A.West

A lot of factory towns like that are money losing but are financed by increasing loans from the state-owned banks. Occasionally, the bank will stop lending money, or a party official or the current managers will sell/scrap the assets and pocket the money. Sometimes the local officials/managers have forced the employees to "invest" their life savings in the factory, then declare it bankrupt. There are plenty of sad stories like this in China over the past ten years. The factories in the LA Times article is probably living on borrowed time and money.

Use the course to your advantage. Find the many history books that explode the myths your teacher regurgitates, and come to a better understanding of what really happened. Identify the philosophical/ethical errors underlying the counterreaction against fantastic capitalist growth. Early in my college career I took a macroeconomics class taught by a doctrinaire Keynesian. I got the top grade in the class while learning more about the enemy, and better understanding why Keynesianism is flawed. I would preface my answers with "according to ... " so as to get a correct score while maintaining my opposition to what was tought in class.

I can think of a few reasons Rachmaninoff played "fast". Perhaps that's how he heard it in his head, and thus intended it. Perhaps he faced a physical limit on the recording time available (common in the early days of recording - a piece had to be less than X minutes to fit on one disk). I've also read stories that Rachmaninoff disliked audiences growing restless, so for example, if he heard coughs, he would cut out parts of a piece and thus shorten his performance. That same attitude could have pressed him to play faster, though I don't think a performer of his seriousness would seriously distort the music for that reason. I just relistened to all 10 discs of the RCA set of Rachmaninoff performances during work yesterday. I like Rachmaninoff's performances, though the sound quality prevents it from being my main listening choice. I think you have to already know the music well to allow your mind to fill in the acoustic blanks of the primitive recordings.

AisA, here is something on the cadenza: http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/wo.../pc3.html#grp11 Here is a classification of some major Rachmaninoff 3rd Concerto recordings http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Strasse/86...eRach3Page.html I like Ashkenazy/ w. Haitink, which featured the big cadenza, though I don't think there's one ideal recording. Some people love the Argerich 3rd, and I just didn't see the big deal. Othes are passionate about Horowitz, but I don't like dealing with hiss and missed notes.

I don't think Wal-Mart gets most of its products from China. I think most clothes are still from other countries, though that will be changing as tariffs become more favorable. Very little food, paper, or cleaning products are from China. Movies, music, and videogames are generally not made in China, except some packaging. I suspect most electronics products and toys are made in China, as well as many miscellaneous manufactured products. I've tracked China's economy and political situation for many years. The culture is generally collectivist, interspersed with occasional lone-wolf-ism. I'd describe the political system as authoritarian-nationalist, rather than totalitarian. The economy is fascist, with a vast and inefficient state run sector that employs most "workers" and an efficient non-state sector that with a smaller share of assets and employees, actually produces the most. The economy is rife with corruption, because the party and party members and local officials use their power to collect as much as they can from whatever production or assets are in their domain. My understanding is that China's export sector creates much of the economic value in the country, as it combines inexpensive labor with foreign supplied capital and machinery to create a global cost advantage. I suspect that the rest of the economy will be vulnerable as most emerging economies are, to a weak, corrupt, and inefficient financial sector, coupled with politically driven and state-distorted real estate and construction boom. I think that many misunderstand the Chinese economy's trend towards less repression. While it is less repressive to allow Chinese officials to convert state property to their own defacto personal property, and run it to maximize their own incomes, I would not call this capitalist, or freedom. Objective business law is still far far away. I recall rebelling against people who spoke of "cowboy capitalism" in Russia in the mid 90s, because semi-anarchy mixed with corruption is far from capitalism and an economy based on property rights. I don't think there is a very strong trend in China towards a property rights based economy or individual rights based political system. There are some modest moves towards property rights, but keep in mind that sometimes the Chinese government tells foreigners what it thinks they want to hear. The test of respect for property rights will come during bad times, not current boom times, and even now there is constant exception making based on power. Is there a long run danger to becoming dependent on China? Yes, because the China's government is fundamentally unstable, and supplies could someday become disrupted. And China's government is likely to remain hostile to the concept of individual rights, and sees itself as a potential counterbalance to American dominance in the world. American companies dependent on Chinese business have long been used to influence American political decisions towards the China line, and I expect this to grow. And the Chinese government will divert some of the new wealth towards improved weapons, increasing its influence in the world, etc. In the long run, Western companies will probably indirectly finance a government in China that will prove to be a threat to America's global dominance. My most optimistic hope for China is that it could become a second-class country, too distracted by its own internal problems to cause much trouble for the rest of the world, growing by converting its ill-employed peasants into useful manufacturers. China would need an intellectual/moral revolution to become much more than that, because its underlying culture is much more collectivist/altruist than the West.

