"Perhaps predictibly, Ayn Rand is making a comeback on the right, with Congressmen handing out her books, and loose talk of rich people 'Going Galt'.
I don't think that we will see a mass exodus of productive people to secret hideouts. I look to Atlas Shrugged more for conveniently totable beach reading than an economic blueprint. What's interesting to me, though, is how many details Rand did get right--like the markets in 'unfreezing' Ukrainian bank deposits, so similar to the frozen railroad bonds of Atlas Shrugged. Or the cascading and unanticipated failures, with government officials racing to slap another fix on to fix the last failing solution.
She was able to describe these things so well, of course, because she'd seen what an economy looked like while it was being wrecked. All of Rand's writing is dominated by the fact that she lived through the birth pangs of Soviet Russia, and saw her family's business destroyed by Lenin's ideology, and extraordinarily incompetent economic management. Her philosophy does not work, at least if by work we mean generate a framework by which a person or society can order itself. But she was actually a really very gifted observer, and she had a quite subtle understanding of how all the interconnected elements of an industrial economy fit together.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
AtlasShrugged - Now More Than Ever
Atlas raised his eyebrows - Megan McArdle:
Monday, March 02, 2009
Keep reading the book, son.
These signs are popping up all over America as people come out to protest the Trillion dollar generational theft being propagated by Congress. And please, stop talking about it being "inherited". These thieves have run Congress and the Senate for the past two years, and failed to work on a 2009 budget until Obama came to power. They now own the 2009 1.5 Trillion dollar deficit.
Laugh of the day
Iranian Air Defense Radar: “Unknown aircraft you are in Iranian airspace. Identify yourself.”Pilot: “This is a United States aircraft. I am in Iraqi airspace.”
Air Defense Radar: “You are in Iranian airspace. If you do not depart our airspace we will launch interceptor aircraft!”
Pilot: “This is a United States Marine Corps FA-18 fighter. Send ‘em up, I’ll wait!”
Air Defense Radar: (no response… total silence)
****************
overheard recently on the VHF Guard (emergency) frequency 121.5 MHz while flying from Europe to Dubai .
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Photo from the NYC "Tea Party" Deficit Protests
Keep reading Eric. The book is 52 years old and still very relevant.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Joke of the Day
Question: What is the difference between Obama and Jesus?
Answer: Jesus was a carpenter and Obama can't assemble a cabinet.
Answer: Jesus was a carpenter and Obama can't assemble a cabinet.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
No Hyperbole Here
According to Nancy Pelosi, every month that goes by that the $900 Billion Generational Theft Act has not been passed, "500 million Americans will lose their jobs."
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
FirstTimeDriver.com
FirstTimeDriver.com
First Time Driver (D.A.T.A.) - $21.00Never had a Driver's License? All first time drivers in the State of Florida are required to take the Drug Alcohol Traffic Awareness (DATA) course before applying for their license. Take the 4 hour class at your convenience and from the privacy of your own home! By taking this course, you will learn about how alcohol and other drugs affect your ability to drive, laws and responsibilities, safe driving techniques, and how to increase your awareness on our roadways. You will also have the option of taking your driver's license exam online after completing this course (if applicable).
Friday, January 30, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Joke of the Day
"A man seeking to join an East Texas Sheriff's Department is being interviewed.
The Deputy doing the interview says: 'Your qualifications all look good, but there is 'an attitude suitability test' that you must take before you can be accepted.'
Then, sliding a service pistol across the desk, he says:
'Take this pistol and go out and shoot six illegal aliens, six meth dealers, six Arab extremists, and a rabbit. '
'Why the rabbit?'
'Great attitude,' says the Sergeant. 'When can you start?'"
The Deputy doing the interview says: 'Your qualifications all look good, but there is 'an attitude suitability test' that you must take before you can be accepted.'
Then, sliding a service pistol across the desk, he says:
'Take this pistol and go out and shoot six illegal aliens, six meth dealers, six Arab extremists, and a rabbit. '
'Why the rabbit?'
'Great attitude,' says the Sergeant. 'When can you start?'"
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Just a typical day at the office
So I was at the office this afternoon and Hector calls me to come see what is happening in our parking lot.
