Publisher's Notes

• FUND RAISING PROGRESS REPORT: We are heartened by the response of many subscribers to our recent fund-raising letter. As of press time, some 365 people had responded to our appeal, contributing $5048.50 for use in a new campaign to increase REASON's readership. Though we are still far short of our $30,000 goal, we have received enough to go ahead and begin preparing the new direct mail campaign.

Many readers sent letters along with their gift, some offering suggestions on the promotional campaign, others telling us how important it is to them that REASON continue. To those who may have been alarmed by our asking for help, please be assured that REASON will continue to publish. We thank you sincerely for your support in helping REASON's voice be heard.

• LECTURE SERIES: The University of San Diego Law School has scheduled a Distinguished Lecture Series on Law and Economics, featuring many of the brightest free-market lawyers and economists in the United States. The lecture series includes such notable scholars as Henry Manne (Jan. 29), James Liebeler (Feb. 12), Michael Levine (Feb. 19), Sam Peltzman (March 4), Ronald Coase (March 11), James Buchanan (March 18), Armen Alchian (April 1), Bernard Siegan (April 22), and others. Siegan is Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of San Diego School of Law, and was primarily responsible for setting up the lecture series. A good turnout at the lectures will make it likely that additional lectures will be held in the future. Each lecture is scheduled for Thursday evenings at 8 p.m. at the U.S.D. School of Law. For further information, call [phone], ext. 353 or write to Professor Siegan at the U.S.D. School of Law, Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110.

• VIDEOCASSETTES: The Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) is offering a collection of videocassettes from its "Role of Business in Society" program for teachers and students of business education and social studies. The program includes lectures on the American Economic System, for classroom use, by 18 scholars, including Murray Rothbard, F.A. Hayek, Harold Demsetz, Israel Kirzner, W.H. Hutt, William R. Allen and Gary North. The videocassettes may be borrowed without charge by teachers. A catalogue describing the videocassettes is available from ISI, 14 S. Bryn Mawr Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010.

• FEDERAL GOVERNMENT "AUDIT": The remarkable financial statements of the U.S. Government, prepared by Arthur Andersen & Co., one of the two largest international accounting firms, may be obtained (in limited quantities) by writing to any local Arthur Andersen & Co. office or to the firm's headquarters at 69 West Washington, Chicago, IL 60602. Entitled "Sound Financial Reporting in the Public Sector," the 35-page booklet (described in "Trends" in our January issue), contains detailed financial statements which tell more about the Government's financial condition and size of the "national debt" than the Government ever wanted us to know.

• AYN RAND LETTER: Ayn Rand has notified her 15,000 subscribers of her decision to stop publishing the Ayn Rand Letter, her monthly four-page commentary. Ms. Rand stated, "I intend to return, full time, to my primary work: writing books." The main reason for discontinuing the letter: "The state of today's culture is so low that I do not care to spend my time watching and discussing it. I am haunted by a quotation from Nietzsche: 'It is not my function to be a flyswatter.'"

• T.V. FILM: "Young Pioneers," a film based on a book by Rose Wilder Lane, will be shown on ABC on March 1 from 8-10 p.m. (check listing for Central time). Co-produced by Libertarian Party presidential candidate Roger L. MacBride, the film is a drama about teenagers who go west in the 1870's to make a life of their own in the New Country. Depending on viewer response, ABC may buy rights to the book for a new T.V. series. We urge readers to watch the film and to let ABC know if you like it.