Ayn, Neal and the world around me...

[dover]

 

I do not know why I do the things I do some times or feel the compulsion to act in a manner, I guess it does not matter; just that I become aware of it.

 

At night, before the kids go to bed, if I find myself upstairs before them I like to turn on a small light in each of their rooms. A little light by the bed, shinning a warm glow upon the room. It makes me feel good, feel warm, feel at home. I want them to be able to come into a nice softly lit room to go to sleep. They have never mentioned any such notice of the happening. They are not afraid of the dark. But I know.

 

Why? I do not know, I only know I like the effort of the scene. Perhaps it is just a little sign of my affection for them cast in a way that though they are not aware, they are surely encompassed by it none the less.

 

[dover]

 

Check and balance

 

Any business should have the right to serve the customer that they select, free from restriction or regulation. However, any customer should have the right to lawfully purchase or deny consumption or protest the views of said business. Only in mutual consent of the consumer and producer does balance become real, does justice become reality of the living.

 

And on this day in history, protest was made of a producer's desire to limit his consumer. And what a fine protest it was.

 

 

 

 

On Feb. 1, 1960, four students from all-black North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College walked into a Woolworth five-and-dime with the intention of ordering lunch.

 

But the manager of the Greensboro Woolworth had intentions of his own — to maintain the lunch counter's strict whites-only policy.

 

Franklin McCain was one of the four young men who shoved history forward by refusing to budge.

 

McCain remembers the anxiety he felt when he went to the store that Monday afternoon, the plan he and his friends had devised to launch their protest and how he felt when he sat down on that stool.

 

"Fifteen seconds after … I had the most wonderful feeling. I had a feeling of liberation, restored manhood. I had a natural high. And I truly felt almost invincible. Mind you, [i was] just sitting on a dumb stool and not having asked for service yet," McCain says.

 

"It's a feeling that I don't think that I'll ever be able to have again. It's the kind of thing that people pray for … and wish for all their lives and never experience it. And I felt as though I wouldn't have been cheated out of life had that been the end of my life at that second or that moment."

 

McCain shares his recollection of the exchanges the four African-American men had with the lunch-counter staff, the store manager and a policeman who arrived on the scene — and also a lesson he learned that day.

 

An older white woman sat at the lunch counter a few stools down from McCain and his friends.

 

"And if you think Greensboro, N.C., 1960, a little old white lady who eyes you with that suspicious look … she's not having very good thoughts about you nor what you're doing," McCain says.

 

Eventually, she finished her doughnut and coffee. And she walked behind McNeil and McCain — and put her hands on their shoulders.

 

"She said in a very calm voice, 'Boys, I am so proud of you. I only regret that you didn't do this 10 years ago.'" McCain recalls.

 

"What I learned from that little incident was … don't you ever, ever stereotype anybody in this life until you at least experience them and have the opportunity to talk to them. I'm even more cognizant of that toda—— situations like tha—— and I'm always open to people who speak differently, who look differently, and who come from different places," he says.

 

On that first day, Feb. 1, the four men stayed at the lunch counter until closing. The next day, they came back with 15 other students. By the third day, 300 joined in; later, 1,000.

 

The sit-ins spread to lunch counters across the country — and changed history.

[dover]

 

 

the Flash

 

 

...

[dover]

All Star Western

 

..

 

...and how about, just for fun,a Ewert book: this book was returned to CGC.

 

 

 

[TeddieMercede]

Blah Ewert what a ... the 9.2 looks like it has nicer colors and definitely much better centering though

[dover]

Blah Ewert what a ... the 9.2 looks like it has nicer colors and definitely much better centering though

 

It was back when I was about the grade and not the quality.

 

[dover]

 

Specials

 

...

 

 

Challengers of the Unknown

 

 

 

 

From Beyond the Unknown

 

[dover]

Marvel Spotlight

 

 

 

 

Avengers

 

.

 

 

Weird Western Tales

 

 

 

 

Conan the Barbarian

 

 

 

 

Six Million Dollar Man

 

[dover]

The new McLaren!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dover]

The Adams collection so far (I think).

 

 

 

Magazines in the theme of Adams...

 

Emergency

 

 

 

 

Epic

 

 

 

 

Savage Tales

 

..

 

 

 

Six Million Dollar Man

 

.

 

 

 

COMIC SECTION:

 

Action Comics

 

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......

......

..

 

 

 

Adventure Comics

 

......

..

 

 

 

All Star Western

 

..

 

 

 

Avengers

 

.

 

 

 

the Batman....

 

.....

 

 

 

from Beyond the Unknown

 

 

 

 

the Brave and the Bold

 

......

.....

