Front Range Objectivism’s third annual conference — SnowCon 2013 — will be held from March 13th to 17th in Colorado. More details will be posted here and on the SnowCon 2013 web page as they become available.
To receive announcements about it, please sign up to the the SnowCon e-mail list or FRO’s main announcement list.
Just look how much fun we had in 2012, despite the crappy snow! Don’t miss out!
Last week, I passed on my leadership responsibilities for Front Range Objectivism to Santiago Valenzuela. I took over as the leader of FRO in 2008, when Lin Zinser left Colorado for the Ayn Rand Center in DC. I’m proud of what FRO has accomplished in these last five years. Even more, I’m gratified to be passing the torch to a person with such exciting plans for the future — and the capacity to execute them well.
Here’s what I posted to FRO’s announcement list:
I wanted to let you know that I’m stepping aside as the “Overall Leader” of Front Range Objectivism. I’ve accomplished my main goals — expanding from two to five solid FROG discussion groups, running Atlas Shrugged Reading Groups, creating the SnowCon mini-conference, and delegating the work of FRO to a slew of awesome volunteer leaders. Now it’s time for me to step aside — and let someone else take FRO even further.
Santiago Valenzuela will be taking over my role — although slowly, since he will soon be very busy as a father. He’s proven himself very capable as 3FROG Leader and FROG Manager, and I’m enthused about his plans for FRO. (Over the next few months, the major work will be that of overhauling FRO’s web site.)
I’ve really enjoyed leading and managing FRO, particularly working with so many of you to expand FRO’s activities. We’ve done good work together — and I’ve learned so much from you. FRO is one of the top Objectivist community groups — and for darn good reason! (YAY US!)
I’ll continue to be involved in FRO, of course. I’ll still be a member of 1FROG and 5FROG. I’ll also continue to produce SnowCon in mid-March. I’ll continue to advise Santiago in this interm period. However, if you have any management questions or concerns about FRO, please contact Santiago.
Thanks so much for all your help in making FRO so successful!
Exciting times are ahead for FRO… I can’t wait to see what happens!
Mark your calendars!
Front Range Objectivism’s third annual mini-conference — SnowCon 2013 — will be held from March 13th to 17th in Colorado. I’ve not yet decided whether to host the whole conference in Frisco (as in 2012) or move to Denver for the weekend (as in 2011). I need to review the survey results, then consider what I’d enjoy most. (Selfish, I know!)
In any case, I’ll be posting more details to the page for SnowCon 2013 as they become available, which probably won’t be for a few months. You can also subscribe to the SnowCon e-mail list or FRO’s main announcement list for announcements.
If you attended SnowCon 2011 or SnowCon 2012 — or if you considered attending — or if you might attend in 2013 — I’d appreciate your feedback on this survey:
It’s your chance to tell me what you want for 2013! Let me know… and I might just make it happen!
In particular, I’d like to know whether people would prefer to have the whole event in Frisco (as in 2012) or part in Frisco and part in Denver (as in 2011). Opinion seems mixed, and I could go either way.
Thanks to everyone who has already submitted the survey! If you have any more thoughts, feel free to e-mail them to me.
I might be crazy, but I’d love to try some terrain park stunts on a snowboard in a few years:
The snowmobilers doing flips just kills me. That’s plain nuts!
But wait… it’s already March?!? It feels like I’m just getting started with my winter sports! Alas, we’ve had pretty awful snow this year, and that plus starting snowboarding this year has definitely meant that I’ve not made much progress with my skiing.
Still, I’ve got some skiing and boarding left this season, including at SnowCon 2012! Remember, if you want to attend, you must register by Sunday, March 11th!
I’m delighted to announce that SnowCon 2012 — March 15th to 18th in Frisco, Colorado — will feature a full slate of fabulous lectures and discussions by our local Front Range Objectivism talent!
To attend SnowCon, you must register by Sunday, March 11th, using this form. (If you can register sooner, please do so!)
Thursday Evening
“Four Questions for Philosophy in Action” by Diana Hsieh
On Sunday morning, Diana Hsieh will answer four questions on practical philosophy in her live Philosophy in Action Webcast. Here, we will answer those questions in informal and friendly discussion — not merely to better understand the particular topics but also to clarify ways to think through such problems in a principled way while respecting differences in context and values.
