Celebrating the 1,948th birthday of hackneyed cliche

Rock concert pyrotechnics were invented in 64AD.

Nero fiddled while Rome burns. So the saying goes. And if you Google it, it's just all out there.

Today marks the anniversary of the great fire of Rome. Legend has it that the emperor Nero was playing his fiddle (an instrument some experts say did not exist at the time) while his city went up in flames. Actually, the story probably isn't true. Or totally true.

But it does make a nice image. An unconcerned leader attending to trivial matters while his empire goes up in smoke. See? You thought of someone. Just now. You did!

So anytime rabid failure meets insipid leadership, the cliche gets pulled out.

Oh, and then there's the thing about Nero blaming the Christians. Which kinda happens too.

So, if you're Christian, stay away from matches today if you hear a little "Chicken in the Straw" coming from your boss' office!