Kat

I read Redeye on the train and I get Wall Street Journal online at work as well as business news articles linked from my company website. I subscribe to Time and watch Fox news and CNN, check general sites like yahoo and google news as well as following links all over the place. I have several news sources, such as whatgoeson.com and the British Beatles fanclub that populate my Beatles news site. Kat

resurrecting the holiday recipe thread... Last night Michael made me a yummy cranberry milkshake. The measurements are not exact as he just winged it. Cranberry Milkshake 2 cups fresh cranberries 1 pint of vanilla ice cream (strawberry may be good too) 1 cup or so milk (enough to make it drinkable) throw it all in a blender and zap till it makes a yummy pink milkshake. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Kat

A hot air popper works just fine too. Picked it up for $9.99 at Walgreens. It is a bit noisy, but it makes good popcorn without the chemicals and oil.

Hey, its good to see some of you back. Hugs to Kori, Robert and Ross. I know I've been pretty bad about not keeping up with the discussions. I do check in every day, but my time is limited and I tend to skim and seldom have much to add to the discussions. I'll admit that I dare not venture into art and music because I don't want to be attacked for my tastes. I'm a Beatlefreak... deal with it. Sometimes, and this happens on any O'ist site, people are constantly put on the defensive for stating an opinion, and on and on it goes, splitting hairs, presenting evidence and such. I also really got sick of a couple of very disrespectful people who seemed to be on a campaign against Michael and OL. So I guess you would say that I've been kind of laying low and just doing my own thing...working, watching Beatles videos on youtube, tending to my websites, practicing my ukulele and popping in occasionally to take a look. I'd actually like to see more humor, recipes, happy birthdays and other lifestyle stuff going on along with the intellectual stuff and setting the record straight about PARC. I think that would brighten up the post-election blues. Kat

Steve, you have gone too far. We do not host this forum to be insulted or have people we honor here, such as Greenspan, TAS, Bidinotto, Barbara and many others, insulted. Since you can't stand to disagree with the ideas without hurling your snotty-assed insults, maybe you simply don't belong here. If you wish to insult us, do it on someone else's dime and bandwidth. Your posts will be subject to review and editing from here on out. Kat

It is in times like these most people turn to their family or their church for comfort. Unfortunately, when you are an atheist, that may not always be the wise thing to do, especially when other are hostile towards your values. Sometimes you have no one else but yourself to rely on for strength. Just remember that what he did was his choice, not yours or anyone else's and you may need to make a conscious effort not to blame yourself. I realize how hard this is because I lost my best friend a couple of years ago to an overdose. A couple months prior I had shut her out of my life and told her to call me after she decides to get help. That never happened and I found out a few months later that she was gone. I fight a constant battle with myself because I walked away when she needed me, but after being in an alcoholic marriage for 10 years, I had to. It is still painful writing about this years later and I don't think I will ever be able to find a new best friend to replace her. Having Michael and my kids helps a lot and alleviates some of the loneliness. When you lose someone who you are very close to, it takes a long time to heal. If you have a friend or therapist who you feel comfortable with, please talk to them, if even to open up and explore your own feelings. One hard lesson I learned from being around people who are struggling with addictions, depression or other mental illnesses is that no matter how rational they may be most of the time, their rationality can be short-circuited and there is nothing that anyone on the outside can do to stop them from self-destructing if that is what they are hell-bent on doing. You have to stay strong and do what is in your best self-interest. Time will help heal so give yourself plenty of time so you can think clearly when you have to make the really hard choices. Take care of yourself and stay strong. Kat

I'm confused. Can you define morality for me. I think of morality in terms of being ones own personal code of values as far as what is ethical and good and guides actions as far as doing what is right according to your code of values. I am just speaking for myself and not digging into what Ayn Rand or Objectivist literature has to say. That would take some looking up. So are you saying that helping others is always morally value neutral? ... Even if it makes you and others happy and it is in your rational self interest and that of others? Kat

This is too funny. If it does not display properly go to the SNL Biden-Palin debate spoofon nbc.com (Gosh darn it, I can't seem to get it work in firefox. I'd better call Joe six-pack, he's a maverick at fixin this sort of gee-whiz bang stuff) SNL Biden-Palin debate spoof

Election time is coming up quickly. Let us know who you are supporting this November.

