Several readers sent this amusing item, but perhaps even more remarkable are the examples of Rand's "reasoning" about government support (thanks to Ruchira Paul for that link).   (Can you imagine getting any of her arguments in a student paper?)  It's really doubtful there has ever been a more simple-minded "philosopher" with a public following than Rand, though the fact that she is so simple-minded obviously has much to do with her popularity in the United States (that, and of course the fact that she is an apologist for all the interests of the ruling class).

UPDATE:  Chris Hitchcock (Cal Tech) writes:

Actually, your two links on Ayn Rand display a frightening logical consistency. 

The first says:

"Ayn took the bail out even though Ayn "despised government interference and felt that people should and could live independently… She didn't feel that an individual should take help."

But actually, that's not quite right. As the second one quotes:

"The recipient of a public scholarship is morally justified only so long as he regards it as restitution and opposes all forms of welfare statism. Those who advocate public scholarships, have no right to them; those who oppose them, have." 

So it would be more accurate to say that she didn't think people who disagreed with her should take help. Those who agreed with her were entitled to all they could get.

A great philosopher's mind at work, clearly.