If he's capable of evading the reality of 50 years of tax law, I'm sure he'll find no problem in evading or finding a loophole in your "contract" you propose to him. And how can you imagine this guy would have the assets required to cover your damages? Would you buy a book from someone who promised eternal life through suicide, just because it came with a money back guarantee?

P.S. This set of Ashkenazy performing the works for piano & orchestra is a good package http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=2762802 This set of Ashkenazy conducting the complete symphonies plus Symphonic Dances and The Bells is also a good package: http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=1319495 I'd consider these as substitutes for the Vox packages I mentioned above, as I'd rate the quality of performances as somewhat higher. Also I noticed that the Vox packages may have availability issues.

I have about 50 CDs covering pretty much all of Rachmaninoff's works. Many of my CDs seem to be out of print now, however. As I'm searching for choices, I'm stunned at how poorly Rachmaninoff is represented on Amazon compared to 5 years ago. My suggestion is to first buy the 3 Vox sets of Orchestral Music. "Complete Symphonies" http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=1075956 "Orchestral Music" http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=1177563 "Complete Works for Piano & Orchestra" http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=1072940 This inexpensively and effectively covers most of Rachmaninoff's symphonic compositions. Only a few of these performances include my favorite versions (I really like this version of Symphonic Dances), but I consider them all average to above average, and conductor Leonard Slatkin actually does enjoy conducting Rachmaninoff. You can use these recordings as a starting point for determining which specific compositions are your favorites, if you want to buy alternative recordings. Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto 2&3 are favorites, and I like Ashkenazy's performances, if you decide to explore other recordings later. Rachmaninoff's Symphony 2 is my favorite symphony, and have many recordings of it. To me, the most important recording of Rachmaninoff's is one of his complete Preludes. Sadly, my absolute favorite recording is out of print, Rachmaninoff Preludes perfformed by Alexis Weissenberg. Vladimir Ashkenasy and his 24 Preludes / Piano Sonata combination are generally respected, but quite different in interpretation. http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=1096821 Hyperion has a set of complete works for solo piano performed by Howard Shelley (though I didn't particularly like his approach to the preludes or piano sonatas). Rachmaninov: Complete Piano Music / Howard Shelley 05/22/2002 Hyperion CDS 44041/8 http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=1899671 Beyond the Preludes, I'd also definitely try the Etudes Tableau, and the Piano Sonatas 1&2 Hope this helps. I'm saddened to see that there are fewer good choices now than there were 10 years ago, as a lot of good recordings have been discontinued.

My mother is a professional psychic who thinks Ayn Rand is wonderful. But obviously she doesn't understand the philsophy. About ten years ago I just stopped responding when she brought up mystical subjects, because I decided that she simply suffers from a form of mental illness. I'm pretty sure she does have voices in her head and such, so there's not much point in me telling her there's no evidence, etc. It's quite sad, but she also knows enough about Ayn Rand's philosophy to know that I don't agree with the Spiritualist religion, and so doesn't bring it up too much. It's so strange, my mother is telling people what she thinks their dead relatives and pets want to tell them, and then also suggests that they read Atlas Shrugged. I grew up (15 years) in a "Spiritualist Camp" where most people earned a living believing that ghosts existed. I never saw a single thing out of the ordinary, except an unusually large number of deluded people.

Dr. Robinson's "Top Ten" is garbage for many reasons, but I laughed upon reading #4 "Capitalism is driven by the [speculative dynamics of] capital markets at the expense of the real economy," followed by #5 "Capitalism places no value on the future." As an equity analyst it was immediately apparent to me that 4 contradicted 5. For though "speculate" is now a perjorative term, it once meant looking forward, thinking, and with an eye to gain. Financial markets are constantly looking to the future, trying to guide resources to where they can most profitably be employed to generate value to human life. I'm sure stupid Dr. Robinson only meant by "speculative" that financial markets are gambling casinos totally disconnected from (or in conflict with) the "real economy". In fact, capital markets are one of the key means for guiding the "real economy" (which in itself is an anti-concept). For more on how financial markets help an economy, one obscure and only somewhat flawed book I can recommend is "The Wealth of Nations Rediscovered: Integration and Expansion in American Financial Markets, 1780–1850" By Robert E. Wright.

