A followup to the posting from early this week on Peter Watts

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I know I earn the wrath of many by asking this, but since I postly post on this shift nowadays due to recurring insomnia, I would appreciate someone kicking for the morning crew. Dr. Watts has to go back to the courthouse this week, and there is still a little time to help with the legal defence fund.

For those unfamiliar with the story, Dr. Peter Watts is a Canadian SF author and a microbiologist. He'd helped move a friend to the States, and was heading back to Canada when a US Customs officer stopped the rented van, began to search it, and then beat Dr, Watts simply because he got out of the car and asked what was going on. Now HE faces a felony charge which could put him in prison for 2 years.

Anyhow, there is a group over at Facebook giving more details on the case and updating it when something new happens. In fact, Peter has made an appeal to someone who evidently was a witness to the action, who posted to his webblog. PZ Myers, the Scienceblogs holder of the sacred "evolution" flame has also helped to generate some press on it, and so on.

There is a guy at the Facebook group who has designed a "Free the Squid" at Cafepress, and all profit goes directly to the legal fund. Here is the Cafe Press link: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.cafepress.com%252Ffreethesquid&h=4a4b6fdd34601419a5aa280e2afc4e65&ref=share

Peter also feeds feral and stray cats in the Toronto area, something that makes him a saint in my eyes! The Facebook group has other links and a running discussion going to get the word out as much as possible to anyone who feels they can help in some fashion.

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1. kick