(no subject)

Good news:

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the US Army will effectively end within two years the unpopular practice of forcing soldiers to serve beyond their enlistment date, in a break with the former Bush administration.

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Meanwhile, from the “fiction” section...

Former U.S. President George W. Bush will write a book about some of the decisions he made during his eight years in office, which will be published by the Crown Publishing Group in 2010.

(When I sent this link to a friend in AIM, she replied, “Isn’t it illegal for criminals to profit from books about their crimes?” To which I replied, “Innocent until proven sentient.”)

(no subject)

If you’ve not seen it, the 2003 PJ Hogan version of Peter Pan is well worth watching; Jason Isaacs in his duel role as Captain Hook and Mr. Darling carries the movie (as one might expect), and the boy playing Peter seems to have a dash of Pan in his features, as well. Very good special effects; some of the comedy with the children is a bit broad, but that’s par for the course with a movie of this sort. (Too, it’s beautifully shot: the cinematographer was Donald McAlpine, who shot Moulin Rouge- a fact that gives the Tinkerbell scenes an added kick for the knowledgeable viewer.)