Mimpy

When the NY Times article was published yesterday, the author claimed Atlas was #388 on Amazon's bestsellers list. A day later, it is #32. This is not a coincidence. The NY Times article has been the most emailed and blogged about article on the site since yesterday. The article did wonders apparently. When a 50 year-old book can stay within the 400's on Amazon's bestsellers list, that is quite a feat. When it can leap to #32 in a day, that is purely incredible. Check it out here! It is so exciting!

So did you enter it into the ARI Anthem contest, as well? Because that's an international contest. I didn't realize that Canada had a national contest for Anthem. Does it have contests for TF and AS, as well?

That is awesome. I can proudly say that I am one of those people who has been emailing the article.

I did the same thing. The novels are so lengthy and complete that they can be used to illustrate any literary or figurative point. While other people were cramming to remember several different novels for the exam, all I did was refresh my memory of Atlas and TF

I liked the spirit of the essay. But I'm curious as to why you did not mention the incident around which the question was based, when Equality sees his face for the first time. You won this in Canada? Could you tell us a little bit more about this competition? I am not familiar with it.

Your letter to the editor is great in spirit!

Yes, it contradicts the Objectivist ethics in every way. Doctors are not slaves. They should not have to treat someone regardless of whether that person can return an equal value or not, either in monetary form or something else. If they choose to, that's fine. But the law shouldn't force hospitals/doctors to do so.

I don't think your school's AP English class represents a majority of the AP English students in the country. I took AP English last year, and 85% of my peers were hard-workng, meticulous, and driven people.

I don't think ARI makes any type of restriction. But the fact is, TF and AS are both long and difficult books to understand. The Collegeboard includes the novels on their AP lists. That's why AP teachers are more inclined to teach the novels than other teachers. I cannot imagine a regular class reading TF or AS. An honors class perhaps, but nothing lower than that. The novels are just too complex. But to reiterate, ARI has no specifications.

Would you change your last name, too? Or would it just be "Cogito"? Hehe

Mr. Journo's delivering this lecture himself next week at PSU! I can't wait to hear it live.

That's great. You might consider venturing into Ayn Rand's nonfiction, as well. That will give you a better grasp of Objectivism. The Virtue of Selfishness is a good place to start!

Welcome to the board, Tony. What have you read of Ayn Rand's?

Awesome! I will be reading.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oedipus_the_King It's a famous play.

Well, of course the doctor should tell the patients the truth. Ignorance is not bliss. As for the couple, the taboo situation could make it a bit awkward. But if they do not plan on having children, there really isn't an evolutionary problem. But my question is: why didn't the father just tell his kids that they were siblings?? Surely things would not have progressed romantically if he did so.

I recently went to India for a couple weeks to visit family. I had a great time and saw some interesting things. Of course, the standard of living in India is much lower than the United States', but I can honestly say that the country's economy is booming. That can probably be found to porportionally equal the extent of capitalism in the country. If there is anything you remember about an Indian summer (besides the deathly humidity and monsoons), it is the poverty. The streets are crowded with businesses, animals, vehicles, and of course: beggars. They approach you like a swarm of bees, and if you give a coin to one of them, the rest will naturally demand some for themselves. There are some places that are worse than others: tourist locations, airports, and train stations are the worst. I was just thankful that at least I could pull off looking like a native. The foreigners are pesterd twice as much as everyone else. I don't give out money to beggars, even if they have no legs or are carrying a crying baby. People mutilate themselves to evoke pity from others. Mothers pinch their children to make them cry (I've seen it!). It's pathetic, especially when you see a person with two working legs and hands and a brain. Then there are others who look incredibly poor and sit on the streets, selling something, anything. Those are the kind of people I value and even consider buying something from. There is a difference between a business, however small, and begging. I saw a man with no legs, walking on his elbows, selling hair clips. I bought one. It made every beggar with legs look disgusting. Many poor individuals choose to work in people's homes, as servants. My family in India has several servants, one that cooks for my grandparents, one that washes the clothes (by hand), one that takes care of the garden, one that cleans the house, etc. These people have difficult lives, but still, it is a life. The last servant I mentioned, who cleans the house, has been with my grandmother since before I was born. She has a tremendous loyalty towards my family because we have always treated her well. She has two children and a husband. The husband was useless. He did not work and when he occassionally did, he drank the money away. He eventually died from liver faliure a couple years ago. She, however, was extremely hard-working and generally smart. Many servants do as her husband did, waste their money away on instant gratification. She did not. She saved up what she earned. She wanted to send her children to school. She did not waste her money on unnecessary clothes or expensive jewelery. Her son is now entering law school. Her daughter is in college. They are going to have much better lives than their mother, and they will most probably take care of their aging mother, as well, who was far-sighted enough to know that education is priceless, that it would provide them all with a much better life. It was a heart-warming story to hear. Who says that without the government, the poor people would not be able to survive? They can do it perfectly well themselves. Of course it is difficult to achieve, but so is everything else we truly value.

I started writing the essay three weeks before the deadline. I just kept re-reading it and editing when I found the time. Thanks, guys.

I just graduated high school. Most people in my school held arbitrary prejudices. If people have known you for a long time, like since elementary/middle school, you tend to be labeled. And that label is hard to scratch off unless you drastically change. And even then, it's others who label you, not yourself. So if they don't want to notice the change, then it's their loss. Plus, there just aren't that many people in one high school.

Congratulations, Tenure! I'm glad you're going where you wanted to go.

I'd get rid of the antitrust laws.

Thanks once again, everyone! Enjoy.

Thanks so much, guys, for the kind words and presents! I feel great. I chose the first essay topic, on the practical vs. moral dichotomy. I am going to email ARI and ask them exactly what the deal is with copyrights and whatnot, since many people have been asking to read my essay. Either way, I feel famous. This has been a fun experience. I really wasn't expecting winning first place. I knew my essay's content was correct, but of course I did not know how many other people's work would be just as good. They told me it was pretty close in the end, but mine held out. So cheers!

Yes, this was the best movie of them all (so far). I thought the foreshadowing of the romance between Ron and Hermione was great. The movie also had humor. The scences of London at night were absolutely beautiful.

I won. It was very exciting. I couldn't even celebrate, though, 'cause I'm in India for another two weeks. It's very hot and humid! I would post the essay, but I'm not really sure if I'm allowed to. But I know they will be posting it on aynrand.org eventually. I knew I would do well, since they asked me for my phone number to tell me my results that way. I figured I had at least gotten a third place prize. But first place!! Not too shabby, eh? The $10,000 will go directly towards paying for my first semester of college.