From: "Roy C. Lackey" <rclackey@stic.net>
Subject: (urth) Copperhead time
Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 01:32:13 

    Anyone else notice the temporal problems within the story? GW is on
record as stating that he doesn't like to repeat himself wrt important story
information. Yet, the protagonist is repeatedly referred to as the "new
President" (hereafter NP). Why? He can't be the "new" President. Such an
adjective could or would normally only be used for the first few months in
office, yet, on the evening that the story action takes place, he has been
in office for about 15 months. If we use the timeframe of the most recent
election as a referent, the story yields the following facts:

A) The NP's campaign lasted most or all of the year 2000, culminating in his
successful election in November. ("I had been working hard. Not only after
my inauguration, but for more than a year before it.")

B) He was inaugurated January, 2001.

C) He and his wife went to their country retreat in the Spring of 2001 for
R&R, but returned to Washington after "eighteen hours".

D) August, 2001, a UFO crashed.

E) Autumn, 2001, ("Fall came. Football season.") the NP receives the Changer
and the naked woman appears.

F) A murder and suicide follow.

G) It is Spring, 2002. ("She rose again and went to the window, staring out
into the spring night.")

    The NP had this exchange with George, earlier that same evening:

**********************************
    "I'm sure you're right, Mr. President."

    "I know I am. Fortunately we've got three years until the next
election."

    "Longer than that, Mr. President."

    "Nearly three years until the next campaign." Although no one was
watching, the new President made himself smile. Smiles showed in your voice.
"That's what matters."
*********************************

    Now, the next election will be in the Autumn of 2004, only about 2 1/2
years in the future, and campaigning begins long before the election, so the
next presidential campaign will begin, at most, two years from the day the
story takes place, and definitely not "longer" than the three years
mentioned above. What's going on here?

-Roy



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