The Destruction of Social Security

Captialism Magazine has the article. Speaking for myself, the idea of social security ending "yesterday" isn't soon enough for me. Apparently 80% of American's think I'm wrong...

http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=4298

Business snatching defeat from victory in Global Warming debate

Steve Milloy over at JunkScience.com has the story:

http://www.csrwatch.com/Business_snatching_defeat.htm

Be sure to peruse all the related articles on climate in the What's Hot box on this link.

Let us laugh at the irrational

Astrologer sues NASA over Comet Mission

Russian astrologer Marina Bai filed a $300 million law suit against the space agency, claiming that the blast's impact on the comet, "would deform her horoscope". Etc., etc.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050705/ap_on_fe_st/russia_comet_case

The Wages of Fundamentalism

..and the loss of America's intellectual vitality[?]...Not if Objectivism continues to gain a place in our universities!

http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=5898

The Impact of Arab Sattelite TV

Has Arab sattelite televison had a positive impact on prospects for democracy in the Arab world?
YaleGlobalOnline [a pretty decent online magazine] has the story.

http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=5716

Islam spreads to Mexico

Islam gaining a foothold in Chiapas...

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/spiegel/0,1518,358223,00.html

Belated 229!

I celebrated America's birth yesterday, don't ever doubt it...I just didn't post it yesterday.

My Country, Tis of thee I sing!!!!!!

Shameless Self-promotion!

I've just updated My Media List, located in the left column. Feel free to browse the newest titles and hey, make a purchase or six, to help a starving, struggling good guy!!!

Modesty is my best quality :-)

Pfizer speaks out on Connecticut's Eminent Domain case

Pfizer issues press release concering misconceptions the media has about Pfizer's role in the recent Supreme Court case in New London.

http://pfizer.com/pfizer/are/news_releases/2005pr/mn_2005_0627.jsp

The Faith-Based Attack on Rational Government

Truly excellent Op-Ed from The Ayn Rand Institute & Thomas Bowden.

"As 'people of faith' step up their crusade to inject religion into judicial decision-making, people of reason must understand why America should be a whollly secular state."

http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=11161&news_iv_ctrl=1021

Go. Read. Speak out in defense of America.

Have You Forgotten?

Every time I think of 9/11 and those brave souls who chose to leap to their deaths instead of burning alive, I cry. Yes. I cry still. I refuse to apologize for that, too.

Via the Reclaim Your Brain blog, here are the lyrics to Darryl Worley's song, "Have You Forgotten".

http://www.anysonglyrics.com/lyrics/d/darrylworley/haveyouforgotten.htm

Ayn Rand smeared...again

Google News is a handy resource to find good and bad things concerning Miss Rand. In this instance, an, ah....entity.... proceeds to lump together Rand, Objectivism, and the Neocons...


http://www.americanpolitics.com/20050624Bisbort.html

The Charlotte Observer, last sunday, printed a smear job from another "entity" named Rev. Mike Macdonald, but Google, and the Observer today feature four positive replies to this particular smear. You'll have to register at the Observer's site to gain access. It is worth it!

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/states/north_carolina/counties/iredell/11932028.htm

Surpreme Court further cripples property rights of Americans

This Yahoo story sums up a very bad decision and a bad omen for America and its citizens.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050623/ap_on_go_su_co/scotus_seizing_property

One of the disastorous results of our bankrupt and immoral public education system is, many of the victims represented in the New London case don't understand the "whole picture". One local property owner, who was just interviewed, put the sole blame on 'corporate America.'
A nation's economic laws are set by it's political system, not the other way around. Nor are (sadly, thanks to FDR and the New Deal, and many others since then) our economic interests and political interests seperate.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are living in a time (right now as you read this) when both the left and right political spectrum's are merging into one totalitarian "whole". The only antidote to this merger is: better ideas. Religion won't help you. It is a major part of the problem. Marxism won't help you, it is only secularized Christianity, after all.
What is needed today, desperately and immediately, is a philosophy. A rational, 'this world' life affirming, freedom affirming, Man-worshiping philosophy. I speak, of course, of Objectivism. The philosophy of Ayn Rand.

Any of you history buffs out there ever heard of a book called, "The Ominous Parallels: The End of Freedom in America". Authored by Leonard Peikoff. See my blogroll, at left.
This book outlines the philosophical causes of Nazism and Hitler's rise in Germany and shows the parallels of that same philosophic system at work here in America. Dr. Peikoff skillfully examines the role of ideas in history and shows how far America has strayed from its original intent as a free nation based on the absolutism of Individual Rights. America today is a socialist welfare-state that "allows" some freedom to exist, so it can keep the tax revenues coming in at an ever higher pace.
You could say, as Dr. Peikoff does, that 2005 America is in its "Weimar" stage. The stage of collapse just before Hitler and his gang of murderous thugs rose to power.
Ayn Rand once said that a political battle is a battle "fought with muskets" but a philosophical battle is a "nuclear war".
Are you prepared for nuclear war?
Do you have "better ideas" than the ones that dominate our culture right now? You won't unless you study and understand Ayn Rand. Better do so while you still can. The hour glass has been broken and the sands of time are falling.

[Commentary added 6/24/05]

Another Blog Added

Reading Gus's recent roundup of happening's in China and "south of our border" I suddenly remembered that I've wanted to add a Venezuelan blog to my blogroll for some time, but kept forgetting to do it until now. The gentleman who writes this blog, writes from an anti-Chavez point of view. He certainly sheds light on how corrupt the government has become there.

As an aside, (for men only---or not!) apart from his many cogent observations on life there, when you visit his blog, be sure to scroll down the left column until you see his "My Sections" and look for Venezuelan Beauties, where you'll find photos of extraordinary Venezuelan women, mostly involved in either protesting Chavez or celebrating a Venezuelan tribute of some kind.

http://blogs.salon.com/0001330/ The Devil's Excrement

Two New Blogs

I've just finished adding two great blogs to my Blogroll. Diana Hsieh's Noodle Food, and Focus Foundry. Both provide excellent, thought-provoking reads, and Diana, thanks for adding the Foxhole to your blogroll!

Enjoy!

The Philosopher-Detective Game

Conservative "pro-lifer" Jill Stanek, writing for WorldNetDaily [a site I rarely visit] has taken ARI's editorial on Stem-cell's to task. It is an exercise in double talk if ever there was one. See if you can spot the offense in her writing that she claims ARI's writer's are committing. I will provide links to both editorials.

First, ARI: The Anti-life Opposition to Embryonic Stem Cell Research
http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=11113&news_iv_ctrl=1021

Next, Ms. Stanek's confused rebuttal: The anti-life name game
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=44680


This all goes back to my conversation I had with local friends, about Miss Rand's epistemology being the key that unlock's man's mind from the shackles of religious correctness. It won't be enough just to have her ethics explained to "the masses"(as my friends think). It probably wouldn't hurt, but it wouldn't be enough to make it stick without the proper foundation from epistemology to buttress it.

"The alledged shortcut to knowledge which is faith, is only a short-circuit destroying the mind" Ayn Rand

CSM presents an Overview of Neoconservatism

The Christian Science Monitor did this a few months back and the link is still good. Here, you will learn about the "Middle-aged White Jewish Intellectuals" [Their term, not mine] who formulated Neoconservatism and it's current impact on the Bush administration. Short bio's on many of the leaders of the movement are provided and you can even take a quiz to see where you are politically in relation to neoconservatism.

If you're anything like me, you're eagerly awaiting ARI Director Yaron Brook's critique of the neocon's at this summer's Objectivist Conference.

http://www.csmonitor.com/specials/neocon/neocon101.html?story

Just a thought...

Only the other day, did I learn that the G8 leaders "forgave" $40 billion dollars in debt to "poor" African countries.
I want to thank our Great Leaders for being so altruistic and 'forgiving' of these LOANS. Here's a thought Great Leaders! Your most humble and faithful servant, would like to submit to your attention the idea that I would like all my future taxes rescinded immediately.
After all, I'm "poor", by just about any standard you can come up with. There's no question whatsoever that altruism is the dominant morality in practice today, so hey! Why not extend that generous gift to one of the citizens you goddamn fucking bled to death so you could "give" these loans away?

