Hello to all.

[JEFF9K]

I'm JEFF9K, which is a name I picked when I signed up with YouTube four years ago. I'm interested in politics, religion, economics, history, songwriting, comedy writing, fitness, and eighty-seven other things. I'm a personal trainer in Northern Ohio. I like to make anti-Republican videos and post them to YouTube. My latest project was reading ATLAS SHRUGGED, all 1,166 pages, and then reading 7 books about Ayn Rand. Many have tried and failed in their attempt to read ATLAS SHRUGGED, so I thought my experience with reading it, combined with what I learned about the author would make an interesting article on Huffington Post. I pitched the idea to them, but haven't heard back. I will probably make a video about it.

I have lots of ideas, and hope to post some of them here on DU, and have discussions with liberals, progressives, and even conservatives.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Welcome to DU, JEFF9K!

You sound like a really interesting person, and I think you will fit in well here.

[JEFF9K]

5. Fitting in.

Hi, CaliforniaPeggy,

I hope that I fit in better here than at other sites, where I am confronted with people who let Rush Limbaugh's writers tell them what to think.

[Betsy Ross]

2. Welcome.

Sounds like you have some good energy to bring to DU. Always welcome.

[JEFF9K]

6. Good energy.

Hi, Betsy,

Thanks for the welcome. I hope I can contribute something to this site, which I just discovered about two weeks ago, believe it or not!

[freshwest]

3. Hi. What do you think of Paul Ryan's budget in terms of his interpretation of Rand?

[JEFF9K]

4. Ryan and Rand.

Hi, freshwest,

I'm guessing that Ryan is one of the ninety-percent or-so that read Atlas Shrugged and didn't really understand it. His base is evangelicals, who wouldn't be amused to know that he was inspired to get into politics by a book that promotes atheism. The book is heartless, just like Ryan's budget. If you can stand to read Atlas Shrugged, you will see how goofy and unworkable Rand's philosophy is.

[freshwest]

7. I saw it years ago and discarded it, being more interested in living things. Thanks.