Robert Jones

A child says, "I hate Grandma!" A parent answers, "Okay, fine: I'll tell Grandma not to cook Thanksgiving dinner, bring presents for Christmas and bake your birthday cake. After all, you wouldn't want to have someone you hate around on those days that are so important to you." The parent is teaching the brat that he is not the center of the universe and that his feelings don't have veto power over the adults in the family. ;)

The only hitch I see is that she is Sufi and this denomination of Islam is not seen well by many traditional Muslims. This is why Hassan is so important to her now. He is traditional. I think I will end up writing more about these people as we go along. Bless them. You made my day with this one. Michael Michael: I saw the PBS broadcast last night, and what a powerful documentary it was, particular when Irshad was in the Netherlands, interviewing that member of Parliament (whose name I can't recall at 6:30 a.m.) who lives with round-the-clock bodyguards after the murder of Theo Van Gogh. The mother of the little girl who died in the Madrid railway bombing was also a poignant interviewee. She said that she could never forgive Bin Laden. Bless her heart, because whenever I hear about the parents of suicide bombers who encourage their children to this madness, I now have the example of one woman whose heart isn't filled with hate and poison, but with the love and sadness for her departed daughter. That's the evil of the Islamist Nazis: That they've so inverted the natural parental instinct to love and protect their children that they gladly send their own children to their suicides. Irshad Manji is one of the few people in the world -- Moslem or not -- with real guts. She is heroic, knowing a veritable sword of Damocles hangs over her head every minute of her life. She is truer to herself than anyone in the world today, because she's true to herself beyond even inconvenience, but with death threats sent to her DAILY. She, not that butcher Arafat (may he burn in hell for his murderous acts of sending his own people's children to their deaths as well as the lives of so many innocent Jews), deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, because only through a reformation of faith can Islam coexist with the rest of the world and be though t civilised. I admire her for keeping her own faith; frankly, I would have converted in her situation, just out of disgust with fellow Moslems. She is the truest individualist in the world today.

