Game day was never like this when I was in college.
These days, apparently, it starts early. The night before even. Me, I need my beauty sleep, but did the best I could.
The morality of serving an evil god
Atlas Shrugged – Day 046 – pp. 449-458
We cut back to Hank’s office. It’s late. He got Ken Danagger’s message from Dagny when she told him the story.
He’s bummed and thinking. . .
UNT’s most famous alumni
Denton, Texas is famous for a few things…
It’s home to the University of North Texas, one of the premier music schools in the nation. . .
. . .Whose nickname is the “Mean Green” after their most distinguished alum — Charles Edward “Mean Joe” Greene — the menacing defensive tackle from the Pittsburg Steelers “Steel Curtain” defense of the early 70’s. . .
. . . And whose mascot, the “Eagle” also served as the inspiration for the name of a certain California-based band founded in the 1970’s (thanks to another alum – Don Henley.)
(Seems the 70’s was a busy decade for UNT.)
And finally. . .
A mystery visitor
Atlas Shrugged – Day 045 – pp. 439-448
Now we cut back to the Taggart Trans commissary where Eddie is chatting with his anonymous friend once again.
I like Eddie Willers. He’s a good guy. I wonder if there’s going to be a bigger role in this whole story for him.
Anyway, Eddie’s troubled. Hank and Danagger are busted and going on trial next month. Eddie had spoken to Dagny about the coming trial. She’s afraid for Danagger. That he won’t be able to stand the pressure. She believes that as these economic and personal stresses shift from man to man, they each disappear in turn. As if they’re marked men. . .
What beverage goes best with “Sausage on a Stick?”
That’s an answer you can’t get just anywhere.
Only one place I know of where you can get the answer to that. . .
Continue reading “What beverage goes best with “Sausage on a Stick?””
Jim Taggart, alive and well and living in Redmond…
(Chuck’s note: I’ve gotten a little behind these days. Grrrrr. But I had to stop and muse for a bit on some recent news that seemed to be so appropriate to the Atlas message. . .)
I’ve been accused of being cynical, paranoid and occasionally even a captain in the Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie Brigade (perhaps, on occasion, justifiably so.)
But sue me if I think that taking everything at face value is naïve.
Like this. What’s the point of this nonsense?
Continue reading “Jim Taggart, alive and well and living in Redmond…”
“. . .if discovered. . .”
Atlas Shrugged – Day 044 – pp. 429-438
Busted.
“He stood like a man in military uniform at some official proceedings where emotions could not be permitted to exist.”
“Aren’t you going to try to justify yourself?”
“No.”
“Aren’t you going to start begging my forgiveness?”
A glimmer of hope
Atlas Shrugged – Day 043 – pp. 419-428
He explains briefly to Hank
“Do you know where all those fair share vultures have invested their profits from Rearden Metal?”
“No but — ”
“In d’Anconia Copper stock. Safely out of the way and out of the country.
And then Francisco suddenly gets confused about the time-space continuum. . .
Gone to Texas…
That was the name of the book the classic Clint Eastwood movie “The Outlaw Josey Wales” was based on. I have no idea why I’ve used that title for this post.
Oh yeah, I went to Texas.
The root of all good…
Atlas Shrugged – Day 042 – pp. 409-418
And he walks away and leaves her hanging.
What a master of suspense. But there is someone else watching him as he goes.
The wedding crasher
Atlas Shrugged – Day 041 – pp. 399-408
No it’s not a cuisinart.
It’s her husband at the reception. In the presence of so many of whom it will impress.
“Your guests are quite impressed. I can practically hear them thinking all over the room. Most of them are thinking: ‘If he has to seek terms with Jim Taggart, we’d better toe the line.”
So it’s not really a gift. More of an exchange? What’s she want?
Of receptions and deceptions…
Atlas Shrugged – Day 040 – pp. 389-398
And on and on he’d ramble. About how good Dagny, his “ruthless, conceited bitch” of a sister and Hank Rearden and all the rest of them are at making money. Why wouldn’t they acknowledge his spiritual superiority.
