Minnesota's Book Store

In my world view the more book stores we have the better but when it comes to "Minnesota's Book Store" (MBS) I draw the line! Interested readers can see MBS's book inventory at this website:

http://www.comm.media.state.mn.us/bookstore/bookstore.asp

MBS is a "service" provided by the State of Minnesota's Department of Administration to sell books to the public which include titles such as the ever popular, ""OSHA 1926 Construction Industry Regulations " (not on the Oprah Book Club list that I have seen!) and "Birds of Minnesota - Field Guide" (actually a good book I purchased years ago but from the private sector not a government book store like MBS).

I just do not see a need for the State of Minnesota to have a "book store" especially since many of the titles I see listed on their website our widely available in the private sector book stores.

Historically governments have burned more books than they have sold to the public so let's get them out of the book business completely.

Todd

Bill Clinton

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show on September 4th to promote his new book (side note -- I recently saw his autobiography in the bargain section for only $8.00 but I avoided buying it but if one of my left wing friends wants to buy it for me I promise to read it) entitled, "Giving", which focused on philanthropy and civic action according to the Associated Press account I read.

Philanthropy? What an interesting topic for the man who declared in 1995 that the "era of Big Government is over.............." Should his wife Hillary become President in January 2009 I have to wonder if his 1995 statement will hold true.

But back to Billy Boy's new book -- "Giving" -- based on his career in public policy at the state and federal level a better title for his book might be "Taking" since his policies took money from us tax slaves for his programs such as Midnight Basketball leagues and a "100,000 cops on the streets............." We would have all been better off if Mr. Clinton had believed in private philanthropy like Oprah's "Angel Network" more than he believed in government programs.

Granted I have not read "Giving" yet so my assessment might be completely wrong so I will rely on my left wing fans out there to educate me if needed :-) However, if I am right in my thinking that Mr. Clinton has reformed himself now that he has become part of the private and non-profit sectors to the point that he is an advocate of personal philanthropy then I will cheer his efforts and will buy his book!!

Hopefully he is becoming a "Todd-let" as my friends say,

Todd

Children's Books and Government

As I have read books to our three year old daughter over the years I have noticed a recurring theme - okay, perhaps a very obvious theme -- in most of the books that I felt compelled to comment on it to seek the wise counsel of my readers.

The theme in the books is the form of government used in the storyline is some form of royalty/nobility such as Dora the Explorer having to bring the moon to the "king and queen" so she can become a "true princess" and "Princess" Ariel in Walt Disney's "The Little Mermaid" who of course falls in love with "Prince" Eric.

So where are the republican/popularly-elected/parliamentary forms of government in children's' literature? Why can't Ariel fall in love with Prime Minister Eric?

If any readers know of any "fairy tale" books that utilize non-royalty forms of government to structure their characters' story lines would you please let me know so I can introduce our little girl to some democratic institutions? I have to ask for book suggestions since at age three she is a bit young for the Federalist Papers :-)

Thanks,

Todd

Spooks

Author Samantha Weinberg (who writes under the pseudonym of Kate Westbrook) recently shared with "The Week" (British magazine) readers who six favorite spy books. Ms. Weinberg's list included:

• Casino Royale by Ian Fleming -- Bond, James Bond of course!!
• Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene
• Kim Philby: The Spy I loved by Eleanor Philby -- little did she know he was gay!
• The Spy who Came in From the Cold by John le Carre
• Next Stop Execution by Oleg Gordievsky
• The Spanish Game by Charles Cumming

Clearly Ms. Weinberg is better read than myself but I must say I was surprised she did not list "Spycatcher" by Peter Wright as one of her six favorites. Since she did mention a book about Kim Philby -- who is featured prominently in "Spycatcher" -- in her list I thought she might mention Wright's book.

One potential reason for the omission -- Spycatcher was banned in the U.K. since it was viewed as detrimental to the history and effectiveness of MI-5, the UK's spy agency:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DEEDE103DF932A3575BC0A961948260

I am happy to report that I have read this book and hope my neighbor returns it one day so I can share it with my British friends.

Todd

Home Schooler

While reading the April edition of NewsMax magazine I read an excerpt of a recent Reader's Digest interview of rapper/actor Will Smith (who starred in these movies -- Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness) and his wife Jada Pinkett. The excerpt noted that Smith and Pinkett home school their children -- is that even allowed in Hollywood!!!!???

The interview went on to quote Smith declaring that he sees no reason to go back to school for a formal education because, "I know how to learn anything I want to learn, from a BOOK."

Two important books that Smith cites in this interview include:

• Plato's Republic
• Artistotle's Politics

Finally, Smith leaves me with hope that the left wing establishment in Hollywood can be challenged from within now that I know Smith's world view as summarized by this quote pertaining to the two books noted above --

"That is what the forefathers of this country read, and they used them to create what I believe is the finest system of government that has ever existed."

I agree with you Fresh Prince!!

Todd

Karl Rove

Since I love books I could not help but notice a book featured prominently (front page, above the fold) in a photograph of Karl Rove (special advisor to US President George W. Bush) in the 22 March 2007 Financial Times newspaper. The photo showed Mr. Rove walking down a flight of stairs exiting an airplane with the caption reading -- "Rove subpoena, Congress in Battle with Bush".

So what book was Mr. Rove reading?

Khrushchev's Cold War: The Inside Story of an American Adversary
by Aleksandr Fursenko, Timothy Naftali

I have not read this book myself but given the political crisis that Mr. Rove is buried in regarding the selective firing of 8 of 93 US Attorneys which the US Congress is reviewing I thought this was an interesting book to read at this time for these reasons:

1.) Khrushchev presided over a crumbling empire - although he never admitted it publicly
2.) If Mr. Rove is forced to testify before Congress will he beat his shoe on the table? :-)
3.) Will this book remind Mr. Rove that a centrally planned economy does not work thus leading him to advise President Bush to bring us a new era of federalism by phasing out entire federal departments coupled with returning the money to taxpayers at the state level leaving them to decide if they want their state legislators to take the money via tax increase for "worthwhile" programs................

Okay, my day dreaming is over!! Yes, that is my personal utopia but one worth promoting I believe.

Ideas have consequences,

Todd