Sherry

I just had a vision of a very loud commerical with businessman and woman running around in bikis, thongs, and speedos on a beach parting and big red letters splattered across the screen "Capitalism Gone Wild!" And the announcer telling us to order our copy of the dvd or video today. thats all I had to add...carry on......

The phrase "Often a bridesmaid, but never a bride," actually originates from an advertisement for Listerine mouthwash from 1924. The French have a doughnut called "Nun's Fart." How appropriate! I found those on the following website: Amazing Facts It's full of wonderful "useless facts".

The most absurd thing about this is that Dismuke claims George Bush can read. Shame on you Dismuke...shame...SHAME!!!!!

So how much of Rand's works have you actually read? I find that those that feel they have discovered a contradiction are usually those that have read maybe a couple of essays and perhaps skimmed a few critiques of the philosophy. That's why I ask.

I have a bunch of white rubber bands from the One campaign that I got last year. I made a WWCND bracelet for my son out of it several months ago. (What Would Chuck Norris Do?). I have often thought of pulling out the Sharpies again and putting WWJGD or WWARD on them hahah. Also WWFSMD just for fun.

The black footed ferrets main source of food is praire dogs.

I agree. Kids like to hear "good job!" and to get attention. Some kids do like to help out, depending on what you are doing, and if they actually value the activity or the person they are helping, or the reason. My kids don't especially like doing chores, but man, they will hop to it when they know the sooner they get them done the sooner we can all leave the house on a Saturday to go to the pool or maybe some other activity we had planned that day. My 8 year old enjoys doing things for her little sisters, like reading to them. She GETS a lot out of it: joy. She really enjoys reading to them..I think it is partly because she does value them, and partly because she likes to hear the sound of her own voice. That may sound cold, but its true. This kid can talk from the sun up until the sun down non stop. Yak, yak, yak. I love her dearly...and thank goodness she has figured out a way, all on her own to satisfy a few of her own needs: spending time with her sisters, and hearing the sound of her own voice. That isn't altruism. That is a kid being smart. She is probably the most generous of my children, and shares her toys and will even give her sisters things. However, she doesn't part with her very special toys, and she does get upset if they use her stuff without asking. She won't let them walk over her. Hell hath no fury when this daughter of mine has had her property rights violated.

World of Warcraft IS evil though....well, maybe not really, but isn't it so much easy to call the game irrational than the players?

I spent the first 5 years of my recruiting career placing only contractors. It is amazing how many people have been able to make a career of it and built up good reputations. I will have to check out his book thanks for the link.

I should have clarified what I meant by "unhealthy": having sex with a lion, a tiger a wolf, can have ill health effects. Even a dog. I wouldn't think it would be in a person's self interest physically (being mauled by an animal, scratched, bitten...or catching an interesting illness that isn't normally transmitted sexually from an animal to a person.) So that is why I said I hope they can get help because I think it is unhealthy. But if they do chose to go ahead and actually practice their "fetish" they may have to deal with some nasty consequences. So okay I think it is sick, and I do think it is immoral, actually, but I wouldn't bother to go so far as to make it illegal either as Lathar pointed out. Unless of course they are violating others property rights to fulfill their wierdo needs.

The state of NH can fit into TX 27 times.

That is a great attitude to have to have about job hunting and employment in general. That's basically how I feel, although I have not been able to put it so well. I may have to quote you in the future.

"It's wrong but acceptable." That sounds like a contradiction. Not to be closeminded here...because I really am not trying to give you a hard time, but why should it be logically acceptable if it is ethically wrong?Zoosexuality seems a little clearer cut about going against nature than homosexuality ever would. I am not sure the comparison is adequate. Homosexuality doesn't have to be hendonistic (and neither does hetrosexuality) but certainly beastiality is always on the part of a human. I am speaking under an Objectivist viewpoint here, not libertarian, or free thought or leftist. It's good people that have those issues have a place to discuss it. Hopefully those that have these fetishes will get some help. Because it just ain't healthy.

Sorry to hear about your job loss as well. That is never easy, no matter what country you are in. Get in contact with the people you were translating for and start working your networks. Let us know how you make out when you can.

hmmm...it could be said reading this discussion board is irrational and bad for us as well....

Am I the only one thinking that if this person acts on these urges that perhaps it may have a very unhealthy outcome...well, maybe not so much with a domestic dog, but a lion a tiger, a bear (oh my!) a wolf probably isn't going to be a very willing participant. It sounds extremely hedonistic to me, and rather gross. Homosexuality is one thing, you are talking about people, who are far superior to animals. Animals don't have volition, and they may not have rights like humans, but still, to even have the desire to have sex with an animal is just bizare. To act on it, even worse. But sex outside a species, that is kind of bizarre. If sex is suppose to be something mutually shared between two beings based on value, how can that be something that is done with animals morally? I think even comparing beastiality to homosexuality is sick. The two are not the same...I am not gay, but as a human I find it really disturbing that anyone would compare the two. Sure, sure....I know fundies do it all the time...but still.

This is a very funny topic. Wow...you know...sometimes people just over think things way too much. Rand never meant you couldn't have fun. Just keep video games in their proper place if you enjoy them. You don't need to be anal to live by the philosophy of Objectivism. Now, I am off to read some irrational books by Orson Scott Card for entertainment.....

