I had originally planned to write about something else this week, but after learning about a particular piece of news, the die was cast, and the decision was no longer mine to make.
Just in case you’re a very unlucky person and have not been following the news, there has been a recent development in the administration of peace in the United States. The United States Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., which is run by the United States Congress, has been unselfishly renamed after everybody’s favourite world leader, as the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace. Naming a building after yourself is rather classy, especially if it’s a government building.
This compelling and authentic move reflects President Trump’s desire for peace in the United States and around the world; except for Yemen, the European Union, Venezuela, Portland, Iran, Mexico, Canada, Chicago, and Greenland, but they don’t count.
To prove this point, President Trump was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize recently, which in no way panders to his fragile ego. That is just garbage, spun by fake news outlets that believe in accountability and justice.
Like President Trump, I am very humble, and I would like to acknowledge TheDaily Show for giving me the idea for this informative article. Credit where credit is due. On behalf of 100% of the staff at Some Geek Told Me, I would like to thank The Daily Show for the inspiring idea, as well as President Trump for pursuing peace, because he can stop wars that don’t even exist! What a role model!
Credit: BBC & Getty Images
Because President Trump is a bastion for peace in a world that seems divided by President Trump, I have collected some other clinics, institutes, academies, and other learning centres that could be renamed, like the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace.
Sadly, I was born outside of the United States and away from President Trump’s bigly protection, so some of my selections may not be familiar to my international readers, but my New Zealand readers will understand.
And with that, let’s turn the page and begin now.
The Christopher Luxon Entitlement Academy
The Winston Peters Centre of Cultural Diversity
The Brian Tamaki LGBTQIA+ Appreciation Institute
The David Seymour Food Nutrition Clinic
The Pauline Hanson Centre of Islamic-Awareness
The Vladimir Putin Geography Academy
The Kim Jong Un Institute of Human Rights
The Viktor Orbán Centre for Free Speech
The Alexander Lukashenko Institute of Democracy
The Bashar al-Assad Anti-Corruption Institute
The Benjamin Netanyahu Anti-Genocide Centre
The Xi Jinping Institute for the Protection of the Uyghurs
The Nigel Farage Centre of Tolerance and Inclusion
The Kristi Noem Gun Safety School
The JD Vance Museum of Furniture
The RFK Jr Centre for Preventable Childhood Diseases
The Marco Rubio School of Fawning and Grovelling
The Sean Duffy Centre of Climate Change
The Lauren Boebert Gender-Affirming Clinic
The Marjorie Taylor Greene Institute for Autism Awareness
The Ted Cruz Free Abortion Clinic
The Elon Musk Family Planning Clinic
The Jeff Bezos Centre for Independent Book Sellers
The Bob Iger School of Business Ethnics
The Patrick W. Smith Academy of Accountability
The Darren Woods Museum of Environmental Disasters
The Anthony Hopkins Academy of Method Acting
The Neil deGrasse Tyson Flat Earth Centre
The Jonathan Pie Anti-Profanity School
The Alex Jones Meditation Institute
The Nicholas Cage Institute of Marriage Counselling
The Rassie Erasmus Centre of Sports Ethnics
The Neymar School of Acting
The Cristiano Ronaldo Centre for Modesty and Humbleness
And I would like to close with a post humorous choice:
The J. R. R. Tolkien Memorial Institute for Concise Writing
So, how did I do? Did I miss any selections? As always, please let me know.
I hope you liked this week’s rant as much as I liked writing it. Next week will be the last proper blog post before I head off into the sunset for a much-needed break, since running a highly successful blog takes its toll.
Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, watch the Supergirl trailer, and I’ll see you next week.
It’s been a long time since I celebrated a real achievement on this highly popular website. I’ve made over 250 critically acclaimed blog posts that are the envy of all the Flat Earth creators, and produced numerous content where people have actually left comments; sometimes it’s been two people! I know, it’s quite impressive, so please, don’t be intimidated too much.
The point is that today marks an important milestone in the history of New Zealand’s 5th least favourite website. On 29th April 2024, we entered the 1950s in the We Didn’t Start the Fire historical references blog posts, and today we finally enter the 1960s!
