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So colleges and university take it on the chin twice: First, Obama tells them they need to control tuition. Second, Apple announces that they'll sell textbooks . . . for as low as $17.99. Obama's words, of course, are fatuous. In the same speech, he pushed for more college tax credits and grant moneys . . . both of which are inflationary because they shove more cash at higher education. Why can't politicians see this? They can, of course. They just say what they think people want to hear: "We want to control tuition costs, and we want to help you pay for it." What they don't say, "The two work against each other, but it doesn't matter. You're a doofus."

But the Apple textbook revolution could help a bit. Says Tom Woods, "The days of college kids paying $200 for a textbook may be numbered, thanks to Apple's recently announced initiative for iPad textbooks, with multimedia capabilities, for $14.99. Any professor can design such a text, and Apple will give him a 70% royalty – six to seven times what an author usually receives."

Random

I don't have much more for this Week in Review. Did anything much happen? The Fed announced soft money for the next two years, and precious metals showed a corresponding leap. But that's just another re-run in the whipsaw American economy. . . . The NY Giants and NE Patriots are in the Superbowl. Another re-run. And a yawner. . . . (Did you know, incidentally, that the NFL uses over 8,000 volunteers at the Superbowl? They do all sorts of things, from providing directions to operating exhibits at the NFL store. I have a client who is driving to Indianapolis on Friday in order to run the Fantasy Quarterback booth (or some such thing).)

Even the late night humor for the past week has been lame. Lots of re-runs. But these three lines from Conan aren't half-bad:

"According to new polls that just came out, Mitt Romney does very well with Republican voters who make more than $200,000. Or as Romney calls them, 'trailer trash.'" Conan.

"A Florida man was recently arrested for taking up-skirt shots at Wal-Mart. It will come to trial as soon as they can find 12 jurors willing to look at up-skirt shots of Wal-Mart shoppers." Conan.

"Olive Garden announced they're undergoing a makeover to try to increase business. They're so desperate they're even considering serving Italian food."

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