Kat

I wish that Atlas was about half an hour longer so that the characters and situations could have been better developed. We don't really get why she would offer a dweeb the world to stay, although it is pretty clear in the book. I guess in my internal movie, I would have expected a blue collar Joe the Plumber type in the part. Here's a great little trailer put out by FreedomWorks. Enjoy! <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DK7B6mAIhU0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Loved it! We took the kid and he loved it too. I hope the movie catches on so I can see the other parts. The plot adaptation worked, the scenery and the bridge were pretty sweet and the two lead characters seemed to work well together. It was better than I expected although not perfect. The biggest issue that I had was the casting. Everyone was too young, particularly little Jimmy Taggart. The Owen Kellogg scene was almost comical because the guy was such a dweeb you would think Dagny would be firing him rather than giving him a promotion. Go see it. Kat

Actually, I think the secret billionaire thing is Carol's invention, not MSK or me... but if there is indeed a secret billionaire here on OL, kindly push the donate button at the bottom of the page and show us some love! Kat

Oh geez... how did this thread become all about Phil? He's a nice enough guy and all that, but I thought we were talking about someone else (Ted) who was moderated for good cause after fair warning (and IMHO should have been banned for calling a VIP member a pedophile and spewing racial hatred). Whatever.... Kat

I've checked and updated some of the links here. I deleted a couple and added The Daily Bell. If anyone has more links let me know. Also FMNN seems to have disappeared, but I haven't given up on it yet. Maybe it will come back. Kat

Atlas Shrugged Part I, the Movie Tibor R. Machan I saw the movie Atlas Shrugged, Part I (to be released on April 15) and I liked it a lot, just as I did the book when I first read it in 1961 while serving in the US Air Force near Washington, DC. (The maiden ride of the John Galt Line was back then the most riveting segment and it still is for me, in the film.) I ran across Ayn Rand’s ideas without much fanfare–I was in a theater group I helped start and run back then and we decided to put on The Night of January 16th, a curious little number in which after a fascinating trial (pitting independent entrepreneur against leach), a jury is picked from the audience after each performance. The cast and staff used to stay up until the wee hours debating how the verdict should have gone and why the jury went one or the other way. After that no Ayn Rand for me for a year. Then I saw some mates reading The Fountainhead just after I read a nasty review of Rand’s first major novel–there were others, such as the novella Anthem and the very well done We The Living before–The Fountainhead by of all people that snide novelist Gore Vidal. The short of it is I read and liked the novel, again especially some features of it (e.g., where the importance of the human individual is asserted and defended). I was won over to Rand in part because I already held individualist views having survived a stint under Soviet communism–actually, as Susan Sontag so perceptively asserted many years ago, fascism–and a Nazi parent’s brutality. Such collectivist, communitarian regimes held out no attraction to me by then. Yet I lacked the education to figure out just why a human individual should be acknowledge as the center of values and Rand helped me figure this out. Right or wrong, I found Rand–whom I met, in 1962, for a 30 minute private chat but who banished me, too, later, from her group of close knit students–sensible, passionate, a bit bellicose, and all around very insightful about nearly all aspects of philosophy. Then came Atlas Shrugged for me, three years after its publication, and I read it on a single day in one fell swoop, that is how vivid and good a read the book was and, judging by its phenomenal sales worldwide, still is for its contemporary readers. Of course, there was a lot more meat in it than that fantastic train ride. So, for example, I cut out Galt’s brilliant speech, a long one that critics used so as to try to ridicule the novel, and with several buddies at Andrews AFB used to sit up weekends scrutinizing it. (Of course, no one much ridicules James Joyce’s lengthy stream of consciousness in his avant guard novel, Ulysses, or some of the Left wing political monologues included in, for instance, Swedish writer Henning Mankell’s The Man from Beijing. That’s partisan literature for you–Rand infuriated both the Left and the Right and some never could treat her honestly.) I saw Part I of the movie a few weeks ago and although it didn’t grab me as did the book when I first read it–how could it have?–it is a very good picture; it’s modern, serious, chuck full of poignant anti-statist and pro-capitalist dialogue (unlike most Hollywood products these days). The central theme is captured very well–about how when the mindful, productive, creative, and industrious folks in the land have had enough of the meddlers in Washington they go on strike and leave the place in shambles. The acting is good, much better than it was in the film version of The Fountainhead (with Gary Cooper and Patricia O’Neal–except for Cooper’s superb courtroom speech) and the production values are outstanding. The train and the bridge, made of Rearden metal, are rendered flawlessly! Even if billions go see Atlas Shrugged 1, 2 and 3, it will not, as the novel didn’t (to Miss Rand’s reported consternation), change the world–you would need attentive, thoughtful viewers for that and one can never guarantee this (a central features of human existence). Yet it will brighten the day, even perhaps the week, for many who go see it and might inspire quite a few who are new to Rand to give her ideas a good study. I did and I never regretted it for a moment! ——— Tibor R. Machan is the author of 40 plus books including Ayn Rand (Peter Lang, 2001) which was recently translated into German by Lichtschlag Medien und Werbung KGm. http://www.tibormachan.com

