The Wonderful World of Online Videos

As a few people may have noticed, I’ve become fascinated with the world of online videos.

Recommendations:  There’s this guy names nalts, who’s probably my favorite youtuber , and there’s a new, very fast growing channel called iChannel, which is like a tv show type thing where comments can make a difference.

On Viral videos…What’s really amazing, in my opinion, is how much money some of these guys are making (nothing compared to what the companies are making, but it’s still not bad).  Nalts has been doing this for a long time, and he makes money various ways, which he talks about in a few of his videos, and on his blog (Will Video for Food).

Youtube, the most popular video site, doesn’t pay at all, but there are various sites that do pay, such as Revver.  Also, there’s money in advertising…I’m sure the iChannel website is probably making a bit from the small amount of advertising at the bottom of their page, and nalts probably makes a modest amount of money through his other website, cubebreak, which uses revver videos, and advertising via google adsense and amazon.

Of course, while youtube still doesn’t share any of their income, it’s where everyone is at, where everyone gets the most views…..so most people stick with youtube, and simply make money by putting revver videos on their websites.  Youtube has, however, expressed their intention to start paying users in the future.

Personally, I like youtube more than these other websites.  To me, it feels more like an online “community” than the other websites.  Perhaps that has to do with how genuine the videos are, as well as the structure of the website, and the sheer volume of users.  Youtube has many shortcomings, but it’s my favorite video site nonetheless.

“Will Video for Food,” which I’ve already mentioned, is a blog focusing on the world of viral videos. In the last entry, nalts talks a bit about which video websites pay the most. I was astonished to see (in the comments) that Marquisdejolie claimed to have made $5080 on Revver (I have no idea how long that took, I assume it’s cumulative). I’ve recently subscribed to Marquisdejolie on youtube, on another youtuber’s recommendation, but haven’t actually watched any of his videos yet… : P  I’ll get around to it!

One other interesting phenomenon in the world of viral videos is the opportunity that it has afforded a few (although admittedly not most). This guy named PeeDeeFlo has actually gotten to make a documentary for a local station and a music video, I believe.  A girl called Lisa Nova had the opportunity to be on Mad TV, after youtube made her famous, and various other youtubers have had their fame elevated far past the world of youtube.

Basically, I’m intrigued by the world of online videos.  I’m fascinated with what has happened with various internet celebrities (especially nalts, if you haven’t noticed…lol).  I’m much more intrigued, though, by the the “small guys” like myself, who continue to make funny and interesting videos despite a small number of videos.  That’s not a plug for myself, I’m just saying that the “small guys” are often much more interesting than the internet “celebrities.”  There’s plenty of people, including myself, who aren’t interested in becoming famous, who only make videos for fun…and that’s awesome.

That’s what I love about youtube….it’s just fun   and there really is a community feel, if you get into it, making video responses and commenting and whatever else.

Online videos might not be your thing, they do tend to be a bit on the “silly” side, but it really is fun.  Of course, if you’re a procrastinator like me….watch out : D

-Disclaimer:  I didn’t mean to advertise nalts as much as I did, lol….he’s just the youtuber who fascinates me the most.  He’s also the most hyperactive youtuber I know of, with hundreds of videos online.  I didn’t mean to advertise for him, but I guess since I’m already doing it….check him out

“Smiley” Faces

Sometimes when I’m writing letters or notes….actual handwritten things, I get the urge to insert sidways smiley faces, like “:)” or “:P” or “:D” or “:-)” or “;)” or “;-)” or “^_^” or….well, you get the idea.

I guess drawing smileys, in and of itself, isn’t that bad….but the fact that I want to draw them sideways on a handwritten paper is, well….a sign that I’m on myspace to much : P < – - See?

Why I Don’t Believe in Eternal Torment

This is a post I made for another discussion forum, but I spent some time on it, so I’ll throw it on here.  This blog lists some of why I don’t believe in the mainstream concept of hell, aka eternal torment.

