ABC ran the season finale of Last Stand last night. I’d heard it will not be renewed or that it might move to another network. I was glad the show wrapped up definitively. I was surprised. The episode lacked the detail of those that preceded it, but it was nice not to be left hanging. The series reflected the diversity of our armed forces. A woman was third in command, another played a pivotal role, each convincingly. Yesterday Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced that females would soon be assuming a greater role in combat. Although it is right, it saddens me. Of course, women have fought for their countries in the past, almost always as a last resort. But this is 2013 and gender roles are less specific. These women are volunteers, willing to do dirty work many men would not do. I have not served. Perhaps my being uncomfortable with women in combat stems from guilt or a self consciousness engendered by the fear that I am a coward or a suppressed resentment of their being braver than me. The only real concern should be whether they can meet the physical qualifications. Politicians should not force the unqualified into harm’s way. I was concerned when women entered the police force in large numbers. Well, crime in NYC is down considerably, so there hasn’t been a negative effect. When I asked a former officer his opinion of female cops, he said there was a lot more to the job than busting creeps, something I’d never even considered. I hope my concerns about women in combat prove as groundless. The prospect prompts this agnostic to think: God’s speed.
It was 14 degrees when I left the house for my morning walk at 6:30. The floating book shop has now been sidelined four days, and will be so again tomorrow when I venture to Jersey for my great nephew’s 17th birthday. And the warming trend has been pushed back till Monday, which means business is in jeopardy on Sunday too. I’ve lost about ten days this month. I miss my regular customers and well-wishers, and the few dollars that roll in, although last Saturday, Sunday and Monday sessions were a lot more profitable than usual. I tried to make this idle period productive by re-reading the Exchanges file, finding errors. The publisher of WheelMan Press has not communicated with me much. He said the book was close to being put into production. I worry that he won’t send me a file for approval, that he’ll go straight to print. In the first half of the manuscript, I’ve found 17 errors. Many, such as failing to capitalize Democrats, might not even be noticed, but I’d still prefer to get as close to zero as possible. Fortunately, the writing seems solid.
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Vic's Third Novel (Print or Kindle): http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
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