Thanks for the dose of sanity, Victor: That one can be opposed to the Bible without sounding like an incoherently silly schizophrenic. You are always an honorable poster on these boards. By the way, friend Dodger, I would suggest to you that I am not a Catholic based upon the Bible, but based upon a glorious sense-of-life projected by many Biblical and canonized heroes, including the Saint of Reason, Thomas Aquinas. For the same reason I am an enthusiastic admirer of Ayn Rand's novels. You know what I figured out, once I did some growing up? It was this: That I admired Rand not because I agreed with the letter of Objectivism, but because of the glorious sense-of-life projected by her larger-than-life heroes. Tell you what: If you really want to sabotage Objectivism, in the next printing of "Atlas Shrugged," replace Galt's speech with your incoherent drivel. And then, watch the results! This is too absurd to even contemplate Ayn Rand writing anything remotely approaching what you just wrote. Regarding: "Im sorry, but I am completely emotionally detached when I talk to people who believe in Christianity. I think they are sheep and that they dont deserve my nice caring side. I would much rather show them the asshole that I can be." And, this place is called "Rants," so I gotta cut you some slack there. "Emotionally detached"? Please edit out all the cartoonish lines like: "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!" ...and then I will buy that one. Listen, pal, I know you think you're just among "your own kind," so you can spew crap like this, sort of like white guys making n*gger jokes when there are no blacks around. But, you're also responsible for your words. And, based upon the juvenile "gotcha" nature of your rant, I'd place your age at about 15 or so. But the proper word isn't "asshole." It's "bigot." Sheep? I'll show you a whole lotta sheep! Me and a whole slew of Army troops and Marines, my buddies going back 25 years. Come by the American Legion hall where we honor God and Country and dare call any of us "sheep"! While I'm no hero, I know a hell of a lot of guys who've been in harm's way, who've been in firefights, who've been in foxholes up to their knees in rain and their own filth. The vast majority of whom are quite religious in their own way, and don't take any crap from anyone. You'd last about five seconds, because you'd be preaching your unsolicited judgmental garbage on a good number of men who would just as soon bounce your hide out onto the street. Go back and actually READ that screed of yours. It is chock full of the manic, intolerant, rush to judgment brand of Objectivism that's better flushed down the commode and sanitized thereafter with a good helping of Pine Sol. Get your head out of your duffel bag, son! Ever occur to you that, if Objectivism is about anything at all, first and foremost it's about thinking for yourself? I know it is incomprehensible to you, but thinking for yourself is NOT treating the Bible OR "Atlas Shrugged" as REVEALED TRUTH, which is exactly what you're doing. Neither is thinking for yourself letting Ayn Rand, Lenny Peikoff or anybody else sit as a board of censorship insie your head. ("Oh, gosh, I can't be religious, because Rand said that means I'm not guided by free will, but dancing on the strings of a puppet master deity.") It takes ZERO guts or brains to come aboard this forum and parrot what Ayn Rand or anyone else in the "Movement" says. Grow up! Your manner of expression is not welcome here by me. Tell you what: You get the guts to be religious AND write for Objectivist publications. I would no sooner renounce my deepest-held beliefs just because of who cuts my paychecks than, say, Martin Luther, Thomas a Becket, Jeanne d'Arc, or Howard Roark would have. Either that, or take your shtick to the Focus On the Family folks and see if they put you on the payroll. Is the picture coming in any clearer now? It is to the eternal glory that the people on THIS side of Objectivism's fence have -- while not budging an inch on the principal of an atheistic metaphysics -- been accomodating in the extreme to those with a religious worldview. Take a look at the Moslem guy who's coming to the IOS summer seminar to connect the Islamic tradition of Ijtihad -- of rational debate and inquiry within Islam, rather than blind dogma -- and following the example of Averroes. Then DARE get up in his grille and serve up the same bizarre, screaming pile of fecal matter you just said about the Bible and Christians, but instead about the Koran and Moslems. Do you hear that sound? It's the silent sound of shame, of crickets chirping, because you've helped to drive home the stereotype that Objectivists are a bunch of hysterical zealots and puritans! So, I request that you get yourself an attitude adjustment because I know the Bible pretty well, too, and can make mince meat in no time out of your non-sequiturs and ad hominem attacks. Don't get in a pissing match with a skunk. I urge you to appeal to your mature reason instead of your inner child's emotions.

While, sadly, I'm inclined to agree with Bob, that does not mean I throw my hands up in the air and give up. While we must find a way to so humiliate these Islamists that they'll never be heard from again, it's our moral duty to promote and encourage reason where it exists. Irshad Manji, who's received death threats for her stances, is one stand-up advocate of reason. I beseach anyone concerned with the future of civilisation to watch her PBS special tonight, titled "Faith Without Fear: A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith." It should be airing at 9 p.m. Central (I can't find air times for stations outside of San Antonio). Check it out!

While, sadly, I'm inclined to agree with Bob, that does not mean I throw my hands up in the air and give up. While we must find a way to so humiliate these Islamists that they'll never be heard from again, it's our moral duty to promote and encourage reason where it exists. Irshad Manji, who's received death threats for her stances, is one stand-up advocate of reason. I beseach anyone concerned with the future of civilisation to watch her PBS special tonight, titled "Faith Without Fear: A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith." It should be airing at 9 p.m. Central (I can't find air times for stations outside of San Antonio). Check it out!

Letting himself be played by Gary Cooper instead of Charlton Heston or Gregory Peck.

I have a one-word counter-argument for you Mike: Chemistry

Expecting governmental public housing bureaucrats to stand by their word.

I know that everyone is really enamored with the Jacqueline duPree recording with Barbirolli that got a second wind after the movie "Hilary and Jackie" came out. But my all-time favorite is Andre Navarra's 1957 recording with Barbirolli. When it comes to Elgar, Barbirolli couldn't be touched. I envy you: To play trombone for an Elgar piece!

What: Still no reply? What's the deal? I'm listening to Elgar's Introduction and Allegro for Strings, and while not as passionate as Wagner, it's pretty damned passionate for British music. Hello? Anyone? Bueller?

Yoko so adept. Recycle John's old demos. Laugh all way to bank.

