I would be interested in seeing a new Atlas Shrugged movie. Mayhap a miniseries..

I would not change the story. Adding detail of her life in Buffalo NY might be interesting. The WWII era steel mills, rusted cars, and the homes in disrepair are tailor made for for TV. Showing her walking past the huge buffalo statue in the derelict rail station would be good TV.

The tragedy of Cheryl Taggart obviously so appalled the producers of the AS series that they simply listed her as vanished even before John Galt made his speech. I can't think of much more to add to her story, unless you want to change its ending.

Jeff Adams would be a prize example. But how about the shoemaker who, with his entire executive staff, simply didn't show up for work one day, and no one was any the wiser until noon? Or the homeowner who burned his house on the day of his vanishing? Or any of a number of ordinary folks who, taking John Galt's advice, took the lead of a number of militia camps that the Army G-2 wasn't even willing to investigate?

Hi Flootus i can't post a link but google a couple of stories both dated 30 nov 2011. W.nzherald.co.nz 'doc staff upset mishap killed rate snails' and w.forestandbird.org.nz 'snail fridge deaths an avoidable tragedy'
I didnt know till just now the state (taxpayer) owned mine Solid Energy was having to pay $125k regularly for upkeep of the ruddy snails.
Solid energy has since gone bust, bigtime.

Perfect. She was from Buffalo NY. The railroad station is still standing but in disrepair.

A very interesting twist. Including detail of some middle class people.
Perhaps the skilled lathe operator Dagney had dinner with. He would be a good character. He experienced much of what AS described at a street level. However he maintained the dignity of a man though all of it.

One of the common misunderstandings in the general public is how the "environment" is actually "harmed" by mining. What is called the footprint of disturbance is very small compared to the total.

The power of the story is that nothing needs to be fiction in order to make the point. This whole recent action is not about the "endangered" bird but about collective government power and control. The central government wishes to remove 10 million acres of public domain in the western states from locatable mineral entry. But the total acreage in existing and proposed Plans of Operations within these areas is 0.05% of the total. That illustrates the anatomy of a federal land grab. Without making anything up.

I am not saying you advocated that, however. I am speaking to the context of using real stories to create a modern Atlas Shrugged where, as you outlined, people are trying to survive in the face of this. A great way to paint the picture.

"My gold exploration product which had the potential to produce real money for me and my partners and real money (gold dollars) for a free society is taken by government fiat to save an "endangered" bird that exists across 350 million acres in 11 western States."
I am not a creative person, but I think these stories would have to be the backdrop for human stories about conflict, redemption, love, etc. That way it doesn't come off a preachy. It would be up to the viewer to wonder how the whole situation would be different if the people involved had found a way for the company to get its gold without harming the environment.

This is an intriguing story. I would like to hear much more. New post?

I think the three movies we have are fine. They make the story about the same length as the Lord of the Rings (also three movies), which it is.

Likewise, i invested in a mining op that didnt get consents partly due to endangered........ Snails.
Millions of dollars spent to collect all the snails.
It seemed the mine might get into production.
Then there was a power cut at their new home. (Indoors). Now there are no endangered snails.
And the mine never got going.

My story would be great. It would expand the breadth of the looter phenomenon to include all the enviro scams that are impacting us today.

Incorporate the real thing. My gold exploration product which had the potential to produce real money for me and my partners and real money (gold dollars) for a free society is taken by government fiat to save an "endangered" bird that exists across 350 million acres in 11 western States.

But, oops, that would bring up the on-going debate on which time period to set it in. Sorry. hehe, Not.

You may have a point in that sense for all of the fans. But it is all the rest out there that need to see it and see it done well.

I wholeheartedly agree with those here that have said that the concept of a lengthier mini-series is the best. Really develop it well and keep it moving in a way that captures the audience.

And THEN, keep going with where it leaves off.

I would prefer a three season run rather than 1 miniseries

you got it !! Exactly whats needed.

As I understand it, Ayn Rand wrote it to show us where socialism would lead, in an attempt to get us to NOT have that happen. But that failed to stop it; NOW what we need is to figure out how to dig ourselves out of the problem.

As I understand it, Ayn Rand wrote the book to show us where we were heading, in an attempt to get us to NOT go down this road. That part failed of course. Now what we need is to figure out how to reverse what hapened

But they will. Ragnar Danneskjöld has seen to that. The government had to collapse so it would be out of the way. When the lights go out in Megalopolis USA, the looter government no longer exists. Instead you have the Gulch, a few encamped militias, and the warring gangs.

Totally agree.

And don't forget Cheryl Tagart.

Create ASI, which is the book. Then, create ASII, which can be the rebuilding. ASII can address the skills and world view that would be needed to rebuild a world destroyed by mooching. You'd have to not only address the technical issues of rebuilding, but also the philosophical issues that would be needed for a rebuilding to be sustainable. That would mean having to address philosophy, history, education, the arts, and much more, not just engineering.

The second Battlestar Gallactica (even better than the first), Dallas, Homeland, Agents of SHIELD, etc. are all great series. AS can be better than any of them, and can certainly have a greater impact.

Depressing?
I looked at it, among other things, as a road map into a very probable future. It's filled with heroes, doing heroic things. People who understand what we have always known but were unable to express as elegantly as A.R. The only thing that's depressing is that her vision is coming true. That's not the book's fault.

I've heard that The Bible is pretty depressing, also, but people read it for it's uplifting value, rather than be constantly brought down my it's darker portions.

For me, I read Atlas Shrugged (currently, on my 4th re-read) for the uplifting feelings I get from many parts in the story...and there are many. One merely has to look for the good parts and realize the depressing parts will only happen if we allow them to.