Previous | Next :: Missile Monument : White Sands Missile Range : New Mexico | February 13, 2011, 3:31 am

Im flying to El Paso Texas from Atlanta Georgia........... looking down on amazing landscapes ....... kind of patch works of huge brown fields................ with smatterings of snow........ fantastic light shining off the amazing rivers and lakes........... I saw a huge dam......... I'm not even sure which state I am over........... but it all looks great.......... the day is so clear and bright...... I guess we must looking down from 30,000 feet but all is just clear as a bell......... I can see where a farmer is burning his field now ......... either that or its some kind of wild fire......... :-/ :-))

Matt was saying he was kind of envious of me flying down to the South West today........ because he has hardly been down to that corner of America........ he is much more up on the West Coast....... California especially.......... we both are ......... its true we don't get down to Texas, New Mexico or Arizona that often............ yeah this is only a lightening trip as ever........... but I'm looking forward to a bit of desert myself....... in both Texas and New Mexico............. :-)))

Amazing to see all the stuff going down in Egypt last night and this morning. When I see things like that on TV I sometimes wish I was still chasing all the stories that are making history......... like my old mates Ron Haviv....... and Jess Hurd.......... I hope they have had a brilliant time in the celebrations and have made fantastic historic images.

Glad to see this morning the new Military interim rulers are saying all of Egypt's international agreements will continue to be honored. Hopefully we are not about to see a war with Israel. It's early days, hopefully the protesters will get the democracy they deserve. It will be so sad if they achieve all this only to end up with a Military or Islamic dictatorship. I worry. I think back to all the Iranian Communists who assisted in the overthrow of the Shah only to rounded up and killed by the Theocracy they helped to bring to power.

I was listening to joyous BBC reports this morning, running live interviews with the young demonstrators from the square, some of whom were now helping to clear up the damage and mess ............. an NPR correspondent this morning was also reporting the joy on the streets........... but also mentioned that a hate filled angry man furiously yelled at the crowd not to speak to him.......... as he was a spy .......... I kind of worry about this........ I worry for fellow journalists and friends......... but also for Egypt......... Democracy isn't just voting. It needs to have a culture of tolerance and informed debate......... it needs truthful reporting......... and security...... it needs people to understand that right now foreign reporters are probably their best hope of getting the information that may assist in delivering the hoped for democracy.

In Libya State controlled media have failed to even mention the fall of Muberak . In Algeria thousands of riot policemen stand ready to crush todays expected pro democracy rally. Foreign journalists must register to get visas in Algeria. I understand non have been issued. The room for maneuver of regimes in terms of crushing descent is hugely increased if you keep foreign media people from democracies out.

The hot sun is still shining in through the window, warming my face as I fly on. I'm glad of my sunglasses . The landscape below looks browner and less fields orientated now. Roads are few now but amazingly straight. I'm thinking about being back in the Middle East. Yes it could almost be that I was flying over Egypt or Jordan as I look down on the sun baked desert land.

Cheers Jez XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX