2007 FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER

Headlines

-9 New Books Published in 2006 -2 New Plays for Theater in 2006 -5 New Languages of Animated Philosophy of Liberty -25 New Language Editions of PoL in Production -Progress in Audio, Film, Comics -Distribution, Articles, and More

NEW BOOK: SOMALI

Last year Faisal Hassan hassan_faisal@hotmail.com translated and serialized the Somali edition of The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible: A Free Market Odyssey (JG) in The Somali Voicefor the Somali community in Canada. This year he completed the publication as a book, Halgankii Yoonis Maskiin: Taxanihii Suuqa Madax Bannaan and hosted a book release at York University in Toronto. Photos and the full story of the book launch can be found at: http://www.biyokulule.com/Book%20Launching.htm “This Somali translation is indeed the result of an enormous effort and commitment carried out by Faisal Hassan….Discussing his work, Faisal Hassan whispered that he loved the book so much and thought that it would be wise to translate into Somali and share it with his Community….It introduces more Somali Canadians to the pleasures of reading in Somali. ‘In the process of achieving those ends,’ he added, ‘flipping the pages of the book might open the doors of the free market and form small waves of new ideas within the Somali community.’” The event was organized by the Somali Students’ Association at York University (SSAY).

NEW BOOKS AND PLAY: SLOVAK

Branislav Opaterny brano_opaterny@pobox.sk translated and published the Slovak edition of JG last summer and hosted a gala book signing event at the Panta Rei bookstore in Bratislava. Brano, a minister of parliament, is a grand visionary and ardent advocate of free markets who plans to make JG available in schools throughout Slovakia.

His next project is to translate and publish the expanded commentary edition as a teachers’ guide to the basic text. In attendance at the gala event were Janette Eldridge, co-author of the commentary edition and famed political activist, Virgis Daukas, publisher of the Lithuanian edition of JG.

Ivan, Ken & Brano

Matús Posvanc matus.posvanc@hayek.sk and Ivan Svejna of the F.A. Hayek Foundation of Slovakia hosted me for a presentation about strategies of economics education. The Hayek Foundation is in the forefront of developing free market education in Slovakia.

One exciting project by Matús Posvanc and Martin Bican is producing a multimedia play based on JG. Matus reports. “We are finishing the screenplay today and we are trying to find sponsors. We decided in October to rewrite it once again to be perfect and now it is almost done. Our plans are to find a theater group to learn the play in January and February. We are little bit late, but we have still a lot of work and we are working on it in our free time, which is very limited. We are also trying to finish the Slovak version of The Philosophy of Liberty (PoL) animation.” Matus is not only industrious, but quite courageous as well. Last summer he smuggled free market educational materials to underground activists in Cuba, including a CD of the Spanish JG!

NEW BOOKS: BOSNIAK, MONTENEGRAN, SERBIAN

Virgis, Tomislav & Geo

Long a champion of human rights, and surely the most prolific of all the sponsors and publishers of JG, Tomislav Krsmanovic has made possible publications in Serbian, Croatian, Slovenian, Macedonian, Albanian, and Romany (Gypsy). He has now accomplished two new editions, Bosniak and Montenegran, and a revised second edition of Serbian.

Tomislav Pokret@EUnet.yu is available to help those who wish to publish free market literature throughout the Balkans. He is also able to provide facilities and arrangements for summer liberty camps on the beautiful and historic Drina River. The indefatigable Tomislav says, “If you agree, I hope to recuperate my strength, with better conditions of life, in that case, do you consider that is acceptable to do new editions such as Greek or other languages?” Tomislav is truly a dedicated hero of the free society!

