Ford Hall Forum - Money & Power

Watch this rivetting debate between Yaron Brook and Hedrick Smith on government and regulation.

http://www.youtube.com/v/WRLzZ0pyl5s?list=FLUStKIip-Gj-Cqw2Tyr7h6w&version=3&attribution_tag=z7GrPu8uqYJEp3-XTYPXCQ&showinfo=1&autohide=1&autoplay=1&feature=share

The Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest

The Atlas Shrugged essay contest deadline is quickly approaching. Don't miss out on your chance to win one of the fantastic prizes!

http://bit.ly/U5S38B

Capitalism Without God

Forbes has published an excellent article by Dr. Binswanger on the secular basis of morality.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/harrybinswanger/2013/07/07/capitalism-without-god-freedom-is-a-secular-but-absolute-value/

Creating a Just Society

I have firmly believed that if there is anything that a man should concern himself with the affairs of another, then it should be with regards to seeking of justice for his fellow human beings. There is nothing altruist about this. On the contrary it is of utmost self interest of the one fighting for others justice as this is core building block for creating or maintaining a civilised society, which off-course is in the interest of every man other than the criminal himself.

It is in this context that I see the spate of recent protests, supposedly by the ordinary citizens as a matter of great pride. Regretably, it has been largely a emotion filled ranting for justice. While it does pressurise the State to act swiftly than it would have done otherwise in the specific case of the rape of a women in Delhi, does little to bring in a lasting change. Lasting change cannot be brought in by people without the necessary intellectual ammunition which I have scarcely seen being offered by anyone\anywhere. I would like to believe that if there is any body who can offer it, it is us and therefore I put forth the below for discussion\debate.

I am calling this the "Five things to be changed" only because I found these to be the most important. Changes in the constitution in itself can be all encompassing. Secondly, there can be more than 5, but this is the first five. I am not elaborating, certainly not beyond the basic outlines of each of the actions hoping to leave that to the room for discussion.

1. Re-write the constitution.  This is the most important of all changes required. Our constitution has given too much room for the government to digress and as a result has spread itself too thin to be able to deliver where it needs to. Moreover, like Hayek said, the kind of all encompassing socialist state that we have only results in progressively corrupting the society itself and eventually to a situation where the worst of the society comes to lead it to eventual ruin. The founding principle if the constitution will be to enshrine the rights of man and protection of these rights. The constitution will have to ensure that the smallest of the minorities are protected of their rights and that their rights will not be legislated away by the majority.
2. We do not need our representatives to pass laws which then we all then need to follow. The legislature can be completely abolished or can act a representative group that proposes laws, which then will be approved or rejected by the people again through direct action through national referendum. A more suitable alternative is to ensure that the people themselves pass all new laws through national referendum.
3. Close all government departments except the ones dealing with in protecting the constitutional rights and delivering Justice – Courts, Police & the Army. Move the Government personal from the abolished departments to the courts & police etc. The government will divest all its interests in business and solely focus on its mandate of Law & order and Justice. The government will there fore consists of A) Judiciary B) Police and Armed Forces and C)Administration. The reason for calling the 3^rd estate as Administration is to emphasis that it will not have any executive functions and will act purely as an administrator within the strict oversight of the people.
4. The Chiefs of Police of each police districts and his\her deputies and the attorneys will be directly elected by the people\residents of that district, including fixing of their compensation and will be answerable to the people.
5. Taxes will be constitutionally limited, the government will have no right or authority to levy taxes\change the tax rates. Every citizen of the country should be required to pay taxes, not marginal taxation and no tax exemption. Government will be prohibited from Borrowing funds or creating any future liability on its assets or incomes. The central bank and all such government monopolies will have to go. The government will not pass on their rights to private hands – essentially there will be no private or government monopolies or charters.

TEDxCity2.0 Global Conferences coming to Bombay

TEDxCity2.0, part of the global TEDx series of independently organized conferences, will focus on shaping the ideal city of the future. On a single day--October 13, 2012--across more than 50 cities around the world, the TEDx platform will harness the power of individual organizers, thought-leaders, and changemakers to concentrate on the issues of Urban Lifescapes.

In Bombay, the TEDxCity2.0 edition is branded as TEDxChurchgate and will focus on Re-imagining Urban Lifescapes through the intersection of Philosophy, Psychology, Policy, and Art to explore the ways in which the soul of a city is shaped through the dominant ideas in the culture.

Visit the official website www.tedxchurchgate.com to learn more about the event, check out the speaker line-up, contribute your donations towards funding the event, or buy your tickets early enough because there are only very limited seats for this conference. (Early bird rates at 1000 INR + taxes; Regular rates at 1800 INR + taxes).

