**Fri 14 Dec 07**
TIME.COM CLAM... A SCIENCE TEACHER'S ROLE

Stan Blank wrote:

Hi Brian,

I think much of the responsibility for the humanitarian side of science absolutely MUST be taught in the classroom. Science is a human endeavor of the highest order, yet we tend to practice science as if the subject were completely devoid of humanity. This is a contradiction of the first magnitude!

Scientists often ask the question "COULD we do this thing?" rather than "SHOULD we do this thing?" Why is this so? I do not wish to generalize to ALL scientists, of course, but certainly in the minds of the lay public, the impression exists of sterile labs and robotic savants.

I am appalled by the wanton killing of this living creature. Dear God... what are we? This clam had been living its life for 4 centuries only to be killed... for what? To find out how old it was? I want to scream.

I'm not certain about extraterrestrial life, but I sometimes wonder if we would appear as clams to an alien intelligent life form?

Thank you for your humanitarian efforts and I apologize for the rant. You can bet that my students will hear about this tomorrow!

Cheers,
Stan

---

That's GREAT, Stan !! Damn right !

I love to hear other people ranting - in a good way ! More power to you ... and I hope your Students will be imbued with a bit of the good heart and soul you have.

Cheers
Bri

© brianmay.com
(See Copyright Note)

**Thu 13 Dec 07**
SUN DOGS

Jodee Rizzo wrote:

Brian

Have you ever heard of a "sun dog"? This happened yesterday in my home town and I thought you might be interested in seeing it.

Also a friend of mine was telling me about the full moon a few weeks ago. She lives out in the middle of the country with no city lights anywhere. She said that when the moon started coming up it was a rose color, almost magenta. Have you ever heard of that and if so, what would cause it?

hope you like these and maybe some one there could find an answer on the rose colored sun?

See article: www.ktvb.com/news/localnews/stories/ktvbn-dec1107-sun_dogs.63cecab.html

thanks
Jodee

Photo credit: Aidan Breznoick/KTVB (with apolgies)

---

Brian replied:

Beautiful. Lovely Sun DOGS ! Perfect !

The Moon gets affected just like the Sun by atmospheric absorption near the horizon, affecting different colours to different extents ... and depending on according to atmospheric conditions. So a Pink Moon is as likely as a Red Sun. Beautiful !

Bri

© brianmay.com
(See Copyright Note)

**Thu 13 Nov 07**
FANTASTIC SPACE MUSEUM!

Colleen Westerman wrote:

Hello Dr. Bri!

I have been a Queen fan since age 12 and I follow you web site daily almost! I feel like I’m speaking to an old pal!

I wanted to let you know about a wonderful space museum in my neck of the woods! It’s the Kansas Cosmosphere...yes, believe it or not, in the middle of Kansas, USA!! Not only do they have a planetarium, IMAX, and science lab demonstrations daily, but the “Hall of Space Museum” features one of the most significant collections of U.S. and Russian space artifacts in the world, including the actual Apollo 13 command module and a flown Vostok spacecraft. It houses a U.S. space artifact collection second only to the National Air and Space Museum and the largest collection of Russian space artifacts found outside of Moscow. The museum tells the story of the Space Race by focusing on the human story of space exploration and punctuating that story with one of the finest collections of international space artifacts in the world.

Check them out at: http://www.cosmo.org/

I know Kansas isn’t at the top of the list for tourism, but if you’re ever in the area, it is definitely worth a visit!

Colleen

PS – Warmest congratulations on all of your recent achivements!

---

Brian replied:

Since Age 12 ? I had this vision of you being 13 years old, but probably I'm way off the beam, ha ha!

Well, thanks for this, Colleen ... I have great memories of Kansas ... especially the Pawn shops ! and the gig ... it was a long time ago ... it would be nice to get back there some time.

Well, if we do, I'm straight over there to the Science exhibits !

Cheers and Merry Christmas !

Bri

© brianmay.com
(See Copyright Note)

**Thu 13 Nov 07**
THE RETURN OF LED ZEPPELIN

Dan Bates wrote:

Dear Brian,

Were you able to attend the Led Zeppelin concert at the O2 on Monday? Of course only a lucky few will have that memory to cherish, but I understand it was well worth the wait!

Interestingly I read a review today which described Led Zeppelin's musical style as "Queen without the humour" I guess you could take that as a compliment to both groups?

I really enjoy reading your soapbox and I like the way that you take the time to interact and be open with us all. We love you! Excitement is building on the Queen + PR front and I can't wait for new material in 2008!

Merry Christmas & Best wishes for 2008!

Dan Bates
Swindon, UK

--

Brian replied:

Very good, Dan - thanks !

Bri

© brianmay.com
(See Copyright Note)

**Thu 13 Dec 07**
QUASARS

David wrote:

It`s no good, Brian. I don`t care if you never read/answer my emails... I will still send them So...,

Can you let us have your opinion on how far way Quasars are from us? For years I thought the old Doppler shift had settled it, but now I read that they are not sure and that the red shift could be something intrinsic and not Doppler at all.

Any comments?

Dave

---

Brian replied:

See SOAPBOX

© brianmay.com
(See Copyright Note)

**Thu 13 Dec 07**
SCIENCE AND ANIMALS

Guy De Pauw wrote:

Hi Brian,

the absurdity of the scientific community with regards to animals has in my opinion never been more clearly illustrated than in the story below.

