JULY 12, 2013

As I announced recently right here on Notablog, the new, and newly designed, Journal of Ayn Rand Studies, makes its online debut today on the JSTOR site, which, for all online subscribers to the journal has the added bonus of offering you every back issue fully archived. The new July 2013 print issue is in the mail and on its way to subscribers (you can order, or renew, a subscription, here).

This is the first issue published by the Pennsylvania State University Press (PSUP), and it is, if you don't mind me saying: Gorgeous. My deepest thanks to the press for doing it right: it is an utter and complete delight to have the editorial board give its undivided attention to all matters of content, and to have a publisher take care of all those wonderfully exciting tasks, like design, production, printing, subscription management, packaging, and mailing.

And we are already at work on the next issue, due out in December, which will begin production in August, and get to subscribers on time. That issue will have nearly twice as many articles as the current one, and promises to be another absorbing entry in the 13 volumes we've published since our 1999 premiere (thanks to hard-working editors, advisors, and those peer readers who participate in our double-blind peer review process).

The Journal has weathered many storms: moving from Port Townsend to Reno to Brooklyn, but through it all, we have worked diligently to get it indexed in whole, or in part, by more than two dozen abstracting services. Our new relationship with PSUP is going to vastly expand our visibility in the scholarly community, but, more importantly, it will exponentially expand our electronic accessibility for the benefit of all those seeking to do much-needed research in Rand studies. I am proud of the work performed by all those associated with this collaboration; this is team work at its best. But most of all, I am proud of the sweetest loyalty that our subscribers have shown since our first issue in 1999. This is the beginning of a new era; we are getting more submissions than ever, and reaching audiences far beyond our expectations.

Now, do yourselves one great favor: get the new issue, Volume 13, Number 1, our 25th published issue, and give yourself a chance to be excited, or infuriated, by one thought-provoking essay after another (check out the abstracts for the new issue, and the contributor biographies too). And if you're so inspired by the promise of this new collaborative adventure, write to us: We have authors who will be more than happy to respond in print in upcoming Discussion forums.

Most of all: Enjoy!

JULY 04, 2013

Song of the Day: Captain America ("Theme Song"), composer mysteriously unknown, was the classic theme song to the 1960s Marvel Super Heroes cartoon. It's a favorite from my childhood, and while there have been lots of takes on Captain America, this one still holds a special place in my heart. Take a look at the animated opening theme [YouTube link], and have a safe and happy Independence Day!