Kia ora everybody, and I hope you’re as happy as Daredevil fighting The Hand. For today’s rant, I want to talk about a very special event that occurred on 8th May. I was sitting on the fence about whether to talk about this, but after the world’s most famous 78 year-old convicted felon decided to give the world a history lesson about it, the die was cast and he forced my hand.
His explanation about 8th May was a prime example of the Dunning-Kruger effect, because he was like the class bully who had secured the answers to a history test, but still managed to copy the answers down wrong.
To understand why I’m losing sleep and my hair turning grey over this, I’m referencing VE Day, which is known as Victory in Europe Day. This day is commemorated on 8th May every year, where it marks the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, on the 8th May 1945.
To clarify, when Nazi Germany surrendered on 8th May 1945, this brought the theatre of war in Europe during the Second World War to a close, but not the actual war. The fighting in Europe had ended; hence the term, Victory in Europe, however, the Allies still needed to deal with Japan.
World War Two continued until the surrender of Imperial Japan on 15th August 1945, which is known as VJ Day, otherwise known as Victory over Japan Day. The official surrender of the Japanese forces was held on 2nd September 1945.
Credit: Charnwood Borough Council
Because you’re keen followers of New Zealand’s 5th least favourite website, you would have realised that 8th May 2025 was the 80th anniversary of VE Day. To say VE Day changed the world is like saying Salt and Vinegar chips are just a snack. You can look at it from various angles, but in my humble opinion and without trying to glorify war, because I’m not, but World War Two was for the world; it was about saving the world, and VE Day meant the job was half done.
In all seriousness, the 80th anniversary of VE Day is still relevant and important, not only to Europe but also to the world. The Nazis were defeated, and the world rejoiced and partied like it was 31st December 1999, bringing much-needed peace to the continent.
I did not witness the moment when Germany’s surrender was announced. I cannot imagine the range of emotions that people from different countries, religions, ages, backgrounds, and political ideologies experienced that day.
However, since different governments have honoured the 80th anniversary of VE Day, I searched through the land of the internet, to find some photos taken on 8th May 1945, regardless of their origin, to show what it was like. It must have been a hell of a party because it’s still within the living memory of the world’s population.
As you know, I’m a New Zealander, so it will come as no surprise that I’ll start with photos in Godzone, then I’ll move on to other countries, in alphabetic order. If I have missed your country, I’m very sorry, as I can only do as much as I can, within the limits of being conscious. Enjoy.
New Zealand
A group of women in party mode carrying flags and steamers near the Ballance Street/Lambton Quay corner, Wellington, New Zealand to celebrate VE Day. Credit: Alexander Turnbull Library reference 1 / 4-001508-F
Crowds outside Parliament in Wellington on VE Day. Credit: Alexander Turnbull Library reference 1 / 4-001525-F.
Crowds celebrate VE Day in Queen St, Auckland. Credit: FAIRFAX NZ / Sunday-Star-Times
Australia
Celebrating Victory in Europe: 8 May 1945 | Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park, Sydney. Credit: Anzac Memorial.
100,000 people attended the VE Day service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne on 9 May 1945. Image courtesy of the Australian War Memorial, 089865.
Belorussian S.S.R(Belarus)
Belarusians celebrate victory in central Minsk. More than a quarter of the entire population of the Belorussian S.S.R. were killed during World War II. Credit: Emmanuil Yevzerikhin
Canada
VE Day in Toronto. Credit: City of Toronto Archives Fonds 1257, Series 1056, Item 195
V-E Day celebrations on Bay Street, Toronto, Canada. Credit: John H. Boyd.
Czechoslovakia (Czech Republic)
German tanks in Prague’s Old Town Square in May, 1945 (via Prague City Archives)
Denmark
German troops on a midget retreat through the Town Hall Square in Copenhagen after VE Day. Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
France
A group watches from the top of Paris’s Arc de Triomphe as crowds gather. Credit: AFP.
Crowds gather at the Arc de Triomphe on 7 May 1945 to celebrate the end of the second world war. Photograph: AP
Parisians march through the Arc de Triomphe jubilantly waving flags of the Allied Nations as they celebrate Germany’s surrender, May 8 1945. Credit AP
The Netherlands
Amsterdam, 8 May, 1945. Heavy allied trucks, loaded with cheering ‘Amsterdammers’ drive through the city in the vicinity of ‘de Munt’. Colour: ColourisedPieceofJake Source: NIMH
Raucous celebrations on Moscow’s Red Square. A witness recalled “everyone had fun, although some had tears in their eyes…. At the American Embassy, we saw diplomats and employees throwing chocolate, sweets, and toys from the balcony.” Credit: Boris Kudoyarov
A British sergeant being thrown into the air by a crowd of youngsters in Moscow. The Soviet Union celebrated one day after most Allied countries because Germany’s high command signed a second surrender document, as demanded by Josef Stalin, late on May 8. Due to time-zone differences, the signing in Berlin took place in the small hours of the following morning in Moscow. Credit: Keystone/Getty Images
Moscow’s Red Square, packed with people as fireworks explode around the Kremlin. One man who was there later told Russian media “Strangers kissed each other. I don’t remember such a unity of people as it was on May 9, 1945; we were all one and the same — Russians, Tatars, Uzbeks, and Georgians — we were all united as never before.” Credit: Nikolai Sitnlkov
Moscow Victory Day, 1945: Soviet soldiers throwing the banners of defeated Nazi armies at the foot of Lenin’s Mausoleum. Credit: Центральная студия документальных фильмов, ЦСДФ
United Kingdom
Winston Churchill waves to crowds in Whitehall in London as they celebrate VE Day, 8 May 1945. From the the balcony of the Ministry of Health, Prime Minister Winston Churchill gives his famous ‘V for Victory’ sign to crowds in Whitehall on the day he broadcast to the nation that the war with Germany had been won, 8 May 1945 (VE Day). To Churchill’s left is Sir John Anderson, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. To Churchill’s right is Ernest Bevin, the Minister of Labour. Credit: Major W. G. Horton
London celebrated the end of World War Two across the capital – including in Trafalgar Square. Credit: Getty Images
Crowds spilled out on to the Mall all the way to Buckingham Palace.
An estimated 50,000 people headed to Piccadilly Circus and nearby Trafalgar Square to celebrate the end of the Second World War on 8 May 1945, which was declared a national holiday in a radio broadcast the day before. (Getty)
A victory street party to celebrate VE Day in Brockley, South London
United States of America
Hundreds of thousands gather to celebrate V-E Day in Times Square. Credit: NY Times
Crowds celebrate VE day in Times Square, New York. Hulton Archive, Getty Images
A parish priest waves a newspaper with news of Germany’s unconditional surrender to pupils of a Roman Catholic parochial school in Chicago. Credit: Corbis/Getty Images.