To remind any newcomers about this amazing life choice, I have decided, in my utterly infallible wisdom, to explain all of the historical references in Billy Joel’s song, We Didn’t Start the Fire. Why would I do such a thing when various people have already done this with a greater degree of professionalism? The short answer is that I love the song and history, so what’s another thing I can add to the Mountain of Eternal Regret?
I have said this before, but this blog keeps me off the streets and out of bars, so my wife can keep track of me.
The list of previous fascinating and informative blog posts can be found here:
We have now entered the third decade of historical references in the song; what a ride! This entry is shaping up to be quite chaotic, so you need to strap yourself in, because we are going back to 1960! Prepare yourself!
Credit: Rosners’/Pinterest
U-2
The incident happened during the Cold War, and it had nothing to do with an Irish rock band. U-2 refers to the Lockheed U-2, which is a high–altitude reconnaissance aircraft that has a single engine and a single pilot. The aircraft, known as a spy plane, is operated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the United States Air Force (USAF).
In what can only be described as a plot for a spy movie, on 1st May 1960, an American Lockheed U-2 spy plane took off from Pakistan and was eventually shot down over the Soviet Union by the Soviet Air Defence Forces.
The pilot, Francis Gary Powers, was taking aerial photographs when his aircraft was hit by a Soviet surface-to-air missile. Powers parachuted away and was captured by Soviet forces, then put on trial for espionage. The entire affair was a huge embarrassment for the CIA and USAF, as well as for the United States Government, and resulted in the cancellation of an upcoming summit in Paris between the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and France.
Two modern examples of spy plane scandals were the 2001 Hainan Island incident between the United States and China, as well as in January 2024, when Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian Beriev A-50U airborne early warning aircraft, which serves as a surveillance and command-and-control platform. Truth is stranger than fiction.
The remains of the Lockheed U-2 are now on display in the Central Armed Forces Museum, Moscow, Russia. Credit: Alan Wilson.
Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee (1875-1965) was a dedicated advocate for Korean independence during the Imperial Japanese annexation of Korea. Rhee eventually became the first President of South Korea, who served from 1948 to 1960. He also wanted to reunify the Korean Peninsula.
If you’re a student of history like me, you would have noticed that Rhee was president during the Korean War. It could be argued that Rhee might have made this list for other reasons, but the reason he actually made the list in 1960 was related to the South Korean presidential election.
Rhee was looking to be re-elected for a fourth term, but his opponent, Chough Pyung-ok, died one month before the election. This meant Rhee was re-elected unopposed, and government reports said that he received 100% of the votes from a 97% voter turnout.
The focus turned to the race for the Vice President, which resulted in Rhee’s running mate Lee Ki-poong defeating Chang Myon, 79.19% to 17.51%. This caused widespread calls of election fraud and authoritative claims against Rhee and Lee, which led to the massive civil unrest and Rhee’s resignation and exile to the United States.
For some contemporary examples of politicians resigning because of public protests; would be the Arab Spring (2010-2012), Viktor Yanukovych (2014), Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson (2016), Serzh Sargsyan (2018), Omar al-Bashir (2019), Sheikh Hasina (2024), KP Sharma Oli (2025), Milos Vucevic (2025), and so many more.
TIME Magazine Cover: 16th October 1960. Credit: TIME Magazine/BORIS CHALIAPIN
Payola
This entry is completely believable, and it’s a wonder it didn’t happen sooner. The term payola refers to an illegal practice in the music industry, where a payment is made to a commercial radio station to play a song, but the station does not disclose the payment.
In 1959, a federal investigation was launched into the practice, which turned into a gigantic scandal. Over 330 DJs and radio hosts admitted to taking bribes to play certain songs over others. This led to criminal charges being levelled at radio hosts like Alan Freed, who was extremely popular at the time.
These investigations caused several people to lose their jobs and careers. An estimated $263,000 was accepted in bribes.
A modern equivalent would be in 2006, when a payola scandal involving record companies Universal Music Group, Sony, and Warner Music Group. Record labels were paying various radio stations for radio play, with settlements being over $30 million, after a New York Attorney General’s investigation.
Credit: Daily News
Kennedy
This is a straightforward reference involving John F. Kennedy being elected as the 35th president of the United States, defeating Richard Nixon. Kennedy served as President until his assassination in 1963. He was the second youngest person to be elected as President of the United States at 43 years old.