I definitely don’t believe there is a hell now, because the Bible says that the dead know nothing (Ecclesiastes 9:5).  If we went to heaven or hell when we died, Lazarus probably would have said something about it worth writing down (John 11:17, 43).

I believe that the dead are dead until they are resurrected.  The dead in Christ are resurrected first, then the rest (Revelation 20:4-6).  Notice it says the “second death” has no power over the people who are part of the first resurrection.  Again, as we see in Ecclesiastes 9:5, the dead know nothing.  That’s enough for me to be confident that the dead are destroyed, not kept alive in suffering.

More scripture supporting the destruction of the wicked includes:

Ezekiel 18:4, Ezekiel 26:21, Ezekiel 28:18-19, Malachi 4:1, Psalm 37:20, Psalm 104:35, Isaiah 47:14, Nahum 1:10

I believe that it’s important to remember that words like eternal and forever aren’t always literal, things can be lost in translation.  If I say “may the king live forever,” that’s not necessarily literal.

2 Peter 2:6 and Jude 1:7 might be compared…..the fire might be eternal, the punishment might be eternal, but the life isn’t eternal.  Sodom and Gomorrah are obviously no longer standing, right?

The promise of eternal life was promised to God’s people, to those who have righteousness, by faith.

Romans 2:7, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 15:53-54, 1 Timothy 6:16, 2 Timothy 1:10, and…

John 3:16
16″For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

I believe that there are two kinds of people, those who will receive eternal life, and those who won’t.

I’ll try to wrap this up by showing that the lake of fire, which is called the second death(Revelation 20:14), is on earth(Revelation 20:14), and it seems earth is destroyed(Revelation 21:1).

…
I do admit that there are a few verses that are hard to understand, I see where people are coming from on each side, but this is what I believe.  The weight of evidence on the subject points to destruction, not eternal torment.  If anyone has any questions….ask.  I certainly haven’t covered it all in this one short blog, but I think the scripture speaks for itself.

I could probably expand on all this, but for now, I’m done. 

God Bless

Short Assessment of Operating System Users

Mac users tend to be the most over zealous, imo….even when they might not know what they’re talking about.  Windows users for the most part don’t seem to care too much, although there’s a few who are antiMac.  There are zealous linux users, there’s a lot of antiWindows linux users, but they at least seem to know a lot about what they’re talking about, for the most part.

Daylight Savings

I love the surreal feeling that comes with daylight savings…..I got out of my last class (at 7pm), and there was actually sunlight out!  Awesome…. :)

A Beautiful Day

Today was an beautiful day

I’m always astonished at how quickly winter passes.

Trust strangers

How much do you trust random people?

I was studying at the library at my school, downtown….huge library, when this guy who was studying near me walked over and asked me to watch his stuff while he used the bathroom.  I had no problem with that, and it didn’t seem that odd at the time, but then I realized….it is a bit odd.  I didn’t know that guy, at all.  It was probably pretty obvious that I was a student, though, and not one of the homeless guys walking around (which we plenty of,  on our lovely urban campus).

At my old school, if I was studying on the top floor the library, and I got thirsty, I would go to the bottom floor to get some white hot chocolate….leaving my stuff where it lay, on the top floor.  This isn’t my old school, though.

How much do you trust completely random people?  Is that something you would do?

I might write a real blog one of these days….

Metro

So I transferred from Mines to Metro, recently. Metro’s a nice school, but it’s certainly very different. One thing I noticed is that there are a ton of smokers here(I don’t know why that is, or why I thought it was interesting, but yeah). I think the classes are a little easier, but that could be because I’m taking easier classes. Another thing I noticed is that people here seem more disconnected(with the school). A lot of people here workfull time, I think. This girl I talked to yesterday said she was working 40 hours a week on top of taking 18 credit hours at metro…..that’s a buisy schedule.

On another note, John Edwards came to the school yesterday