SnowCon is an informal conference of snow sports, lectures, and socializing for fans of Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism, held every year in March in Colorado. For announcements about future SnowCons, subscribe to the low-volume SnowCon Email List.

SnowCon 2013 was a success, with over 30 attendees enjoying enjoying fantastic lectures in Denver and great fun in the Colorado Rockies. Many thanks to everyone who made this SnowCon possible and fabulous!

For more details on SnowCon 2013, read my blog post: Report on SnowCon 2013. Check out the slideshow of pictures below too... and don't miss the video of Arthur Flipping a Ginormous Omlet!

Below is the information on SnowCon 2013 posted before the event.


About SnowCon 2013

I'm pleased to announce SnowCon 2013 – a fabulous week of play in the snow, informative lectures, and pleasant socializing in Colorado.

SnowCon begins on Monday, March 11th with snow sports and relaxed fun in the Colorado Rockies, based in Frisco. It shifts to metro Denver on Friday, March 15th for lectures and social gatherings. It concludes on Sunday, March 17th.

In Frisco, we'll ski, snowboard, snowshoe, soak in the hot tub, chat, and relax during the day. In the evenings, we'll have dinner, and then enjoy chat and games in the condo (a.k.a. the "SnowCondo"). Some of us will arrive at the SnowCondo as early as Monday evening. We'll drive back to Denver on Friday afternoon.

In Denver, we'll have an informal gathering with food and drinks on Friday night at Paul's and my home. Lectures will be held during the day on Saturday in Sedalia, with a catered lunch. On Sunday, we'll have a long brunch.

For more information about plans for SnowCon 2013 as they develop, subscribe to the SnowCon e-mail list.


Registration

Registration for SnowCon 2013 is now closed.

SnowCon welcomes all friendly people with a serious interest in or genuine curiosity about Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism, regardless of their level of knowledge. Every person at SnowCon is expected to be respectful and considerate of others.

SnowCon costs $50 for the full conferences, or $40 for just the Denver portion. A la carte pricing is available too. The cost of meals is not included in that. (Below, last-minute pricing is in effect.)

SnowCon attendees are responsible for all of their expenses, including as lodging, transportation, meals, and equipment rentals. The cost for meals is separate from registration.

Everyone attending SnowCon 2013 should subscribe to the SnowCon e-mail list for crucial announcements about SnowCon.


Payment

Payment for SnowCon 2013 is due upon registration. You can pay via Dwolla, PayPal, or US Mail. I recommend that you use Dwolla: it's a payment system with lower fees, stronger security, and better interface design than PayPal. A Dwolla account is free and easy to create.

Regular Pricing

Frisco and Denver ($100)

Only Denver ($80)

A La Carte


Schedule

SnowCon 2013 will be informal, with people participating as much or as little as they like.

In Frisco, skiers and snowboarders will meet up on the slopes of Breckenridge and/or Keystone around 9 am on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. We might also spend a day at Beaver Creek or Vail. Paul Hsieh will be snowshoeing on free trails on most of those days, and others are welcome to join him.

Dinners will be held at the SnowCondo or local restaurants. After dinner, we will gather at the SnowCondo for games, discussion, hot tubbing, and other low-key fun. The SnowCondo is located at 673 Bills Ranch Rd in Frisco.

On Friday afternoon, SnowCon will move from Frisco to Denver. That evening, we'll have an informal gathering at Paul's and my house in Sedalia. Food and drinks will be provided for $15.

On Saturday, lectures will run from 10 am to 6 pm at my neighborhood's clubhouse in Sedalia. Lunch will be catered by Garbanzo for $15, or you can bring your own. That evening, we'll have dinner at Rio Grande in Lone Tree.

On Sunday, we'll have brunch, visit the Denver Art Museum, and then gather for coffee as people depart.

Monday, March 13th

Tuesday, March 12th

Wednesday, March 13th

Thursday, March 14th

Friday, March 15th

The check-out time for the condo is 10 am sharp. Paul Hsieh will organize the check-out.

