Chanukah Song Update

Marcel Marceau, World-Renowned Mime With A Classic Repertory, Dies At 84 - As Good As News apologizes for the delay in reporting this sad item, but we have just learned of a new development. Adam Sandler announced today that he would add a moment of silence between Parts I and II of the Chanukah song as a tribute to Marceau, born as Marcel Mangel to Jewish parents in Strasbourg, France.

Debate Erupts on Techniques Used by C.I.A. -Kudos again NY Times - not because you ran a great story yesterday, we already gave you credit for that - but because you resisted the temptation to put the following remark from Senator John D. Rockefeller IV in a bold face headline: "I find it unfathomable that the committee tasked with oversight of the C.I.A.’s detention and interrogation program would be provided more information by The New York Times than by the Department of Justice."

CIA withholds torture opinions it received from the Justice Department, Office of Legal Counsel on grounds of "privilege". Executive privilege or attorney-client privilege? If the latter, who is the client, the US government as a whole, or just the CIA/Executive Branch? There are some interesting issues, maybe even Constitutional questions, but the basic absurdity of the CIA position - We can torture because we got a letter from our lawyer, and we don't have to show anyone the letter - dominates the specific questions. Something will have to give here, either in a Congressional inquiry or a court case brought by a torture victim.

Strip Policy on Rikers Costs City - The City has already agreed to a settlement fund of up to $50 Million to cover claims for inappropriate strip searches at the Riker's Island prison and it appears the guards are going for more. What is going on, Riker's guards? $50 Million broken into small bills should be more than adequate to stuff several hundred thousand G-Strings, with plenty left over for the lap dances, we gave you an unlimited budget and you exceeded it.