OList Chat: Accomplishments and Goals

We have a fun OList chat scheduled for tonight (Tuesday) evening on our accomplishments in 2011 and goals for 2012. A similar chat last year was a rousing success, and I'd love to hear what people have done and will do. Please remember to sign up to OPeople for announcements of these chats!

Here's the announcement from Rose Wiegley:

Welcome back to the official chat schedule for the new year. This year we're kicking off chat with our accomplishments and goals chat. Please stop by and share with us what you accomplished this year and what your goals are for next year! Last year it was an awesome motivating chat so I'm looking forward to it starting the New Year again.

I'm cross posting the announcement to all the OLists as a reminder of our chat schedule. Normally chat reminders and informal chat requests are posted on OPeople only. If you don't subscribe please sign up to get the notices:

Chat is Tues, Jan 3rd at 9EST, 8CST, 7MST, 6PST.

The url, login, and password for the chat was included in the annoucement that Rose sent to all the OLists on Saturday. (You must be an OList subscriber to participate in the chats.)

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Campaign Finance at Liberty on the Rocks on Wednesday

At Liberty on the Rocks in Denver on Wednesday evening, Ari Armstrong and I will be speaking on Colorado's campaign finance laws -- how they violate free speech and burden political activists.

The festivities start around 7 pm at Choppers Sports Grill, 80 S. Madison Street in Denver. Here's the teaser:

Join Liberty On the Rocks Denver on Dec. 7 for a spirited discussion of free speech in the context of Colorado's campaign finance laws. Diana Hsieh and Ari Armstrong will discuss the nature of those laws and their adverse impact on the free speech rights of political activists. They'll also review the proposed campaign finance rule changes to be discussed at a Dec. 15 hearing with Secretary of State Scott Gessler -- including why you should support those changes and how you can do so.

If you're a local, please join us!

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State of the OLists

Here's a few reminders from OList.com...

First, for the reminders of the thirteen (!!) OList e-mail lists:

• OActivists: OActivists is an e-mail list for Objectivists committed to fostering positive cultural and political change. Its purpose is to encourage and assist effective advocacy of Objectivist ideas in non-Objectivist forums by facilitating communication between Objectivist activists. Membership is limited to Objectivist activists.
  
• OLeaders: OLeaders is an e-mail list for the leaders and helpers of Objectivist organizations, particularly community groups and campus clubs. Its purpose is to facilitate the exchange of ideas about the effective creation, management, expansion, and promotion of Objectivist organizations and their events, as well as communicate announcements of likely interest. Membership is limited to Objectivists.
  
• OBloggers: OBloggers is an e-mail list for Objectivist bloggers. Its purpose is to facilitate communication relevant to blogging, such as upcoming events, blogworthy links, posts of interest, blog promotion, and best blogging practices. Membership is limited to Objectivist bloggers.
  
• OGrownups: OGrownups is an e-mail list for for Objectivists and others interested in raising and educating children well. Its purpose is to facilitate discussion amongst Objectivists about child development, discipline techniques, education methods, parenting resources, and more. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome.
  
• OEvolve: OEvolve is an e-mail list for Objectivists and others interested in the proper application of evolutionary principles to diet, fitness, and health. Its purpose is to facilitate discussion about the practical sciences of cooking, nutrition, fitness, health, and more. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome.
  
• OProducers: OProducers is an e-mail list for Objectivists and others committed to improving their habits of productivity in their careers, projects, and other pursuits. Its purpose is to facilitate discussion about practical methods for better management of time, projects, money, people, and other resources. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome.
  
• OGeeks: OGeeks is an e-mail list for Objectivists and others interested in geeky topics like science, computing, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Its purpose is to facilitate discussion and sharing among Objectivists about all things geeky, such as best practices in programming, software reviews, scientific discoveries, educational resources, logic puzzles, technology trends, and geek comics. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome.
  
• OHomos: OHomos is an mailing list for for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) Objectivists and others interested in the the proper application of reason, egoism, and rights to matters of mutual interest. Its purpose is to facilitate friendly discussion amongst GLBT Objectivists about dating, sexual health, social events, and "gay rights." Non-Objectivist GLBTs and non-GLBT Objectivists are welcome as lurkers.
  