Wall Street is jammed as Financial District workers celebrate the reported end of the war in Europe. Credit: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images
Arthur Moore of Buffalo, N.Y., who was wounded in Belgium, stands near New York’s Grand Central Station on May 7, 1945 as New Yorkers celebrate news of the Allies’ victory over Nazi Germany. Associated Press
We owe them a debt we can never repay. Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me, and I’ll see you next week.
Building on from last week’s amazing Thunderbolts*: Preview, we need to cover the second half of this intriguing endeavour, the review.
Because this is a hot topic, I won’t mince my words about the movie. It’s important not to waste valuable reader’s time when discussing relevant information. Some Geek Told Me prides itself on explaining the news and information concisely, which is simple to digest and straightforward.
Let’s dive straight into the review since Some Geek Told Me is well-known for not time wasting. That sort of disrespectful move is unwanted and mocks the great and sacred institution of being an amateur film critic.
When people read a movie review, they don’t want to hear about deals at Pak n’ Save concerning Mother’s Day, like Snacka Changi Chips Vinegar & Salt Kettle Fried Potato Chips 150g, priced at $3.49, or the Champion League Semi-final first leg results, like Paris Saint-Germain 1-Arsenal 0, and Barcelona 3-Inter Milan 3. You won’t see that happening on this account, as it is too respected for that. No sir, never on this account.
Like I mentioned last week, I purchased a ticket to an advanced screening of Thunderbolts*, and like always, after purchasing a drink, I walked into the theatre without ANYBODY checking to see my ticket. For an early evening advanced screening, the theatre was about 25% full. Sorry, my mistake, I meant to say it was 1/4 full.
I chose my regular spot, which is the centre seat in the back row, where the real geeks are. The trailers were weird, because I was expecting possibly Superman, or at least The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but no. They played three Disney trailers, Elio, Freakier Friday, and Lilo & Stitch; all films that could be classified as child-friendly or family movies. Not a single adult movie. Like I said, weird.
As always, let’s go over the rules of the review.
1.)Please be aware there will be spoilers concerning the movie, so proceed with extreme anxiety and caution.
2.) The aim of my reviews are not to rip apart the subject or trash it. If I liked the subject enough to watch it, then I’ll give my honest (possibly biased) opinion.
3.) I’m not a professional critic, so I’m not going to dive into deeper concepts and themes, or the art of filmmaking. I’m just a geek; always have been, and always will be.
So, I’m not here to watch paint dry, let’s get on with the review!
Credit: Marvel Studios/Disney and my local cinema
First things first, did I like the movie? Yes, yes I did, but for an MCU film, I feel I’ve been left with a lot of questions. Though to be fair, that’s usual for me. People have been saying that Thunderbolts* is getting the MCU back on track since it’s a step in the right direction. Let’s hope the MCU continues this momentum.
Things I liked:
I’m going to start with the most obvious, loneliness. Whether it’s in the form of feeling alone, having negative feelings, or depression, I feel every person who has ever lived, has experienced a version of these emotions, regardless of their magnitude and the effects that it has on their body, mind, and heart.
I thought it was a bold, or even mature way to start a superhero movie, with a character talking about their existential crisis. With Yelena (Florence Pugh) narrating her feelings, and in my humble geeky opinion, I thought it was refreshing to be handling a serious topic within the confines of a comic book movie.
The conversation between Yelena and Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour) on the street was extremely personal. Feelings about loss, abandonment, failure, rejection, and loneliness bubbled to the surface, with a daughter talking about feeling lost and needing her father, versus a father feeling like a failure, because he thinks his daughter no longer needs him. It was a powerful scene.
Feelings are an important aspect of the human experience, and likely of all intelligent and sentient life. Whether these feelings are classified as mental health issues and how they are treated is less important to me. What truly matters is that we talk about these feelings more openly and acknowledge their existence.
This, of course, leads to Bob (Lewis Pullman), whose feelings about isolation, failure, and loneliness were highlighted before he discovered his abilities, with the emergence of the Sentry and the Void.
Since his introduction in 2000, The Sentry has been linked with mental illness. I could be wrong about this, but I have always thought since Sentry was a Superman-level character, Marvel gave him similar strengths and weaknesses. DC gave Superman kryptonite as an unexpected and simple way to defeat him, like Marvel giving Sentry a weakness in the form of mental illness.
Unlike how the Force is presented in Star Wars, I believe there is no Light Side or Dark Side to the Force, there is only the Force. Because of this, I believe there are no true positive and negative emotions within the human condition, there are only emotions. You can’t have the light without the dark, or positivity without negativity, and vice versa.
It’s not about suppressing feelings of loneliness and failure or letting them take over you and forever dominate your destiny, but rather learning to accept, live and function with them.
I found it both unexpected and refreshing for the MCU to address a taboo topic that affects a significant portion of the human population. We should acknowledge the importance of listening to the concerns of those in this situation, whether they are fully aware of it or not.
That was long-winded, wasn’t it? Sorry, right, let’s push on.
I enjoyed Shostakov not only for being an oddball but also for his genuine desire to improve himself and help those around him. His enthusiasm was both infectious and hilarious. Sometimes, we need characters like him, as they are simply so likeable.
The scene where he arrived in the car, honking to warn Yelena about the potential danger, even though the danger had passed, mixed with Yelena’s reaction to this, was easily the funniest part of the movie.
Imagine John McClane receiving a phone call from his mother in Die Hard with a Vengeance or Live Free or Die Hard, warning him about the danger to New York and the United States? You never stop being a parent. Priceless.
The redemption arcs for the main characters, Bucky included, were great to see, even if it was expected. Saving the public while people were disappearing and the city collapsing around them was vital to illustrate how far the Thunderbolts have come with their character development.
For all of Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) faults, it was interesting to see her motivations, via the memory of her father’s death; added to John Walker’s (Wyatt Russell) and Bob’s memories.
The dialogue between the main characters was also snappy and witty, if not brutal and raw at times. I was impressed with their interactions.
Things I disliked:
Taskmaster. We need to talk about Taskmaster. This villain has always had a soft spot with me. In the comics, he not only had photographic reflexes, which allowed him to mimic different people’s fighting styles, but he also trained henchmen, thugs, and goons, for various supervillains and criminal organisations. He was such a severe arse-kicker, that even Captain America, Daredevil, or Spider-Man would think twice before fighting him.
The MCU version of Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) has been different, since they changed Taskmaster’s identity and gender, but kept her photographic ability. The major difference in Black Widow was that she was being brainwashed and didn’t speak. That was a major disappointment because Taskmaster is such a great character.
I had high hopes for Taskmaster to start training thugs in the MCU, so various heroes could break in and shut her operation down, just so she defeat them and escape. I was looking forward to seeing her character develop because she had a massive amount of potential. She was an under-used character, which proved having her in Thunderbolts* made a lot of sense.
