google voice on e bay

[taflocks]

look what i found

Google voice # brooklyn ny 347-cun8LVR..... SEXY #
Item condition: New
Time left: 9 days 15 hours (Jul 18, 200906:02:32 PDT)[Refresh]
Bid history: 0 BidsSee history
Starting bid: US $500.00
Your max bid:
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[cell14]

Wow. That's crazy. Why would somebody want to pay for something what is supposed to be free.
They do forever with the GV. I signed up for it like three times and still nothing.

[lcompton]

Good morning, cell14.

Wow. That's crazy. Why would somebody want to pay for something what is supposed to be free.
They do forever with the GV. I signed up for it like three times and still nothing.

I was completely and pleasantly shocked and surprised when I received my Google Voice invite last evening. I accepted the invite, signed up for Google Voice, and now I have one local number that rings my Skype, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless telephones. It is just about the coolest thing ever!

The way I received my Google Voice invite was by signing up on the Google Voice invite page to request an invite. I never thought it would actually happen and I had completely forgotten about it because I signed up ages ago. But, sure enough, I received the invite last evening!

[cell14]

The way I received my Google Voice invite was by signing up on the Google Voice invite page to request an invite

Hi Lisa. Glad to hear that you received it. I signed in on the same invite page, but I first signed in with my Yahoo e-mail and then I thought that my G mail would be better. I do not know whether they have any preferences. One thing I hate with this VOIP make over are the phone number changes. First MJ, now GV, what is next. At least on my main cell phone I have the same number for 16 years. But I think I will love GV. I have two cell phones, one t-mobile and one Alltel prepaid which I use in areas where T- mobile does not have coverage and it would be great if I could get them ring at the same time.

[lcompton]

Good evening, cell14.

Glad to hear that you received it. I signed in on the same invite page, but I first signed in with my Yahoo e-mail and then I thought that my G mail would be better. I do not know whether they have any preferences.

I wondered about this, too. The e-mail address I used for my first invite was my Gmail address. This morning, I requested another invite using my personal domain (compton.org) address. I've made a note of when the invite was requested so if I receive another invite I'll at least know how long it took for the next one.

One thing I hate with this VOIP make over are the phone number changes. First MJ, now GV, what is next. At least on my main cell phone I have the same number for 16 years.

My friends are all over my case about the telephone number changes. One girl always asks me what number she called (home, wireless, etc.) when she reaches me because we both have Verizon Wireless and we don't consume billable minutes when we talk with one another on Verizon Wireless. She's annoyed with my telephone number changes and tells me that she's given up trying to keep track. I had the same Verizon landline telephone number for almost 17 years.

Google Voice (GV) is going to be the solution to the musical telephone numbers problem. I've loaded all of my telephone numbers into GV and I can login to the management interface and select what numbers to ring at any given time. The ability to set schedules for different numbers is phenomenal. I absolutely love that!

I figured out how to load flash objects in Joomla, so I'm going to install the GV widget on my web-site this evening. It is so cool that people will be able to call me from my web-site. I'm going to use GV scheduling to prevent people from calling me in the middle of the night.

But I think I will love GV. I have two cell phones, one t-mobile and one Alltel prepaid which I use in areas where T- mobile does not have coverage and it would be great if I could get them ring at the same time.

I have two wireless telephones quite by accident. I've had T-Mobile for two years (contract is up next week) and last January I decided that I simply had to have the really cute pastel pink BlackBerry Pearl Verizon Wireless was giving away for free. So, I signed up with Verizon Wireless last January with the intent of cancelling my T-Mobile account when my contract is up, which is next week. But, T-Mobile is trying to entice me to remain a subscriber with a customer loyalty plan, which includes unlimited anytime minutes for USD49.99/month. That's an unbelievable deal and I am finding it very difficult to bring myself to cancel the account. I just don't know what I am going to do yet. It's a difficult decision. Coverage is not an issue for me because I have excellent coverage with both my T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless telephones.

[cell14]

That's an unbelievable deal and I am finding it very difficult to bring myself to cancel the account. I just don't know what I am going to do yet. It's a difficult decision. Coverage is not an issue for me because I have excellent coverage with both my T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless telephones.

