Direct PIC to PC without MAX232

[tumbleweed]

Here's a good example of the strange things that can happen when you get creative and choose not to pay attention to the specs...

PIC16F1847 HFINTOSC Slow and Unstable

Note that this guy WAS limiting the current with a series resistor.

[swr999]

Back to my original question:
Turns out that the 12F1xxx family (and likely others) have an option to invert data from the TX/CK pin. The control is the SCKP bit (bit 4) in the BAUDCON register, described on page 279 of the 12F1822 data sheet.