Martial, NOT Marshal

As I was zipping through the channels the other night, looking for something to watch, I came upon the 2004 television miniseries, 10.5, about a huge series of earthquakes that ravish the nation's west coast.

Although I'd seen it before and had no plans to continue watching, my fingers held off pressing any buttons on the remote control.

And in those brief few minutes that flashed on the screen, what do I see but a MAJOR faux pas, an egregious error that you'd think somebody would have caught, one of those things that make you shake your head and wonder whether there's anybody in charge.

On screen was a newswoman reporting for the WNB TV Network, talking about the evacuations taken place. Beneath her were the headlines:

West Coast Evacuation

President Officially Declares

MARSHAL LAW

Can you believe it? The stupid producers don't know the difference between a federal agent (marshal, or marshall) and the military (martial).

I wonder if someone's head rolled because of this. Somehow, I doubt it.