I know, I know. Just a thought. WAIT! Some men in white coats are knocking at my door. I wonder what they want?
What's that noise?? Ah! There appears to be Black Helicopters flying over my house, too.
Been nice knowin' ya!!!

Corporations under even more attacks...

Just the other day I spotlighted a mutual fund that will aid pro-capitalist's in helping fend off loonie leftist groups who buy stock in companies just to browbeat/force them into adopting Green, or other agenda's. Well here's an article about the "Christers" [Christian Right] using boycott's, the threat of boycott's, and massive letter writing campaigns, against major corporations if the don't stop advertising on "gay" tv shows such as Will and Grace, etc.
Nice bunch. Read it. All of it.

"The New Blacklist"

http://www.laweekly.com/ink/05/29/features-ireland.php

Ayn Rand Institute issues press release on Cox's appointment to SEC

Yaron Brook issues warning to honest Objectivist's everywhere, and I say"beware of false prophets". (Couldn't resist the pun :-) )

http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?JServSessionIdr004=nb6ky3eb01.app1a&page=NewsArticle&id=11135&news_iv_ctrl=1221

FreeEnterpriseActionFund.com

I learned of this fund via Junk Science's Steve Milloy and his feature article(s) on phony shareholders whose only purpose in being stockholders is to pressure companies into adopting Green--or other--political agenda's.
The Mutual Fund in the title above suggests that pro-capitalist investors invest in this fund in order to counteract groups such as "As You Sow" and other phony socialist ideological groups.

Take a look at Milloy's article, which appeared in the New York Sun. He has similar articles under his "What's Hot!" section, as well. Here's a clip from the linked article:

"Shareholders like As You Sow aren't bona-fide investors in the sense that they invest for financial return. They're pretend shareholders investing for the sole purpose of pressuring companies to implement social and political agenda's, which, as in the case of As You Sow and its cronies, can be pretty frightening."

http://www.csrwatch.com/JPs_Pretend_Investors.htm

Here's a link to the mutual fund: (Disclaimer: I'm not responsible for any monies invested, or lost in this fund, if you choose to partake. As always when making investments in the market, read the prospectus carefully and assume that there is risk involved with your capital.)

http://www.freeenterpriseactionfund.com/

A bit of Housecleaning...

I thought of this a while ago, and am just now getting to it. I've eliminated some of the blogs/websites at the left, and added one. The ones I've discontinued have either not blogged for months (Tribe of I) or have killed their blog altogether (AzureWaters), so I've done some housecleaning. I'll also take a moment to introduce a new blog, Thrutch, which appears to be Objectivist oriented.
As always, only those who write for their own blogs are responsible for its content. Not me.

I'm currently reading "The Passion of Ayn Rand's Critics" and am totally immersed in it. Of course, I knew what "side" I was on (Rand) but this book is such good ammunition!!!!

Also, I'm pleased to see that Robert Mayhew will have a new paperback out this coming November on Miss Rand's Q&A sessions!!!

PLUS!!! Tara Smith's new book (The Virtuous Egoist: Ayn Rand's Normative Ethics) will be published next year by the prestigious Cambridge University Press!!!!!

Hot Damn!!! And another thing!!! To also learn that Peter Schwartz and Harry Binswanger are both working on books, this is GREAT NEWS indeed.

The Hayek Scorecard

Leave it to an economist to pit Salma vs. Friedrich....and pick Fred!!! Needless to say, I will take Salma ten out of 10! See for yourself. Hehehehehehe

http://www.csun.edu/~dgw61315/dgwhayek.html

Memorial Day

I can't let the weekend go by without saying a huge "Thank You" to our service personnel, past and present.
You make it possible for us to enjoy freedom and the liberty of the individual to reach our highest height's. You deserve our honor and our respect not just on Memorial Day, but every day.

America! Land of the Free. Home of the Brave!!!! Long may she live!!!

Does Morality depend upon Religion?

[The short answer: No.]

Here's an excellent piece by Peter Schwartz. So appropriate for what we need today.

http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=4241

Ominous Parallels?

Hat tip to the Light of Reason blog:

Here's a link to a horrifying piece of legislation, brought to you by Congressman John Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.).

H.R.1528 would turn neighbor against neighbor in the vaunted "War on Drugs".

"Proposed legislaltion would compel people to spy on their family members and neighbors, forcing all Americans to become foot soldiers in the war on drugs."

http://www.alternet.org/story/22048

The "Sin" of Pride

Via Capitalism Magazine and The Ayn Rand Institute, here's an excellent critique of Catholicism and current happening's thereof...

http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=4237

Don't miss it!

Hiatus

Hello everyone. It is with some degree of sadness that I announce that I have to take a break from posting/writing to the Secular Foxhole. Certain negative life events have taken a toll and have left me deeply depressed and, well, let's just say --morose-- in general. I don't know how long this will last either, as I cannot afford objective psychiatric assistance.

I will still welcome email correspondence, but I can't promise an immediate answer.
Of course, if the mood strikes, I may just post a thing or two if the news is warranted.

Actually, I had been working on a "Top Favorites" listing, of books, music, movies, etc. If I can finish that, I will post it for all to read and comment on, but again, I don't know when.

Best premises,

Blair

[revised post 5-19-05]

Richard Dawkins interview on Salon.com

Evolutionary biologist Dawkins explains why God is a delusion, religion is a virus, and America has slipped back into the Dark Ages...
(You'll need to get Salon's daily 'site pass' to finish reading the article. No registration required.)


http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/04/30/dawkins/index_np.html

Evangelical Christians dominate Air Force Academy

This story, issued by the Seattle Times, covers a disturbing trend at one of our military academies. Says "christian" cadets use intimidation tactics on non-religious fellow students to badger them into accepting Christ.
Nice bunch.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002258355_academy30.html

Chavez calls on American's to "liberate" their nation...

Hugo Chavez, the Venezulean strongman-goon, while visiting Fidel in Cuba, calls on American's to "liberate" themselves from oppression. Not to mention, bad media!
I concur, but not in the way Hugo wants our 'liberation' :-)

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/04/29/venezuela.cuba.ap/

New Pope gets down to it!

Ah, Benedict. Busy tackling those pesky problems like, what, pedophilia among your preisthood? Finding ways to halt the rapid decline of your flock? Taking on Islam, the fastest growing religion in Europe? NO!

Bene boy is going for the throat!! The full-nelson smackdown of the fundamental problem in all the world!!!!!!

He has publicly denounced both J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter for (get this) "undermining the soul of Christianity". Hehehehehhehehe

Here's the linkaroo!
http://www.hollywood.com/news/detail/article/2439745

Now, here we have an authentically benevolent view of the Harry Potter series. Courtesy of the Ayn Rand Institute:
http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8621

TheocracyWatch & a philosophical dilemma

Theocracy Watch has set up a link of news items concerning the Conservatives war against the judiciary. There are simply too many fine articles to list individually here, so I'll list the link to their news page, instead...

Theocracy Watch's "What's New?" page:
http://www.theocracywatch.org/new_links.htm

Here's a dilema of sorts that maybe can generate some discussion among Objectivist bloggers:

Some liberal bloggers are smearing the political theory of republicanism by calling conservatives/theocrats "republicans", when clearly, republicanism is the political system of individual rights and limited goverment.
Granted, theocrats want a "limited" secular arm, but only because they want "The Church" to have total power. This hardly constitutes alignment with republicanism, as we can see by Bush's massive expansion of the welfare-state and other government regulations.
Are the liberal critics right then, to cast a wide net over America's original political principle of Individual Rights begun as a tribute to Man, and to the fading Enlightenment?
Today's 'liberals' fail to gleam this crucial distinction, because they are altruist's too. As objectivist's, we know epistemologically, that socialism, communism, welfare-statism, fascism, theocracy... are all variants of the same altruist/collectivist/religious coin.
I once asked my fellow objectivist's here where I live, which one aspect of Miss Rand's philosophy is most desperately needed in today's America. I held it is the spread of her epistemology, which will lead to an understanding of her ethics and politics, which will accelerate the establishment of a freer society. They held it was her ethics alone which would ignite this acceleration. What do you think?
Either way, it's a long, tough battle we're engaged in.

