AshleyAyn

The only way I could forgive Snape is if he knew that Dumbledore wouldn't survive the poison. Great sleuthing, finding that mention of the locket. And, Harry inherited all of Sirius' things so he just has to think of it being there. I doubt Lily is related to the Weasley's or else there wouldn't be any need of Harry to go to the Dursley's and I doubt Rowling would have the love thread between Harry and Ginny.

A funny personal story...I bought a 5 speed for my first car and was having a very difficult time learning to drive it. One night I dreamed that I was driving a 5 speed perfectly. The next day I got in my car and...I could drive. Looking back I think that I was nervous of driving the 5 speed and therefore tense. Perhaps the relaxed state of the dream and the success I had while dreaming solidified the motions I needed in order to become a better driver. Another dream I had that was sort of funny...I dreampt that I was pregnant (which was impossible). In the dream I was looking through cupboards with my brother. I kept saying "I know that he is in here somewhere!" When I woke up from this dream I felt certain that my brother's wife was pregnant with a little boy...and sure enough two months later they called to say they were pregnant and then they found out it was a boy! I don't think that this means that dreams can predict the future...I think that it means that I probably overheard them talking about their plans for when they were going to have their next child, and since I adore having new nieces and nephews my subconscious provided the dream because I was wishing that they would have another baby soon. I don't understand it fully, and back when I first had this happen to me I was very mystical, but now I know that there are always reasonable explanations for these things

I know exactly what you mean: I suffer from the same symptoms. I have never been diagnosed, but in winters past I have found a few tricks (which have no scientific basis, these are just things that I have found have helped me): 1- I go tanning every two to three weeks starting in January. (You may want to start a bit earlier). I don't go frequently, just every time that the weather begins to get to me. 2- I spend more time doing fluff things like reading that I would not normally focus time on. I watch more movies, even watching movies that I have seen numerous times before. For some reason that I do not understand this helps me focus on other activities that would otherwise suffer. 3- I give myself more breaks. I allow for the fact that my mind tends to wander, and instead of fighting it I work around it. I also tend to stay up later during the winter and catch up on sleep during the day when (at least to me) there is nothing romantic about the weather. I enjoy winter nights with the wind howling, the pink sky during a snowstorm...etc. I try to find aspects to winter time that I can like. However, I hate to ski and ice skate. I hate being cold!!! 4- I increase how much iron intake I receive. I eat more steaks, and take an iron supplement. 5- I got a dog which forces me to take daily walks. ~My sister and I both have suffered from winter time blues for years and we were always told that it was inside our heads. My sister now lives in San Diego and lives a normal life year round whereas she used to go a little crazy during the long Utah winters. When I can afford to I will live somewhere warm!! In the mean time I expect to be a little slower. I also expect that my desire to be active all the time will decrease and so I allow myself more time to accomplish tasks, and I don't focus too much on what I haven't done or accomplished. I find that just makes me feel worse!! Mostly I just expect winter to affect me in certain ways and I watch for the warning signs that I am suffering from the winter, and then choose to do something to counter it (like go tanning or eat some steak!!!)

Perhaps I am going to over-simplify this - or maybe I am missing your point altogether. Morality ends where the gun begins. period. What she meant by that was that the person in that lifeboat situation actually has no choice and to be judged on your actions you have to have the freedom to act. The immoral man is Man A, and every action that he undertakes, or forces someone else to undertake becomes his responsibility because he initiated the situation and the force. In a great deal of the emergency ethical situations the freedom to act is limited to so few choices - none of which are particullarly moral - that they are not really relevant to the real world. They tend to be a waste of time because it would be extremely unlikely that any one of us would be in a situation like that - and I would assume that you already act in moral ways otherwise (the usual day-to-day activities) then you would likely choose (if a choice were available) the correct action in an emergency situation.

The concert was fun - I was pleasantly surprised..Dave Matthews was political but not nearly as bad as I expected he would be. Mostly he said everyone should get out and vote. However, before the concert they had this liberal dj who was just terrible and it took all of my effort to ignore what he was saying and focus instead on the beautiful weather & my wonderful memories of the art I'd seen the day before... My only regret of the entire trip was that I couldn't spend more time looking at the art. We had to leave Burlingame earlier than I had thought to get back in time for our dinner reservations.

