THIS MODERN WORLD

On this weekend’s This American Life, official friend of TMW Jack Hitt talks with the Afghan satirist who spent three years at Gitmo because interrogators didn’t get the punchline.

Habeas Schmabeas
The right of habeas corpus has been a part of this country’s legal tradition longer than we’ve actually been a country. It means the government has to explain why it’s holding a person in custody. But now, the war on terror has nixed many of the rules we used to think of as fundamental. At Guantanamo Bay, our government initially claimed that the prisoners should not be covered by habeas – or even by the Geneva Conventions – because they’re the most fearsome terrorist enemies we have. But is that true? Is it a camp full of terrorists, or a camp full of our mistakes? Reporter Jack Hitt unveils everything we know about who these prisoners are. In interviews with two former detainees, he finds out the consequences of taking away habeas, for them and for us.

Here’s a little treat for you in honor of the closing of Abu Ghraib prison. Remember when the scandal first broke and John Derbyshire said :

The Abu Ghraib “scandal”: Good. Kick one for me. But bad discipline in the military (taking the pictures, I mean). Let’s have a couple of courts martial for appearance’s sake. Maximum sentence: 30 days CB.

Well, here’s a video of tough guy Derbyshire getting his ass kicked by Bruce Lee. Derb’s the one in the striped shirt.

You’ll have to kick him a lot harder than that to knock some sense into him, Bruce. There’s more info about his brush with greatness at Wikipedia.

This is from reader Shana Siegel:

I will be running this half marathon to raise funds for the American Stroke Association. In 2002, I suffered a stroke and while I made a complete recovery, I can still recall how scary it was to suddenly have half of my body go numb. At the time, I did not understand that the numbness I felt on the left side of my body was a classic sign of stroke. It took months to get a diagnosis. Every doctor I spoke to said I was too young to have had a stroke. During this time, I searched the internet, like so many of us do, for clues as to cause of illness. The American Stroke Association’s website listing of common stroke symptoms encouraged me to seek out a doctor that would take my symptoms seriously. When my neurologist diagnosed stoke, he too thought I was too young. However, I have come to find out that stroke is not a condition that effects any age group in particular.

About 700,000 Americans each year suffer a new or recurrent stroke. That means, on average, a stroke occurs every 45 seconds. That is why it is important to know the warning signs of stoke. As I have already mentioned, sudden numbness on one side of the face or body is sign of stroke. A person may also have sudden dizziness or trouble with balance, trouble speaking or understanding, or sudden severe headache with no known cause. It is important to realize that the symptoms of stroke come on suddenly and that is important to call 911 if you or someone you know begins to experience these symptoms. Okay enough with the educational portion of this letter, now I am going to tell you how together we can work to end stroke.

The American Stroke Association has developed a program called Train to End Stroke that gives participants the opportunity, through training with coaches, to complete a marathon or a half marathon feeling strong in exchange for raising funds for stroke research and education. However, you do not have to run even one mile because I will do it for you! My fundraising goal is to raise $5,000 dollars by April 15. As we all know, April 15 is tax day, so let me remind you that your donation is 100% tax deductible. While it is too late for this year’s tax, a donation made to the American Stroke Association will make a great tax deduction for next year. And remember, the greater the gift the greater the tax deduction!

I’ve talked to Shana, and this is all on the level. Her donation page is here.

Full disclosure: the Townes Van Zandt film advertised to your right was directed by a friend of mine and produced by another. That aside, it is a compelling movie with a strange staying power. You don’t have to be a country music fan or a Townes aficionado to appreciate this one.

So do me a favor, give them a click thru.

Personal aside: as some of you will probably remember, I was introduced to the music and story of Townes Van Zandt by one Mr. Steve Earle, who played songs like Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold as we sat in the back of a bare-bones tour bus driving from New Mexico to Colorado one fine afternoon. Which was, in retrospect, not a bad way to do it.

I’ll be on tour the week of March 27, hitting New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berkeley and Seattle. I should have specific appearance information for each city soon.

I apologize in advance for flogging the book to the extent that I probably will — I know how tedious that sort of thing can be. But as I’ve mentioned before, this one is particularly important. If this one doesn’t do well, I’m really not entirely sure that there’ll be another. There sure won’t be another in full color, I can guarantee you.

(I’m also feeling a bit edgy because the publicist I’ve been working with for the past few months was just let go. It’s not quite as bad as losing your editor three weeks before pub date, but it’s not an ideal situation.)

Right now, the best way to support the site, the cartoonist, the whole shebang, is to buy the damn book. Ad’s over to your left.

(And if you want to send a note to, say, The Daily Show or the Colbert Report, suggesting a guest you’d like to see on, well, who am I to discourage you?)