Diana Hsieh received her PhD in philosophy from the University of Colorado in 2009. Every Sunday morning, she answers questions on the application of rational philosophic principles to the challenges of living a happy and virtuous life in her live Philosophy In Action Webcast.
Friday Evening
“Our Secular Constitution” by Hannah Krening
This short presentation considers the Constitution’s provisions for the proper relationship between religion and government. Currently, we see the rise of Islam, a religion that explicitly advocates a government of Islamic law and forceful dominion over all people. How does this square with our Constitution? What lessons can Americans, as followers of various belief systems — religious or not — learn from the founders? How is the wisdom of our founders still applicable today, and what can we do to fight an American theocracy, whether Islamic or of any other religion? (This talk is based on the book The Godless Constitution by Isaac Kramnick and R Lawrence Moore.)
Hannah Krening is a classical pianist and private teacher. She lives with her husband in Larkspur, Colorado and is active in Front Range Objectivism. Though she is not an expert on the Constitution, it is an area of interest to her, especially in light of the current cultural understanding of the Constitution on separation of Church and State.
“The Mortal Flaw in the U.S. Constitution, It Isn’t What You Think and It Can Be Healed” by Stephen Bailey
Ayn Rand highlighted the omission of the separation of state and economy as a serious flaw in the U.S. Constitution, when Judge Narragansett in Atlas Shrugged penned his addition to the Bill of Rights, “Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of production and trade.” Although the importance of separating the state from the economy is obvious for any Objectivist, can anyone honestly conclude that we would not be teetering on the edge of pure socialism, if not absolute tyranny, had Madison and the Founding Fathers included that amendment in the Bill of Rights? Today, various groups advocate for constitutional amendments ranging from the reasonable — balanced budget — to the bizarrely irrelevant — protecting the reference to God in the pledge of allegiance — to the tyrannical — overthrowing the Citizens United ruling which protects freedom of speech. All of these proposed amendments, including the reasonable, are a waste of time unless the fundamental flaw is fixed. The conceptual remedy to this flaw is implicit within the Constitution and its guiding light, the Declaration of Independence. The case will be made for a proposed amendment to the Constitution making explicit what is argued by some as an implicit check on power and innovates its application to make it effective. Most importantly, adoption of the proposed amendment would heal our Constitution and peaceably restore our liberty, if the U.S. remains worthy of saving. It is indispensable to the constitution of any free society.
Stephen Bailey was the Republican candidate to represent Colorado’s 2nd congressional district in 2010. Since November of 2010, Stephen has been analyzing the U.S. Constitution, contemplating its flaws and searching for a path to a restoration of individual rights and personal liberty.
Saturday Evening
“The Final Abolitionist Frontier” by Anders Ingemarson
The 19th century abolitionist movement resulted in the emancipation of slaves. 150 years later, have we reached the final abolitionist frontier, the emancipation of the individual from the collective? In this talk, Anders Ingemarson will discuss a few similarities and differences between the events leading up to the ending of slavery and today.
Anders Ingemarson is an American by choice living in Denver with his wife Maria and Mitsie, the cat. He is a systems analyst by profession and individual rights activist in his spare time.
“Maintaining Rational Optimism” by Paul Hsieh
Given the state of current American culture and politics, it’s very easy to become pessimistic about the future. What are some methods we can adopt to maintain rational optimism, without falling into either error of undue pessimism or of wishful Pollyannaism? Given the current cultural/political context, how can we best preserve our long-term emotional health and maintain “the courage to face a lifetime”? Participants will be encouraged to share their own personal strategies and techniques, so that we can all incorporate the best of each others’ ideas into our own lives.
Paul Hsieh has engaged in personal activism on health care and other issues for many years, in large part as a method of maintaining his rational optimism.
“The Meaning of ‘Life’” by Ari Armstrong
For many years I was confused about Rand’s claim that “an organism’s life is its standard of value.” How, I wondered, does that fit with end-of-life suicide, risking one’s life for loved ones (as John Galt does), or even spending resources to have children? I tentatively propose that the answer lies in properly understanding the meaning of one’s “life.” One lives life not as an abstraction, but as a particular living entity with a particular nature and a unique genetic inheritance and history. I think the key to understanding the meaning of “life” is to look at the chronological (and logical) progression from valuing things as a child to developing rational moral principles. Thus, while “The Objectivist Ethics” offers a highly condensed and abstract presentation of Rand’s ethics, here I’ll attempt to follow the inductive path that allowed her to reach her conclusions (drawing in some modern findings of biology along the way). Rather than offer definitive conclusions — which I do not yet have — my goal is to generate discussion and solicit feedback in the hopes of further pursuing this line of thinking in the future.
