2 Assads and a Queen

So there's some stuff going on in Syria. Did you know? Do you care? Most Americans don't, I figure, unless it's for temporary political purposes. The Empire only cares for the Empire, at this point. Always a turning point, for the worst, in the history of Empires.

Those are the Assad boys at bottom. Bassel, the eldest and as such the heir apparent, is long dead, in a "car crash" some time ago. So Bashar's been in large and in charge since Dad died in the year.... 2000. Things went well for a while, even surviving the Empire's invasion of neighboring Iraq. But it's going down the shitter now, and I think the Assad's reign over Syria is near an end. I don't think what replaces it will be better at all, but that's the Middle East for you!

Also too, that of course is Freddie Mercury at top. Born Farrokh Bulsara, Freddie was perhaps the greatest rock n' roll showmen of all time, leader of one of the best rock bands of all time, Queen. Also gay - in fact, I'd say he looks to be the archetypal gay man, true or not. So now I have to ask what, if any, of the "gay look" descended from Freddie Mercury, and thus from his basic Arabness. Though he was in fact a Parsi and had nothing to do with Arabs or Islam. But these are trifling details! He looks Arab enough, compared to the Bassads, right? I have no idea where this photo comes from by the by. Trying to understand it. It's the sunglasses, mustache, and short dark hair. Pretty damn gay, Bashar!

Also as well - I recently read the best interview about Queen I've ever encountered, in Astronomy magazine, of all places. It was about Brian May - who's incredible. He got his PhD in Astrophysics and he completed it after Queen ended. He also built his own guitar (Red Special) with his Dad when he was 15 and has played it ever since. Awesome bloke. His PhD was about zodiacal dust, which sounds like an album name, but is also an awesome subject. Check it all out.

So there you have it. Whatever "it" is. Let me finish by saying I read Astronomy magazine regularly - I'm a subscriber! - but never Rolling Stone, even though somehow I've been getting issues sent to me for 3 years now, even though I never signed up for it nor have been billed or paid a bill. I look at the covers and go, "meh". I'm old enough now I no longer care what the young people think is interesting. So get off ah my cloud!

Two Knights and a Knighting

Say what you will about the Queen, and royalty in general, but she knows how to handle a Bat'Leth pretty well. Look at that forearm strength! A real WARRIOR!

Consider, much like with Sir Alec Guinness, these two Knights of the Empire will probably be best remembered as wizards, starship captains, or mutants - all creative descendants of Tolkien.

Worker Bees and/or Ants - Choose your metaphor!

This is an actual color photo from World War One, which was not called World War One at the time.

It's safe to say that throughout human history there has been war and violence, and in that war and violence there have been the soldiers, the enforcers, the thugs and toughs and sometimes brave defenders of home and hearth. They don't always choose to fight, but fight they do, instruments of the Great Powers which control us all, and who's bidding we heed.

Worker bees of the soldier class. We are all worker bees, of course, of different classes, and there need be no positive or negative spin taken from the word "class", since an operating society needs many pieces working, and any who contribute to the operating of society are successful worker bees, be they plumber, soldier, or political lobbyist.

Humanity has specialized to an nth degree, and as such there are many types of worker bees. Still, though, and for evermore, only a few true leader bees, whomever they might be (I'll never know).

Redshirt rule number 1: When the away mission calls, so too does your duty to the hive, the collective good of which you are a part. For the Queen!