So, imagine my surprise when she was murdered in her first scene. Initially, I thought it was a ruse, but as the film continued, it soon became apparent that she was dead. I’ve read about the director, Jake Schreier’s reasoning for her cheap death. I get it, but it doesn’t take away that Marvel has wasted her character.
The film could have existed without her, and nobody would have noticed, but her involvement in the movie seemed a little pointless. Again, Marvel has wasted the chance to develop an amazing character. Added to the fact, Marvel was quite deceptive in their marketing with Taskmaster, including her in many promotional materials, including the poster inside the cinema.
It does teach the public not to believe anything that a movie production company does and says, while they are in pre-production, production, post-production, or marketing. Marvel has lied before, and they will do it again.
If you remember, I was concerned about how Marvel would handle the Sentry, and I was right, but not for the reasons I thought. By the end of the film, Bob chooses not to become the Sentry, since he can’t control his powers, which means he can’t control the Void. Fair enough, right?
But this leaves us with a problem. Bob is living in the New Avengers’ Tower, walking around with the power of a million exploding suns. It means that he is the world’s nuclear option, a Hail Mary, or even a deus ex machina.
No matter what threat Avengers or New Avengers face, or any other heroes, whether its Doctor Doom, Thanos, Galactus, Mephisto, Gladiator, Apocalypse, or even the Brood, Kree, Skrulls, Badoon, or Shi’ar, the heroes could always use their Plan B, by activating Bob and turning him into Sentry.
Granted, there’s no guaranteed way he could win every fight, but the Sentry could do a vast amount of damage against his enemy; he’s nearly invincible. And if the Void should appear, they could always use Yelena to calm him down, just like Black Widow did with Hulk. It’s not like the Void is killing people when he turns them into shadows. They are still alive, but just in a different form. So even if the Void gets loose again, all of the people he transforms can simply be returned and transformed back.
Marvel can’t ignore that fact, ever.
And speaking of ignoring, when the Void was redecorating Manhattan, where were the New York superheroes like Spider-Man or Daredevil? Yes, I understand the Sentry/Void battle could have only been about 15-20 minutes long, but in that time, what were Peter Parker and Matt Murdock doing?
I’ve mentioned this before, but the way Marvel has built this inter-connected world over 17 years, means if something happens on Earth; especially in the United States, other heroes are going to react to it and help.
Since we didn’t see Peter or Matt cameos, Marvel needs to address that in a future TV show or movie and explain where they were when the Void was painting the town black. I feel that if Peter or Matt discovered Manhattan was being attacked, they would drop what they were doing and try to help save lives. While we are talking about it, does Luke Cage exist in the MCU?
So Marvel, where were Spider-Man and Daredevil?
So, what about my preview questions?
How accessible will Thunderbolts* be to viewers who have not seen the Disney+ TV show, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier? I feel the plot gave us the key points about what we needed to know about the show and the characters, to understand what was happening, and who the characters were. Having said that, since I still haven’t seen The Falcon and the Winter Soldier or Hawkeye, I still believe I’ve missed a lot of information.
Does the plot make sense? It does, though the whole scene with the, “Sending the hired killers to kill each other” trope was tired, but everything else was ok.
Will the movie reference Captain America: Brave New World, or hint at The Fantastic Four: First Steps? Yes, Captain America: Brave New World was mentioned when Valentina Allegra de Fontaine discussed the former president turning into a red monster, during her impeachment hearing. With The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the end credits scene answered that.
Why are the Thunderbolts involved in the first place? de Fontaine ordered them to kill each other in a covert O.X.E. facility, unbeknownst to the others. They figured out her betrayal, with three more characters joining the team.
Can the absence of the Avengers in the movie be believed? At that moment in time, the Avengers are still disbanded, hence their absence.
Will the introduction of the Sentry be a success or failure? I believe the Sentry’s entry into the MCU has been a success, based on the public’s responses; mainly for the inclusion and presentation of mental illness.
Will other MCU villains be making appearances? If there were any other MCU villains in the movie, I missed them.
Will Taskmaster have a larger role than in Black Widow? Wow, that question was ominous. No, she died in her first scene.
Can they truly explain how the Sentry got his powers? He gained his powers from being involved in a top-secret experiment, however, what they actually did to him remains a mystery.
How does Bucky fit into the plot? He is a free citizen, correct? Before the movie, I thought the Thunderbolts would rope Bucky into helping, but it was the other around. He needed their help to testify against de Fontaine.
Where is the film’s continuity in the MCU? It’s set in 2027, after Captain America: Brave New World.
Do the Thunderbolts have a choice to be in the team? Yes, it wasn’t like Suicide Squad. They did follow orders at the beginning, but they became a team out of choice, not because they were ordered to do so.
Does Valentina Allegra de Fontaine betray the Thunderbolts? Having not seen any TV shows featuring de Fontaine, I predicted she would, and she did. Yay for me!
Will any of the Thunderbolts go free at the end of the movie? Yes, all of them went free, except for Taskmaster who died earlier in the film.
Do the Thunderbolts only protect the United States? During the first act, the characters are only trying to save themselves. However, by the third act, they are trying to save New York City. Building on that, in the end credits scene, they are actively working to protect and guard the planet. I think.
So, should you go and see Thunderbolts*? Yes, but what the hell do I know? At least 20% of my clothes are comic book-related, so my opinion is biased. Have you seen Thunderbolts*? Please tell me your thoughts about it, I would love to know.
That’s it for another week, with another preview/review all wrapped up. I believe the next one will be in July for Superman, the first movie entry in the DCU (DC Universe). I want to take UMC1 and UMC2 to see it, but we will wait for the film’s rating to be revealed first.
Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me, it means a lot to me. Remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, and please point out to Rubio, Vance, and Musk, that the AfD are the most far-right political Nazi-like party in Germany, since the Nazis.
And speaking of Nazis, because of a certain 78 year-old convicted felon’s history lesson, we are going to be discussing the 80th anniversary of VE Day, next week. Sounds awesome, because science, history, and comics are where it’s at, baby!
This is the day you’re looking for! Yes, today is 4th May, Star Wars Day! May The 4th Be With You has become a day set aside to celebrate everything about Star Wars, whether it’s movies, books, comics, toys, board games, cosplay, TV shows, and everything else!
It’s also amazing to see the 20th-anniversary Star Wars: Episode III-Revenge of the Sith re-release has been outselling new movie releases with pre-sales tickets! That’s crazy because it’s not like they will give Anakin and Padmé a happy ending. Right? Right?
As always, Star Wars Day is important to our family, so my wife, UMC1 and UMC2 decided to celebrate by creating art, but this time, it was on the kitchen blackboards.
On the left-hand side, we have my wife’s art. It’s filled with Star Wars quotes and sound effects, along with a Power Droid speaking Aurebesh saying, “Gonks Rule!”