I have an excellent coverage with t-mobile in the metro area and the best signal in my house, however, rural areas are a different story. GSM carriers have issues here. However, with 39.99 plus taxes for 1500 anytime it was a no-brainer, the customer service is above average, plus I like Nokia phones plus best international travel program plus relative decent treatment of customers/contractual matters plus no money for the Republicans ( to my knowledge). One thing in which they got worse are the coverage maps, they used to have comprehensive,very detailed and honest coverage maps but they replaced them with the same propaganda other carriers use. Alltel prepaid gives me exactly the coverage T- mobile does not, and with 106 $ ( includes tax) per year I am prefectly fine( except that I have to have a non-local area code on the prepaid- here would GV come handy!) . The only dark cloud is that Verizon raided Alltell and they will bulldoze them soon and the big question is what is going to happen to my Alltell prepaid.

[lcompton]

cell14:

I have an excellent coverage with t-mobile in the metro area and the best signal in my house, however, rural areas are a different story. GSM carriers have issues here.

I guess this makes me lucky. Chester County Pennsylvania is pretty rural and I have great coverage with T-Mobile.

However, with 39.99 plus taxes for 1500 anytime it was a no-brainer, the customer service is above average plus I like Nokia phones plus best international travel program plus relative decent treatment of customers/contractual matters...

Nice. My present plan is USD39.99 (although it's closer to USD50.00 after all of the nonsensical fees and taxes) for 1,000 minutes/month. I haven't found T-Mobile's customer service any better than A.T.& T. when I had service from them or Verizon Wireless' customer service. They're all pretty terrible in my experience.

...plus no money for the Republicans ( to my knowledge).

Too funny. Allow me to help you with your knowledge. Click here. Don't worry, I'm confident all of those Republican candidates appreciate T-Mobile's campaign contributions every bit as much as the Democrats.

It amazes me how many people believe companies care about politics. Such nonsense. Companies care about legislation and regulations that enable their businesses to expand and improve return. If the Republicans are championing a telecommunications bill that T-Mobile wants, guess who's getting the campaign contributions?

The only dark cloud is that Verizon raided Alltell and they will bulldoze them soon and the big question is what is going to happen to my Alltell prepaid.

I can help you with this question. Prepare to be screwed. Verizon Wireless will consolidate the two companies over time to eliminate redundancy, reduce operating costs and focus capital expenditures on continued development of Verizon Wireless' network.

[cell14]

Too funny. Allow me to help you with your knowledge. Click here....

That's what happens when you use research results somebody else did.
I am not too lyrical about T-mobile, Deutsche Telecom ,who owns them, is one of the most powerful telecom companies in the world and famous in Germany both for their rough business practices and their political meddling. It is just the lesser of multiple evils since I cannot get rid off my cell phone like I did with TV cable or land line.
There are a few companies who base their political contributions on general political considerations but I agree with you that it is a small minority.

...although it's closer to USD50.00 after all of the nonsensical fees and taxes) for 1,000 minutes/month

I got one of their specials. The nonsensical taxes and fees: I wonder what the government is going to do with the VOIP stuff like MJ or GV. They see their revenues disappearing. We may get some unpleasant surprises down the road.

[lcompton]

Good afternoon, cell14.

...although it's closer to USD50.00 after all of the nonsensical fees and taxes) for 1,000 minutes/month

I got one of their specials. The nonsensical taxes and fees: I wonder what the government is going to do with the VOIP stuff like MJ or GV. They see their revenues disappearing. We may get some unpleasant surprises down the road.

That's not much of a prediction given who is in control of the Executive and Legislative branches of government. Internet access and VoIP fees and taxes are only a matter of time.

[Matt9876]

Thanks for the invite link,I love Google stuff !!

[bitstopjoe]

Amen. Since we exhale CO2 AlGore and his ilk will be taxing our breathing.
If that wasnt so sad it would be funny!!

Joe Sica

[lcompton]

Good evening, bitstopjoe.

Amen. Since we exhale CO2 AlGore and his ilk will be taxing our breathing.

The way I see this coming down is that we will begin to see a line item on our utility bills and automobile registrations that will say something like Environmental Regulation Fee or Carbon Dioxide Reduction Act Fee or something along those lines. It'll be kind of like that rediculous Federal Universal Service Fund fee that Clinton and the Republican-controlled Congress dumped on us in '97. Or, like that 911 Emergency Services Fee that we got stuck with so we could fund more government intrusion into our personal lives.

