Books and Television

The Ghost Writer has a few stories within stories. Here is a bit from one of those that I found amusing. Frederick is a writer, a poet to be exact:

She was still absorbed in contemplation of Lydia's portrait when Frederick returned with the tea-tray. But he did not seem to notice, and instead launched into an account of how he had that morning read and reviewed four three-decker novels without cutting a single page, delivered his copy, and sold all four in pristine condition in Fleet Street in time for lunch. Julia felt a certain pang at the thought of judgment being passed so lightly upon all those months or years of hard authorial labour.

That explains quite a bit about some reviews I've read! I have decided not to cover up the scary woman's face on the book's cover because even if I can't see it, I will know it is there. And knowing it is there is worse than actually seeing it. And in it's so stupid the government must have thought of it news, US television signals are set to go 100% digital as of February 17, 2009. There are an estimated 70 million TV sets that will be affected. Mine is one of them. 50 million of these sets are hooked up to cable or satellite and will be fine. But 20 million of them, mine included, will no longer be able to pick up a TV signal. Since I only watch 1-2 hours of television a week, I don't really care. But my government cares. Congress has set aside $1.5 billion--billion!--in order to issue vouchers to the folks who have outdated TVs. I'll be eligible for not one, but two vouchers worth $40 each (I'm not sure why two vouchers and not one for $80). I am then to go buy a converter box so I can continue to watch the mind-numbing crap that passes for entertainment these days. I have an idea. Why doesn't the government issue vouchers that can be used for books? Now that would truly be money well spent.