Interview with Terry Goodkind

The 'Objectivist' fantasy author was recently interviewed on SciFi.com. Here's the link...

http://www.scifi.com/sfw/advance/18_interview.html

Enjoy!

New Pope Elected

Call me cynical, but with this new Pope, religion's war against America will only increase in intensity.
Reason and reality, however, are on our side!

April 24: "Justice Sunday"

In a press release, Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, states that:

"Our goal is to reach as many people as possible and to engage values voters in the all-important issue of reining in our out-of-control courts and putting a halt to the issue of fillibusters against people of faith."

Here is the link to the full press release:

http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=PR05D09&f=PR05D02

Looks like an all-out smear campaign to me. Who was it, now let me think a moment....who was it described something called, "The Argument from Intimidation"? Must've been Ayn Rand.
The above press release is no 'argument' at all, but a concerted smear campaign. The next salvo in the relentless drive of theocrats to wipe-out all things secular.

Here's a related article from the New York Sun: (Probably good today only).

http://www.nysun.com/article/12357

Related web site: Family Research Council
http://www.frc.org

One Year Anniversary

On this day last year, I started The Secular Foxhole. I've been pretty darn happy with this blog so far, and I know I've got more to learn, about myself, and about writing.
A sincere thanks to those of you who have visited this blog more than 3600 times in one year. It is truly appreciated.

Purpose-Driven Strife

Andy over at The Charlotte Capitalist has a ten-part critique of "The Purpose-Driven Life" a book that has sold over 15 million copies in a short timespan.
These critiques are short and to the point, and they are worth your time to read.

Here's the link. He's provided an index of all ten parts, so it'll be easy to find and study.

http://www.charlottecapitalist.com

Thanks, Andy.

Republicans Step Up Attacks on Judiciary

Not to be outdone, looks like conservatives now have their own 'Goon Squad'. May I introduce the "Judeo-Christian Counsil for Constitutional Restoration"!
Here's the link to the related news story...


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=584&e=1&u=/nm/20050408/pl_nm/politics_judges_dc

Senate about to eliminate the Filibuster?

TheocracyWatch's email listing sent me to this site, where the author discusses the possible ways in which Senator Frist (spit) and Vice-President Cheney (who should know better) will end the filibuster over judicial nominee William Meyers, and possibly kill filibustering altogether.

http://thenexthurrah.typepad.com/the_next_hurrah/2005/03/nuclear_option.html

There are several posts on this subject. Go. Read. Gus, maybe you can sift through this and post something on this yourself?

Fire in the Engine Room!

That's the first sentence that popped into my head when I read this horrifying piece of news, coming out of Washington. Really, the Richard Thompson song by that title and this story may not have anything in common, but it is ALARMING just the same...

Of course, some conservatives are still fuming over Schiavo. Apparently holding grudges is what they are best at, since they cannot seem to hold onto, or never learned principle(s)...
Although I do not have the relevant link to the actual statement made, Tom DeLay (R-Tex) said the following, concerning the judiciary over the Terry Schiavo case..."they will answer for their behavior."

Enter stage right, Senate Bill S.520 (the ominously named) Constitution Restoration Act of 2005, which:
Amends the Federal judicial code to prohibit the U. S. Supreme Court and the Federal district courts from exercising jurisdiction over any matter in which relief is sought against an entity of Federal, State or local government or an officer or agent of such government concerning that entity's, officer's, or agent's acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source of law, liberty, or government.
Now isn't that just peachy!!! The bill has five sponsors in the Senate, so far. Haven't checked out the House version, as I'm hunched over the toilet at the moment.

May I suggest anyone who is still remotely sane, contact your local representative and express strong displeasure at this obviously naked power grab.

Here's the link for the Senate Bill:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SN00520:@@@L&summ2=m&

May I also suggest searching Google for 'Dominionism'.
Goto http://www.theocracywatch.org, as well.
Two essays by Ayn Rand come to mind, "Don't Let It Go" and "What Can One Do?"
Andy over at The Charlotte Capitalist has an excellent overview of the popular book, "The Purpose Driven Life". He shreds it!!! Good work Andy. Really good.
Also see my own post of March 22: Know Thy Enemy II

Aristotle & non-contradiction.com

Adding a new web site today on Aristotelianism. Looks like a great resource.
[One of these days I'm gonna alphabetize all my links. Won't that make you happy!]

The Undercurrent

The Undercurrent, a new "newspaper" founded and directed by college students who are dedicated to the philosophy of Ayn Rand is now in print and being distributed to college campuses across the country. I'm adding this site to the Blogroll and posting it here. Go there now!!!!

http://www.the-undercurrent.com

This is great news! Keep up the good work!

Crony Capitalism -or- Outright Fascism?

The following link tells a story of "agreement" between the ATF, Atty's General of several states and our (yours and mine) credit card companies, to ban internet sales of cigarettes. This is just the sort of "merger" that is just one more nail in the coffin of individual liberty, genuine capitalism, and freedom. Not to mention it's a foothold for the government invasion and control of the Internet, and Internet sales, via taxation. [I fixed the link].

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7222711/ "Charging smokes over the Net? Not anymore"


Hat tips: Reclaim Your Brain & The Autonomist

Know Thy Enemy II

In light of the continuing degradation of our Republic by conservative Christians in government--ALL-- levels of government, I thought I'd add to my collection of great weblinks, this gem, from some outfit called The National Reform Association. I'll give you just a taste, then you'll have to see the rest to believe them.

Herein lies THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN CIVIL GOVERNMENT...


"The nation is a collective being, with moral character and accountability, directly responsible to the Author of its existence, God himself."

"The necessary aims of national life compel the nation, in its own proper sphere, as distinct from that of the church, to have regard of the moral laws of the Christian religion, and to base its actions upon these or set itself against them."

"Civil government, the institution for the regulation and control of national life, is in its principle the ordinance of God, and is to be obeyed as such a divine ordinance (Romans 13:1-2)"

"Civil rulers are enjoined to learn Christ's law, and acknowledge and obey Him as King (Psalm 2:10-12)"

Here's the link. Go see what we're up against:

http://www.natreformassn.org/purpose.html

The Coming Crackdown?

Via both the Charlotte Capitalist and Instapundit, here's a link to a petition concerning remarks by an FEC official on the "coming crackdown" of political bloggers, and I fear, blogging in general.
This is just the sort of meddling that untrustworthy politicians, who don't want citizens to know what they're really doing behind closed doors, does to further cripple our freedom, then suddenly we're in a dictatorship.

Go To:

The Online Coalition
http://onlinecoalition.com

Religion vs. America
http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5360

Theocracy Watch (espcially look for their essays on the alarming rise of 'Dominionism')
http://www.theocracywatch.org

Mounting attacks on Capitalism...from religious zealots

Gus Van Horn has an excellent post over at his blog, about the long known incapatability between altruism and capitalism.
Looks like the power mad zealots now dominating the Republican party--taught well by their liberal teachers of what, 40-50 years--(from FDR to Reagan)-- are flexing their muscles (since they abandoned their minds to faith, long ago) to marginalize the fiscal conservatives among them.
Gus's critique is not to be missed.

From Big Tent to Anti-Concept:
http://gusvanhorn.blogspot.com

Also:
Theocracy Watch
http://www.theocracywatch.org

Kyoto Count Up!