NEW BOOK: ESPERANTO

Steve Cobb simplulo@yahoo.com , of the Free State Project in New Hampshire arranged the translation (by Evgenia Amis) and publication of JG into Esperanto. Evgenia is the editor of Kontakto, a popular Esperanto magazine for young people that will be running some chapters from JG. In his Forward to the Esperanto edition, economist Fred Foldvary writes: “In 2005 I assigned the students in my microeconomics principles class to read The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible. Instead of writing the usual essay reviews on the book, I assigned them to write stories inspired by the book…Fiction has long been a way for writers to express their social and political viewpoints. Not only is fiction more entertaining, it can express the idea more effectively by framing it in a situation that the reader can respond to with passion as well as with thought….As an internationally acclaimed work, this translation into Esperanto is worthy of celebration. Statism is the ruling creed throughout the world, and Jonathan Gullible is appreciated by teachers, students, and readers everywhere, so an edition in the global language Esperanto is most fitting.”

PLAY WRITTEN: NIGERIA

“I have finally come out with the play script of your book, The Adventure of Jonathern Gullible,” writes Adedayo Thomas alhadedayothomas@yahoo.com about the work he accomplished with Paul Ugbede, a student from the University of Jos in northern Nigeria. Thomas will be performing this for BBC radio and “a command performance to secondary schools in that part of the country will also be a bold step towards free market economic education. I am again working on another script for high school students.”

With support from ISIL, this play will soon be published and distributed to schools throughout Nigeria. Dr Samuel Ayedime Kafewo of the Department of Theatre and Performing Arts at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, reviewed the play and concluded, “The sad thing is that such leaders do not know that enormous responsibilities are not only lifted off their shoulders but the society is always the better for it when the creative energies of the people are unchained. Here lies the message of this play which despots and disguised capitalists who claim to know what is good for everybody should do well to heed. I recommend it to everybody, rulers and the ruled alike, current outright despots and the pretenders. Let them free themselves by unchaining their people, the entire society will be the better for it.”

FLASH ANIMATION: PHILOSOPHY OF LIBERTY

The animated Philosophy of Liberty (PoL) has electrified the use of the JG website, http://www.jonathangullible.com/ , with thousands of new visitors each month. The PoL is now available in nine languages, the original English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and now: Dutch: Hubert Jongen Esperanto: Steve Cobb Russian: Alex Kouryaev Ukrainian: Dmitry Shevchenko Romanian: Adrian Marza

This has elicited daily correspondence from viewers such as this from Michael G.: “I just came across your ‘Philosophy of Liberty’ animation and I want to say thanks! I wasn’t sure what to expect when it started but I found it to be clear, principled, attractively animated, very well-written and, of course, true! I will encourage everyone I know to visit your web site to see it.” See many more comments from around the world at the end of this newsletter.

Key to this project are the masterminds: Mario Knezovic mario@bonespark.com , Steve Cobb scobb@freestateproject.org , and Dmitry Shevchenko. They have been working diligently to prepare 25 additional languages. In various stages of production are:

Ken, Mario & Steve

Danish: Lasse Olesen Macedonian: Pavlina Petrova Slovak: Matus Posvanc Hungarian: Marton Hajdu Mongolian: Tsenguun Persian: Manouchehr Yazdian Lithuanian: Virgis Daukas Azeri: Tural Veliyev Georgian: Paata Sheshelidze Turkish: Atilla Yayla/Mehmet Sakioglu Urdu: Dr. Khalil Ahmed Arabic: Paul Lundberg Serbian/Croatian/Slovenian: Mario Knezovic German: Mario Knezovic Chinese: Li Zhao Schoolland Czech: Josef Sima Somali: Faisal Hassan Hindi: Mana Shah Polish: Krzysztof Haladus/Dariusz Siedlecki Swedish: Frederic Nilsson Norwegian: Bent Johan Mosfjell Hebrew: Matt Sandler Italian: Gianluca/Francesco Antoni

If readers of the JG News have more languages they wish to help prepare, please contact Mario and Steve. They now have a template for easy insertion of new languages into the animation.

READY FOR PUBLICATION AND ANIMATION: POLISH

Krzysztof Haladus krzysztof@haladus.pl has prepared the new Polish edition of JG and is almost ready to add forty astonishingly beautiful illustrations to a hardcover book in full color. He also plans add an audio book on CD’s. He expects to reach the broadest possible audience through newspapers and electronic media.