Ditto. While there may be little of note nowadays save a bunch of slick clones affecting insincere twangs and moronic lyrics (Tim MvGraw, Alan Jackson, and a bunch of others too mediocre to remember the names of), the 1950s through 1970s saw some incredibly awesome acts like Patsy Cline Eddy Arnold Johnny Cash Willie Nelson Hank Williams Hank Williams, Jr. Loretta Lynn Brenda Lee Wanda Jackson Jerry Lee Lewis Roy Orbison Jim Reeves Charlie Daniels and a slew of others I'm too tired to name at 5 am. Check any or all of them out!

Though I'm a huge Zep fan, I think that much of their "watershed" credit should go to Jake Holmes, Willie Dixon and others. You're absolutely right, but the genius of Zeppelin lay in its fusion of folk, blues and metal. When it comes down to brass tacks, they WERE a metal band. But, the complexity of it all! How they took Memphis Minnie's dirge "When the Levee Breaks" and turned it into something utterly beyond description is nothing short of genius! By the way, to me Zoso was their "watershed" album, although "Whole Lotta Love" (two years earlier) was truly their watershed song, the one that defined their hard-driving song, while taking it in another direction from their other "caught my woman with another man" blues-rock songs/covers and earlier metal stuff, which owed a lot to Black Sabbath. To get back to my original point: In 1,000 years, the Beatles would never have been able to make anything that could touch "Kashmir" or "In My Time of Dying."

PRECISELY! The campus police were on top of things? THE CAMPUS POLICE?????? I don't know how "hardcore" the Virginia Tech "campus police" are, but if they're LIKE EVERY OTHER CAMPUS POLICE, they're a bunch of KEYSTONE COPS, RENT-A-COPS, WANNABE, HAS-BEEN NEVER-WAS cops! Oh, it was a "domestic incident"? WHAT? As though that lessens the severity of the threat? The Virginia State Police troopers should have been on that campus like stink on shite! They should have been on LOCKDOWN! Unbelieveable! As for the Duke President AS WELL AS ALL THOSE LEFTIST PROFFESOR SANCTIMONIOUS LYNCH MOB, I'd get the baddest-ass civil liberties attornies and go after them PERSONALLY with DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER lawsuits! WHERE IS THE ACLU? (That's just a rhetorical question: The ACLU is defaming the characters of people who want to fly safely without Imams kneeling in the aisles, facing Mecca).

If only but ONE of the students had a conceal/carry permit and weapon at his side. It wasn't lack of gun control that mainly contributed to the high death toll, but the fact that the campus police let classes go on FOR OVER TWO HOURS after the initial attacks, trying to hunt him down as though he stole somebody's bicycle, letting the students sit there unaware of the situation and like SITTING DUCKS! They should fire the university president. As much as I hate slip and fall lawyers, if I were one of the dead's parents or spouse, I would be -- rightfully -- suing the hell out of that college! THIS WAS AVOIDABLE!

Oh my gosh, I don't know how I missed this one, Chris. Hope you get well. As a diabetic who's been in an out of the hospital since November 2005, I have three words for you: !. Exercise 2. Aspirin 3. Olive Oil Take those every day and you will protect yourself as well as whatever other exercise and prescription regimens you are on. Working for me (so far). Hang in there!

Yeah, that's what I think too: If Objectivists really want to be taken seriously, keep pushing the "Satanism" envelope! Sheesh!

Ed: Great analysis of the overanalysis second-raters are grafting onto Wagner's great works. I have always said that Wagner was the father of heavy metal, an observation borne out by the heavy usage of low brass and "speed metal" thrash guitars in the soundtrack to "300." I do not know ONE metalhead who, if they're at all into classical music, does not revere Richard Wagner. Hence, you will find the staging, lighting and fx at a Dio or Metallica concert in concordance with the proper staging of a Wagner opera than you will by going to a lot of today's productions of Wagner, it seems.

