News and views for 5 November 2013

News and views noted along the way.

• Is China finally coming to terms with its horrific past?  — “While the Party has chosen to selectively forget the most gruesome excesses of the Cultural Revolution, some ordinary Chinese are pushing to reveal the gruesome and extremely personal cost of the Cultural Revolution. Using blogs, paid advertisements, and television appearances, some participants in the horrific crimes of the era have begun publicly apologizing to their victims and calling on their countrymen to do the same.”
• Marijuana and alcohol  — Americans are growing more comfortable with marijuana, with 58% favoring legalization, according to the latest Gallup poll. At the same time, some researchers believe they have identified a side benefit to increasing availability of the drug: It could lead to decreased consumption of alcohol among young people.
• Number of publishers forced out of business shows sharp increase  — “The rise of ebooks and pressure from important retailers to discount titles are forcing increasing numbers of British publishers out of business  … Ninety-eight publishers of books, periodicals and other materials became insolvent in the year to the end of August 2013. … That figure is up from 69 in the year to August 2012, and 36 the year before that.”
• The latest travel marketing craze: unmarried aunts who want to spoil other people’s kids  — “This demographic, nicknamed “PANKs” (Professional Aunt, No Kids), has potential especially in the US, argues a new report on global tourism trends by Euromonitor.”