In the near future, arrangements will be made to utilize the illustrations in other language editions of JG and in comics. This work is extremely good and will add immensely to the potential sales of any edition of the book. Kris Haladus is a remarkable businessman who has a grand plan for introducing free market ideas in the most sophisticated manner to a vast audience in Poland and beyond! Last year he published a Polish edition of Milton and Rose Friedman’s book Free to Choose and he has arranged for the entire “Free to Choose” television series in Poland.

Writes Kris, about the five-part, updated “Free to Choose” film series, “We signed an agreement in August 2006 for making a multilingual DVD-version and licensing for me to sell it all over the world in a 10 year period. Licensing also includes an exclusive license for 5 years in Poland for broadcasting…In February, the Polish main TV is going to show this series.”

READY FOR PUBLICATION: RUSSIAN

Alex Kouryaev in Moscow has completed translating a new Russian edition of JG and has inquired about the illustrations that were produced for Krzysztof Haladus. The magnificent characters are easily suitable for any European edition and might be modified for elsewhere as well.

Vitaly “William” Milonov in St. Petersburg is also preparing a new Russian edition and is working on new illustrations. Says William, “The book is completely ready, but…I’ve decided to order a new set of pictures. Actually, they should be ready in a week.” Both the Polish and Russian editions are revised and updated new versions of JG.

NEW COMMENTARY TRANSLATION: MONGOLIAN

I met Batchuluun Baldandorj batchuluun@libertari.mn at the ISIL World Conference in Prague last summer and found him to be a very friendly and devoted advocate of the free market. With the sponsorship of P. Tsenguun, Chairman of the Mongolian Libertarian Foundation, Batchuluun is going to press with the Mongolian edition of the commentary edition book in Ulan Bataar this February. He translated the work and has been refining the translation and adapting it to the local culture.

NEW COMMENTARY TRANSLATION: TURKISH

Bugra Kalkan liberte@liberte.com.tr and Atilla Yayla liberal@ada.net.tr, President of Liberal Dusunce/Toplulugu-Association for Liberal Thinking in Ankara, have translated JG into Turkish and expect publication soon. This will be based on the larger commentary edition, co-authored by Janette Eldridge. I am planning to attend a youth camp that is planned this summer with the use of the new Turkish JG.

READY FOR PUBLICATION: GEORGIAN

Paata Sheshelidze paatasheshelidze@cdu.ge, President of the New Economic School of Tiblisi, Georgia has completed translation of the book and is seeking funds for publication. Support for this through the JG Fund at ISIL will be much appreciated. He has also completed the text of the animated Philosophy of Liberty which will be finalized soon.

Paata and Kevin Bjornson are arranging a Liberty English camp this summer in Georgia to introduce free market ideas to more than 50 university students. Perhaps the Georgian edition of JG will be ready to help with this introduction!

READY FOR PUBLICATION: ARABIC

Ali, Virgis & Li

Last summer I met a fascinating professor with the most amazing story. Ali Massoud massoud22@yahoo.com, an economics professor in Egypt explained during the ISIL conference that he already uses the English edition of JG with his classes of upper division law students and the students like it very much. There are nearly 500 students in each class!

Ali is now editing the final stages of the Arabic edition of JG. As soon as it is published, he will use it in his Principles of Economics classes with 5,000 students in the hall! This could surely be the best distribution of JG in any country of the world!

The Arabic translation was originally sponsored by Nicolas Dykes. Ali has founded his own business, South Valley for Economic Consultancy & Research and will soon be moving to Sohag University.

UNIVERSITY ECONOMICS CLASSES

While JG is used extensively abroad, the book is also being utilized in a variety of university economics courses in the U.S. as well. Classroom sets have been used over the past year at the State University of New York—Buffalo, San Jose State University of California, and Santa Clara University.

At SCU, Fred Foldvary FFoldvary@scu.edu explains the use, “I will teach two sections of principles of macroeconomics with 40 students each, so there will be about 80 essays. My main criterion for grading is whether the story accurately applies economic theory to policy, for example the excess burden of taxation. It also has to be well written, so that the reader knows what the story is about, and with proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. SCU students usually write well…but it should not contain serious errors of theory or analysis.”