Found this great counter over at JunkScience.com Go see how costly the Kyoto Protocol is...

http://www.junkscience.com/MSU_Temps/Kyoto_Count_Up.htm

Ayn Rand on Dictatorship:

After reading John Lewis's article "The New Right" at Capitalism Magazine, [ http://www.CapMag.com/article.asp?ID=4117 ], I decided to post these quotes of Miss Rand's on dictatorship. Future quotes from intellectuals will appear on this page, when it behooves me to do so!
Here we go:

"There are four characteristics which brand a country unmistakably as a dictatroship: one-party rule---executions without trial or with a mock trial, for political offenses--the nationalization of expropriation of private property---and censorship. A coutnry guilty of these outrages forfeits any moral prerogatives, any claim to national rights or sovereignty, and becomes an outlaw." from VOS.

Volumes can be and have been written about the issue of freedom versus dictatorship, but, in essence, it comes down to a single question: do you consider it moral to treat men as sacrificial animals and to rule them by physical force? from WTL's forward.

Dictatorship and determinism are reciprocally reinforcing corollaries: if one seeks to enslave men, one has to destroy their reliance on the validity of their own judgements and choices--if one believes that reason and volition are impotent, one has to accept the rule of force.
from "Representation without Authorization" in ARL,I,21,1.

Every movement that seeks to enslave a country, every dictatorship or potential dictatorship, needs some minority group as a scapegoat which it can blame for the nation's troubles and use as a justification of its own demands for dictatorial powers. In Soviet Russia, the scapegoat was the bourgeoise; in Nazi Germany, it was the Jewish people; in America, it is the businessmen.
from CUI, "America's Persecuted Minority:Big Business,"

It makes no difference whether government controls allegedly favor the interests of labor or business, of the poor or the rich, of a special class or a special race: the results are the same. The notion that a dictatorship can benefit any one special group at the expense of others is a worn remnant of the Marxist mythology of class warfare, refuted by half a century of factual evidence. All men are victims and losers under a dictatorship; nobody wins--except the ruling clique.
from "The Fascist New Frontier"

A dictatorship has to promulgate some sort of distant goals and moral ideals in order to justify its rule and the people's immolation; the extent to which is succeeds in convincing its victims, is the extent of its own danger; sooner or later, its contradicitons are thrown in its face by the best of its subjects: the ablest, the most intelligent, the most honest. Thus a dictatorship is forced to destroy and to keep on destroying the best of its "human resources." And be it fifty years or five centuries later, ambitious thugs, and lethargic drones are all a dictatorship will have left to expoit and rule; the rest will die young, physically and spiritually.
from "The Inexplicable Personal Alchemy" NL

VOS= Virtue of Selfishness
WTL= We the Living
ARL= Ayn Rand Letter
CUI= Capitalism:The Unknown Ideal
NL= The New Left [The Return of the Primative]

Bush's Inaugural Address: A Betrayal of the Concept of Freedom

Go straight to this hard hitting editorial by Harry Binswanger, a long time Objectivist philosopher and instructor.

http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=4120

Best Books of 2004

I thought I'd compile a listing of the books I read last year and throw it out here for all to see. These are in no particluar order and do not include every book I read last year, but the ones I liked the most and that should interest those looking for some pleasurable reading that also gives the reader something to think about and to enjoy. Of course, none compare to an 'Atlas Shrugged' and they aren't supposed to.

Booked to Die by John Dunning
The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva
Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
Deception Point by Dan Brown
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
The English Assassin by Daniel Silva
Darwin's Blade by Dan Simmons
The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse ( a classic, and best intro to Wodehouse)
The first four books of Terry Goodkind's fantasy series, starting with:
Wizard's First Rule
Rules of Engagement by Gordon Kent
The Chronoliths by Robert Charles Wilson (one of my top favorites)
Cutout by Francine Mathews ( best espionage book I've read in years)
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (this marked about the 25th time I've read this novel)
Essays on We the Living edited by Robert Mayhew
The Crook Factory by Dan Simmons ( this story is set in WW2 and features Hemmingway and a cameo by Ian Fleming. Fun.)
Heart of a Pagan by Andrew Bernstein (worthy of several readings)
His Dark Materials a trilogy by Philip Pullman (excellent)

As for 2005, I've got stacks and stacks of books waiting for my eager eyesight. Authors like Robin Hobb, more John Dunning, more Terry Goodkind, Edward Cline's Sparrowhawk series, more Daniel Silva, many others.

Blog Roll

I've added Gus Van Horn to the blogroll at left. Good words from an Objectivist perspective. Check it out...

Bush's Grand Design (Delusion?)

Recent story in The New Yorker by Seymour Hersh says Bush has sent teams of covert operatives into Iran--and they've been there for months--gathering information on Iran's nuclear capabilities. Aparently, in order to eliminate them or severly wreck them and embarrass the mullah's who rule Iran.
On the surface this looks like a great idea, but I, along with NoumenalSelf, (see link at left) think this is/could lead to further disaster for America and it's military. Why? Those of us who are familiar with philosophy, history, political science, know that fundamentally the secular West is at WAR with Islam. Our leaders spectacular failure to name our enemy is why this campaign is flagging, and will continue to --perhaps--worsen. I hate seeing this for our military, who don't deserve to be made into sacrificial lambs.
As for our current leader's "strategy" this same article reveals an astounding plan by the Bush team to foster unrest in all ten Mid-eastern nations.
Several objectivist's re-elected and support President Bush, because they like or are in favor of the likes of Rice, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Cheney. But I say, given that these four people are/seem to be decent and pro-American, this is precisely why we should have voted Bush out.

I just want to end, for now, by saying to you, as concerning our 'war on terror'. Who said the following: "In any compromise between two sides with the same fundamental principles, it is the more irrational one who wins."

Here's the New Yorker story. You really should study it carefully, then go to NounemalSelf.com, as well:
http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?050124fa_fact


As an aside, my thanks go to The Charlotte Capitalist for mentioning my link about Theocracy Watch, below.

Theocracy Watch

Here's a link to a website that concerns itself with the rise of the "Religious Right" and its takeover of the Republican Party. Check it out.

[Hat tip: Azure Waters]

http://www.theocracywatch.org

Susan Sontag: Goodbye and good riddance

The "brave", sophisticated, deeply intelligent, writer/intellectual" Susan Sontag died shortly after Christmas.
I say, good-bye and good riddance to another hate-America leftist pest.
Here's a great summation of her hypocrisy.

http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=4085


Go. Read.

Quick NFL Notes

Okay now, don't laugh. The Cincinnati Bengals are, and have been, my favorite team since their inception. Marvin Lewis fired the defensive coordinator, Leslie Frazier, today. I've two things to say about this:
1) Frazier should never have been hired.
2) Frazier should have been fired after last season.

Also, big stories out of Seattle say Holmgren is on the hot seat there. Pshaw! Ray Rhodes is their Defensive Coordinator--- a loser wherever he's been. The only reason Rhodes won in Philly as Head coach, was John Gruden as his offensive coordinator. Talk about someone (Rhodes) who has an undeserved reputation as a good coach!!!!!!!!!!! After Gruden left Philly, what happened there. Nosedive! Rhodes went to Green Bay (I think) LOSER. Fired. Rhodes went to Denver as Defensive coordinator. ONE SEASON. Fired. Now in Seattle, he's poisoned that unit's ability to get better. CAN ANYBODY GET A HINT?

Author, author!!

[Revised 12/31/04]


Some weeks ago, I had posted a couple of writings on my favorite authors and that met with the best response I've had since I started this blog. I am grateful for that, and thanks for the great tips on books and author's I've not heard of or read. Looking forward to starting those soon.

The reason for this post is to add a new author to the list, and borrowing a phrase from the record industry way back in my youth, make him #1 with a bullet.

Philip Pullman is a British author that has written several children's books. Among these is a trilogy for adults, as well as gifted, or highly curious and intelligent children, called:

His Dark Materials

I am going to try to summerize each book, but first, let me say how impressed I am with the author's command of the English language, his vivid storytelling, and his depiction of good and evil.
As a reader of this blog, if you are even remotely interested in philosophy, this trilogy is for you. If you want a glimpse of the heroic and the tragic, of the Unmistakably Good vs. Irredeemably Evil, then go out and get this series immediately.

