Born on Feb. 2 1905 in St. Petersburg, Russia, died on March 6, 1982, in New York City. In a number of novels, most notably, Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand laid down a new philosophy, objectivism, that has won over millions of followers. If that philosophy (it has been called the philosophy of selfishness) has worked in the 20th century, it is because it has represented a practical antidote to the dreamy altruism preached by innumerable religious leaders (including, of course, Jesus Christ) and millions of their followers over the course of human history. Here at FECHA, we are inclined to the view that virtue is in the mean, or middle. We believe in God and pray as if everything depended on Him, or Her, or It (whatever helps: we use the only language we know, to express the Inexpressible). And we work as if everything depended on ourselves. We'd like to think we can be selfish (that is, fair to ourselves) and altruistic as well. In fact, Miss Rand was not at war with ancient religion as much as with another, more modern movement called Communism, or at least with the form of it that was adopted in 1917 by the people of her native land, Russia. She could see no good coming out of Communism (in this, history has been a vindication), and, following her own evolving philosophy, she did something about it. At 19, she emigrated to the Mecca of capitalism, the United States. By the time she was 26, she was a U.S. citizen, and she ambitioned a writing career -- in Hollywood. (She worked at RKO Studios, soon to be bought by another one of FECHA's saints, Howard Hughes, and her screenplays fizzled But her first novel, The Fountainhead, published in 1943, sold millions of copies. Film buffs are still watching the movie version, starring Gary Cooper as the architect-hero whose egoism and genius prevails over timid traditionalism and social conformity.) Miss Rand spent the next dozen years writing her massive Atlas Shrugged (1074 pages in a current Signet paperback edition), a tale with a single strong heroine, Dagny Taggart, and a host of attractive, self-made men who embody (and frequently give long discourses on) Miss Rand's philosophy of selfishness, which, curiously, turns out to create the greatest good for the greatest number. No one has yet made Atlas into a movie. But FECHA is betting that someone will, someone will. And that it will be big box office.

MODEL: Miss Rand's single-minded drive to produce, which proved the old adage that, for most of us who do creative work, genius is defined as "an application of the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair."

The polished mirror. If you were born on February 2, you are one polished, sophisticated, classy human. However, since you are ruled by the number two and the moon, you tend to reflect the typical qualities of your social or national group.

A natural? Whatever your special talent, you are so good you make it look easy. Though your casual appearance seems to indicate natural ability, in truth, a great deal of hard work and discipline has gone into perfecting your craft. You are a closet practicer.

Master of your domain. You must remain in complete control. So hey, the best way to avoid problems is to do things your way and avoid others by affecting a casual, distant manner. But alas, others persist with their own ideas. Here is where the big bangs, the nasty confrontations erupt in February 2 people. Below your calm, cool exterior lies a temperamental person who does not handle stress very well and in extreme cases shuns human contact completely.

Focused yet forgetful. Your talent, whether expressed in work or hobby, is what you enjoy most. The goals of February 2 people are not usually personal but often admirable, objective, even humanitarian ones. But being so absorbed in your work, you ignore the more mundane concerns (such as housekeeping, taxes and your sister's birthday)

Advice : Be aware of yourself and how you fit in with others. Try to be more humble. Don't distance yourself from others or from your roots.

Also born on this day:
James Joyce (author) Stan Getz (jazz saxophonist) Ayn Rand (novelist) Garth Brooks (country-western singer) Havelock Ellis (British psychologist) Graham Nash (British singer, songwriter) Valery Giscard D'Estaing (French president) Farrah Fawcett (actress, model) Tom Smothers (comedian)