Let's gather for worldwide day of urban inspiration.

Jerry Johnson
Curator
TEDxChurchgate
www.tedxchurchgate.com

Get the latest updates on speakers, bio, venue, and other details at:
www.facebook.com/tedxchurchgate
www.twitter.com/tedxchurchgate

Free Objectivist Books!

You can now log on to the website www.freeobjectivistbooks.org and register for either receiving or donating Objectivist books. This site lists students requesting books from all over the world, and allows donors to order and send books directly to their chosen recipient.


A simple but wonderful idea! 

Mumbai Film Screening: WE THE LIVING by Ayn Rand

The ATLAS SUNDAY PHILOSOPHY CLUB presents one of the most passionate and dazzling movie adaptations of Ayn Rand's novels.

Come watch WE THE LIVING (Italian with English subtitles) - a movie directed by Goffredo Alessandrini, and with moving performances by Alida Valli and Rossano Brazzi!

(An) ambitious and ingenious film.
—Caryn James/New York Times

WE THE LIVING by Ayn Rand

It has a passion that is undeniably moving.
—London Morning Star

...A romantic and powerfully-dramatic experience never likely to be forgotten...WE THE LIVING has the power to enslave the heart and the emotions. It's a wonderful film.
—Bill Collins/Daily Mirror (Sydney)

WE THE LIVING... qualifies in every respect as film treasure...dazzling performances...this is a film that avoids the predictable every step of the way...one of the best movies of the year.
—Mike McGrady/New York Newsday

=====================

Spend your Sunday afternoon watching this classic (and historic) movie based on the novel We The Living by Ayn Rand.

We The Living, the movie, has an incredible history in the making--and in its journey from Fascist Italy to capitalist America in the first half of the twentieth century. Directed in 1942 by Italian director Goffredo Alessandrini, the movie was first made illegally without the permission or knowledge of Ayn Rand.

At first, the script was suppressed by the hostile fascist regime, and then cheered and honored, then finally banned again at the height of its success--as the dictators came to understand the comprehensive theme of We The Living.

"The movie adaptation of Ayn Rand’s We the Living is haunting, passionate..." -- Scott Holleran.

To learn more about this movie and buy yourself a DVD copy, visit http://wethelivingmovie.com/index.php

FOR NOW, YOU CAN WATCH THIS FILM FOR FREE!!!

Date: December 18, 2011

Time: 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Venue: Ground Floor, Health Center building, University of Mumbai, Kalina Campus, Santacruz East, Mumbai - 400055

Directions: The health center building is the first building to your right as you enter the Kalina campus main gate. The University of Mumbai in Kalina is located on CST Road, which is very close to the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Vakola.

The Atlas Sunday Philosophy Club (ASPC) presents an afternoon with Ayn Rand.

The ASPC is a social discussion group organized by Jerry Johnson on a monthly basis in Mumbai and is intended as a gathering for all fans of Ayn Rand and her ideas as well as individuals interested in learning more about this seminal philosopher.

The group welcomes vigorous discussions on Rand's philosophy of Objectivism and regularly conducts sessions on relevant topics of day, such as the politics of Anna Hazare, the relationship between atheism and self-esteem, the morality of capitalism, morality without God, and many more.

Contact Jerry Johnson at 99 303 12 685 to learn more.

You can also join the Facebook page: Ayn Rand Fans in India to stay updated on events and discussions.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/aynrandfans/

Screening of WE THE LIVING at Delhi

WE THE LIVING

by Ayn Rand

The literary club at IIT Delhi is screening the film "We The Living" at their annual Literary Festival.

On September 25, at 11:00 am.

The festival attracts students from a number of colleges, primarily in Delhi and a few from outside.

More information about the venue will be shared as and when it gets finalized. Keep checking this space.

Please post a comment here if you plan to attend so that we can inform the festival organizers.

Thank you!

DATE: September 25, 2011

TIME: 11 AM

Screening of WE THE LIVING

Venue: IIT Delhi

The Objectivist Response to the Problem of Corruption

The topic of this month's Atlas Sunday Club Philosophy Salon is "The Objectivist Response to the Problem of Corruption".

An analysis of corruption--what does it mean and under what contexts does it arise.
Understanding the dynamics of power and the origins of corruption.
Examining the Objectivist solution to the problem of corruption.
Open discussion and Q&A.

