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Updated Warning: It's Still a Bad Idea to buy property in Florida
In July 2007, I warned my faithful readers against buying property in Florida because the entire state had decided to be irrational about property insurance premiums (legislate them to be too low) and the very real risk of hurricanes. About a month later, The Economist echoed my concerns in an article appropriately entitled "Wishing the Wind not to ( Read more... ) -
Bruce Sterling's Last "Viridian Note"
... is highly recommended reading.
I find myself thinking along these lines, somewhat. I recommend everyone ponder things along these lines over the holiday - a fine time to ponder.
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Optimism
I firmly believe that everyone on earth is working every day to improve their lot in life, within the resources they have, and under the rules they live under. Ergo, there is a huge bias toward progress.
Of course, resources are not evenly distributed, and lots of places have rather than less than ideal rules.
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9/11 observances made me angry
The world did not change on that day, any more than it changed on April 19, 1995 or July 27, 1996 or September 16, 1920. Merely our perception of the world changed. We decided that, as a society, we'd rather live in cowering fear of the people who wish to do us harm (they've always been there), and to hell with our principles (you know: the US ( Read more... ) -
Video on small screens (e.g. iPod)
Do any of you find video (TV, movies) on a small screen, e.g. the iPods, your cell phone, compelling or useful or ... viewable?
Why?
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A Political Policy Wish
It would be best if both parties would commit to policies that result in the lowest price for all goods and services, so that the citizens' money has maximum purchasing power. This would be the greatest boon to the poor.
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Fire at Apple Computer
The speed of IRC trumps ... most: Fire in Valley Green Six (raw video from KPIX), which is a two-story building along Valley Green Drive in Cupertino, just the other side of De Anza Boulevard from the Apple R&D complex. While I was at Apple from 1988 to 1997, I worked in both Valley Green Two and Three, across the street from VG6, which is between ( Read more... ) -
Beautiful Day!
Today's major errand was a staples shopping trip to the big box stores just south of Carson City. Weather was supposed to be a little breezy, and it looked like it was pretty clear from my house in the trees with no view, but once I cleared the forest along NV-28 ...
Wow.
This is why I moved here in the first place. Crystal clear air for miles & ( Read more... )