Thinking and actions to some degree. Understanding the difference between earned and unearned guilt. When you earn it to take it, but when it isn't yours, to refuse it. And not to try to put unearned guilt on others. (I think those that have kids, or who have grown up really religious may understand what I mean. It is something one sometime doesn't even realize one does until pointed out.)

It is funny, because when I first heard about the Free State Project and people moving to NH for it, I turned to my husband (who was not originally from NH) and said "Don't these guys realize we are Yankees? I don't think it is going to go over too well." hahaah. I can understand why they decided on NH though. I don't know if a Galt's Gulch totally free like the one in Atlas Shrugged is totally feasible in the world as it is now, but I think something can be set up that works towards that direction, at least starting for a place for people to live. Maybe not for everyone to work, but it would be a start. I guess the purpose of that would to just not have to deal with irrational neighbors all the time. So I guess it wouldn't be Galt's Gulch...maybe more like Galt's Homesteads or something. But I have to tell you, even just living in a neighborhood where I didn't have to worry about the city inspection guy giving me a ticket because my van's tags are a month out of date would be nice. Or get a ticket because my lawn is 1/8 th of an inch too high for 2 days. Stupid stuff like that. Or to be able to live in a neighborhood where your neighbors acturally RESPECT your property rights.....my goodness...that...that would be heaven.

I wouldn't know about Objectivists moving to NH for the "free state" project...only Libertarians. Not the same thing at all. That whole project doesn't sit too well with me. I was living in NH when that whole thing started up. I wasn't aware of what objectivisim was then, but I felt it was wrong for a group of people to move into a state to just vote up a bunch of stuff they wanted no matter what the natives of NH felt about it. I think that was the first time I realize democracy wasn't really as wonderful as I thought it was. Anyway, now that I have studied objectivism for a while, I would be a little perplexed by a flock of Objectivists moving to a state just to "free" it. I don't think that is the same as a Galt's Gulch at all. However, I think on a smaller scale it would be possible maybe for a bunch of local Objectivist to do like a planned community thing together if they wanted too. Sometimes those actually become little towns. An island would be more fun though. (Sorry couldn't help but comment on the free state thing.) [removed quote of entirety of immeditely-preceding post. Conserving electrons - sN]

I have had a fear of heights my whole life. However, it isn't nearly as bad as it used to be. When I was in my early twenties, and after I had become a mom, I realized I needed to do something about it. I decided to combined that with my love of hiking (which can be wierd if you don't like heights.) I use to take my son hiking up a small mountain in NH. There was a fire tower at top, and you were allowed to climb up top, so we we did. It wasn't that tall, but it still spooked me a bit. After a few times I felt more comfortable. Then we started hiking up a bigger (yet still small) mountain. Each time I would make a point of going a little closer to the edge each time. It got to a point that I was a lot less nervous. I still am not a fan of heights, but it isn't the same, and it doesn't stop me from enjoying things like it did as a kid. I used to be afraid of going on some of the jungle gym equipment that was more than 4 or 5 feet off the ground, or the tall slide or big diving board at the local pool.

Of course it isn't going to be an easy road...but you say here that things are chaning. things are getting better for Chinese businessman. That is wonderful news. So what are YOU going to do for YOURSELF? You don't like being a translator? Okay, maybe you are not able to get the exact position you want in a foreign trade field, or start a business in a foreign trade field, but you need to continue to cultivate your career. That is no different in the US either. Do you understand that working as a translator can be a huge benefit to you in the future? Are you making good contacts. networking, doing what you can to meet with influential business people in the type of business you want to be in? I see all this posting about the how China's move to a more capitalistic economy is effecting your efforts to get a job. But I don't see you taking any responsibility for your own career outside of you showing up for your education. Am I missing something? I am not trying to be harsh, but my profession is that of a recruiter. I spend 40 plus hours a week talking on the phone with candidates in business. It doesn't matter how good of an education you have if you are not going to figure out what to do. Make yourself a career plan. If you truly cannot figure out how to work in your chosen profession in your geographic area, then move to another area in China. If you really don't think you can do it in China, then try Hong Kong or somewhere else. Come to the US! The bottomline is this: if you value a certain profession/career and that is truly your passion, you will do what you can to work in it. Complaining that "oh if we were socialist I would have a job because the government would give me one' is disturbing. No job should exist if there is no need for it. Even my own job. (I am a consultant recruiter, so when my employer doesn't have projects, I am on the bench...aka no work. I have to find other work during that time. That's fine. It's bad business to pay people when there is no need to.)

I think Rand described it well when she said Objectivism is a philosophy for living on earth. It makes sense and it works. Maybe not the description you were looking for...hmm,...it is a philosophy based on the premise that a person is responsible to and for themself first. I suggest picking up Virtue of Selfishness it has some great essays in there about self interest vs altruism, etc. Peikoff's OPAR book is great too when you are ready for that, but I would read Atlas Shrugged first if you haven't already. I jumped on the Humanist bandwagon when I left christianity as well. When I started to really looked deeply at humanism I became just as disgusted as I did with christianity, only more so.

Me neither...nice site by the way!! Woohooo for Texas! And I thought Houston had nothing to offer.

Wasn't this why the robots/computers rebelled in the Animatrix (the animation that came out that goes along with the Matrix Trilogy)