This year a panel of judges will select the top essay from his classes. With the permission of the student, the winning essay will be posted on the JG website. I’m also trying to raise money for cash prizes. If all goes well, we could turn this into an international contest.

Lydia Ortega, Chair of the Department of Economics ldortega@email.sjsu.edu, and Professor Terry Easton have both been fervent supporters of JG at San Jose State University. Terry explained that the department gives books to high school economics teachers that they meet with for an on-going outreach program. Now this is a truly remarkable economics department that will educate American students with the same dedication as that of the famous Francisco Marroquin University of Guatemala http://www.ufm.edu.gt/, both shinning stars in the constellation of free market education!

Terry and Sue Easton have also been advising me extensively on marketing and distributing JG. They have some great ideas about “just-in-time” publishing and distribution that we may soon adopt.

READY FOR PUBLICATION: FRENCH

Jacques de Guenin jdeguenin@gmail.com has revived the original translation of JG by Louise Zizka and is making arrangements with a publisher. With some updates and modifications, the book may finally have found its place in one of the central economies of Europe. And is France finally ready for the free market? There is strong reason to think so.

Sabine Herald

Through the sponsorship of Mark Skousen, Ralph Smeed, Dick Rowland, and Vidar Jorgensen, I was fortunate to have attended the recent international meeting of the Mont Pelerin Society (MPS) in Guatemala last fall and witnessed a key figure in the making of a new France. Sabine Herold, a keynote speaker and leader of a massive new liberal movement in France, has organized the new Liberty Party that is now a solid part of the political debate in over 110 cities across the country. Ms. Liberté rallied 80,000 to a protest against the chronic strikes!

Another opportunity for the French language translation is in the Cameroon. The former President of the Reason Club of Hawaii Pacific University, Sam Moore, has offered to present Louise Zizka’s translation to close friends of his with a publishing house that services Africa. Sam is an ardent advocate of desperately needed free market reforms in the country of his youth. I am very grateful to Sam and I have every hope that these reforms may take hold.

MYSTERIOUS DISTRIBUTION REBIRTH: GERMAN

More than a decade ago Stefan Kopp published the German edition of JG and then promptly dropped out of sight. Not only did Stefan disappear, but so did his inventory of the books. Mystery shrouds this edition more than any other.

At the MPS meeting last fall I met Dr. Oliver Knipping and Barbara Kolm-Lamprechter, Secretary General of the F.A.v.Hayek Institut of Vienna barbara.kolm-lamprechter@hayek-institut.at. Barbara indicated that the Hayek Institut was still interested in a German edition of JG and Oliver had come across some recent contact with the long lost Stefan. In addition, André F. Lichtschlag lichtschlag@ef-magazin.de offered to promote the book in his magazine and Capitalista Bookshop in Germany.

It seemed better to republish Stefan’s translation than to start from scratch so we made exhaustive efforts to reach Stefan. No luck, until Andre was contacted by an unexpected intermediary and offered a chance to buy the entire stock of this dusty, antique collection of literary gems.

Stay tuned for the next exciting detective episode to rival Harry Potter, “Dr. Knipping and the Secret Files! Free Market Reforms in the Balance!”

IN TRANSLATION: HAITIAN CREOLE

Parnell Duverger p_duverger@yahoo.com contacted me last year saying, “After watching the animated ‘Philosophy of Liberty’ presentation on the internet, I wanted to know more about the authors of this wonderful pedagogical tool for teaching about freedom, liberty, and the free enterprise system of the market economy. Following the appropriate link, I discovered The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible: A Free Market Odyssey. I would like to have the great honor of translating this important book into Haitian Creole.”

Thus, Parnell, a professor of economics at Broward Community College in Ft. Lauderdale, translated the book. “You will be happy to know,” he wrote last fall, “that I am blessed to have a good friend, a professor of linguistic at a Canadian University in Moncton, who is reviewing my translation. He has published over 40 books in French and Creole.”

This is great news, indeed! Haiti is surely a beleaguered nation that will benefit enormously by free market ideas.

