We're excited to announce that the Thiel Foundation has renewed their financial support of The Seasteading Institute for 2011, pledging up to one million dollars in additional funding!
Help Us Name the Seasteading Book (and win $100, a signed copy, and an acknowledgement!)
Following the lead of Bryan Caplan's crowdsourced book title, we’d like to get ideas for the title of the Seasteading book. We’re reasonably settled on “Seasteading” as the main title, but we need a subtitle which is exciting gets our central message across.
Seasteading Public Choice Paper
Patri Friedman and Brad Taylor have published an academic paper making the case for seasteading from a public choice perspective. Patri presented a working version of it via video to the Australasian Public Choice Conference held in New Zealand.
The paper can be read here. Feedback is much appreciated!
Here’s the abstract:
We’re over 99% of the way to $250,000 – Help The Seasteading Institute meet our 2010 fundraising goal by Friday!
When the ball drops at midnight tonight, December 31st, it will not only close out the year, but mark the deadline for the Thiel Foundation's $250,000 matching grant.
Meeting this goal would be a huge accomplishment for the young seasteading movement.
The Seasteading Institute Reaches Its $250,000 Match Goal
Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the continued support of our The Seasteading Institute Wishes to Thank Its Donors
Now that The Seasteading Institute has reached its $250,000 match goal, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank the key donors who helped make it happen. The list of our top donors who have agreed to have their names displayed publicly can be accessed by clicking here. The page is also accessible at the bottom of our Memberships & Donations Page.
How to Make Your Laptop Last Longer
With the passing of the recent holiday season, many of us are assessing our finances and vowing to be more frugal in the new year. Making money stretch is an important financial skill, and maintaining our expensive assets is a big component in any responsible budget. Your new computer is one such asset that needs to be properly serviced and kept in order to last for years. Neglected machines need to be replaced every year, or else they become unbearably slow and miserable to use. Thankfully, there are many easy steps that can be taken to ensure that this does not happen to your PC.
Install a Real-Time Virus Scanner
Real-time virus scanners are your first line of defense against the malicious infections that threaten to destroy your new computer. Viruses almost always come from online activity, and are usually installed on your computer from an infected download. The unfortunate reality is that you can never be sure which downloads are safe, and which could be dangerous – you might think you’re downloading a great new game, and before you know it your computer is under siege from a virus infection.
This is why a real-time scanner is necessary for responsible computing. If you rely on a manual scanner (i.e., one that you have to run every time you use it) you will only catch viruses that have already infected your PC and broken pieces of the operating system. Real-time scanners are always running and will prevent infections before they take over your machine.
Don’t Keep It Near a Window
When setting up your new computer, avoid positioning it near a window. Sometimes this can seem like the ideal set-up, since a desk facing a window provides a soothing view of your property, however windows pose a special danger to computers that could significantly reduce their lifespan. Technology resource Factoidz.com notes that windows attract the most moisture and dust of any area in a room.
The temperature difference between the inside of your home and outside world causes the moisture in the air to collect on and around the window. Having a computer right against it can draw dust, moisture, and mold into the hardware. Needless to say, introducing such unwanted material to your machine can slowly destroy it over time.
Clean Inside The Case
Even if you avoid placing your computer near a window, all machines slowly collect dust and dirt inside of their case. The cooling fans inside of the case are always spinning when the PC is on, drawing in air from around the room. This happens even faster when the computer sits on or very close to the floor, as carpets and rugs are natural collectors of dust and lint. Left unadressed, this material can gather in huge quantities, contributing to hardware breakdown and computer crashes.
Don’t let grime invade your PC and ruin it from the inside out. Instead, pick up a small shop vacuum with hose attachments for cleaning small, fragile areas. The ones sold by DataVac are a good choice, as they are made for cleaning technology. Every six months, undo the screws on your desktop case and vacuum out the dust that has accumulated on the hardware. This will help ensure the longevity of your hardware and keep your machine operating like new for a long time.
Defrag Regularly
The longer a computer is used, the more “fragmented” it’s hard drive becomes. Put simply, this means that related files get scattered around and the system has to take longer to find them as you use programs. This contributes to lagging, freezing, and general system slowness. To solve this problem, your computer comes with a defrag (known in Windows as “Disk Defragmenter”) utility that moves like files together and dramatically speeds up the entire user experience.
