Today in torture

• Recently an Army brigadier general stopped by the set of 24 to let the show's creator know that 24's casual displays of torture were having "a toxic effect". The show's creator blew the general off and didn't show up for the meeting.
• Kevin Drum, in response to a study showing the dramatic increase in torture scenes on television, and the increased use of torture by protagonists:

  Pre-9/11: torture is used by bad guys. That's one of the ways you know they're bad guys. And today? Actually, nothing's changed. It's still how you know who the bad guys are. We just seem to have temporarily forgotten that.

  Very wise words.