IN TRANSLATION: NEPALI

Prakash Thapa of the American Library in Kathmandu ThapaP@state.gov explained that the Nepali edition of JG would be published this year. Sharon Hudson-Dean, the Deputy Director of the American Center, wrote, “…we are eager to get going as soon as possible because we think your book is such a perfect fit for Nepal’s current situation and that there will be tremendous interest among a wide variety of readers.” Five thousand copies will be distributed to students and universities.

This is also greatly due to the efforts of Robin Sitoula, General Secretary of the Youth Initiative robs@mail.com.np, and those of The Boss magazine, Charu Chadha Rizal charu@theboss.com.np and Rakesh Wadhwa, who serialized JG in English last year.

IN TRANSLATION & POL: HEBREW

David Marhoffer, an attorney in Phoenix davmar@mrbusinesslaw.com, has taken up the project of a Hebrew translation. Reports David, “I am still working on the Hebrew translation of JG. Unfortunately, I do not have a Hebrew word processor and, thus, I am forced to handwrite the translation. It’s a labor of love, but labor nonetheless. I have 100 handwritten pages, thus far.”

Just competed by Matt Sandler is the text for the Philosophy of Liberty (PoL) animation. Matt wrote last December saying, “I had the pleasure to view the presentation you prepared about the philosophy of liberty. I found it very informative, and effective on people who were never tuned in to the message of a free society. I’m a 21 year old from Israel and I want to ask for your permission to translate this presentation into Hebrew so it can be spread in a wider manner in this country.”

MASSIVE DISTRIBUTION: SPANISH

JG en Español

Hernán Alberro halberro@gmail.com has been the spearhead of extraordinary successes in distributing the new Spanish edition of JG in Latin America. Writes Hernán about breaking into Fidel’s stronghold, “I finally managed to send over 40 books to Cuba. I am planning to send at least a hundred in total. I think your book is going to be enthusiastically read in the Island.”

“By the way,” continues Hernán, “I am in conversations with a Publishing and Distribution House to make your books available in every school in Argentina. As you may imagine this is a very difficult thing to do, but this Publishing House, Grito Sagrado, (the one that published Atlas Shrugged in Spanish) is launching a collection of books for kids and they really liked your book.

“In fact, they asked me to write you to congratulate you on the great book you wrote and because they would like, in the future, to publish the book again. The idea is to give the current edition of the book for free to every school, and then make a new edition, with the style and the logo and everything of the Publishing House (so as to make it part of the same collection) to be on the market. They are also planning to follow all the requirements to send the book to every school in Mexico!! I think it is a great chance to get this book into every classroom and maybe to every kid. Why not change the world?…Anyway, they are planning the launch for next year.”

MASSIVE ON-LINE DISTRIBUTION: CZECH REPUBLIC

If anyone needs a reminder about the ripple effect of books, take this story from Eastern Europe. Several friends in Slovakia told me last summer that the inspiration for the new Slovak editions came from early exposure to the Czech edition of JG, published by Josef Sima sima@vse.cz and the Liberalni Institute more than a decade ago in Prague. The Slovaks were familiar with the book because of the similarity of the languages, but needed their own local editions for the general populace.

Josef, now Chairman of the Economics Department of the Prague University of Economics and a proud new father of a baby girl, informed me that all the copies of the Czech JG were sold out long ago. But there are 300 electronic copies downloaded every month from their website!

SECOND PRINTING & POL: CHINESE

My wife, Li Zhao Schoolland, is in regular contact with Jerome Ma and Dean Peng, the two who produced the Chinese edition of JG. She tells me that the original print run has sold out and that a second print run is planned. For more on these two outstanding free market intellectuals and for information on contacting them see: http://www.isil.org/resources/fnn/2004fall/china-austrians.html

LI HAS TAKEN DEAN’S TRANSLATION OF THE EPILOGUE OF JG AND INSERTED IT INTO THE TEMPLATE FOR THE ANIMATED POL. SOON, ALL OF CHINA WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THIS VISUAL EXPLANATION OF THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF LIBERTY.