Ari Armstrong publishes FreeColorado.com, coauthors a column for Grand Junction Free Press, and contributes to The Objective Standard. He is also the author of Values of Harry Potter. Ari won the Modern Day Sam Adams award in 2009, and he was a finalist in the 2011 Hoiles Prize for regional journalism.
I’m pleased to announce SnowCon 2012 — a long weekend of snow sports, informal lectures, and discussion in the snowy Colorado Rockies! SnowCon will be held from Thursday, March 15th to Sunday, March 18th entirely in Frisco, Colorado. It’s sponsored by Front Range Objectivism, and it costs only $25.
During the day, we’ll be skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, hot tubbing, chatting, and relaxing. In the evenings, we’ll have short lectures and discussions after dinner at a condo I’ve rented in Frisco. The topics and speakers will be announced in late February.
To attend SnowCon, you must register by Sunday, March 11th using this form.
You can pay the $25 for SnowCon instantly via PayPal to [email protected]. If you would prefer to send a check or money order, please make it out to “Diana Hsieh” and write “SnowCon” in the memo field. Then mail it to “Diana Hsieh; P.O. Box 851; Sedalia, CO 80135.” (SnowCon attendees are responsible for all of their arrangements and expenses, including as lodging, transportation, meals, and equipment rentals.)
Everyone attending SnowCon 2012 should subscribe to the SnowCon e-mail list for SnowCon-related announcements.
Would you like to give a short lecture or lead a discussion at SnowCon? If so, submit a proposal by February 15th!
SnowCon 2012 will be very informal, with people participating as much or as little as they like. Skiers and snowboarders will meet up on the slopes of Breckenridge and/or Keystone around 9:00 am on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Paul Hsieh will be snowshoeing during the day, and attendees are welcome to join him. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, the lectures and discussions will likely be held from 7 to 9 pm.
For more information, visit SnowCon 2012!
For calendar year 2011, Front Range Objectivism (FRO) members continued their activism and publishing.
In particular, FRO members published the following at the regional and national level:
Articles: 4
OpEds: 73
LTEs: 24
Some of the topics covered include free speech, economics, health care, energy policy and environmentalism, the “Occupy Wall Street” movement, abortion and “personhood”, foreign policy, and Colorado politics.
For comparison, our total 2010 output was 5 articles, 68 OpEds, and 27 LTEs. (Basically, we wrote more OpEds, and not quite as many articles and LTEs.)
The majority of this writing was done by people working in their spare time, in addition to their day jobs.
This list does not include numerous TV/radio apperances, talks to community groups, oral and written statements to elected officials, postings to Facebook and Twitter, and blogging.
I’d like to thank my fellow FRO activists for their hard work during 2011. In particular, I’d like to commend Ari Armstrong for being the most prolific writer by a wide margin.
(If I have inadvertently omitted someone’s piece, please let me know so I can update this tally.)
The detailed list of our 2011 published output includes the following:
Articles: 4
Paul Hsieh, “Health Care and the Separation of Charity and State”, The Objective Standard, Spring 2011.Ari Armstrong, “Religion in Harry Potter: Do J. K. Rowling’s novels promote religion or undermine it?”, eSkeptic, 7/13/2011.
Diana Hsieh and Ari Armstrong, “The Assault on Abortion Rights Undermines All Our Liberties”, The Objective Standard, Winter 2011-2012.
Ari Armstrong, Review of “Capitalist Solutions” by Andrew Bernstein, The Objective Standard, Winter 2011-2012.
