My Mount Rushmore of Minds

1) H.L. Mencken - says more in a sentence than most "intellectuals" do in an entire volume. He's also a cynic and so am I. 2) Thomas Sowell - not simply an economist but a philosopher and sociologist as well. Just keep the guy away from foreign policy, that's all. 3) Richard Feynman - a much lauded Nobel prize winner in physics but it's his insightful social commentary and irreverent view of "experts" that does it for me. 4) Frederic Bastiat - the man's clarity of thought is only rivaled by his originality and wit. My personal favorite is "The Candlemaker's Petition" but randomly picking a page here and there would likely work, too.