• OShooters: OShooters is an e-mail list for Objectivists and others enthused about firearms and committed to gun rights. Its purpose is to facilitate discussion about firearm models, shooting techniques, gun ranges, gun laws, and the like. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome.
  
• OGardeners: OGardeners is an e-mail list for Objectivists and others interested in gardening and landscaping. Its purpose is to facilitate discussion about the cultivation of flowers, vegetables, shrubs, and trees. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome.
  
• OCrafters: OCrafters is an e-mail list for Objectivists and others who engage in the production of crafts. Its purpose is to provide a forum for Objectivist crafters to ask each other questions, share useful advice and resources, and to brag about work in progress or completed. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome.
  
• OAcademics: OAcademics is an e-mail list for Objectivist academics to discuss teaching, research, coursework, dissertations, job prospects, publication, and all other aspects of life in (or after) academia. Membership is limited to Objectivist academics.
  
• OPeople: OPeople is an e-mail list for Objectivists and other OList subscribers to disseminate announcements about OList event, such as Movie Nights and Virtual Socials.

Also, OList hosts some fun online events! To receive regular announcements of these events, please subscribe to OPeople.

Thanks so much to my fabulous slew of OList volunteers for making all these lists and events possible!

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FreedomWorks BlogCon 2011

After the rush of launching Philosophy In Action on Sunday, I'd planned to take it easy this week. Unfortunately, my calendar wasn't willing to play along with that plan.

On Wednesday, Ari Armstrong and I went out to Frisco (Colorado) to speak to two classes of smart and well-informed high schoolers about The Fountainhead and Objectivism. They asked us questions for three hours... no breaks. It was awesome.

Today and tomorrow, I'm at FreedomWorks' BlogCon -- which just happens to be in Denver this year. I've never been, and I hope that it's good!

I've also been busy with Front Range Objectivism. Yesterday, we discussed "The Objectivist Ethics" from The Virtue of Selfishness in 5FROG, the Colorado Springs discussion group. On Sunday, we'll be discussing "Speaking Freely" from Objectively Speaking, plus Craig Biddle's Ayn Rand's Theory of Rights and An Interview with John R. Bolton from The Objective Standard at 1FROG at our house.

Apparently, I'm going to have to try harder at "take it easy" next week!

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Southern California Objectivist Society: Nov 12th Social

Another announcement from the Southern California Objectivist Society. If you're in SoCal, don't miss out!

Jason and I are excited to announce that the SoCal Objectivists November Social will be held next Saturday, November 12, at China Palace Restaurant in Tustin, beginning at 7:00 pm.

The restaurant is located at 13444 Newport Avenue, Tustin, CA 92780.

Click here for their website, which shows their full menu, and here for a Google Map.

We have reserved their private room, which can accommodate up to 60 people, and has a flat screen TV. In addition to dinner and socializing, we plan to screen a video, possibly of Dr. Yaron Brook or Alex Epstein from ARI, followed by what is sure to be a rousing discussion.

We had 13 people at our last event in October, which more than doubled our attendance from the first one in September. Our hope is to continue the trend and have around 25 for November. If you know anyone interested in, or sympathetic to, Ayn Rand's ideas, whether in OC, or anywhere in the wider LA/OC/IE areas, please help us spread the word!

To RSVP for this event, please email me directly via earl(at)socalobjectivists(dot)com. I would like to give the restaurant a better idea of the final number by Thursday the 10th.

See you on the 12th!

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New York Objectivist Society Conference and Scholarships

The New York Objectivist Society will be holding a conference with a fabulous lineup of speakers next weekend -- Friday, November 4th to Sunday, November 6th. It looks like you can still register to attend -- just check out the web site for details.