OpEds: 73
Paul Hsieh, “Will the GOP Walk the Walk on the Constitution?”, PajamasMedia, 1/4/2011.Paul Hsieh, “Best Health Care Political Pull Can Buy”, Washington Times, 1/6/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “A Defense of High-Frequency Trading”, RealClearMarkets, 1/7/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Resolve to expand, use and produce”, Grand Junction Free Press, 1/7/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Ritter’s “New Energy Economy” Based on Old Fallacies”, Independence Institute, 1/11/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “‘Citizens’ Budget’ points toward a wiser, more frugal government”, Grand Junction Free Press, 1/21/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “How About School Choice For Everyone?”, Grand Junction Free Press, 2/4/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “America’s Other Drug Problem”, PajamasMedia, 2/5/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “What Kind of Health Care Competition Do We Want?”, Liberty Ink Journal, February 2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “GJ Could Use Some ‘Common Sense Economics’”, Grand Junction Free Press, 2/18/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “The Wisconsin Protests and the New Medical Ethics”, PajamasMedia, 2/21/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “How to Insure Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions”, PajamasMedia, 2/24/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Law should protect wanted fetuses while allowing abortions”, Denver Daily News, 3/1/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Guarantee to unions the same rights the rest of us have”, Grand Junction Free Press, 3/4/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Socialized Medicine: Theory Versus Practice “, Liberty Ink Journal, March 2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Stripper welfare illustrates why charity should be voluntary”, Grand Junction Free Press, 3/18/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “TV reporters to register with the federal government”, Grand Junction Free Press, 4/1/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “The Homer Simpson Approach to Social Security”, PajamasMedia, 4/12/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Walter Walker opposed Grand Junction’s socialists”, Grand Junction Free Press, 4/15/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “We Call It ‘Rationing,’ Obama Calls It ‘Medicare Independent Payment Advisory Board’”, PajamasMedia, 4/22/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Films Show Fight Against Tyranny”, Grand Junction Free Press, 4/29/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Don’t get mugged by a politically controlled insurance exchange”, Denver Post, 5/6/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Massachusetts: The Canary in the Coal Mine for ObamaCare’”, PajamasMedia, 5/12/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Colorado’s Campaign Laws Throw Common Sense Out the Window”, Grand Junction Free Press, 5/13/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Public’s ‘right to know’ can clash with right to free speech”, Colorado Springs Gazette, 5/14/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Parents should value children’s health more than sweets and booze”, Health Policy Solutions, 5/17/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “How many criminals has Colorado use tax created?”, Salida Mountain Mail, 5/25/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Channel 11 piece peddles economic nonsense”, Colorado Springs Gazette, 5/28/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Here comes Obamacare’s Big Brother: Accountable Care Organizations”, Christian Science Monitor, 6/2/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Spending limits protect against factions”, Grand Junction Free Press, 6/10/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Dude, Where’s My Freedom?”, PajamasMedia, 6/11/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “A Doctor Exposes Obama’s Health Care Fallacy”, TownHall.com, 6/20/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Colorado Slips In Freedom Index”, Grand Junction Free Press, 6/24/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “The poor keep their money for luxuries”, Boulder Daily Camera, 6/26/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Why the ‘Unexpected’ Keeps Happening”, PajamasMedia, 6/29/2011.
Brian T. Schwartz, “Gov. Hickenlooper’s Veto of SB 213 Insults Low-Income Parents”, Huffington Post, 7/6/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Harry Potter explores life’s big questions”, Boulder Weekly, 7/6/2011
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Stop the hatchet job on medical marijuana shops”, Grand Junction Free Press, 7/8/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “The Coming Collectivization of American Health Care”, PajamasMedia, 7/11/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Left and right assault free speech”, Grand Junction Free Press, 7/22/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Corporations aren’t people, so stop taxing them”, Grand Junction Free Press, 8/5/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Reaction to Lamborn’s “tar baby” comment is typical GOP-bashing”, Denver Post, 8/7/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Don’t Shoot the Downgrade Messenger”, PajamasMedia, 8/9/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Rights violations, nihilism underlie today’s bad news”, Grand Junction Free Press, 8/19/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “How ObamaCare Plays Games with Your Life”, PajamasMedia, 9/1/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Our nation needs shared liberty, not sacrifice”, Grand Junction Free Press, 9/2/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Let’s Model ObamaJobs After ObamaCare!”, PajamasMedia, 9/7/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “My iPad and My Hip Fracture”, KevinMD.com, 9/12/2011.
