• • What It Takes 
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Atlas Shrugged  | Last week, I quoted a European businessman who said the salvation of the American economy would be oil extracted from shale. A reader then sent me a slice of Atlas Shrugged, which I quote in today’s column. The character Ellis Wyatt says,

Oil shale. How many years ago was it that they gave up trying to get oil from shale, because it was too expensive? Well, wait till you see the process I’ve developed. It will be the cheapest oil ever to splash in their faces, and an unlimited supply of it, an untapped supply that will make the biggest oil pool look like a mud puddle. Did I order a pipe line? Hank, you and I will have to build pipe lines in all directions . . .

I’ve talked to enough people to know, or believe, that, if the government agrees to get out of the way, we’ll be splashin’ rich.      View blog reactions

• Meeting the press, &C. 
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As far as I know, “CPAC” stands for “Conservative Political Action Conference.” And yet reports say that last week’s proceedings were dominated by libertarians, Paulistas — heckling Cheney, calling him a war criminal, and so on. Fine. But can’t they have their own meetings and rallies? What are they doing at a Conservative Political Action Conference? If you’re going to be proudly anti-conservative — you know, be it. Don’t go skulking around at conservative conferences. I’m not sure many people show up at Randian events yelling about God, marital fidelity, charitableness, and other backward stuff.      View blog reactions

• • Miss Rand as inoculator 
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In Impromptus today, I touch on some ticklish questions, including Muslims, ‘birthers,’ and Randians (oh my!). Needless to say, such topics provoke a little mail. I wanted to share with you a note about Ayn Rand, which I thought was charming.      View blog reactions

• A book and a half, &c. 
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Atlas Shrugged  | I hope you are immersed in your new [National Review] — either in paper form or digital. It is filled with good things, I believe. Byron York travels with McCain. Rob Long analyzes the Sarkozys. [....] Terry Teachout revisits Atlas Shrugged, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.      View blog reactions

•An episode to deal with, &c. 
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Have you noticed that atheists — professional atheists, literary types — have been unusually brash and cocky lately? They are, indeed, “in our faces.” I have just received a copy of a magazine called The New Individualist — probably Randian, not sure. And the cover features the words: “Sam Harris — Faith’s Feisty Foe.” “Faith’s Feisty Foe”! Nice alliteration, guys. By the way: If the atheists’ views are correct — couldn’t they be sort of relaxed about it? At ease? Why all the agitation?      View blog reactions