Michero

I've always loved Mozart, but I'd have to say my favorite classical composer is Rachmaninoff, but Tchaikovsky is somewhere in there as well. I also like film music (Elfman is great, edward scissor hands being one of the best scores I can think of) Craig Armstrong, John Williams. I love Prog-rock (which if you don't know, is a more produced thought-out genre of music, emphasizing skill with instruments vs. garage rock). I like way too many bands but some of my ultimate faves: David Bowie, Built to Spill, ELO, new order, Nico, Queen, Royksopp, Scissor sisters, Supertramp, Talking Heads, t-rex, and Todd Rundgren. The Velvet Underground has to be in there somewhere with Iggy Pop even though I can't really listen to most of their songs anymore. I'm also a big fan of jazz, but only a select few: James Carter, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus I don't know where to put Dean Martin but I just love him. and probably my favorite lyricist of all time and fellow atheist Randy Newman. Man, I always go way overboard when people ask me this question. I can't believe I forgot Stevie Ray Vaughan and Charlie parker (thanks Mark C. for reminding me)

Oh my fault. I was under the impression for one reason or another that if an immigrant married an american citizen, they automatically became an american citizen themselves. I don't think he ever obtained citizenship then--not that I can see from reading the articles--it just says he made his residency legal by marriage. I still think it's sad, but Omar should have applied for citizenship after he was married.

OK-- so Röyskopp as far as I know isn't an objectivist band, but there music has always had a "friendly to science" sound--at least to my ears.

But Omar isn't just an immigrant-- he's a citizen now.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/103...005-520438.html I'm sad to say that this is my town: Omar Lezama de la Rosa was wrongly thought to have been the perpetrator of a brutal subway rape. After his face was plastered all of the news media, he turned himself in. They soon realised that he was not the man they were looking for. Looking into his past they found that he'd been convicted of assaulting a police officer in 99, but they decided not to deport him then. Now immigration has decided to pursue getting Omar deported based on his original charge. He is married to an American citizen and has a 16 month old son now. He has nothing in Mexico. I think this is just awful. And could it be double jeopardy or is that reserved only for prosecution and not punishment?

http://www.atlassociety.org/news_rand-media.asp http://www.theatlasphere.com/columns/03123...dascendancy.php these websites have references as well. My favourite is probably the One Tree Hill reference.

I found a website that talks about it but doesn't always give specific references: http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:Q2Rvv...mpsons%22&hl=en Also I remember in Dirty Dancing, the jerk guy who knocked up baby's sister tries to give her (baby) a copy of the FH and says something like "In this world there are people who matter and people who don't"

No that wasn't what I was trying to say. I was trying to say that Ayn herself believed chronologically told stories and clearly constructed sentences to be the best way to tell a story: that is the reason she uses those methods. I don't believe I ever disagreed with that. Yeah but that's because the author was an Objectivist, and her characters implicitly reflect her philosophy. Of course the characters who display the Objectivist ideals will (in the right circumstances) succeed and those who go against the philosophy will fail. But her purpose was not to spread her philosophy; it was to tell a story. The transmission and acceptance of her philosophy was a secondary benefit.

Actually I think the general consensus is that Robinson Crusoe started the novel trend.

No, it is methodical and logical because that is the method Ayn believes creates the best literature--conscious clear descriptions and time frames for maximum comprehension and drama. The fact that her philosophy clearly grasped through clear writing is a product of her philosophy. It is chronological because she believed that is the best way to tell a story; to not confuse readers. Ayn didn't write the FH as a way to get her philosophy out there-- her philosophy developed (explicitly developed) as a result of her trying to write the best book, and best characters possible. It wasn't a propaganda novel.

Well, when you're younger it's easier to ignore what other people say and believe. But after a while it probably starts to wear on people-- it is difficult these days actually having convictions and principals (people tend to call you "close-minded"). If a half hearted Objectivist finds that s/he can't stay in a relationship or get a promotion or get academic respect, they may begin to turn on Objectivism in favour of being accepted. Personally I cannot understand this switch. I don't get how one (of one) can understand the world and how it works--basically given the cliff's notes on how to live your life, and then just turn your back close your eyes. I don't get it. Personally I'd say I was a very rational kid up until middle school when I got screwed up, then in college became rational again--with the help of Objectivism for which I am very grateful.

But you saw Farenheit 9/11 right? That's what I mean by piggy-backing.

Personally I consider it bad taste and bad writing to use real people in fiction writing. Are you not intelligent enough to come up with fictional characters--(speaking to wolff) or is it that you're trying to piggy-back on rand's popularity as so many other hacks have done in the past and made their living from?

I saw him in concert last summer --I...don't..there are no words. Not only is he alive he's alive and kicking--literally. He was jumping around that stage like a mad man. 20 year olds who've never done heroin don't have that much energy.

Say what? What exactly is your definition of "good taste" then?

I listen to Bjork when I want to relax-- but only certain tracks (some times her music creeps me out) I'd put her in the same category as Royksopp, Amon Tobin and Air.

My stomach turned when I watched the trailer for this film which you can see here: http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/the_edukators.html Just...everything is wrong with this.

I heard that Trump is biding to build the new U.N. building. That guy confuses me, and I really want to like him but he seems to have a lack of integrity. I heard about some eminent domain scandal he was involved with but I never found any definitive evidence. I wish he had put in a bid to rebuild the WTC. That would have been better.

Like others, I admire her ability to create wealth--and her giving doesn't bother me. It is the attention she gives to the most horrific things and her racist attitude. I had no problems with the O (didn't really think about her at all) until some award shoe where I saw her giving the black power fist to Chris Rock (I think). Uh. After that, everything I heard about her made be dislike her or rather lose respect for her more and more.

I always think of: Xena

I took Portuguese in college for 3 years-- and thank Bob that I wasn't good enough to understand everything she was saying because she was constantly raging on America and americans. She'd ask us to do these writing assignments in portuguese like "describe the UN and my opinion of it" and I'm like --one page and in portuguese?! Lady are you crazy? God I'm so glad that's over!

The Che sirt thing just makes me laugh when I see it. "booooo capitalism. Ooh a t-shirt with Che on it that costs $30--I'll take it".........I think the very fact that they payed good american money for their Che shirts or Che posters undermines their movement.

really? I haven't seen Bill Maher since 2001 but I don't remember (besides being an ass) him being that despicable. I"m not disagreeing with you I'd just like to hear your opinion on why he's on the list of the "most" despicable.

Perhaps they do. I don't know, but some of the situations I've seen them put the stars in seem very unpredictable. One of the stunts didn't air because the celeb Vartan refused to sign the release form. I don't know what Ashton did to the guy, but I don't blame him at all. The one stunt that stopped me from watching the show for a while was the one with Carmen Electra and her husband in a car where the driver mock ran-over someone.

1. No you do not have a right to do that: Public TV is something citizens have paid for, with stolen funds yes, but paid for none the less and they deserve the right to enjoy the benefits of that payment. You would become the thief (especially from those who enjoy the programming and would continue to pay into it voluntarily) you wouldn't be in the moral clear doing this. And personally I must admit I like a lot of BBC shows.