A complete system defrag generally takes a good bit of time, sometimes an hour or more depending on the size of your drive and the amount of the stuff you have saved on it. Schedule a time to defrag your machine once a month, and set it to run when you will not be using it (such as before you go to sleep or leave for work in the morning). Regular hard drive maintenance will keep your programs loading and running as smooth as the first day you brought it home.
Maintain The Registry
The Windows registry is an often neglected part of your operating system that requires sound maintenance to run at optimal performance. This is the part of your system where every program stores its settings, and each setting is known as a key. The problem is that as you install and delete software over time, many registry keys get left behind from old programs you no longer use. These junk keys clog up the registry and cause the system to begin to slow.
To maintain optimal system performance, install a registry maintenance tool and run scheduled, monthly cleanings. PCTools makes an acclaimed registry tool called Registry Mechanic that will keep your system’s registry running at peak performance for the life of your machine.
Don’t Forget About Spyware
While spyware is not quite as prevalent as it was in the early-mid 2000’s, it is still a threat that demands your proactive attention. Spyware behaves much like a virus, installing itself through hidden and non-consensual download tactics and spreading through the computer’s operating system once there. Spyware displays unwanted advertising, edits system settings without permission, installs other software, and can slow the machine to a halt at its worst. Some of the really malicious variants even harvest personal data (such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc) and send them back to their creator for purposes of identity theft.
Many virus scanners come with anti-spyware software as well, but it is always a safe bet to keep a separate anti-spyware tool installed as well for extra protection. Lavasoft AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy are two of the most highly acclaimed anti-spyware suites, and can both be downloaded for free. Much like anti-virus software, you will need to keep your program’s definitions up to date to remain defended against the latest infections to hit the web.
Set a Stand By Timer
Leaving your computer running for days on end can wear down your hardware components and contribute to system crashes and loss of performance. However, constant shutting down and starting up of the computer forces it to heat up and cool down several times per day, which is also dangerous for the PC. The best way to handle your computer when you aren’t using it is to set a stand-by timer. This is an easy system setting that puts your computer into sleep mode when you don’t use it for a certain amount of time (usually around 15-30 minutes).
Sleep mode powers down most of your moving components (such as the hard drive) and screen, keeping only the bare minimum of settings on so that your desktop can be recalled quickly when you return to the keyboard. Not only does this preserve system integrity, it also saves electricity, making it a frugal setting to enable. Of course, a good system restart is good for the machine every couple of days, so make sure to reboot it several times each week.
About the Author: Brian Tanner is a freelance writer for HP. Since 1939, HP has been making technology products to help people and companies address their problems and challenges, and realize their possibilities, aspirations and dreams. On their website you can find a printer to printer ink.
Are you interested in guest blogging with Romow blogs? Submit an unpublished original article to us, and we will be happy to review it for publication.
iTunes 10: So Long, Ringtone Creator – Thanks for the Memories
On September 3rd, Apple released its 10th iteration of the incredibly popular iTunes application in the last nine years. While some interesting additional functionality was added (behold the “Ping†feature, which integrates social media and music), savvy iTunes users noticed some things were missing, including the Ringtone Creator.
The ringtone creator was first introduced in iTunes version 7.4, released in September of 2007. The feature allowed users to take mp3s located in their iTunes libraries and, for a nominal fee of $0.99, transform a snippet of the mp3 into a ringtone usable with their iPhone.
The ringtone feature, though appreciated at least in the cosmetic sense by Apple enthusiasts, overall seemed like a head scratcher to the average Apple user. After all, why would you buy a song for $0.99 and then pay another $0.99 to have the privilege of it alerting you to an incoming call? $2 for a ringtone is a bit steep; while Apple defended their pricing as a result of the stingy licensing of the music industry, they eventually got the hint (3 years later) that no one in their right mind would pay that much for a customized ringtone.
In fact, today no one in their right mind would pay a dime for a customized ringtone. There are so many free online applications that will let you customize a ringtone from an mp3 on your computer in under three minutes that charging for a ringtone is clearly a stunt catering only to the lazy or severely technologically challenged.