Hi Cyrus, Welcome to Objectivist Living. I hope you enjoy your time here. Most of us tend to be "Open Objectivists" or Objectivish, but we welcome all kinds as long as they don't come charging in hating on us. I like your avatar... got some of those too, along with the coppers. I dunno about the Objectivist Party and looking at their website, they seem to be a small fringe group that could never really win an election...and really don't want to. They may be able to draw some attention to important issues if they get on the ballot or they may just makes us all look like fools if they are total nutters (which is my suspicion). Since their facebook group is closed, I tend to think they are a secret society and don't want popular appeal or to actually grow and win elections. If they run someone good in my community maybe I'll vote for them just because I live in an extremely liberal college town and my guys never seems to win anyway. There are some good tea parties out there and that is probably where we belong, alongside the independents, libertarians and republicans. Don't let the social conservatives crowd us out. As long as the tea party doesn't get hijacked, we'll be fine. Kat

Thanks for your donations Jonathan and Dragonfly. I really appreciate it. ;-) I'm almost halfway to my goal and it is Autism Awareness month so go on over there to my site and sponsor me if you are able. This is very important. My son is fairly high functioning but I'd love to see him able to someday live independently. There is still much work to be done, but I really think they can find a cure during his lifetime. http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/chicago/katdaddy Kat

shhhhhhh... don't tell Michael. I went to the talk at the Hyatt and it was pretty good. It didn't seem to be a waste of time or gas because it was interesting and I walked from work. I was curious though if the movie would be mentioned, but it wasn't. Next Chicago talk is John Lewis - "Health Care: Where do we go from here? May 24, 2011 Same Bat time. Same Bat channel. Kat

Please join me in my fight to make a difference in the lives of the more than 1 million Americans living with autism today. I am participating in Walk Now for Autism Speaks to help change the future for all those affected by autism, including my 17 year old son, Sean who has PDD-NOS, an autistic spectrum disorder. Autism is the second most common developmental disorder in the United States affecting one in every 110 children born today. Despite some promising discoveries, the cause of autism is unknown and a cure does not exist. Research is crucial. Every 15 minutes another child is diagnosed with autism. Not only must we find ways to improve the quality of life for children and adults with autism, but we also must find a cure, and soon. Walk Now for Autism Speaks is our chance to make a difference in the fight against autism by raising money for autism research and heightening public awareness. Please join me in my fight as I raise money to help fund essential research. I know many organizations are asking for your help right now, particularly with the current situation in Japan. I understand and I'm giving to the Red Cross too. If you could donate something to sponsor me for the walk, I would greatly appreciate it. Autism affects my family 24/7 and I want to see a brighter future for people like my son, Sean. You can donate to Walk Now for Autism Speaks and/or join my team online using this link. Donations can also be mailed to Autism Speaks using the donation form located on my page also. Check out my video here: http://myvideo.autismspeaks.org/movie.php?key=cc60a1350603a9a2ea76f068cb0ba907322201112_1259 Thank you for taking an important step in the fight against autism. Donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Autism Speaks 501 ©(3) Tax Id #: 20-2329938 Follow This Link to visit my personal web page and help me in my efforts to support Autism Speaks ****************************************************************************** Some email systems do not support the use of links and therefore this link may not appear to work. If so, copy and paste the following into your browser: http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/chicago/katdaddy?faf=1&e=4375677069 ******************************************************************************

