Next Meeting: Tuesday November 3rd from 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Here are the questions for next Tuesday. We will be finishing chapter 3 of part 2 and chapter 4.

Session 8: November 3, 2009: Pages 438 - 495
*Part 2: Chapter 3: White Blackmail (B)
*Part 2: Chapter 4: The Sanction of the Victim


*Part 2: Chapter 3: White Blackmail (B)

* How is Dannager changed when Dagny meets him? Does she have any
chance of reversing his decision? (443-7)

* What are Francisco's accusations of Rearden's (innocent) moral
crimes? Are they right? (451-5)

* Why does Francisco respond the way that he does to the break-out at
the mills? Why can't he continue his conversation with Hank after that? (456-60)

* What is the significance of the title of this chapter?

*** Chapter 4: The Sanction of the Victim ***

* How has Rearden's attitude toward and treatment of his family
changed since we first met them? How has it remained the same?
(461-71)

* How does Rearden's family react to the prospect of him going to
jail? Why does each person react as he/she does? (462-3)

* How and why does Hank have a more meaningful Thanksgiving with Dagny
than with his family? (474-5)

* What is Rearden's basic strategy in the trial? How is he acting on
his newly-discovered knowledge of the sanction of the victim? How do
the judges respond? What does it reveal about the nature of the
political system? To what extent is he successful? (476-82)

* Why does Hank want to talk to Francisco about Francisco's apparent
pursuit of mindless pleasures, particularly sex? Why is that topic of
personal importance to Hank? What does Hank learn from the
discussion? (489-93)

* What is the significance of the title of this chapter?

Here are the questions for this next week's meeting, remember we are now meeting from 6:00pm - 8:00pm, we are still meeting in the Arts Building room AR298.


Session 7: October 27, 2009: Pages 379 - 438
*Part 2: Chapter 2: The Aristocracy of Pull
*Part 2: Chapter 3: White Blackmail (A)

*** Chapter 2: The Aristocracy of Pull ***
* How is the state of the world different on this September 2nd than
on that of one year earlier, when the novel began?(379-80)

* Why is Lillian determined to go to James Taggart's wedding with
Hank? Why does Hank want to do anything but that? (385)

* What is the significance of the manner of Jim's courtship of
Cherryl? Why and how is she pained by it? What does Jim seek and
gain from Cherryl? What does she think she gives him? What does she
want from him? (387-92)

* Why does Lillian bring Hank as a present for Jim Taggart? What does
she reveal about her aims with respect to her husband? What is the
non-material recompense that Lillian wants? (398-400)

* What is Francisco's response to the claims that "money is the root
of all evil" and that "love of money is the root of all evil"? What
are Francisco's basic points? How does he connect money with
production and man's mind? How is money only a tool? Why is the only
alternative to money brute force? How have the principles discussed
by Francisco in this speech been dramatized by the events of the novel
so far? (410-5)

* Why does Francisco want Rearden to see the panic of the looters?
Why are they so panicked? Is it merely the financial loss or
something deeper? (421-2)

* What is the significance of the title of this chapter?

*** Chapter 3: White Blackmail (A) ***

* Why does Hank ask Dagny now about her prior lover? Why does that
show that he has never accepted Dagny's sexual desire for him? (426-7)

* Why did Lillian suspect Hank of having an affair? Why is she
certain that his mistress must be a low person? What does that reveal
about her? Why doesn't she ask him to give up the affair? Why won't
she grant him a divorce? Why does she want to make him feel guilty?
What kind of man does she wish to make him? (428-32)

* What is Dr. Ferris' manner of dealing with Rearden? What kind of
agreement is Ferris hoping to reach with Rearden? What does Rearden
learn in his conversation with Ferris? (432-7)

The Real Goal of the Green Climate Crusade - A speech by Dr. Keith Lockitch

Come see Dr. Keith Lockitch of the Ayn Rand center give a speech on what the green climate crusade is really about.