Why so many Americans seem to like a nanny state I will never understand. Nannies come with lots of strings.

If that wasnt so sad it would be funny!!

I don't find anything the Democrats do particularly funny. Okay, I did laugh when I heard that Minnesotans elected Al Franken to the Senate. But, even that was only funny for a few milliseconds. Now, it's just sad. And, if the Democrats go for a gun grab, not only won't it be funny, but there is going to be a lot of dead Americans as we fight government traitors trying to steal our guns. The way I look at it is that government traitors can waterboard me 183 times, but they can only murder me once. Who knew Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin weren't dead?! They're alive and well and living in America in the form of corrupt and traitorous politicians. Sickening.

[bitstopjoe]

AMEN!!!!!

"Do you believe in life after death? Try taking my gun away from me and find out!!"

Joe Sica

[cell14]

That's not much of a prediction given who is in control of the Executive and Legislative branches of government

Hmmm... not so fast. Cosumption taxes are per definition REGRESSIVE especially those per capita/per account surcharges. Thus the perfect taxes for the republicans who think that Dan Borislow should not pay a penny more than a minimum wager. That is why he will stay in FL, our famous no income tax state, where the government fees for regular folks and small businesses are astronomical, cellphone taxes surpass anything I have seen in " nanny" countries and the property taxes which you pay whether you own or rent are like second mortage with no exceptions for lower income.Except for subsidizing half a billion dollar stadiums for politically connected private clubs there is not much the government does anymore and our social divide, education , environment and health remind more of a thirld world latin american country( yes, the language too) than of a western nanny state.

[lcompton]

Good afternoon, cell14.

In the interest of full disclosure, let me state that I have no political affiliations of any kind. While it is true that I am a life member of Gun Owners of America, a member of the National Rifle Association (N.R.A.), a member of the Pennsylvania Firearms Owners Association (PAFOA) and a life member of the Official Gumby Fan Club, I have never been declared to a political party since registering to vote at 18 many, well, too many, years ago.

That said, I'm not about to defend the Democrats or Republicans with regard to policy. Both parties offer some legitimate policy visions, which are consistent with the U.S. Constitution. Conversely, both parties routinely violate the U.S. Constitution with many of their policy decisions. A good example of an unconstitutional policy is the current coming debacle of Obama's health care reform. I'd rather have no health insurance than what's coming down the pike. One of the worst parts (and, there are many) of this government health insurance system is going to be the individual mandate, which effectively violates each American's Constitutional right to say, "Government health insurance? No, thanks! I'll pass."

That's not much of a prediction given who is in control of the Executive and Legislative branches of government

Hmmm... not so fast. Cosumption taxes are per definition REGRESSIVE especially those per capita/per account surcharges. Thus the perfect taxes for the republicans who think that Dan Borislow should not pay a penny more than a minimum wager.

Well, no, actually. The logic behind consumption-oriented tax revenue is that wealthier people tend to consume more than the impoverished. Let's look at an example...

The odds are pretty good that most affluent Americans have 1080p plasma or LCD high definition televisions in their home. I'm just guessing here, but I doubt very much that poor Americans (that would include me, by-the-way) are having large HDTVs. I can tell you that I don't. The television in my living room is a fossil from about 1995. I didn't buy it either. It was a hand-me-down from an affluent compatriot of mine who purchased one of those nice 1080p giant LCD televisions for their home. I bought one of those government-subsidized digital television converter boxes for my living room television so I could continue to receive broadcast television.

This brings me to another point. People have different ideas about what it means to be impoverished. Men and women in the employ of the state throw around their famous poverty line income limits, which are ridiculous. My definition of poverty is if you're buying crap that you don't need to live, then you're not impoverished. So, anyone paying for television is affluent in my opinion. I haven't paid for television since January 2004, which is about when my career tanked along with a pleasant income. Since that time, I've pruned and scraped at my budget every way imaginable to stay afloat.

The point is that consumption taxes increase with consumption. Affluent folks, by definition, consume more because they can. Once upon a time, I had a six-figure income and I sure as hell consumed more. At one point, I owned (not leased) three automobiles. That's more automobiles (goods), cleaning (services), insurance (services) and registrations (government) all of which equated to increased consumption and, as a result, taxes. There wouldn't be any loopholes for me to exploit like many affluent Americans do with current income tax codes (state and federal).

