Ed Barkowitz: Come on, This Could Kindle Your Kid's Interest in Reading!

Q: I have a 10-year-old who is looking for a Kindle. I have a hard time getting him to read books (says it is for nerds) but he swears he will read books if gets some kind of an e-reader, like a Kindle. I will do it if he is sincere but I am not sure that he just isn't looking for an expensive gadget. What do you think?

- Getting scammed in Scranton

A: Dude, you have a kid who wants an e-reader for the holidays and you think you're being scammed?!? That is terrrri-bull. Give the kid a chance. If something new and popular is what it takes to get him to read a book, I say go for it. Like anything else involving electronics these days, there has to be parental supervision involved. You have to monitor how much time he's on it and exactly what he is reading. Plus, you're going to be responsible for buying the books he wants to download anyway, so you do have a little edge there. Have a happy holiday and tell him to look up some of the book titles written by Uncle Charles. Hint-hint.

Q: You always played the game with a great passion and I like this column. Now, for my question: Do you think we are going to fall over the fiscal cliff?

- Fan from Fishtown

A: Fiscal Cliff, isn't that where members of Congress go to spend the holidays? It's a shame that such a serious matter would come down to the last minute and then turn into a game of draw. We deserve better than that. I realize that we just came off a long and heated election period, and everybody in government feels the need to wind down a bit. But at the same time, it's now time for a long congressional recess. How do I get a job like that? I say it's time to put the partisan politics and petty differences in the past and get this fiscal business resolved. It should be like grade school - if you don't get your work done on time, no recess for you!