h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

What an odd travel back from work this evening, after for some unknown reason cancelling my attendance at my first perl mongers technical meeting I head home by cycling the 8 miles home.

As I'm nearing the last mile of my journey I start up a bridge/hill when out of nowhere comes a flying boot, it misses me by miles but the guy who threw it at me just grunted and mumbled in a crazy fashion.

But wait there's more...

Then as I'm reaching the apex of the hill my steering starts to melt, I have no idea what's going on but I'm now very worried for my safety so I get off the bike, onto the pavement to examine it. It appears as though both bars which join up with the steering block have rusted away and have cracked almost in two. If I'd have gone down that hill my bike would be in two pieces and it's likely I'd be in several bits too.

Score one for the crazy guy spooking me out there.

The other bit of news is that I got an interesting letter from the US SSS which informs me I'm now eligible for the draft. Now while I have no qualms with emergency procedures there is just a couple of problems with this, 1) I can't knowingly harm others as a moral principle, and 2) I can't knowingly support others who I know will harm others. It seems to conflict a bit since I don't think they thought people would be following Ghandi's teachings when they drafted the draft.

After some research I gather I can object on conscientious grounds which is good because it would be a bit of a problem if I shot someone since I'd have to then risk my life to save them and that wouldn't really be good thing to have to do. Hopefully if such a thing comes into being in the next few years while I'm in the USA I'll be able to travel back to the UK and avoid any issues.