver with a “peg leg” and a defunct eye.