My life has been an Ayn Rand novel with a purpose. The Barry Academy students delved into ANTHEM and I used it in communication classes at the community college level as a starting point to further reading of her works. I had the pleasure of hearing her address to the business community in New Orleans when I was on the chamber board and shall never forget her strong warnings that have come to pass. Atlas Shrugged has been my inspiration for 47 years as an educator, having used my retirement funds to support my school research. Rand lives through multi-thousands of my past students who join me in this Happy Birthday greeting.

Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum, a.k.a. AR, gave
the world as much in terms of clarity about healthy
human nature as Einstein gave us in physics;
her excellence continues to inspire us!!! -- j

'tis better to have discovered Rand late than not at all...

Jolene, the awakening which I enjoyed ... at age 18 ...
felt much the same, yet I was fortunate and was
just starting my journey....... -- j

What a great idea! That's what I call good parenting!

I read that on the average a civilization lasts 250 years before it becomes corrupted and loses the things that made it great. That seems to be about on target for the USA. The founding fathers did a pretty good job of gaining freedom for THEMSELVES and THEIR religion.. However the early history of the USA was in clear violation of the very constitution they wrote. Ask the Indians, the Mexicans, the Mormons, etc. Contained in the constitution were the very things that would bring it down- mainly a lack of sanctity of private property. We see every day now the taking of money from one group to give to another more politically favored group. Even Ayn Rands disciple (Alan Greenspan) became a statist and turned on his Randian roots once he got the power of the FED. It would be nice to think that we could educate people to appreciate capitalism, but I dont think this is the way it works. It will take collapse, as Rand predicted would happen, to change things.

The only way socialism dies is when civilization collapses. This is what happened in Atlas Shrugged, and its what will have to happen in Venezuela, Russia, and in the USA

Hi Liberty. Click on "Submit Post" in the upper right-hand corner, put your name in the Title field, tell us about yourself in the Notes field, pick "The Gulch: Introductions" as the category, and then submit the form.

I want to get back in to the site. I didn't get to answer the question "Tell us about yourself."

For my kids the book became required reading in order to get certain benefits (specifically a drivers license).

They read it we discuss it, and when they understand the concepts to a basic level the freedom, independence and responsibility that come with the added mobility a car provides are theirs.

I always loved Ground Hog Day. My favorite holiday - of those that didn't give me presents or candy.

Imagine my delight, many years later, to find it was Her birthday.

Long past knowing or caring, I'm sure, but Happy Birthday anyway Miss Rand.

I thank god for you every day.

I think it's wonderful that you found Rand and that you were open to learning and changing your life. Kudos to you, allosaur!

Be careful about the warning at the beginning of the DVD suggesting that doing so would be "un-Galt-like".

I lived almost all of my 67 years ignorant of Ayn Rand until those movies came out with their intriguing promotions.
A couple of months ago I w watched The Fountainhead and wondered how that Gary Cooper movie got by me.
Anyway, I've come to deeply appreciate the philosophy of Ayn Rand as well as this board,
Happy birthday, Ayn. Wish I had discovered you during the 70s
The 60s? I was too power to the sheeple counter-culture lib-tarded and PO'd over Vietnam.

The US is in dire need of a revolution against a dependency culture. Ayn Rand's birthday could well be the date that such a revolution begins.

How I wish she was here with us to receive our birthday greetings and good wishes and
our messages....

I read AS earlier in my life than you did, but I know exactly what you faced and what you think, and what you feel.
Congratulations on finding the Gulch. You deserve to be here.

strangely, I had the same thought.

I don't remember exactly where this is discussed, so I'll take the short route: it costs money to get actors to promise to be in a movie 2 years from now [especially if you don't have the money for it yet]. It costs MORE money to ask them to sign up for 2 movies, with the same conditions. The took other jobs - some weren't available, some didn't have the right look with members of the new cast. It's a fact of the movie business - actors cost money.

Given that, watch them some more, thin about the story and especially what points they get across, and see if the cast change is still the first thing on your mind. Bet it won't be.

I recently bought the triple set of DVDs, trying to figure out why all three Parts had totally different cast playing all the key characters. Disappointed in that approach, but actually each cast did pretty well- probably better to stick with first group, though. Curious to know- why not??

Splendens astrum.

Ayn, Happy "B" day. You help me to form my thinking. When is John gotng to visit me?

Perfectly written! Thank You, John, for your excellent adaptation of "Atlas Shrugged" for the silver screen! Happy Birthday, Ayn Rand - "Atlas Shrugged" was published two years before I was born, but I thank G'd for the opportunity to see the films and read your exceptional work! Now, if only enough Americans will wake up...
RIP