Little support for book-sending project

Why so little support for the book-sending project? I would have thought it would make sense to people here. Maybe there's an aspect I don't appreciate? Just curious.

Post 1

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 3:20am

I'd bought an extra copy of AS a couple of days before Jeffrey's post, with the intention of passing the copy to someone. hadn't decided who until after reading the post, but now plan on sending it to a city councilman. I also responded with suggestions on the web site he'd linked to.

I think it's a wonderful project, but believe that the books should be sent not only to national political figures, but to local and state figures (who often later move on to the national stage).

jt

Post 2

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 4:24am

> Why so little support for the book-sending project?

Just to update all of you. I sent out just a few announcements in order to get some preliminary feedback. Mindy was particularly helpful in improving the site, which I have been tweaking over the last few days. Jay, I also appreciate your feedback (although I didn't know it was from you). I added some comments to address the issues that you raised.

I have been compiling lists, and starting tomorrow, I will be making some large scale mailings to sympathetic individuals and organizations asking them to help promote awareness of the project. It is also scheduled to run during the month of April, so I did not expect much response before then. If you have the email addresses of organizations that you think would want to hear about this campaign, then please send them to me.

I just discovered that Barnes and Noble has the Atlas Shrugged book for $3.98, and I included information regarding that to the site. If anyone has additional suggestions, please send them along. A lot of effort is going into this, so I hope it yields some results. Spread the word.

Regards,
--
Jeff

Post 3

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 4:31am

Good luck!
(Edited by Dean Michael Gores on 3/26, 7:35pm)

Post 4

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 9:19am

Hey Jeff,

Best wishes for your project.

I know ARI is doing a splendid job in donating Atlas to schools.

Mindy: "Maybe there's an aspect I don't appreciate? Just curious."

I also find this to be a puzzle. I wonder it has to do with core emotions? I don't sense in many Objectivists a romantic spirit, nor in republicans for that matter;} many seem either emotionally anemic or angry. It's as if the their spirit of excitement, and hope for a great future is negligible.

Actually, Mindy, I am glad you brought this up - I see a possible new approach to my particular outreach methods.

Cheers,

Michael

(Edited by Newberry on 3/26, 9:21am)

Post 5

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 9:29am

Michael,

You just gave me an idea.
What about sketching an image of Icarus, or something else apt, sized to be a book-mark, and get Jeff to post it on the go-galt site for people to print out, cut out, and include in the books they send?
I can think of all kinds of ways this might add to the effectiveness of the effort. The aides who handle the books, put them wherever, might just take out and keep the bookmark for themselves.
The bookmark could have a potent quote from Rand...
You'd get a piece of your work, signed, of course, into the hands of a slew of non-Californians. ;-)

There's some potential there, don't you think? Only it would have to be done quickly...
Mindy

Post 6

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 10:02am

I'm game.

Icarus would be great. If supplied with the quote, it can be done in photoshop, and uploaded to Jeff's site.

Michael

Post 7

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 10:12am

I'm researching quotes this minute, will get back to you asap.

Post 8

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 10:47am

Some quotes that might do:
"Capitalism has been called a system of greed--yet it is the system that raised the standard of living of its poorest citizens to heights no collectivist system has ever begun to equal..."
--Ayn Rand (Global Balkanization)

"...[N]o rights can exist without the right to translate one's rights into reality--to think, to work and to keep the results..." --Ayn Rand (For the New Intellectual)

"The only proper purpose of a government is to protect man's rights." --Ayn Rand (FNI)

"Life is a process of self-sustaining and self-generated action." --Ayn Rand (VOS)

"If you exist only because society permits you to exist--you have no right to your own life." --Ayn Rand (Textbook of Americanism)

"...[I]t has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things...who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom..." --Barack Obama (Inauguration address)

Note: my impression is that the source of the quote need not be included for the purposes of the bookmark. I listed them here so their source could be noted by us, Jeff, etc.

Myself, I'm for sure going to use bookmarks with Obama's own words on them. I knew that quote would come in handy! ;-)

Mindy

(Edited by Mindy Newton on 3/26, 11:07am)

Post 9

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 3:42pm

Mindy,

Let us know what quotes you use. Interesting. And interesting ideas! Keep them coming!

jt

Post 10

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 5:22pm

Here are a few more AR quotes:

"Anyone who fights for the Future lives in it today." AR

"Capitalism is the only system that can make freedom, individuality, and the pursuit of values possible in practice." ('Romantic Manifesto')AR

"To hold an unchanging youth is to reach at the end, the vision with which one started." AR

"The world you desired can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it's yours. But to win it requires total dedication and a total break with the world of your past, with the doctrine that man is sacrificial animal who exists for the pleasure of others. Fight for the value of your person. Fight for the virtue of your pride. Fight for the essence, which is man, for his sovereign rational mind. Fight with the radiant certainty and the absolute rectitude of knowing that yours is the morality of life and yours is the battle for any achievement, any value, any grandeur, any goodness, any joy that has ever existed on this earth." AR

Post 11

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 6:15pm

So, Michael, where's the pic? Am I too impatient? I briefed Jeff on the plan, he was for it. Can't wait to see it.