On the centre blackboard, we have UMC2’s artwork which depicts a Rancor fighting some Gamorrean guards, at Jabba’s Palace. There’s a lot of blaster fire and explosions, because some stupid person built a blaster large enough for a Rancor to use, and gave it to them!
On the right-hand side blackboard, we have UMC1’s offering, which displays A New Hope’s Death Star battle scene, with X-wings and Y-wings attacking the Death Star, which is defended by TIE fighters.
As for me, I’m just showcasing my Star Wars: The High Republic novel collection. This does not include the comics and manga series, which are kept separately. Escape from Valo is there, it’s just been pushed to the back.
I’ve been enjoying The High Republic series, and I’m sad to see it end. I’m just waiting for the last five books to be published as paperbacks so I can finish the saga. This reminds me that I STILL have not written that High Republic blog post, I keep saying I’m going to do. I need to get on to that.
For Star Wars Day, we will probably wear our Star Wars t-shirts, read some Star Wars books or comics, play Star Wars: Risk, or watch some Star Wars content, or maybe all of it!
How are you celebrating Star Wars Day? Please let me know. Ok, that’s it for me. Enjoy this wizard day and I’ll see you on Monday.
Welcome to one of the biggest days on the pop culture calendar, Free Comic Book Day (FCBD)! Since its inception in 2002, FCBD has grown to celebrate not only comics, but pop culture as well. For those of you who don’t know, FCBD is a global event, where comic book stores give away, wait for it…free comic books!
Every year, publishers across the industry produce comics at low cost, specifically to be distributed for free around the world. This event is always held on the first Saturday in May, and this year’s selection is outstanding. The comics will have age-appropriate logos: All ages (green logo), Teen (blue logo), and Mature (red logo), which can be identified on the covers.
It’s a way to celebrate comics and manga, both for existing readers, as well as to introduce new readers to the medium. Post Malone’s upcoming comic, Big Rig, will also be available as a free comic book. I read the summary, and it sounds bonkers. Awesome.
FCBD is also famous for cosplaying, which is becoming more popular every year. Another place that could be celebrating FCBD, could be your local library. A lot of them will be promoting the graphic novels in their collection, as well as holding cosplay events.
If there is an FCBD event in your area, I encourage you to check it out. With a wide range of titles available, there will be something for everyone. Feel free to dress up in cosplay or wear your favourite pop culture t-shirt. I live nowhere near an FCBD event, so I hope you have fun on my behalf! You can really make the most of the day by wearing your pop culture clothes to the supermarket, work, or anywhere else you go!
Before I go, I need to remind you that supporting comic book stores is important. The comics you receive will be free, but the retailers pay something like 25 cents per issue. It actually costs them a lot of money to host an event. Sadly, many stores can no longer afford to host events because of rising costs.
Comic book stores are the lifeblood of the industry, so while you’re receiving free comic books, maybe you could have a look around the store. They will have titles including horror, war, romance, superheroes, science-fiction, western, crime, fantasy, and so much more!
South Taranaki District Council’s advert for FCBD 2021
I love comics, since I can’t truly express what they have taught me. How are you celebrating Free Comic Book Day? Please let me know.
Ok, thanks for reading, and I’ll see you tomorrow for the second special blog post. It’s set in a galaxy, far, far away!
Here we are again at the start of a new movie preview, brought to you by the mind of the person who writes about many pointless things. Well, discussing movies, science, politics, and comics is never meaningless.
As I have previously mentioned, because repeating things helps me to remember to do things, I plan to watch more comic book movies at the cinema, because if we don’t go to watch them, they’ll stop making them. Maybe that would make many people happy, but I am not one of them.
My last preview/review was Captain America: Brave New World, so for our next movie preview instalment, we are headed back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with the Thunderbolts*. It opens in New Zealand on Thursday 1st May, as the 36th MCU movie. I’m about 98% sure Darkhawk or Sleepwalker will not make a cameo, but hope springs eternal.
Our only cinema is having an advanced screening of Thunderbolts* on Wednesday 30th April, and yours truly has secured a ticket. Like always for my films, I walked into the cinema to buy the ticket, mainly because I didn’t want to pay the extra fees via their website.
Anyway, a strange pattern happens when I purchase an advanced ticket. I casually mention I’m going to be writing a review about the movie, and name-drop my website. The staff member will stare at me blankly, so I stop talking, pay for the ticket, and leave as fast as The Flash running to an all-you-can-eat buffet.
So, who or what are the Thunderbolts?
For those unfamiliar with comic lore, here’s a brief history lesson: the Thunderbolts first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449 in 1997. They later received their own monthly title, which launched three months after their debut with Thunderbolts #1. I own both of these issues because I’m a geek. They even had a cool slogan: “Justice, like lightning!”
Marvel had previously done a company-wide crossover event in 1996, in the form of Onslaught. By the end of the storyline, The Avengers and The Fantastic Four had disappeared, and for all intent and purposes, the public thought they were dead.
Enter the Thunderbolts, a new heroic super team to step into the void left by the absent heroes. Before I go on, one thing I love about comics is when something major happens, whether it is the appearance of a new character or the return of an old one, a death, revelation or a twist, and the company does not advertise it. It sneaks up on you, and as you turn the page, it hits you. Such is the case with the Thunderbolts.
The twist was that the Thunderbolts were not the superheroes they made out to be, but rather the Masters of Evil, a supervillain team, primarily slugging it out with the Avengers. Led by Baron Zemo, their goal was to gain access to national and international secret information and to further their mission with organised crime and world domination.
Another plot twist came when some Thunderbolts members started to dislike acting as superheroes, but rather liked being a superhero. After internal strife, the team eventually came under the control of the government and became a government-sponsored team, filled with reformed supervillains, similar to DC’s Suicide Squad.
The film will, to the best of my knowledge, mainly focus on characters we have met before, whether they are from a television show or a movie. These include Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), John Walker/ U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ava Starr / Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). The exception is Lewis Pullman’s Sentry, who I think plays the film’s antagonist, via the Void.
The film’s budget is about $200 million, so the expectations are high. Aside from TV’s Loki, I think this is the MCU’s first film that is centred around villains, but I could be wrong.
Ok, I have waffled on long enough, it’s time for the preview!
Thunderbolts #1 (1997) Credit: Marvel Comics
Am I looking forward to watching Thunderbolts*?
It’s a stupid question, I know, but I need to ask it. I’m looking forward to it as much as Popeye likes to eat spinach. To keep my promise of supporting comic book movies, I need to keep buying tickets. Plus, it’s a cool way to escape for two hours.
I have the habit of mentioning this, but it’s the truth. I don’t have Disney+, so I haven’t been able to watch key TV shows like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which have introduced some of these characters. Having said that, I’ll go back to Wikipedia and read the summary of the show. That sounds great, doesn’t it?
Because there is an ensemble cast, the dialogue will hopefully be sharp and witty. Hopefully.