 

 

 

Challengers of the Unknown

 

 

 

 

Conan the Barbarian

 

 

 

 

DC Specials

 

...

 

 

 

Detective Comics

 

......

 

......

 

......

 

..

 

 

 

the Flash

 

...

 

 

 

Green Lanterns...

 

......

...

 

 

 

House of Mystery

 

......

.....

 

 

 

House of Secrets

 

.....

 

 

 

the Justice League of America

 

......

.

 

 

 

Marvel Spotlight

 

 

 

 

the Phantom Stranger

 

......

.....

 

 

 

Jimmy and Lois

 

......

..

....

 

 

 

Six Million Dollar Man

 

 

 

the Spectre

 

...

 

 

 

the Strange Adventures

 

......

 

...

 

 

 

Superboy

 

......

......

......

...

 

 

Superman

 

......

......

......

..

 

 

 

Tales of the Unexpected

 

 

 

 

Tomahawk

 

......

 

....

 

 

 

 

the Unexpected

 

.....

 

 

 

Weird Western Tales

 

 

 

 

the Witching Hour

 

.

 

 

 

the World's Finest

 

......

......

.

 

 

Adams Modern Collection:

 

......

......

......

......

.....

 

 

 

 

 

[dover]

 

I have been riding around the Japanese country side and found myself with ample time to continue my read of the Fountainhead. I am still sorry that I did not read this before Atlas, but I can't change that anymore. The book continues on its path and Ayn continues her relentless pursuit of the greatness of man. Asking of us, "why are we not achieving the greatness that is within us all?" And at the same time holding it to the mirror of people that go about life as if nothing more could be gained by trying, in any amount to do better, to do more.

 

Howard Roark, hated because he loves to do something and that is all he wants to do. He does not do it for the sake of any other save himself. He does not do it because someone forced him to or someone black mailed him through pity or the noble act of fairness. He asked nothing of society and required nothing in return.

 

 

"I'll listen if you want me to, Mr. Snyte. But I think I should tell you now that nothing you can say will make any difference. If you don't mind that, I don't mind listening."

 

 

 

"It doesn't say much. Only 'Howard Roark, Architect.' But it's like those mottoes men carved over the enterance of a castle and died for. It's a challenge in the face of something so vast and so dark, that all the pain on earth - and do you know how much suffering there is on earth? - all the pain comes from that thing you are going to face. I don't know what it is, I don't know why it shold be unleashed against you. I know only that it will be. And I know that if you carry these words through to the end, it will be a victory, Howard, not just for you, but for something that should win, that moves the world - and never wins acknowledgement. It will vindicate so many who have fallen before you - or whoever it is that is alone to see the best, the highest possible to human hearts. You're on your way into hell, Howard."

 

 

"Look at it. A sublime achievement, isn't it? A heroic achievement. Think of the thousands who worked to create this and of the millions that profit by it. And it is said that but for the spirit of a dozen men, here and there down the ages, but for a dozen men - less, perhaps - none of this would have been possible. And that might be true. If so, there are - again - two possible attitudes to take. We can say that these twelve were great benefactors, that we are all fed by the overflow of the magnificent wealth of their spirit, and that we are glad to accept it in gratitude and brotherhood. Or, we can say that by the splendor of their achievement which we can neither equal nor keep, these twelve have shown us what we are, that we do not want the free gifts of their grandeur, that a cave by an oozing swamp and a fire of sticks rubbed together are preferable to skyscrapers and neon lights - if the cave and the sticks are the limit of your own creative capacities. Of the two attitudes, Dominique, which would you call the truly humanitarian one? Because you see, I am a humanitarium."

[dover]

 

I am sitting here in Japan at the end of a two day trip. One day was for attempting to sell equipment to a company that basically already decided to buy it. It was hard, I tried to talk them out of it but alas, I think they are still moving forward to purchase.

 

The second part was to visit a customer of ours that had something wrong with one of their machines. I had a great deal of interpidation on this trip. I was going 15 hours to another country to try to acertain and then fix a problem that we were not quite sure what it was. I must say, I felt some anxiety as we approached the facility. In a worst case scenario, it is a long way to come to not be able to repair something. I felt mostly confident; is that a true feeling? I knew I could troubleshoot, I knew the logic in the circuits, I knew what needed to happen for the machine to work properly and still it was not working.

 

Ever worked in a small area on your own equipment, surrounded by 4 people that do not speak your language? You know they are talking about you and the problem. They stare over your back, they won't leave you some time to work, to think, to stumble. If you have never had to do that, it is a task for the strong only. I even tried to get them to go to lunch but to no avail.

 

In the end, I repaired the machine. They were very happy and all eneded well. It feels rewarding when you are called into fix something that few others can do. It has been a good trip and I will be back soon.