Here is the title and a brief summary of each book, as best as I can do it...

Book 1: The Golden Compass--
A consciousness in focus. Self-directed. Goal directed.

Book 2: The Subtle Knife--
A is A. Either-or.
Here's a brief paragraph from near the end of book 2--

"There are two great powers," the man said, "and they've been fighting since time began. Every advance in human life, every scrap of knowledge and wisdom and decency we have has been torn by one side from the teeth of the other. Every little increase in human freedom has been fought over ferociously between those who want us to know more and be wiser and stronger, and those who want us to obey and be humble and submit."

Book 3: The Amber Spyglass--
(I am just now starting this third, and final book, so this may be revised later on)
The "Final Battle" between reason and superstition, life and death.


Hope this whets your appetite. These are books I know I'll read over and over again. I can't recommend them highly enough.
As a bonus, New Line Cinema is making this trilogy into movies!!!! Still a year or two off of release, though.
You might try hisdarkmaterials.org or http://www.philip-pullman.com

Best premises!!!

Happy Holidays

I've been absent from posting simply because I've been too busy with the holiday's and getting ready for the new year.
I've got a few stories and ideas for posting in the near future, that are still relevant news, so look for those early next year.

So, "Best Premises" to all my readers and friends for the remainder of 2004, and for all of 2005!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Mental Health vs. Individual Accountability

This article was found using Google's Alert feature. The author makes several salient points on the failure of public education and how they are shifting the blame on anything, and anyone, other than their failed policies and methods, including, sadly, a pharmacutical industry eager to "cash-in" on drugs they'll provide to help cover the fissures in education by blaming the student's themselves and medicating them.
All part of the Theraputic State apparatus now being created at every level of government. Gee, I can hardly wait, but...I've got a headache. Let me take something for it...




http://www.commonvoice.com/article.asp?colid=1792#results

NBA= National Brawl Association

Detroit, a city known world-wide for its grace, charm, and sophistication [insert sarcastic chortle here] was the scene of a terrible, ugly brawl between "professional" athletes and fans the other night. It was truly disgraceful. No doubt a new low has been reached in NBA annals. Here in America, we have teams of multi-millionaire athletes in every sport. Most (but especially the NBA) with the IQ and education level of dry, stale, cowchips---or worse.
What is the cause of this growing trend toward violence in sport here in America? This 'soccer fan' mentality poisoning sport across the board?
The short answer is this: European collectivist ideas are infesting every facet of life in America. Not just sports. These ideas eminate from our universities, which are sewers of intellectual depravity, precisely because European ideas dominate 99.8% of our university programs and faculty.
The schools who actually teach pro-American, pro-reason, pro-individualist, pro-capitalist ideas that are the actual root of this nation can be counted on one hand, as the saying goes. It can't even be counted as a school or schools, but less---the actual count of one rational faculty member compared to his/her counterparts is perhaps 1 in 10,000 or worse. More like one in 100,000.
For at least a century and a half, the idea of America as a secular republic, where each individual is free to live, and rise to the level his abilities can take him, has been willfully buried under a torrent of collectivist verbal diarrhea.
Leading the way are what/who I call The Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse: Plato, Kant, Hegel, Marx. With all the legions of their lesser ilk in tow behind them. It is just astonishing to think that for more than two millennia, freedom and civilization has moved forward on the shoulder's of only two men. Aristotle and Aquinas, and the latter was only half right (!)
Until and unless Aristotle, Aquinas, and yes, Ayn Rand, are put in a place of pre-emminence in our schools and universities, you can expect more violence, more government control of our daily lives, more taxation, more chaos.

2 new Blogs added at left

Friends, I've added two new and interesting Blogs to my links at left. Be sure to give them your atention!
Check out: Tribe of I & The Charlotte Capitalist, especially the latter's "Reason Roundup".

Good stuff!!!!

What would Frank do?

Here's a little ditty on what Mr. Sinatra would do to terrorists....Funny.

http://www.beecy.net/frank/

Election reflection...

Now that it's been a couple of days since the election, the dust has settled and we see the continued disintegration of the Democratic party, and of democrats themselves--I have a co-worker who wrote an angry screed about "King George II" and a bunch of other gobbledegook. He did manage a moment (a spasm?) of clarity when he did say in his diatribe that church and state should be seperate.--

I caught a rerun on CSPAN of the President's news conference. I was so glad to see a relaxed, almost jovial, certainly confident man, stand before us and speak his mind. Here is a piece of beautiful music to my ears...

"No president should ever try to impose religion on our society". Echoing Robert Tracinski at TIA Daily...let's hold him to these words!!!

I truly do love this country!!!!

Yesterday's election

Oh well, I guess I'll jot down a few more thoughts and hopes for the future here. First, a few things I'm not happy about, then I'll try to wrap up positive...

As Professor John Lewis pointed out in 'Opposing Platonic Conservatism: A Matter of Values, I'm now deeply concerned about the future success of Objectivism spreading into the universities. With the re-election of Bush, the philosophy of the neo-conservatives will now take ascendence, perhaps, only perhaps, brushing Ayn Rand aside, once again. I dearly hope I'm wrong about this. However, as she herself stated, reason and reality are on our side, so anyone who fights for the future, lives in it today.

With increasing majorities in both houses and the White House again, there is really, no oppostion to the religious agenda that will be rolled out and rammed through the legislavtive process. We're a 'democracy' remember? Since Bush has pulled off both the popular vote and the Electoral College, it's mob ( majority) rule baby!!!!
Since Democrats are our alleged 'secular' representatives, we are basically without leadership, as Marxism is the secularization of altruism. That is, of religious morality.

I fear that the 'war on terror' will just fade into the background as your everyday common 'police action' and that too many American's will just yawn about it and accept it. After all, Bush has kept another attack from our shores ever since, hasn't he? The conservative press will tout this election as about "moral values of the Heartland" so Bush won't have to use those Executive Orders so much anymore, as he can just send religious legislation down to Congress and have it rubber-stamped.

Here's one positive thing, though...with Bush's re-election, at least we pissed off the French ;-)

Tomorrow's Election

I've decided to toss in my two cents worth of thoughts on tomorrow's Presidential election.

Reading the many Objectivist, or related, editorials both for and against each major candidate, there are things I've just got to get off my chest about what is happening, or going to happen after the election.

I'm afraid of Bush, because he is sincere in his Christian belief. There is no doubt he is allowing religious people more access to the corridors of power than they have never had nor deserved, in our history.
There is only one result when people unite religion with state power, and it is not good. Neither for those who 'voted' for that alliance, nor the rest of us who oppose it, if it befalls us to do so. (Unless of course, we 'win' the argument and persuade American's to remember their secular heritage).

I have said for years, that the battleground for any future culture/society of freedom for the individual lies in applying and spreading Ayn Rand's epistemology as far and wide as each of us are capable of doing, in whatever 'reasoned' manner open to us. That truth will never change, as long as their is one human left of earth.

I am opposed to religious belief for myself because of its faulty mental mechanism of 'faith'. As human being's we are an integrated sum of matter and consciousness. Thought and action. The mind works a certain way, and only in that way. There are no shortcuts to knowledge. No 'mystic insight' to guide our way to a life fulfilled.
I am opposed to the unity of religion and state for the reason that, in a secular state, people who disagree are free to go about their life without interference from others who have differing views. A properly grounded secular state apparatus keeps all its citizens free from coercion. One need only look honestly toward the Middle East to see how theocracies deal with their own kind, let alone dissenter's. ( Remember Bush's father saying that atheists should not be considered citizens of the United States? I do.)
On top of all this danger, we have the twisted, useless philosophy of pragmatism, which dominates our culture today. I loathe a President (whomever that may be) who uses the language of freedom to sell-out those principles for short-sighted gains, which turn out to favor our enemies in the long run and destroy the American concept's of freedom, individualism, and capitalism in our fellow citizen's minds. A man who does this, as far as I'm concerned, is evil. I loathe a President who offers bold language, especially if it is morally correct language, to the world and then proceeds to undermine every aspect of his stance to 'balance competing pressure groups' and to appease our deadliest enemies.