Paul Hsieh and Michelle Minton, “Durbin’s Bill is Dietary Paternalism”, Human Events, 9/13/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Obama’s unprincipled class warfare endangers the nation”, Grand Junction Free Press, 9/16/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Health Insurance and Personal Responsibility”, PajamasMedia, 9/24/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Elizabeth Warren’s ‘Social Contract’ an Ideological Fantasy”, PajamasMedia, 9/28/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Prop. 103 would hurt working families, kill jobs”, Grand Junction Free Press, 9/16/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “‘Fair Tax’ Looks Ugly in the Details”, Objective Standard Blog, 10/1/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Proposition 103 is about more money for the teachers union”, Denver Post, 10/2/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Don’t Blame Capitalism for High Health Insurance Costs”, The Undercurrent, 10/4/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Fuel Controls Violate Rights and Stifle Markets”, Objective Standard Blog, 10/7/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “How to Actually ‘Separate Government from the Corporations’”, Objective Standard Blog, 10/11/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Parable of shoe stores, bureaucrats”, Grand Junction Free Press, 10/14/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “The Justice of Income Inequality Under Capitalism”, Objective Standard Blog, 10/19/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Yes, President Obama, We Can’t Wait…”, Objective Standard Blog, 10/25/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Student Loan Scheme Just Another Rights-Violating Bailout”, Objective Standard Blog, 10/28/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Thank the Industrial Revolution for longer life”, Grand Junction Free Press, 10/28/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “In Praise of Capitalist Inequality”, PJ Media, 11/6/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Listeria outbreak cries for changes, not hysteria”, Grand Junction Free Press, 11/11/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Call It Exuberant Friday, Not ‘Black Friday’”, Objective Standard Blog, 11/23/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Offer Gifts of Liberty This Season”, Grand Junction Free Press, 11/25/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Screening for Terrorists vs. Screening for Cancer”, PJ Media, 11/30/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Contra Occupiers, Profits Embody Justice”, Objective Standard Blog, 12/2/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “To Protect Rights, Phase Out Payroll Tax Completely”, Objective Standard Blog, 12/9/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Gessler Emerges as the Free Speech Secretary of State”, Grand Junction Free Press, 12/9/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Obama’s Osawatomie Shakedown: Critics’ Roundup”, Objective Standard Blog, 12/15/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Tebowmania isn’t just for Christians”, Denver Post, 12/19/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Would a President Gingrich Ban The Birth Control Pill?”, PJ Media, 12/21/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “‘Twas the night before they occupied the North Pole”, Grand Junction Free Press, 12/23/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Who Will Your Doctor Work For Under ObamaCare?”, TownHall.com, 12/30/2011.
LTEs: 24
Brian Schwartz, “How to Keep New Years Resolutions”, Boulder Daily Camera, 1/1/2011.Brian Schwartz, “Colorado Medicaid reform: federal matching funds promote waste”, Boulder Daily Camera, 1/15/2011.
Santiago Valenzuela, “Gun-clip capacity and the availability of firearms”, Denver Post, 1/28/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Education needs freedom, not phony ‘investments’”, Boulder Daily Camera, 1/29/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Public-sector unions: Two wolves & a sheep vote on what’s for lunch”, Boulder Daily Camera, 2/26/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Questioning the savings under health reform”, Denver Post, 3/3/2011.
Justin Blackman, “Are regulators lax about hydraulic fracturing?”, Denver Post, 3/11/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Repeal the federal gas tax, regardless of oil prices”, Boulder Daily Camera, 3/17/2011.
Tobin Spratte, “Ayn Rand’s Aims in ‘Atlas Shrugged’”, Denver Post, 5/1/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Hickenlooper’s veto of bill to hike CHP+ fees”, Denver Post, 6/4/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Lawsuit against Gessler over campaign finance”, Denver Post, 6/17/2011.
Martin Buchanan, “Ayn Rand’s Ideas About Charity”, Denver Post, 6/23/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Red-light cameras can blame drivers for poor traffic engineering”, Boulder Daily Camera, 7/2/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Liberator, Not Thief”, Boston Globe, 7/12/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Debt ceiling & reducing deficit without raising taxes”, Boulder Daily Camera, 7/16/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Colorado Sex Offender Act imposes excessive penalties, more economical alternatives exist”, Boulder Daily Camera, 7/30/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Thank You, Steve Jobs”, American Thinker, 8/25/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “My advice to college students”, Boulder Daily Camera, 8/27/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Paul Krugman’s space aliens won’t create jobs, repealing health control law will”, Boulder Daily Camera, 9/10/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Occupy Wall Street”, Boulder Daily Camera, 10/8/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Prop. 103 supporters: You can still donate more of your own earnings to tax-funded schools”, Boulder Daily Camera, 11/5/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Consumers Have a Right to the Incandescent Bulb”, American Physics Society News, November 2011. http://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/201111/letters.cfm
Diana Hsieh, “Reforming Colorado’s campaign finance rules”, Denver Post, 11/29/2011.