Thanks for all of your replies! It was definitely worth it!

I am going to be in San Fran this weekend and I want to go to the Cordair Art Gallery. I found out that my hotel is sort of far away from the gallery and what I am wanting to know from those who have visited it: is there a lot to see there? I am traveling with my brother, and when he saw how far away the gallery was he started complaining about me making him go there. My general question is: is it worth forcing the issue? My brother is not a terrible guy, he will appreciate good art, but is there enough there to justify going out of our way to see it? Thanks in advance for any responses!

I think that the major issue here is that they are politically astute and think for themselves until they are asked to put their mind to the side and take something on faith. What are the chances that the prophet will come out and ask the followers to vote a certain way? Very small. However, it is a possibility - and if they were asked most Mormons would vote that way regardless of what their head tells them. That is the frightening thing about religious people - they can be totally logical and rational until it comes to faith and that is where all of the problems start. My bro-in-law is a very strict Mormon. I am very close to his kids (which drives him crazy ). My 15 year old niece was interested in the Anthem scholorship and had gone to the ARI website to get info about it. Now, that site is blocked. My bro-in-law knows nothing about Ayn Rand personally except that she is an atheist. He blocked the site out of fear that his daughter would be exposed to something dangerous. There is a hypocritical element to the reason/education side of the Mormons. I have several examples from my family alone where some of my relatives won't even read a page of a Rand book solely because she was an atheist. A completely irrational and ridiculous fear response that prevents them from operating fully with reason.

First things first w/the taxes - before they go the programs that they pay for have to go. It was not because the taxes were so high and we had such a surplus that they began creating all of these 'wonderful' government programs...it is the programs that have to go and the philosophy behind them. Then the tax system can change (or will change in tandem w/the rest of it all). This fairtax is really just another ploy during election year to get more people voting for the GOP.

ZiggyKD Is he single? Most everyone I have met reminds of the more negative aspects, however I have met one man who reminds me a bit of a budding John Galt...time will surely tell I have a brother who attempts to live his religion (mormonism) to the letter - contradictions and all - he has so many mixed premises that he can contradict his own argument three times in ten minutes and not even see it. (it is actually kind of sad)

I would highly recommend reading Letters of Ayn Rand as well. I have found her responses to people to be a very useful way to better understand O'ism in regards to living it daily. I have gone through times where I fear that I'll never meet a man w/a sense of life to match mine - and then I remind myself that even if that were to happen I will still be able to enjoy life. However, I am not taking it passively - I found a Toastmasters group in Mesa, AZ (back in 2001) where many of the people had a lot of the same political views as I did - and it turned out that there were four or five objectivists there - a total surprise to me. I have since moved from there and haven't been as lucky, but I know that there are great people out there - I just have to get out there. Look at how AR and Frank O'Conner met - they were not even at an event or looking for someone specifically, but they ended up coming together and having a very happy marriage. I know it sounds a little trite, but keep your spirits up and eventually something will click - and even if it doesn't you can know that you have lived your life to the fullest extent that you could control.

Thank you!

Maybe someone can tell me the last three minutes of the movie. I was watching it w/a child who desperately needed to use the restroom right at the end. We went out just when Spiderman's best friend is alone in his house and came back right at the end when he leaves to follow the sirens.

I love to listen to Beethoven's 5th and his Egmont overture...The music moves swiftly, and though there are dark parts I find that they are always followed up by something brilliantly bright and uplifting. If I am ever down and need a pick me up I go to Vivaldi's Four Seasons or else Beethoven's 5th.

I watched an episode of STNG last night: First Contact. It had a very annoying end but overall it was a great episode with two people who were willing to accept change and adapt, while everyone else on the planet were still convinced that their planet was the center of the universe and meeting aliens would disrupt their entire culture. For the most part the message was pretty good...anti religion and pro change and science - Picard has some good lines. I've always enjoyed Star Trek - my friends have always made fun of me, but I know it is because of it's pro-life & pro-discovery views that I really enjoy watching it. I'll always stop on an episode of STNG.