As for The Left, when the Berlin Wall fell, so did all the leftist pet ideas of socialism, welfare-statism, communism. They are out of gas, and out of even remote civility toward anyone who differs from their hallowed, empty Ideal. John Kerry is the epitome of a Zero. Utterly and totally selfless, and, isn't that ugly. I just read a comment about "The Angry Left" and boy, isn't that the truth.
When you abandon reason, then do all in your power to destroy reason, logic dictates that 'anger' may be all you have left. Yet in today's typical fashion, do they blame themselves for their own sellout to the void? No. We won't see that from those empty skulls, not ever. Everything's now a 'conspiracy of the right' or Big Business buying off this or that legislation. Blah Blah Blah Blah.

Yet, I believe it will be easier to show the American people how bankrupt the Left is, by having them in power, than by having committed religious zealots running the show for four more years. We, as dedicated advocates of reason, of Objectivism, have a better chance, both short term and long, if Bush is out of power.

This is why, as disdainful as it is, I'm pulling the Kerry lever tomorrow morning.

How To Separate Church and State in 3 Easy Steps

Posted 10/13/04 on DrHurd.com...

"The Ten Commandments case to be heard by the Supreme Court is easy to solve. Here are a few simple statements of principle:

Religious views expressed on private property? Nobody's business.

Religious views endored on government property? No Way.

The way to minimize if not eliminate these disputes? The more private property, the better.

It's really as easy as that!"

http://www.drhurd.com

Shameless self-promotion

I've updated mymedialist to include links direct to the product so you can purchase these items and I make oodles of cash and never have to go to a job again!!!!

Oh well...

Look it over, you may find something you really like. I'll thank you ahead of time if you make a purchase!

New Author of note

I'm taking a break from reading Fantasy and picked up "Booked to Die" by John Dunning, which I recommend to all who are looking for a new hero. Cliff Janeway is a cop turned Book Seller who is a reality based man of thought and deed. This story also takes place in one of my favorite cities, Denver Colorado.
This is the first book by Dunning I've ever read. In fact I never heard of him until I read a review of this book on another Objectivist's site.
There are remarkably few flaws in this story [although I'm only half-way through it, so the juries still out].
Here's a good passage I like from the book...
I walked through the store and only then did it hit me--what I had taken on, what I'd left behind, how drastically my life had changed in only one month. I took a deep breath. The place smelled of paint fumes and sawdust. It smelled like a new car, though the actual odor was nothing like that. It was real, it was alive, and it was mine. It was sweet and exciting. I had a sense of proprietorship, of direction. I had a lifetime of work ahead of me, and it was very good.

[Hat tip: HarryRoolaart.com]

Columbus Day

I can't let this day go by without thanking Christopher Columbus, who brought with him the greatness, grandeur, nobility and respect for living on earth, that is Western Civilization. With no apology, I salute you sir.

More on Author's

I was thinking earlier today, how dumb I was with my original post on my Favorite Author's, because I did not include P.G. Wodehouse in the mix. Now, I know I have a link for him to the left, but not including him in that brief summary was insulting to his memory and I must apologize.
So, what better segway to add one or two more to the list than to start with apologies to the comic master...

) P. G. Wodehouse.
One must start with 'The Code of the Woosters', that's all there is to it. Failing that, start with any Jeeves and Wooster book you can grab. If you've got any humor in you at all, you'll take to his books immediately.
Failing that, then just go to the VHS or DVD adaptation's of his works, featuring the comic brilliance of Stephen Fry as Jeeves and Hugh Laurie as Bertie Wooster. I cannot think of two more able actors to portray these two characters, than Fry and Laurie. Brilliant. Just brilliant.

) Dan Brown
Brown's written four books. His first, Digital Fortress, was good. You can see his progression as a writer if you read them in order. Next came Deception Point. Then Angels and Demons. My suggestion is to go right to 'Angels and Demons' then 'The DaVinci Code'. These two feature the same main character and 'Code' is being made into a movie.

More to come...

My author recommendations...

I've been very pleased with the response to my author recommendtions. It's nice that I've introduced at least 3 others to Terry Goodkind, and one to Jack Vance. I urge readers of that post to continue to write to me.
Thanks.

Friday

Ever had one of those days? Everything started great today. No worries.

SLAM!!!CRASH. Rest of day sucked bad. Terrible bad.

Tomorrow looks just as bleak.

Sunday? Yep. Same.

Monday could very well be the day of DOOM.

I'm not optimistic.

Hat Tip

Hat Tip to Anger Management for adding this site to his Blog Roll. I do appreciate it.
Thank you.


http://angermanagement.mu.nu

Favorite Authors

Besides Miss Rand, Victor Hugo and Shakespeare, I'd like to jot down a few of my other all-time favorites that I recommend to you, and some of their works...
Here goes, and I'm leaving aside the philosophical problems of each writer. If they have any:

I'll start with a category of science fiction/fantasy
1) Jack Vance.
This man is a brilliant writer. The world(s) he creates in all his works are spellbinding. Totally entertaining and compelling. If you're not familiar with his work, start with To Live Forever and/or The Blue World.
The Demon Prince novels are a must read, in spite of their heavy 'libertarianistic' leaning's. In truth, anything you read by him will make you think, and not dissapoint.

2) Stephen R. Donaldson.
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant: Lord Foul's Bane (Book 1) Although this first book in the two trilogies is slow going, make your way through it, because the rest of the series is not to be missed. These books feature one of my all-time favorite characters. The giant Saltheart Foamfollower.
It's been recently announced that Donaldson is returning to 'The Land' with four new novels. The first of which will be released in hardback next month.

3) Terry Goodkind
I guess he has to be mentioned, doesn't he!
It looks as though there are 11 books in the 'Sword of Truth' series. I'm currently bogged down in book five, which isn't the author's fault.
Wizard's First Rule is Book 1 in this series and is recommended. Clearly defined good vs. evil is Goodkind's hallmark, in my view. Plus, in his books, the villians are socialist's and collectivist's.
Go to your browser, type in his name and read his homage to Ayn Rand.

--Others--

4) Daniel Silva
Start with The Kill Artist and go from there. Although The English Assassin left a somewhat bitter taste, I'm going to continue to read this author, and have bought the next book in the series featuring Gabriel Allon.

5) Robert Heinlein
Revolt in 2100. Hurry and find this one, as it will probably be out of print soon.

6) Greg Iles
This author writes good stories, except that almost every character is a moral sleezebag. Forget 'Mortal Fear' which was so 'dirty' it made me want to take a shower after finishing it.
'Footprints of God' is standard formula (evil corporation and it's leader) semi-decent, but you've been warned. His book '24 Hours,' became a movie called Trapped. Starring Kevin Bacon and Charlize Theron, and worth viewing just to see her in black bra and panties.

7) Dan Simmons.
This writer isn't afraid to cross genre's . He writes SF, crime stories, haunted, and espionage. The Hyperion series of SF novels are held to be classic's by many critics. I concur. They are brilliant.
Darwin's Blade is an excellent place to begin reading him, however. I'm currently reading his book, 'The Crook Factory' .


So here you have a 'short list' of my favorites, and some of their works. I hope you'll investigate them.

What the "Bush Doctrine" should be...

This is excerpted from Diana Hsieh's Blog, Noodlefood. This is exactly where I stand, but she says it better than I can...