David Weatherell, “In defense of the GOP”, Denver Post, 12/2/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Privatize USPS”, Boulder Daily Camera, 12/3/2011.
For the third quarter of 2011, Front Range Objectivism (FRO) members continued their activism and publishing.
In particular, FRO members published the following at the regional and national level:
OpEds: 18
LTEs: 7
Articles: 1
Radio/Television Appearances: 2
Lectures/Panels: 3
Some of the topics covered include free speech, Harry Potter, Steve Jobs, health care, and the US credit downgrade.
Much of this writing was done by people working in their spare time, in addition to their day jobs.
This list does not include citations in local and national media, participation in Tea Party events, letters to elected officials, postings to Facebook and Twitter, and blogging.
I’d like to thank my fellow FRO activists for their hard work during these past three months. If I have inadvertently omitted someone’s piece, please let me know so I can update this tally.
The detailed list of our Q3 2011 published output includes the following:
OpEds: 18
Brian T. Schwartz, “Gov. Hickenlooper’s Veto of SB 213 Insults Low-Income Parents”, Huffington Post, 7/6/2011.Ari Armstrong, “Harry Potter explores life’s big questions”, Boulder Weekly, 7/6/2011
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Stop the hatchet job on medical marijuana shops”, Grand Junction Free Press, 7/8/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “The Coming Collectivization of American Health Care”, PajamasMedia, 7/11/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Left and right assault free speech”, Grand Junction Free Press, 7/22/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Corporations aren’t people, so stop taxing them”, Grand Junction Free Press, 8/5/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Reaction to Lamborn’s “tar baby” comment is typical GOP-bashing”, Denver Post, 8/7/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Don’t Shoot the Downgrade Messenger”, PajamasMedia, 8/9/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Rights violations, nihilism underlie today’s bad news”, Grand Junction Free Press, 8/19/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “How ObamaCare Plays Games with Your Life”, PajamasMedia, 9/1/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Our nation needs shared liberty, not sacrifice”, Grand Junction Free Press, 9/2/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Let’s Model ObamaJobs After ObamaCare!”, PajamasMedia, 9/7/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “My iPad and My Hip Fracture”, KevinMD.com, 9/12/2011.
Paul Hsieh and Michelle Minton, “Durbin’s Bill is Dietary Paternalism”, Human Events, 9/13/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Obama’s unprincipled class warfare endangers the nation”, Grand Junction Free Press, 9/16/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Health Insurance and Personal Responsibility”, PajamasMedia, 9/24/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Elizabeth Warren’s ‘Social Contract’ an Ideological Fantasy”, PajamasMedia, 9/28/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Prop. 103 would hurt working families, kill jobs”, Grand Junction Free Press, 9/16/2011.
LTEs: 7
Brian Schwartz, “Red-light cameras can blame drivers for poor traffic engineering”, Boulder Daily Camera, 7/2/2011.Paul Hsieh, “Liberator, Not Thief”, Boston Globe, 7/12/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Debt ceiling & reducing deficit without raising taxes”, Boulder Daily Camera, 7/16/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Colorado Sex Offender Act imposes excessive penalties, more economical alternatives exist”, Boulder Daily Camera, 7/30/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Thank You, Steve Jobs”, American Thinker, 8/25/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “My advice to college students”, Boulder Daily Camera, 8/27/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Paul Krugman’s space aliens won’t create jobs, repealing health control law will”, Boulder Daily Camera, 9/10/2011.
Articles: 1
Ari Armstrong, “Religion in Harry Potter: Do J. K. Rowling’s novels promote religion or undermine it?”, eSkeptic, 7/13/2011.
