D'you know, like, reality, Juno?

"Juno" is a new movie about a pregnant early teen. She finds an attractive, rich couple who are eager to adopt her baby. The movie looks cute and has won much critical praise; I've only seen the “trailer”. I just worry a bit about the consequences. Will some young girls think that pregnancy can suddenly transform their lives from mundane to glamorous? Will they expect to be befriended by childless movie stars? Will they expect pregnancy to make them witty and clever? Will their conversation turn comedic, "unusually intelligent", "quick and funny"?

If the movie showed a pregnant woman drinking or smoking, there would be an outcry about a poor role model. But now it's again hip to be birthin' babies (see e.g., "Knocked Up", or better yet, don't). Oh, why bother with responsibility? After all, it's just a movie.

Bhutto murdered, hope dimmed

The murder today of Benazir Bhutto, former Pakistan Prime Minister and candidate in the upcoming election, is deeply saddening. She was brave, intelligent, charismatic, and patriotic. We do not yet know who was responsible. It seems unlikely that the dictator Musharraf is directly responsible because although she threatened his rule, they had apparently made an arrangement. More likely, the militant Islamic extremists are guilty. These people have moved freely between Afghanistan and Pakistan, due to the US failure to eliminate the Taliban in Afghanistan and despite American pressure to fight them in Pakistan. This is another consequence, heartbreakingly bitter, of the failure of the US to decisively defeat Osama bin Laden and his ilk. These times have suddenly turned even more dangerous.

Pump and Dump

The Bush administration is doing at the end of its term exactly the reverse of what it did before entering office. In 2000, Bush's mantra was that the economy was in bad shape. Here's a reality check: back then, thoughtful discussions of the economy revolved around whether paying off the national debt was such a great idea. After 6 years of a boom under Clinton, the economy was perhaps overdue for a modest correction, which occurred after Bush took office and was deepened by the fall in consumer confidence following 9/11.

Now, the administration is denying clear signs that this economy is on life support. Only the fiscal stimulus of budget deficits and the monetary stimulus of cheap money staves off recession or worse. The cumulative federal budget deficit is enormous and projected to continue growing by hundreds of billions for many years. The dollar has lost nearly half its value, which is one more reason why oil is $90/bbl and gas is $3/gal. The trade deficit sets new records every month. The administration proposes applying a band-aid to the sub prime mortgage crisis, which is only a symptom of hemorrhaging debt. Just as with the 'surge' in Iraq, the administration is desperately pumping money into the economy, hoping to dump the mess into the lap of the next president.

Monkey no see, monkey no do

You need pictures, or better yet video, to grab the attention even briefly of the public. Video is key to nearly all news stories and “if it bleeds, it leads”. The Abu Grahib scandal broke because of the pictures. Conversely, the public can shrug off horrific stories that are not accompanied by images. The administration forbids pictures of flag-draped coffins because they know that no pictures means no story. This is why the CIA destroyed the videotapes of agents torturing accused extremists. The CIA calculated that they could remove the most emotionally engaging and incriminating evidence of their criminality.

Maybe not all the tapes were erased. Cheney, and especially Bush, have shown a disturbing callousness toward human misery, an inability to empathize, bordering on sadism. Both men defend systematic torture in their disastrously misguided war on terror. They are indifferent to the horrors their war has visited upon Iraqis. Bush's twisted nature might have preceded 9/11. As governor, Bush is said to have joked while a woman who had pleaded for clemency was put to death. As a student, he is reported to have laughed off torturing pledges to a club at Yale. I suggest that a copy of the CIA torture tape be sought in his personal video collection.

No Vet Debt

The country owed everything to the vets of previous wars because the country demanded everything from them. The draft deprived young men of their rights and freedom. The volunteer army changes everything. Now, young people join the armed forces as part of a deal. They choose to give up their freedom in return for certain benefits. We pay for a professional army. Let's stop the heroism nonsense.

Kindle Swindle?

Amazon recently announced the Kindle, an ebook reader, to great buzz - cover of Time and mentions on most news shows. This device is big. The screen is a nice size but there is also a kludgy keypad beneath the screen. And you still need a light to read in bed!

CEO Bezos acknowledged that Amazon is substantially subsidizing the cost of books. Amazon pays the publisher around $18 per book but Amazon charges Kindle owners $10 per book. For the consumer, the differential between the cost of an actual printed book and the subsidized price can quickly recoup the $400 cost of the device. But how long will Amazon continue to subsidize nearly $10 per book? It seems inevitable that the book price will rise to at least break-even, about double the current price. Unless Amazon is committed to maintaining a $10 price, they should admit that it is an introductory price and give some idea of the final cost.

One of the great pleasures of reading is sharing a book you've enjoyed. Can one share an ebook with the Kindle? I don't think so. The books are “protected” by "digital rights management”, which blocks sharing. Maybe Amazon could incorporate a "regifting" function.

The Kindle is no swindle. Nor is it a compelling alternative to print or other devices for reading ebooks.