For comparison, Donald Trump was 70 years old when elected in 2016, Joe Biden was 78 years old and 61 days when elected in 2020, and when Donald Trump was elected for a second time in 2024, he was 78 years old and 220 days, making him the oldest person ever to be elected as President; just to point that out.
John F. Kennedy campaign button Button from John F. Kennedy’s 1960 U.S. presidential campaign. Credit: Encyclopædia Britannica
Chubby Checker
Cover songs can either work so well that the new version completely eclipses the original, so that people tend to think the cover is the original, or the cover song just simply exists, and pales in comparison to the original, or the cover and original both benefit from each other’s success. Trust me, I am going somewhere with this.
In 1960, Ernest Evans, aka Chubby Checker, released a song called, The Twist, which in fact was originally released by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters in 1958. The original was very popular in its own right and did very well in sales, but the cover sent the popularity of The Twist into the exosphere.
One of the reasons Chubby Checker’s version was popular, to the point that even if a nightclub in New Zealand played the song, people would know what to do, was the dance, or rather, a dance craze.
“Doing’ the Twist” twisted people on the dance floor around the world, but also helped in the United States, at least, by producing a dance that was popular with black and white audiences during the “Jim Crow” racial segregation era.
Naming cover songs that were successful and popular is one thing, while naming songs that introduce a dance craze is another. However, combining the two is a little more difficult, so the best that the staff at Some Geek Told Me can think of is Macarena, which is a remix from the Bayside Boys in 1995. You know the dance, I bet you do. Hey Macarena, ay!
Psycho
I’m not a huge horror movie fan, but I can sit down and enjoy one. Granted, I may have my eyes shut or my hands covering my face, but I have seen the next entry. This, of course, reminds me that one day I’m going to write about my favourite movie directors.
Like the seamless transition of Sméagol to Gollum and back, this brings us to Psycho. I can’t remember where or when I first saw the movie, but I sure as hell remember what happened in it. Released in 1960, Psycho is arguably one of director Alfred Hitchcock’s most famous works.
Shot in black and white, Hitchcock gave audiences a ride they didn’t see coming, in the form of a ground-breaking masterpiece in Psycho, which covered a range of themes like guilt, madness, voyeurism, family, and morality. Not only did Psycho change thriller and horror movies forever, but movies in general as well.
With a budget of only US$800,000, it collected US$50 million at the box office, as well as being nominated for four Academy Awards, with Janet Leigh winning a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture.
For previous movie references in the song, Psycho did not win multiple awards, but rather changed how movies are made; it was revolutionary. In that vein, some modern movie comparisons include Pulp Fiction (1994), Toy Story (1995), Saving Private Ryan (1998), The Blair Witch Project (1999), The Matrix (1999), The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003), and Avatar (2009).
Belgians in the Congo
Belgians in the Congo means exactly what you think it does. For some much-needed context, in the 1870s, King Leopold II of Belgium was keen to have a Belgian colony in the Congo basin, which is located in Central Africa.
By the 1880s, he had effectively set up shop in the Congo basin. The people of the Congo Free State, as it was known, suffered atrocities with an estimated 1.5 million to 13 million deaths at the hands of Leopold’s policies and greed.
In 1908, the annexation became official, with the Congo Free State being rebranded as the Belgian Congo, thus becoming a colony of Belgium. The Belgian government began a massivesuppression of rights and economic exploitation of the region and of its people.
After years of a fierce independence movement, the country achieved independence from Belgium on 30th June 1960. The new country was renamed The Republic of the Congo, then changed to Zaire, and changed again, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is what it is called today.
After independence was achieved, the transition resulted in civil unrest, protests, and conflicts, which became known as the Congo Crisis (1960-1965). Various wars were fought, with Belgian troops trying to regain control of the country, as well as other factions and countries that were involved. This eventually served as a proxy war between the United States and the Soviet Union, just like the Korean War, Vietnam War, Angolan Civil War, and Afghan–Soviet War.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo went on to suffer wars in the shape of the First Congo War (1996-1997) and the Second Congo War (1998-2003), which resulted in a combined death toll of about 5.65 million people. The Second Congo War was the deadliest war since World War II, with parts of the country still being unstable because of armed conflicts, mainly between the Congolese army and the M23 rebel group.
Belgian paratrooper secures the restaurant terrace of Léopoldville (Kinshasa) airport, during Congo Crisis, July 1960. Credit: Unknown.