I do have a small reservation about how they are going to handle and introduce the Sentry, a somewhat-Superman-type character into the MCU. His power level is off the chart, but his mental instability is another matter altogether. I hope they get it right, but is there a correct way to introduce a mortal god?
The box office did not support Captain America: Brave New World very well, which seems to be the new standard for superhero movies. Will Thunderbolts* suffer the same fate, or will it fare better?
What is the movie about?
According to Marvel.com, the premise is this:
Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes—Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?
What can we expect?
The running time is 126 minutes, which means it just surpasses the two-hour mark, so be sure to pace yourself with drinks. I’m not sure what the rating is for other countries, but Thunderbolts* has received a PG rating in New Zealand, and I’m uncertain how to interpret that.
I can imagine the plot is going to be fast, because of the size of the cast, but also, the team has to break up before it’s reformed to save the day. I expect to see some great fight scenes, whether the Thunderbolts are fighting themselves or other people.
Since I don’t know The Falcon and the Winter Soldier very well, I can only guess that Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, is like an Amanda Waller-type character; a government director who has no time, patience, or respect for the members of the team, other than getting the job done; or if she is playing her own game. Who knows?
As always, since this is an MCU film, there will be references and cameos to appease the die-hard super fans, though I wonder how many I’ll miss!
Do I have concerns?
I’ve said this before, but I will always have concerns about superhero movies. Will they stick to the source material as much as possible, or will they stretch their creative limbs and do something outrageous? Is that a positive or negative thing? Who knows?
Here are some of my questions:
How accessible will Thunderbolts* be to viewers who have not seen the Disney+ TV show, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier?
Does the plot make sense?
Will the movie reference Captain America: Brave New World, or hint at The Fantastic Four: First Steps?
Why are the Thunderbolts involved in the first place?
Can the absence of the Avengers in the movie be believed?
Will the introduction of the Sentry be a success or failure?
Will other MCU villains be making appearances?
Will Taskmaster have a larger role than in Black Widow?
Can they truly explain how the Sentry got his powers?
How does Bucky fit into the plot? He is a free citizen, correct?
Where is the film’s continuity in the MCU?
Do the Thunderbolts have a choice to be in the team?
Does Valentina Allegra de Fontaine betray the Thunderbolts?
Will any of the Thunderbolts go free at the end of the movie?
Do the Thunderbolts only protect the United States?
There are probably more questions rattling around in that tiny mind of mine, but they will have to wait.
I’ve not read or heard any reviews about the movie, so I’m still optimistic about it, but I’ll let you know my thoughts next Monday with the review. Before I go, I want to address two things. The first is that my last day went better than I thought it would. I didn’t cry once!
The second thing is that I know the world is currently a scary and sad place. News keeps pouring in about Palestine and Ukraine, coupled with tariffs, the cost of living, and everything else. I get it. My preview about a movie that millions of people will never see, seems a touch removed from reality. I get it, I really do.
Just hang in there, I mean it. Look after yourselves and your family, and if possible, other people.
Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, and hang in there, and I’ll see you this weekend for two special blog posts. It’s the start of May, so try and guess what’s happening!
I’ve never dedicated an entire blog post to updating you with news before, at least about me. But, there’s a first time for everything, like trying Sour Cream and Chives for the first time. Your brain wants to shut down to stop feeling the vile taste.
Anyway, this blog post is slightly shorter, because of three main reasons. No, it’s not 20 questions, so I’ll tell you.
1.) I’m writing this before Easter because I will be busy over the weekend. Yes, I’m doing something at Easter, so the chances of me sitting down to work on New Zealand’s 5th least favourite website are slim. Not impossible, just slim, so I thought I would be prepared.
2.) As New Zealanders, we generally don’t boast about our achievements. This tendency stems from our history of being an isolated and pragmatic people. I’m not one to discuss my accomplishments or lack of. However, I feel compelled to share something significant that happened last weekend.
Long-time followers and subscribers of this wayward blog will know that I like running. To be honest, it’s somewhere between walking and jogging, but I pretend it’s running. Last weekend, I ran in one of my favourite half marathons, and something odd and wonderful happened.
2014 was the last time I ran a half marathon in under 2 hours. I’ve come close, dangerously close to that time, but that target has alluded me for over 10 years. In all honesty, I accepted the fact that I would probably never run another half marathon under 2 hours again. I thought my body had said, “To hell with that, we can’t do that anymore!”
By now, you can see where this is headed. For the first time since 2014, I ran a half marathon in under 2 hours. I know that in the grand scheme of things, it may not seem significant, but honestly, I thought I would never achieve this again. It’s surprising to realise I’m faster than I was in 2015, which feels almost unbelievable to me. In that sense, I feel proud of myself, which is a bizarre feeling.
It will sometime before that happens again. Maybe.
3.) For us, we are well and truly into Autumn, with Winter popping its ugly head up now and then. And just like the inevitability of the seasons and an Australian Prime Minister changing, we all change. This brings me to the biggest update, I’m changing jobs. I resigned in February, and the 24th of April will be my last day.
I’ve been there for nine years, and in the field for 16 years, but I’m going to be working for myself. I’ll be in the same industry, just adjacent to what I had been doing, which is equally exciting and horrifying, given how New Zealand and the world are currently.
Over the last few weeks, my emotions have felt like they are on a rollercoaster, and with my last day arriving soon, I’m sorry to report those emotions will probably just intensify. No doubt I’ll shame Chuck Norris by shedding a tear by the end.
I have no idea if this will work out, or even if it’s a good idea, but if the world’s most famous 78-year-old convicted felon has taught me anything, it’s that you can’t take anything or anyone for granted. I’m trying to look at the world differently, but also to try and do things differently.
I’ll let you know how things went on for the last day, but also how the new job is working out. Oh, look at me being all hopeful and positive!
Ok, that’s it for today. I promise I’ll get back to writing pointless posts like doing a Thunderbolts* Movie Preview next week.
Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, go fly a paper airplane, and I’ll see you next week.
As the tariffs continue, so do the days of our lives. In our daily routines, we can choose what we do, including dissecting a 36-year-old song, even though it has been analysed before.
Because you’re a clever person who likes to get at least 10 hours of sleep and loves eating Vegemite, you would have realised I’m talking about one of my dumbest ideas, explaining the historical references in Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire.
I started this pointless project in February 2024, and I’m still stuck in the 50s. I’ll probably retire before I finish it. For those unfortunate people who have missed out on the past entries, fear not, for I have the complete list.
After reflecting on the historical events of 1956, I’m ready to delve into 1957, which promises to be just as wild and challenging. Like before, get ready for an adventure because we are traveling back in time with our destination set for 1957. Let’s do this!
Credit: Burlington
1957
Little Rock
Little Rock is located in Arkansas, United States, and in 1957, it was a flashpoint for the Civil Rights Movement. It centred around nine African American students who were integrated into Little Rock Central High School. These students become known as The Little Rock Nine.
