On the blog of the Mises Institute, I came across a fascinating post on a novel called "The Driver" by Garet Garrett. Garrett was an Old Right critic of The New Deal.

British television is even worse in the summer so I surfed a few Oist sites on a wet evening and paid a rare visit to Objectivist Living.

The BBC reports this appalling new legal assault on the national dresss of my fellow countrymen.

"Kilt wearers could face prosecution if they do not have a licence for their sporran under new legislation which has been introduced in Scotland.

A friend has drawn my attention to the website of the film "Taking Liberties".

The notorious "Glasgow Empire" had a reputation for being a graveyard for English comedians and variety artists who found the heckling hard to deal with.

The Empire is long gone but its spirit lives on. BK Marcus has this funny story on his blog, Lowercase Liberty.

"No One" (the ex-SOLOist formerly known here as Diana Hsieh) is setting up a mailing list for Objectivist bloggers.

There is a requirement that "you refrain from supporting, endorsing, or associating with those who actively distort Ayn Rand's life and ideas, most notably David Kelley, Chris Sciabarra, and Barbara and Nathaniel Branden. Also, if you've treated Leonard Peikoff or other worthy Objectivist intellectuals with contempt in the recent debates about the election, please don't subscribe.

Diana Hsieh is proposing that the 20th March be celebrated as "Steak and Blow Job Day".

She says "Oh, and just remember ladies, this upcoming holiday isn't "Please Your Man Day." It's "Steak and Blowjob Day." So if he wants chicken and intercourse 15 days from now, you must refuse. Words are not made of rubber!"

A friend has just emailed me this link. It is "Frank Sinatra's" hilarious (IMO) new version of "Strangers In the Night", with words that reflect 9/11.

Freedom lovers all over the world will be mourning the sudden death, at 8am GMT this morning, of Lord Harris of High Cross. Ralph Harris, with Anthony Fisher and Arthur Seldon, founded the Institute of Economic Affairs. The IEA proved to be the model for literally hundreds of pro-freedom think tanks.

The 2006 Ryder Cup is taking place at the K Club in Ireland. Europe is playing under the official flag of the European Union. But why? Golfers from Norway and Switzerland would be eligible to play in the Ryder Cup if they qualified or chosen by the captain as one of the two "wild cards". Norway and Switzerland are not members of the European Union. The Norwegian people voted against EU membership in a referendum. Several European states, especially in the former Yugoslavia, have yet to join.

According to the "Daily Mail"

"Big Brother is not only watching you - now he's barking orders too. Britain's first 'talking' CCTV cameras have arrived, publicly berating bad behaviour and shaming offenders into acting more responsibly.

I noticed that there is a new Soloist called Brandi Lynn. That is strange name (certainly to a Scot) so I clicked on her profile. She gives her real name as Brandi Brandt. It seemed, ahem (cough, cough), "familar" so I googled it. Brandi Brandt was indeed a Playboy Centrefold and appears to have modelled for other publictions. I look forward to her first post.

"The Alphabet Net is calling foul after a rough cut of a sex scene from the upcoming season of Desperate Housewives was leaked on YouTube nearly a month before the steamy footage was slated to air.

I received this email from the Branden Institute (not TAS/TOC).

"Last Chance for Nathaniel Branden Call!! Thursday, August 17th at 8 p.m. EST (5 p.m. PST)
A Special 70-Minute Tele-Interview

NATHANIEL BRANDEN: TRULY PERSONAL

Following Linz's "invitation", I made one of my rare visits to Rebirth of Reason. I came came across this "nugget" (see below). Note the use of the euphemism "promoted" when "exiled" or "excommunicated" would be more appropriate.

"Heretics versus Infidels (posted 08/14/06 ):

"According to Jim Pinkerton... Here's the distinction: An infidel is someone who never believed what you believe; an infidel is a stranger, and so there's not much point in investing emotions in him. But a heretic is someone you know well, someone who once believed what you believe, but now has a different faith -- that's much more threatening.

Following the discussions regarding my "banning", I ought to clarify what has happened.

Yesterday, I had an exchange of views with Linz. He had previously written that he thought that I should not post on SoloPassion and that I should move to Rebirth of Reason or Objectivist Living. In response to another post, Linz called me an "evil bastard" in the heading.

OL is back online. It looks like all the threads and personal records have been deleted. Nothing in the sections on the Brandens, Kelley, Bidinotto et al. Perhaps you would like to add some content to help out MSK! LOL!

This email got past Norton anti-spam (spooky!) and reached my inbox yesterday. It has been forwarded to Scotland Yard.

Dear Sir;

I am Abacha Blair, nephew of the Head of State and Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom.

We have come into £14 Million Pounds which has been lent to us by noble supporters of the regime, which we must transfer to an account in your country before it is found by agents of the security services (The Electoral Commission, Parliamentary Standards Committee and Scotland Yard).

These moneys must only be used for the doing of good works which is why we have contacted you as an upstanding member of the community. As a trusted individual, please send us your bank account details and we will TRANSFER IMMEDIATELY the sum of £14 Million UK Dollars into your account. It is very important that you only spend these moneys on community benefit projects although as a consideration we will pay you a HANDLING FEE of 20 PER CENT and nominate you for a PEERAGE in the HOUSE OF LORDS in the British Parliament.

Sean Gabb, Director of the Libertarian Alliance, has distributed this email message this morning:

"It is with the deepest regret that I must announce the death of Dr Chris R. Tame, Founder and President of the Libertarian Alliance.

Chris founded the Libertarian Alliance in the early 1970s. During the next 30 years, he worked tirelessly to recover the British libertarian tradition as a seamless heritage of freedom. He took issue with those Conservatives who saw freedom in terms purely of pounds and pence - and often not even as that. He took issue also with those who demanded freedom in all matters but those involving the getting and spending of money. He believed that freedom should be defined in the traditional English sense, as the rights to life, liberty and justly acquired property.