When: Wednesday November 18th 6:30-8:30pm
Where: Tivoli (room 250) Turnhale on the Auraria Campus; Denver Colorado

Tivoli Student Union 900 Auraria Parkway Denver, CO 80204 303-534-2003

click HERE for a website to help you find parking and any other information on how to get
to the Tivoli.

And click HERE for s a link showing exactly which room the event will be held in, and it includes a virtual tour.

Go HERE for the facebook event page.


The Real Goal of the Green Climate Crusade

Environmentalists claim that our use of carbon-based energy is altering the climate, making us more vulnerable to climate disasters. Human survival, they insist, requires the immediate abandonment of fossil fuels in favor of carbon-free sources. So why do environmentalist groups vehemently oppose projects involving every alternative form of energy ever proposed to replace fossil fuels—including wind farms and solar power plants? And why do they ignore the dramatic degree to which industrial development under capitalism has reduced the risk of harm from severe climate events? Before we rush headlong into drastic climate policies and energy rationing, a critical examination of these policies is urgently needed. Dr. Keith Lockitch will address these important issues and answer audience questions.

Next Meeting: Tuesday October 20th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Here are the questions for this next week's meeting, remember we are now meeting from 6:00pm - 8:00pm, we are still meeting in the Arts Building room AR298.


Session 6: October 20, 2009: Pages 309 - 378
*Part 1: Chapter 10: Wyatt's Torch (B)
*Part 2: Chapter 1: The Man Who Belgonged on Earth

Chapter 10: Wyatt's Torch (B)
* What do we discover about Eugene Lawson in the course of his conversation with Dagny Taggart? What did he seek and gain from the needy people to whom he granted loans, if not wealth? (309-13)

* What is the fundamental moral difference between Lee Hunsacker and Midas Mulligan? (313-21)

* What was the basic scheme for the Twentieth Century Motor Company implemented by the Starnes heirs? Why does Dagny think that it is pure evil? (323)

* What is the Fair Share Law? What is its basic premise? Why was it passed? (333) How will it kill Colorado?

Chapter 1: The Man Who Belonged on Earth

* Why won't Stadler publicly denounce the book or demand its retraction? What does that indicate about him? Is it worse than what he permitted to happen with Rearden Metal? (348)

* What is the effect of the Fair Share Law on Taggart Transcontinental? Why is Taggart Transcontinental making more money than ever? What is Jim's response? (352)

* Why does Dagny feel greater revulsion at Dr. Stadler than Jim or Orren Boyle? (353) Is he worse than the others? Why of why not?

* Why does Rearden refuse to sell any Rearden Metal to the State Science Institute? (360, 365-6)

* What kind of change have we seen in Hank's view of and relationship with Dagny? (367-8) Why does Dagny think that she can help Hank win his deliverance from guilt, but that she cannot do so by words? (367)

Next Meeting: Tuesday October 13th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Here are the questions for this next week's meeting, remember we are now meeting from 6:00pm - 8:00pm, we are still meeting in the Arts Building room AR298.

Also remember that the pages here are using the 35th anniversary edition of Atlas Shrugged.
Just keep in mind we are going from Chapter 9 in Part 1 to half way into chapter 10 "Wyatt's Toarch"

Session 5: October 13, 2009: Pages 253 - 309
*Part 1: Chapter 9: The Sacred and the Profane
*Part 1: Chapter 10: Wyatt's Torch (A)

Chapter 9: The Sacred and the Profane

* Why does Hank say what he says to Dagny the morning after their first sexual encounter? Why does Dagny's reaction change as she listens to him? Why does she say what she says in response? (254-6)

* What kind of person is Cherryl Brooks? How and why does Cherryl misunderstand Jim Taggart's character? What does she think of what he says? Why doesn't she see the truth about him? (257-67)

* What does Mr. Mowen reveal about his character in conversation with the worker (Owen Kellogg)? Has he changed since we first met him—and if so, in what way? (270-3)

* Why does Hank presume that his invitation to speak at the National Council of Metal Industries is a peace offering? (275) How is he wrong? Why does Dagny think him (too) generous? (274-6)