Also, you can help students attend by providing them with scholarship money. Nathan Fatal of the New England Objectivist Society was kind enough to put together this announcement:

As many of you may be aware, the New York Objectivist Society is hosting a conference on the weekend of November 5th. The conference will include a series of unique lectures by fellow Objectivists, including Andrew Bernstein, Shoshana Milgram, Jean Moroney, Yaron Brooks, Eric Daniels, and Harry Binswanger.

For students with valid photo IDs, NYOS is offering a reduced price of $300. There are many students who would likely love to attend this conference but would have a difficult time affording the expense.

Anyone willing to help a student of Objectivism to attend the conference would be helping fellow renaissance men to learn more about Objectivism and how to apply and promote it (you’ll also be supporting ARI, which supports student groups around the country). By attending this conference, students will gain a better understanding of Objectivism generally, and more specifically as it applies to emotions, history, psycho-epistemology, the nature of evil, the judicial system, and the debate over the role of government. It will also give them the opportunity to meet more people who share their values and live happily and selfishly. The value of meeting people one’s own age, who have embarked on the same journey, cannot be overstated.

It looks like the only method of payment for this event is by check, which can be made payable to New York Objectivist Society, Inc. To sponsor a student completely or in part, mail a check to the following address:

A. Benlian
c/o NYOS
P.O. Box 939
Bronxville, NY 10708

More information on New York Objectivist Society and their 2011 conference, including speakers and lecture topics, can be found here: www.newyorkobjectivistsociety.org...

I've sent $50 for a student to attend, and I recommend that you do the same, if you can!

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BATLCon: Art and Poetry in Southern California

I'm delighted to pass on this announcement for Luc Travers and Lisa VanDamme about their upcoming "Bringing the Arts to Life" Conference! Don't miss the free live webcast preview next Tuesday!

"Bringing the Arts to Life" Conference in Southern California, Nov. 18th-20th.

FREE live webcast previewing BATLCon on Tuesday, Oct. 11th, at 7pm PST. More info at www.BATLCon.com.

Lisa VanDamme and Luc Travers will be describing what makes a VanDamme Academy arts education uniquely valuable and demonstrate how powerful it can be for you!

About BATLCon:

For many years, passionate art educators Lisa VanDamme and Luc Travers have been teaching children and adults alike how to thoroughly understand, deeply appreciate and personally connect with great works of visual and literary art. They are now pleased to announce that they will be hosting their first ever weekend arts conference, with the goal of “Bringing the Arts to Life”—to your life.

In their classes, Miss VanDamme and Mr. Travers will introduce you to gems of poetry and painting, and will teach you a method of appreciation that will reveal how deeply moving, startlingly illuminating, and profoundly personal experiencing a classic work of art can be.

They will host a visit to the Getty Center, where you will have the opportunity to apply your new skill to some of the world’s most beautiful works of art in one of the world’s most beautiful settings for art, followed by a cocktail party full of animated discussion of your discoveries.

And as a bonus, you will have the opportunity to observe a VanDamme Academy art and literature class, witnessing art education as it might and ought to be.

We hope you will join us for this soul-satisfying weekend of learning, discussing, exploring, socializing—and of enjoying great art.

Dates: Nov. 18th-20th
Location: VanDamme Academy and the Getty Center, Southern California

Register today at www.BATLCon.com.

Space is limited!

I'm sure that the conference will be excellent, so if you can attend, don't miss the opportunity!

Also, I can't resist noting that BATLCon is probably the most awesomest name for an Objectivist conference ever! I just wish that sword fighting was somehow involved!

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Capitalism Awareness Week: Lecture: The Financial Crisis: Causes, Consequences and Cures

Hooray! The fourth and final event of Capitalism Awareness Week is tonight... and you can watch it live via streaming! Here's the announcement:

The Financial Crisis: Causes, Consequences and Cures

John Allison, Former Chairman and CEO, BB&T Corporation

The cause of the recent financial crisis and subsequent economic downturn has been hotly debated over the last few years. The media, politicians, and even many businessmen have placed the blame on the supposed excesses of free-market capitalism. In this lecture, John Allison, former Chairman and CEO of BB&T, argues that this crisis is in fact a legacy of government's anti-capitalist policies.

