An Australian government worker was injured while having sex with a friend on a business trip. The judge said the injuries occurred during the course of her employment, and no. She was not a professional sex worker. Click on the title for the full story. Woman Hurt During Sex on Work Trip Gets Compo: Court
Sooo….. If she got pregnant during the course of her employment, would the State be liable for that? What about an STD? Anyone else seeing a snowball here?
Blogs and Articles in No Particular Order
Best selling author Kristen Lamb reminds us why we need to get out of our comfort zone if we’re going to reach readers. What Mascara, Thai Food, and Julia Child Can Teach Us about Social Media Success
The ever humorous Paige Kellerman tells us about her recent trip to the zoo, a field trip I still impose upon my teens. The Goat Pens
I think there’s nothing this man doesn’t know about aviation history. X-15: Triumph and Tragedy by Nigel Blackwell.
Rascally Twitter ferret, Samuel Clemons, drew my attention to this one. I almost made the headliner, but I actually think it’s a great idea. Four-Legged US Viewers Wag Tails for DogTV Channel
Sonia Medeiros introduced me to the comedy talents of Natalie Tran over at her blog this week. Totally cracked me up. As my son would say, “It funny cause it true.” What Would You Say to Past You?
Five Star Day by international best selling author Vicki Hinze. What’s your perfect day? Also, don’t miss the chance to download her awesome book, Girl Talk: Letters Between Friends, which follows four friends from their teens through their forties. Now free on Kindle until Sunday, April 22!
A must read for every newbie author from J.A.Konrath. The Agency Model Sucks
In the What’s This World Coming To Department, Ohio High School Student Banned from Graduation for Aiding Sick Mom. And we wonder why the schools are in trouble.
Just in case you need something to sing as you’re spearing eels at night from a canoe with the aid of a torch or lantern. Songs for Weequashing by Laird Sapir.
The Value of Random Compliments by talented author of RED, Kait Nolan. Because you just can’t be too positive.
Two of my favorites in one place. K.B. Owen guest posts for Jenny Hansen over at the Cowbell. One Note about the World Famous Cowbell
Debut novel from Tammy Salyer. I met Tammy when she was busy winning the Colorado Gold Contest for Best Action/Thriller an at the 2010 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Conference. I’ll be downloading this book, myself, as soon as I get this blog posted. Check out the first chapter here: Contract of Defiance
My kids wrestled me into online gaming, and I’ve continued even though they moved on years ago. This is a video that always cracks me up. Do You Wanna Date My Avatar?
So what do you think? Should employers compensate for injuries sustained while participating in off-duty recreational activities during business trips? What about injuries to avatars? Okay. That last question was a bit silly, but feel free to run with it. 
All the best to all of you for a week of safe recreation.
Piper Bayard–The Pale Writer of the Apocalypse
Great links, Piper, and thank you for the mention!
You bet, Laird. Thank you for educating me about weequashing.
As an employer, I’m horrified at the many ways I can be held responsible for my employees. Did you know I can’t legally fire an employee who is drunk on the job or who doesn’t even bother to show up because he’s wasted? Because alcoholism is a *disease*, and I can’t discriminate on the basis of health…
Thanks for the “Do You Wanna Date My Avatar” video, though! (I needed a laugh by the time I got to it).
Wow. Gives me a deep appreciation for “employment at will” that we have going on here in many of the states. With employment at will, you can fire people for any reason or no reason at all. Obviously, that can be taken too far, too. I guess the bottom line is that people need to not be a$$holes, and that can’t be legislated.
Glad you enjoyed the video.
Hi Diane. Would you mind hiring me so that I can stay home and sleep late while pretending to be an alcoholic? I know where you can get some well trained recently-ex Secrete Service agents at a great price.
Oooh, discount ex-Secret Service agents – that’s a tempting offer! Nevertheless, I’m terribly sorry to inform you that only real alcoholics qualify. If you can develop a bonafide drinking problem, I’ll be happy to keep your resume on file…
Damn. Drinking that much would feel like work so there’s no point.
