If ya looked at the on the line news sources you may be forgiven for thinking that the rest of the world is on hold and all there is is the Olympics. Even the non-olympic stories are kinda low level and lame.
The same thing happens when other stories are the only things the media want you to talk about at the water cooler.
Welcome to the Citadel of Aleppo which can be found surprisingly in the Syrian city of Aleppo. Considered one of the oldest and largest castles in the world the use of the hill goes back to the middle of the 3rd millennium BC...... Ah Old Knudsen remembers it well.
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria with a population of about 2.5 million. The land has been settled in some form from the 6th millennium BC.
Found at the end of the silk road it lost importance over the centuries when trade went by sea instead. The isolation of Syria over the last few decades has helped it preserve a lot of its ancient architecture and had started to experience a revival of interest winning the title of Islamic Capital of Culture 2006.
Now its a battle ground with rebel fighters allegedly helped by neighbouring Turkey fighting against the evil forces of president Bashar Assad or Asswad as I like to call him.
The rebels are holding their own detaining at least 150 pro government soldiers. A wee tip for the prisoners. Don't go getting Asswad tattoos and then trying to claim yer an innocent soldier and not a brutal murderer. Nothing says fanatic like getting the chinless face of Asswad on yer back.
Aleppo is very important strategy wise as its still a rich commercial hub for Syria. The city is mainly in favour for the government as it fears what the rebels could bring which is sad considering Asswad has wiped out whole villages of his own people with his 'Shabiha' ghost fighters.
20,000 people have fled the city so far but Michael Phelps has won the most medals ever and diver Tom Daly got some nasty tweets from a twat of a troll.
Other news stories do have some stiff competition in grabbing the headlines. A picture says a thousand words such as "phwoar."