I would have to say just from the little I know of the situation it may be worth sticking it out because people even willing to read AR are so few and far between. If this person is intelligent and even somewhat intellectually honest there is a good chance that some of the individualism will stick (and w/Keating there was a point where he realized what he was and he tried to come back from the edge - perhaps it isn't too late for your friend...) I have found so few people who would even read all of the Fountainhead or Atlas that I have to admire this person for their tenacity in trying to be such a brilliant second-hander!

I love to watch As Time Goes By...the humor is very different from American comedies. There aren't a lot of episodes of this one, but I think Judy Denche (spelling?) is a fantastic actress and is very fun to watch.

I read a ton too. I have found it harder to find authors that I really enjoy since I read AR - she has spoiled me! One author that hasn't been mentioned yet that I love is Anton Myrer - I would highly suggest Once an Eagle & The Last Convertible. Both are about soldiers during WWI & WWII.

If you were to ask a Mormon they would tell you that it is a monotheistic religion. They get their feathers ruffled when people ask whether they are christians or not because of the same area of greyness. BTW, I was curious why you want to know?

What I would like to know is what possible benefit would pursuing this line of "imagining" have to your life? When you assert "I'm not hoping to prove such an assertion, but merely suggest it as a possible alternative..." you invalidate the very reason why anyone looks to the unkown - which is to prove or disprove a theory. If you have a hypothesis you then seek through scientific inquiry facts to prove or disprove your assertion. When you yourself admit that this is not possible what possible benefit can you gain? Perhaps a better approach to such questions could begin w/questions and hypothesis' that can be proved. You can learn a great deal about yourself, what sort of purpose there can be to life, and larger questions about the universe by starting with rational assertions rather than unprovable imaginings. I think that great things can be accomplished by asking great questions, but only within the realm of what could reasonably be pursued. Otherwise, you will always be unhappy because you will always view the world as unknowable and unexplainable which is a very uncomfortable way to live.

I'd have to say Francisco is my favorite! I said to someone recently {in jest} that I want to meet my Francisco and she wanted to know why I didn't say my Galt...I think that Francisco is the most romantically portrayed character I have ever read.

This is an issue that I have grappled with personally. Do you have any reports or statistics that show that illegal immigrants consume less from the welfare state than they bring in? I'd really appreciate it!

I agree w/GC's reply that Dagny was justified in her action. I like this quote from AR out of _The Romantic Manifesto_ "Pity for the guilty is treason to the innocent". I posted this for two reasons: 1rst it has bearing on her question about Dagny, and secondly because I've been meaning to find out whether AR coined that or if someone else said it first. I originally read it in Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series and it hit me hard. I just finished reading AR's book and found that same sentence (I know Goodkind would have gotten it from AR but did AR originate it or did someone else?).

I was considering a small part of the previous posts and thought of Benjamin Franklin's response when asked what sort of government they were forming - he said something along the lines of: "A republic if you can keep it" (I don't know the exact quote - sorry). A democracy is not the way to go unless the people cannot vote to remove anyone's individual rights (the republic). So, if you are going to redefine America without some of it's inherent problems the first step would be to narrowly define what can and cannot be voted on by the public in general. If certain provisions of the constitution were not up for debate or vote but were ultimately pro-individual - that could possibly solve a lot of the issues we are faced with by non-educated people having the right to vote. I hate listening to the current trend of democratizing the entire world - what good is that going to do when all of their philosophies are so inherently evil? Whenever I am arguing that point with people (because they stupidly accept that America is so great because it is a Democracy) I tell them that if 51% of the population decided to vote to commit mass suicide it would be considered morally alright because it was a majority decision - usually people just get mad and storm off, but I think that they get the gist.

I liked the quote from AR - it is easier almost to think of it as a battle that I am preparing for... Ash, you said: I would be interested in talking to you more about the book you wrote, and about writing in general. We should get together sometime and do that. We should I was thinking of buying some new Tchaikovsky - any suggestions of where to start?