Last night I watched part two of Atlas Shrugged (2012), based on Ayn Rand’s influential novel about free market capitalism and government regulation. It tanked at the box office, so there may not be a finale. Whether the viewer will enjoy such a work probably depends on political affiliation. Rand’s views are loathed by the left and championed by libertarians. I fall amongst the latter. When I did a web profile it concluded I was a libertarian who leaned way right. The second installment was entirely recast, and most of the faces would be familiar to fans of TV and the movies. It was directed by John Putch, the son of Jean Stapleton (Edith Bunker). I enjoyed it, with reservations. It is more science fiction than philosophical argument, although the latter occurs throughout the 1:40 minute running time. Given that the price of gasoline is more than $40 a gallon, I would have expected even more chaos than was depicted, although demonstrators, both sides, are seen frequently and everywhere. The America of the film still looks largely clean and beautiful. The plot is centered around a new energy device that is not only more effective than anything ever created but which offers a cleanliness environmentalists would embrace. Since nothing like it exists or is even on the distant horizon, it is irrelevant to the arguments occurring at present. The other day President Obama threatened new restrictions on coal and dubbed critics of green energy - and global warming skeptics - "The Flat Earth Society." In an op-ed piece in today’s NY Post, Michael Walsh refutes what he dubs “The Phantom Menace” of the carbon emissions that supposedly contribute to global warming. He even supports his argument with a quote from one of Obama’s biggest backers: “…scientists who once proclaimed environmental Armageddon with absolute certainty (the science was 'settled') now can’t match their doomsday models to what’s happening — which is basically nothing. 'The practitioners of climate science would like to understand exactly what is going on,' wrote The New York Times this month. 'They admit that they do not.' Yet the President would threaten the fragile economy with stricter regulations. Hopefully, it’s merely bluster to appease his base and deflect attention from the scandals that have engulfed his administration. I hate being pessimistic about America’s future. Its demise has been predicted several times only to see it come roaring back. I pray this will be the case again, but the percentage of those who want government intervention in many aspects of our lives is approaching 50%. That reeks of decay. Can that be reversed? The many conservative voices of talk radio seem to be failing to stem that tide.
I love it when the weather forecast is wrong. Although the humidity was thick, not a drop of rain fell during today's session of the floating book shop. Ol' Smokey showed up with a fishing rod and reel, which looked brand new. He left it with me while he went for refreshments. Sure enough, a gentleman bought it at the asking price of $20. It seems a good deal. The rod is a Shakespeare, a top flight brand. The reel is a Cruiser, with which I am unfamiliar, but seems to be in proper working order. When Smokey returned, munching on potato chips, he was rather subdued. He thanked me and continued on his way. My thanks to Michael, who donated another four novels in Russian, three of which sold, and all the other buyers, most of whom bought books Smokey donated.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
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