Hi Luke, Welcome to Objectivist Living. I hope you enjoy it here. I'm not sure how your philosophy of benevolence differs from Objectivism or humanism or what the similarities are, but that would be an interesting topic to explore. I would also like to hear about what you call your rejection of morality. Are you talking about how Christians base morality on faith or how altruists base it on sacrifice, or something completely different. I consider Objectivism to be a very moral and benevolent philosophy and am curious to know what you agree or disagree with in this area. Kat

Bob, I'd be very interested in reading your blog. I had no idea you were an Aspie. Several years ago my son Sean was diagnosed with PDD-NOS but it appears to be evolving into Aspergers. Apparently there is some controversy over the diagnosis criteria and whether things like delayed speech rule out Aspergers. I've started reading Tony Atwood's Complete Guide to Aspergers Syndrome and it is very helpful. Sean recently started back into treatment and his therapist recommended that book to me because despite my sons developmental delays, the behaviors are very aspie-like and the more I read about it, the more I can see it. It is one of those books that, like Atlas Shrugged, you wish everybody would read it and get a clue. Thanks for putting this out there. I'd love to hear your story. Kat

This movie was awesome. It was one of the most amazing films I have ever seen... the characters, the story, the action were incredible. There was a lot going on, yet it was easy enough to follow and purely entertaining. And, yes, Heath Ledger as the Joker outshines just about any villain, with his portrayal as a truly evil man with nothing to lose who just wants to watch the world burn because he thinks chaos is fun. A man beyond the reach of reason. The Dark Knight was filmed in Chicago so, at least for me, there was cool a hometown familiarity to it. I did miss seeing the cool L trains they had in Batman Begins. Last summer Chicago turned into Gotham City late at night for the filming and I would get street closure notices in my inbox at work. Chicago has great architecture which is a mix of old and new, underground streets, the lake and the river. I definitely recognized many of the places such as LaSalle Street, Lower Wacker, Navy Pier, the river, the old post office as the bank, etc. The effects were real for the most part, with little reliance on CGI. They actually blew up an old Brachs candy factory on Cicero Ave. for the hospital scene. Anyway, if you have not seen this movie, go see it on the biggest screen possible. I can't wait to see it again at the IMAX. Kat the Bat

Gary Wright, Billy Squier, Ringo Starr, and Edgar Winter (not shown: Colin Hay, Hamish Stuart & Gregg Bisonette) Seeing Ringo again was awesome. It's hard to believe he is nearly 70. I squeezed in next to the CNN TV camera for a bit and got some great pictures.... that is until the blue meanie police officer told me to move. Ringo talked a bit to the press about the tour and then they brought out lots of cupcakes with little peace signs on them. I also went to the concert a few days later and it was one of the best tours ever. Unfortunately, I didn't think I could bring in a camera and left it at home. This was a really good group of musicians. I was really amazed at what a versatile musician Edgar Winter is. His most famous songs are Free Ride and Frankenstein and he was the first musician to ever attach a strap to a keyboard and play. He was also playing saxophone and drums during the show. Gary Wright is an old friend of Ringo and George Harrison and told the story of how George introduced him to Indian philosophy and how a poem in a book George gave him inspired him to write Dreamweaver. Gary seems like a wonderful guy and even posted a couple of my photos on his myspace. Colin Hay performed his Men at Work hits and a newer song, Are you Looking at Me, and everyone was singing along. Billy Squier did his popular songs like The Stroke, Lonely is the Night and what was really pretty cool was that he did a cover of an acoustic cover that someone did of his song In The Dark that he saw on youtube. Ringo was of course the great showman, everyone's best friend and a wonderful host. He did several Beatles songs as well as solo songs, including Liverpool 8. At the end for their not an encore, they brought in Richard Marx, and Ringo totally outted Billy and Richard. It was pretty funny seeing those guys grinning up there. They sang With a Little Help from My Friends and the chorus of Give Peace a Chance. It was a really great show and if the band comes through your town, go see them. It is a great show! Here is a list of the songs they performed: 1. With A Little Help From My Friends Introduction (Ringo vocal) 2. It Don't Come Easy (Ringo vocal) 3. What Goes On (Ringo vocal) 4. Memphis in My Mind (Ringo vocal) 5. Lonely is the Night (Billy Squier vocal) 6. Free Ride (Edgar Winter vocal) 7. Down Under (Colin Hay vocal) 8. Dream Weaver (Gary Wright vocal) 9. Boys (Ringo vocal/drums) 10. Pick Up the Pieces (Hamish Stuart vocal/guitar) 11. Liverpool 8 (Ringo vocal) 12. Act Naturally (Ringo vocal) 13. Yellow Submarine (Ringo vocal) 14. Are You Lookin' At Me? (Colin vocal/solo acoustic) 15. In the Dark (Billy vocal/solo acoustic) 16. Frankenstein (Edgar keyboards/alto sax/drums) 17. Never Without You (Ringo vocal) 18. Choose Love (Ringo vocal/drums) 19. The Stroke (Billy vocal) 20. Work to Do (Hamish vocal/acoustic guitar) 21. I Wanna Be Your Man (Ringo vocal/drums) 22. Love is Alive (Gary vocal) 23. Who Can it Be Now (Colin vocal) 24. Photograph (Ringo vocal) 25. Oh, My My (Ringo vocal) 26. With A Little Help From My Friends (Ringo vocal) 27. Give Peace a Chance (Everyone vocal - with Chicago guest Richard Marx) Kat

