Elenyel

Anyone have any thoughts on the morality of using Google's services at this point? On the one hand, they are a company with plenty of questionable practices, such as self-censorship in China, support for net neutrality, etc. On the other, Google is still the best search engine out there, that I know of, and has a variety of other services which are quite useful. So, is it ethical to use Google? Or not?

Only one, that I know of. The Anichkov Horses, described in We The Living, and quite a sight regardless. Diana Hsieh talks about them here: http://www.dianahsieh.com/blog/2006/05/ani...sky-horses.html

For a lesson in context dropping, check out this little gem of a site. Gotta love how it has no info as to the creator or sponsor of the site. I'd love to know who's writing this garbage. www.ariwatch.com

When I was in first grade, my preferred reading list had jumped past Dick and Jane, and consisted of comics in all forms. Batman and Prince Valiant taught me to read. So did Calvin and Hobbes. I remember one of my favorite strips was when Calvin is in class chewing gum, and Ms. Wormwood asks "Calvin, are you chewing gum?" "Yesh..." "Do you have enough to share with everyone?" *Calvin pulls out an enormous wad of gum* "Probably, but do you really think they'd want it?" The next scene is of him in the principal's office saying, "What?! It was her idea!"

Not sure this is the right section of the forum for this, my apologies if it isn't... I have a question on a passage from the Fountainhead, which I'm re-reading right now. In the scene where Kent Lansing and Howard Roard meet to discuss the commission of the Aquitania Hotel (page 321, hardcover), Lansing says: "...And yet, if I were asked to choose a symbol for humanity as we know it, I wouldn't choose a cross nor an eagle nor a lion and unicorn. I'd choose three gilded balls." I don't understand what "three gilded balls" is supposed to be/symbolize, though I can get the general idea from the context. Can anyone explain further? Thanks!

Jupiter, from The Planets, by Holst. The Firebird Suite, by Stravinsky Rachmaninoff's 2nd and 3rd symphonies Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov

I understand most of those... but why the Kinsey report? I don't really know anything about it, I've never read it, and I didn't see the recent movie, but... I was under the impression that it was an open minded and honest exposure of sexual practices? And I remember seeing something on capmag.com praising the film. I also don't know the website that list is from. Not Objectivist, I gather?

I've been reading and lurking and made, ah, two posts, I think, over the last two months. But, I'd like to start getting more involved in the forum, so, here's my intro! I'm a freshman at Montana State University, in Bozeman. I'm from Seattle, Washington, but came to Montana partly for a girl (who left me), and partly to be a ski bum (I have a much more serious relationship with the snow). I'm studying Exercise Science, with somewhat less enthusiasm than I'd planned, so we'll see how long that lasts. I was introduced to Objectivism by Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. I loved the books, and read an interview with Goodkind on his website, and saw a reference to Ayn Rand. I thought, "that looks interesting," and promptly forgot about it. Months later, I saw a post on a forum with the heading "Ayn Rand finds God." The post contained a quote from Anthem, "And now I see the face of God..." and a link to the book in its entirety. I followed the link, read the book, and read every other piece of fiction by Rand over the next month. I've been slowly but steadily going through Rand's non-fiction. I wouldn't say I have a complete enough understanding of the philosophy to claim the title at this point, but so far I'm an ardent supporter. As I mentioned, I grew up in Seattle, where the dominant trend is rabid, 60's style foaming at the mouth liberalism. Which, until I read Rand, was my style as well, though tempered by some beliefs picked up from writers like Goodkind and Orson Scott Card. It took reading Rand for me to realize how contradictory the mix of Objectivist, conservative, and liberal ideas really were though. I love music, I played piano for years, moved to percussion in middle school, and played with my (outstanding) high school orchestra. I listen to classical and jazz, and I also enjoy electronic dance music, so long as it's not too heavy or the "candy rave" variety. I don't listen to very much contemporary popular stuff, but I have a weakness for women with beautiful voices, Sarah McLaughlin, Dido, Tori Amos. I try not to listen too closely to what they're actually singing about. I also enjoy various athletics. I love to run, swim, and ski. I swam competitively for most of my life. I was never a star, but I was good enough hold my own, and I was captain of my high school swim team my senior year. I also worked as a swim coach for a year, which was the most fun I've ever had. And I imagine that's a complete enough introduction. Cheers!

I don't know about Francisco, but I think Ethan Hawke could do a very good Ellis Wyatt. And what does everyone think about Val Kilmer as John Galt? Forget, for the moment, his appearance in Alexander...

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To value anything, including untouched nature, a mental effort is required, the effort of comprehension, and a value judgment is made. The judgement "my life is better for seeing this, this is good for me." RadCap, is that on the right track?