Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Brother, Can You Spare an Ubermensch?

We're having a hair-raising fundraiser this week, in an effort to cover a rash of human and feline medical expenses and keep the lights on (or at least the Internet connected -- sordid explanation in the post below) and I was feeling pretty bad about it, until my friend Marc posted this on Facebook:
Your Irony supplement for the day: Atlas Shrugged producers begging for money on Kickstarter. Delicious.
Glancing at the Atlas Shrugged Kickstarter website, the message here seems to be, "Hi! We're super-productive job creators who are making a trilogy of films from a classic novel about self-made tycoons whose genius built the foundations of modern civilization, and how they finally decided to withhold their productive energies from a society infested with loafers and parasite.  Unfortunately, it seems those same parasites make up the bulk of the moviegoing audience, and they were too busy loafing to go see our last two films, so please give us money so we can make a third movie nobody will go see.  If you don't, then we'll just take our indispensable skills and move to Galt's Gulch and live the sweet life with our static electricity-powered robot servants that somebody really needs to invent in a hurry.  I think we've got a Kickstarter going for that project, too.
The producers entice potential investors with their breathtaking concept art!  

A commenter to the post remarked, "Let them eat cake," but if we really want to honor the spirit of Ayn Rand, I think we should let them choke on cake.  Then everyone else in the room should refuse to give them the Heimlich Maneuver, because why should productive members of society who respirate perfectly well on their own give away free healthcare to moochers who can't be bothered to keep their own windpipes free of bolus?
Ayn Rand is widely considered one of the most influential and controversial authors of the 20th Century. Rand’s magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged, was published in 1957. Thirty-five years later, a Library of Congress survey reported that Atlas Shrugged was the second most influential novel ever written - second only to the Bible.
The Bible also featured miracles, although nothing quite so goofy as perpetual motion machines powered by rubbing your socks on the carpet, or impenetrable force fields that can cover an entire town, an idea which Under The Dome has already proved is kind of a crappy plot device.
Kickstarter gives us a great opportunity to reach out to a whole new audience as well as affording fans of the book a chance to participate and join us in being part of the celebration of Ayn Rand’s ideas.
And what better way to honor Rand's cardinal virtue of rugged individualism than with an orgy of collectivism?
Atlas Shrugged was written over 50 years ago as a warning to future generations. This movie is being produced to alert those same generations.
Although some of those same generations are in assisted living now, so when alerting them you might want to speak up, and it's probably a good idea to wait until after dinner, because sometimes they fail to recognize a clarion call to defend the principals of Objectivist philosophy, and think you're just trying to steal their fruit cup.
Risks and challenges
As with any movie production, there are various risks and challenges...One of our biggest challenges is scheduling a Fall 2013 shoot. Already being September, we are looking to begin shooting before the end of the year.
So really, our biggest challenge is making Fall last until the middle of Winter.  Fortunately, thanks to greenhouse gas-producing industries, we're well on our way to meeting this goal!
Important Information About Rewards
• For those of you visiting our set, we anticipate shooting as early as October in Pennsylvania or Georgia. However, there is a good chance this may change.
We may wind up shooting in Manhattan (Kansas), Narnia, or possibly Knott's Berry Farm, like that one guy who secretly shot that horror movie at Disneyland, because they've already got a railroad.
The Future Rides on Rearden Metal!
• For those having your names carved into Galt's house, all names subject to approval.
The usual practical jokers aside, we've already received several generous donations at the Galt's House Level, from such distinguished benefactors as Dr. Mike Hunt Ph.D, Lieutenant General Heywood Jablome, Professor Hugh Jass, Sir Eaton Beaver, and and former Representative Dick Armey.

Speaking of donations...if you do have a few dollars you could spare, we (meaning Mary, Moondoggie and I -- Riley, if history is any guide, will be express nothing but disgruntlement with her trip to the vet) would greatly appreciate the help. You can click on the button at the top left of the blog or, if you're not on Pal terms with Mr. Pay, drop me a note at scott.clevenger - at - gmail.com, and I'll email you our non-email address.

13 comments:

Carl said...

These the same jerks who made The Fountainhead parts I & II?

Maybe if they made, you know, a decent film out of that book, they wouldn't be begging for funds after the Kochs laughed them out of their offices.

Carl said...

Thirty-five years later, a Library of Congress survey reported that Atlas Shrugged was the second most influential novel ever written

Odd coincidence. That would be just after Reagan's re-election on a platform of selfishness and starve the poor....

Doc Logan said...

I have a funny feeling that "Atlas Shrugged: Part 3" will premiere on YouTube, and the cast will consist of puppets made of gym socks with googly eyes pasted on.

Li'l Innocent said...

Doc, you're right. Or maybe Claymation, like Mr. Bill of olden SNL times. Here comes Mr. Invisible Hand, ohnoooooo!

Anonymous said...

reposted from below:
I wish I could however, I'm one of those gov't employees who may be without income on 10/1. Ironic(?) is that those people hired to support ACA (aka Obamacare) will be at work because of how appropriations work. I just switched to a group supporting MMA (medicare modernization act). Word of advice - stick with Part A/B (as opposed to part C) for your hospital/physician benefits when you role into Medicare. A/B are truly single payer.

Anonymous said...

reposted from below:
I wish I could however, I'm one of those gov't employees who may be without income on 10/1. Ironic(?) is that those people hired to support ACA (aka Obamacare) will be at work because of how appropriations work. I just switched to a group supporting MMA (medicare modernization act). Word of advice - stick with Part A/B (as opposed to part C) for your hospital/physician benefits when you role into Medicare. A/B are truly single payer.

Anonymous said...

Sorry about the double post

Scott said...

Thanks for the advice, Anon, and very sorry to hear your livelihood is being held hostage by right wing political brinksmanship.

Tog said...

God dammit, if I am denied the final chapter in the hilarious Atlas Shrugged trilogy because you tightwad Leeches can't collectively pony up the dough to bail the thing out, I swear I'll Go Galt*.

*Throw myself on the floor and kick and scream until I turn blue.

...or Go Cruz**.

**Stand around babbling and farting for hours.

heydave said...

Farting for hours?
Thanks, I think I will!

Anonymous said...

Don't let the hype about the problems with the marketplaces freak you out too much. It is a very complex program and there are lots of moving parts. There are going to be glitches on day one. I know some folks who worked on the Part D implementation and CMS dedicated lots of folks to make sure everything got ironed out.
My entire working life has been in the public sector. I started out at a DOD research facility and then moved to the treasury agency responsible for making most of the gov't payments. I finally ended up at the agency that administers Medicare and Medicaid. At all jobs, the majority of the staff was committed the mission of the agency but I have to tell you the people at CMS are for the amazing. I went to a conference with the Part D plans right before the launch and in the Q&A portion the questions from the plans were mostly targeted around payment. One of the CMS staff stood up and basically said - focus on who you are serving. It is your parents, grandparents, etc. and don't be such greedy assholes.

Weird Dave said...

Hey, you're the professional crappy movie watcher. How about biting the bullet, checking out these steaming piles of goodness (for example, I heard that between pt1 and pt2 they got a completely new cast (not that I could be arsed to actually look it up). But the point is, "Ha ha."), and reporting back.

And while we're on the subject, something else I would like to see (cause I'm sure not gonna watch it) is,
Compare and Contrast: Red Dawn vs. Red Dawn II - The North Koreaing

Scott said...

Weird Dave, those seem like fair, if sadistic, requests. I'll see what I can do.

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