So, for 1960, we covered a spy plane being shot down, a South Korean president, a music scandal, a US president, a musician and his dance craze, a movie, and an armed conflict. Obviously, all of these references happened before I was born; however, it always pays to understand why things happened and how they are related to the world today. Well, to me at least, because I love history.
Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. My Twitter and Mastodon accounts are still producing daily data about the world, so please drop in to say hello.
Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, Grok is not always correct, and I’ll see you next week.
I have not used enough self-deprecating humour for a while, so I had an idea. An awful idea. I had a wonderful, awful idea! I know what to do. I haven’t revisited this topic since last year, so perhaps it’s time for a review. In case you haven’t read the first thrilling instalment, here it is.
I left my job in April, and since then, I’ve been thinking about the possibilities that are open to me in the future, even though I have found a new job. Yay! Although I have mentioned this before, it’s nice to have a job that pays well and that you love, but you also need to have an interest in it and be qualified. That last part is awkward, at the very least.
The idea is that there are some jobs I feel I would be great at (on paper at least), and there would be some jobs, let’s face it, I would suck at. I have a certain set of skills that are only of interest to me, but can they be transferable to any job? Doubt it.
To reinforce what I said in the first blog post about this positive and uplifting subject, I will detail three jobs that I believe I would suck at. Whether I describe myself as being terrible, horrible, ill-suited, unqualified, or just wrong, these jobs would not be for me. This does not cover the pay rate; it just looks at whether the job would be a woeful match for me.
Also, please remember that if your job may appear here today or at a later date, that’s fine for you because I’m not saying your job sucks. I’m just saying your job would suck for me since I’m awkward. If you can do any of these three jobs, you’re a better person than I am!
So without further delays or hair combing, let me explain how I would be swiping left on these three jobs. And away we go!
This is a rather specific job, and I will explain, so just hear me out. I’ve done data entry before, years ago, of a sort. It wasn’t 100% data entry because the day was broken up with other things that went with the job, but the bulk of it was data entry.
I struggled with the job, and one of the reasons I outlived the monotony was being able to leave my little office to venture out into the big, brave world. Now, take a similar job, where the job is just data entry, but I get to work from home, and it would be a disaster.
Let’s take stock of the potential problems I would face: raiding the pantry every 15 minutes for a snack, checking my emails every 3 minutes, constantly checking on whether any parcel or letters have arrived (only on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), doing the washing and dishes, stopping to read a book or comics, checking on various new sites about the world, and checking updates on sport scores.
Regardless of whether I needed to pick the boys up from school or not, once they were home, forget about me achieving any work. And if my wife were at home, the tiny fraction of work I would be getting done would only be getting smaller. A two-minute conversation about lunch would turn into 45 minutes of talking about cartoons.
Working as a data entry operator from home would be a massive mistake for me, because I get too distracted while I’m on the computer. Just think about how long it’s taken me to write this section. I would never need to quit the job, because I would have been fired before that. I would suck as a data entry operator working from home.
Fencer
Now, before you start asking questions, no, I’m not talking about the sport or reselling stolen property. Oh no, I’m referring to the job of actually building and installing fences. You see, I’m not exactly a handyman, as I have great difficulty with building and making things.
My mum pointed out to me once that if there was a long and complicated way of doing something, you can bet that I would do it. This would transfer over to building things, as I would just stuff it up.
And even if you took away the fact that my fences would look like they were designed by a 4-year-old, or an earthquake has installed them, there is the social side to it. I can only imagine going around different farms, building fences, and talking to various farmers.
Talking to farmers is not the problem; it would be listening to the same stories and the same jokes, time and time again. I’m not sure how I could handle building wayward fences, with gaps in them like the government’s budget, but also sounding surprised and interested, when I’ve heard the same story or the same jokes from someone, every time I see them.
I can’t hide my emotions while I wear my face; it’s a giveaway to people, so not only would I be building poor, shoddy, and terrible fences, with holes in them that a rhino could slip through, I would go crazy listening to the repeated stories and jokes told by the same people. I would suck as a fencer.
Baker
This entry can be explained and broken down into three sections, because I would suck being a baker. Firstly, getting up so I can be at work by 4 am would get old extremely quickly. By 9 am, I would have to tape my eyelids back so I wouldn’t close them and fall asleep. Being sleep-deprived and working with blunt and sharp objects is a guaranteed way to injure myself or someone else.
