Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Save PDF to iTunes (for iBooks)

Want to read a PDF in iBooks?  This is how you do it for Mac OS X users (assumes iOS 4, iTunes 9.2):

  1. Create a folder called "PDF Services" in your Library folder (~/Library/PDF Services).
  2. Create an alias of iTunes (right-click on Applications/iTunes, click Make Alias).
  3. Drag the new alias (called iTunes alias) to PDF Services.
  4. Rename the alias to "Save PDF to iTunes".

Now you can "Save PDF to iTunes"  in any app that understand what that means.  So really, that's any app that can print.  For instance, if you double-click on a PDF, it'll usually open in Preview.  Click on File, Print..., PDF, Save PDF to iTunes.  Now the PDF will be in iBooks next time you sync.

Posted via email from Anthony Martin's Weblog

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Your Token Government

As part of an ongoing dialog with fellow Christians, when the discussion leads to politics, as it does many times, my position seems to perplex.  Many times, it boils down to the question, "What is the legitimate role of government?"

And if you know me, the answer I give is none whatsoever.

I concede that if we are forced to have a government, then the maximum role of government is the protection of life, liberty, and private property.  Or, to put it even more simply, the role of government is to protect individual rights.  Anything more is an overstep of bounds.

But if we are forced to have a government, that force can go beyond the original role.  Why?  Because it was forced upon us in the first place.

Yet this is what people probably mean when they say they are in favor of small government.  They're in favor of small force, hoping that it won't become big force.  Of course, this also turns on the notion that any person in favor of government smaller than you 
like is considered to be some kind of anarchist.

With Christians, the discussion leads to Romans 13 and other parts of scripture.  Ok, so if that's you, then here's a question for you:

How can anyone defend small government using Romans 13?  I don't think the original audience saw Rome as a small government.

Also if you can manage to demonstrate that small government is authorized by Romans 13, how small can it be before it becomes unbiblical?

Well, I have yet to get a good answer to those questions.

Posted via email from Anthony Martin's Weblog