Plotfinding

Some writers are great at plot; me, I'm better at characters. But, just as several of us discussed at Armadillocon not long ago, the Current Events of today give us a plethora of plot material.

For example, at this URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/21/AR2007082101662_pf.html You can read all about the White House manual for handling dissent at the President's public appearances. If I had made this up for, say, THE MAQUISARDE, I surely would have taken flak about stretching the realms of possibility. But no, gentle reader, no stretch is impossible. And if we as writers have any difficulty making things up, we can always turn to the current administration for wicked ideas.

Witness: dissenters must not be seen by the (supposedly democratically elected) president, nor must they be in the area of his motorcade. They may be advised by the police--kid you not, the police--that there is a "dissent area" where they will be allowed to assemble and protest. Wear a t-shirt with a negative message? Get arrested. Read the article, it happened. That couple just won $80 grand from the government for unlawful detainment. Aren't you thrilled at that particular expenditure of your taxes?

I feel a story coming on . . .