My attitudes toward affluent Americans paying higher taxes, be they consumption or income derived, are consistent with those of Warren Buffet. It just never bothered me to pay more taxes when I was in the highest tax bracket. The truth is, I had a good life and wanted for nothing. Affluent Americans with a good life who gripe about taxes are, in my view, solicitously greedy. These days, I conduct an orchestra of deciding which bills will be paid when so I can cover my obligations ethically and honestly. Fiscal discipline is another lost concept in America. Everyone, including government, carries way too much debt. It’s insane, really.

That is why he will stay in FL, our famous no income tax state, where the government fees for regular folks and small businesses are astronomical, cellphone taxes surpass anything I have seen in " nanny" countries and the property taxes which you pay whether you own or rent are like second mortage with no exceptions for lower income.

Florida isn't so bad. I just received my Florida CCW renewal in the mail and the license is now valid for seven years instead of the previous five years they used to be valid.

It isn't surprising to me that Florida government has to make up what it doesn't rake in through an income tax using property taxes. But, the truth is, whether you like it or not, property taxes are consumption taxes also. The same logic I used in the above example applies. Affluent Americans have more property and larger houses than poor Americans. Property tax assessments are based on these attributes (along with many others). Oh, and for-the-record, I did check into it:

• Florida Department of Revenue Property Tax Information
• Property Tax Valuation and Income Limitation Rates
• Property Tax Information for Taxpayers
• Property Taxpayer's Bill of Rights

That last item is a nice touch. I wish we had a Property Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights in Pennsylvania.

I doubt very much that Florida has wireless service fees and taxes that differ greatly from those of other states in the Union. We have B.S. wireless fees/taxes here in the Commonwealth. In fact, I'm over-consuming in wireless service at the moment because I have both T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. I've got to dump one of them soon, but for reasons I've articulated in another post somewhere on here, I'm struggling with which service to cancel at the moment.

Except for subsidizing half a billion dollar stadiums for politically connected private clubs there is not much the government does anymore and our social divide, education , environment and health remind more of a thirld world latin american country( yes, the language too) than of a western nanny state.

Government subsidies for private enterprise are nothing new and certainly not unique to Florida. I suspect that we would completely agree with the inappropriateness of it — especially, in the case of sports stadiums. Like it or not, much of what goes on in government boils down to men and women in the employ of the state who are simply and unfortunately very corrupt. The current trend of political correctness in America teaches us not to judge others. However, gratuitous corruption has become the way of American government. Consider this developing story regarding a massive corruption enterprise in New Jersey politics. Sadly, these are not isolated incidents. Government corruption is everywhere. I saw it myself when I worked in government for 18 months. I outted the corrupt bastards and moved on.

People are too quick to side with political parties because they react with their emotions and/or psychosis (such as hoplophobia) rather than having a rational look at platforms, policies and the law. For instance, many gun owners (an issue near and dear to my heart and soul) believe that the Republicans are their buddies when it comes to guns. Well, no, not always. It was President Reagan who signed the Firearms Owners’ Protection Act (FOPA) in 1986.

FOPA included the unconstitutional Hughes Amendment introduced to the Congress by a traitorous Democrat from New Jersey, William J. Hughes. The Hughes Amendment, which may have actually been illegally appended to FOPA, effectively banned private ownership of fully-automatic firearms (also known as machine guns and Class III weapons) manufactured after 19 May 1986. The net effect of this amendment is that it reduced the supply of machine guns available, which drove up prices. In short, Reagan signed a bill into law, which made machine guns available to the wealthy only. It’s a shame, too. I’d love to add an M-16, MAC-10, SIG-551 and Thompson to my firearms collection. Instead, I am economically forced to settle for semi-automatic versions of these works of art.

[cell14]

Hi,
it was not about party politics-I support Democrats not because I like them but because in this duopoly you do not have that much choice and the Reps moved to the extreme far right years ago.
While I find the pro gun lobby pathetic I am rather neutral on the gun issue. For me it is simply a cost/benefit calculation. I lived for many years in a country with rigid anti-gun laws with it's ridiculosities and that made me relaxed about this issue. I agree with you that it is idiotic to prohibit the automatic version of AK-47 and allow the semi- automatic- either you allow both of them or none of them.
It would go beyond the scope of this chat but it is an established fact (not necessarily emphasized one) that consumption taxes a regressive.

