WHERE IS JOHN GALT?
All readers of Ayn Rand's masterpiece, Atlas Shrugged, know its central question, "Who is John Galt?" Written over half a century ago, it is clearly the greatest and most influential novel of the 20th century. Over six million copies have been sold, averaging 77,000 copies per year in the 1980s, 90,000 in the 1990s, 137,000 in the 00s - until recently. 200,000 copies were sold in 2008, and sales so far this year are at triple those of last year. This is because, according to the Ayn Rand Institute, "there are uncanny similarities between the plot-line of the book and the events of our day." We discussed these similarities last December in Atlas In America. Reading Atlas for the first time in 1966 was the single most intellectually thrilling experience of my life. And yet, there was something that bugged me. Asking who is John Galt presupposes there is a John Galt. As I witnessed the cultural destruction of America in the 1960s, I realized the terrible truth that there is no such person. He is a Platonic invention. Today, the fascist nightmare that is destroying America is hideously similar to that described by Rand over fifty years ago. But if we ask today, not who is John Galt but where is John Galt, the question echoes in the wind with no answer.
TIME TO BOOGIE
Want to take a break from the nonstop fascism emanating from Washington? Then let's boogie! The happiest, most irresistibly foot-stompin' music has got to be Boogie-Woogie. The greatest boogie-woogie piano player in the world is Silvan Zingg from Switzerland. What's more, the two greatest boogie-woogie dancers in the world are also Swiss - Maéva Truntzer and William Mauvais. For the last 8 years, Silvan Zingg has sponsored the International Boogie Woogie Festival in Lugano, Switzerland. Thousands of folks from all over Europe will be at the one this year, April 16-18. Yes, the Swiss, believe it or not, really know how to boogie. Who knew? So sit back, turn up your computer speakers, listen to Silvan Zingg, and watch Will and Maéva boogie like you've never seen. This is guaranteed to put a smile on your face, while your feet won't be able to stay still. You won't be able to watch it just once - so anytime you want to feel happy and put the Zero Blues aside, here it is:
HALF-FULL REPORT 03/27/09
The HFR raises a glass of Newcastle Brown ale to the British hero of the week, Daniel Hannan. As a Member of the European Parliament for Southeast England (Kent, Surrey, Sussex et al), he delivered a 3-minute speech on Tuesday (3/24) directed at British Prime Minister Gordon Brown who was attending the session in Brussels. It is the most devastating skewering of a politician right to his face in modern memory. His accusation that Mr. Brown has "a pathological inability to accept responsibility" applies equally to Democrats in Congress and their president. As you watch the speech - only 3 minutes - you'll probably ask: Where is our Daniel Hannan? Where is an American politician with the wit, the eloquence, and the courage to similarly skewer Zero?
ZERO IS LESS THAN ZERO
On a beautiful sunny day in 2004, the villagers of Banda Aceh in Sumatra were peacefully minding their own business when out of nowhere a tsunami washed them away: 
Substitute the Before photo with America today. The After photo is what America is going to look like in the wake of Zero. If you think this is hyperbolic then you haven't come to grips with the consequences of hyper-inflation. If you did, you be like what the Banda Aceh folks would have been if they'd had any warning: in panicked flight to higher ground. And here's the kicker: with hyper-inflation comes hyper-fascism. The worse our economy becomes, the more our freedoms will be taken away. Folks - this is being done on purpose. If it were all due to sheer stupidity or incompetence on Zero's part, you would expect, as "Skye" observes on the Forum, coin-flip outcomes with at least some of them correct. But when all actions are taken to disincentivize wealth creation and expand government control, to destroy the worth of the dollar and not increase it, then the damage is malicious and purposeful. So here is what is really going on: the President of the United States is making a conscious concerted effort to replace capitalism with fascism. And not just in the United States but world-wide.
AN INVESTMENT STRATEGY FROM A BILLIONAIRE
[To The Point is honored to have legendary investor Robert Agostinelli tell us his investment strategy in what he calls "Obambi Land."] With the zealot flame of blind activism taking advantage of the dislocation in the banking and real estate markets, we are faced with near unprecedented conflagration in the global markets that we all rely on to manage our wealth. Absent this opportunist attempt to "melt" down the free market system and impose a social democrat's illiberal and centralized dream on all Americans, my advice would be more measured. However this is not the reality with which we are confronted. Thus, here are my thoughts on investing in Obambi Land for my friends at To The Point.