Lol. He’s right, Diane. Do you have two jobs that meet that description?
Hmm, maybe I should charge a small application fee for this dream job. For a mere $25, I’ll promise to keep each applicant’s resume on file.
Lol. I can respect that.
Diane. That’s a disgusting attitude! I am very disappointed in you. You’re starting to think like me and Piper.
I just forwarded a link for the “date my avatar” video to the Secret Service with the suggestion that they purchase a hot avatar for each agent in the physical protection division. I’ll see if they answer my email today.
LMAO! I can’t wait for the follow up to that one. Do please let us all know.
Heya! Thanks for the mention. I hope you and Holmes enjoy the book. I’d sign it for you if I could. We close May 11th. Coffee after that? Best to you!
Sounds great, Tammy! Best of luck for your closing. I hope things go smoothly.
Hmm…wondering what they were doing with that motel light fixture, LOL. Never trust the sturdiness of anything in a motel. Check into the Hyatt instead. Not that I’m speaking from personal experience or anything! *whistles innocently*
Thanks so much for the cool shout-out of my guest post on Jenny’s site! You rock, Piper! Have a great weekend, free of light fixture mishaps.
Note to self: Change hotel reservations….. Thanks, Kathy! You have a safe weekend, too.
Piper, your End is Near posts are always so fabulous. And such a crackup. Now you’ve got me on to a new addiction too: The Guild.
I’m amazed that that lady won her claim. It doesn’t make sense that injuries during recreational activities recreational activities, whatever they may be, can be compensated. But, if they can compensate someone for an injury during something like a card game, I suppose a little nookie in the hotel room’s fair game
It does make you wonder how anyone could be injured during a card game, though. I suppose they could have been cheating and gotten shot. But that’s even more reason to deny the claim. Good to see you, Sonia. Thanks for Natalie Tran.
You’re totally welcome. I love sharing my addictions…I mean, interests.
You could get caught cheating with the sex thing too. Just saying… Hmmm, is that how the light fixture really got broken?
Um, no. Let me think about it again. Um no. Sometimes you wonder about these judges and how they get in position to make stupid decisions. Oh my, but what a fun links roundup!
Well, it WAS Australia… But the same thing is likely in NZ too owing to the no-fault universal accident compensation scheme, which was designed to stop employment accident cases going to court. Unfortunately the default answer from the organisation is usually ‘no’, followed by lengthy litigation with heads potentially rolling. The last major incident here, involving a woman pushing for claim to the highest levels, led to the Minister for ACC resigning and the Prime Minister scrabbling through his papers to see if he’d said anything. The end is not so much near as yesterday…
The Avatar song is too close to reality…being level 87 in an MMO doesn’t make you a BadA$$ in the real world.
HA! Meet me on line and I’ll make you eat those words!
Hi guys. Thanks for the mention. I’m sure there are plenty of people who actually do know everything about aerospace that would assure you I’m a long way from even knowing about the tip of the iceberg (to mix metaphors!).
I expect you’ve gained a lot of secret service agent followers who are keeping their fingers crossed on the compensation front.
Diane thinks she’s being funny when she says to send her $25. Little does she know I’ve already sent mine and I’m off to start my new my new drunken (and, of course, because it’s Diane) well paid job. She such a great employer.
Cheers! (hic)
Perhaps we should all get together and charter a new corporation in Australia, hire ourselves and our significant others, pretend to be drunk and claim injury from private time activity with our significant others while on a company sponsored junket to a nice vacation spot.
I think poor little Australia has finally hit on a way to attract new companies to their stagnant economy.
Holmes! Brilliant idea. Beats tax breaks and other rubbish. I’m booking tickets as we speak …
Hadn’t seen this version of the dogTV, thanks! Not surprised Dr Dodman would be involved. Harp music has long been known to act as a sedative…but not all dogs actually have the visual ability to see TV images. The sounds, though, sure would be helpful!
[...] TV? you betcha, Fido! Thanks to Piper Bayard for the paws-up [...]