"In essence, the Bush Administration is floundering in its own moral fog. It refuses to identify its basic emeny as militant Islam. It defends Islamic values as morally equal to Western values. It often subordinates military victory to Muslim goodwill. It focuses on the violent methods of some militant Islamists rather than the more dangerous goals of the ideology. In order to avoid the charge of cultural imperialism, the Bush Administration is routinely lapsing into cultural relativism. As a result, America lacks a clear vision and purpose in this conflict--and that undermines our capacity to eliminate the grave threat posed by militant Islam. The corresponding impression of weakness and self-doubt emboldens the militant Islamists' dreams of transforming America into an Islamist theocracy."
" Successfully defending ourselves in this present conflict requires a deep understanding of and appreciation for what is at stake: Western culture. In the face of the cultural imperialism of the militant Islamists, moral relativism is not a viable option. Nor is cultural relativism true, for by any reasonable standard, the essentials of Western culture--values such as individual rights, rule of law, limited government, rationality, this-worldliness, and peaceful trade--are infinitely superior to the authoritarianism, racism, death-worship, and theocracy advocated by militant Islamists."
Well said, Diana. I only wish this could be said/told to our current leadership, and that they would respond positively to it.

Check out her Blog [Scroll down to 9/11 Debate]

http://www.dianahsieh.com/blog

American medicine= 1 Socialized medicine= 0

From Dr. Hurd's Daily Dose of Reason:

"Notice that for his heart surgery, former President Bill Clinton is not going to Canada; nor to Great Britain. These nationalized health care systems are both superior to the United States, according to arguments he and his wife made during his first term of office.

When push comes to shove, advocates of socialized systems always run to the capitalist systems ( or semi-capitalist, in the case of the United States.) This is because while they're wrong, they're not stupid. They believe in socialism, but not for themselves, just for the rest of us."

Find more Daily Doses at: http://www.drhurd.com

A 9/11 Weekend

I had family come visit this past weekend for a four day stay. Our objective was to visit the US Coast Guard Academy, the Nautilus museum and Naval Base. Then go to West Point for a saturday football game. I'm proud to say, we achieved all these objectives.
Words are hard to find to express how impressed I am/was with our young people who are attending both the Coast Guard Academy and West Point. Not only were they polite, but generous as well. It's so refreshing to see young men and women who have what I call, a 'personal integrity' about them.
Except for the horrifying presence of religion, I am so grateful to our military academies, to their instructors, and to the students who attend there. It's very, very gratifying to see your tax monies go to legitimate government functions, such as protecting this great, noble nation.
Touring West Point just has to be one of the highlights of my life. I was so impressed with that Post. It is placed in such beautiful surrounding's, again, words nearly fail me.
Not to mention seeing the cadets in full-dress uniform performing on the grounds, honoring our 9/11 victims, it was inspiring. If I weren't so dang old, I would have signed up right then and there.
If you ever want to afford yourself a taste of 'campus life' then I compel you to visit one of these academies a.s.a.p. You won't regret it. Just type West Point and/or US Coast Guard Academy in your browser and take it from there.

So, to our young and brave men and women who are attending these schools and defending our country, you are saluted.

Another new entry to Blog List

I'm adding NoumenalSelf.com to the list of Blog's you should check out. I admire NS's reasoning abilities, and his posting's on Bush vs. Kerry are thought provoking.

I've been seriously thinking about this election for quite awhile now. I must say I was strolling along mindlessly blissful of voting for Bush for the 'defense of America first' issue, until I was hit on the head with Dr. Peikoff's stance, and Dr. John Lewis's articles at capmag.com, concerning "faith-based" welfare statism, which shook me back to reality in a major way. While it is difficult casting a vote for Kerry, it will become even more difficult voting at all if conservatives (i.e., theocrats) continue to undermine our secular foundations.

Dennis Prager interviews Sam Harris on his new book...

Follow this link to a transcript of a radio interview between Dennis Prager and Sam Harris, author of the book, The End of Faith. It's good reading...


http://dennisprager.com/samharris.html

New "single issue" Blog added to Blogroll of Fame

I've received permission to add Horror Unheeded to the list of blogs at left. The single issue Mr. Crawford addresses is the war on terror. Read it. It's worth your time.

Also, I'm adding a link for the Israeli Defense Forces. You can send them pizza, burgers and soft drinks. Check out pizzaidf.com !

Science News...

Teleportation goes the distance [BBC]

Physicists have carried out successful teleportation with particles of light over a distance of 600m across the river Danube in Austria.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3576594.stm

New Items and a Thank you

I've added several new websites that should be of interest to freedom loving individuals. Scroll down my links column until just past Constitution Society. There you will see all the newest links.

Also, I want to thank Nicolas at The Rule of Reason for adding this blog to his Blogroll. I am honored to be included.

Israeli BBQ!!!!

This is just too sweet!!! I love it!


Israel declared psychological war on hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners today, saying it would bbq meat outside their cells to try to break their spirit.

Read more...

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/headline/world/2738725

[Hat tip: Venting Steam]

The End of Faith

by Sammuel Harris

Here are excerpts from his new book. You can explore more about him and his book at
http://www.samharris.org

"It seems that if our species ever eradicates itself through war, it will not be because it was written in the stars but because it was written in our books; it is what we do with words like "God" and "paradise" and "sin" in the present that will determine our future."

"Tell a devout Christian that his wife is cheating on him, or that frozen yogurt can make you invisible, and he is likely to require as much evidence as anyone else, and to be persuaded only to the extent that you give it. Tell him that the book he keeps by his bed was written by an invisible deity who will punish him with fire for eternity if he fails to accept its every incredible claim about the universe, and he seems to require no evidence whatsoever."

"Our world is fast succumbing to the activities of men and women who would stake the future of our species on beliefs that should not survive an elementary school education. That so many of us are still dying on account of ancient myths is as bewildering as it is horrible, and our own attachement to thse myths, whether moderate or extreme, has kept us silent in the face of developments that could ultimately destroy us. Indeed, religon is as much a living spring of violence today as it was at any time in the past."

You can purchase the book via the link to the left, if you so choose.

Self-responsibility

This thought occured to me earlier today. As a backlash against the Leftist surrender of reason to attacks on everything American, today's Conservatives extoll a return to "self-responsibility".
Yet, isn't religion, faith, and every act concerning these two ways of conducting one's life....a total abdication of thought, therefore action, in reality. Evasion on such a complete scale is a total surrender of the responsibility of being (and becoming) a human being [i.e., a rational animal].
To accept one thing, anything, on faith, is to cripple the actual and proper function of one's mind. In short, sense perception, concepts, logic. Ayn Rand said once, "The alleged shortcut to knowledge, which is faith, is only a short-circuit, destroying the mind."
I cannot tell you how many people I hear openly say "I can't wait to die." Now, they don't use these exact words, but they are quite close. Moreso than you'd think. I'm starting to think that each time I hear someone say the usual refrain, "Lord, have mercy on me. Take me away from all this," means, actually means, "I'm ready to die, Lord."
More and more, and especially in the last few years, I'm thinking that religion, religious belief, is slow psychological suicide. Suicide, whether it takes a moment, a day, 30 or 100 years, you are committing yourself to a slow death. To be religious is to cast a pall over your own life and mental functioning.
That's why I'm so glad I was introduced to Ayn Rand's writing's. She said another true gem when she made the statement, "It is philosophy that got us into this mess, it is only philosophy that can get us out." She did not say this outright (at least I don't think so) but I will. It is only Objectivism that can "save" man, and therefore, the world.

New Items

I have added two new items to the Links list at your left. MyMediaList, which shows what I'm currently reading, watching, listening to, and, I'm now an Amazon Associate! [Still working on the Amazon link.]

The Idiocy of Crowds & of authors who think there's a Collective Intelligence

A collective intelligence which produces more "wisdom" than any individual can.

Here's a succint book review of James Surowiecki's book, "The Wisdom of Crowds", found in Canada's Financial Post. Let's just say, he points out some of the flaws in such "thinking".

http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/financialpost/story.html?id=6eec0c70-109f-4291-a27e-3bb3fd6c22af

Illinois

I've just read where Alan Keyes is going to move to Illinois to run for the Senate seat being challenged by that smooth talking con-artist Barack Obama.
Well, does anyone beside me think this will virtually guaranty Obama's "lead-pipe lock" on the Senate seat? Tipping the Senate over to the Dems?
Mr. Keyes is just a Bible thumping, hapless, waste of space. Even if he were somehow to win, he would be utterly useless as a politician. Totally out of his league. An embarrassment.
Nor am I happy about this slick Obama suit. He is just dangerous. Even so, if I lived in Illinois, I would vote for Obama over Keyes 10 times out of ten. Just like they do there in Illinois ;-)

Presidential Library...

