Philaahzophy Philaahzophy Personal musings on life, business, anarchy, fatherhood, and earning money online. Articles
Weight Gain Chronicles Revisited
2008-04-15 20:31:00 Do you remember the opening sequence of ABC’s Wide World Of Sports? “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” What they failed to mention is that sometimes even the smallest of victories can lead directly to the agony of defeat. Last Thursday I weighed in at 237 pounds. I was ecstatic to have ... More About: Weight , Subway , Chronicles , Aahz
Looking For Another Social Networking Site?
2008-04-15 19:13:00 Over the past few weeks several of the bloggers I regularly read have been encouraging people to check out the 3GB community. I’ve never been a big fan of social networking sites, but I figured I should at least give this one a look considering all the buzz I’ve seen about it. The ... More About: Social , Social Networking , Networking , Site
Ron Paul Is Still Running For President
2008-04-15 04:23:00 All right, I suppose it’s more like he’s “walking for President ”, but regardless he’s still technically in the race. I have to make that statement at least once a week in response to someone commenting on the Ron Paul bumper sticker I still proudly display on Rover’s tailgate. But today was a bit of ... More About: Running , Photoshop , Adobe
Ron Paul Is Still Running For President
2008-04-15 04:23:00 All right, I suppose it’s more like he’s “walking for President ”, but regardless he’s still technically in the race. I have to make that statement at least once a week in response to someone commenting on the Ron Paul bumper sticker I still proudly display on Rover’s tailgate. But today was a bit of a special day, because when I visited Subway for my mid-day meal I was handed the bill pictured here in my change. In case you can’t read the stamp on the right side of that bill it reads: Ron Paul for President www.ronpaul2008.com Of course, I have no idea when this bill was stamped or how long it’s been in circulation, but it still warms my heart to know that there are others out there still pulling for the only politician worthy of a vote for any office. Yes, John McCain has the Republican nomination all sown up, but there are still more than 6 months to election day and many, many things have been known to happen in the summer of a ... More About: Running
Government Admits Failure, Market Steps In To Protect Consumers
2008-04-15 02:58:00 According to the Federal Trade Commission total consumer fraud losses as result of identity theft totaled $1.2 billion, with the average monetary loss for an individual at $349. This despite hundreds of state and federal laws against identity theft, a Presidential Task Force on Identity Theft, and millions of dollars in stolen tax money ... More About: Government , Market , Failure , Consumers , Steps
Government Admits Failure, Market Steps In To Protect Consumers
2008-04-15 02:58:00 According to the Federal Trade Commission total consumer fraud losses as result of identity theft totaled $1.2 billion, with the average monetary loss for an individual at $349. This despite hundreds of state and federal laws against identity theft, a Presidential Task Force on Identity Theft, and millions of dollars in stolen tax money being given away by the Department of Justice in the form of grants to combat this scourge on American’s privacy, pocketbooks, and peace of mind. In other words, the government has taken far more money from individual consumers than identity thieves ever have while failing to accomplish anything. And how do they plan on making this up to you, the consumer? By forcibly taking even more of your money. But, surely, they’re doing all that can be done, right? The identity thieves are just too smart to be stopped. Well, lifelock disagrees. LifeLock is the company behind those ads all over your television and radio lately that essentially... More About: Government , Market , Failure , Consumers , Steps
Applied Anarchy: Why Taxes Are Theft
2008-04-14 06:52:00 It was recently brought to my attention that though I frequently refer to taxes being “stolen money” and being collected “at the point of a gun” I’ve never really explained that reality. My assumption was that this was as self-evident to others as it has always been to myself, but apparently it’s not so ... More About: Taxes , Theft , Anarchy , Applied
Applied Anarchy: Why Taxes Are Theft
2008-04-14 06:52:00 Part of the Applied Anarchy 2008 Series - Previous in series It was recently brought to my attention that though I frequently refer to taxes being “stolen money” and being collected “at the point of a gun” I’ve never really explained that reality. My assumption was that this was as self-evident to others as it has always been to myself, but apparently it’s not so self-evident after all. So here you go… If I approach you on the street and demand money from you would you give it to me? What if I threatened you with a gun? Would it be right for me to insist you give me the money from your wallet? What if I only wanted one third of the money in your wallet? What if I promised you protection and other services in return for the money? Would you consider this theft? I imagine you would. Mugging, robbery, extortion. And you would be right in that assessment. What if I stopped you on the street and had 1... More About: Taxes , Theft
How Greedy Writers (and Labor Unions) Ruined My Life
