Blog Entries
Compared to other methods of learning, the scientific method stands out as a structured, predictive, and repeatable pursuit of worldly knowledge. Scientific theories are based off real-world observations, constantly built upon, and most importantly, validated through rigorous testing. Science serves to find meaning in the world, help humanity and establish order from chaos. The key difference between the scientific method and personal experience or intuition is that while other types of learning are great at explaining why something happened, the scientific method provides a framework for predicting what will happen.
This crucial distinction between something being predictive and being explanatory is what makes the scientific method so effective.
Take history for example. History books can have vast interpretations. Some may claim that Hitler lost World War II because he violated his treaty with the USSR, spreading his forces thin while fighting a war on two fronts. This statement can be interpreted many times with different outcomes. This is what I am referring to as descriptive. On the other hand, science not only produces a reason for why an apple fell from a tree, but also predicts that if you throw an apple up, it will come down. This can be repeated ad-nauseum with the same outcome. One can draw insights about human nature from historical events, although nothing quite beats the scientific method in being able to predicting the future.
This isn't to say that the scientific method has no limitations. While we might be able to predict hurricanes, calculate the speed at which the Earth orbits the Sun, cure disease, create advanced infrastructure, and travel to space, we can't use science to answer what is morally or spiritually right. In the past, science has been used to justify ethnic cleansing, eugenics, racial discrimination, among countless other atrocities. Nuclear physicists can provide an entire city with power, or create a weapon of mass destruction that can obliterate many cities at once. Although mathematical and scientific truth is highly valuable, we as a society need morals and ethics to properly harness the truths that the scientific method provides. These cannot be easily found with the scientific method.
Look, I know it's been a while. I've been busy spreading myself thin as always, but here are a few brief updates. College is starting in late May, so in the meantime I've been learning backend development on Boot.dev, and slowly chugging through the curriculum of Hack the Box Academy. I feel that this is a phenomenal use of my time, and will greatly improve my existing skill-set, and bolster my understanding of various fields in tech/IT. I would recommend both of these learning platforms; especially Hack the Box. I've also been reading, so expect some more book reviews soon. The "Essays" tab has been empty for months now, but that's because I''m putting the finishing touches on the first of my entries (A.K.A. procrastinating). Expect some updates soon. Peace!
So good news and bad news: The good news is that I completed Acts I and II of the 2025 SANS Holiday Hack Challenge, and made a walkthrough for almost every module. The bad news is that I have NO IDEA where my walkthrough notes are. I was planning to post them on the site, but now it may take a while...
Happy late New Year, everyone. By now you must be aware of my significant website overhaul. Pictures on the front page, optimization for both mobile and desktop, and even a
Hey guys, I have a day off today so I'm chilling at a local cafe and studying. This weekend, I had a little party and caught up with my old friend group from 2019. I've been taking it easy and trying to relax. Also, I finally did another raspberry pi project. Not too long ago, I came across a bunch of cool cameras and servo motors in a thrift shop. I think I spent maybe 11 dollars total for 150 dollars worth of equipment, so I am planning on putting it to good use. I made a CCTV surveillance camera for my apartment with one of them attached to my Pi 5, and I'm also considering getting more electronics equipment and making an FPV remote control car. More to follow soon.
Hey guys, it's been a while. I passed my precalculus class with a B, which is pretty disappointing but I'll try harder next time. I'm also trying to test out of psychology by taking the CLEP exam. Other than that, nothing too eventful, traveling around, going to museums, people watching. I finished the CLEP Psychology study guide, but I'm not going to add it to my book reviews. In summary it was riddled with spelling errors but I think it gave me the baseline knowledge to pass the exam.
I'm thinking about renaming the website, here are a few potential domains I had in mind:
kickitwithmax
keepingupwithmax
And my favorite so far, extremepartymax
I also want to get an obscure, rarely used top-level domain like .uk or .biz to keep the cost of renewal low.
If any of you loyal readers have ideas for me, please email me and let me know.
The fall semester started yesterday. Right now I'm taking a programming class and precalc. So far, so good. I did most of the trigonometry course on Khan Academy and it has helped a lot. I also want to eventually complete the algebra course in order to solidify my understanding of the basics. Going back to school as an adult has proven to be really difficult, but it's mostly just a game of time management and relearning stuff that I forgot. My goal is to do as much math as I can at community college, then transfer to a four-year university and earn a STEM degree. I'm torn between something related to cybersecurity/data analysis or a traditional engineering degree.
A fun little side note: Yesterday I bought an old school Cathode Ray (CRT) TV. The antique store jipped me irreparably (I paid $60 and then saw that you could get a new one for $30 on Ebay). But hey, you live and you learn. It's a 5 inch black and white "portable" TV, and I'm figuring out how to connect it to HDMI. I will keep you all updated.
This is my first blog entry. I will try to keep this page updated regularly, but I work full time and am about to take some college classes so that may be easier said than done. Another issue is that I don't really have much to write about. I read around 19 books this year, one third of them audiobooks, so I will start by reviewing those. I'm also thinking of dedicating the "Music" page solely to foreign music, as that is something I'm passionate about.