MC writes in to discuss music.

Dread, awful, and sometimes lyrical Czar,

Rush (the band) are not the most conservative rock band out there, but these lyrics have some relevance during this second term of Jimmy Carter’s presidency (this song was written in 1978 during Carter’s first term).

From the song “The Trees” on the album Hemispheres:

So the maples formed a union
And demanded equal rights.
“These oaks are just too greedy;
We will make them give us light.”
Now there’s no more oak oppression,
For they passed a noble law,
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet, axe, and saw.

That’s exactly what we’re getting – we’re all gonna be equal, and Obama will make sure if by keeping us about three inches tall.

All trees are equal, but some trees are more equal than others. Who knew George Orwell wrote for Rush? Evidently, Mark Twain wrote for them as well.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.