Global CD & Internet Distribution

Linda Whetstone and the IPN have created a low cost CD for worldwide distribution of JG and 100 other books on liberty. Says Linda, “The CD, ‘Ideas for a Free Society,’ was inspired by the observation that the political and economic arrangements that seem to be most conducive to peace and prosperity are those that exist in free societies. In such societies, certain institutions guarantee political, economic and social freedom, and those institutions are in turn underpinned by ideas. Such ideas have been explored by individuals from many different perspectives, starting with ancient Chinese, Roman and Greek philosophers and continuing to the present day. Unfortunately access to such ideas is extremely limited in many countries today so this CD was created to fill the gap. Sending and copying a CD is cheap relative to sending or printing a hard copy.”

For a copy of the CD please email your request to Linda at: info@ideasforafreesociety.org For electronic copies of various language editions of JG, go to http://www.jonathangullible.com/languages.htm

ACADEMIC ARTICLES: PAKISTAN

Dr. Khalil Ahmad, Founder of the Alternate Solutions Institute and FreePakistan Newsletter, reported on the reference to JG in an academic article. Khalil wrote, “A light essay based on the story of Frank and Lysander described in chapter 19 of our Urdu translation of The Adventures of Jonathan Gulible: A Free Market Odyssey appears in a public sector college magazine: Faraan, Issue 57, 2005, Islamia College, Lahore, Punjab. This is actually an attempt at localizing the theme of rent-seeking explained with the help of the Hare and Tortoise Fable in Ken’s book. The writer, Dr. Khalid Almas, is a teacher of philosophy in the same college that accommodates about 5000 students and more than 150 teachers.”

See more about Dr. Ahmad’s excellent free market work by visiting his web site http://asinstitute.org or emailing him and subscribing to the FreePakistan Newsletter: info@asinstitute.org.

TEACHER SUPPORT & ANIMATION: CANADA

Another tremendously warm friendship was rekindled at the MPS meeting with Herb and Helene Grubel. I last saw them years ago at the ISIL World Conference in Whistler, Canada, practically their backyard. With all their grand mountain hiking and biking, they will always be role models of excellent health!

Herb, a Senior Fellow at the Fraser Institute and a long time supporter of JG, presented a copy of the book to Annabel Addington, the woman who runs the Fraser Institute workshops for teachers. Says Herb, “She was pleased to have the edition with the comments, which I am sure are very helpful for teachers.”

Herb has also drawn up a business plan for a computer animation feature film and has received an enthusiastic response from those in the industry. Stay tuned!

AUDIO AND VIDEO BOOKS

Ralph Smeed contacted and funded a superb audio introduction to JG on CD, by Curt Hawkins of Great Audio Adventures, http://www.greataudioadventures.com/. This full production is extremely well done with fine acting from multiple characters and vivid sound effects. Curt has prepared a proposal for doing the entire book, but at the time this plan is far more costly than the JG Fund can afford.

I am pleased to report, however, that the amazing multiple voices of Robin Hall robin.hall@yahoo.com are being offered in preparation of an audio version of JG. I came to know Robin when a few friends came together to prepare the original radio spots for JG.

Robin has agreed to put his 30 voices to effect in recording a narrative of JG. “I have Audy Kimura helping me to select the most appropriate computer, programs and sound equipment necessary for a respectable production. I believe there is a future in my voiceover work so I’m willing to make the investment in good equipment,” comments Robin. “Once I get set up, I’ll work a chapter at a time, forwarding each chapter to you as I complete them, for your comment. I think it best to do it that way to prevent my getting ahead of myself.”

I’ve been listening to many audio books recently and I find that many major publishing houses do quite well with a single narrator and virtually no sound effects—from the books of Michael Crichton to J.K. Rowling. So I’m excited about this project!

