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Michero

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Everything posted by Michero

  1. I'm not an economist and I may be way off, but don't most privately owned businesses get their money from investors? I mean, yes they make money from their customers, but really don't they need investment capital in order to continue operations? I'm assuming that if everything were private there would be some type of consumer report (it is in the best interest for a plant to allow investigations to coax investors) and the consumer report would say if a plant was being run poorly. In that case I think investors would be very unlikely to invest in the project--if they are at all rational and thinking ahead. If there is one incident, not even accident, just one it could ruin the entire industry (for the same reason any rational seller of nuclear material would be very reluctant to sell to a poorly run plant--if people lose faith in nuclear power the materials dealer goes out of business too). Take a look at 3MI. That was actually a success story, but it scared people off of nuclear pretty much up until now. If the consumer report investigators found egregious offences, for example the automatic safety measures were continually being overridden or regulations were not being followed I think a regulatory body could go in and investigate. I see it being the same as a building that's falling apart and may threaten houses near it-- if the people running the plant are threatening the lives and property of people around them, then the government may be able to step in and shut them down until they can raise standards.
  2. I have met a man with the spirit, mind and body in various combinations but not all in one. The thing is, when you meet a person who has the mind and spirit, does the body really matter? Of course I am talking about real life relationships, whereas Rand was creating art in which she rightly combined all these ideals in one because as an artist that's what she could and should do. It doesn't matter if you have met a galt, you know a galt can exist. Many of us here are examples of that fact.
  3. Right after you finish WTL I suggest you read AR short story called Red Pawn. It is perhaps my all time favorite thing she's ever written (besides Atlas Shrugged). Just in terms of literary construction it is amazing.
  4. Actually, pimsleur is pretty good. I accidentally learned some German and Turkish about a year ago just listening through some of his audio clips (thinking about buying one) and I still can recall those phrases today. Although I think that the best method for your might depend on how you learned your first language. Me, I never really had classic grammar lessons (trying to remedy this with Peikoff's grammar series) so I found it difficult and ultimately impossible to learn a second language through classical grammar drills etc. Audio tapes seem to do it for me because that's really how I learned English. If however you were raised on a classical diet of participles and gerunds and whatnot, then you might prefer a book and worksheet type program. The problem with the lecture series is that they are usually quite expensive.
  5. one question that bothered me was (something like this) do you base decisions on conceptual v. experiential? for me this seemed like a false alternative becuase my concepts are built on experiences.
  6. Just imagine you fell into a gulch where reason was glorified, and man exalted. Imagine in this place people traded with each other, value for value and there was no force. Would you still wish to be alone or would you relish contact with such people? I used to be the same way, I hated people. But that was before, when I thought that good men did not exist in the world. Then I found out I was wrong. There's a line from Ayn Rand's play 'Ideal' where the actress says that there's only so long a per son can call out into the darkness without hearing any response. I'm paraphrasing but that was the gist. Social contact with people who share your values may not be necessary for life, but it is necessary to live a life worth living. Maybe I'm just ranting now.
  7. I 2nd 'The Gulch' nice one. Also, 'Atlas blogged' was a good one.
  8. That was beautiful when the guy said they were high fiving when they figured it out then he put on the 9th symphony ode to joy and cried. Beautiful. Thanks for posting this.
  9. Michero

