Hate Life, Will Travel

I sold a short story to Asimov’s this week. I’m super-excited.

Reading through an October Jane’s Defense Weekly, I came across a story (“Tanks on pirated ship were bound for southern Sudan, says source” 22 Oct 2008, p25). The Faina story is ongoing and getting a little coverage as part of the larger Somali piracy issues. This story focused on how the tanks were bound for southern Sudan, the third of three shipments, and who’s denying what about where they were headed and how.

The shipment included “ammunition, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and other weaponry”.

So a couple of Somali pirates took over this ship (which they still hold as I write this) and are now in possession of a tank force superior to South Africa’s (who have ~40 active and outdated main battle tanks). If they’d taken the ship, run it aground, found some former Soviet army conscripts to man them, they’d be a third-tier military force on the continent (compared to Egypt and then Libya-level) (Libya has ~85 T-72s running). They’d be able to run amok shooting up everything they wanted (until presumably the Fifth Fleet sends some planes after them).

Army in an unguarded box.

Side note: what in the world is Egypt (or really, anyone) doing with M1 tanks? Does Sauron sell copies of the one ring to anyone who comes by?

I roll the dice on too much new music. I find myself on the bus frowning at my ipod, wondering how some of those bands got on there because I just can’t keep track of it all. I take flyers on all kinds of stuff I can find on emusic and wherever. I keep at it because sometimes, I find just ridiculously awesome stuff, like this. I’m loving Marnie Sterns. I couldn’t even tell you why. The guitar shredding, the crazy complicated songs, her strange, high, enthusiastic vocals… the lyrics, where they’re even comprehensible, are cool, too…

It’s titled “This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That” which is highly annoying. I know. I forgave it.

Anyway. Go sample a couple of songs (seriously, just the first 30s of track one is a really bad indicator… try 2, “Transformer” or 3 or 4…). If I get anyone to listen to this and dig it as much as I do, I’ll have done a good deed for the day/month/whatever.