Through a ruling from the Supreme Court that declared that the laws that established segregated schools were unconstitutional, and the backing of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), the nine students were enrolled at Little Rock Central High School.
The school was racially segregated, so black students attending an all-white school did not go down well for everybody. Among several protests against the integration, Orval Faubus, the Governor of Arkansas, deployed the Arkansas National Guard to support the protesters, as well as to block the students from entering the school.
If you remember from the 1952 blog, Dwight D. Eisenhower was the President of the United States of America, and this situation annoyed him. His response was to issue an executive order, which federalised the Arkansas National Guard. He ordered them to support the integration and along with the 101st Airborne Division, escorted and protected the students while at school. This drama was named The Little Rock Crisis.
As a non-American, it’s difficult to quantify a modern example of the Little Rock Crisis. My only answer is to point out the legacy that it brought to the public school system in the United States, by guiding the way in the desegregation of public schools.
The Little Rock Nine being escorted by the National Guard to Little Rock Central High School, Arkansas, 1957. Credit: Everett Collection
Pasternak
Boris Pasternak was a Russian poet, composer, literary translator, and novelist. He was born in Moscow, which was then part of the Russian Empire before it was transformed into the Soviet Union. He is included on this list because he wrote a small and uncomplicated book that you may have heard of: Doctor Zhivago.
Pasternak gave typed manuscripts to foreigners in 1956, knowing they wouldn’t be published in the USSR. The manuscripts were then smuggled to Milan, Italy. Doctor Zhivago was released in 1957, and I’m going to do an awful job at explaining this, but the novel focuses on wars, separation of families, love, and characters. So many characters, with just as many names.
The 1958 Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to Pasternak for Doctor Zhivago, and it remains a masterpiece and beloved the world over for its themes. Over the years, the book has sold millions of copies and has been adapted for television, theatre, and film, with special mention to 1965’s Doctor Zhivago, where it was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won five.
We haven’t discussed baseball for some years now, but this entry will change that. Mickey Mantle was a professional baseball player who played primarily as a centre fielder for the New York Yankees, between 1951–1968.
Mantle earned many different baseball awards, championships, and trophies, but that’s not why he’s on the list. In 1957, Mantle made The Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Stars team. For those of you not up with the play, the All-Stars are players made up from teams in the American League and National League.
This fixture became an annual event on the MLB calendar. Now what made Mantle’s inclusion in the 1957 game special was that it was the sixth year in a row that Mantle had made the All-Stars team.
For a contemporary equivalent, you could go with Mike Trout, but the All-Stars also covered Major League Soccer (MLS-Football), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), and National Hockey League (NHL), so you could take your pick from them as well.
Bill Skowron, Minnie Minoso, Nellie Fox, and Mickey Mantle at the 1957 All-Star game. Credit: Unknown
Kerouac
This is quite rare, but we have a second book entry. On the Road was written by Jack Kerouac, and was released in September 1957. Kerouac based this book on his travels with his friends across the United States, and in some circles, it’s considered a memoir.
The book highlights the Counterculture generation, like the Beat movement, and was controversial with the characters’ carefree lifestyle, drugs, and travelling, along with the music. On the Road has sold over 4 million copies worldwide, with ongoing sales of around 100,000 copies annually.
On the Road has gone on to influence and inspire many different entertainment creators like Hunter S. Thompson, David Bowie, Matty Healy, Jerry Garcia, and Van Morrison, but also Jim Morrison and BobDylan.
Front cover for the first edition of On the Road by Jack Kerouac. Credit: The Viking Press
Sputnik
I wasn’t born in the 50s, so I can’t imagine the fear and tension that came with Sputnik. Launched on 4th October 1957 by the Soviet Union, Sputnik 1 was the world’s first artificial satellite. It was only 58 cm in diameter, and it carried a low-power radio transmitter that broadcasted a beeping noise at regular intervals, which could be heard by radio listeners around the world.
It achieved an Earth orbit with an apogee (farthest point from Earth) of 940 km and a perigee (nearest point) of 230 km, along with circling the planet every 96 minutes. The satellite remained in orbit until 4th January 1958, when it fell back and burned in Earth’s atmosphere. It had travelled 70 million km around the planet before deorbiting.
Known simply as Sputnik, this 83.6 kg device caused anxiety throughout the West, which marked the beginning of the space age between the United States and the Soviet Union.
The legacy of Sputnik can be seen in various spacecraft and satellites launched by the USSR that bear its name, as well as in the thousands of satellites launched by other countries and companies. Just consider where NASA, ESA, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic would be today without the influence of Sputnik.
On Oct. 4, 1957, the Space Age began as the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, into orbit. Credit: The New York Times
Chou En-Lai
Chou En-Lai, also known as Zhou Enlai, served as the first Premier of the People’s Republic of China from its establishment in 1949 until he died in 1976. He was also the country’s foreign minister, a position he held from 1949 to 1958, during which he travelled extensively.
In 1950, he signed a treaty that committed China and the Soviet Union to co-operate. Furthermore, he played a crucial role in facilitating Richard Nixon’s historic meeting with Mao Zedong in China in 1972.
In modern times, you could go in two different ways, either as a foreign minister or an intermediary. For the foreign minister angle, you could just promote your foreign minister, however, the intermediary is a lot easier. Think of Henry Kissinger and President Jimmy Carter for the Middle East, Alexander Haig for Argentina and the United Kingdom, and recently, Emmanuel Macron for Ukraine and Russia.
Zhou Enlai (Chou En-Lai), Premier of China. Official portrait, 1950s. Credit: anonymous, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Bridge on the River Kwai
The Bridge on the River Kwai was a war film based on a book of the same name. Released in 1957, the film tells the story of Allied prisoners of war in Japanese-occupied Thailand, who are forced to build a bridge over the Kwai River, linking Thailand to Burma (Myanmar) for the Japanese, via a railway.
The film went on to earn US$30.6 million, against its US$2.8 million budget. It found universal acclaim, winning seven Oscars at the 1958 Academy Awards, three Golden Globes, and four British Academy Film Awards. The Bridge on the River Kwai has been described as not only the greatest war film ever made, but also one of the greatest films ever made.
I’ve been lucky enough to have seen it, and it’s phenomenal. Seriously, it’s one of those times when you should believe the hype about a film, it’s that good. Some modern films that swept the Academy Awards include Titanic (1997), The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), and La La Land (2016).
So for 1957, we covered an American desegregated high school, a Russian author, a baseball player, an American author, a Soviet satellite, the Chinese Premier, and a film. We’ve been working hard on this, so 1958 will be less chaotic. Maybe.
So that’s it for another week in this ridiculous project. Cool. Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. I have accounts on Twitter and Mastodon, where I try to sound clever, so follow me if that floats your boat.
Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, and enjoy your 90-day pause on Trump’s tariffs. I’ll see you next week, where I’m going to discuss some news that is equally part exciting and scary. Take care and Slava Ukraini!
I’m going to start with an apology. Today’s blog post was supposed to be about We Didn’t Start the Fire’s 1957 historical references; as I spoke about this last week. Now, I’m very sorry to let the fans of this project down, because as I was writing the blog, something extraordinary happened, and I simply couldn’t ignore it.
So in my infinite wisdom, I decided to put a pin in the 1957’s historical references, and actually discuss a trade war. Due to our interconnected world, trade serves as a vital link among us. Surprisingly, it seems that the President of the United States is beginning a trade war with penguins, elephant seals, and seabirds.
Let’s analyse this carefully to determine its truthfulness, or if it is simply the mainstream media attempting to humiliate a 78-year-old convicted felon.
On 2nd April 2025 (local time), President Trump unveiled his hotly anticipated new tariff scheme, which was dubbed Liberation Day. Again, as you know, he declared a trade war against various countries and territories around the world, including my own.
I don’t have enough time to discuss how unusual it is that Russia, Belarus, and North Korea were omitted from the tariff list. My time is too valuable for that, as well as addressing the fact that these tariffs aren’t truly tariffs. Instead, they are based on a flawed formula meant to reflect the trade deficit between the United States and countries or territories.
No, I won’t mention those two things at all. I won’t even talk about how global markets are melting down, with at the time of writing, US$6.6 trillion was been wiped away. I would never stoop that low to discuss and mock those important matters.
And you can forget about me ever mentioning that the White House is now reframing the tariffs as sanctions. Nope, not by me, or on my account. There’s no way I would ever discuss that.
However, there is one tiny thing I would like to discuss. When the former McDonald’s employee and casino bankrupter revealed his list of countries and territories that he wanted to punish for not buying enough US-made items and goods, he included a rather strange entry: The Heard and McDonald Islands.
Credit: White House
The Heard and McDonald Islands are some of the most isolated places on the planet. They lie in the Southern Indian Ocean, about 3,850 km from Australia, where the islands are an Australian external territory. It’s roughly the same latitude as Madagascar, about two-thirds of the way from Antarctica and Madagascar.
The islands’ total land area is only 372 km2, with a coastline stretching 101.9 km. The Heard and McDonald Islands are home to two volcanoes and hundreds of thousands of fauna, such as penguins, elephant seals and seabirds.
But one of the strangest things about the Heard and McDonald Islands is the human population, which is zero. Yes, that’s correct, not a single person lives there. They are uninhabited by humans.
According to the data revealed by the White House, the Heard and McDonald Islands have a trade deficit of 10%, which has resulted in the world’s most famous 78-year-old convicted felon, slapping a 10% tariff on the islands.
Putting aside the suicidal nature of the financial and economic illiteracy of the tariffs, we have a problem. If we are to believe the White House’s data and figures, and why would we not, it means the Heard and McDonald Islands have a trade deficit with the United States.
From the United States perspective, the Heard and McDonald Islands are exporting more goods and services to the United States than they are importing from the United States, hence the trade deficit. But here’s the problem: if the Heard and McDonald Islands are uninhabited by humans, then who or what the fuck is trading with the Americans?
I hope you’re sitting down because the answer is penguins, elephants seals, and seabirds. I like to stay informed about world events, but I’ll be honest, I had no idea that a collection of penguins, elephants seals, and seabirds, living on islands near Antarctica, had not only mastered the ability to understand human language, finance, and commerce, but also have the means to conduct trade with humans. I feel really stupid and ignorant for not knowing this.
I have so many questions about this:
Do the different species of animals trade separately or collectively?
What do they trade? Is it eggs, feathers, shit, or something else?
If it’s shit, is penguin shit more valuable the elephant seal shit?
Do the penguins, elephant seals, and seabirds get along with each other, or are there different factions working against each other, whether it’s politically or financially?
How likely is a civil war to break out on the Heard and McDonald Islands, over the tariffs?
How do they communicate with the humans?
What do the penguins, elephant seals, and seabirds import from the United States?
Who are the American importers, and how are they surviving with the 10% tariff slapped on by the Heard and McDonald Islands?
What is the currency of the Heard and McDonald Islands?
Are Australian penguins, elephant seals, and seabirds, really taking jobs away from American humans, or American fauna?
Is this not the greatest example of evolutionary biology ever discovered?
How is this not the biggest news story in the history of the world; animals trading with humans?
Has anybody spoken to Sir David Attenborough about this? What are his thoughts?
Do the Heard and McDonald Islands only trade with the United States?
By starting a trade war with the Heard and McDonald Islands, does the White House hope to bring back more American jobs?
Does Elon Musk wish to export Teslas to the Heard and McDonald Islands?
The questions are endless because I’m just stunned at this revelation. This startling information is hard to understand and comprehend since it must be true and accurate. Otherwise, the US government would look like a group of people who wouldn’t be able to organise a party at a brewery. This would be one of the biggest displays of incompetence the US government have committed since Signalgate.
I mean, Trump, armed with his stable intellect, and his posse of loyal henchmen, could never make a mistake, right? Because that would be bigly. Nah, I bet every single penguin, elephant seal, and seabird on the Heard and McDonald Islands is woke.
And this ladies and gentlemen, is the world we live in. Welcome.
That’s another blog post for another week. Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me.
That’s three political blog posts in a row, so that’s enough for now. I’m going to finish We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1957, so we can discuss history, music, people, and politics…damn.
Please don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, tell Sir David Attenborough about tariffs on the Heard and McDonald Islands, and I’ll see you next week to continue We Didn’t Start the Fire.
Seriously, can someone please talk to Sir David Attenborough? His response would be amazing.
Following on from last week’s award-winning blog post on Elon Musk and Tesla, I thought I would include an epilogue of some sort. And when I mean award-winning, I mean…wait, do I need to explain that joke?
Anyway, Musk is a busy man. He’s mismanaging DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), selling Teslas at the White House, launching and blowing up rockets with SpaceX, selling and buying his companies to himself, and doing interviews with Fox News.
To everyone’s surprise, Musk still manages to find time to share his innermost thoughts and ideas with his 218.8 million followers on Twitter.1 Because of this, I talked to my Chief Consultant for Bad Ideas and decided to examine what Musk has been posting and reposting on his account lately.
Three things to remember before we start this stupid idea: 1.) I’m only going back a week at the most, because, well, that’s all I can tolerate. 2.) I’m focusing on the different posts and reposts that Musk has done on his Twitter account. I’m not including anything other people have said about him, that is not on his account. 3.) Since this is my account, I get to decide what happens. Because of this, I will be selectively choosing posts and reposts, which make Musk stand out for various negative reasons.
Awesome, so let’s read what nonsense the richest person on the planet has to say on nearly everything.