I'm here once in awhile.... just to peek to see what's happening in my kid's room. Michael, nice story but the way you ended it sucks. That chauvinistic attitude drives women away! I'm never posting again! Kat men are pigs

It is very important that the opening weekend is a big success. We have our tickets for the 5:00 show in Evanston. Please, if you have not already purchased your tickets, head on over to this Fandango link and get them. Many new theaters have been added since we purchased tix when they first went on sale. I want to see this movie become a big success. We've waited a long time for it. Kat

I can't wait to see this movie. I've always felt that this story would be a great movie and I'm glad I will finally get to see it. WOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!! I love this trailer and I think it will be a great movie. I'm so glad this was finally made. I just don't like having to wait 2 more months to see it. Roger is probably right about the politics around it and I certainly hope that the Objectivist/libertarian/conservative/tea party communities can find a way to find some common ground and get behind it despite their differences. This should be the one thing that will unite the splintered Objectivist community. Let go of the party lines and perfectionism and enjoy the movie we have waited a lifetime to see. Me, I get along fine with the other fellow travelers standing up for limited government. I'm glad to see Freedomworks is on board. I still support the Tea Party. On April 14, Michael and I are going to see Glenn Beck at the Chicago Theatre. On April 15th I am taking the day off of work and going to the annual Chicago Tax Day Tea Party, followed by a nice little movie called Atlas Shrugged. How cool is that? :-) Kat

Happy belated birthday, Ayn.

I think women should be paid more than men, but I'm a bit biased being female and all. Actually, I think an employer should be able to recruit for a position, have a certain salary range in mind and actually specify what it is and if they prefer a male or female, what experience they want, along with salary range. Nowadays job hunting is so difficult because of all the dancing around what should have been laid out in the first place. Most of the time they give you no idea what the salary range is until the second interview. If they laid it all out at the start people wouldn't waste their time sending out hundreds of resumes and employers wouldn't have to sift through all that. Once in the position that was posted at a certain range, the employer should be free to give raises and bonuses as they see fit, even if it would create a salary gap. It's their company.

Are your five posts up yet? Will you grace us with your presence tomorrow, jackass?

The graphic novel of Anthem was also shown on the Stossel show about a week ago when he had Yaron Brook on and showed the winners of the video contest. Anthem is now in the public domain so that is probably why it was the redone this way. Kat

Again, please define your terms. I hope this is not a veiled poke at Objectivism. Despite vicious rumors, we don't eat our young or cause suffering to others. An ideology such as racism would be cause for suffering of the innocent, particularly when there are hate crimes involved, and of course, there is Nazism. Even sick haters can be quite proud. I don't know if I would call such things sound ideologies, because they seem quite evil to me. Maybe I just don't understand what you mean by "sound ideology" though. Kat

I don't know what righteously pissed you off, young lady, but to flounce off calling us names and then promoting your new forum seems silly. If there was something going on that made you unhappy you should have reported it to my attention. People are free to come and go as they please. I'm removing the link. It's a sanction of the victim thing. I'm sure you will understand. Good luck. Kat

It is a personal choice. Anyway, what the hell are you still doing here? All you do is try to mock and insult Objectivism. Do I need to show you the door? Sheesh.

I saw the show the other day too and I think the contest is a great way to expose people to Objectivism. The winning entry from a young man named Reggie was quite good and was definitely the best video in the bunch. Here it is. <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqWd46O64zU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqWd46O64zU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqWd46O64zU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Why do you post such nonsense here? This article is over two years old. I'm sure any dating site has goofy ads and unlike many others, O'ists are looking for someone who shares their core values rather than focusing on physical traits, surface interests, etc. What's wrong with that? We have high standards and tend face a lot of disappointment in the world of romance. Maybe we're sick of kissing frogs. I'm glad Joshua has set up a place to find connections with like-minded people. Some of them deserve kisses, others... maybe not. Kat Michael is my highest value