Health Center Building,
University of Mumbai Kalina Campus,
Kalina, Santacrus East
First bulding to the right as soon as you enter the kalina campus main gate
Mumbai, India

Contact: Jerry Johnson @ 9930312685

Atlas Shrugged climbs to #4 on Amazon's bestsellers list on the back of a good opening for the movie

The movie "Atlas Shrugged - Part 1" opened on Friday in 300 movie halls in the US. Shrikant Rangnekar reports on the impact that is having on book sales on Amazon:

http://shrikantrangnekar.com/2011/04/17/atlas-shrugged-movie-report-april-17-2011/

Another review of 'Atlas Shrugged', the movie

In a thought-provoking article on the new film Atlas Shrugged: Part 1, Shrikant Rangnekar asks and answers ten important questions on what impact the movie will have on our culture.

http://shrikantrangnekar.wordpress.com/2011/03/30/atlas-shrugged-movie-ten-million-dollar-questions/

(Mr. Rangnekar runs a publishing business in New York and has been a long-time Objectivist.)

First steps towards a return to the Gold Standard?!

Utah passes bill to make Gold and Silver legal tender


In a defiant mood, Utah's House and Senate thumbed their noses at the US Federal Reserve by passing a bill to remove state taxes on the transfer of gold and allow shops in the state to accept payment in gold coins.


The Financial Times has a story on this historic move:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/906b7668-557a-11e0-a2b1-00144feab49a.html#axzz1HVkD9v9Y

Atlas Shrugged Movie Review

C. A. Wolski reviews the film Atlas Shrugged: Part I in the forthcoming spring edition of The Objective Standard. The film releases on April 15 in a limited number of theatres in the USA. Excerpts from his review:


... Atlas Shrugged: Part I is not the novel and it does not pretend to be. It is a fairly competently made, credible adaptation of one of the most complex novels ever written. Even with its flaws, the film is enjoyable and has wonderful moments, including some in which it captures the power of the novel—such as the party during which Dagny gets the Rearden Metal bracelet, the scene during which Hank hands over his ore mine to Paul Larkin, and the already mentioned scene during which Dagny and Hank discover the motor. Fans of Ayn Rand’s masterpiece likely will enjoy these scenes in particular and appreciate the movie generally. Those unfamiliar with the story will probably enjoy the movie as well and may find their curiosity sufficiently piqued to read the book. If so, they will be even more richly rewarded. All in all, Atlas Shrugged: Part I will be a satisfactory journey for many viewers and could help increase awareness of Rand’s work.




 To read the full review, go to:
http://www.theobjectivestandard.com/issues/2011-spring/atlas-shrugged-part1.asp

Attend the Launch of Atlas Shrugged in Marathi

Professor Mugdha Karnik from the University of Mumbai had undertaken the monumental task of translating Ayn Rand’s epic novel Atlas Shrugged into Marathi — the regional language of the state of Maharashtra–one of the most populous states in the country. [Note: Prof Karnik's thoughts on her initiative to translate Atlas Shrugged are posted here.]

I have personally heard Prof. Karnik read an excerpt from her translation during one of the Atlas Sunday Club Philosophy Salon’s I organize in Mumbai. She read the passage in which Hank Rearden is holding the dying young wet nurse in his arms. It is a stirring scene in the original novel–and listening to Prof. Karnik read it out in Marathi was equally moving.

I remember telling her at that time that I believe she did not just translate the language of Atlas Shrugged but also managed to translate the spirit of the novel.

Anyway, all of this is in preamble to the reason for this post. The new Marathi version of Atlas Shrugged is being released officially in the city. The following are details. All who are in Mumbai or can travel to the city are urged to attend:

DATE: Saturday, Feb 26, 2011

TIME: 7 pm to 8.30 pm

VENUE: Shivaji Mandir, Dadar, Mumbai

GUEST SPEAKERS

Veena Gavankar and Sharad Joshi

Dhananjay Karnik will introduce Sharad Joshi

COMPERE: Jyoti Ambekar

For more details and information about the book, you can reach out to Professor Karnik at the following address:

Mugdha D. Karnik,
Director
Centre for Extra-Mural Studies, University of Mumbai,
Vidyanagari, Kalina, Santacruz (E),
Mumbai 400098

Tel: 022-65952761/65296962
www.extramural.org

Launching LIBERTY NEWS CENTRAL

I should like to announce the launching of a new pro-freedom news and views site-

LIBERTY NEWS CENTRAL

with several daily updates.


Or rather, I should say relaunch as I tried it earlier last year but all sorts of constraints from technical to financial held it back. It is a labor of love and passion for liberty and has been long in works, mainly as a dream. Would very much appreciate your comments, suggestions and any possible help.

