Mostly the papers.

[zotz]

There's an interesting article by Dan Plesch in the Grauniad about the UN being essentially a continuation and expansion of the WWII alliance. The Wikipedia article on the UN has the same facts listed but doesn't go as far. Worth a read, I thought. Robin Cook's also got a piece about the prosecution of British soldiers for abuse of prisoners and the resulting press furore:

Nor did it take the advent of the ICC to make it an offence to beat an unarmed prisoner to death. On the contrary, such conduct would have constituted a crime in British law any time in the 50 years since we adopted the Geneva convention, and was explicitly designated a war crime under the last Conservative government.

However, the mere mention of the international criminal court in the charge sheet has led to claims that the trial is under its jurisdiction. It is nothing of the kind. The trial of the soldiers will take place under our national law in a British court martial, before a jury of their peers from serving colleagues in the army. For that matter the initiative to prosecute them was taken by the Army Prosecuting Authority and was not a political decision by the attorney general or any other minister.

Cthulhu last night was fun. About the usual amount got done. Afterwards I went to KJ's where Andrew was being a proud father in a second sense - he'd just been sent an actual copy of Nova Scotia, and was struck by how excellently the cover has come out. After he told me that it's a photo taken by his brother that survived only as a colour photocopy, I was even more impressed. There's a launch on the 11th in Blackwell's opposite Old College, and it's free, so you should all come along.

I read The Cost Of Pearls, and it's really good. I've read hardly any of Morgan's work, and I'm starting to feel that as a lack.

Today's been quiet up here, and rather warm. There was going to be a seminar by someone from the EBI, but it's been postponed due to yesterday's unpleasantness.

Comments

[devilgate.livejournal.com]

Do you know offhand what day of Worldcon the Nova Scotia launch is happening? I can't make it to the con, but I'll be passing through Glasgow on my way to Aberdeen on the Friday, and if it happened to coincide...

[zotz]

I don't know. I'll ask, though.

[reddragdiva]

By the way, do you actually contribute to Wikipedia at all, or just read it?

[zotz]

Just read ATM. There are a few things I should really throw in, but it would involve collecting my thoughts on the matter first.

Nova Scotia cover

[fizzyboot.livejournal.com]

After he told me that it's a photo taken by his brother that survived only as a colour photocopy, I was even more impressed.

But what's it a photo of?

Re: Nova Scotia cover

[zotz]

Have you seen it? On the front it's a photo of one thing, and on the back another, although it's actually the same photo the other way up.

Originally, it was a sunset.

Re: Nova Scotia cover

[fizzyboot.livejournal.com]

Have you seen it?

Yes, I was in KJ's on Thursday. (Now you'll have to guess who I am, hee hee).

I thought it looked like a false-colour satellite photo of a planet.

Re: Nova Scotia cover

[zotz]

Well, if it wasn't for the poker, I'd say you were Phil. Gav's the one who talks about poker. But I don't think it's him for other reasons, so my guess is that you're Phil.

It does look like a satellite photo - that's it upside down. On the back cover it's the right way up. I think it's a sunset in either Orkney or Shetland.