I'd avoid getting the Walmart one. Even with the discount it doesn't seem like it's worth it to me. Check Circuit City or Best Buy for some sales.
As far as Dell, I've owned 3 laptops and 4 desktops none of which had any problems. They're worth looking into if you only need a basic system.
Her ideology is interesting, but I question her ability to write a good story. I read the Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and they both bored me half to death. She would have done her readers a favor by cutting those books in half, at least.
Plus, I tend to dislike most of the people I've met who worship her philosopies. She ended up becoming a writer who assholes use to justify themselves being just that.
It's definitely geography for me. As a kid, I'd watch whatever local TV networks would air. I became fans of the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, 76ers, Penn State, etc.