    Shakespeare

    Have you ever seen 12th night? I thought that was extremely funny when I saw it. Taming of the shrew had it's moments. John Cleese was in a version of Taming that was hilarious. ShakespeaRe-told just did a remake for TV but that looks like crap. But you didn't find Monty Python funny though did you? So tell me, what do you find funny then?
  10. I think the reason (venturing a guess) why united is in quotations may have something to do with the fact that despite the title, the nations aren't exactly united in spirit. This can be seen in the ill will the Scottish-N. Irish-Welsh-English people still bear towards one another. I still hear the Welsh getting made fun of, though for the life of me I can't figure out why (unless it's for their funny accent). (Removed reference to part of a post by another member, which was subsequently deleted. - softwareNerd)
  11. I think we can simplify this problem by asking; why/when would cosmetic surgery be immoral? And I think the answer as Felipe said would be when you give up a higher value in order to attain it. This shouldn't even be a question. If you have the means and the desire to change something in your life that you think would improve it and it isn't harming anyone else, why not? I think the main problem would be with psychology of the patient: questions like this -- is it immoral, are what would cause the person to have problems. So my question is: why would cosmetic surgery be questioned as a possible immoral act?
  12. I personally had trouble at first with the "no instincts" thing. I couldn't wrap my head around it and I didn't believe either side until after a lot of reading and talking about it with my friends. I figured out that Ayn Rand/Peikoff (can't remember who said it specifically) was right; men do not have instincts (I hadn't properly defined what instincts were and once I realised what they were it became clear). I know a lot (if not all) objectivist struggle with many points in the philosophy, but once you've accepted the fundamentals, everything else follows (this is why it is a closed system--any deviation is the philosophy of death). The trick is just understanding how the system works and why higher level concepts do follow from the axioms.
  13. What an amazing picture! Was that taken by a pro?
  14. This is so exciting! I hope this will speed up the world's realization about the wonderfulness of Nuclear energy. Maybe start rolling out some new reactors in the next decade...
  15. Well they could live. I did this a couple of years ago for three weeks not 4 (cleansing purposes) and I did get some calories from broth and a few other natural products though I can't remember now which fruits were acceptable. Either way, I lived but I was impossible to live with, and tired. I find that books on tape work well for this. I run and it is impossible to read while running -- even with a stand or something. But yeah if you can get your books on tape/cd they work fabulously.
  16. AHAHA! That literally made me laugh out loud. I've been listening to something I suggest you all pick up: Richard Strauss's Alpine symphony. absolutely beautiful. Now THAT was something to riot about. What the hell happened to france between then and now?
  17. You are wrong. She didn't cheat; Frank knew and I believe didn't put up an argument about it. I won't go so far as to say he encouraged her, but from what her friends said in Sense of life he wasn't at all in the dark whilst the affair was going on.
  18. I don't get this. Why would you have angst over "heavier" girls? I can see angst if you found yourself attracted to morbidly obese girls, that would signify an issue to worry about. Generally if a person appears healthy, and you find them pleasing to thine eye, I don't see a problem. On another note I did a google picture search today of mariyln monroe (for the hair style) and since it was unfiltered the playboy spread came up. She was certainly beautiful--yet I don't think you'd ever see someone her size in magazines, nor someone so nude but that's another issue. I'd post the picture but I'm pretty sure that's a no-no here. From what I heard she was hearty size 10. Vavavoom http://www.microla.com/ltpages/ltimages/marilyn8.jpg
  19. Actors are more than breathing props, they choose how to interpret the roels. Granted, the director has final say so, but often times the actor gets his way unless he's actually changing dialogue. Their personal life has no influence, but their philosophy most certainly does. Which is why I'm surprised that both these people (angelina and bradd) actually like the roles. I'm thinking they think it'd be a good career move. I doubt they'd understand the meaning behind the words and then they may as well be breathing props. Ayn Rand herself even mentioned how this lack of understanding (in Ayn Rand: A sense of life) makes the performance ultimately unenjoyable.
  20. Michero

    Shakespeare

    Actually I'd disagree that Shakespeare believed in fate, based on the play I'm reading right now which is Henry the IV. There's a character, Prince Hal who seems to be giving into his flaws of drinking and partying etc. generally being a punk. At the end of the play he says how he was pretending to be a playboy in order to have power when he becomes a king (that was really short but I son't want to go into the whole thing). While in many of his plots, Shakespeare uses "accidents" to get things started such as a ship wreck or fueding families, I don't think he really intended his plays to be taken as fated. Sure he says they are "star-crossed lovers" but everything that happens in the play is because of people. Even when ghosts appear in his plays, the question remains whether they are actually there or one of the characters is just seeing them in his mind. About characters giving into "fatal flaws", I think that phrase "fatal flaw" misses the point. The characters have a view on life-- that's when they run into problems, when they value the wrong things. Ayn Rand wrote plenty of characters like that, but she also had hero's which shakespeare rarely does. There is no such thing as a random character trait-- and I think Shakespeare was a good enough writre to recognise that fact.
  21. Really? You thought it was that funny? While I thought this was a great story, the conflict was excellent and the feeling very positive....I don't remember actually thinking it was hilarious. I haven't read this story in a while mind you. What parts in particular (if you don't mind; this may be a topic for a different thread) did you find funny?
  22. can't believe I forgot one of my all time favorites Spaced Love this show - with simon pegg the guy who wrote Shaun of the Dead (also a very funny movie)
  23. Michero

    Shakespeare

    we watched this in my HS English class and when it got to the nudity scene with Romeo standing by the window, the teacher jumped out of his chair and proceeded to cover half the screen (the lower half) with a book. It was the funniest moment all year. Oh keep in mind that this happened about 6 years ago.
  24. I definitely agree with you. As you'll soon find out while reading objectivism, we believe there is no mind body separation, and that the mind and body are inextricably linked. On that same note I've personally noticed that my attitude is linked to my health. Since I quit smoking and started running regularly (took a break in HS while focusing on school) I feel like a completely different person (not to sound like an info-mercial here). There's something so glorious about setting your mind to a task whether it's learning a martial art or running a marathon that is refreshing and life affirming. And of course being fit prolongs your life, makes it a happier one thanks to endorphins, and lets you achieve higher goals (ie sexual partners).
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