General interest:
In case you missed it, see Jeff's site for a Barnes and Nobel site that's selling the book for 3.98, and free shipping and handling for orders over 25 bucks or something like that. I ordered 20, and my daughter put in for one to send herself!

(Edited by Mindy Newton on 3/26, 6:18pm)

(Edited by Mindy Newton on 3/26, 6:19pm)

Post 12

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 7:19pm

> "Anyone who fights for the Future lives in it today." [AR]

I love that one Michael. Short and hopeful. It's a good rallying cry and would make a great handout at the Tea Parties, but maybe not what you want to send to the politicians.

> "The only proper purpose of a government is to protect man's rights." [AR]

Good one Mindy. Short, sweet and makes the political point!

This one is currently on my web site:

"Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others." [AR]

I'm not suggesting these, but I like them!

"Give me the judgment of balanced minds in preference to laws every time. Codes and manuals create patterned behavior. All patterned behavior tends to go unquestioned, gathering destructive momentum." [Frank Herbert]

"Senor d'Anconia, what do you think is going to happen to the world? -- Just exactly what it deserves. -- Oh, how cruel!" [Francisco & woman at party]

"When robbery is done in open daylight by sanction of the law, as it is done today, then any act of honor or restitution has to be hidden underground." [Ragnar]

"Rough spots are to be expected. If one thing doesn't work, we'll try another. Trial-and-error is the only pragmatic rule of action." [Wesley Mooch]

"I don't know what sort of motto the d'Anconias have on their family crest, but I'm sure that Francisco will change it to 'What for?'" [Mrs. Taggart]

"Why have we left it to all the fools? It should have been ours." [Dagney]

"Why yes, I can," said Midas Mulligan, when he was asked whether he could name a person more evil than the man with a heart closed to pity. "The man who uses another's pity for him as a weapon." [Midas Mulligan]

"Of course, 'investment' is a relative term. It depends on what you wish to accomplish." [Francisco: This one's for Obama!]

"What ails the truth is that it is mainly uncomfortable, and often dull. The human mind seeks something more amusing and more caressing." [Thomas Gilovich]

Post 13

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 8:42pm

Okay, here is a test: http://newberrygallery.com/IcarusBook.jpg

See how it prints out. Firefox I don't think gives the option to print but Internet Explorer does.

Feed back welcomed.

Michael

Post 14

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 9:16pm

Under 'file', it allows for printing - if you have a printer...

Post 15

Friday, March 27, 2009 - 6:41am

Michael:

The bookmark is exquisite. I was visualizing something much cruder. This is really much too good to send to politicians; I hate to think of them putting their grubby hands on it. :-) The quote is great! It makes you shake your head when you hear so many people say that Rand was a poor writer. What is the source of the quote?

I don't have a color printer, but when I printed it on my B&W HP Laserjet, the bottom was cropped off half way through the word "grandeur" when using letter-sized paper and printing from Firefox on a Solaris system. If we are actually going to print these and then cut them out, I would suggest sizing them to fit horizontally on letter paper and then ganging up as many as will fit across the 11" width minus about 1-1/2" for margins at each end. Also, think about the overall size in relation to the paperback books. These books are 6-7/8" tall and 4-3/16" wide.

I'm excited to add it to the web page!

Regards,
--
Jeff

Post 16

Friday, March 27, 2009 - 9:52am

Michael,

Wow. I expected a pencil sketch of a head and torso and some feathers, maybe a quarter of the sun in one corner...you produced a painting!
Your man immediately strikes me as exactly how Rand describes Roark's body, a physical embodiment of all capability and potential.
I had to think for some time to come to any conclusion as to how you achieved that sense of floating. He's clearly not falling, he hasn't jumped, he isn't descending, he is floating. It has to be in the way his muscles are or aren't tensed, a subtlety of the mechanics you chose for his exact posture...impressive.
I speculate as to whether the Biblical reference of his posture is a deliberate choice? An intimation that the government policies we are objecting to immolate man? And when that speculative impulse is further loosed, whether that reference has anything to do with Obama's extreme, or (what I would call) primitive religious sentimentalities? If so, you've layered this mere "sketch" with meaning upon meaning! I can even imagine that this image will have significance for Obama himself more personally and powerfully than it would for anyone else! (My impression of the man's psyche is that he basically sees himself as a minister.) I'm wild to print one up but substitute Obama's quote, if that is OK with you. (If you want it to go out with your quote, I understand.)
So you and Jeff are into details about getting it sized and up on the site. Bravo for your work and for your effort, Michael.

Mindy

(Edited by Mindy Newton on 3/27, 9:59am)

Post 17

Friday, March 27, 2009 - 10:50am

Morning everyone,

I have two minutes to write this.

I will read your points thoroughly this afternoon, about the size, but I am not sure the text will me legible if made smaller. I don't have my printer set up, that will happen when I get stuff out of storage and into the Gallery in a week or two. So I need help with the print trials.

Mindy, you are too subtle about the Obama quote - it is a great quote, and I hate the idea that others will think that it is our vote of confidence in the administration, not see the irony of it.

Gotta run, have other art stuff to do.

Cheers,

Michael

Post 18

Friday, March 27, 2009 - 11:24am

There is that danger. I will comply.
Mindy

Post 19

Friday, March 27, 2009 - 1:19pm