2008-04-14 03:47:00 Okay, okay, they didn’t ruin my entire life, just one portion of it. Although I’ve only briefly mentioned my Big Brother obsession in passing prior to this point, I apparently now have yet another reason to detest labor unions and striking workers: Big Brother 9: ‘Til Death Do We Part. I’d largely avoided Big Brother until last summer when Season 8’s Evil Dick took the nation by storm and proved that honesty, strong game play, and being a huge jerk can all pay off. Well, instead of waiting an entire year (or nine months, or whatever) to once again trap a bunch of 20-somethings in a house and film every second of their lives, CBS was, apparently, forced to rush things as a result of the writer’s strike. Thus Big Brother 9 was thrust upon an unsuspecting world long before it was ready for primetime. Not only is every single person in the house on this season a complete idiot, but it has only been within the last week or three that any of them ha... More About: Life , My Life , Writers , Labor , Unions
More Heavenly Clothes For My (near-)Angel
2008-04-14 02:13:00 Living in California certainly has its perks. The weather over the last few days has been perfectly summer - hot, but not too hot. Of course, Z informed me while we enjoyed a sunny Friday afternoon that she doesn’t believe she owns any shorts that fit. Likewise, the skirts I’ve purchased her in the past are no longer serviceable. Sigh. Thank God for our favorite clothes website: Heavenly Couture. I’ve written about Heavenly Couture before here on Philaahzophy. They carry name brand junior clothing all for up to 85% off retail price. In fact, price is essentially irrelevant as you go in knowing that none of the outfits or accessories are priced any higher than $17.95. Plus they always offer free standard shipping on any order over $75. Z had to return home before we could shop together but I’ve picked out a few things I think she’ll like- These shorts seem pretty cute to me, with thin white lines running vertically to accentuate length and a... More About: Clothes , Angel
Now THAT’S What Saturday Should Be
2008-04-14 01:27:00 Personally, I’ve always believed that Saturday ’s are the day to spend doing whatever makes you happy. Yesterday was pretty much the perfect model for a Saturday. Z and I started out lying in bed for our traditional Saturday morning cartoon ‘n’ cuddlefest - currently featuring my favorite mild-mannered Janitor, Penrod Pooch, aka Henry the Janitor, aka Hong Kong Phooey. After that a quick trip to the Morgan Hill Mervyns was required for a bra shopping errand. A quick drive-thru McDonald’s breakfast and we were heading up 101 to attend the Santa Clara Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Expo at the Santa Clara Convention Center. This was Z’s first coin show and it’s a doozy. In fact it’s Northern California’s largest coin show and has been setting attendance records since 1978. Z headed off on the kid’s treasure hunt (gathering free coins and googaws from various dealers while following a treasure map and learning about numis...
Forget RSS, Zookoda Is The Best Way To Deliver Your Blog To Readers
2008-04-13 23:11:00 RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is an amazing technology and an RSS reader is a must have for any blog devotee. But if your blog isn’t tech oriented or serving an internet savvy audience then you’re probably losing out on a lot of readers. Zookoda is an email marketing application designed specifically for bloggers. Instead of requiring your readers to use an RSS reader to receive your blog directly, Zookoda. The most essential benefit of Zookoda is that it delivers your blog posts directly to your reader’s email boxes. No “new” technology or software necessary. For many, many blog visitors this can be a God-send. And as a blogger you probably already know that anything ood for your readers is good for your blog and, thus, good for you. What, Exactly, Does Zookoda Do- E-mail delivery of your RSS Feed(s)- Once you’ve registered for Zookoda you enter the addresses of your RSS (or Atom) feeds. These will then be converted to create the cont... More About: Readers , Blog
Why People Snipe eBay Auctions (And Why Sellers Hate It)
2008-04-13 20:21:00 One of the longest running controversies on eBay has been that over auction sniping. For those who aren’t exactly sure what hunting a mythical creature has to do with bidding in online auctions here’s a definition I pulled from somewhere (sorry, can’t remember where)- Sniping is the common practice of bidding on an auction by waiting until the last possible moment, then placing one bid in such a manner that other bidders do not have time to respond. The exact time at which a bid becomes a snipe has never, and probably can never, be precisely defined. I’ve heard anywhere from 3 seconds to 24 hours. Most of the sniper purists define a snipe as any bid under the 10-second mark, while most of the anti-snipers tend to be evenly split between defining it at 5 minutes or 10 minutes, although 1 hour is also popular. Personal disclosure- I’m an on-again, off-again sniper myself. Over the 12 plus years I’ve been buying and selling miscellaneous garbage ... More About: People , Hate , Ebay , Sellers , Auctions
Get A Thank You From Your Postman This Mother?s Day
2008-04-12 02:50:00 Common wisdom holds that the few days before Mother ’s Day are the busiest at any post office. Millions of Americans suddenly remember that someone actually gave birth to them, trudge off to the nearest store, pick some flower-imprinted card from the plethora of available options, add a quick signature, paste on a stamp, and ...
Why Do We Lie?
2008-04-12 02:15:00 Z’s been on a serious lying kick of late. I don’t know how much of it’s just a puberty thing, but it’s really driving me crazy. In fact, we spent about 6 hours yesterday afternoon/evening discussing it (or me lecturing her about it depending on who you ask). She, of course, ...
