SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE: 

SAD FINISHES – Two famous names have come on grim times.  Reader's Digest, one of the most famous names in print publishing, has put itself up for sale after emerging from bankruptcy.  And Border's, the book chain, is closing all its stores and liquidating.  Neither organization seemed to be able to keep up with the times.  It's a tough time for print, but the most imaginative and innovative companies will survive. 

GOOD IDEA – Philadelphia will soon be handing out citations to people who walk along texting, and not looking where they're going.  Some readers will disagree, but I think it's a good idea.  That's a dangerous habit that could easily result in a collision with a person or vehicle or lamppost.  We have responsibilities.  I wonder, by the way, if we'll soon need to give citations to presidents who walk along while not knowing where they're leading the country.  Just a thought.

DESPICABLE – Talk about political correctness carried to mad extremes.  The head of one of the world's leading physics labs, at CERN in Geneva, has forbidden his scientists from drawing conclusions from a major experiment.  The reason?  Some of the results could be applicable to the subject of climate change, and may, one prominent science writer charges, not support politically acceptable conclusions.  So, science marches on, but don't tell anyone.

FEAR OF THE POWERS THAT BE? – When have you ever heard of an author refusing to discuss the contents of a new book she's trying to sell?  Something isn't right here.  The author of a new book on Barack Obama's mother is refusing all requests to discuss the newsmaking revelation in the book that President Obama inaccurately (euphemism) claimed that his mother was denied medical coverage for her fatal illness.  The author is Janny Scott, formerly of The New York Times.  She has chosen not to respond to questions about the revelation, except when asked by The Times.  Is she fearful of what the disclosure might do to her career?  Did she underestimate how the press would pick it up?  I have no answers, but I'd love to know what's going on.

July 18, 2011