Written While Sick

Even though I'm suffering from some sort of annoying illness, here are a few stories from the last week that are worth noting.

The Taliban have resumed intermittent broadcasting on a mobile pirate radio station, the Voice of Shariat, in southeast Afghanistan. If I had to venture an educated guess, I'd say my own radio show in college was probably more interesting.

Russian and Azeri officials have reiterated the readiness of the Qabala radar station in Azerbaijan for inclusion in the American ballistic missile shield program. However, American officials have noted that the site would only be usable if the interceptor missile site was moved to the Czech Republic. Meanwhile, in another former Soviet republic, Georgian troops are training for a major Georgian troop surge to Iraq; the article from AFP SpaceWar is abnormally balanced, so go check it out.

American envoy Christopher Hill has announced that North Korea is only weeks away from shutting down its Yongbyon nuclear facility. (AP, BBC) An alternative view is that the North Koreans can't afford to give up their nukes, as all of their political leverage would disappear if they did.

A United Nations report claims that the genocide and violence in Sudan is fueld by Sudan's refusal to tackle climate change. Honestly, I think this report, beyond being completely irrelevant, is downright irresponsible. Beyond being based on pseudo-scientific nonsense, the suggestion that Muslim Janjaweed militias are raping, pillaging, murdering, and stealing land from non-Muslims in Darfur because they land is being affected by "climate change" is beyond ridiculous.

And finally, one of the best stories I've seen in ages. Remember a couple of months back when the Iranians unlawfully detained a group of British service personnel who had been patrolling sovereign Iraqi waters? Apparently they tried it previously with the Australians, and got more than they bargained for. I'm not sure that I've ever seen a funnier news article, so go check it out.

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I don't think the few readers of this blog were taking me seriously last week. I'm moving to Virginia. I'm closing up shop here at Zoo Station and moving to an entirely new location three thousand miles away, doing a grown-up job and making great money.

There's a lot to be done. I have to triage my flat: what rates a three thousand mile trip, and what needs to be binned? My car needs to be serviced, a year of empties need to be turned in for a grand total of about five dollars in cash, all of the remaining crap has to be packed up. Equipment has to be turned in at my current job, accounts have to be closed with the gas, electric, and phone companies, standing bills need to be changed to some new address (quite possibly my old address in Hometown for the time being).

There are certainly disappointments; there are people I'd intended to visit while I was living in California that I didn't get around to seeing, and there were a few things that I'd wanted to do. I'm going to try to accomplish a couple before I go, like seeing Death Valley and possibly visiting the Owens Valley Radio Observatory, though the former is far more likely than the latter. I wouldn't have believed it, but I could see myself coming back here for a visit at some point... After I've made it back to England and Orkney, of course.

I'm really looking forward to the trip to Virginia, too. I've never done a cross-country road trip. My likely route will be Interstate 40, which runs on the old U.S. Route 66 all the way to North Carolina, requiring only a last minute diversion to take me to Virginia. I've also had expressions of interest in a road trip from both Doug the Embalmer and Mormon Buddha; obviously Mormon Buddha is the more likely candidate, though he's up against two challenges: finances for such an endeavour, and permission from Mrs. Buddha. The preliminary plan includes a detour to Dallas, Texas to see folks like Mighty Mo, CCE, and Michelley. I even have a name for the trip: the Escape from the Mojave Tour.

For the time being, though, I have pressing issues to attend to. Stay tuned to Thus Saith the Fly for more updates.