Mobile17, a dotcom start-up by a college kid, has gone from campy dorm-room experiment to an honest to goodness business. After creating a free account, the user has the ability to upload any mp3 onto the Mobile17 server and select the exact start and end point of their desired ringtone. You can select clips up to a minute in length, and after you fill in specific information about your phone and carrier (for proper processing purposes), the clip will be processed and emailed or texted to your phone. You simple download onto your phone and select the ringtone from your library. Voila – your free, customized ringtone has been created and delivered in no time!
While Mobile17 was among the first to offer such a service, there are now dozens of site online that perform similar processes. When choosing a site to make your free ringtone, just remember to be smart of who you share your information with and what information you share. Unless you buy some kind of a ringtone package from a reputable site (look for that Better Business Bureau seal and official credit card logos!), do not share your address, credit card, or social security number with anyone. Lots of sites try to lure in naïve internet users with free services like “make your own ringtones†as a way to gain access to their personal information. When in doubt about a site’s credibility, do a Google search on site name along with the term “review†to see what comes up – the nice thing about the internet is that if someone has a bad experience or gets scammed, they are not shy talking about it!
It’s a free ringtone world, and while the idea of the iTunes ringtone creator will be missed, chances are the actual service won’t be missed at all – in fact, from the internet chatter around the issue, few people noticed (or cared). But thanks for trying iTunes/Apple; the mark of a great company isn’t the number of failed ideas it has, but the number of good ones.
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About the Author: Vernon Marker is both a music and Apple product fanatic. He is always ahead of the curve when it comes to new releases and prides herself on having the coolest cell ringtones before anyone else! In his free time he loves to travel and attend as many concerts as possible.
Are you interested in guest blogging with Romow.com? Submit your guest blog post and we will be happy to review it.
The Dark Side of the Lens
The Dark Side of the Lens by Astray Films is a stunning video worth all six minutes of your attention. The photography by Alan Wilson is amazing. The color and temperature of the waves look absolutely beautiful in every frame and really touches on the narrator’s passion for surfing and capturing the moment on a camera. The piece itself is very inspiring, not necessarily in a sense that I want to get out and surf (although I do) but in the sense that you should always pursue your passion regardless of economic outcome, so long as you are happy.
Find the original video here
Remembering Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii
Pearl Harbor
Yesterday, the United States remembered the tragic events that occurred at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. 59 years ago, the U.S. officially entered World War II after a devastating attack that left over 2,400 U.S. soldiers dead and almost 1,300 wounded. The memorial site is both beautiful and haunting and it attracts over 1.5 million visitors every year who come to learn and pay their respects.
Pearl Harbor Memorial
Have you hard of the Dropping of the Roses Ceremony at the Statue of Liberty? Each year for the past twenty years, roses are dropped at the based of the statue to commemorate those who lost their lives in the attack. It’s a somber ceremony that takes place at the moment of the attack and it’s a lovely way to remember those who gave their lives.
Roses from the Dropping of the Roses Ceremony at the Statue of Liberty
If you find yourself on the gorgeous beaches of Hawaii this week, and especially on Oahu, take a moment to think about the event of 69 years ago and the impact it had on our country.
Photos: An honorable German, Chadica, NYCMarines
UpTake Orlando’s Favorite Florida Beaches
If you want to know the best of anything in a particular place, ask a local! Britt Reints of UpTake Orlando’s Getaway crew posted four of her favorite beaches in Florida.
Click here to read the original posting.
Remember when it was warm enough to go to the beach?
I’m trying to think warm thoughts today and picturing myself on some of my favorite Florida beaches. Some of my favorites include:
1. St Pete Beach
This picture I took in October (when it was still plenty warm enough for the beach) is my wallpaper on my iPhone.
2. Navarre Beach
This picture was taken in September when I visited Navarre Beach for a press trip. That pier is the longest pier in Florida and in the entire Gulf of Mexico.
3. New Smryna Beach
My kids and I have made a lot of memories on this beach and it’s where we spend most of our summer.