Mr. Allison presents his unique perspective of the financial services industry to support his argument that massive government intervention into the U.S. economy—from the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913 to a reckless crusade to encourage home-ownership—laid the groundwork for an unsustainable real estate boom. He offers his views on what contributed to the financial crisis and how the government's response to the inevitable bust—a frenzied series of bailouts, nationalizations, and "stimulus" efforts—is only making things worse.

Finally, Mr. Allison discusses some of his proposed immediate and long-term solutions for moving us towards a stronger economy. Mr. Allison will demonstrate that capitalism, far from being the cause of our financial troubles, is its only cure.

Tuesday, October 4th
5:00 PM Pacific, 6:00 PM Mountain, 7:00 PM Central, 8:00 PM Eastern
North Carolina State University and live streamed online worldwide

You can watch the event live from this page.

Remember, if you've not yet contributed to these awesome efforts by The Undercurrent but you'd like to do so... it's not too late! Paul and I won't be matching funds as with the first $2000 contributed, but your money will be well-spent!

To make a one-time donation, use this PayPal link. To make a recurring donation, visit TU's donation page and follow the instructions for "Recurring Monthly Payments."

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Facebook Subscriptions

Facebook now permits mere "subscriptions" rather than just "friendship." That's a change for the better, and I've decided to open my feed to subscriptions.

My new policy will be to only friend people on Facebook that I already know. So if you're not already a in-person friend or acquaintance of mine, you'd have to be someone that I've interacted with enough online -- perhaps as a fan of the webcast, as a fellow paleo-eater, as an Objectivist, as a free-market activist, etc. -- so that I know who you are.

Since my feed is open to comments from non-friends, I hope that those comments will be a way to get know some awesome strangers, so that we can become Facebook friends. Basically, I hope to make subscriptions the intermediate step between "Who the heck are you?" and "That was a damn funny status update about your dog."

At some point in the next few weeks, I'm going to be pruning my existing friend list in accordance with my new policy. If you're reading this post, you'll probably make the cut, but if not, don't fret! It's a friendly unfriending! You'll be able to subscribe to my feed, and we can interact that way.

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Capitalism Awareness Week: Q&A: Can the Entitlement State Survive? And Should It?

The third event of Capitalism Awareness Week is tonight... and you can watch it live via streaming. Here's the announcement:

Q&A: Can the Entitlement State Survive? And Should It?

Don Watkins, Analyst at The Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights

It's an open secret that America is headed for an entitlement crisis, with the U.S. government facing over $100 trillion in unfunded liabilities. Something is going to have to be done, but what? Some propose raising taxes. Others propose cutting benefits. Many propose a mix of both. The Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights' Don Watkins will explain why he thinks these solutions are hopeless. He will argue that eliminating the entitlement state will actually create a freer, more just, more prosperous nation. A brief lecture will be followed by an extended question and answer period: we invite you to come ask your questions concerning the history, the economics, or the morality of the entitlement state.

Thursday, September 29th
6:00 PM Pacific, 7:00 PM Mountain, 8:00 PM Central, 9:00 PM Eastern
University of California, Irvine and live streamed online worldwide

You can watch the event live from this page.

Remember, if you've not yet contributed to these awesome efforts by The Undercurrent but you'd like to do so... it's not too late! Paul and I won't be matching funds as with the first $2000 contributed, but your money will be well-spent!

To make a one-time donation, use this PayPal link. To make a recurring donation, visit TU's donation page and follow the instructions for "Recurring Monthly Payments."

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Capitalism Awareness Week: Lecture: The Revolutionary Case for Capitalism

Hooray! The second event of Capitalism Awareness Week is tonight... and you can watch it live via streaming! Here's the announcement:

Lecture: The Revolutionary Case for Capitalism

Eric Daniels, Research Professor at the Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism

Despite capitalism's enormous success in producing material abundance and political freedom, it faces a crisis--one that may lead to its demise. Capitalism is perishing because its supposed defenders lack a real defense.

