Pushing the Hunger Envelope

The hunger strike is the most universal form of human protest, employed by kings and commoners alike, for reasons ranging from the noble to the mundane. Today brings news of actress Mia Farrow preparing to try her hand at hunger, in the admirable name of bringing attention to Darfur. According to her Farrow’s publicist, she’ll forego food “for as long as [she:] is able to survive.”

But how long might that be? Over the past few years, the aggrieved have perfected the art of the hunger strike, prolo