Born, February 2, 1905; died March 6, 1982.

http://www.solopassion.com/obj...

Born, Jan 31, 1921. Died, October 7, 1959, because of a world too stupid, small and lifeless to understand him.

"Only art that is free can be meaningful; only creativity that is free can be joyful."

Rachmaninoff in his own words, including his musical philosophy and searing denunciation of Soviet tyranny:

For anyone falling within the category, "human," there can have been no more repulsive spectacle recently than President Obama's State of the Union address today. It was vile on several counts:

They say "All good things must come to an end." C'est la vie...

The Athenians exulted when the Persians by Aeschylus was shown in the theatre of Dionysos.

When the American Economic Association was formed in 1885, 23 of the fifty five members were protestant clergymen.

Tim Leonard writes, a short excerpt from his powerpoint work:

The film Looper is a well-made, intricate, time-travel thriller (featuring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis, from 2012) which accidentally demonstrates how Good tends to naturally triumph

In this post, I want to talk about the section “Syllogisms and DIM Mixtures: A Not So Ominous Parallel” in Roger Bissell’s review of DIM in the December, 2013 issue of JARS.

Bissell on DIM

A beautifully harmonic rendition of the United States national anthem sung (thanks to technology) by one man choir Julien Neel, singing it as it should be sung, not as various 'performers' murder it b

Another post, while I still can. One of my favourite pieces of classical music, one which really stirs my soul, played by Valentina Lisitsa:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

My one and only blog entry on SOLO while I still can, this is perhaps more politics than philosophy, but it concerns a philosopher (ex-Cambridge University lecturer no less) who may be able to pull th

Happy Holidays And The Synergy Of The Season!
By Edward Hudgins

December 23, 2013 – As we approach the end of the year, I hope all of you are in a holiday mood. I certainly am!

Goblians claim, mistakenly, that December 25 is Jeezy's birthday, and that Jeezy was the Son of Gobby while simultaneously being Gobby, while both were/are simultaneously Ghosty. It's all nonsense, of course, but one has to acknowledge it was/is momentous nonsense (one hopes for not much longer, even as a more vicious nonsense threatens to trump it). Let us, in the spirit of no nonsense, and SOLO's commitment to an aesthetic renewal, revel in this stellar performance of Tchaikovsky's life-and-beauty-proclaiming 5th Symphony and know what is possible to man in spite of the irrationalists in all their guises.

With Jeff Rense on his Internet radio show, promoting The One Tenor:

http://rense.gsradio.net:8080/...

I've recently re-read a biography of Tchaikovsky I first read when it came out, in 1995, by Anthony Holden. I'm now re-opening others by Michael Hoffmann and John Warrack.

I see that Barbara Branden, best known of course for her association with Rand and the 1986 biography, has died. I never met her but corresponded with her a few times over the last 20 years.

"Mario Lanza's influence on Elvis Presley cannot be overestimated." Presley was well aware of Lanza’s music and movies and was always quick to acknowledge his admiration for Lanza.

FDA Stopping the Genetics Revolution
By Edward Hudgins

December 11, 2013 — Entrepreneurs look to limitless possibilities while government regulators look to limit possibilities.

“I’m more horrified than surprised at plans by Auckland Council to extend the failed Wynyard Quarter tram service and connect it to Britomart,” says Affordable Auckland Leader Stephen Berry.

Global Government Surveillance Reform

Earlier this year the US' pre-eminent school of law posted a verse of the Qur'an at the entrance of its law faculty.

The verse reads:

A picture is worth a thousand words:

I have referred for some time to The Anti-American President as "Obamarx," for obvious reasons.

I'm a long term "S" Corp contractor, been paying taxes on the value of my self provided health insurance for years. A family plan that covered everything in the 80s was maybe $325/mo.

Switzerland Votes For Freedom To Earn
By Edward Hudgins

November 27, 2013 -- This week in a national referendum, 65 percent of Swiss voters rejected a measure that would have limited CEO salaries to twelve times the pay of junior employees. In doing so, they showed the world once again why Switzerland remains one of the most prosperous and innovative countries in the world!

I write the post in order to recommend Schopenhauer to Soloists. Specifically, the Appendix to his magnum opus, The World as Will and Representation. Now why should this be of interest to Soloists?

Four days ago marked the 39th anniversary of the last Gabriel-era Genesis album "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway". Thought I might share this concept album with everyone here.

I have been absent from SOLO for a few weeks, writing a new book. Now it is published.