Radio/Television Appearances: 2
Ari Armstrong, “Congressman Lamborn and ‘Tar Baby” attack
Peter Boyles Show, KHOW 630, 8/4/2011.Diana Hsieh, “Labor Day”, Jonathan Hoenig (aka “Capitalist Pig”), WLS 890, 9/5/2011.
Lectures/Panels: 3
Ari Armstrong, “Religion and the Values of Harry Potter”, Mile High Skeptics, 8/1/2011.Ari Armstrong, “Ayn Rand as Atheist”, SkeptiCamp, 8/27/2011.
Diana Hsieh, “Christianity vs. Capitalism”, SkeptiCamp, 8/27/2011.
For the second quarter of 2011, Front Range Objectivism (FRO) members continued their activism and publishing.
In particular, FRO members published the following at the regional and national level:
OpEds: 19
LTEs: 04
Radio/Television Appearances: 03
Lectures/Panels: 2
Some of the topics covered include free speech, social security, Ayn Rand in the popular culture, health care, and taxes.
Much of this writing was done by people working in their spare time, in addition to their day jobs.
This list does not include citations in local and national media, participation in Tea Party events, letters to elected officials, postings to Facebook and Twitter, and blogging.
I’d like to thank my fellow FRO activists for their hard work during these past three months. If I have inadvertently omitted someone’s piece, please let me know so I can update this tally.
The detailed list of our Q2 2011 published output includes the following:
OpEds: 19
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “TV reporters to register with the federal government”, Grand Junction Free Press, 4/1/2011.Paul Hsieh, “The Homer Simpson Approach to Social Security”, PajamasMedia, 4/12/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Walter Walker opposed Grand Junction’s socialists”, Grand Junction Free Press, 4/15/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “We Call It ‘Rationing,’ Obama Calls It ‘Medicare Independent Payment Advisory Board’”, PajamasMedia, 4/22/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Films Show Fight Against Tyranny”, Grand Junction Free Press, 4/29/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Don’t get mugged by a politically controlled insurance exchange”, Denver Post, 5/6/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Massachusetts: The Canary in the Coal Mine for ObamaCare’”, PajamasMedia, 5/12/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Colorado’s Campaign Laws Throw Common Sense Out the Window”, Grand Junction Free Press, 5/13/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Public’s ‘right to know’ can clash with right to free speech”, Colorado Springs Gazette, 5/14/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “Parents should value children’s health more than sweets and booze”, Health Policy Solutions, 5/17/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “How many criminals has Colorado use tax created?”, Salida Mountain Mail, 5/25/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Channel 11 piece peddles economic nonsense”, Colorado Springs Gazette, 5/28/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Here comes Obamacare’s Big Brother: Accountable Care Organizations”, Christian Science Monitor, 6/2/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Spending limits protect against factions”, Grand Junction Free Press, 6/10/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Dude, Where’s My Freedom?”, PajamasMedia, 6/11/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “A Doctor Exposes Obama’s Health Care Fallacy”, TownHall.com, 6/20/2011.
Linn and Ari Armstrong, “Colorado Slips In Freedom Index”, Grand Junction Free Press, 6/24/2011.
Brian Schwartz, “The poor keep their money for luxuries”, Boulder Daily Camera, 6/26/2011.
Paul Hsieh, “Why the ‘Unexpected’ Keeps Happening”, PajamasMedia, 6/29/2011.
LTEs: 4
Tobin Spratte, “Ayn Rand’s Aims in ‘Atlas Shrugged’”, Denver Post, 5/1/2011.Brian Schwartz, “Hickenlooper’s veto of bill to hike CHP+ fees”, Denver Post, 6/4/2011.
Ari Armstrong, “Lawsuit against Gessler over campaign finance”, Denver Post, 6/17/2011.
Martin Buchanan, “Ayn Rand’s Ideas About Charity”, Denver Post, 6/23/2011.
Radio/Television Appearances: 03
Ari Armstrong on free speech and campaign finance laws, Denver channel 12, “Devil’s Advocate”, 5/13/2011.Ari Armstrong on Harry Potter at “Denver Diatribe” podcast, 5/31/2011.
Ari Armstrong on economic freedom, KNUS Radio 710, Seng Center Radio Show, 6/19/2011.
Lectures/Panels: 2
Ari Armstrong and Diana Hsieh statements to CO Secretary of State on campaign finance laws, 5/3/2011.