In this lecture, Eric Daniels explores the most common arguments in favor of capitalism. He finds that they all break down in the face of the popular argument that capitalism is immoral and destructive—because it is selfish. Dr. Daniels explains that only Ayn Rand's crucial insight—that capitalism is the only moral social system because it is based on "the virtue of selfishness—can truly defend capitalism. He illustrates the need for a moral, and not just an economic, defense of capitalism.

Wednesday, September 28th
5:30 PM Pacific, 6:30 PM Mountain 7:30 PM Central, 8:30 PM Eastern
University of Wisconsin, Madison and live streamed online worldwide

You can watch the event live from this page.

Remember, if you've not yet contributed to these awesome efforts by The Undercurrent but you'd like to do so... it's not too late! Paul and I won't be matching funds as with the first $2000 contributed, but your money will be well-spent!

To make a one-time donation, use this PayPal link. To make a recurring donation, visit TU's donation page and follow the instructions for "Recurring Monthly Payments."

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Capitalism Awareness Week: Debate: Regulating Capitalism: Moral Necessity or Moral Treason?

Hooray! The first event of Capitalism Awareness Week is tonight... and you can watch it live via streaming! Here's the announcement:

Debate: Regulating Capitalism: Moral Necessity or Moral Treason?

Yaron Brook, President of the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights
Dane Smith, President of Growth and Justice

The recent economic downturn has led to much cultural debate about the proper role of capitalism. Should we allow a concentration of wealth in the hands of the few or redistribute it so everyone gets an 'equal' share? Is capitalism to blame for our current troubles, or is it government intervention? Join Yaron Brook and Dane Smith as they debate the proper implementation of capitalism in society, including the moral implications and the role of government.

Tuesday, September 27th
5:30 PM Pacific, 6:30 PM Mountain 7:30 PM Central, 8:30 PM Eastern
University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities and live streamed online worldwide

You can watch the event live from this page.

Also, I'm pleased to announce that our prior solicitations have raised nearly $4000 for The Undercurrent. We'd raised $1960 as of Sunday, and Paul and I will match up to $2000. I can't properly express my delight at the generosity of everyone who has contributed! You are helping to expose college students to Objectivist ideas, and that's so very important!

If you've not yet contributed to these awesome efforts by The Undercurrent but you'd like to do so... it's not too late! Paul and I won't match funds over the $2000 total threshold, but your contribution will be well-spent!

To make a one-time donation, use this PayPal link. To make a recurring donation, visit TU's donation page and follow the instructions for "Recurring Monthly Payments."

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Free Minds Film Festival

The Free Minds Film Festival will be held from Friday, October 7th to Sunday, October 9th in Colorado Springs. I'm pleased to report that they'll be showing the documentary Ayn Rand and the Prophecy of Atlas Shrugged on Saturday. I saw it a few weeks ago, and while I don't think it's perfect, it's really quite good. Here's the trailer:



I'll be speaking after the film on Objectivism for about 45 minutes. Also, Ari Armstrong will be part of a panel on education later that day.

If you'd like to attend, the film festival is free, but you need to register here. Here's the full schedule and also the Facebook page.

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Southern California Objectivist Society

I'm pleased to pass on this announcement from Jason Stotts about the new Southern California Objectivist Society:

Earl Parson and I, Jason Stotts, have decided that we're going to be starting an Objectivist Society here in Southern California, home of the Ayn Rand Institute and of probably the highest concentration of objectivists in the country. It's really strange that with so many us living in the area, there are no social groups or reading groups for us to participate in. There is a great value in spending time with fun and intelligent people who share your principles and beliefs, and this is a value we'd like to have in our lives in a bigger way.

The plan is to create one large group with two different chapters: one in LA and one in the IE/OC. Each chapter would meet bi-monthly (more if there is demand for it) and the groups would alternate, such that there was a group meeting every month. We'll probably have both social meetings, reading groups, and discussion sessions. We'll likely also plan social outings, like beach trips, hikes, and shooting range time.

At this point we're very much in the planning stage and we welcome any feedback you have for us. We're having a social get together and planning night for Saturday September 17th, 2011. If you're interested, please sign up for announcements, and details on the event, through our Google Group. You can also "like" our Facebook page or follow us on twitter @SoCalOists.