Credit: Sky News
Make of these posts as you will. That’s a lot to take in, as it was only over a few days, and that’s not counting all of the other stuff on his account. Musk is on social media more than George Takei, and that’s saying something!
Love him or hate him, Elon Musk is not going anywhere, least of all on Twitter, which Musk recently sold to xAI, an artificial intelligence start-up company, for US$33 billion. Just to clarify, Musk owns xAI, so he purchased and sold a company to himself. I have enough problems remembering to remind myself about things to buy at the supermarket.
Anyway, like I said last week, Musk is a complicated person, and his posts and reposts are a small window into the mind of a man who is one bad day away from becoming a real Bond villain.
That’s another blog post for another week. Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me.
Please don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, and if you can, please donate to the rescue relief in Myanmar, where a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit the country and killed over 1,600 people. From personal experience, earthquakes are hell, so if you can donate, please do. I’ll see you next week because we’re going back to 1957. Can’t wait.
1 I know Twitter has been rebranded as X, but it’s still Twitter to me; just like the Gulf of Mexico.Sorry, I’m a jerk.
Saying Elon Musk is a complicated person is like saying, “Star Wars is just a movie.” There’s more to him than being the richest person in the world, which is starting to have some truly horrible consequences. He’s making the news for good and bad reasons, but we are so deep into the rabbit hole that, at this stage, I don’t think there’s much difference.
I’ll be honest here, I’ve tried to be balanced with this topic, but it’s awkward.
I admire Musk’s work with SpaceX and The Boring Company because they are creative and inventive companies that are pushing human development and advancement. It may not be popular, but I don’t care that he’s the wealthiest person in the world, because if its not him, its going to be Jeff Bezos or some other loser that has not become Batman.
I’m not particularly fond of billionaires in general, but I think Musk is impressive for his contributions to scientific development. However, I believe that billionaires should be taxed at a higher rate, regardless of where they reside.
However, my admiration of Musk can only go so far. His shenanigans with DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), his anti-woke crusade, the buyout of Twitter (X) to ensure/suppress freedom of speech, and his not-so-subtle sympathising with Nazis, have slowly turned him into a financial and social pariah.
This amazing transition brings us to Tesla. Although Musk did not start Tesla, Inc., he is now Tesla’s face to the world. When you think of Tesla, you think of Musk, like Jeff Bezos and Amazon, Bill Gates and Microsoft, Steve Jobs and Apple, and Ronald McDonald and some random burger chain.
To help combat climate change, I believe Tesla is a crucial player in this effort. As one of the world’s leading electric car manufacturers, it employs over 125,000 people. While it is a business focused on making a profit, it also provides a valuable resource to the world: electric cars.
I’m naive about many things in this beautiful world, but I understand how capitalism and businesses work, because I purchase products from major corporations, including food, books, shoes and clothes; they are a necessary burden. But they provide a service or product, that we, the consumers, want.
Tesla is no different in that regard, so I have no major ill will towards them. They have a great concept and I wish them all the luck in the world with their electric cars. If I had the money, I would own an electric car of some type.
But Tesla is in trouble, because of Musk’s actions and speeches. The backlash towards Musk is justified because his personal life is clashing with his professional and business life. It’s been a snowball of conservative actions, topped off with his ascension to DOGE, and he is, for all of the optics, a Nazi sympathiser.
Tesla dealerships are getting graffitied and attacked, while the cars are being fire-bombed, destroyed, vandalised, scratched, and defaced, whether they are on a lot, in car parks, or at people’s homes. This has meant that Tesla stock has taken a hit, not just across North America, but around the world. It’s a global boycott.
About four years ago, a former colleague of mine and her husband bought a second-hand Tesla with the help of a bank loan. She often spoke about how owning a Tesla was a dream for her because she believed strongly in the electric car industry and its potential to combat climate change.
Last week, my wife was talking to another mother at school, who revealed that she had purchased a second-hand Tesla 10 months ago, for the same reasons my ex-work colleague had. However, she also explained in the last few weeks, members of the public have been yelling and cursing at her, with one man calling her a Nazi.
She reinforced to my wife that had she got the car, “…before Elon become a dickhead. We didn’t know he liked Nazis. We haven’t done anything wrong.”
I am both impressed and proud of the resistance against the actions of the richest person on Earth. It’s truly remarkable what people can stand up to—if you can’t confront an ultra-wealthy Nazi sympathiser, then who can you stand up to?
On the other hand, Tesla was not Musk’s creation, but he is their poster boy. What happens if Tesla’s stock keeps falling? Job losses, that’s what. How many of the 125,000 workers will lose their jobs, because of Tesla’s financial issues? 10%? 25%? 75%?
Would the total collapse of one of the world’s largest electric car manufacturers be a positive thing? The oil and gas industry would say yes, but climate activists and other electric car manufacturers would say no.
To the best of my understanding, Musk owns 12.8% of Tesla stock, which is worth about US$97.8 billion. His net worth is estimated to be around US$327.3 billion, so his Tesla stock works out to about 30% of his wealth.
If Tesla collapsed and Musk lost all of the money in Tesla stock, he would still have at least US$220 billion.
If Tesla collapsed, what would the 125,000 workers have? Could the electric car industry recover from that disaster? I don’t want to find out.
So, as a global village, we have a dilemma. Do we continue the destruction of Tesla vehicles and the company, until it is completely destroyed, because of its connection to Musk? Should we then destroy and cancel Twitter (X), SpaceX, the Boring Company, Neuralink, as well as OpenAI?
Or do we ignore Tesla, and allow Musk to continue his harmful rhetoric and policies, without any more pushback or punishment?
Or maybe, there’s a compromise. What if society could stop cancelling Tesla, but Musk could still be held accountable?
Hear me out. Because of the huge number of stocks he holds, Musk is the CEO of Tesla. But imagine if Tesla drew a line in the sand and wanted to put distance from itself and Musk, by forcing Musk out of the company; either by buying him out, or firing him as CEO.
This way, Musk faces consequences, but Tesla could survive and continue its mission to combat climate change, alongside other electric car manufacturers. I know it sounds like a foolish idea, but just imagine if that were possible.
I genuinely appreciate the protests, but destroying Tesla won’t eliminate Musk; it would instead devastate hundreds of thousands of lives through job losses. And who benefits from that? The oil and gas industry, that’s who.
If there is an end game with the protests, it has to be to put pressure on Tesla to act, and force Musk out, or fire him. That is the best scenario I can think of, and that result would make me happy. But hey, what do I know? Also, on a shameful note, I really do like the term, swasticar. It’s really clever.
Anyway, how do you propose we solve the Musk-Tesla problem? Does it need to be solved? As always, please let me know.
That’s another blog for another week. Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. If I didn’t have this weird writing project, I don’t know where I would be, so again, thank you.
Please don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, continue to pressure Israel and Russia for ceasefires, and I’ll see you next week.
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