Lots of interesting stuff today...

A new book claiming that Sirhan Sirhan was a Manchurian Candidate-style hypnotized patsy is getting some attention. This theory (Sirhan is hypnotized, comes in shooting wildly to distract from the real shooter standing behind RFK) has been around forever. When put with the forensic evidence--too many shots, different calibers, and the fatal shot coming from a place Sirhan wasn't--one thing is clear: whatever happened, it wasn't the official version.



I know some of you get tired of my harping on the assassinations, but they're a very clear example of how governments message reality to their own ends. They're also a clear example of what our government really cares about, which apparently isn't finding out the truth when our democratic process is manipulated by violence. Who killed RFK, and why, isn't vitally important anymore--but the fact that we still don't know, and can't trust the people in charge of finding out to be passionate and objective and go wherever the truth may lead--is. Is it any wonder that our national dreams--"The West Wing," "CSI"--are now ones of high competence and clear integrity?



Last night, I watched the first half of Ken Burns' new documentary on Jack Johnson. Excellent, just excellent.



Parody lovers will be dismayed to hear that Ellis Weiner's Dick and Jane spoof is being sued. I haven't read the book, but I cannot imagine how it could injure the sales of the original. And it's clearly marked, with a prominent disclaimer, so it can't be mistaken for the original, either. Seems like silly lawyer games to me. Here's a snip straight from the Times article: "Earlier this month, when Pearson filed the suit, its lawyer, Stephen W. Feingold, wrote to the plaintiffs offering to discuss a settlement and saying that it had initially 'decided not to sue over a title it thought would not be commercially successful.'" Well, that's a giveaway. It's either fair use or its not--commercial success has no bearing on whether it's protected. Just shooting from the hip.