Sunday, January 7, 2007

Recommended Reading

Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, writes an interesting essay about torture. He says that there's no real evidence that it's effective in gaining useful information and I suspect he's right. But I also think there are some people who, for reasons I won't pretend to fully understand, just plain like the idea of their government torturing people who are either the enemy or who kinda look like the enemy.

• Posted at 7:54 PM · LINK

Going Bye-Bye

George W. Bush has said he would not change his Iraq policies even if the only support he had came from his wife and his dog.

He's getting darned close to that. He's losing Utah.

• Posted at 11:26 AM · LINK

From the E-Mailbag...

When I posted the video link last night, I knew that when I woke up, someone would have sent me more info on its original airdate. Jon Delfin tracked down some info that says it's from 1984, which seems about right to me given the way Soupy looks. Alan Kupperberg also says 1984.

Also in the morning mail, Ray Arthur reminds me that tomorrow will be the 81st birthday of the pie-encrusted Mr. Soupy Sales. He asks if I have an address to which folks can send cards and if I have any updated info on Soupy's health. I have a current address for the man but don't think I should be posting it on the 'net or giving it out to strangers. You'll have to settle for me reporting what Chuck McCann told me; that he'd seen Soupy on a recent trip east and that Soupy seemed more like his old self than he has in years. Good to hear and we all wish him well in his 81st year and beyond. (And before anyone asks about an address for Chuck: Wait. I'll be helping him put together his own website and announcing it here when it's open for business.)

• Posted at 10:28 AM · LINK

Today's Video Link

Oh, is this going to make some of you so happy...mainly those of you who grew up watching TV in New York in the sixties. It's an interview conducted by Stewart Klein and he's chatting with three veterans of kids' shows on WNEW...Fred Scott, Sandy Becker and Soupy Sales. I don't know how long ago this was done but Mr. Klein passed away in 1999 so it's at least that old.

The whole chat runs around 26 minutes and it's been cut into three parts and posted to YouTube. Here's a direct link to Part One, here's a link to Part Two and one more click will get you to Part Three. And now I'm going to embed the first part below and thank Marc Thorner for letting me know about these videos.

• Posted at 2:43 AM · LINK

Recommended Reading

In October of '02, 77 United States Senators voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq. ABC News recently asked them if they'd vote differently, based on what they know now. Here's what they said.

• Posted at 2:43 AM · LINK