Make Money Online by Talking About Making Money Online

Make money online! Those three words are like gold to the eyes of those who are looking for a quick, easy, and steady way to make money so they can quit the dead-end jobs that they hate. There are so many ways to make money online… If you are innovative and persistent, and hopefully have some programming skills, then you may eventually have a flash of insight and come up with the next Google, Facebook, or Twitter. Or you could – with a lot of patience – start a blog and get it popular enough that you make lots of money through ads alone. Or you could become a YouTube celebrity by making videos where you talk to yourself in front of a camera and act insane (who knows – one might even go viral). You could make money through any combination of these things.Read More

inspiration, make money online, money, originality, passion, success

Endangered Species

Okay, so the bald eagle has been removed from the U.S. federal government's list of endangered species. However, the cheetah is still on it. (I just thought the two photos meshed together well.)

This essay was written in April of 2008 by Ryan C. Stebbins.

The protection of endangered species is a controversial topic, but an important one. As the dominant species on this planet, humans need to act responsibly regarding the treatment and management of the other living creatures with which we share this world. The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was signed into law by President Nixon in December of 1973. Although not the first law of its kind, the ESA is the first law to actually attempt to preserve endangered species, instead of simply listing species that are vanishing (Di Silvestro, par. 5). The Act makes it illegal to import, export, or sell listed animals and plants across state lines. It also is illegal to take listed animals from the wild without a special permit; it is illegal to possess, harass, harm, or kill them. The penalty for such actions can be up to $200,000 and/or a year spent in jail (de Koster, par. 6). Advocates of the ESA believe that the law works, and that it has already saved many species from extinction. Others believe that the ESA does quite the opposite. One concept that any responsible person can agree on, however, is that the human species needs to consider its actions and what they do to other species living on Earth.Read More

animals, conservation, endangered species, esa, habitat destruction, preservation, wildlife

Smoking

"Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette" (1885), oil on canvas, Van Gogh Museum

It is said that Vincent Van Gogh suffered from mental illness, but clearly he had no illusions about what his habit of smoking was doing to his body.

This essay was written in March of 2008 by Ryan C. Stebbins.

It is common knowledge that smoking is harmful to human health. Smoking has been recognized as a leading cause of disease and death for at least 40 years, and few subjects have received such extensive study. Thousands of scientific studies confirm that smoking is a major hazard to people’s health (Lukachko, par. 4). Yet many people continue to smoke, regardless of the consequences. One excuse that smokers often use is the fact that they will eventually die even if they had never smoked at all. However, this attitude does not take into account the fact that smokers are not only affecting themselves, but also people around them, as well as society itself. People who die prematurely from smoking are not only cheating themselves out of years of living that they could have had – they are also cheating their family and friends from time that could have been spent with them. Smoking wastes money, time, and life.Read More

cancer, cigarettes, disease, fatality, health, health problems, lung cancer, smoking

Global Warming

This essay was written in February of 2008 by Ryan C. Stebbins.

Global warming is a topic very often discussed today, but it is also a topic about which most people are poorly informed. First of all, one needs to have a basic understanding of how global warming works. After solar radiation warms the Earth, global warming occurs when the thermal radiation reflected back into space is trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (“Environment” 174). This is a natural phenomenon that is essential to life on Earth. Most of the present concerns regarding global warming are about whether mankind is increasing global warming by increasing greenhouse gas emissions and whether or not this is dangerous. However, global warming is largely a natural phenomenon, and one that is nothing to worry about; in fact, it may be beneficial to us.Read More

climate, disaster, earth, environment, global cooling, global warming, greenhouse effect, greenhouse gas, little ice age, michael crichton, natural phenomenon, solar radiation, state of fear

Gun Control

This essay was written in January of 2008 by Ryan C. Stebbins.

Gun control is something that is very often discussed and disputed within the United States. Many issues regarding the subject are argued over, such as whether the right to bear arms is an individual right, whether gun control is unconstitutional, and whether gun control actually affects crime rate. In the end it all comes down to one question: whether or not gun control should be extensively exercised in the United States.Read More

civilian disarmament, constitution, freedom, gun control, gun ownership, militia, right to bear arms, second amendment, united states

Will "Virtual Reality" Ever Exist?

This essay was written in January of 2007 by Ryan C. Stebbins.

Virtual reality: will it ever exist? Before such a question can be answered, you must first decide what exactly the definition of virtual reality is. Is virtual reality merely a way to simulate a specific activity available in reality? If so, then virtual reality already does exist. There are simulations of various kinds, such as flying and driving simulators, which pass as this type of virtual reality. Many current video games may also be considered a type of virtual reality. With the internet, things such as massively multiplayer online video games are possible, and thus virtual reality is more a reality now than it ever has been, and it will no doubt continue to be as time progresses.Read More

a.i., ai, artificial intelligence, essay, video games, virtual reality, vr

New Site Design Launched

Okay, so the new site design is up, but most of the pages are still under construction… I should have things up and running better soon. Right now most of the actual site’s content is still available via the old design – go here to check that out. Hopefully the old version of the site and all of its pages will be gone soon, and the nav bar at the top of this page will actually work instead of just leading to blank pages! Check back very soon…

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