4. Shell Island
What’s not to love about a remote island that’s perfect for hunting sea shells? You can get to Shell Island by boat from Clearwater.
Those are four of my favorite beaches in Florida, and most (with the exception of Navarre Beach) are just a short car ride from Orlando. Navarre Beach is a very, very long car ride ride from Orlando.What are your favorite beaches to escape to in Florida?
What are your favorite beaches to escape to in Florida?
By Britt Reints
All images by Britt Reints
A Picture Tour of Snowy Beaches
I still remember the first time I ever saw snow on a beach, and how magical it was. It was on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and a good amount of snow had fallen the night before. I awoke to a very cold morning with crystal clear skies. A quick walk down to the beach revealed it to be covered in snowy dunes – just amazing.
Since it’s that time of year, I thought I’d share some beautiful photos of snowy beaches. Special, right?
We’ll start with one of my favorite scenes - Carolina Beach blanketed in snow. So peaceful looking!
Carolina Beach, North Carolina -- beautiful but it looks absolutely frigid!
Here’s one all the way from Dormoch, Scotland. I bet they play golf in the white stuff as well!
Dormoch, Scotland - more than kilts required in this weather.
English Bay in Vancouver, BC –
English Bay in Vancouver, BC
I selected this one for its artistic quality. There’s something so calming about the way the plants are gently bending in the breeze, and you can sense that there is water just over the ridge.This is of Colonial Beach in Virginia.
Colonial Beach, Virginia
Photos: Preciousj, foxypar4, Jenniferlstoddart, leshawk2
Are You Brave Enough for the Polar Bear Plunge?
Polar Bear Plunge in Mississippi
You’ve probably seen it on television countless times: groups of people jumping into freezing cold water in the middle of winter wearing nothing more than a summer swimsuit. Brrrrrr! Why would they do this to themselves? If it’s the Polar Bear Plunge (no, not THAT Polar Bear Plunge in San Diego) you’re talking about, it’s done for charity, to support the Special Olympics. That’s right — plungers actually pay to jump into that frigid water!
CNN featured a handy article today about the country’s five most popular Polar Bear Plunges. Here they are, with some highlights:
1. Maryland: January 29, 2011
You have only one day to take the plunge in Maryland – go for it! You’ll only be cold for a few minutes 
Lots of other activities to keep you occupied if you’d rather stay warm.
2. Wisconsin: February 5-March 5, 2011
See, It's Not THAT Cold!
Lots of plunge events to choose from here, but I think the one in Madison is the coolest (and probably most famous). You get to walk out into the middle of the ice and leap into a huge whole cut in the ice.
3. Minnesota: January 29-March 12, 2011
One plunge not enough? How about doing it 24 times in 24 hours? You can try that out in Rochester, Minnesota. Have fun
4. New Jersey: November 27-February 26, 2011
There’s usually no ice to jump off of, just a very, very cold ocean. Makes me shiver just thinking about it!
5. Illinois: February 25-March 19, 2011
Over 10,000 people participated lat year, and they’re hoping to break that record by a lot this year. You have 18 locations to choose from, so it shouldn’t be hard to find one near you.
Happen to be in Denmark this winter? You can plunge into some chilly waters there, too!
Photos: Eagle 102.net, West Point Public Affairs
Beautiful Blue Holes
If you’re an avid scuba diver or snorkeler, you’ve undoubtedly heard about Blue holes. Blue holes are underwater caves or sinkholes which, from the top, appear circular and intensely dark blue. They’re often surrounded by lighter blue waters that are more shallow as well as sand, so they almost look like deep blue eyes in the middle of the ocean. Blue holes can occur all over the world, and some of the most famous are in the Bahamas, Belize and even Ohio.
There is often little oxygen in the deeper waters of these holes due to poor water circulation, so there’s often not very much sea life in the deeper deaths (there are plenty of bacteria though!)
Here are some of the world’s more famous Blue holes:
Great Blue Hole in Belize
This gorgeous blue hole is near Ambergris Caye in Belize. It’s an old sinkhole, and it’s over 980 feet across and 400 feet deep. Many, many tourists visit the site every year, and there is some wonderful coral and sea life to be enjoyed in the upper levels of the holes.You can go on a full-day dive trip to explore the hole, but keep an eye out for sharks! Most are harmless, but a few aggressive species are spotted here from time to time.
