Heavy Metal Sunday flies 120 feet.

Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson has an active solo side career (a couple of them actually, he's also a qualified airline pilot) and his albums tend to be even more out there on subject matter than IM's recent stuff. For example, his most recent solo album Tyranny of Souls has songs about space travel, Macbeth, and this one, about the first flight of the Wright brothers.

This is a fan made video, and uses pictures of the event. I do like the aging techniques the video's creator used.

( The lyrics are well worth a look. )

Another historical moment fades away

Man, who raised Soviet Union’s flag over Berlin in 1945, dies

WWII veteran Mikhail Minin, a Hero of the Soviet Union, the man, who raised the USSR flag, the banner of Victory, over Germany’s Reichstag in May of 1945, died.

Minin will be buried on January 12 in his native city of Pskov where he resided until then, Interfax report.

Mikhail Minin was born in the village of Vanino in 1922. In June of 1941 he volunteered to join the army to fight against Nazi Germany. He took part in battles to liberate Leningrad from blockade and made his way across the fronts from Leningrad to Berlin.

When the Soviet army was storming Reichstag in Berlin on April 30, 1945 Minin broke into the building and became the first man to raise the Red Banner on its tower. In May of 1945 Minin was awarded the title of the Soviet Union Hero for his deed and other services in battle. The famous photo does not show Minin but a Georgian soldier. It was not taken at the actual event.

It's amusing to learn that the iconic photo of the Soviet flag flying over the ruins of Berlin is as staged as the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima.

Crashlanding still needs your help!

I'm still playing with that city building site. Hit one of these links once a day to help build Crashlanding!

Increase population http://crashlanding.myminicity.com

Increase industry http://crashlanding.myminicity.com/ind

Improve the transport network http://crashlanding.myminicity.com/tra

Leave a message while you're there!

This is really annoying.

I'm watching the NY Giants - Dallas Cowboys playoff game.

Everyone remember the Naked Gun movies? In one of them, Det. Frank Drebbin ends up behind the plate at a major league baseball game dressed as an umpire. He is, of course, totally lost.

I think the officials for this game really like that scene.

We've had phantom calls, late calls, and blatant fouls ignored.

But the Boyz are losing, and there are about 4 minutes left. That makes me happy.

DALLAS GOES DOWN!!!!!

R. W. McQuarters (a former 49er, I'm proud to say) picks off the Cowboys' 4th down last chance pass in the end zone with 9 seconds left.

New York Giants: 21
Dallas Cowboys: 17

So, next week's Conference Championships are set.

AFC: San Diego Chargers at New England Patriots. I'm taking the Pats on this one.

NFC: New York Giants at Green Bay Packers. This is going to be played at Lambeau Field. In Wisconsin In January. The Frozen Tundra indeed! Go! You Packers! Go!