Chris Grieb

All that is more than why I am waiting to see if he ever publishes his next book, which he said was going to be taking on the Old Testament. I mean, that's gonna be some funny stuff, right there.

Thomas Paine did this to my own satisfaction in his Age of Reason. Never out of print in two centuries, though long out of copyright.

To paraphrase Hugo (in a quote favored by Rand), if you must have such a dissection, read "lions, not lice."

The Old Testament is a well traveled land but I guess when you have your own publisher being original isn't necessary.

I'm with Greybird and Robert.

Here is the link to a video I came across on stumble:

http://tinyurl.com/yb7my5b

I will settle for vicarious pleasure.

www.campaignforliberty.com 230,345

gulch

Yep. I finally got to see it. It looks like the perfect sport for people with a death wish.

Ba'al Chatzaf

Ba'al; I agree.

There are a few people who have been impressed with Valliant's work. Have they read this stuff. Peikoff has been a lost cause for years but I'd love to here what someone like Bill Perry says.

It turns out that Leonard Peikoff has had one more thing to say, within the last year, about biographies of Ayn Rand.

By implication, at least.

From his podcast of August 24, 2009 (1:40 to 2:17):

Now, I have another question from the same person, about two individual Objectivists in a public profile, and in a long question, he wants to know, uh, what I think of them—do I agree with them?

And my answer is, uh, uhh, I thoroughly approve of the intellectual battle waged by Jim Valliant and Diana Hsieh [struggles with pronunciation]. I admire the work of both so, to the the extent that I know it.

Robert Campbell

Robert; Do you find this surprising? I don't.

The crash with the Polish President and a host of other Polish government officials which was near the site of Katyn massacre is very distributing news. I hope the truth can come out but with Putin in charge I have my doubts.

Robert; Thanks you for Heller reference about her being in Paris.

Happy Birthday Nathaniel and thank you for all your work.

Peter; Perhaps in discussing politicians we should remember the last line of one of the greatest comedies ever made. "Nobody's perfect!"

I am curious if anyone can say when Ayn Rand would have seen the Venus de Milo. I don't recall any mention of her ever visiting Paris. Hasn't the Venus de Milo always been at the Louvre?

Michael,

I am surprised that you don't mention that our illustrious Fuhrer (I have purposely not used his name in the futile hope that I will avoid surveillance) actually fulfills Ayn Rand's definition of a fascist. I mean FASCIST! Of that there can be no doubt. His advocacy of individual mandates alone is enough to meet the criteria. Ayn Rand pointed out the difference. In socialism the State owns everything including you and the ground you stand on. In a fascist state you are permitted to keep your name on yourself and on your business but the State dictates whatever it wishes regarding how you run your business and your life. Admittedly the distinction is superficial.

Judge Napolitano has a new book out Lies the Government Told You and there is an interview with him on the Reason website. I don't think his solution to repeal the Seventeent Amendment so that the States will have a seat at the table will be enough or goes deeply enough to solve the problem:

http://reason.com/archives/2010/04/08/injustice-system/

If the campaign for liberty and Young Americans for LIberty accomplish drawing the attention of young people to the ideas in a handful of books which the public schools and liberal colleges keep from them perhaps there is some hope.

www.campaignforliberty.com 230,291

Surprise: I agree with Gulch about Obama's politics.

Paul Ryan spoke at TAS event commemorating of Ayn Rand's 100th birthday. He also has his interns read Atlas Shrugged. Also on the plus side he know how to pronounce Ayn Rand's first name unlike Ron Paul. On the minus side he describes himself as a Roman Catholic.

Dan; The GOP is not going to go away.

.

70 years

Thanks for posting that link.

This might just be a good sign.

This is not surprising.

I too heard from Chris S. I would not want to be facing three operations. Makes me wish prayer worked.

Nathan; Charter schools should be looked into carefully. Does anyone know of any more rationlly based group who looks at schools all over the country?

Robert; I for one will miss this thread. You have done some great work and I thank you.

Ford Hall Forum 1978

Q&A, 5:10 through 5:37

Q: Miss Rand, what is the most dangerous philosophical concept that a man could follow?

A: A man could follow? A single concept? The … uh… Actually, if I have to make a choice, I would say irrationalism, because it involves everything else.

The Objectivist Calendar #17 (December 1978), p. 2.

A single concept? If I have to make a choice, I would say irrationalism, because it involves everything else.

Ayn Rand Answers (p. 165)

Mayhew reproduced Rand's lightly edited version.

I find Mayhew's editing on this item at an acceptable level.

I'm no fan of the laws of libel, slander, and defamation.

Robert, are you an anarchocapitalist?

Some of my brightest and best-educated friends are. Your remark caught my eye.

Sorry if you have already answered this question earlier and I just didn't notice.

Stephen,

I just now saw your question here.

I'm not an anarchocapitalist. Never have been.

I don't usually participate in limited government/anarchist debates because I have absolutely no fresh arguments to bring to a controversy that's been smoldering, if not raging, for 50 years, and that pertains to two political systems either of which would be a tremendous improvement over what is being imposed on us today.

I think that if there are libel laws at all, they should be restricted to the publication of deliberate falsehoods about someone's product or service with the purpose of harming their sales in the marketplace.

I am sympathetic to Murray Rothbard's argument that, whatever we might do to earn our reputations, they aren't our property.

And my observation has been that libel, slander, and defamation are rarely defined in any objective way; traditionally, they are that which offends someone loudmouthed and deep-pocketed enough to use part of the legal system against an opponent.

Robert Campbell

Robert: On this and on other issues we are on the same page. On libel I have to add that I think things are worse in the UK>

Thanks for posting this item. I enjoy Hugh Laurie as Bertie Wooster than I do as House.

[...] Enough said. I don't mean to change the subject of this thread.

I gladly give you a special dispensation.

(Just had to say that! {g})

Anyway, having started this symposium, I'll jump in again to say that of all this productive thinking that's gone on about l'affaire Hickman and tangential matters, Barbara's course (or what I've gleaned from it) is probably the simplest and most useful:

Admit, if and when needed, that Rand made a sizable mistake in the object of her attention, when she was a younger writer learning about American culture. Don't gloss over it. Yet proceed to focus on the profound achievements that she did end up finishing.

I AGREE!

Whoa!

The Congressman might need a tox screen...

Robert Campbell

Robert; There is a post on Powerline that reports that Congressman Johnson has some series health issues. He also thinks micro-wave ovens may burn up the oxygen in the atmosphere. The country in the very best of hands.

But some Channel 13 that doesn't get 10% of the audience is "public" television, because nobody will want to pay for what they offer [some laughter]. So, the whole concept is collectivist and rotten.

To get 10% of the audience, I don’t know the statistics, but that must be outstanding by today’s standards. While I’m not if favor of government funded media, I listen to NPR and watch public television, so the part about no one paying for what they offer, well, if they ran commercials it would be fine with me. The Ascent of Man, Doctor Who (yeah, both are originally BBC programs), Louis Rukeyser (where Rand made her last public appearance, does anyone have a tape?), there’s been great stuff on PBS.

Your point about the small numbers who watch PBS is correct. I don't think PBS is tested by Neilson.

I attended this talk by AR. It was between 1970-73 (not sure of exact yr.) If anyone knows where a printed version is available or if anyone who has it might post it here I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

I believe the lecture is in "The Return of the Primitive: The Anti-Industrial Revolution." This book has articles by Peter,"the enforcer" Schwartz which were added on Lenny's say-so and don't belong in an Ayn Rand book. It's on Amazon.