May 1: Happy May Day!

That has got to hurt.........but what better way to celebrate the first of May, than to have a parade. Not just any parade, but a really big one, where the country's biggest and baddest hardware can be brought out to show the citizenry, where all their hard earned tax money has gone. Who wouldn't want to know that kind of information? And if you are really lucky, maybe you'll see something quite interesting.

I mean, who wouldn't want to see a few of these mobile missile launchers? Oh, and as an aside, why is it usually the militaristic dictatorships that, feel this need to display their latest hardware? When I was in Rome, happy folks crowded the streets (and I do mean crowded) with not a cambo painted vehicle in sight.

And this display of "mine is bigger than yours" has been going on for years and years, as you can see from this pic from the '50's..........

.......and as you can also see from the pic below, nothing has changed much, apart from the photo now being in colour. I must admit though, the black/white gives a certain feel to these parade photos. As an aside, this humugous parade in Red Square, on what looks like a big wide road that might go on for miles, in reality is only a little bigger than what is shown in this photo. When I walked onto this square a couple of years ago, I was amazed at how small it really is.

Anyway, back to the parade. Just maybe tucked in amongst all the big guns, one might see something that, is probably only brought out once a year for this very special occasion, like this exceptionally rare Zil laudau........

This alone would make your mandatory parade viewing well worth the trip. Or one might see the also very rare, white wall tired military vehicle......

I mean, really, on the battlefield is there one new recruit assigned to "clean the whitewalls" duty? Maybe, as one never knows in a dictatorship.

Rain or shine, the wait is worth it, if your life might depend on your showing up at this event. I know that, if I know someone might be taking names,all six foot five of me would be standing front and centre, waving my little flag like a fool.

And not just a display of your biggest guns, these parades are also a display of the people power that, are behind your militaristic might, like these dedicated folks......

Now what leader wouldn't be thrilled to know that he or she had all these assets at their beck and call?

"Nuff said. Happy May 1st.

Until next time......