I would have to go to bed before the boys did, which would be a sure-fire way to damage my marriage. Secondly, being a baker, you need to be able to follow recipes and work out the same calculations. By this, I mean I would be working with the same ingredients, but just halving or doubling the recipe. Every day. I won’t lie to you, I would have mental, emotional, and physical issues with that.
I would have to follow someone’s recipe, without ever fundamentally changing it, or perhaps, ever creating anything new. This leads me to the third reason: I’m not very good in the kitchen. Yes, I can prepare dinners, which are just variations of each other, but baking? No way. Even if I was smart enough to follow the recipe, the Good Lord did not seem to bless me with baking skills.
Somehow, someway, I would just mess it up. Whether it was baking cookies, cakes, buns, scones, or anything else would be a disaster. Cooking toast? Check. Boiling soup? Check. Steaming vegetables? Check. Cooking pasta? Check. Baking chocolate chip cookies? Um…just sack me, and get it over and done with.
I would never win any reality TV baking show. Not that I would be kicked off in the first round, oh no, I would not have been good enough to be on the show in the first place. I would suck as a baker.
Again, I’m very sorry if I have mentioned any of your jobs. It’s not you, it’s me. And that’s another blog post for another week.
Thanks for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. I mean it. This project helps me to scoop out the negativity and replace it with something else, less smelly, and a lot crunchier.
Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, 15-year-olds are still children, and I’ll see you next week, because we are finally entering the 1960s. You know what I’m talking about. Please say that you do.
I’ve been chugging along with this vanity project for nearly five years, but now and then, I have to bring the room’s mood down. Sadly, this blog post is one of those times, with the last one being nearly eight weeks ago.
Jane Goodall and Nigel Latta, two people I have admired for years, recently died, so I thought I had better acknowledge them and pay my respects.
From what I understand, Dr Jane Goodall died in her sleep on 1st October, in Los Angeles, California. She was 91 years old. Goodall was famous around the world for various reasons, but mainly for her decades of research on chimpanzee behaviour. I’m likely underselling her, but Goodall was a scientist, author, and advocate for the natural world, including animal rights.
I love animals, especially pets; however, Jane Goodall was one of these people who helped me to understand that if you have a love for animals, why would you eat them? It’s one of the reasons why I have almond milk now, as well as being a semi-vegetarian, which means I eat meat, but only chicken and fish. I don’t eat mammals any more, and one day I’ll go full vegetarian. I’m working on it.
Goodall came to New Zealand, not long ago, where she was on tour. I saw the tickets advertising the event, and I really wanted to go. I’ve admired her work for years, but I couldn’t justify spending a small fortune on tickets, flights, and accommodation, which would only be for me, and not my family.
Because of that, I decided I couldn’t afford to go. I was disappointed about it, but I accepted it. Looking back on it now, I am filled with regret. Goodall spoke about many different things, as she reinforced the notion that if you wanted the world to change, you needed to change first; she was very inspiring.
Jane Goodall with Motambo, an orphan at the Jane Goodall Institute’s Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center in Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo.Credit: The Jane Goodall Institute.
For my international community, you may not have heard of Nigel Latta, but my New Zealand followers would have. Latta died from cancer on 30th September, aged 58, in Auckland. Now, for those of you not in the know, Latta was an author and broadcaster, but he was also, arguably, the most famous psychologist in the country.
Latta helped people across the community through his books and television shows, to help us better understand ourselves mentally, emotionally, and physically, but also our loved ones, and how to pick ourselves up and keep trying.
Understanding why and how people make decisions has helped me, not only in figuring out other people, but also myself, especially as a parent, raising two geeky boys.
I remember I was in Napier on holiday, when I was walking along, and I saw Latta with his family having lunch. By then, he was a household name, and I had really enjoyed his TV shows. An idea suddenly popped into my head that I should go over and say hello and thank him for his work.
I got a few steps towards him when I fully took in the scene. He was spending quality time with his family, so I quickly changed my mind, since I didn’t want to break up that scene for him, so I turned around and kept on walking.
It would have been great to have met him, but I don’t regret my decision. Latta was very relatable with his commentaries and greatly helped so many people.
