Monday Night Link Orgy

Hey, did you happen to know that someone's giving a speech tonight?

Well, neither did I, which leads me to side with John Cole in believing that this is possibly the least hyped State of the Union address I can remember. On the one hand, that's too bad for President Bush. Usually his State of the Union speeches are about as good as his oratory gets (I think it has a lot to do with the large amount of preparation time he gets relative to other addresses). Then again, maybe the White House thought they could simply fly under the radar this year and hope no one would notice.

In any event, if you're not interested in watching Bush's last State of the Union, here is some alternative reading:

* Lots of buzz about Spencer Ackerman's article in the newly launched Washington Independent on the CIA's feeble interrogation capabilities prior to 9/11 and what "enhancing" those techniques has done to the agency.

* Speaking of interrogation, if you did not see last night's 60 Minutes, check out the absolutely captivating segment on FBI agent George Piro, the man responsible for interrogating Saddam Hussein. It's an absolutely hypnotic story that will surely be coming to a theater near you some time in the future.

* The cultural importance of Rambo, from the original 1972 novel to the current film.

* The life of rogue economist Hyman Minsky, whom The Chief noted back in August when we were warning anyone who would listen of the impending financial disaster I'm sure we'll hear President Bush speak about tonight ...

* The quarterly journal World Affairs is back in circulation (again) and the first issue is packed with heavy weights: Christopher Hitchens, Alan Wolfe, and George Packer among them.

* A look at Third Coast Studios, soon to be Wisconsin's only bona fide commercial movie studio.

* Finally, a look at the Obama and Clinton strategies for winning on Super Tuesday at New York Magazine, which is best goddamn publication in America right now, so far as I'm concerned.