Atlas Shrugged Movie Trailer

Here it is - the link to the trailer for Part 1 of the movie "Atlas Shrugged". Enjoy!

http://www.atlasshruggedpart1.com/atlas-shrugged-movie-trailer

See for yourself and decide whether the movie will live up to the novel. Or maybe we should all wait for the full movie, which is due in April 2011, before deciding.

Atlas Shrugged: The Movie

Atlas Shrugged movie will be released on April 15th 2011.

IMDB Internet movie database has a storyline of the movie:

A powerful railroad executive, Dagny Taggart, struggles to keep her business alive while society is crumbling around her. Based on the 1957 novel by Ayn Rand.

John Aglialoro showcased a ten-minute clip from the Atlas Shrugged movie for an exclusive audience in New York City. Richard Gleaves has a description of the movie clip in The Atlasphere. Excerpts:

I am hopeful, but my fears are not totally dispelled. Whether the movie is really good or not depends on how they handle the stylistic disconnect between the quasi-naturalism of their storytelling technique and the stylized romantic language of Galt, etc. And that stilted exchange with Mulligan worries me. Visually, however, I think it will be excellent — even innovative.

I think it will be as faithful as a Harry Potter adaptation, which has pitfalls of its own, of course — namely that, in the rush to get everything in, you linger on nothing and so the film becomes a “greatest hits” recap of the book.

The production quality is far higher than I expected; they’ve done a lot with very little money and they definitely “get” the story. So there’s a lot to be hopeful about.

The Atlasphere has an interview with Producer John Aglialoro. Excerpts:

Who is John Aglialoro? Probably no one since Ayn Rand has invested so much in Atlas Shrugged. For nearly two decades he has championed the novel — financially, intellectually, logistically — because he was determined to make a movie that would do justice to Rand’s masterpiece.

TA: The country seems thirsty for the vision that Ayn Rand presented in Atlas Shrugged. What effects would you hope the movie would have in our culture?

Aglialoro: I hope that the political class will be replaced by political leaders with the sense of our Founding Fathers. This is the notion of reluctantly, with great pain and suffering, leaving their farm and their town in order to put two long years into elected office out of gratitude for having the freedom to make their way in the world, to be successful, and to get up every morning and do whatever their sense of life dictates.

Those are the kinds of political leaders and statesmen who had self-love and love of their country. Today we have people getting out of law school, entering the political class, making a career in government, garnering power, doing all the things that they must do to stay in office and get reelected.

They have only a vague motivation, if any, to get society moving in the direction where individuals control their own destinies, where government takes a limited approach to governing.

An obvious solution to this problem would be term limits. If terms were restricted we wouldn’t have career politicians with incentives to concentrate more and more power in government so they can pass out money and favors in their bids for reelection.

That’s my hope. It’s a big hope, but we do see that some of the elected folks today seem to be more libertarian and have a great respect for Ayn Rand. So maybe we’re at the beginning of a five- or seven- or eight-decade trend where we repopulate the awful and disgusting political elements that rule Congress, the states, and the regulatory bodies today.

TA: After completing the filming, what are you most pleased with about the movie?

Aglialoro: I’m pleased that we pulled it off. And that we have an entertaining movie based on such an important book. We had Paul Johansson as director and we had a great team. We asked Brian O’Toole to take a truly great book and faithfully adapt it as a near-great script for Paul and the team to bring to the screen. That effort was successful, and we shot the film in just under six weeks.

There were some changes to the script along the way, and some things I would have liked to have had added. Those who know the book will remember the scene with Phillip Rearden and his mother going to Hank Rearden’s office to ask for a job for Phillip. I thought that would have made a fabulous little two-minute scene. But we were trying to do so much already that various circumstances kept us from doing everything we would have liked.

Jan 30, 2011: Atlas Sunday Club Philosophy Salon

The new year's first Atlas Sunday Club Philosophy Salon will be held on the following date:
January 30, 2011
5:30 PM onwards
Venue:
Health Center Building
University of Mumbai
Kalina Campus (On the right-hand side as soon as you enter the campus gates)
Santacruz East
Mumbai - 55

AGENDA FOR THE EVENT

First, we have some good news to share!
Professor Mugdha Karnik, who teaches at the University of Mumbai and is a fan of Ayn Rand's novels, has just completed her translation of Atlas Shrugged into Marathi. Her work is availabled through Diamond Publishers. For more details, read the post immediately below this one.

Professor Karnik has accepted our invitation to attend the Atlas Sunday Club Salon and read out some of her favorite passages from the novel in Marathi. It would certainly be unusual to hear the sound of Atlas Shrugged in a regional language.