Saturday, March 16th

All the lectures and lunch will be held at the clubhouse of Indian Creek Ranch (7149 Cherokee Dr in Sedalia).

Sunday, March 17th


Lectures

Ari Armstrong on "Who Needs 'Assault Weapons' or 'High-Capacity' Magazines?"

What is an "assault weapon?" Do people "need" to own such a gun? Is there a basis for government regulation to restrict or ban (for non-police civilians) their manufacture, sale, or possession? This talk covers the basic history of "assault weapons" and "high-capacity" magazines--along with the moral and political considerations surrounding them.

Ari Armstrong is an assistant editor for The Objective Standard, where he blogs regularly. He is also the author of Values of Harry Potter: Lessons for Muggles.

Dr. Diana Brickell on "Why You Don't Want to Be Lucky"

Many people view their lives as driven by luck, such that they seek to maximize their good luck and minimize their bad luck. This view of luck, however, is based on a faulty understanding of the nature of luck and its role in human life. This lecture will unpack some common wrong views of luck, then present a rational alternative. We will see that people often shortchange themselves by accepting false views of luck – and that we can enjoy more success in our endeavors by adopting a more rational, purposeful approach.

Diana Brickell received her Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2009. She now focuses on the application of rational principles to the challenges of real life. Her radio show, Philosophy in Action Radio, broadcasts live over the internet on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. Her work can be found at PhilosophyInAction.com.

Howard Roerig on "Frac'ing: What It Is and Why We Should All Embrace It"

Hydraulic fracturing (frac'ing) is a widely discussed and frequently misunderstood term in the news today. In this lecture you will learn what frac'ing is, how it is done, the many benefits it offers, and the facts and science to dispel the many popular myths about its use in the oil industry. This is a technology that is critical to our everyday life, and one that everyone should better understand.

Howard Roerig is a small business owner in the Denver metro area, and lives in the mountains west of Sedalia. He has been involved in Objectivism for fifty years, and is one of the founding members of Front Range Objectivism. With the rise of the environmentalist movement and the many controversies over energy, he has developed a strong personal interest in the role energy plays in our lives.

Dr. Paul Hsieh on "Concierge Medicine: The Last Bastion of Health Care Freedom"

As the ObamaCare health law is phased in, patients will be increasingly subjected to government controls dictating what care they can receive and when. Fortunately, many doctors are responding by moving into various type of "concierge medicine" and "direct pay" practices where they can still treat patients according to their own best judgment relatively free from such government constraints. This talk will discuss the rapidly growing field of concierge medicine, the various concierge models, why many patients can benefit from it, how to evaluate a concierge practice, and how and why patients can help defend the morality of concierge medicine.

Paul Hsieh, MD, is a physician and advocate of free-market health care reforms. He is co-founder of FIRM (Freedom and Individual Rights in Medicine), and writes regularly on health care policy for Forbes and PJ Media.

Pablo Romero on "What on Earth Is Opera?"

Tenor Pablo Romero will introduce the audience to the realm of operatic performance. Discover passion and beauty in what is often perceived as an obscure and inaccessible art form – and get a unique perspective from the side of the performers.

Pablo Romero, originally from Ecuador, is a lyric tenor engaged in performance on the concert, recital and operatic stage, currently residing in Colorado. He is currently aspiring to enter CSU's Masters in Voice program, and has trained with Martile Rowland and Todd Queen.


Resources

You can find lodging in Frisco via VRBO or your favorite travel site. If you'd like to coordinate lodging, transportation, or meals with others, please use the SnowCon e-mail list. If you plan to ski or snowboard, you should buy your lift tickets online at least a week in advance to get the cheapest prices. For equipment rentals, I have used Carver's happily, but you can choose from many local sport shops.

As for lodging for the Denver portion of SnowCon, I'd recommend staying in Lone Tree or Castle Rock.


Questions?

If you have any questions, please email me, Diana Brickell, at [email protected].


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