The television in my living room is a fossil from about 1995. I didn't buy it either.

My TV is from 1992( original owner) and works great with the converter.
I would not pay the cable rip-off even if I won the lottery.
Property taxes are indeed consumption taxes, as a matter of fact the most extreme and regressive form of consumption taxes. An insurance executive with 30 mil yearly income ( we have tons of them here) would have to pay millions in state income taxes, instead of that he pays,if he choses a supreme mansion, maybe a couple of hundred thousand( in real life often much less, because those guys get somehow wonderfully low assesments) plus he has the choice of a less opulent dwelling, something what a guy who pays through his rent let's say1200 a year to the state for a s*it hole in a slum does not. The FL tax and fee system looks much better on the web that in the reality, trust me on that.
Probably the only good thing is the fact that you do not loose your house if you go bankrupt(as long as you pay your taxes and mortage)
I do not like the idea of mandated health insurance, but it was only one of multiple proposals. I lived in a bunch of european countries in the past each with it's own health care system. The purely government run ones were not the best, better were public/private mixes with some government cost control measures. But the worst of them was much better than what is here and I have not seen a place yet where you would get so little health for so much money.
Florida has the 3rd highest cell phone taxes in the U.S. On the top was the state of Washington. Off course, results depend on the exact location, many local governments take a huge chunk of it. Wow, it is getting late.

[lcompton]

Good afternoon, cell14.

it was not about party politics-I support Democrats not because I like them but because in this duopoly you do not have that much choice and the Reps moved to the extreme far right years ago.

We always have choices. Are you certain that you're being intellectually honest with yourself? I've heard the argument, which amounts to supporting the lesser of two evils, many times before. The duopoly exists because people make it a self-fulfilling prophecy. Your suggestion that you support the Democrats because there isn't much choice in this duopoly is inaccurate. There are factually many choices. I found Barr, McCain and Obama so repulsive last year that for the first time in my voting life I wrote in a name, Ron Paul, for president on my ballot.

The only two choices people have in an election are to vote their conscience or vote for the person that they think will win. I am sorry to say that too many Americans seem to choose the latter.

While I find the pro gun lobby pathetic I am rather neutral on the gun issue. For me it is simply a cost/benefit calculation. I lived for many years in a country with rigid anti-gun laws with it's ridiculosities and that made me relaxed about this issue.

Why do you find the "pro gun" lobby pathetic? I am sorry that you are neutral on the Second Amendment. Our way of life depends on the use of weapons, whether one likes to admit it or not. The socialist agenda to disarm Americans is not what it appears. We are told that guns are bad and result in too many accidental deaths for people to be trusted with guns. These assertions are factual deceptions. Many years ago, John Lott set out to dispel the myths about gun control and gun bans. His findings were compelling and he published them in his classic tome on the subject, More Guns, Less Crime. Perhaps, the most important discovery Lott made was that of the substitution effect. Lott showed that in societies with stricter gun control, criminals found alternative means of meting out death and destruction. You don't need to read Lott's book to see examples of this. Not a single shot was fired in the two worst terrorist attacks on American soil; i.e. the Oklahoma City federal building explosion and, of course, the 11 September terrorist attacks.

I could go on with more compelling examples, but I suspect that your mind is made up and the only people to whom I'd be preaching would be the choir. And, the choir, if any are truly present here, stands with me — albeit silently.

The ugly truth is that disarming Americans is about power transfer. Presently, the American people have the power to enforce Constitutional law if the men and women in government stray too far from the principles of liberty and the law of the land by abusing, torturing and otherwise terrorizing America's citizens. The Committee of Five wrote in the second paragraph of our Declaration of Independence:

...That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness...

These words weren't intended as hyperbole. They were a factual description of the context precipitating and justifying the Revolutionary War. Our Founders were students of John Locke. The philosophy of Locke reverberates throughout the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Our Founding Fathers, as it turns out, were intelligent and, more importantly, wise men. America has hit many rough spots in its 200+ year journey. It is only through the efforts of men and women who hold dear the founding principles of America that our nation remains sound. Our Founders knew, however, that lurking through time are evil men and women who would do everything in their power to destroy America.

