Nanny State vs Free Market: My Reading Diary

Topics of conversation and ABC reporting recently include Pauline Hansen not getting into the NSW Senate with 2% of the vote, the Clubs & Gambling people screaming against Andrew Wilkie's proposal to attempt to control problem gambling and the on-going crises in Japan with the nuclear facility at Fukushima. News that Portugal's economy needs bailing out, the rise of the Aussie $ compared to the sinking of the US $ and other financial woes including the Resource Rent Tax and Carbon Tax are simmering away sometimes making the headlines, sometimes not.
Is this symptomatic of the conflict with the "Nanny" State ie large, interventionist, regulatory Government telling the business world that they must control their behaviour to enable social needs of equality, social support, and  long-term environmental improvement? This website says yes!
Or are the forces of business - endless growth, consumerism, jobs at any cost to environment or social needs gaining the upper hand again after a brief lull with the GFC? (hands out and begging)
My reading this month has included Joseph Stiglitz "Freefall: America, Free Markets, and the Sinking of the World Economy", Loretta Napoleoni's" Rogue Economics", Andrew Leigh's "Disconnected", "History's Greatest Deceptions" by Eric Chaline.
As the New York Times article on Joseph Stiglitz book comments "ersatz capitalism, the privatizing of gains and the socializing of losses". 
Books can give a larger view of whats happening  than a 3 minute TV news clip, 1 page internet link or 5 minute radio interview. What do you think?

My Book Life

One of the joys of working in a library is that I am surrounded by so many books as well as having an endless supply of readers to talk to about the books they read, liked and disliked. I can keep up to date with the new publications as well as hear about old favourites and past best sellers which may no longer be published.

One of the frustrations of course of working in a library is that you never have time to do any reading while working. It is a busy, fast moving environment with lots of kids, teenagers, senior readers, computer and database queries, plus the odd technology problem or three.

To relax at home though with a book is one of the great pleasures of life. One can transform into the princess, the intrepid adventurer in Lord of the Rings, the great crime sleuth or spy as you try to guess the outcome in any Minette Walters, Agatha Christie and John Le Carre.

So here to the humble book. May it not be replaced by a computer screen anytime soon.

As this photo of the Cardiff Library shows - books are art, architecture and soul food.

Book Crossing

Have you ever seen a book lying on a park bench, airport lounge seat or in a shopping centre - just waiting to be picked up by someone anonymous to be taken home and read? Then you may have just witnessed or been part of the Book Crossing phenomenon.Specially labelled and wrapped free books are just waiting to be picked up and read, then left for another lucky person to read. No other tricks or problems with this. Check out the Book Crossing website to see what books have been released near you and join up if you wish.

I "found" a Book Crossing book a couple of months ago, have read it and am now waiting til my next holiday before I release it. In an airport somewhere perhaps. Lets hope that the security guards don't mistake it for a bomb, even though its clearly labeled.
After all its a book about winning a Nobel Prize!