StephanKinsella.com

In recent years the “Net Neutrality” movement has gained steam. This is an effort by various statists, interventionists, do-gooders, meddlers, and techno-ignoramuses who seek to have the government forbid network providers (e.g. cable companies, telcos, and wireless carriers) from selectively blocking certain types of Internet use–for example, to require companies to give Web users equal access to all content, even if some of that content is clogging the network. Of course, as I noted on A Libertarian Take on Net Neutrality, the network neutrality movement is unlibertarian. There is nothing wrong with price discrimination or with charging different prices for different levels of service. As some anti-corporatist types are only too eager to point out, without state intervention the major telcos might well not have as much monopolistic power as they currently do. But it doesn’t make much sense to urge that the state engage in further intervention to fix the problem of previous state intervention. It is state intervention that is the problem.

In the latest development on this front, as reported in U.S. Court Curbs F.C.C. Authority on Web Traffic, cable company Comcast Corporation had challenged the F.C.C.’s authority to impose Net Neutrality rules. Last week, a federal appeals court ruled in Comcast’s favor, holding that F.C.C. regulators have limited power over Web traffic. As the article notes, “The decision will allow Internet service companies to block or slow specific sites and charge video sites like YouTube to deliver their content faster to users.”

Libertarians should not leap for joy, however. The court merely held that current federal statutes do not happen to give the F.C.C. quite enough authority to regulate Internet companies in this manner. They didn’t say it would be unconstitutional or even unwise. So all Congress has to do is pass a law. And they’re good at doing that.

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Jeff, re your post LvMI Kindle editions, as I noted there, the Kindle app does not, as far as I know, natively support ePub files. However, the new iBooks format on iPad does. All you do is click on the ePub link for a given book (several are listed here)–or download the ePub file and then open it with iTunes, and iTunes automatically copies it into the Book section of your iTunes Library. Then you can sync you iPad and get whichever books you want. (I suspect iBooks is coming soon to the iPhone and iPod Touch, so you’ll be able to do it then very easily. Yes yes, I know some people use Stanza, Calibre, Bookworm, and all that jazz but it’s very buggy and complicated–italics don’t always carry over, Calibre is difficult to use, etc. ITunes makes it easy.)

I did this with 10 ePub books on Mises.org in about 30 seconds. Then I synced my iPad and got them all. They look great–full color covers, etc. I captured on the iPad the iBooks library’s bookshelf, and a few shots from Guido Hulsmann’s Mises biography in both portrait and landscape mode, some in the middle of page-turns. Enjoy! (My review of the iPad on LRC is here: Thoughts on iPad from a Slightly Disappointed Fanboi.)

[continue reading…]

I’ll admit: for the last 3 years or so I’ve become an Apple fanboi. My first computer in 1984 was an Apple II+ clone–a Franklin Ace (unfortunately, Apple was able to use copyright law to get this competition squashed). But after that I was in the PC world, for almost 20 years. Until about 3 years ago. I was tempted to get a MacBook but was leery of the change. Finally my wife got a Macbook and one thing led to another–I now live a blessedly PC free world except for the one remaining PC I still have to use at work–and I have plans for that one too. Now I have iPods, iPhones, iMac, MacBooks. I guess I’m a fanboi except I don’t pretend that Macs don’t crash–all my computers crash. They are all too complex not to. People who say their computers don’t crash are either lying or don’t really use them. (Linux-fans–please don’t pester me. I’m glad the market has diversity and tinkerers like you have something you can tinker with. I have two degrees in electrical and computer engineering but I just want a computer that works–a nice tool I can use. I also prefer automatic transmission cars even though I know how to use a stick shift.)

So naturally I could not resist getting an iPad. I had ordered the 3G version which does not arrive till later this month. But finally the temptation to get one won out so I persuaded my wife to let me get a wifi version for her and my son. After all, I told her–we all read books. One won’t be enough! On the other hand, we won’t need two 3G models! Whoever is traveling for work can take the 3G one, I said. So, I nabbed one Monday morning at a local Apple store. [continue reading…]

I’ve been remiss on my duties… just busy at work. Plus there has been a lull in esoteric terms of late. But given my increasing renown (see My Bourbon and Cigar Entertaining Discussed on Slate Culture Gabfest), I better get back on the job! So, with that: the latest notable terms from this week’s Slate Culture Gabfest (no terms for the Slate Political Gabfest for this week yet) (feel free to email me suggestions or leave them in the comments to the main page). [continue reading…]

This is funny. The Slate Culture Gabfest (just about my favorite podcast) had a contest for the best “conversion story”—where a listener would turn some friends or others on to the podcast. One of the entries was by Taylor Roesch, a documentarian.

Coincidentally, Roesch interviewed me at my house a few months ago for a documentary (see Who Owns You? — Gene Patent Documentary), and during libations and sticks after, I mentioned the Culture Gabfest and we found we had a mutual interest. Since I am the notorious “gray-scale croissant” commentator on their Facebook page [see some entries here], Taylor mentioned this in his entry. Go to 35:30 or so of the March 30 episode (mp3); here’s the excerpt [

]. It’s very funny; Taylor almost won, but, alas, the blind kiwi listening to the podcast on a donkey in the Grand Canyon edged him out. Metcalf refers to me as a “nettlesome libertarian.” Ha!

Update: See Slate’s Metcalf on Libertarianism and Nozick, Mises Blog (June 22, 2011)

see “No Offense, Kinsella”

My friend Juan Fernando Carpio ran into actor Corey Feldman in a bar in Ecuador (as one does), and got him to say “No Offense, Kinsella” (an inside joke between me, Juan and some other buddies). hahaha

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Update: Juan ran into Lew Rockwell and Tom Woods at another event and got them to do it, too.

Note All subscribers to the Libertarian Papers Facebook GROUP: I have migrated that group to this Facebook PAGE instead. Please become a fan of this instead of the old group.

I ordered an iPad a couple weeks ago and tried to order the AppleCare warranty. I then received a notice saying this had to be removed from my order because Apple had not yet received “regulatory approval” yet for my state (Texas). I just received this email from Apple:

You were notified recently that AppleCare Protection Plan was pending regulatory approval in your state and this item was canceled from your order.

We are pleased to tell you that Apple is now authorized to sell the AppleCare Protection Plan for iPad in your state.

Please reply to this email if you would like us to add AppleCare Protection Plan for iPad back to your order.

Sincerely,
The Apple Store Team

As my friend Brian Martinez noted, it’s ridiculous Apple needed the state’s permission to offer a warranty for its own product. Thank God the state is here to protect us!

The brilliantly innovative band OK Go has decided to leave its label, EMI, and and starting up its own company, Paracadute Recordings. The band’s Damian Kulash explains why in a fascinating interview with Leo Laport on TWIT. This presages the direction a lot of creators and artists will start to take as they leave the copyright-mired Old Media Dinosaurs behind.

Great Cato podcast interview by Caleb Brown with Billy Murphy of HBO’s great show The Wire on police, race, the drug war–he has some great comments on why the police have gotten worse, in part because of police mobility; why judges tend to “believe” police; and the disparate treatment given to minorities by cops and the legal system. Outstanding interview and comments.