QuikSand
07-22-2004, 06:53 AM
So, the much-discussed report of the 9/11 Commission is formally released today, as you no doubt already know.
What you may not know is that there is also a commercial version that is being released in bookstores for sale, as well. Yes - this document, being released and printed for free through the government printing office, and widely and legally propagated through the internet, will also be for sale to whoever might want to purchase it - with an initial print run of 500,000.
And before you say that this is absolutely absurd... there is some evidence that Americans have a deeper interest in important matters of public policy than you might give them credit for. There was another government report not too long ago which followed the same pattern - and the commercially available volume sold more than a million copies - proving that Americans, when they are sufficiently concerned about a grave matter of deep public interest, will indeed pursue commercial outlets as appropriate for that sort of vital information.
That report - of course - was the Starr Commission's, nominally established to investigate land dealings in Arkansas, but eventually laced with enough references to oral sex to make even Oprah Winfrey blush.
But surely, an issue as weighty as the 9/11 Commission, where nearly everyone would have to agree that the public policy issues involved are far more important, will gather as much attention and interest from the buying public.
So - do you have yours pre-ordered yet?
What you may not know is that there is also a commercial version that is being released in bookstores for sale, as well. Yes - this document, being released and printed for free through the government printing office, and widely and legally propagated through the internet, will also be for sale to whoever might want to purchase it - with an initial print run of 500,000.
And before you say that this is absolutely absurd... there is some evidence that Americans have a deeper interest in important matters of public policy than you might give them credit for. There was another government report not too long ago which followed the same pattern - and the commercially available volume sold more than a million copies - proving that Americans, when they are sufficiently concerned about a grave matter of deep public interest, will indeed pursue commercial outlets as appropriate for that sort of vital information.
That report - of course - was the Starr Commission's, nominally established to investigate land dealings in Arkansas, but eventually laced with enough references to oral sex to make even Oprah Winfrey blush.
But surely, an issue as weighty as the 9/11 Commission, where nearly everyone would have to agree that the public policy issues involved are far more important, will gather as much attention and interest from the buying public.
So - do you have yours pre-ordered yet?