I glanced at the entertainment listings in The New York Times on my way in this morning, and I had a bizarre deja vu. For a second it felt like I was trapped in "Peggy Sue Got Married," because all the film selections sounded like they were from my childhood. A remake of "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," then yet another version of "The Amityville Horror" because the first four did not sufficiently tell the tale, and a new television remake of Kojak. Apparently there are no more ideas left in Hollywood. They have all been used up. Maybe there's a segment for the show in this— I'll kick it around.
Today, as we wait for the inevitable end to the Terri Schiavo case, we will be joined by famous forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht. He will described in detail what the autopsy will reveal and whether or not it will be able to prove the extent of brain damage Schiavo endured.
Later, Chris Jansing will update us on the Pope's condition. He is apparently now receiving nutrition from a feeding tube. He is obviously not in the state that Schiavo is in, but it makes for an interesting discussion. The Pope has already said that he does not consider such medical treatments to be extraordinary care, unlike a respirator or heart and lung machine.
One last interesting story we are following today: An untold number of soldiers U.S. who have left their duty and fled to Canada, basically deserting to ensure that they will not have to return to Iraq. I say "untold number" because some reports say it's around five and others say it is 5,000. Seriously, it is that varied. Not sure who to believe as far as the extent of the problem, but either way a group of deserters are hoping for immunity from the Canadian government.
This story brings to mind the draft dodgers in the 1970s who fled to Canada to avoid Vietnam. They were later pardoned, of course, and have returned to the United States. Today's military is different, though. These men and women have volunteered their services, often in exchange for an education and a better paying job. No one forced them to enter. Should we force them stay, and didn't they realize what they were signing up for when they joined?
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