I have read a bit of Ayn Rand. Years ago, I picked up a book on Objectivism, written as a summary of many of Rand's points by her protege. I got about a quarter of the way through before some things started rubbing me the wrong way. I did like a lot of what she had to say, but my post was not based on or influenced by Rand or her ideas; any similarity is a coincidence between my beliefs and hers.