$4 GAS COMING SOON COURTESY OF WASHINGTON
The price of oil soon will soar again. The present price of a barrel of oil, $50 or so, is below the price needed to meet current demand for a sustained period of time, and it is well below the price needed to meet global demand as the world economy rebounds. In addition, with the U.S. Federal Reserve System greatly expanding the money supply - which will continue because of the explosion in government spending - the dollar is falling against other currencies; and given that global oil is priced in dollars, the price of oil will rise in dollar terms, just as it did two years ago. Given that many in the political class seem to think the long run is the next five minutes, they do not see or want to see this tsunami coming. Of course, they will blame anybody but themselves.
A FOREIGN POLICY OF ARROGANT COWARDICE
America's enemies smell blood and it's type "O." All new administrations stumble a bit as they seek their footing. But President Obama's foreign-policy botches have set new records for instant incompetence. Contrary to left-wing myths, I wasn't a fan of the Bush administration. (I called for Donald Rumsfeld to get the boot in mid-2001.) But fair's fair. Despite his many faults, Bush sought to do good. Obama just wants to look good. Vice President Dick Cheney was arrogant. Vice President Joe Biden is arrogant and stupid. Take your pick. Don't worry about the new administration's ideology. Worry about its terrifying naïveté. And ask: At what point does naïveté become cowardice?
LOWERING YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE IN THE AGE OF ZERO
Living in the "Age of Zero," where every action of Congress and the White House seems designed to ruin our economy and expand government control, can definitely raise your blood pressure. It turns out that there may be a very simple and very inexpensive way to reduce (often dramatically) your blood pressure - and much more. Studies of potassium bicarbonate supplements in humans report: *Reduced Blood Pressure *Increased Muscle Mass *Decreased Bone Loss *Reduced Risk of Stroke *Improved Endothelial Function *Reduced Dietary Acid Load Our diet has changed radically from what our ancestors ate 50,000 years ago, and not all of these changes have been for the good. Our modern diets are likely to contain far less potassium, far more sodium, more acid forming nutrients, and less base forming nutrients than those enjoyed by our ancestors when our species evolved. Fortunately, an inexpensive potassium bicarbonate dietary supplement can help you to eat more like a Caveman without all that Stone Age food hunting and gathering work.
HALF-FULL REPORT 03/20/09
Let's have cup of coffee and talk. The HFR Saloon is closed for the week after too much toasting the greatest Irish-American in our history - Ronald Reagan - on St. Patrick's Day. So we'll go next door to the HFR Coffee Shop. I'm sure you've seen the news reports on how President Teleprompter thanked himself due to his teleprompter foulup. Note, however, while the media of course videoed the gaffe - it is nowhere to be seen, not on YouTube or anywhere else. Not only has the video of "Obama thanks himself" vanished, but try clicking on any website claiming to have it. Up will come a security alert trying to gain access to your computer. This happens not just on US websites, but world-wide. And it happens with search engines world wide, not just Google. The video of Zero thanking himself would go instantly viral once posted on the Web. But not only has its posting been prevented, they will try to damage your computer as well. Zero can't stand to be laughed at, and will try to hurt you if you do. Fortunately, not even he can stifle Gutter Ball gaffes when they are made with Jay Leno. Speaking of gaffes, did Secretary of Homeland Defense Janet Napolitano call the President of the United States a terrorist?
A YEAR OF ANNIVERSARIES MAY CATALYZE FREEDOM IN CHINA
2009 may be a year of "interesting times" for China's communist rulers, for it is the: 90th anniversary of the student-led revolt against imperial rule (the model for the Tienanmen Square student protest). 60th anniversary of the establishment of Communist seizure of power. 50th anniversaries of the Tibetan Revolt against Chinese occupation and the Dalai Lama's flight to India. 20th anniversary of the Tienanmen Square massacre of students protesting for democracy. 10th anniversary of suppression of the Falun Gong nonviolent spiritual movement. What might happen? Let's start with Tibet.