I think Ayn Rand was making something of a joke by using the term "engraved invitation". Recall that Dominique did manage to scratch the marble fireplace in her bedroom with a hammer. That could be loosely called an "engraving," and it was her basis for inviting Roark into her bedroom. Then he broke the rock (suggesting to me further sexual metaphor).

Of all the altruistic donations the U.S. sends abroad, those in response to natural disasters bothers me less than most. This is because natural disasters are not directly the fault of those suffering. (Indirectly they may be, as anti-capitalism leads to poverty and thus sub-standard buildings and technology, paving the way for greater death from natural disaster). But this kind of charity doesn't reward bad behavior in the way most foreign aid does, which typically is sending money to corrupt governments as a reward for their anti-capitalist-created miseries, thus perpetuating the very cause of their problems in the first place. In one context, a publicrRelations one, I prefer for the U.S., the #1 capitalist country, to lead the pack in sending aid and technology, stronger and better than the U.N., World Bank, or various other backwards countries. Better than the U.N. spending the U.S.' money over there and taking moral credit for it. Mankind does face something of a universal struggle to conquer the dangers of nature, that's something for which I can have a bit of sympathy. Better would be private donations couple with official and private condolances. Furthermore, the countries hit are not the worst countries in the world, nor major America-haters.

Can someone identify the philosophical/ethical themes in the movie/musical for me? I saw it at the theatre about ten years ago, and it didn't make a big impact on me. My vague recollection was that it was about unrequited love and obsessive devotion, but it didn't work for me on a philosophical level the way that Cyrano or Les Miserables did. What value did the Phantom offer and why did he love the lady he was obsessed with? I didn't really care much about the protagonists, and saw it mostly as a show with a dark atmosphere full of melancholy, and providing several stage gimmicks, but not a satisfying experience thematically. I didn't dislike the show, I just didn't find much to admire about it. What did I miss, if anything? In all of these positive comments here I haven't seen a description of the new movie's theme or values it is conveying.

Wrong. That's not the central idea of Stadler. Apparently it is difficult for YOU to contrast Stadler with Roark. It's not nearly so difficult for me. There's a big difference between loving the best in Man and hating Mankind in general.

Here's my take on why business ethics may have declined: http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~opportun/issue...07Aristotle.htm

Based on my understanding of Nietszche, Zarathustra was not Nietzsche's "ideal man." Zarathustra foretold of "the overman," but he did not say "I am the overman." Zarathustra was supposed to pave the way for the overman. Thus Nietzsche did not present the ideal man in Zarathustra, but merely spoke of him, and left it fairly unclear exactly what an ideal man would be like.

More presumptuous than ambitious in my view. I think the Objectivist Manifesto was already written by Ayn Rand in the form of Atlas Shrugged.

I've heard good things about "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey, from a couple of people, but haven't read through the entire book myself. It has some time management tips. I don't have an American History book recommendation. I actually bought a textbook from Second Renaissance Books many years ago but forgot the name.

The essay needs one topic and one point to make. Perhaps one of these, which surfaced in the essay: Altruism vs collectivism in economics Comparative country analysis Political party comparative analysis. If it's an introduction to Objectivism, it's better to introduce it for what it's for than what it's against. I strongly caution against using Laotze as a buttress for any Objectivist argument. Taoism does not genuinely advocate reason or egoism, but rather revels in contradictions.

I think that as far as I can tell, someone who declares themselves committed to reason, and totally without Faith, cannot make it far in the Republican party. And someone who is anti-altruism cannot make it in the Democratic party. Most of the population doesn't want us as their political leaders, because we don't share their values. To change politics, we'll have to change the culture and the educational system. A politician can only change the culture a few degrees. I think an Objectivist would have their best chance in the judicial branch right now.