Don’t know Jim. Maybe if you were living in a monastery. . . but you’re president of a railroad.
Cherryl on the other hand, really had no idea what he is talking about. She does see that he’s in pain, however, and her youthful sympathy, like finding a rabbit or something equally cuddly caught in a trap makes you cry, draws her to him.
Actually did more than that.
A Taggart merger
Atlas Shrugged – Day 039 – pp. 379-388
Chapter II — The Aristocracy of Pull
Finally a title that makes sense! This is the world we’re living in right now. Where if you are positioned correctly in the right office and know the right people, you can get – do – say – screw just about anyone or anything. H-E-L-L-O Washington.
The calendar in the sky beyond Dagny’s window said September 2. OK. We’re one year into the book — it read exactly the same when Eddie looked up at it on page 2 or 3.
Incidentally, I recently found out that Sept 2 is “Atlas Shrugged Day.” Happy Belated Atlas Shrugged day to all!
The calendar that timed her race to get the JG line built was now “clocking her race against an unknown destroyer.”
The looters’ secret need
Atlas Shrugged – Day 038 – pp. 369-378
While she’s waiting she recalls all the incredible gifts he’s given her. . .
“The single pear shaped ruby that spurted a violent fire on the white satin of the jeweler’s box. It was a famous stone which only a dozen men in the world could properly afford to purchase; he was not one of them.”
“On the evening of a blizzard, she came home to find an enormous spread of tropical flowers standing in he living room against the dark glass of windows battered by snowflakes.”
“. . .he brought and put over her shoulders was a cape of blue fox that swallowed her from the curve of her chin to the tips of her sandals.”
Out for a secluded dinner one evening, he again confesses what he believes to be his sin.
How to de-claw a looter
Atlas Shrugged – Day 037 – pp. 359 -368
“He would not work for me, so is probably the kind of man you want”
A young physicist from the Utah Institute of Technology…
His name . . .
The meeting of unequals
Atlas Shrugged – Day 036 – pp. 349-358
It’s Dagny Taggart.
She’d like a meeting.
Monday?
Why he can be there this afternoon. . .
Dag and the Doc didn’t leave things on good terms after the SSI put out that paper or Rearden Metal less than a year before. Wonder why he’s so excited to see her.
The book of absolution
Atlas Shrugged – Day 035 – pp. 339-348
Part II – Either-Or.
(What the hell was Part I called? “Non-Contradiction.” Uh Huh. . .)
Chapter I (we’re resetting the counter.) The Man Who Belonged on Earth. (?)
It’s the book.
We are in Dr Stadler’s office. He’s waiting for Dr. Ferris to arrive. He is distracted by the unusual chill in the air. But more so by the presence of that book on his desk.
Intermezzo. . .
Atlas Shrugged – Intermission – RMINPO. . .
I didn’t even realize there were parts. And I missed a day! Dang. So as I’m off schedule, maybe now would be a good time to pause for some RMINPO — random musings in no particular order. . .
Triumph and plotting. That’s the ticket here in part 1. So let’s look at how Rand divvys up the players on the field.
The end of Wyatt Oil
Atlas Shrugged – Day 034 – pp. 334-336
She’s standing on the train platform waiting for the mainliner to New York.
Wesley Mouch has been busy in Washington. She overhears a conversation about it on the platform.
One step from victory. . .
Atlas Shrugged – Day 033 – pp. 324-333
As Dagny gets ready to leave, Ivy is babbling on about how she never concerned herself with the things in the lab. But she does remember the Chief of the lab’s name.
“William Hastings. That was his name — William Hastings. I remember. He went off to Brandon, Wyoming. He quit the day after we introduced the plan. He was the second man to quit us . . . No, No, I don’t remember who was the first. He wasn’t anybody importnat.”
The guy possibly overseeing the building of a revolutionary motor not sticking around for a socialist ass-whuppin’. Go figure. But he was not the first. Who was? Maybe the guy inventing the motor? No one important?
But it’s off to Wyoming.