Posted on 09/05/2005 5:33:55 AM PDT by Colonel Kangaroo
The New Orleans Disaster and the Line on 'John Galt' September 2, 2005
"...It was supposed to be a light column about this and that, with a brief update on a movie adaptation of my favorite novel, Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged..."
(Excerpt) Read more at boxofficemojo.com ...
Think outside the box. Try Ann Coulter.
I AM. I THINK. I WILL.
My hands...My spirit...My sky...My forest...This earth of mine...
What must I say besides? These are the words. This is the answer.
I stand here on the summit of the mountain. I lift my head and I spread my arms. This, my body and spirit, this is the end of the quest. I wished to know the meaning of things. I am the meaning. I wished to find a warrant for being. I need no warrant for being, and no word of sanction upon my being. I am the warrant and the sanction.
Objectivism regards the giving up of a greater value for a lesser one as being immoral. If, as a Christian, you value the life in the Spirit above the life of the flesh, then you will live up to those values.
Objectivism says that existence exists, and that reality cannot be ignored. Even Jesus did not ignore reality. He said that "You will always have the poor around you, but you will not always have me around". (Justifying the attention Mary Magdalene was giving him)
Sure, Rand's strict construction of Objectivism regards any spiritual inclination as "mysticism" and therefore immoral. I believe, however, that Objectivism is valuable for helping Christians prioritize matters of the flesh and matters of the spirit, and to realize that God may comfort you in bad times and forgive you your sins, but you're gonna have to bust your butt if you want that Lexus.
Who *is* John Galt ?
lol . . I beg whoever does Atlas Shrugged . . DON'T KILL IT !
Either spend the money to do it right, or don't do it.
I thought of it more as an example on what the non-productive do when no longer restrained by the laws and dictates of the productive.
Another interesting parallel is Mogadishu.
Although there are problems, Mogadishu has somewhat recovered economically. The free trade in the absence of a government means there are no taxes and doing business is relatively cheap. Businessmen hire security to deal with gunmen and violence is becoming less common.
Frankly, my idea of "utopia" isn't some kind of "peaceful" free market imposed by the private armies of feuding warlords.
And as long as we're looking for real life examples, Pablo Escobar would be another capitalistic "hero" of the Randian atheists. At the height of his empire, Escobar was estimated by Forbes magazine to be the seventh-richest man in the world, with his Medellín Cartel controlling 80 percent of the world's cocaine market. And his "objectivism" carefully crafted a Robin-Hood image among the peasantry so that he could derive his just powers from the consent of the governed. Yes, ol' Pablo was highly successful until the federal regulators stepped in.
IMHO, the economic darwinism that's worshipped by the Rand cultists is a vicious extremism that should be avoided.
I think it adds an extra layer of complexity and doublespeak which should be unnecessary, but if it helps to convert a person from extreme selfishness, perhaps that's OK.
The best Hollywood can do is make an adaptation of the book. But then you run the risk of misinterpretation, intentional or otherwise.
I don't hold out much hope. I'd like to be wrong, but I doubt it.
It all depends on what the definition of "doublespeak" is. ;^)
After hearing an interview of him speak I don't think he was that calculating. I think he picked up people out of the goodness of his heart.
Yeah, yeah, yeah... blah, blah, blah...
"buggy whip industries" that the world doesn't need anymore...
We don't need any oil or nuclear power either...
Just plug our brains directly into the Internet and we can all live happily ever-after in high-tech virtual reality...
Where have we heard THAT crap before???
I don't mean those aren't useful industries. I just mean that to the movie-consuming public, insider stories about railroads and steel don't have much relevance in today's economy.
sorry... my bad
"What did Christ get out of doing so?"
Glory.
"Who is John Galt?" Well, he is a fella who used to live in a remote location in the Rockies, but now lives in Canada. He works as the Pres/CEO of Husky Injection Molding Systems. It seems as though Mr. Robinson was right, the future WAS in plastics.
I disagree.
IMHO those topics are merely being ignored by the radical left-wing Hollyweird movie cartel, much the same way they ignored The Passion of Christ. It is fashionable in Hollyweird to mention those industries ONLY if they can demonize them. I'm certain that there is pent-up public demand for a pro-industrial movie. Perhaps the market isn't as large as for movies that are faithful to Christian theology. But nevertheless, it is a legitimate market niche that Hollyweird is failing to service.
