Much has been made of Ayn Rand’s opus of late, Atlas Shrugged, and its relevance to our current economic crisis.

To condense a thousand page novel into a lede: As the U.S. worsens, captains of industry disappear, creating a secret utopian community of their own led by John Galt, waiting to return into society until it crumbles so badly without them, the lights of New York go dark.

To condense a thousand page allegory on Objectivism into a rationale: Some people are just geniuses, and they should be left alone to produce, because their ingenuity is what allows society to flourish. Intrusion into their process is oppression.

The inherent problem of literature is that often times citing it is in itself an appearance of wisdom, superior reasoning, of being right. And as grandiose as the grunting of “Going Galt” by conservatives has been, their many detractors have disparaged an otherwise good novel. Read More »

These are real pamphlets of wisdom put out by A.I.G. (Apparently the artwork is from Highlights.)

Fittingly, I found them on the curb, with other items left over from one of the many yard sales springing up in this recession.
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Yesterday, The New York Times sniffed, “Is President Obama trying to muzzle his press corps?”

The obvious answer about this transparency-promoting president who keeps his daily schedule on Politico is inarguably, Yes. At least, he probably doesn’t care enough about this New York Times reporter’s feelings to reassure her that, ‘No, it’s not you, Honey, I called on three journalists from the White House press pool, then the Prime Minister has to call on his peeps, then we got the whole G-20 goin’ on, you know how it is.’

In his press conferences, Obama has been leaving the press corps aghast by calling on journalists from smaller news outlets. Pressmen, not known for their benevolence, had likely been deriding these journalists until they started getting Obama’s attention, such as Spanish-speaking Univision, U.S. Army newspaper Stars & Stripes, and the tres chic Huffington Post. Read More »

Upon the news that the Freedom Tower would be renamed the much more conventional “World Trade Center One” there has been much uproar. The New York tabloids have charged that the name change is unpatriotic, Mayor Bloomberg insists that New Yorkers will still call it Freedom Tower, like they refer to Avenue of the Americas as Sixth Avenue. In my hometown of Chicago, I suspect people have yet to start referring to the Sears Tower by whatever its name is now.

The Freedom Tower has been a storied symbol of rebuilding on the sacred ground of Ground Zero. It will have 1,776 floors to symbolize our year of independence as a nation.

Ironically, it already has become a symbol — a symbol of all the inaction of corporate largess, greedy landlords, and egotistical developers eager to get their name on the corner stone of the new landmark. Like so much else in America since 2001, it has flourished with the housing bloodlust, and withered in the bubble burst when cash-strapped firms really didn’t want to pay top dollar in huge bulk. Read More »

As pointed out here on Huff Po by Earl Ofari Hutchinson, the drawn-out battle between the White House and Rush Limbaugh has served to expand Limbaugh’s ratings numbers. Back in his sweet spot as an underdog, Limbaugh’s ballooning numbers have matched his inflating ego ever since President Obama first suggested to Republican leaders: “You can’t just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done.”

This frank acknowledgment to me indicates what a normal guy Obama is, still grappling with the Presidency that transcends him. This same simple talk slipped last week at his town hall when he stopped himself from referring to low-paying jobs at “Mickey…” (as in Mickey D’s, how many other Chicagoans refer to McDonald’s) then correcting himself to say “fast food.” Read More »

Many people want to yell at their TV news. During the 2008 campaign, many did. In Media Malpractice: How Obama Got Elected and Palin Was Targeted, John Ziegler does that for you. And if you get the DVD, you can yell at Ziegler yelling at the media.

Media Malpractice is a two-hour documentary that alleges the media’s broad infatuation with Barack Obama led the press to do everything imaginable to crush Sarah Palin’s chances. The film was made in just a few months.

Essentially the entire film is news footage with John Ziegler saying what all the news reporters should have said, according to him. The only significant interview is with Sarah Palin, which itself was widely covered in the media in January. At the end of the film there are interviews in L.A. on Election Day, wherein Obama voters appear as clueless as guests on a Jay Walking bit from The Tonight Show. Read More »

I would like to wholeheartedly endorse the movement to mandate drug tests for welfare recipients. I know that many here might disagree with me, but I think it is the only responsible thing to do.

After all, aren’t these freeloaders given our tax dollars? (Hence the new site notwithmytaxdollars.com) Shouldn’t we know if they are harming themselves, and affecting their judgment? Plus, once someone takes America’s money, they accept being judged by other Americans. And I am sure we all disapprove of this kind of drug abuse.

Exactly how high were the welfare recipients at AIG, Citi Group, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, GM, and Bank of America? Based on their judgment and lack of responsibility, the clinical diagnosis would be “really fucking high.” Read More »

Nobody does St. Patrick’s Day like Chicago.

Thanks to the Obamas’ full-on display Tuesday, now the rest of the world knows it, too.

A St. Patty’s bash at the White House is one thing I’m sure Irish presidents have held in the past. But green water in the White House fountain? Chicago’s time-honored tradition of dying the river green (at least a brighter green) has finally reached the Beltway. Read More »

Celebrating its national theatrical release, the Sundance award-winning film Fuel held its party and screening at the most appropriate place for its topic, but at a location you don’t normally see celebrities and paparazzi: a gas station.

Specifically, the only bio-diesel gas station in Los Angeles, Conserv Fuel in Brentwood at San Vicente and Barrington Ave. The entire affair — film and TV stars posing with the ultra-cool Tesla electric car, an open bar of organic wines and beers, eco-cups glasses, and chairs lined up under heat lamps between gas pumps — it was a fitting celebration not just for Josh Tickell’s landmark film, but for the same gas station which only months ago had decided to stop selling bio-diesel fuel, until loyal customers voiced their strong support. Not one year before, Barack Obama stood at that gas station and lavished praised upon the green entrepreneurial owner.

The station’s struggle is an apt symbol for Tickell’s documentary, a sprawling epic that follows Tickell through his quest to spread the message of bio-diesel’s promise over 11 years, along with his humbling setbacks. Fuel features appearances from an endless parade of recognizable faces and knowledgeable guests, including luminaries I would love to be able to interview such as Naomi Klein and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Read More »

Olympian Michael Phelps, under fire for a college party photo showing him taking a bong-hit, was supported by his sponsors who vowed to not only stand by the American gold medalist swimmer, but to include the photo in future advertisements. “You can’t buy this kind of product placement — believe me, we’ve tried!” a spokesman for Omega Watches said, giddily. “He’s modeling one of our blinged-out products as he expertly removes the carb from the bong, which we will also be selling replicas of: The Poseidon, as we are proudly calling it, holds actual water, just like what Michael Phelps swims in!” Read More »