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Alisa got the boys a copy of Shonen Jump a week ago. In it, Charlie saw an ad for a live-action version of Death Note, a manga and anime series he likes. It was being presented in a limited run for two nights only. When we checked, we found that it was being shown in a theater not too far away, so we reserved tickets on-line, and went to see it with a couple of his friends.

Death Note is about a college student who finds a notebook that allows the finder to kill people. By writing a name in the book, the person named dies. But the writer can also include details of how and when the person will die. There are elements of the impatience of youth and how power corrupts, and the question of whether crime merits the ultimate punishment all wrapped up in a dramatic bundle. I can see why teenagers are fascinated by the show.

Other than three dozen people who turned out on a rainy night for Death Note, the 15 theater complex seemed nearly deserted. I noticed that the airports I travelled through last wek also seemed nearly deserted. I think the recession is already deeper than anyone recognizes. We've entered the rabbit hole and now the question is just how deep does it go...