Kudos to Jason and Earl for starting this new Objectivist group! If you're in SoCal, don't miss out!

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Radio Interview Today!

I'm going to be on the radio on WLS 890 AM of Chicago with Jonathan Hoenig (a.k.a. The Capitalist Pig) starting around 9:30 MT / 10:30 CT. (He's a substitute host -- and he's on now!) We're going to be talking about the meaning of "Labor Day."

You can listen live online here. You can call in at 312-591-8900, and you can tweet to @WLSAM890.

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State of the OLists

Just as a reminder -- mostly for my Objectivist readers -- OList.com is the home of the thirteen specialized friendly e-mail lists:

• OActivists: OActivists is an e-mail list for Objectivists committed to fostering positive cultural and political change. Its purpose is to encourage and assist effective advocacy of Objectivist ideas in non-Objectivist forums by facilitating communication between Objectivist activists. Membership is limited to Objectivist activists.
  
• OLeaders: OLeaders is an e-mail list for the leaders and helpers of Objectivist organizations, particularly community groups and campus clubs. Its purpose is to facilitate the exchange of ideas about the effective creation, management, expansion, and promotion of Objectivist organizations and their events, as well as communicate announcements of likely interest. Membership is limited to Objectivists.
  
• OBloggers: OBloggers is an e-mail list for Objectivist bloggers. Its purpose is to facilitate communication relevant to blogging, such as upcoming events, blogworthy links, posts of interest, blog promotion, and best blogging practices. Membership is limited to Objectivist bloggers.
  
• OGrownups: OGrownups is an e-mail list for for Objectivists and others interested in raising and educating children well. Its purpose is to facilitate discussion amongst Objectivists about child development, discipline techniques, education methods, parenting resources, and more. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome.
  
• OEvolve: OEvolve is an e-mail list for Objectivists and others interested in the proper application of evolutionary principles to diet, fitness, and health. Its purpose is to facilitate discussion about the practical sciences of cooking, nutrition, fitness, health, and more. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome.
  
• OProducers: OProducers is an e-mail list for Objectivists and others committed to improving their habits of productivity in their careers, projects, and other pursuits. Its purpose is to facilitate discussion about practical methods for better management of time, projects, money, people, and other resources. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome.
  
• OGeeks: OGeeks is an e-mail list for Objectivists and others interested in geeky topics like science, computing, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Its purpose is to facilitate discussion and sharing among Objectivists about all things geeky, such as best practices in programming, software reviews, scientific discoveries, educational resources, logic puzzles, technology trends, and geek comics. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome.
  
• OHomos: OHomos is an mailing list for for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) Objectivists and others interested in the the proper application of reason, egoism, and rights to matters of mutual interest. Its purpose is to facilitate friendly discussion amongst GLBT Objectivists about dating, sexual health, social events, and "gay rights." Non-Objectivist GLBTs and non-GLBT Objectivists are welcome as lurkers.
  
• OShooters: OShooters is an e-mail list for Objectivists and others enthused about firearms and committed to gun rights. Its purpose is to facilitate discussion about firearm models, shooting techniques, gun ranges, gun laws, and the like. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome.
  
• OGardeners: OGardeners is an e-mail list for Objectivists and others interested in gardening and landscaping. Its purpose is to facilitate discussion about the cultivation of flowers, vegetables, shrubs, and trees. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome.
  
• OCrafters: OCrafters is an e-mail list for Objectivists and others who engage in the production of crafts. Its purpose is to provide a forum for Objectivist crafters to ask each other questions, share useful advice and resources, and to brag about work in progress or completed. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome.
  
• OAcademics: OAcademics is an e-mail list for Objectivist academics to discuss teaching, research, coursework, dissertations, job prospects, publication, and all other aspects of life in (or after) academia. Membership is limited to Objectivist academics.
  
• OPeople: OPeople is an e-mail list for Objectivists and other OList subscribers to disseminate announcements about OList event, such as Movie Nights and Virtual Socials.