This post is a response to a NYT article on recommendation's that theologians give, on books for both Presidential candidates. Needless to say, their choices were, and are, dreadful. I will link to the story after I post what I think are basic texts that any honest political candidate should have a thorough knowledge of:

Here's my list. In no way is this complete, but for starters...

1) Philosophy: Who Needs It by Ayn Rand.
2) The Ominous Parallels: The End of Freedom in America by Leonard Peikoff
3) Atheism: The Case Against God by George Smith
4) The Foreign Policy of Self-Interest: A Moral Ideal for America by Peter Schwartz
5) Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal by Ayn Rand
6) Moral Rights and Political Freedom by Tara Smith


This list is not complete, but for any candidate who truly wants America to prosper, he/she must have read, and understood, these 6 books. Perhaps I'll add a few more, as they come to me. I'll check my own library in the den!

Here's the NYTimes link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/24/national/24beliefs.html?ex=1092513768&ei=1&en=323d42da30247a79

Barry Goldwater

Hat tip to Egoist.blogspot.com for linking up this, Goldwater's 1964 acceptance speech at the Republican convention. Read this and compare it to our two candidates who'll face of in November, and see the difference for yourself...


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/daily/may98/goldwaterspeech.htm

The Sacking of Troy...

Here's a link to a good Washington Times article that shows how the FDA (!) is trying to stop/slow down the Ambulance Chasing Trial Lawyers (did I say John Edwards, and his ilk).
Read it. It's worth the time. 
Especially the last paragraph. It (the Bill) sailed through the House unopposed and unchallenged. If this is the kind of "Leadership" House Republicans show, then there is no leadership. Oh, wait! It's an election year!
I forgot.

http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20040725-093900-3893r.htm

[Hat Tip: TIA Daily]

Who's Minding the Store?

Committee on the Present Danger:

Is dedicated to winning the global war on terrorism.  We are a bipartisan organization from the policy, political, academic, business and professional communities committed to resisting and defeating terrorist organizations, ending collusion between rogue regimes and terrorists, and supporting reform in regions that threaten to export terror.

http://www.fightingterror.org

 
[Hat tip: Frederick Norman]

The Left's Crimes of Silence

Run right on over to Frontpagemag.com to read the above named editorial by Ralph Peters.
 Talk about hitting the proverbial nail right on it's head!!!
POW!

 
  http://www.frontpagemag.com

Hopeful Signs...

Hopeful signs of a Human Future.

  This news story portrays the decline of the 'Protestant majority' in America. It says that the rise of the 'non-religious' has grown at least 5% since the 1990's. Among America's youth, the non-religious has/have  grown even more rapidly.

 Here are some telling stats:

"Since colonial times, the United States has been a Protestant nation.  But perhaps as early as this year, the country will, for the first time, no longer have a Protestant majority," Smith said in a report Tuesday. 

 A steep rise in the number of people who said they have no religion: 14% in 2002, up from 9% in 1992. It's even higher for younger people: Among those born in 1980 or later, 27% said they had no religion. "Each succeeding group is less religious than the preceding," Smith says.

Let's hope, for America's future, and the future of individual freedom, that a large percentage of these 'non-religous' are steeped in the life-affirming philosophy of Objectivism. The philosophy of Ayn Rand.  Let's say 'goodbye and good riddance to religious superstition altogether.   

I can't seem to link to this story. Working on it.

 

Hiatus...

Taking a bit of time from Blogging this past week. Listening to a pathbreaking audio lecture course called, "Reclaiming Egoism and Morality" by Dina Garmong. Available from the Ayn Rand Bookstore [aynrandbookstore.com]
 Highly recommended.
Also, today's my birthday!

The Morality of Life

"In the name of the best within you, do not sacrifice this world to those who are its worst. In the name of the values that keep you alive, do not let your vision of man be distorted by the ugly, the cowardly, the mindless in those who have never achieved his title. Do not lose your knowledge that man's proper estate is an upright posture, an intransigent mind and a step that travels unlimited roads. Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it's yours. But to win it requires your total dedication and a total break with the world of your past, with the doctrine that man is a sacrificial animal who exists for the pleasure of others. Fight for the value of your person. Fight for the virtue of your pride. Fight for the essence of that which is man: for his sovereign rational mind. Fight with the radiant certainty and the absolute rectitude of knowing that yours is the Morality of Life." Ayn Rand

Happiness

This appalling statement was just uttered to me a little while ago. "Too many people are looking for happiness. The problem is, they are trying to find it in themselves."
The gentleman (?) would have said the following, right after spewing the above quote, that human's can only find happiness in "serving God". Or "true happiness is loving our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ."
Needless to say, I cut the conversation short.
If you pause to think about the above quotes, they are a direct attack on Aristotle and on any human who struggles to be productive, to achieve hard fought values, whatever their scale and worth.
The monumental task we face, right now, and for the rest of our lives, is to stand for egoism's proper place at the center of a human moral code. The purpose of morality is to discover how each human can achieve their values, while living on earth. Not on how to serve others and sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice.
I'm reminded of a scene in Ayn Rand's sadly overlooked novel, 'We the Living', where one of the main characters discovers the key to real happiness. " I know that when I ask people if they believe in God, and they say "yes", they don't believe in Life".
Altruist's have had more than two millenia to distort Egoism, and they have done a thourough job of it. As a consequence, an egoist morality is all but unknown today, and morality itself has been destroyed as a tool for humans to use to further their own lives.
Now, more than ever, those who understand the true value of self-interest, must speak out whenever we hear such drivel. By doing so, you will not only assist in stopping the decent into religious tyranny here in America, you will also bolster your own self confidence and automatically add luster to your body armor.
Let's get busy. We have no time to loose.

Kerry + Edwards

If you didn't see this one coming, you've been hiding in a cave for too long. John Edwards was, according to some reports, Kerry's second choice. John McCain being the first. But really, Edwards had to be the one, because of the inexhorable logic of it all.

Kerry has been posing (?) as a lifeless stoic. Looking like the graying, quiet, intellectual. In other words, trying to look "Presidential". Edwards is the youthful, energetic go-getter, picked presumably to energize the Democratic electorate.

I consider Edwards a modern-day Elmer Gantry. That ever-present smile hides a deep seated hatred of all things American. Things that you and I are working on trying to restore on the American scene: reason, individualism, capitalism.[Remember that almost all his stump speeches during the primaries boiled down to economic class warfare.]

Kerry's 'waffling' on the issues ( "I opposed that bill right up to the minute I voted for it."),is designed for him to look like an Intellectual, pondering all sides of an issue, but is really a smokescreen, covering his own fundamental hatred of his country.[Hat tip to Robert Tracinski of The Intellectual Activist for pointing this out, in the March 2004 issue.]

Speaking for myself, both these men are united in their zeal to sell-out America for U.N. control of everything. Turning American working men and women into saps to be drained for the world-wide welfare state.

Hey, we're already being drained for that purpose!

So there you have it. If Bush is re-elected, we'll have a more serious push for the uniting of church & state via 'Faith-Based Initiatives. If it's Kerry, we'll have every half-wit naked savage able to tell us what to do via the UN.

Very unpleasing prospects ahead.

228!

Happy Birthday America!!!

Cheers to the most moral nation in history! Here's to you, good friend, on your 228th birthday. May you live on forever!



[I say "most moral nation" not because of religion, but In Spite of religion's growing interference, in our great secular republic]

Constitution Society.Org

Just found this interersting website. Cursory glance through it makes me want to add it to this site's Blog Roll of Fame. They state that the reason their site's background is Black is to protest the abuses leveled against the Constitution that are still occuring.

Check it out @


http://www.constitution.org/