Wishing you the best for Christmas and a productive 2008!

with kind regards
Guy

From TIME.COM
THE WORLD'S OLDEST ANIMAL

In October, researchers from Bangor University in Wales were trawling an ocean shelf off the coast of north Iceland when they stumbled on what is believed to be the world's oldest living animal: a 405 year-old clam. Or it was living, until researchers had to kill it to determine the clam's age by studying rings on its shell. The clam species, the Arctica Atlantica, is particularly long lived — it has been known to survive some 200 and 300 years — and this particular specimen spent its protracted life burrowed in the sand 262 feet under water. When it first lodged itself down there, Shakespeare's Hamlet was on stage at the Globe Theater, and the English were setting up camp in North America.

---

Brian replied:

See SOAPBOX

© brianmay.com
(See Copyright Note)

**Fri 07 Dec 07**
SAY IT'S NOT TRUE - ARGENTINE NEWSPAPER

Mariana de Giuli wrote:

I just read an article about the great new single in one of the most important newspapers of Argentina.

This is the link:
"THEY ARE STILL THE CHAMPIONS"
http://www.ciudad.com.ar/nota.aspx?id=01483686

Please, if you want me to translate the article, I'll be pleased to do it.

Hugs,
Mariana

---

Brian replied:

Thanks Mariana !!

Cool !
Bri

x
xx

**Fri 07 Dec 07**
CONGRATULATIONS

Erik van Otterdijk wrote:

Hello Brian,

First congratulations on your new track. I have heard Say it's not true the first time on your concert in Belgium and I loved it from the first note. But I have 2 remarks on the new version: I find that the voice of Roger has too much "effects". In the live version on Return of the Champions it did sound much better. And I find the fade-out of Paul at the end of the song a little sad. But still it's a great version of a great song. Can't wait till your new album is in store.

But now on with more congratulations:

In The Netherlands we have each year a Top 2000. This is a chart of 2000 songs voted by listeners of the radiostation "Radio 2". Since 1999, Bohemian Rhapsody was voted 9 times number 1 ! !

This year Boh-Rap is again the best song among the 2 million people who voted.

Keep up the good work


Erik van Otterdijk
Vlierden
The Netherlands

---

Brian replied:

Wonderful !

Thanks Erik !
Bri

© brianmay.com
(See Copyright Note)

**Mon 03 Dec 07**
MP3/FLAC

Nico Calibre wrote:

Dear Brian,

Since I'm not gifted with the eloquence of my fellow Queen fans, I shall refrain from writing a lengthy review of SINT. Let me just tell you that my expectations were high, and that you met them.

But so much information is lost during an MP3 compression... The song is crying to be heard in a lossless format.
Hence my question: would it be possible for you guys to provide a "FLAC" version of the file?

It would be lovely.

Take care,

Nico Calibre

---

Brian replied:

I will bring it up

b

© brianmay.com
(See Copyright Note)

**Sat 01 Dec 07**
JEFF BECK

Sam Philipp Moor wrote:

Hi Brian

I think I know exactly what you are talking about. I sometimes play the tinwhistle besides the guitar, just to keep things interesting. And then I saw Brian Finnigan of Flook (www.flook.co.uk/) play the very same instrument I have at home, but it didn't sound, look or feel like the same instrument. This guy is so amazing! So I asked myself: What do I do with this experience? Shall I take my whistle to the Aluminium recicling bin? NO! Now that I've seen and heard what beauty this simple little instrument is capable of, I love it even more. I know I'll never play like that, but it's such a motivation, just to know what can be done with it.

The same goes for my guitar playing. I am far from being brilliant. I don't know how many Brian May guitars you have sold since the affordable model from Burns and then from your own company came out, but I am quite sure they must be thousands. Now, I guess about 80% of us, who bought the guitar, bought it, because we love your playing and know damn well, that we will never reach your level of performing - musically or technically. And still that didn't keep us from buying the guitar in the first place.

So, what I do, when I see someone like Jeff Beck - or YOU - play and am blown away by it, I remind myself, that this is Becks, or your thing, and I have to do my own thing anyway. I find it enormously inspiring to see, what other guitarists can tickle out of their instruments, and I also like to "borrow" a little trick here and there, but (NOW I FINALLY GET TO THE POINT): When I started playing the electric guitar, I wanted to be exactly like you. I wanted to hava guitar like yours and play it like you do. And then, I realised, that, what makes you you is, that you made your own, special guitar and found your own, special way of playing, so, what would make me more like you? copying you, or, like you, doing it my own way (hey, it may sound like a simple thought now, but I was 15 at the time)? I picked the second and I've been happy with that decision ever since... In the meantime I've discovered lots of other great guitarists, from whose playing I borrowed little details here and there, which, in combination with my own things, make up my own style of playing. I don't know if it's good, but it's me.

Plus: Look at someone like Mark Knopfler! Technically, he's, well, not outstanding, but the way he plays what he plays makes him the best guitarist in the world to a lot of people.

So. That was a very long email and therefore it probably never reaches you anyway... but what I am saying is. You have created a style so unique, that it actuallycan't really be compared to anyone else's. And if you'd ever stop playing, what you created would be lost for all of us (besides he tons of great recorded material), and that would be a crime.

Peace
Sam

---

Brian replied:

That's a great and inspiring letter, Sam.

Thanks so much

Yes, I'll keep this in mind, and I thank you ... we do all need to do our own thing ... I hope you will continue to do yours too ...

Good luck
!

Bri

© brianmay.com
(See Copyright Note)

**Sat 01 Dec 07**
REACTIONS ON SAY IT'S NOT TRUE

Stefan wrote:

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!

I'm stunned...
Unable to put into words how good it feels to have you back!!

Me, right after listening for the 1st time - deliberately wearing a shirt of your Missus for such a special occasion!

Keep up the good work,
*** THANKS ***
YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love from Berlin,
Stefan

---

Brian replied:

Brilliant, Stefan - you were our first!

I will tell the missis !!

Cheers and THANKS !

Bri

© brianmay.com
(See Copyright Note)