Credit: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
Both Goodall and Latta, like many others, have influenced my nerdy and geeky life in subtle ways, and I feel extremely lucky to have lived when they did, having heard their various messages of hope and change.
In my usual memorial blog posts, I typically spend more time talking about the person’s achievements and their impact on the world; however, instead of that, I think it would be far better if Jane Goodall and Nigel Latta did it for me. So, because of that, I have collected some of Goodall and Latta’s quotes and messages, as they are a far more fitting tribute than what I could ever come up with.
Jane Goodall
“Young people, when informed and empowered, when they realize that what they do truly makes a difference, can indeed change the world.”
“Lasting change is a series of compromises. And compromise is alright, as long as your values don’t change.”
“Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don’t believe is right.”
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
“You cannot share your life with a dog, as I had done in Bournemouth, or a cat, and not know perfectly well that animals have personalities and minds and feelings.”
“Chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans have been living for hundreds of thousands of years in their forest, living fantastic lives, never overpopulating, never destroying the forest. I would say that they have been in a way more successful than us as far as being in harmony with the environment.”
“Chimps can do all sorts of things we thought that only we could do – like tool-making and abstraction and generalisation. They can learn a language – sign language – and they can use the signs. But when you think of our intellects, even the brightest chimp looks like a very small child.”
“I’m always pushing for human responsibility. Given that chimpanzees and many other animals are sentient and sapient, then we should treat them with respect.”
“We can’t leave people in abject poverty, so we need to raise the standard of living for 80% of the world’s people, while bringing it down considerably for the 20% who are destroying our natural resources.”
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
“The greatest danger to our future is apathy.”
“Here we are, the most clever species ever to have lived. So how is it we can destroy the only planet we have?”
Nigel Latta
“Most of the time life is pretty unfair. Good people get cancer, while bad people live to a ripe old age.”
“I think more of us want fairness. I think more of us want to see that everyone really is afforded the same opportunities.”
“What’s becoming really clear to me as I’m wandering around and looking at all the stuff that I would normally buy…it’s not so much that sugar’s hidden, but it’s kind of hidden in plain sight because it’s in almost everything.“
“We have this illusion that life will go on forever, so the joy gets buried in all the everyday stuff. What we’ve learned is, and I wish I’d done this earlier in my life, connect with the joy earlier. Don’t wait for the catastrophe.”
“We live in a culture that measures our worth based on pounds, dollars, hours clocked at work and social media likes… Rewiring this mindset takes practice. Practice counting the relationships that add meaning to life, your qualities and aspirations, the trials you have overcome, the lessons you have learned.”
“Science is one of the greatest things the human race has going for it. It has given us the things that now make our lives easier, healthier, more interesting, and longer. Yet our policy makers seem to ignore good science when it doesn’t suit.”
“Things like alcohol being a group-one carcinogen, and the sobering fact that 40 per cent of households living in poverty have at least one adult in paid employment. These seem like things we should all just know. But we don’t.”
“There are a lot of people out there who think poor people are lazy, people in prison are all bad buggers, and anyone who wants to make something of themselves can. I hope this series has helped people to see that these things aren’t necessarily true. It’s important for all of us to look after all of us.”
“We are a nation of people who care about each other. Yes, there are divisions, and factions, and cynical opinion-piece writers, and toxic bloggers, but the rest of us really do care. That might seem a little hokey to some people, but it makes me feel better about it all. It confirms what I’ve always believed about us as a people: We might have our moments, but underneath it all there beats a good heart.”
“We’re all busy trying to put food on the table, pay off mortgages, and keep our jobs. Because of that there’s a lot going on that many of us simply don’t pay attention to. Things like supermarkets threatening local councils with expensive legal action if they try to restrict the hours alcohol can be sold. We’re busy trying to get ourselves signed up to free-trade agreements that have huge implications for all of us, and we’re not allowed to know what those implications are.”
All I can do is thank them and continue to implement their ideas into my life. They will be missed.
And that brings the latest entry of New Zealand’s 5th least favourite website to a close. Do you have any thoughts or comments about Jane Goodall or Nigel Latta? As always, please let me know.
Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, tell your cat I said “Pspsps”, and I’ll see you next week.
I’m not sure if you fully understand how lucky the world is to have a courageous and intelligent leader, like President Donald Trump. Not only is he an amazing debater and casino owner, but he also understands how lawsuits work, as he has been able to explain what it’s like to go through the impeachment process. Twice. His legal mind is unparalleled in its knowledge of tax codes, bankruptcies, and indictments.
