The lowdown on the Ian McEwan dilemma: The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that Ian McEwan's visa snafu came about because he is scheduled to make a number of speaking engagements and will be earning in excess of $1000, the ceiling permissible on a tourist visa. If one earns more than a thousand, a work visa is required. McEwan, of course, had only a tourist visa. McEwan's comment, "Homeland Security is making America safe from British novelists." Enough said. It does seem that Homeland Security and other officials who deal with these matters are making an example of him. But one has to ask, for whom is the example being made?