Next, we shall screen a short 3-minute film "The Sixth Sense" that dramatizes the concept of mysticism versus rationality. We will specifically discuss the influence of new-age mysticism--the concepts of ego-illusion and Universal Consciousness--and the arguments that refute it.

Gear up for an EXCITING meeting ahead!

For assistance with directions, please call: Deepak at 0 9769 331 585 or Jerry Johnson at 99303 12 685.

Atlas Shrugged in Marathi

"When the idea of translating Atlas Shrugged occurred to me, I was overtaken by awe. The prospect of finding the words that matched Ayn Rand’s powers of expression, conveying the philosophy clearly, and bringing alive the drama in her novel in Marathi was quite challenging. Most importantly, I wanted to be true to the meaning and sense of the text." Mugdha Karnik recounts her thoughts and experiences while undertaking this task of translating Ayn Rand's masterpiece.


I read ‘Atlas Shrugged’ at a time when I had just bid goodbye to the Marxist-communist ideology and movement. Confusion raged in my young mind—about communism and my individualistic aspirations—I was tormented about being selfish and egoistic. Ayn Rand’s novels inspired a new confidence in my own identity; her ideas were weapons to fight my self-doubts about my morality.

When I started working with the University of Mumbai, mediocre academics ruled the scene, much as they do today. The majority of our vice-chancellors occupying their offices

Ayn Rand Institute Essay Contests 2011

The Ayn Rand Institute has announced essay contests for We The Living, Anthem, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. The Institute offers 521 prizes and $ 81,000 in prize money.

We the Living Essay Contest Information

Eligibility: 10th, 11th and 12th Graders

Entry Deadline: May 5, 2011
FIRST PRIZE: $3,000
5 SECOND PRIZES: $1000
5 THIRD PRIZES: $300
25 FINALISTS: $50
75 SEMIFINALISTS: $25

Topics

Select ONE of the following three topics:

The Communist war hero and much feared Party member Andrei Taganov is completely dedicated to the Party’s cause. Why then does he lose respect for the Party — and why does he fall in love with Kira Argounova?

Although the USSR has collapsed, many people still argue what was argued throughout much of the 20th century: communism is a noble theory that men unfortunately fail to live up to in practice. By reference to the story and specific events of We the Living, explain why you think the novel’s author would accept or reject this argument.

What does Kira Argounova mean when she says that communism forbids “life to those still living”?

Anthem Essay Contest Information

Eligibility: 8th, 9th and 10th Graders

Entry Deadline: March 20, 2011
FIRST PRIZE: $2,000
5 SECOND PRIZES: $500
10 THIRD PRIZES: $200
45 FINALISTS: $50
175 SEMIFINALISTS: $30

Topics

Select ONE of the following three topics:

Contrast Equality’s view of morality at the end of the novel to the morality exemplified by his society’s institutions, practices, and officials.

Anthem’s theme is, in Ayn Rand’s own words, "the meaning of man’s ego." Explain the ways in which the characters and story in Anthem illustrate this theme.

To fully control a man, dictators must not only enslave his body, but also destroy his mind. Discuss how the leaders and society in Anthem seek to accomplish this tyrannical end.

The Fountainhead Essay Contest Information

Eligibility: 11th and 12th Graders

Entry Deadline: April 26, 2011
FIRST PRIZE: $10,000
5 SECOND PRIZES: $2,000
10 THIRD PRIZES: $1,000
45 FINALISTS: $100
175 SEMIFINALISTS: $50

Topics

Select ONE of the following three topics:

After the Stoddard trial, Dominique Francon marries Peter Keating. Given her love for the integrity of Howard Roark's buildings and person, why does she do this? What is she seeking from the marriage? How does her action of marrying Peter relate to her deeper convictions and conflicts?

In dynamiting Cortlandt Homes, Howard Roark breaks the law. What is his moral and philosophical argument for the rectitude of his action?

Choose the scene in The Fountainhead that is most meaningful to you. Analyze that scene in terms of the wider themes in the book.

Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest Information

Eligibility: 12th Graders, College Undergraduates, and Graduate Students

Entry Deadline: September 17, 2011
FIRST PRIZE: $10,000
3 SECOND PRIZES: $2,000
5 THIRD PRIZES: $1,000
25 FINALISTS: $100
50 SEMIFINALISTS: $50

Topics

Select ONE of the following three topics:

What do you think is meant, in Part III of Atlas Shrugged, by the phrase “utopia of greed”?

Why does Francisco D’Anconia, heir to the greatest fortune in the world and a productive genius with boundless ambition,change his course and pose as, of all things, a playboy?

What does the story of Atlas Shrugged have to say about the relative powers of good and evil and the conditions under which one is victorious over the other?.