Thoughts before Errands

EDITED TO ADD: This is what I get for posting a "news" story before I do my back-checks, which you'd think I'd know better than.

The story now behind the cut-line below is, as mentioned by Alert Readers, a hoax. The only back-trails are to the original article in the alternative newspaper Pointblank, and about a zillion blog entries expressing horror. The lesson -- beside the obvious reminder to yr hmbl correspondent to check her facts -- appears to be that the current political climate makes such a story seem probable to a good number of intelligent people.


I give you the case of Sgt. Emiliano Santiago, who served out his contracted 8 years, only to find that the goverment has set back his termination date until December 24, 2031.

From the Seattle Times:

Since members of the Army National Guard have been serving on active duty since October 2001, Byron said the law allowed military planners to involuntarily extend the duty of Santiago and any other Guardsmen.

Santiago's attorney, Steven Goldberg, argued the judges should read Santiago's contract carefully and come down on the side of a teenaged recruit who did not read all the pertinent federal codes relating to military service.

Goldberg also noted that involuntarily extending terms of duty would have a chilling effect on recruitment.

"If you accept what the government is saying, what young man or woman would be willing to sign up?" he asked.

...Look carefully at Mr. Goldberg's question: Who under these circumstances is going to be willing to sign up. Now we have the answer, with thanks to matociquala for pointing this out:

( hoax story behind the cut )

Frizzle Day

Provisions were taken on and the mail collected. The lolly at the post office included two kind notes from Sue Stewart, each with a card commemorating Andre.

Less happily in today's mail, a bill from DNA Publications. Mind you, I can't get a contributor's copy of the last Absolute Magnitude by any wile known to woman, but by ghod, they can send me a bill. Not amused, me.

Back home, I faxed the pages-with-corrections of Sword of Orion to our intrepid editor, then rolled up my sleeves and addressed the filing, which I've allowed to build into a shameful paper mountain. Several hours later, cheered on by the Mediaeval Babes ("Rose"), all of SRM's FY 2004 filing is done. In practical terms, this means I can see the top of the file cabinet, but not my worktable.

Danced the happy money dance in honor of news of a check soon to be gracing a mailbox near us.

Inserted two details into Crystal Dragon, as kinzel forges bravely on toward The End.

Mozart had his claws clipped, though he did his best to avoid it, and Scrabble informed me that she is so an outside cat. Broke out the contract and showed her the Indoor Cat clause -- not amused, her.

Time for dinner, yes.