East Coast College Contemplation Leads To Boston Sightseeing
2008-04-11 22:24:00 Last night Z and I found ourselves discussing our futures. As many of you know, once she turns 18 I’m moving to New Hampshire in order to live amongst liberty lovers and avoid as much government interference in my life as possible. Montana was another option for me to attain that same ... More About: College , Boston , Leads , East , Coast
California?s Great America Has Not-So-Great Opening
2008-04-11 21:50:00 As a roller coaster junkie I was really looking forward to opening day of California ’s Great America . Although not a new park (Great America has been in Santa Clara for more than 30 years now) March 16th was the first public operation day under the new name and under Cedar Fair’s watch. ... More About: Opening , Knott
Social Networking For Small Business
2008-04-11 18:08:00 There’s a new entrant in the business social networking arena. And I do mean new. As in, they appear to have fewer than 100 members thus far. So far, MyCityFaces.com is looking pretty good. The interface is slick and intuitive while the layout and design manages to be both attractive and ... More About: Business , Social , Social Networking , Small Business , Networking
Print On Demand Becomes Manufacture On Demand
2008-04-10 12:06:00 Most webmasters and online entrepreneurs are already familiar with Cafe Press.com which allows users to create custom t-shirts, coffee mugs, and more using the print on demand business model. Essentially, with print on demand there is no need to preorder inventory. You simply upload your images and advertise you CafePress.com store. When ... More About: Business , Print , Print on Demand , Demand
When Self-Help Worlds Collide
2008-04-10 01:58:00 In October, 2005 Eckhart Tolle revolutionized the self-help world with his bestselling book, A New Earth, which introduced Americans to the power of the ego. According to Hale Dwoskin, author of The Sedona Method- Tolle?s book is literally a manifesto for bringing the presence that you are into manifestation on a planetary scale and ... More About: The Secret , Worlds
Falling Crane Highlights Government Ineptitude
2008-04-10 00:51:00 From the New York Times- March 17, 2008, 3:10 pm That Falling Crane . . . By the Numbers By The Editorial Board A crane fell at a construction site on the East Side of Manhattan on Saturday, leaving death and destruction in its wake. The accident gave urban dwellers, who often have a gallows humor about ... More About: Government , Highlights
Now You Can Make Your Own Custom Gift Card
2008-04-09 22:25:00 My articles on gift cards seem to be pretty popular, but this one’s a little bit different. Thanks to Gift Card Lab anyone can now add their own custom image to a visa gift card for only $5.95! So, next time someone on your gift list asks for a gift card (or ... More About: Business , Make , Visa
Victory For Liberty Or Typical Bureaucratic BS?
2008-04-09 06:48:00 While catching up on my favorite talk radio show, Free Talk Live, via podcast I came across the story of David Krouse, liberty lover and Free State Project member. The most succinct retelling of his story can be found at the New Hampshire Free Press- David Krouse of Keene took a stand against theft by government ... More About: Victory , Liberty
God I Hate Valentine?s Day
2008-02-14 20:10:00 I’ve always been against Valentine ’s Day due to its contrived nature. As a romantic I feel that love should be expressed regularly and special moments and gifts aren’t nearly as special when they are dictated by the date. But this year has got to be the worst ever. I’ve spent the last two years ... More About: Hate
Is NetAudioAds / PayPerPlay Ads A Scam?
2008-02-13 03:21:00 By definition, yes, PayPerPlay is a scam- American Heritage Dictionary scam n. A fraudulent business scheme; a swindle. On their website for publishers (GetAudioAds.com) they promise that “Publishers (website owners) will earn revenue on 100% of their traffic…“. This is simply not true. Many publishers are reporting tens of thousands of hits without a single ... More About: Scam
Apparently, It?s All About The Denim
2008-02-12 06:35:00 Last month I introduced y’all to a site I came across for Junior Clothing while shopping for Z’s birthday present. I even picked out a few items I thought she might like and received rave reviews :) Score one for the old man. But then, this last Sunday Z wore jeans to church. Huh? ... More About: Denim
Who Knew Fox News Hired Intelligent Correspondents?
2008-02-12 06:26:00 I’ve never watched The Colbert Report, so I need to give a big thank you to Marisa of Marisa’s Dandelion Patch for the heads up on this great quote. Andrew P. Napolitano a former New Jersey Superior Court judge, is now an analyst for Fox News Channel. He’s also the author of several ... More About: Judge , Intelligent , Constitution , Fox News
Sending Valentines Day Roses Again? Where?s The Originality?
2008-02-12 05:32:00 How many women are going to receive valentines day roses on Thursday? Millions? Tens of millions? More than a hundred million? Wouldn’t surprise me. Now, don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with people sending flowers to their loved ones on Valentine ’s Day, but don’t you think red roses ... More About: Roses , Valentines Day , Sending , Valentines
Another Shot At $500
2008-02-12 05:15:00 Several months back I entered a blog contest sponsored by a blog directory with a $500 grand prize and managed to take home the big prize. I was ecstatic and even turned around and shared some of those winnings with you, my loyal readers. Well, Business +Directory is another new online directory and they’re ... More About: Contests , Shot
Here?s Hoping Katie Says Yes!
More articles from this author:2008-02-12 03:11:00 Okay, I don’t know Jerry and I don’t know Katie , but I do know romantic when I see it and this is romantic- That’s the Valentine ’s video that Jerry submitted to the 1-800-Flowers “Will You Marry Me?” contest. Clearly it was the winner. There was a two minute time limit on contest entries and ... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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