Life-Line

Life-Line must have been a story i read in my teens, but it slipped out of my memory nearly completely. Robert A. Heinlein had the problems with insurance scam nailed ages ago.

"Before we leave this matter I wish to comment on the theory implied by you, Mr Weems, when you claimed damage to your client. There has grown up in the minds of certain groups in this country the notion that because a man or corporation has made a profit out of the public for a number of years, the government and the courts are charged with the duty of guaranteeing such profit in the future, even in the face of changing circumstances and contrary public interest. This strange doctrine is supported neither by statute nor common law. Neither individuals nor corporations have any right to come into court and ask that the clock of history be stopped, or turned back, for their private benefit. That is all."

He's also anticipated most of the problems with copyright and patent. I need to give the authors that i read in my youth more of a voice in my collection. Although it might wind up clunky if i read it again, that's a pretty damned good for his first salvo.

(Someone posted that paragraph in a Metafilter thread about Firefox support AdBlock, and certain websites blocking Firefox users in response.)