I am a member of Simply Audiobooks. For $15 a month, I get unlimited audiobooks mailed to my house, 1-at-a-time. I probably get through 2 a month, on average. It makes my commutes so much more enjoyable. It helps me get way more reading done than I would otherwise. It's much more convenient than trying to time audiobook holds at the library. And much cheaper than buying them.

Do you know what it's not cheaper than? Torrents.

Many of you don't pay for music, movies or games any more. Torrents have solved that financial nuisance for you. Now, if I call you out on it...if I call you a "thief" - you'll give me one of two responses.

1. Their pricing strategy is stupid. If it was cheaper, I'd pay for it.
or
2. Yeah, I know it's not right, but...mumble mumble

What's going on here? Why do so many people who claim that stealing is wrong not consider this to be? I don't want the "digital products aren't real products" cop-out. Let's figure out the cognitive dissonance here.

Is it simply because it's so easy that it just doesn't feel like stealing? Or simply since you know you're not going to get caught?

I was recently involved in a food-value debate with a friend. He contended that his two frozen burritos for $0.35 each made for an unbeatable $0.70 lunch.

This is only true if the only factors in the game are calories/dollar. And I would win strictly by carrying around a bottle of the cheapest olive oil I could find.

All food is not created equal. Even if cost is your primary concern when choosing a meal, you need to think past the hyper-short-term. After all, you wouldn't put low-grade fuel in a Lexus, would you? Because fixing a ruined car costs a lot more than what you're saving now eating chemical-laden garbage your body doesn't even recognize as food.