Books reviews, current events, and other musings

While driving to work yesterday morning, I came across a truck with a surprising message painted in a window: My son is fighting your freedom. Upon closer inspection, it actually said: My son is fighting 4 our freedom. Funny how a single misread character reverses the meaning. Of course, a soldier fighting in Iraq, where his son probably is, doesn't make any Americans more free, but that's beside the point.

When my wife and I went out to dinner yesterday, there was a massive crowd around Kepler's Books. Al Franken was speaking, and he can bring out a large enthusiastic crowd. Of course, this is the liberal Bay Area, and Bill O'Reilly and other right-wing nuts can get their own crowds of admirers. Still, Franken's appeal, along with the other Bush-bashing bestsellers, suggests that the Democrats will be more motivated to vote in next year's election.

Meanwhile, here's a rare piece of good news (from Eschaton).

Former President Bill Clinton has secured a deal with four generic-drug companies to provide low-cost AIDS drugs in the developing world, an aide to the former president said Thursday.

The agreement, which was to be announced at a news conference later Thursday, will cut the price of a triple-drug regimen to about 38 cents a day.

I'm glad that Clinton is devoting the power of the ex-Presidency to such a worthwhile cause.

posted by Julian at 12:20PM