 

Some highlights have been: I experienced my first Japanese bath house. Very relaxing, once you get over the fact of being naked among people. I also had eel for the first time, or at least for the first time that I know. It seems that every trip to Asia, I have eaten things that I dare not ask what they are so I might have tried it before without my knowledge. It was cooked and coated in a spicy sauce over rice; very good. I did not get a chance to go to Ghibli Studios in Tokyo, but that will happen on the next trip. We have become great fans of the the cartoons by Miyazaki.

 

Can't wait to get home to my family.

[dover]

 

If you travel a lot to foreign countries you know there are two sides to each country. I am usually spoiled, on business, and staying in a big city hotel. These hotels cater to and are designed for the foreign traveler. They have English words under the Japanese character, they have English speaking TV. Their food has choices and options beyond local tastes and often the breakfast buffet is incredible. I always ook forward to breakfast, especially in south asia as it is tropical and the fruit you find is not like you can get at home.

 

Then try staying a little farther out of the city; try a local province or basically a hotel where actual natives, locals stay at. No english subtitles, no english TV, no one really can understand you since they don't have to be hired to be able to communicate with foreign travelers. The breakfast buffet is a little different. This morning instead of 4 kinds of fruit, cereal, eggs, vegatables, candies, pastries, juices and jelly and breads, etc..... I had two choices of rice, pasta and greens (lettuce and seaweed). I try never to judge better or worse, but only to say it was different. I can't stand here in my faith and state that this breakfast was any less filling than the others I have had during tavels, only different; one could say it was less demanding on my guilty pleasure of chosing my poison from which to take my daily bread.

 

 

 

 

 

[dover]

 

The other great thing about traveling is that you never know what you will find. Hidden on a nameless street in Chiba (outside of Tokyo) is the best Italian restaurant I have eaten at, anywhere. Sounds funny, I know, but it is fabulous. They even distinguish themselevs as Northern Italian flavor. It is the sesond time I have eaten there and is now a demand when visiting our Japanese rep.

 

For me, the hot rice laid on the round of parmesan cheese was the best, but all courses where fabulous. When in Rome, try as much as you can. WHen in Chiba, demand Italian.

 

 

 

[dover]

What can I say about this book? A picture is worth a 1,000 words...

 

 

 

 

[dover]

 

 

I have no faith it will do justice to the book, but I can dream.

 

 

 

 

 

[TupennyConan]

[dover]

I finished the Fountainhead and it was fantastic, for me. Ayn Rand fighting for her way of life against the Bolsheviks, against Stalin, against the collective.

 

The Fountainhead is the Individual Spirit vs. the Collective. Atlas Shrugged is the Individual Spirit vs. the State.

 

 

 

I think some buildings are cheap show-offs, all front, and some are cowards, apologizing for themselves in every brick, and some are the eternal unfit, botched, malicious and false. Your buildings have one sense above all - a sense of joy. Not a placid joy. A difficult, demanding kind of joy. The kind that makes one feel as if it were an achievement to experience it. One looks and thinks: I'm a better person if I can feel that.

 

 

I do not blame Peter Keating. He was helpless. He had a contract with his emloyers. It was ignored. He had a promise that the structure he offered would be built as designed. The promise was broken. The love of a man for the integrity of his work and his right to preserve it are now considered a vague intangible and an unessential. You have heard the prosecutor say that. Why was the building disfigured? For no reason. Such acts never have any reason, unless its the vanity of some second-handers who feel they have the right to anyone's property, spiritual or material.Who permitted them to do it? No particular man among the dozens in authority. No one cared to permit it or stop it. No one can be held to account. Such is the nature of all collective action.

 

 

 

 

I came here to say that I do not recognize anyone's right to one minute of my life. Nor to any part of my energy. Nor to any achievement of mine. No matter who makes the claim, how large their number or how great their need.

 

 

 

 

[dover]

 

 

Dover, here ya go. I just put this together for you. Don't be mad at me. Are you mad at me?

 

We suffer from Freedom’s Constraints. Fettered are the Free.

 

 

The very things that we seek in our freedom are the items that expose us to threat of force, subversion and attack. The very ideals we seek to uphold allow us to be taken by force or by decree from abroad or within. We welcome all without constraint to question or motive; letting in the vampire that will surely drain our strength. Freedom to speak and assemble; freedom to speak against and mob. In leaving open the pathway to freedom, we have shackled ourselves to external forces that bind us to be free. We lose some part of our freedom as we seek to protect it from being trampled. In our constant search from freedom, never let our freedom get in the way.

 

 

[dover]

UPDATED:

 

 

the Batman....

 

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