Atlas Shrugged, anyone?

[304065]

Why ask questions nobody can answer?

[varmint]

"loan" you a copy?

hardly in the spirit of the book.

[m21sniper]

Guess i'll wait for the movie. Should be out pretty soon now i reckon. It stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Jolie is the protagonist.

[the]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

If someone wants to lend me their copy i'd be happy to read it myself.

Buying books does get expensive, and you usually only read them once and then they're not used again. It is kind of a waste.

It would be cool if there was a place where you could just borrow a book for a short to medium period of time, so you could read it.

You'd agree to return it back, so others could do that same. Over and over again, a single book could be read hundreds of times over the years!

Such a system - a sort of depository of books - would be great, and give so many more people access to books.

Someone should invent that!

[m21sniper]

Didn't you hear? Philly is trying to close down most of it's Libraries.

I lend people books all the time, but to each their own.

[daepp]

Three reasons not to wait for the movie:

1) Ayn Rand killed the first attempt.
2) The most recent attempt has been stalled for some time, as was the one before that.
3) There's no one unbiased enough in Hollywood to follow the spirit of the novel.

[billyboy]

Originally Posted by Chuck Moreland

Mat, consider that no lender left to make decisions on their own would ever give out a NINJA loan. Out of pure self-interest, the risk of default is too great.

Instead the gov interferred, and created an environment that seperated and hid the risk of default, and forced / encouraged risky mortgages.

This video is an Excellent overview of what has happened.
http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=reg_ls_financial_crisis

It is lengthy, but well, well worth taking the time to watch.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9c0de7db153ef933a0575ac0a96f9582 60&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

[Moses]

Originally Posted by billyboy

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9c0de7db153ef933a0575ac0a96f9582 60&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

That article makes me want to cry. Seriously.

[m21sniper]

Nothing like a little self inflicted gunshot wound is there Moses?

[Moses]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

Nothing like a little self inflicted gunshot wound is there Moses?

Those arrogant morons in Congress (most of whom have never had a real job) actually believe you can manipulate market forces without repercussions. Having engineered a fiscal calamity, they deny responsibility and pursue the same reckless agenda. This will NOT go well.

[the]

It's funny, because people would be up in arms if the government set prices for Buicks, or tennis rackets.

But no one seems to raise an eyebrow when the govt sets prices for money.

It helped lead to this calamity, and the govt's new current attempts to set floor prices for assets is going to lead to even more pain.

[ChrisBennet]

I read the book many years ago. I loved it and liked/like most of what she was selling. I thought at the time that (like any good story) she sort of manipulated events to make a point. It's a long book but if you like to read, it's definately worth it.
-Chris

[Moses]

Capitalism is a wonderful, dynamic system. It is fluid. GM is SUPPOSED to fail. How many auto makers have failed in the past, making way for others with a better idea? GM needs to go the way of LaSalle, Oakland, Pierce Arrow and International Harvester.

Failure creates opportunity. Colossal failure creates incredible opportunity. The next generation of innovators have been thwarted by the morons in Congress.

[m21sniper]

Perhaps it's not too late to bail out Packard Motors? Or Edsel?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I've always been partial to Tuckers.

Agree with you. GM should go the way of the dodo.

If the leecher "employees" gave half a schit about the company, they'd consider buying it themselves and trying to run it better than the failed management. Similar to what United Airlines employees did some years ago (but hopefully with better results).

[m21sniper]

A fellow Pelican stepped up is sending me a copy of Atlas Shrugged.

So thank you very much sir, i truly appreciate your kindness!!!

[kstar]

Originally Posted by the

Buying books does get expensive, and you usually only read them once and then they're not used again. It is kind of a waste.

It would be cool if there was a place where you could just borrow a book for a short to medium period of time, so you could read it.

You'd agree to return it back, so others could do that same. Over and over again, a single book could be read hundreds of times over the years!

Such a system - a sort of depository of books - would be great, and give so many more people access to books.

Someone should invent that!

That just killed me. LOL.

[daepp]

Sales of “Atlas Shrugged” Soar in the Face of Economic Crisis

Washington, D.C., February 23, 2009--Sales of Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” have almost tripled over the first seven weeks of this year compared with sales for the same period in 2008. This continues a strong trend after bookstore sales reached an all-time annual high in 2008 of about 200,000 copies sold.

“Americans are flocking to buy and read ‘Atlas Shrugged’ because there are uncanny similarities between the plot-line of the book and the events of our day” said Yaron Brook, Executive Director at the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights. “Americans are rightfully concerned about the economic crisis and government’s increasing intervention and attempts to control the economy. Ayn Rand understood and identified the deeper causes of the crisis we’re facing, and she offered, in ‘Atlas Shrugged,’ a principled and practical solution consistent with American values."

----------------

Yaron Brook is executive director of the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights. Dr. Brook is often interviewed on radio and is a frequent guest on a variety of national TV shows, having appeared on the new Fox Business Network, FOX News Channel, CNN, CNBC and C-SPAN. Dr. Brook, a former finance professor, lectures on Objectivism, capitalism, business and foreign policy at college campuses, community groups and corporations across America and throughout the world.

http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=22647

[CJFusco]

Originally Posted by Moses

Capitalism is a wonderful, dynamic system. It is fluid. GM is SUPPOSED to fail. How many auto makers have failed in the past, making way for others with a better idea? GM needs to go the way of LaSalle, Oakland, Pierce Arrow and International Harvester.

Failure creates opportunity. Colossal failure creates incredible opportunity. The next generation of innovators have been thwarted by the morons in Congress.

Now, I am generally pretty liberal when it comes to SOCIAL issues... but I have to admit, this is a line of logic that is difficult to argue against.

Then again, though, if this is the case, wouldn't it become more and more likely that we'd see monopolies develop, monopolies that would quash any attempt from upstart competition to sprout up?

Just playing devil's advocate here.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Originally Posted by CJFusco

Now, I am generally pretty liberal when it comes to SOCIAL issues... but I have to admit, this is a line of logic that is difficult to argue against.

Then again, though, if this is the case, wouldn't it become more and more likely that we'd see monopolies develop, monopolies that would quash any attempt from upstart competition to sprout up?

Just playing devil's advocate here.

You mean like Wal-Mart?