Also, OList hosts some fun online events! To receive regular announcements of these events, please subscribe to OPeople.

• The OList Virtual Socials are of two hour-long weekly online chats exclusively for OList subscribers. Tuesday's Happy Hour starts at 6 pm PT / 7 pm MT / 8 pm CT / 9 pm ET. It features Appetizers and Drink Specials (i.e. the weekly conversation topics), usually announced on Earl Parson's blog, Creatures of Prometheus, on Monday. Sunday's Brunch starts at 9 am PT / 10 am MT / 11 am CT / 12 pm ET. It doesn't have any set topic.
  
• The OList Movie Nights are online gatherings for OList subscribers to watch a movie and chat. The movie chosen is watched simultaneously via NetFlix Streaming, while viewers comment on the movie periodically in the chat. OList Movie Nights happen on the first, third, and fifth Saturday evenings of each month, starting exactly at 6 pm PT / 7 pm MT / 8 pm CT / 9 pm ET. Note: Movie Nights are suspended for the summer while people play outside.

To join these events, you must have the URL, login, and password for the OList chat that is periodically sent to all the OLists.

Finally, OList keeps a Google Calendar of online Objectivist events. You can subscribe to it using XML or iCal formats. (Right click to copy the link URL, then copy that into your calendar program.)

That's all folks! And thanks so much to my fabulous slew of OList volunteers for making that possible!

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Vacation Alert!

I'm going to be traveling -- not to OCON, but to Los Angeles -- next week, so blogging will be light for a spell. I probably won't post much except the usual announcements about the Rationally Selfish Webcast. I'll be webcasting as usual this Sunday and next Sunday.

While I'm traveling, my internet access will largely consist of turtles carrying bytes on their backs. Hence, please don't e-mail me unless fires have broken out ... and in that case, you might want to call me on my cell. I just won't be able to reply to e-mail, and the mere thought of an ever-growing stack of e-mail to be processed fills me with horror and dread.

I do hope to clear out my inbox while I'm away, as I've allowed a few e-mails requiring a hefty response to gather dust. Other than that, I expect to be using the "delete" and "archive" buttons liberally.

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Reminder: June 30th Deadline for Pledging for OPeople

In case you missed the e-mail announcement, I wanted to remind you that today -- meaning Thursday, June 30th -- at midnight is the deadline for pledging to open OPeople @ OList.com to general off-topic discussion.

Right now, the list is serving just its core function of disseminating announcements about OList social events. However, as I said in the original announcement, I'd like to open the OPeople list to friendly, off-topic chatter, such as movie and art recommendations, discussions of work and hobbies, requests for information and advice, and more.

At present, $120 has been pledged. $200 is required. If the difference of $80 isn't pledged in time, that's fine: the list will simply forever remain an announcement-only list. However, if you'd like to help open it to discussion, you can do so by pledging with this form.



If you'd like to subscribe to OPeople, please review the subscription requirements, then request a subscription.

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For Sale: Podcast on Finding Good Prospects for Romance and Friendship

Given the upcoming conferences -- including the sure-to-be-super-fun-fun-fun AtlosCon next weekend -- I thought I'd post a reminder that my 90 minute podcast on finding good prospects for romance and friendship is still available for purchase. As you might recall, I recorded it in June last year, and it's just as relevant now as it was then.

Originally, the podcast was funded via pledges, and then I sold it via an experimental system of bidding. Now, for the sake of simplicity, I've decided to sell it for the flat price of $25.

The basic structure of podcast is:

• Opening remarks
  
• A bit of theory:
  
  • Types of social relationships, visualized as a target
    
  • Major axes of compatibility in relationships
• Practical advice:
  
  • Make yourself a good prospect
    
  • Expand your social network
    
  • Engage with other people
    
  • Cultivate your social skills
• Questions and answers from pledgers:
  
  • How can a person get better at evaluating other people's characters when meeting them?
    
  • When should I reveal a psychological problem like bipolar disorder to someone I'm dating?
• Closing remarks

Notably, the podcast doesn't just concern finding good prospects for romance but also for friendship. So even if you're happily attached, you might find the techniques that I recommend of use.

