Archive for December, 2008

Paying for government (Heinlein)

December 20th, 2008  |  Published in Politics, Quotes

Perhaps your Congressmen should dig down into your own pouches and pay for whatever is needed; that would be one way to keep government down in size to its indispensable functions whatever they may be. If indeed there are any. I would be satisfied to have the Golden Rule be the only law; I see no need for any other, nor for any method of enforcing it.

But if you really believe your neighbors must have laws for their own good, why shouldn’t you pay for it? Comrades, I beg you—do not resort to compulsory taxation. There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him.

—Robert A. Heinlein, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (1966), p. 303.

Philips Daylight Window Concept Presentation

December 17th, 2008  |  Published in Technology, Television, Videos

When this technology matures, windows are going to be quite different:

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A talent for dishonesty (Heinlein)

December 14th, 2008  |  Published in Morality, Politics, Quotes

You have no talent for dishonesty, so your refuge must be ignorance and stubbornness.

—Robert A. Heinlein, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (1966), p. 257.

10 Useful Tasks for Slow Times

December 13th, 2008  |  Published in Links, Work

Wake up later gives 10 Useful Tasks for Slow Times for freelancers.

Cat on roomba

December 12th, 2008  |  Published in Animals, Humor and Satire, Videos

Do the poor resent the rich? (Friedman)

December 11th, 2008  |  Published in Economics, Politics, Quotes

The world’s poor do not resent the rich anywhere as much as the left-wing parties in the developed world imagine. What they resent is not having any pathway to get rich and join the flat world and cross that line into the middle class.

—Thomas Friedman, The World is Flat (2005), p. 384.

How hot dogs are made

December 10th, 2008  |  Published in Food, Technology, Videos

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Free phone service with phone

December 9th, 2008  |  Published in Technology

Just found this interesting phone deal today. If you buy this phone system from Ooma for $200, you get free phone service. Looks like they make a decent amount of money from the phone system sale, then are counting on people to upgrade to their “premier” service for a second phone line and other features for $9/mo.

I pay around $35/mo for VOIP service after taxes, so hypothetically it would pay for itself in 6 months, then I’d be saving $35 a month ($420 a year).

The main negative is if they go out of business, your phone service is gone and you run the risk of a major hassle getting your number ported to a new service. As Robert Heinlein said, TANSTAAFL!

The reviews at Amazon are very positive, but if anyone has any personal experience with this company I’d be interested in hearing it.