Hi Don, It is nice to meet you. Welcome to Objectivist Living. I'd guess you'd say I'm a semi-Objectivist too as I certainly don't agree with the orthoOist views on things such as the war, art and music. I have my own views and my own tastes, and in my book, that is what individualism is all about. I'm Kat, Michael's kitten. I generally stay pretty quiet and sit quietly on Michael's lap purring as he does the intellectual heavy lifting. Michael and I call ourselves renegade Objectivists. I hope you enjoy it here and find time to participate in the discussions. Kat

On Monday, July 7, 2008 I had the unique honor of attending Ringo's birthday happening at the Hard Rock hotel in Chicago. I wiggled myself in next to the CNN camera and got some great pictures. I have posted them up on www.myspace.com/katdaddy9 Looking forward to seeing Ringo and the band again on Sunday! Peace & Love Kat

A big Happy Father's Day to all the Dads and Almost Stepdads out there. Here is our family at the Navy Pier ferris wheel yesterday. Sean calls Mike his "Almost Stepdad" Kat

Happy belated birthday, sweetie. Sorry I was out of town on your big day. I really missed you. Luckily, in our house birthdays last about 2 weeks and everyone gets presents. We'll do some celebrating this weekend. xoxoxox

I have never taken PARC seriously because I saw it for what it was from the beginning... A smear campaign against the Brandens. I too hoped it would fade fast. A horrible injustice has been done against the Brandens, especially Barbara, and I am very pleased to see the good members of OL sifting through all the rhetoric and BS so that it does not do any more damage. Michael, Robert, Jordan and Neil have done a tremendous amount of research and should be applauded for their efforts. Ayn Rand was not properly defended after the publication of Atlas and it hurt her deeply. Barbara needs our defense now. Barbara's book did not smear Ayn Rand, but Valliant's book certainly does. Ellen and Brant hit it spot on with many of their comments. The journals need to be released independently of PARC. It would have been nice if there was never a break, but what happened, happened, and you cannot shoot the messenger (Barbara) for exposing it. It would be nice, also, if we could all just rise above it all, unfortunately we can't. Garbage detail to do. Kat

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Yay!!! Inky's back!!!

Hi Julian, welcome to Objectivist Living. We're glad to have you here. Jump right in to the discussions. Best of luck with your studies, get really good at it and make lots of money and lots of people beautiful. Kat

My family is participating in Walk Now for Autism to help find a cure for autism. As you probably know, my son has an autistic spectrum disorder called PDD so autism is something that touches our family personally every day. Autism is the second most common developmental disorder in the United States affecting one in every 150 children born today. Despite some promising discoveries, the cause of autism is unknown and a cure does not exist. Research is crucial. Every 20 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 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 will be walking on May 18 and would like you to support those affected by autism. You can sponsor us or donate to Walk Now for Autism and join my team online through my webpage at www.walknowforautism.org. Donations can also be mailed to Autism Speaks using the donation form located on my page or send a check made out to Autism Speaks and mail it to: Autism Speaks Walk Donations Department 5455 Wilshire Blvd, #2250 Los Angeles, CA 90036 Please join me in my fight against autism. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of the more than 1 million Americans living with autism today. http://www.walknowforautism.org/chicago/personal/kwheeler Here is Sean's song... every kid needs a theme song... Beautiful Boy by John Lennon <object width="425" height="373"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_imwld_WzI&hl=en&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_imwld_WzI&hl=en&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_imwld_WzI&hl=en&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="373"></embed></object>