If you'd like to download and listen to the podcast, please fill out the form below, then send your payment of $25. You can pay via PayPal to llc@dianahsieh.com. Or you can pay by check or money order, sending it to "Diana Hsieh; P.O. Box 851; Sedalia, CO 80135." (Please make the check out to "Diana Hsieh" and write "Romance Podcast" in the memo field.)

I'll send you the URL to download the podcast once I receive your payment. You're welcome to share the podcast files with members of your household -- but no one else.

Purchase Now!



If you have any questions, please feel free to post them in the comments or e-mail me.

Endorsements

In case you might be on the fence, I'm please to report that I've gotten very positive feedback about this podcast, including the following comments:

I can't tell you how valuable I've found your podcast on romantic relations! To start, and as you mentioned yourself, it was just as applicable and valuable to more 'ordinary' relations. Simply thinking of the relations you have with people in terms of acquaintances/friends/close friends and whether the time and effort you spend is in line with your values is a powerful tool.

You mentioned the danger of limiting judgement in romance to a purely 'sense of life' level, and I think you struck on the biggest problem most people, myself included, have with romance! Really analyzing your own values and how they mesh, or clash, with others is vitally important in even casual friendships, and not carrying that over to romantic relationships leads, well, nowhere!

And the simplest advice of all, "doing nothing is a recipe for getting nothing!" It's good to be reminded that identifying ourselves as Objectivists doesn't automatically make us immune from the dangers of following our guts over our heads, or being passive! We still have to act, so thank you for your work in applying excellent principles to the actions all too many of us leave to chance!

And:

Since downloading Diana's podcast on Finding Romantic Prospects, I've listened to it no less than four times. It's so inspiring and motivational - I love it!! What's really cool for me is that it's about way more than finding romantic prospects (I'm married, so that's not an issue).

I am an introvert who happily coasts along in her comfort zone by hiding in the background at social gatherings, listening to conversations without jumping in, reading email lists and blog posts without commenting, avoiding speaking with people I don’t know -- kind of a more passive take on the world, more observing and less engaging. Once in awhile I try to break out of my shell - and Diana’s podcast has given me great motivation to break out of my shell, take some risks, challenge myself, put myself “out there” and get out of my comfort zone! Now I'm implementing ways to push myself to be more outgoing and connected -- like signing up for Toastmasters, working on my introduction emails for the OLists, approaching and talking to strangers at parties and in various settings, jumping in on OList discussions and various blogs.

Diana's podcast is the best kick-in-the-butt I could have imagined to expand my social network, improve myself to get myself together, take control of my and get out there!! That's is worth so much more than what I paid, and I'm looking forward to her next one!

And:

I found this podcast very useful in my life. I put it to work at OCON [in 2010] and found that I had Diana's voice in my head many many many times throughout the conference. OCON was FILLED with social situations where I was surrounded by new people (I have always been an introvert when in comes to environments like that) but instead of feeling awkward, I practically instantly felt camaraderie with so many of the people there. Now I am sure a large part of this simply had to do with the nature of the people attending OCON to begin with, but whenever I was standing in conversation with a group of people, I continually would catch myself doing the things Diana points out NOT to do in this podcast and would immediately correct what I was doing. Usually this was involving my body language such as having my arms crossed in front of me when talking to people.

Additionally, I very much noticed OTHER OCON attendees putting Diana's advice in this podcast to work as well and I took note of how effectively it worked for them too! I guess the secret is out!

Once I get some lingering projects completed -- like my update to Explore Atlas Shrugged -- I hope to start producing more podcasts like this one for Rationally Selfish. So watch for that!

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Sargo Mento?

Someone by the name of "Sargo Mento" signed up for the SnowCon 2011 Webcast, but didn't leave a valid e-mail address. As a result, he got access to the webcast, but I cannot send him his invoice. That makes me unhappy!

So... if you are Sargo Mento, please e-mail me at diana@dianahsieh.com. If you know who he is, please send him this message.

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