Railroad Tycoon was very good. In college when I had time, I pretty much finished the game. I think about picking up a recent update sometimes, just to see how the game matches economic reality (I analyze railroad stocks, among others). I found Final Fantasy 7 to be intolerably long and boring. It was kind of interesting at first, but I didn't care for the characters, except for the pegleged girl (because she disliked the other characters about as much as I did). I found the "political" slants to be anti-corporate and environmentalist, but for the most part just reflecting mainstream muddled views. At some point, the battles became so difficult that I needed to use "knights of the round" repeatedly in battles, forcing me to watch a lengthy animation over and over, and so I decided that finishing the game wasn't worth watching that more. I think Grand Theft Auto is a really boring game. I got partway through the first game, found the driving and aiming controls to be klunky, and had no interest in advancing the plot of the anonymous amoral thug I was supposed to represent. The whole cop-killer, gangster, anti-hero environment really de-motivated me, as I don't consider this kind of nihilism fun.

Objectivists are self-made. I think there are some things that have to emerge early. An element of pride has to be present early, and I suspect it's even more important than the other aspects early on. For example children with pride may grow up with a bad start, uneducated, poor, but the pride will drive them to develop their reason, independence, etc., as they grow. Conversely, a child may be taught by their parents to be honest, productive, rational, but without pride, they could abandon virtues over time. Most Objectivists are not children of Objectivists, and I think many if not most came from early environments at least somewhat hostile to Objectivism. I worry about this with my 3-year old. There are some things I can do to help her become a great person, but I think there are some things I can't and shouldn't try to control. As I mentioned in another thread, I read Atlas Shrugged at age 9, but that wasn't the key factor in me later becoming a student of Objectivism. I think the key was the pride that led me to decide, "this summer I'm going to read an even bigger book, the longest novel I can find in the library."

I'll note that I was watching "Blue's Clues" at the request of my 3-year old daughter. I favor South Park personally, and wouldn't be surprised if that show ridiculed Kwanzaa in the future.

I find Kwanzaa extremely philosophically offensive, but see that it's now being injected into the mainstream. My 7 year old niece, whose parents are both from China, is greeting my family with "Happy Kwanzaa" this year thanks to her public school in Atlanta. I was innocently watching "Blue's Clues" on TV and some winter holiday show had a feature explaining Kwanzaa to a blue dog, with a man saying it was a celebration of "what makes our community strong." Kwanzaa is actually a racist/collectivist philosophical program [my comments in brackets]: From http://www.tike.com/celeb-kw.htm DEFINITION OF KWANZAA Kwanzaa is a unique African American celebration with focus on the traditional African values of family, community responsibility, commerce, and self-improvement. Kwanzaa is neither political nor religious and despite some misconceptions, is not a substitute for Christmas. It is simply a time of reaffirming African-American people, their ancestors and culture.... Kwanzaa is based on the Nguzo Saba (seven guiding principles), one for each day of the observance, and is celebrated from December 26th to January 1st. Umoja (OO-MO-JAH) Unity stresses the importance of togetherness for the family and the community, which is reflected in the African saying, "I am We," or "I am because We are." [collectivism in spirit] Kujichagulia (KOO-GEE-CHA-GOO-LEE-YAH) Self-Determination requires that we define our common interests and make decisions that are in the best interest of our family and community. [collectivism in politics] Ujima (OO-GEE-MAH) Collective Work and Responsibility reminds us of our obligation to the past, present and future, and that we have a role to play in the community, society, and world. [collectivism and duty to the U.N., I suspect] Ujamaa (OO-JAH-MAH) Cooperative economics emphasizes our collective economic strength and encourages us to meet common needs through mutual support. [collectivist economics] Nia (NEE-YAH) Purpose encourages us to look within ourselves and to set personal goals that are beneficial to the community. [success defined as duty to community] Kuumba (KOO-OOM-BAH) Creativity makes use of our creative energies to build and maintain a strong and vibrant community. [creativity in the service of others] Imani (EE-MAH-NEE) Faith focuses on honoring the best of our traditions, draws upon the best in ourselves, and helps us strive for a higher level of life for humankind, by affirming our self-worth and confidence in our ability to succeed and triumph in righteous struggle. [vague, inspirational-sounding words suggesting that self-worth comes from tradition, race, and a righteous struggle against what exactly? - not collectivism I surmise]

The interesting question I have about S. American pop culture is wondering what aspect of its culture is most to blame for the economic backwardness of the region. I've guessed in the past that the Spanish legal code and Catholic religion were to blame, as this has tended to correlate with economic relative underperformance.