I agree with you that it is idiotic to prohibit the automatic version of AK-47 and allow the semi- automatic- either you allow both of them or none of them.

Like it or not, the law of the land is clear. A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. There exist no shortage of liberal revisionists who wish to claim that the word Militia in the context of the Second Amendment refers to the standing military. This is factually false. The word Militia refers to the men of Colonial America who were expected to take up arms in the face of an invasion. The Second Amendment applies to all Americans, even those who choose not to fight for their freedom.

Just about every gun control law that has ever been passed is pretty much unconstitutional. The liberal lies continue despite the continuation of mounting evidence that gun control laws do nothing, but restrict access to firearms by law-abiding citizens. The evidence of this simple fact is so overwhelming that it boggles the reasonable minded how seemingly intelligent men and women could support senseless legislation producing no quantifiable benefits.

It would go beyond the scope of this chat but it is an established fact (not necessarily emphasized one) that consumption taxes a regressive.

LOL To use your words, not so fast... The question of consumption taxes being regressive is disputed. That's the fact. Even the Wikipedia entry on consumption taxes acknowledges that there are problems with the argument that consumption taxes are regressive by calling for a credible citation to support this argument. So, I'm afraid that your assertion of consumption taxes being established fact is far from fact. I accept that it is your opinion though. Not surprisingly, I disagree.

My TV is from 1992( original owner) and works great with the converter. I would not pay the cable rip-off even if I won the lottery.

Well, I confess that I miss C-SPAN. But, I agree with you that pay television has become quite the rip-off. A while back I was cleaning out my paper files and I found some old Suburban Cable Television bills from 1992. I was paying USD18.55/month for standard cable television service back then. Can you believe it? When I was economically forced to dump cable television in 2004 I was paying about USD55.00/month for the same level of service. The damn thing tripled in price in the span of 12 years.

Property taxes are indeed consumption taxes, as a matter of fact the most extreme and regressive form of consumption taxes.

Consumption tax, yes. Regressive, no.

An insurance executive with 30 mil yearly income ( we have tons of them here) would have to pay millions in state income taxes, instead of that he pays,if he choses a supreme mansion, maybe a couple of hundred thousand( in real life often much less, because those guys get somehow wonderfully low assesments) plus he has the choice of a less opulent dwelling, something what a guy who pays through his rent let's say1200 a year to the state for a s*it hole in a slum does not.

I appreciate your making my point for me. Since we both know that an insurance executive earning USD30MM/annum won't opt for a "less opulent dwelling," the insurance executive will most certainly pay much more in property taxes than the poor fellow who lives in the...well, let's just say dumpy domicile. This is the point of the consumption tax, after all. Those who consume more (i.e. the wealthy) pay more in taxes. Likewise, those who consume less (i.e. we have-nots — that includes me) pay less in taxes. Do you want to know something really funny? My present annual income is just about what I used to pay in income taxes when I was a have — too god-damn funny.

The FL tax and fee system looks much better on the web that in the reality, trust me on that.

The great thing about trading in facts is that trust isn't needed. We're able to research and debate on the facts, not what people think is true. So, I don't need to trust your assertions, which sometimes seem fueled by anger and frustration and I don't expect you to trust my assertions, which is why I try to include links to reference and source material where I deem appropriate.

Probably the only good thing is the fact that you do not loose your house if you go bankrupt(as long as you pay your taxes and mortage)

Yes, this is definitely a good thing. Most rights in the United States stem from property rights. This is a good thing, but can be a bad thing if one is homeless.

I do not like the idea of mandated health insurance, but it was only one of multiple proposals. I lived in a bunch of european countries in the past each with it's own health care system. The purely government run ones were not the best, better were public/private mixes with some government cost control measures. But the worst of them was much better than what is here and I have not seen a place yet where you would get so little health for so much money.

I don't disagree with some of your observations here. Ross Perot, during the 1992 election cycle, discussed health insurance at length and even went on to write a short book on the subject, which I read at the time. Perot made a similar point that Americans aren't getting their money's worth out of the healthcare system. Fortunately, Perot also recognized that socialized healthcare isn't the answer. It's a funny thing about government, but there just isn't much that government does well. I think I have some insight into why this is so, too. Someday, I'm going to write an article on the subject.

