Prison for Everyone

No reader should think I that I support Martha Stewart going to jail. There are bigger fishes to fry in the corporate world than Martha. The media frenzy over her sentencing is out of control and shows how souless it is as an institution. But I do get a kick that Martha likens herself to Nelson Mandela.
 
If the media were doing its job, they would talk about Donald Rumsfeld and why he isn't in jail yet. Or they could talk about Kenneth Lay, former head of Enron, and how long it has taken prosecutors to just indict him--let alone for him to be sentenced. There are big differences between Kenny Boy (George W's personal nickname for him) and Martha, you say? The case is much more complicated in Enron. Is it? 
 
Andrew Fastow, the former top finance guy of Enron, is fully cooperating with the Fed now. He received a 10 year sentence. His wife, one year. To get Martha, all the Fed had was her broker's assistant. And she was not found guilty of insider trading. She was found guilty of misleading federal investigators. So in some way, you're right that there's a difference between Martha and Kenny Boy. It's the magnitude of harm done to our society. There is a huge difference there and Kenny Boy did much, much worse.
 
I feel obligated to talk about a scientific study in the news about children and TV. Given I am a Hollywood guy and once was in public health, there's an irrational sense of personal responsibility I have to say something about it. And I will write something, but later. Golf's on.