Salon reviewed The Constant Gardener by John le Carré . That is the latest in my Avoid Infinite Jest Because It's Hard task list. Be careful of that review; there are spoilers. The book is about the murder of a minor British diplomat's do-gooder wife in Kenya and how that is related to the unethical practices of a large pharmaceutical corporation. It's pretty scary. The portrayal of UN humanitarian initiatives is particularly bothersome. In this view, the international aid system is basically a front for Western governments (who are themselves a front for large corporations) to dictate the policies of the Third World under cover of an idealistic program. The real problem is that what le Carré writes jibes with what I've read and heard elsewhere. The world out there sucks. We could probably do something about it, but we don't care enough. And too many powerful people profit from the powerlessness of others. It's depressing. The book itself is worth a read. It's no Galatea 2.2 or The Hours, but 'twill serve.