Sunday, January 16, 2005

The idiots versus the dummies -- and the idiots win!

A while ago, I read "Quitting Smoking for Dummies." It was ok. Then last night, I was browsing in a bookstore and spent a while flipping through The Complete Idiot's Guide to Quitting Smoking. It was a lot better than the Dummies book. In fact, I was so impressed with it, that I would say that if someone were to read only one book to guide them through the quitting process, the Idiot's book would be a great choice. I wish I had read it before my quit. The psychology was just right, acknowledging up front that people DO get something out of smoking (take that, Allen Carr); the information was accurate, thorough, and detailed; and the tone was encouraging and even at times funny -- and if there's one thing I've found out during this quit is that it really helps to be able to laugh!

"The Insider" on 60 Minutes tonight

Jeffrey Wigand, the tobacco company whistleblower whose story was portrayed in the 1999 movie "The Insider," was profiled by Mike Wallace on tonight's "60 Minutes." It was strange. The movie had revealed to the world how Mike Wallace and "60 Minutes" had betrayed Dr. Wigand when he first blew the whistle. Perhaps Mike Wallace is now trying to make amends, to make things right before he retires?

Tonight's story briefly touches on the earlier one, and then goes on to show Wigand's current work, trying to keep kids from smoking.

40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 19 seconds

So far, so good.