OldGrayBob Posted July 7, 2004 Report Share Posted July 7, 2004 Hello all, I am an 'old-bugger' who after 30+ years rediscovered the writings of Ayn Rand. I have gone through many changes from being a Christian Young Republican in the late 60's, to a card carrying Democrat in the 80's, to an avowed atheist in the 90's. The irrationality of both the left and the right in the last few years has thoroughly disgusted me and I felt very alone in demanding rationality in my life. Then thanks to Audible.com, I downloaded the 'Virtues of Selfishness' and 'Anthem'. Listening to them brought back Ayn Rand and her Philosophy. ('Anthem' is the most powerful novella that I have ever read!) Since then, I have downloaded "The Fountainhead' and 'Atlas Shrugged." The experience of listening to them now is even greater than when I read them back in my college days in the late 60s. I guess it just took years of experience to see what I was missing. Now I would like to discuss ideas and feeling on Objectivism with others and therefore I joined this forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betsy Posted July 7, 2004 Report Share Posted July 7, 2004 I am an 'old-bugger' who after 30+ years rediscovered the writings of Ayn Rand. Welcome! I myself have been into Objectivism 42 years, but you're not the only one on this forum who just discovered it much later. Check out member Kien's introduction here. Then thanks to Audible.com, I downloaded the 'Virtues of Selfishness' and 'Anthem'. Listening to them brought back Ayn Rand and her Philosophy. ('Anthem' is the most powerful novella that I have ever read!) Since then, I have downloaded "The Fountainhead' and 'Atlas Shrugged." The experience of listening to them now is even greater than when I read them back in my college days in the late 60s.Books on tape/CD/MP3 etc. are wonderful when you're in midlife and just too darn busy to sit down in a comfortable chair and read for hours on end. Now I have read Victor Hugo, Nevil Shute, and some wonderful nonfiction while I commute or exercise. What a wonderful resource! I guess it just took years of experience to see what I was missing. Now I would like to discuss ideas and feeling on Objectivism with others and therefore I joined this forum. Your experience with life, which allows you to relate Objectivism to more than a theoretical context, can be an enormous benefit to the younger members of this forum. Glad to have you here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGrayBob Posted July 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 Thank you for the reply. By the way, I think I am past 'midlife' - I will be 58 next month. But I have a job that I love, I break developer's software so the users don't. They are going to have to kick me out when I turn 66, I am not going willingly! I am also into weight lifting and playing the Irish Tin Whistle (which is actually made in England of brass.) I made up my mind about two years ago that I was not going to sit back, retire and die. This life, the only one I am sure of, is just to precesious to let slip away. Since I cannot stand the irrational behavior of politicians, news media, and talk radio hosts, I listen to either Irish music CDs or books commuting to work and back. Finally, I vote the Robert Heinlein way, I figure out who to vote against first. And as a last comment, I got into a lot of trouble when I set by 12 year old grand-daught the book "Anthem" with the Cliffs Note on the book. My wife warned me, but I sent it anyway. My daughter-in-law went balistic! Seems that Ayn Rand is on her big Catholic no-no list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betsy Posted July 8, 2004 Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 Thank you for the reply. By the way, I think I am past 'midlife' - I will be 58 next month. You're just a kid! I'm 60 which is midlife as far as I'm concerned and I won't be "old" until somewhere after 80. Then I intend to be "old" for another 30-40 years. I plan to break the record set by my 102 and 107 year-old great aunts. But I have a job that I love, I break developer's software so the users don't. They are going to have to kick me out when I turn 66, I am not going willingly! You do QA? That's what I did on my last consulting job and it IS fun. Whatever you do, don't retire. Freelance through the Internet. I really think that what did my Great Aunt Dora in was that she gave up running her grocery store and retired at 101. And as a last comment, I got into a lot of trouble when I set by 12 year old grand-daughter the book "Anthem" with the Cliffs Note on the book. My wife warned me, but I sent it anyway. My daughter-in-law went ballistic! Seems that Ayn Rand is on her big Catholic no-no list! Really? She might be surprised how many Catholic schools have Ayn Rand on their required reading list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimble Posted July 8, 2004 Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 hey there!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGrayBob Posted July 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 In an earlier reply I mentioned that I break software. I am the load/stress tester of all new applications that are being installed at the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. I use LoadRunner from Mercury Interactice to run from 1 to 250 concurrent users against an application. These tests are run in a repeatable manner with the analyzed results presented in an HTML format. Any monitor built into Windows 200x servers, Unix, or Oracle can be recorded in a test and presented in the analyzed results. I get to work with developers on a one to one basis and have the respect of co-workers and supervisors. The best part is that I get to control the scheduling of testing. I cannot think of a better job in IT for an independantly minded, 'Roark-ish', skeptical, old coot who loves meeting and helping others. Two questions, where is the warn(0%) defined? And where is the blue rectangles with titles like novice (actually novice has zero rectangles) defined? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPW Posted July 8, 2004 Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 Two questions, where is the warn(0%) defined? And where is the blue rectangles with titles like novice (actually novice has zero rectangles) defined? Under Forum Rules. There should be a link at the top of the page you are now looking at. The warning level allows you, we moderators, and the administrators to track whether or not you're violating the board's standards. As far as the blocks, I'm not sure where they are defined. All they refer to, however, is how many posts you've made. I think the hurdles are 25, 100, and 500. But don't quote me on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Weiss Posted July 8, 2004 Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 ...She might be surprised how many Catholic schools have Ayn Rand on their required reading list. I did the grading one year for ARI for The Fountainhead Essay Contest and I was surprised at how many entries there were from Catholic schools. Fred Weiss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGrayBob Posted July 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 I do not doubt it that the Catholic schools encourage Ayn Rand. I went to Marquette University for a year before switching to UW-Madison. Those Jesuits were quite open minded, but unfortunately, not all people are. The sad part is that my daughter-in-law feels the way she does. As far as I am concerned, Anthem is the best novella I have ever read. There are very few wasted words and nothing seems missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AwakeAndFree Posted July 8, 2004 Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 I use LoadRunner from Mercury Interactice to run from 1 to 250 concurrent users against an application. These tests are run in a repeatable manner with the analyzed results presented in an HTML format. Mercury Interactive was started by Israelis, no? I interviewed some of their management once. LoadRunner is an impressive piece of software. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AwakeAndFree Posted July 8, 2004 Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 As far as I am concerned, Anthem is the best novella I have ever read. There are very few wasted words and nothing seems missing. I agree. It is beautifully written, economical, stylized. Sometimes I can't understand how even someone who disagrees with Ayn Rand cannot see her greatness as an artist. Though I know of many who loved her works but not her ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AwakeAndFree Posted July 9, 2004 Report Share Posted July 9, 2004 Oh, how rude of me - Welcome Bob! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidV Posted July 10, 2004 Report Share Posted July 10, 2004 Welcome, Bob! (The user levels increment at 5,25,100,500,1000,5000,...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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