This is what is happening. Hector took the pictures standing in our front door.
This is what is happening. Hector took the pictures standing in our front door.
Go ahead and click on an image for a larger picture.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Networking External Hard Drives
Pogoplug — How it works
Pogoplug is one of the most talked about new devices at the big CES show in Vegas this year. $79 gets you a transformer sized device you plug into the wall. Attach an ethernet cable into your router (supports up to gigabit Ethernet speeds) and plug in any USB external hard drive.
Not only can you share files around your home network, but you can choose to share files over the internet through their website.
You can store files on the drive and e-mail the link to your friends and family for easy access. Seems like a great way to share photos or home videos.
Pogoplug is one of the most talked about new devices at the big CES show in Vegas this year. $79 gets you a transformer sized device you plug into the wall. Attach an ethernet cable into your router (supports up to gigabit Ethernet speeds) and plug in any USB external hard drive.
Not only can you share files around your home network, but you can choose to share files over the internet through their website.
You can store files on the drive and e-mail the link to your friends and family for easy access. Seems like a great way to share photos or home videos.
How to Import Audio CD audiobooks into iTunes for Listening on an iPod or iPhone
How to Import Audio CD audiobooks into iTunes for Listening on an iPod or iPhone
Detailed instructions on importing Library Audio Book CDs into Itunes and onto your iPod.
Update: Here is information on using the current iTunes 8.0
Detailed instructions on importing Library Audio Book CDs into Itunes and onto your iPod.
Update: Here is information on using the current iTunes 8.0
Well, maybe a few words are still in order. Here’s the new process, which will work every time:
From now on, iTunes, iPods, and iPhones will all treat the track(s) as full audiobooks, including remembering playback position automatically (saving your “bookmark”), skipping the track when you’re playing a random shuffle of music, and allowing you to speed up or slow down playback with the Settings > Audiobooks speed options on your iPod or iPhone.
- Import your audiobook using your favorite process, in your favorite audio format. (I’ve written detailed instructions for both standard Audio CD audiobooks and for MP3 CD audiobooks.)
- Select the imported track(s) in iTunes, and choose File > Get Info, and then click on the Options tab, to get to the Track Info Options panel.
- From the Media Kind pop-up menu, choose “Audiobook”.
- Check the Remember playback position and Skip when shuffling options.
- Click the OK button.
Note: When you make the above changes, the audiobook track(s) will be moved from the Music source list to the Audiobooks source list. If you haven’t enabled the Audiobooks list, it will seem as though your tracks have disappeared. See Optimal iTunes Import Settings for Audiobooks for more details of enabling the Audiobooks source list.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Monday, January 05, 2009
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Perils of the New Pesticides for Pets
Pyrethroid-based flea and tick treatments — from Hartz, Sergeant’s, Farnam, and Bayer — are approved for sale by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and they are readily available at grocery stores, specialty pet retailers, and hardware stores. But they are also linked to thousands of reported pet poisonings.
The concentrations of pyrethroids in over-the-counter spot on pet treatments range from a 40 percent to an 85 percent solution, eight to 17 times stronger than the strongest pyrethroid product currently approved for use on humans.
At least 1,600 pet deaths related to spot on treatments with pyrethroids were reported to the EPA over the last five years, about double the number of reported fatalities tied to similar treatments without pyrethroids, such as Frontline and Advantage. The over-the-counter pyrethroid spot ons are typically half the price of Frontline and Advantage.
Perils of the New Pesticides | Articles - Pets and Pesticides: Let’s Be Careful Out There:
The concentrations of pyrethroids in over-the-counter spot on pet treatments range from a 40 percent to an 85 percent solution, eight to 17 times stronger than the strongest pyrethroid product currently approved for use on humans.
At least 1,600 pet deaths related to spot on treatments with pyrethroids were reported to the EPA over the last five years, about double the number of reported fatalities tied to similar treatments without pyrethroids, such as Frontline and Advantage. The over-the-counter pyrethroid spot ons are typically half the price of Frontline and Advantage.
Perils of the New Pesticides | Articles - Pets and Pesticides: Let’s Be Careful Out There:
Saturday, December 20, 2008
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