Florida has the 3rd highest cell phone taxes in the U.S. On the top was the state of Washington. Off course, results depend on the exact location, many local governments take a huge chunk of it.

I was skeptical of this claim so I decided to do a little due diligence since your assertion didn't include any references. I found two undated sources, which identify Florida as having the second highest wireless service taxes (after New York). The sources for this data are AskStudent and Yald - Patrick Grote's Technology Notes. Interestingly, Pennsylvania ranks number eight on both lists. So, it would seem we are right up there with Florida in wireless service taxes. This doesn't surprise me. I was aware that Pennsylvania's wireless service taxes are high. The lowest taxes on wireless service are in Nevada according to the two lists I sourced. Here's a recent article on a proposed ban on new wireless service taxes that may cheer you up.

Well, this is enough for one afternoon.

Do have a lovely day.

[JohnnyFreightTRAIN]

Selling Google Voice invitations is a violation of their TOS.

[ret27m]

GV is a great service for my needs. Its great that its free.

[onlyme]

Icompton...Its scary how much we think alike. You are very bright and observant of our rights as US Citizens, I bought into the Obama Change Hype and now feel like an IDIOT for voting for him. I almost wrote in a name on my ballot too, now I wish I had. I live in FL and alot of folks in my area feel the same as I do. This administration is a JOKE.

[lcompton]

Good evening, onlyme.

Icompton...Its scary how much we think alike. You are very bright and observant of our rights as US Citizens, I bought into the Obama Change Hype and now feel like an IDIOT for voting for him. I almost wrote in a name on my ballot too, now I wish I had. I live in FL and alot of folks in my area feel the same as I do. This administration is a JOKE.

Let me begin by thanking you for your generous words. It's always wonderful to encounter a like-minded compatriot who understands and values our Republic and the principles of responsible citizenship.

Don't be too disappointed in yourself for voting for Obama. Many, many Americans are awakening and will continue to awaken to this sorry mistake in the coming months and years. Forgive yourself, get back in touch with your core values, share with your friends and get busy writing your elected officials and reminding them that you're paying attention and you want the Constitution respected. Remind them that they swore to uphold and defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic (and there seem to be more domestic enemies of late.)

Don't waste your time on the numerous empty-headed people who buy in to the politically-correct, everything-is-rosey claptrap that they are being fed by the bucket-load. These individuals don't get it and never will. They vote for the candidate that they believe will bring them closer to that new 60" plasma television that they want, or whatever other carrot they believe they desire. In the end, they'll do as they're told no matter who is in power.

Obama is a socialist. Socialism sounds nice, until one realizes that socialism is not based on the rule of law, but on the rule of a party elite; i.e. an oligarch. For this reason, socialist systems precipitate a society in which people strive to be connected to the elite to ease their life in some form or another rather than relying on the rule of law to protect all citizens from the natural corruption that plagues any hierarchy.

Our Founding Fathers didn't rely on pipe dreams or people doing the right thing when they crafted the structure of our government. They created a Separation of Powers such that the government would always be under internal strain, which provides a braking mechanism to limit the pace of change. They created a Constitution and, later, a Bill of Rights to ensure that the People of the United States would remain in absolute power — not the politicians. Government serves the people, not the other way around.

When my government spends my tax dollars to defame, harass, intimidate and terrorize my fellow Americans, it's time to remind our elected officials and our government servants who is the boss. I've been writing a lot of e-mails and letters to my Senators and Representative in recent months to let them know that I'm watching their behavior and they damn well better leave the Second Amendment alone.

It is true that I cannot prevent a tyrannical government from murdering me. But, I'm sure as hell not going to make it easy for them either.

[Matt9876]

Just set up my Google voice account.


Many thanks lcompton for the invite link in this thread.

[lcompton]

Good evening, Matt.

Just set up my Google voice account.


Many thanks lcompton for the invite link in this thread.

You're welcome.

Curious about the trend on how long a Google Voice invite takes to make its way to a recipient after being requested, I've performed a few tests and the delay seems to be about one day presently. I have about six Google Voice accounts, but I've only activated three so far.

So, if anyone wants a Google Voice account, this is a good time to request an invite as they are turning requests around rather quickly.