Notes on The New York Times and our world today

--Anyone who screams for less and less regulation of business should, once again, take a lesson from life--and China--today after reading that a 28-story apartment tower caught fire while under renovation yesterday. It ended up burning most of the building and killing "at least 42 people and injuring at least 90 others..." Less regulation. Right. As though oil spills and skyscraper fires aren't enough. Personally, I'm also fond of clean air, water and soil, too, but that's me. Oh, and I also don't like my world financial economy collapsing, either. Call me picky.

--There's a very small, brief article describing Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki saying yesterday that "an Iranian arms shipment intercepted in Nigeria was a 'misunderstanding' that had been settled." It goes on: "Nigeria says the shipment of artillery rockets and other weapons, which were labeled as building supplies and found in Lagos, Nigeria, last month, may have been on the way to politicians intending to use violence if they lose forthcoming elections." Get that? "Building supplies"? Yeah, right. We're convinced.

--There is a terrific review of what sounds like a wonderful and funny book by one Christian Lander that lampoons "being white". It's called "The Whiter Shade of Pale". The author of the review did his best, it seems/I think, to be on par with the humor of Mr. Lander. I have to quote one line in it for you: "When white people think about regular salt, all they can think about is sodium and poor health. When they think about sea salt, they think about France." I loved that line. (You're welcome).

--Finally, for the "true believers" or true followers out there of "everything Babs", I see in a full-color, full-page ad on the back of section C--naturally the Arts section--that Barbara Streisand has come out with a book on design. (Ugh). It's called, of course, "My Passion for Design" and quotes Ms. Streisand as saying "My whole life, in a sense, has been a search for beauty." Well, it has ever since she got her first big checks, anyway.