The Savage Wars of Peace
Regarding the death of Colonel Qaddafi, let us begin with a classic (from classical civ.): Sic semper tyrannis. 'Tis true that it would have been emotionally satisfying to see Qaddafi dragged into a court in chains & put on trial by the Libyan populace he so long oppressed, but is there any genuine doubt that the proceedings would have been anything other than a kangaroo court, & that his eventual execution was foregone? President Obama could take some public satisfaction in the colonel's downfall & well-earned demise, if only regime change had been N.A.T.O. policy, which 'twas not. Of course, if regime change had been our objective, surely more would have been done & Qaddafi would have been killed or captured that much sooner. Still, with the death of monsters such as the former dictator of Libya, late is indeed far better than never.

My congratulations to the Libyans. Long may they enjoy the fruits of liberty!

Project GLOWWORM
I need to trim my beard this weekend like nobody's business! I considered doing so last weekend, but opted against action; this was clearly a mistake. The only upside of that mistake being a renewal of my faith in fortnightly trims at Level 9, after a summertime period of experimentation with trimming at Level 7 overall or varying Levels 7 & 9 depending on the area of the beard. That is at an end.

This does raise some questions about a project I've considered for "someday" in the future: the year beard, or "yeard." My current whiskers grew out of the runaway success of the Banzai Beard Bonanza II: Bonsai's Revenge. Already during the Magnificent Moustache Malarkey & then the clean-shaven summer that followed, punctuated by Objective ZED ALPHA (the anniversary of which approaches rapidly) & Objective FINNLAND, I was looking forward to the Banzai Beard Bonanza III: Third Time's the Harm & the Banzai Beard Bonanza IV: Four For Forty. The initial Banzai Beard Bonanza took place when I was twenty-five, & Bonsai's Revenge when I was thirty; the B.B.B. III was to be at age thirty-five, with Four For Forty at the obvious age. Now that whiskers have become a way of life, one which I enjoy immensely, the boom would seem to have been lowered on Third Time's the Harm & the B.B.B. IV. I have thought about one thing I could do, & that is grow my beard for a full year, an entire revolution around the Accursed Sun. To do this right, I would have to shave (which defeats half the point of having a beard), but after that I'd let my beard run wild for that whole year. (I would retain my moustache throughout.) My beard is not nearly as long now as it was during the B.B.B. II; so, if this length bugs me, how could I possibly put up with the untamed fury of the yeard? I think 'tis a question of attitude: during Bonsai's Revenge, I reveled in the length of my beard, each day exploring new limits, a new grandeur. In the present, I have a very specific aspect in mind for my beard, one undermined by the currently excessive length. During the proposed Banzai Beard Bonanza III: Year of the Beard, I believe I would successfully embrace the pioneering spirit of the second bonanza. How huge would my beard become? What new heights (or depths) of Grizzly Adams wildness would it reach (or plumb)? The yeard will require suitable circumstances & might well have to wait quite some time. Nevertheless, I'm excited to explore strange, new beards. To seek out new whiskers, & new moustaches. To boldly go (sic) where no beard has gone before! (I miss Star Trek every single day.)

Realized
The Banzai Beard Bonanza
The Banzai Beard Bonanza II: Bonsai's Revenge

Proposed
The Banzai Beard Bonanza III: Year of the Beard (or "Beard of the Year"?)
The Banzai Beard Bonanza III: Third Time's the Harm
The Banzai Beard Bonanza IV: Four For Forty

In hat news, the straw trilby Mk. III & the linen trilby have been put away with the changing of the seasons, while the fedora & the flat cap have been dragooned back into regular service. I hope this winter will be cold enough for me to wear my ushanka. ('Tis from Finland, not Russia.) Even though the sky was overcast, I did have occasion to wear my pith helmet on Tuesday, to prevent falling branches from braining me whilst I was pruning a neighbor's overhanging tree with my dad's pole-mounted chainsaw. Nothing else says peril & excitement quite like a pith helmet!

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer, "Death or Radio" from Schematics (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: "Let's hold hands and listen to shitty bands."