Another exciting project is that proposed by Mark Selzer http://www.libertariantv.com/, the creator of a wide range of filmed interviews with libertarian icons. Writes Mark, “I was thinking of a basic video with you just telling bedtime stories to kids from your book. One for each night of the month if you have that many. It would be cheap to do. You are a very friendly guy that I think kids would like. We could then market it and possibly add some illustrations if we could sell some copies to get funding. I will forward this to my post production and camera man, also an illustrator, and see what he thinks.” Yes, indeed, it would be a great project next time I’m in Los Angeles! Or, better yet, we can combine this with Robin’s audio production.

GRAPHIC NOVELS & YOUTH OUTREACH

JG Sketches

Another initial project that was funded last year by the JG Fund at ISIL is the outline of a comic version of JG that is being drafted by Kevin Tuma kevintuma@sbcglobal.net. Says Kevin, “Here’s page 2, uncolored and unlettered. I’m trying to put a lot of detailing in the ink process; I think it really makes a difference with a narrative scene like a boat tossed on a stormy sea. Page 3 I’ll put in the fog and discovery of the island, and then we’ll get into what I consider the fun stuff, dialogue scenes on Corrumpo.”

Krzysztof Haladus has an outstanding illustrator in Poland who is being considered for such a project. And Jim Peron also some great projects in progress, www.theknowledgecafe.org. Writes Jim, “It is time to discuss some developments for our efforts to reach students around the world with libertarian ideas. The major project to start with is our on-line course on free market economics. No such course currently exists anywhere in the world that we know about. Our course will be easy to understand and highly visual with short modules to catch people’s attention. It will be on a level that any high school student can understand.”

JG: THE MOVIE

The Rogue City Production of JG: The Movie, produced by Titus Chong roguecityllc@att.net, directed by Laine Yoshioka, Screenplay by Susan Wells, and featuring Tri Le as Jonathan Gullible, has been on pause since last summer. In the interim Titus arranged for Act 221 tax status. Thus any investment in the film is worth a dollar for dollar tax credit from the State of Hawaii. So any Hawaii taxpayer can pay their money to promoting the free market instead of promoting the state government. Out of state investors can make arrangements, too.

Laine has also kept busy with the laborious task of editing the raw footage. The first of six parts of the movie is soon to be ready to show potential investors. For scenes from the filming, see: http://www.jonathangullible.com/movie.htm

MILTON FRIEDMAN BIOGRAPHY

Milton Friedman was a father figure to Jonathan Gullible and gave permission for the use of his words of endorsement. Indeed, his path breaking ideas are integral to the philosophy of JG. Friedman’s books are recommended at the end of the book and even characters in JG are derived from this family of great economists: Milton, Rose, and David.

For this reason I strongly encourage the hundreds of people who have been associated with the JG project around the world to help distribute and broadcast the new biography of Milton Friedman, The Power of Choice, which will premier on U.S. television January 29, 2007. This was produced by Bob Chitester, the producer of the renowned TV series based on Milton Friedman’s extraordinary book, Free to Choose. http://www.freetochoosemedia.org/

To do this, please contact Marketing and Sales Director, Rick Platt. Says Rick, “We are seeking international partnerships with individuals or organizations who are interested in helping us with any combination of the following: a.) broadcasting the series; b.) purchasing the series on DVD; c.) reselling in a wholesale/retail environment. Please contact me with your level of interest and then we can communicate further to hopefully come to a mutual understanding/agreement. Communication via email is best: rick@freetochoosemedia.org.”

BOTSWANA

I’d like to close the news with a boost to a new writer, Bonty Botumile bontyb@hotmail.com. Bonty is a former student of mine from Botswana, the nicest and brightest person you would ever meet anywhere.

Bonty writes, “I just wanted to get in touch and share with you how being much your classes have been an eye opener. I have now come to see government in such a different light and have often thought of getting in touch with you to share my sentiments….I have been brave enough to self-published my own book. It is a children’s book that explains the cultural origins of the elephant according to my grandmother’s tribe. As I was responsible for writing, printing, marketing and distributing it, I really wanted to introduce it with a big bang. So for the launch we did a drama based on the play. All the practical planning and implementation skills I learned during my courses at HPU paid off. I published the book at the end of August and…I have sold 1500 copies in Botswana alone. I am still working on marketing and distributing it on an international level. Hopefully I will be able to use some micro and macro economics planning on this one. It’s selling very well in the lodges and camps of the Okavango Delta, and I have created a niche for it calling it cultural tourism.”