Here is some information on Ray Nagin's choice to head New Orleans' Homeland Security office. This is the man who heads disaster operations for the city:
The Security Czar (03/05/03)
Retired Marine Col. Terry Ebbert stepped into the local spotlight last week as the nation went to war in Iraq amid national warnings of possible terrorist reprisals.
Ebbert, 60, has been directing the city's new Office of Homeland Security and Public Safety since his appointment by Mayor Ray Nagin on Feb. 11. A highly decorated war hero and the former executive director of the nonprofit New Orleans Police Foundation, Ebbert has been given major powers and responsibilities as an executive assistant to the mayor. His duties are commensurate with his $114,676 annual salary.
Ebbert is charged with coordinating the city's terrorism response capabilities and obtaining federal and state funds for homeland security. He also will oversee the police and fire departments, the Office of Emergency Preparedness and city Emergency Medical Services, and the 911 Center or Orleans Parish Communications District.
His duties extend beyond a crisis or special events such as Mardi Gras. Ebbert has responsibility for the daily operations and planning of all those departments as well as the management of their budgets, Nagin told Gambit Weekly last week, after presenting his plan to re-organize city government to the City Council. "Mr. Ebbert is responsible for all matters related to public safety," the mayor said.
"The superintendents of the Police and Fire Departments and the director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness all report directly to me," Ebbert stated in a Feb. 28 interview. "I report directly to the mayor and those three agencies report directly to me." (Nagin later transferred EMS from the city Health Department to Ebbert's command.) If there is a disagreement between the homeland security chief and the police chief or the fire chief, Ebbert says: "I have the final say over bringing them all together so we all agree. It's a team effort."
Historically, all four agencies now under Ebbert were under the chief administrative officer. So the transfer of those departments -- especially fire and police -- constitutes a major power shift at City Hall. Nagin told the City Council that CAO Kimberly Butler was "somewhat overburdened" by having 35 departments reporting to her prior to the re-organization. Studies show "10 to 12 [departments] is enough," he said.
Generally, City Council members voiced support for the mayor's bold initiative. But some expressed concerns over the mayor's overall reorganization plan, citing "conflicting language" in the City Charter. Nagin said later that the new Homeland Security structure, which constitutes "the bulk of the changes" in his re-organization plan, conforms to the charter.
Administration officials note that the voter-approved charter amendments of 1995 authorize the mayor to re-organize city government. They specifically note City Charter Section 4-302, which states in part: "Should the Mayor remove a department head from the supervisory authority of the chief administrative officer, the Mayor shall immediately assume full responsibility for the supervision of such department head." That may indeed give him all the authority he needs, but we suggest that if the new public safety structure meets expectations, Nagin should consider asking the voters to institutionalize his latest reforms -- a step his predecessor failed to take with regard to improvements at NOPD.
With organizational hurdles out of the way, Nagin expects Ebbert to help our financially strapped city in Washington, where state and local governments are competing for $1.3 billion in funds from the federal Department of Homeland Security. Ebbert -- respected both in military circles and the local law enforcement community -- is highly qualified for the task. A native of Chicago, he was a twice-wounded Marine infantry combat commander in the Vietnam War and a recipient of the Navy Cross, the nation's second highest award for valor. He later directed civilian and military police protection for all naval bases and nuclear weapons sites in the U.S. Pacific Fleet, from the Indian Ocean to California. He retired from the Marines after 29 years to direct police and fire security for the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserves along the Gulf Coast.
"He is a true gentleman, extremely intelligent and probably one of the most perceptive individuals I know," local U.S. Attorney Jim Letten says. "I can't think of anybody who is more on the cutting edge of issues like crime enforcement and prevention -- and also national security."
"Terry Ebbert is a man of his word and an individual who has the ability to get things done," says Anthony Radosti, vice president of the private Metropolitan Crime Commission. "He is well respected and commands respect."
America has seen former military commanders take charge in government positions before, with mixed results. Increased efficiency, improved job performance and a sense of mission are the optimal outcomes. However, city employees -- including police and firefighters -- cannot be expected to take orders without question in the same manner as soldiers, sailors or marines. This is merely a cautionary note, however; we applaud Ebbert's selection as Homeland Security director. As our country enters war, we look to him to give our city confidence during these uncertain times.
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