Matt Estes's Webpage

Why Do I Have This Strange Website...

I love a good question, and I mean, really, why put all this work into some giant webpage that no one may ever read? Well, I was reading an article about Richard Feynman the other day, and they had a quote from him in his later years, shortly before his death from a long bout with cancer:

I hesitated. "I'm sad because you're going to die."
"Yeah," he sighed, "that bugs me sometimes too. But not so much as you think." And after a few more steps, "When you get as old as I am, you start to realize that you've told most of the good stuff you know to other people anyway."

And you know what? I'm not being morbid, and I certainly hope death is not that close, but one day, we all die. I am a follower of Jesus Christ, and as such, I believe it is my moral obligation to make the world a better place. I am also a member of the Order of the Engineer, and I quote the obligation I took when I joined it:

I am an Engineer, in my profession I take deep pride. To it I owe solemn obligations.

Since the Stone Age, human progress has been spurred by the engineering genius. Engineers have made usable Nature's vast resources of material and energy for Humanity's [Mankind's] benefit. Engineers have vitalized and turned to practical use the principles of science and the means of technology. Were it not for this heritage of accumulated experience, my efforts would be feeble.

As an Engineer, I pledge to practice integrity and fair dealing, tolerance and respect, and to uphold devotion to the standards and the dignity of my profession, conscious always that my skill carries with it the obligation to serve humanity by making the best use of Earth's precious wealth.

As an Engineer, in humility [and with the need for Divine guidance]*, I shall participate in none but honest enterprises. When needed, my skill and knowledge shall be given without reservation for the public good. In the performance of duty and in fidelity to my profession, I shall give the utmost.

So taking a long time to get back to that quote. My goal is to have told all my good stories when my time comes and hope that if nothing else, that makes the world a better place. And if I do that via the web, the printed word, or conversations with any and all who will listen, then so be it.

* In the original version.

Useful Software

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Some stuff I use a lot, need to have a nice collection of links to this stuff in one spot.

Humor

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Miscellaneous

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For stuff that just otherwise doesn't have a home on this site.

Weather

Peace Corps