The evolution of the space industry.

I often ask myself what it was like when the first computers were created.  Better yet, what about the first personal computer?  Did the early PC owners realize they were carrying a machine into their house that would someday evolve into a common, everyday necessity?  Today I find myself asking those same questions, but this time I might be the one seeing history unfold.  This weekend Optical Sciences Corporation became the second private company to send a rocket into space.  Obviously I didn't take the rocket into my home, but could I be in the same boat as the first users of the computer?  Is the news from this weekend just the first step in a booming space travel market?  I fairly doubt we will ever have personal space crafts; heck, we probably won’t even have public space craft in the near future.  Space travel has evolved much slower than the personal computer has.  We landed on the moon 44 years ago; the Altair didn't even exist at the time.  Yet, if this weekend’s proceedings have the same effect on the space market that the Altair did on the computer market, I might be able to live on the moon when I retire.  

Article inspiring this post:  New commercial supply ship reaches space station

Lost Sight of What It's All About

Last semester I took a class that changed my life.  It wasn't a computer science course (computer science is my major), a student development course, or even a religion course.  It was a political science course.  It wasn't the subject matter that changed me; instead it was the professor: Professor Gilchrist.  The unique thing about him is that he actually challenged the way I thought.  You might say that goes with the territory in political science, but it was much more than that.  He was also one of the few teachers I've had that actually inspired me to be a better person; not even all of my religion teachers have pulled that one off.  He is revered by most of his students because he actually cares about them and, more importantly, about their learning.  Now guess where he is teaching this semester.  Utah State actually.  Did he go there because he wanted a change of scene?  No.  Was he sick of BYU?  No, as a matter of fact he loves BYU.  He's gone because he didn't make tenure here.  Why didn't he?  He didn't publish enough papers.  This is a tragedy: an institution of higher learning firing a professor that actually helps students learn.  What makes it worse is that his replacement will probably just write papers that will only be read by his peers.  This is one of many examples that shows that our education system does not value what it should.  Teachers are most valuable for having doctorates and published papers, rather than having a genuine interest in their students.  Students are expected to learn how to "regurgitate" information rather than how to think in a rational and innovative manner.  Universities were created to help educate the people; now they simply want to be famous and make money.  It seems they have lost sight of what it truly is all about.

Article that inspired this piece of work:  Adjuncts, lecturers and professors, oh my!

The Challenge of Our Lives

One of the biggest challenges of our lives is to learn moderation.  We must learn how much value each and every thing can bring into our lives.  However, the value of all things has a limit.  Studying our scriptures, praying, and going to church are by far some of the best things we can do; so why are we not always at church, praying, and reading our scriptures?  Because the value of those activities ceases to increase after a time!  We need to eat, sleep, relax, and do so many more things!  Most technologies and activities we see can be good for us.  This includes learning how to play a musical instrument, playing a video game, or eating food; but any one of these things can start to damage our lives if done in excess.  Video games, as they are stereotyped to do, make it so we don't socialize when we play them too much; but playing your musical instrument too much would have the same effect.  Because of this, we should never reject something entirely, or judge someone who participates in a certain activity.  Few things are inherently evil; and if we can moderate them, all things can benefit our life.