I urge everyone to please have a look at her book: http://www.botswanastories.com/

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

As always, my sincerest gratitude is extended to the hundreds of people who have become involved in JG projects over the years. Especially helpful with funding, consultation, and distribution have been Janette and Ray Eldridge, Sam Slom and Small Business Hawaii, Vince Miller and Jim Elwood of ISIL, Dick Rowland and the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, Ralph Smeed, Mark Skousen, Terry and Susan Easton, Lydia Ortega, Hernan Alberro, Vidar Jorgensen, Roya and Henry Weyerhaeuser, Andrew L. Sullivan, Ginger McNulty, Kathleen Nelson, Christian Butterbach, Tracy Ryan, everyone mentioned in this newsletter, my tolerant and supportive family, and many many more! Please let me know if I have left anything out!

COMMENTS ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF LIBERTY FROM VIEWERS WORLDWIDE:

That was a great animation. Very clear, simple and thought provoking. I’m glad I came across it and plan to point it out to others. Thank you. Aloha from Hawaii—Phyllis

I just wanted to tell you I couldn’t say how many times I’ve pointed people not only to The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible, but specifically to the Philosophy of Liberty Flash Video presentation on its page. When people want to know what libertarians believe, it says it masterfully.—Mark C.

Excelent. Congratulations. From a troubled Venezuelan.—Carlos

So great! I shared your link with my home school group and I already have another mom who now wants to find out more. Yay!—Talitha

I have used your flash as a presentation entry to Bastiat Free University. http://silentpc.org/university/simple.php Thanks.–Allan

Reciban mis más sinceras felicitaciones!!, y palabras de aliento para que continúen produciendo mensajes como este.—Alicia

Can we put this on public access television?—Gail

Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys/gals know the the “Liberty” work was really great and it sparked a huge debate. I am sure it isn’t a surprise to you all. Freedom has a funny way of being controversial.—Codee

Great animation site. I agree.—Best, Vjeko

I read this presentation with a lot of interest because it’s very logical and to the point and because it applies perfectly to the current crisis we are going through in my country (Venezuela).Congratulations.—Juan

This is wonderful. Thanks for a beautiful thing!—Jacque

I happened upon your article, ‘The Philosophy of Liberty’, on the internet and watched it several times. I was completely inspired as I have always understood the truth of the words you wrote in the value of my own morality to be undebatable truth to which humanity must aspire to in order to exist at our full potential. Thank you for your time, and for your message. Appreciatively—Brad

I would like to offer my congratulations on a job well done. Your animation, Jonathan Gullible, is a very creative piece of work. Straight forward, right on the money, yet so simple I’ll bet even Ted Kennedy could understand it. But, I don’t think he would approve. By way of this e-mail I am requesting…to show this on a speaking tour throughout the United States. Very truly—Gino

Thanks a whole lot and congratulations. You have done a great job!!!

-Frank.

I’m a Brazilian living in Massachusetts. For some time now I’ve been looking for a simple text that could intelligently explain the basics of freedom to high school students of my liberty-deprived country. I just watched your “Philosophy of Liberty” video and think it fits the bill. I wonder if there is a printed version of the video and if so would you give me, or someone from my group, permission to use it. Sincerely—Joaquim

Sorry, my English is very terrible, but your free society is very nice. Thank you and good luck.—Sonja

God Bless your work. Thanx—Gene

The Free State Project is going to use the Flash animation of Liberty that you and Kerry Pearson (Lux) developed, Ken. I hope this is OK with you. Best Regards in Liberty and the memory of Kerry,–Alan

FELICITACIONES!—Luciano

Wow. I cannot say enough to praise you for your amazing preciseness. absolutely extraordinary…you hit the nail on the head, in my opinion, and it is ironic that our Social Studies class happened to be talking about property in the Bill of Rights. If we hadn’t been, I most likely would not have found this. Thank you—Nick