* Why does Hank want Dagny to go on a vacation with him? Why does he want her to wear the bracelet of Rearden Metal? How has his attitude changed since their first night together? Why would anyone guessing their affair be worse for him than for her? (278-9)

* While driving on vacation, why do Dagny and Hank long to see a billboard, rather than just untouched nature? What does that billboard (and the people who despise billboards) represent to them? (280)

* Why is Dagny so excited to discover the motor? What disturbs Hank about the discovery? What is the importance of the creation of the motor and the significance of it being abandoned? (287-90)

* What is the significance of the title of this chaper:

Chapter 10: Wyatt's Torch (A)

* What kind of person is Mayor Bascom of Rome? (294-8)

* How has Dagny protected Jim from the consequences of his Anti-dog- eat-dog Rule? Did she see that so clearly at the time? Why does she feel a chill on thinking that self-interest is not Jim's motive? What is the alternative? (300)

* Why does Rearden's purchasing manager say that a person is either good at the mills or in Washington? What does he mean? What are the two different skill sets? Why are they incompatible? How have we seen that dramatized in earlier chapters? (303)

* What does Lillian reveal about herself and her values in her conversation with Rearden? How does Rearden give Lillian more credit than she deserves? What does she deserve? What are her motives? (304-9)

Next Meeting: Tuesday October 6th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Here are the questions for this next week's meeting, remember we are now meeting from 6:00pm - 8:00pm, we are still meeting in the Arts Building room AR298.

Session 4: October 6, 2009: Pages 185 - 252
*Part 1: Chapter 7: The Exploiters and the Exploited (B)
*Part 1: Chapter 8: The John Galt Line


Chapter Seven: The Exploiters and the Exploited (B)

Section 5: 185-92 * What is Dr. Stadler's basic modus operandi? What motivates him to act as he does? How does he view other people?

Section 6: 192-7 * Why does Dagny choose to take on the burden of completing the Rio Norte Line alone? What are the basic terms of the deal she offers Jim? Is the deal just or not? (193-5)

Section 7: 201-5 * What does Rearden reveal about his feelings for Dagny when she suggests that he has only ever thought of her as a man? Why does Dagny think that of him? Why does Hank think of his feelings for Dagny as a betrayal of her? (204-5)

Section 8: 205-216 * What is the basic moral difference between the request of Mrs. Rearden and the request of Mr. Ward to Hank Rearden? Why does Hank refuse the former yet work hard to satisfy the latter? (206-213) *

What is Rearden's response the passage of the Equalization of Opportunity Bill? Why does he react as he does? What does that show about his values? (212-6)

General: * What is the significance of the title of this chapter?

Chapter Eight: The John Galt Line

Section 1: 217-8 * Why does Eddie feel like a stooge for Jim Taggart? In what way is that feeling right? (218)

Section 2: 219-21 * What does Dagny's longing for "a consciousness like her own" reveal about her romantic ideal? Why doesn't Francisco or Hank satisfy that longing? (220)

Section 2: 221-7 * How does Rearden's sale of his ore mines to Paul Larkin differ from his sale of his coal mines to Ken Dannager? What do these transactions reveal about each man? (221-4)

Section 3: 227-33 * What kind of game is the delegate of the Union of Locomotive Engineers attempting to play with Dagny? How does she block it? (231-2)

Section 4: 233-6 * What does Rearden's claim that he will earn enormous profits yet benefit the public with his metal reveal about his view of harmony of interests? (235)

Section 5: 236-9 * How is the opening of the John Galt Line a true celebration for Dagny -- unlike her debut ball as a young woman? (236-9)

Section 6: 239-242 * Why do many people come to witness the first run of the John Galt Line? What does it mean to them? (242-3)

* What permits Hank Rearden to express his desire for Dagny? Why is their sex so violent? (250-2)

* What is Dagny's motivation for the affair with Hank? Why do Dagny and Hank feel such an intense desire for each other? (251)

General: * What is the significance of the title of this chapter?