Corals in Great Blue Hole in Belize
This is the world’s deepest blue hole, and it’s located in Long Island, Bahamas. The hole goes down for more than 660 feet! There are actually deeper water-filled blue holes, but Dean’s hole is the deepest one whose entrance is beneath the water. At almost 1,100 feet and 1,300 feet deep respectively, Zacaton in Mexico Pozzo del Merro in Italy are deeper, but you enter them above water.
Dean's Blue Hole, Bahamas
Divers love this location in east Sinai, near Dahab, Egypt on the coast of the Red Sea. The hole is about 500 feet deep, and there are plenty of fish and coral to enjoy. Only the most advanced divers attempt to swim through the Arch portion, but the rest of the hole is perfectly suitable for beginner divers.
Blue Hole in the Red Sea
Photos: Wikipedia Commons, jayhem, sunsetbeachvillabahamas, Wikipedia Commons
The Great Galapagos
The Galapagos is truly an amazing place and a major destination on many a nature lover’s bucket list. Vimeo user Darek Sepiolo‘s video showing off the unique flora and fauna of the Galapagos both above and underwater is breathtaking. From sea iguanas sunning on rocky cliffs to an army of hammerhead sharks, Darek’s work really pulls you into the sense of being there and seeing it through his lens. My suggestion is to watch this in HD mode at full screen.
Video notes: GALAPAGOS is an amazing place. Just watch the clip untill the very end. Shot with Sony EX1 camera and nanoFlash.
By Darek Sepiolo
View the original video posting here.
Here are a few screen shots from the video:
Galapagos by Darek Sepiolo
Galapagos by Darek Sepiolo
Galapagos by Darek Sepiolo
Three Bay Area Beaches Fido Will Love – by Jill Robinson
Jill Robinson of UpTake’s Local Getaway Crew: San Fransisco gives us the heads up on three dog friendly beaches in the Bay area:
Dogs aren’t quite as picky as humans when it comes to beaches. First off, there must be things to sniff. Secondly, many pooches prefer to splash in the water. And as long as you’re there too, that’s pretty much it. Here are three canine-friendly beaches that human companions will also get a kick out of.
1. Rodeo Beach
Head to Marin to play at Rodeo Beach. You and your pooch can hike the “dogs-allowed” trails, cross the wooden bridge over the lagoon, or walk down to the beach. When you’re pooped, find a bench or picnic spot for lunch and biscuits.
2. Fort Funston
Dogs go wild for a romp at Fort Funston in San Francisco, where they can run off-leash until they crash. On this rugged stretch of coastal headlands, the dunes can reach heights of 200 feet or more.
3. Pillar Point Harbor
Not only is Pillar Point Harbor the perfect spot for dogs wary of waves, you can stop by any of a handful of seafood lunch spots after playtime. Adventurous humans and canines can hike to the point and watch surfers at Mavericks.
Photo courtesy of ingridtaylar via flickr?
The Holiest of Waters
There are a significant number of holy sites around the world but I wanted to compile a list of some of the holiest sites on/overlooking water. Be it river, bridge, town by a sea, temple overlooking a lake – some of these sites are in stunning locations making the experience there very spiritual. This list is in no particular order and you will notice that some countries appear more than once. Enjoy.
Puri Beach - by Wikipedia user Matanya
Puri Beach, India
Located in the state of Orissa, according to legend, Lord Jagannath was found floating atop a log on the sea shore and the Jagannath temple was built on the beach premises in his honor. Believers sip the water in attempt to get closer to securing a place in Nirvana.
Tinos Island, Greece by Flickr user Bernd Völcker
Tinos Island, Greece
Known in antiquity for its temples to Poseidon and Dionysus, Tinos is also one of the holiest places in Greece for Christians. It unsure exactly when Christian presence was established but what is known is that a Byzantine church was built on the foundations of the temple of Dionysus. This church was eventually burnt down by invaders and eight centuries later, a nun named Pelagia had visions of the Virgin Mary instructing Pelagia to dig in a specific field where she would find a sacred icon. Sure enough the icon was unearthed and further archaeological excavations determined that the particular field was the filed where the Byzantine Church once stood and the temple of Dionysus before it.