Thanks, Philip, for that. I very much appreciate that you derive enjoyment from my reviews -- by all means, whether you agree or disagree, write a letter to Robert. Sometimes it seems that I am writing for an audience of one (me), if I were to just go by the letters column. Most of the letters tend to be "in-crowd" arguments over the finer points of Objectivism, very technically-oriented debates. What I've tried to do with my corner of the magazine is create exactly the kind of place you mention, one in which Rand's overwhelmingly "benevolent universe" sense of life reigns supreme. (Of course, if I find a movie appallingly bad, then I go into full H.L. Mencken cynic mode). Nonetheless, I'm grateful for your comments. I've got some reviews of some great movies coming up, so I hope you enjoy those too. Ever since I wrote that review of "Rocky Balboa," I've gotten the boxed set of the other five, and last night I watched "Rocky III" with my son Evan, who is 19 months old. He is so smart -- he was shadow-boxing to it! Cheers, Rob't

Wow, it's true! Great minds DO think alike! I once posted a "review" on Amazon.com for a book on "Christ-Centered Depression Therapy," a counterpoint which was from my own unique perspective, titled "Irish Catholic-Centered Depression Therapy," which was basically just a recipe for drowning one's sorrows in Tullamore Dew, Jameson's, Paddy's and Guiness. The board moderators pulled it down after about a year when someone whined to them about how, if my "advice" were taken seriously, could lead to dangerous consequences. Duh!

Dude, thanks (makes the two-finger secret sign)!

Yes, Dio had a great "set of pipes", but Sabbath ceased to be Sabbath when Ozzy left. There's more to music than having good chops. Mick That's an interesting take, because I always thought when Geezer let go of Ozzy, he truly flourished as a creative artist by going solo and picking up Randy Rhodes. It's a matter of taste, of course, because Ozzy singing "Sweet Leaf" and "Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath" is a tough act to follow. I just prefer Dio, but still respect the Ozzman.

Who says? :getlost: Well, I say Star Trek is a subsection of crap. Yeah, I said it! *gets all indignant* Such cracks can sting, right Kori. I have learned to simply roll with the punches if you are to enjoy the benefits of cyber world. Kat: Oh, that Lucy in the Sky with Dimonds....painful, painful! How can a Beatle fan do this?? :hmm: Beatles were over-rated. The Kinks and the Stones were much better. Anyhow, the Beatles were hardly the watershed band people make them out to be -- I think they confuse them with Led Zeppelin.

Listening to Sabbath (with its better helmsman, Ronnie James Dio) singing "Sign of the Southern Cross." Damn, they were great! Nobody in metal had an operatic set of pipes like Dio! He could hold a note for over a minute, it seems.

John, all my sympathy for your child and you and your family. What can I say? I probably would have the same exact views as you theologically, if my own son were dealt such a bad hand. All I can say is this: You oughn't be judged harshly, or at all. As I have never heard from God directly, I have no hard proof He exists, or if there is an afterlife. For me, Faith is more her sister, Hope. Maybe it's the Irish in me, but every time I find a penny, I make a wish on it. The older I get, the more I realise things are out of my hands, and if there isn't a God, I sure hope there is. I believe in these things because I feel incredibly blessed. Even the littlest things make me realize how fortunate I am just to be alive and (relatively) healthy. Perhaps it's because I've been knocked off my bicycle twice by SUV drivers and not only lived to tell the tale, but got up within weeks of both wrecks, and did a 1,000 mile ride. I love Frank Sinatra's attitude on life: When an acquaintance made some offhand comment, for example, "that's a nice watch you're wearing," Sinatra would give the watch to the guy. I think he even gave a car to someone, just because they complimented him on it. Sinatra's reasoning was that God had blessed him with these things temporarily, that all Earthly things were just "on loan" from God, so he didn't feel tied to them. Now that's a great capitalistic attitude, rather than the stereotypical miserly "Scrooge" characterisation traditionally associated with the rich. Not so much that Sinatra was being generous, or even altruistic, but that he got an especial pleasure from spreading good cheer. A side issue: I am not a new ager; I chose my particular faith because it was one of the more traditional ones out there. However you slice it, and while I totally sympathise with you on this one, know that to your child there IS a benevolent force in the universe, and that that force is you. Remember that always.