two things of beauty....

One small step back to the nation I was born to... SCOTUS: Guantanamo Detainees Have Habeas Rights (via dailykos)

In a 5-4 decision today written by Justice Kennedy, the Supreme Court has ruled that foreign nationals detained at Guantánamo Bay retain the constitutional privilege of habeas corpus, and that such rights were not validly stripped by Congress in passing the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005, as the procedures in provided did not constitute an adequate and effective substitute for habeas corpus and were therefore unconstitutional.

A SCOTUS shame that it was as close as 5-4.
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In the window of my office, there's a crystal sun-catcher a friend gave me years ago. I hung it there when I moved in, without thinking much about the placement. Until this morning when, by a trick of time, light, and whatever, the light hit the crystal just-so and splayed a rainbow across my keyboard.

Typing in colors, indeed. Good thing I'm not prone to psychedelic flashbacks...

is Jeff Vandermeer afraid of Girl Cooties?

No, this is a (mostly) serious question. In his most current roundup of books he's gotten for review, http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/06/12/books-received-er-recently/ he singles out the two Luna titles (yes, including mine) as "two books I probably won't review." No given reason -- and no indication that he's already read our work and doesn't like it. Just...two Luna titles.

(and it's not because he has anything against fantasy, or even fantasy-with-sex, since he's got Lynn's newest in the main pile o' books and man am I jealous, she says with a pointed look at Lynn and Lynn's agent, who both promised her a copy)

Interesting.

EtA2: And Jeff, being a gentleman, responds. Thanks, Jeff!



EtA: in more important news, my turkey in garlic-tahini sauce with pasta turned out good but not spectacular. My sauce still fails to knock my sandals off. Must investigate further.

*worried*

Normally I hear a constant stream of sirens rising and falling in the distance -- the music of the city. I rarely take conscious notice of it. But there was a lull a few hours ago, when all I heard were the evening birds and some crickets, and the sounds of kids playing...and then the sirens came back, distant but growing, from Manhattan all the way up through Westchester.

And with the sirens, a sound came from up the block, near the college, that I've heard only once before. A deep, echoing sound. An angry sound.

A hungry sound.

I know that sound, although I'd prayed never to hear it again. Not here.

I've sent e-mails warning people, anyone who will believe me and even people who may not. I hope kradical and terri_osborne can get the cats into their carriers and get over here in time. This building will be easier to defend than their place...

Thank gods I stocked the pantry this week. Need to make sure we have enough fresh water. And ammo.

Gonna be a long night.