Varanasi, India by Flickr user Ken Wieland
Varanasi, India
Varanasi also known as Benares/Banaras and Kashi is a holy city on the banks of the River Ganges in the state if Udann Pradesh, Inda. It is the holiest place in the Hindu religion but it is also a very important religious place to Buddhists and Janis.
Lake Manasarovar - by Wikipedia user AaxxII
Lake Manasarowar, Tibet
According to Hinduism, Lake Manasa Sarovar symbolizes purity, and anyone who drinks water from the lake is guaranteed a place in the care of the Lord Shiva in the afterlife.
Crater Lake Oregon
Crater Lake, Oregon, USA
According to Native American legend, Mount Mazama, once the home of Chief Llao of the Below World was destroyed in a battle with Chief Skell of the Above World. The culmination of the battle resulted in the eruption of Mt. Mazama and the creation of Crater Lake.
The Temple of Isis on Philae Island
Philae Island, Egypt
Although not the original island which is completely underwater, today’s Philae Island is still home to a great temple built in honor of the goddess Isis. In fact, the original island was the center for worship of Isis.
Tanah Lot
Tanah Lot, Bali, Indonesia
Pura Tanah Lot in Bali is supposedly founded by Hindu priest Nirartha, one of the last priests to come to Bali. The formation itself is due to natural water erosion.
Wat Arun - by Hartfried Schmid
Wat Arun, Bangkok, Thailand
Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn, was the former location of the Emerald Buddha prior its move to Wat Phra kaew. It was originally called the Olive Temple but its name changed a few times before its completion during King Rama IV’s reign after which it was called Wat Arunratchawararam. The stunning Buddhist temple overlooks the Chao Phraya River and best seen during the sunset from across the river.
Solovetsky Monastery
Solovetsky Islands, Russia
Sitting on the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea is the Solovetsy Monastery, once the greatest site of Christianity in Northern Russia. Unfortunately between 1926 and 1939, the monastery was converted into a Soviet prison and labor camp. It became the prototype for the GULAG system.
Tirtha Empul - by Flickr user Shreyans Bhansali
Pura Tirtha Empul, Bali, Indonesia
Balinese Hindus come to Pura Tirtha Empul and drink from the sacred springs created by Indra. According to Balinese legend, Indra’s troops were poisoned so he pierced the earth and created a fountain of immortality in order to save his men. This could very well be the fountain of youth…
Skellig Michael Island
Skellig Michael, Ireland
Also known as Great Skellig, Skellig Michael is a steep rocky island in the Atlantic Ocean which houses one of the most famous medieval monasteries and probably the most inaccessible one at that. This island was the center of Irish Monk hood for 600 years.
Last-Minute Thanksgiving Cocoa Beach, Florida Getaway!
Cocoa Beach
No plans over Thanksgiving? If you’re up for a little last-minute adventure, consider this Cocoa Beach deal recently posted on Rooms101.com. Cocoa Beach is a fun, lively area with lots to see and do. Here are the goods for this deal:
*3 day, 4 night stay is $199 TOTAL at the Best Western Ocean Front Hotel
*$100 Visa card for Black Friday shopping
*$25 dining card
There are many other cities offering this $199 deal as well, be sure to check out the deals at the bottom of the page.
While you’re at the beach, why not try your hand at surfing? The water isn’t frigid yet, and the waves should be good!
Photo: Bernt Rostad
Lone Surfer, Warmer Times, Cocoa Beach
So I was sitting on the beach and this guy walks down with his longboard. It was a warm October evening and there was a very small swell in the Atlantic Ocean. He paddles out and catches one wave after another for about half-an-hour. Then leaves. Beats going to a bar after work. And it’s [...]
Improve Your Nature Photography
Got a camera? It’s time to learn how to use it, and the Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival has just what you need in the way of hands-on expert instruction. Seriously, this is a great opportunity to get some class time and time in the field–and hands on help–from some of the finest nature [...]