However, this blog post is not about singing the praises of Trump’s legal prowess, but rather, he is an untapped source of scientific information, wisdom, and knowledge. Yes, even though he has no scientific qualifications, Trump can converse with the masses and explain various scientific concepts and theories.
To celebrate his achievements in science communication, the staff of Some Geek Told Me have collected some of his wisest nuggets of scientific information. Sadly, the geeky editor of this well-respected blog has insisted on adding some extra information to Trump’s astute scientific statements. These unwanted literary additions will be indicated in italics. I’m sorry, but our editor enjoys putting in his two cents’ worth.
And with that, let us enjoy the scientific advice from a beloved politician and golfer (who is a 79-year-old convicted felon), President Donald Trump, from 2015 onwards. Let’s begin now.
In 2017, Trump heroically warned the public on the dangers of staring directly at the Sun during an eclipse without wearing solar eclipse glasses, by staring directly at the Sun during an eclipse without wearing solar eclipse glasses. Credit: Teen Vogue
Windmills (Wind turbines)
“It is the worst form of energy, the most expensive form of energy, but windmills should not be allowed.”
The most expensive form of energy, in terms of cost per kilowatt, is coal power, with internal combustion engines and nuclear power more expensive than wind power (on land and offshore).Trump’s statement is false.
“[Wind turbines] are causing whales to die in numbers never seen before.”
There is no evidence or links to suggest that offshore wind turbines can be connected to or attributed to the deaths of large groups of whales. Trump’s statement is false.
“[Windfarms] kill the birds.”
Yes, it’s correct to say that wind turbines can result in bird deaths. Large blades spinning around at tremendous speeds will obviously be able to injure and/or kill birds, whether on land or offshore. In saying that, the rates of birds being killed by wind turbines are low, compared to other factors like birds flying into power lines, pesticides, and the loss of habitats, as well as wild and domestic cats.
“They say the noise [Wind turbines] causes cancer.”
I believe you would be hard-pressed to find any credible scientific or medical research that would link the noise generated by wind turbines to cancer rates in humans. Essentially, the noise of wind turbines does not cause cancer. Trump’s statement is false.
“[Wind turbines] start to rust and rot in eight years and, when they do, you can’t really turn them off, you can’t burn them. They won’t let you bury the propellers, the props, because there’s a certain type of fibre that doesn’t go well with the land.”
Just like the various car designs, every wind turbine design is different and built by different companies. However, 20-25 years is the average life span of a wind turbine. If properly maintained and in certain areas, a wind turbine could last more than 30 years. As for their waste, estimates show that 80-90% of their mass can be recycled. Trump’s statement is false.
Plastic straws
“I don’t think that plastic [straw] is going to affect a shark as they’re eating, as they’re munching their way through the ocean.”
Trump’s claim that discarded plastic straws in the ocean will not affect sharks is false. Scientific evidence shows that marine wildlife like sharks, sea turtles and others do, in fact, consume single-use plastics, like straws.
COVID-19
“So, supposing we hit the body with a tremendous — whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light — and I think you said that that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it. And then I said, supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way, and I think you said you’re going to test that too. It sounds interesting.”
In 2020, when the world was going into lockdown over COVID-19, vaccines were still being developed. Trump’s suggestion of fighting the virus with light and heat was based on the evidence that a lot of viruses die when exposed to ultraviolet light on a surface. However, exposing a virus to ultraviolet light inside a human body would not kill the virus.Trump’s statement is false.
“Right. And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that. So, that, you’re going to have to use medical doctors with. But it sounds — it sounds interesting to me.”
Although it is awkward to understand his point, Trump is wondering if we should be treating COVID-19 with disinfectant, because it can kill viruses on surfaces, so why not on the human body? This statement is not so much false as it is just wrong and dangerous. Ingesting or injecting disinfectants to kill viruses will only end up poisoning and harming you, if not kill you. Please do not do this.
Magnets
“”Think of it, magnets. Now all I know about magnets is this. Give me a glass of water. Let me drop it on the magnets. That’s the end of the magnets.”
“They want to use magnets to lift up the elevators, I said magnets will not work. Give me a cup of water, throw it on the magnets, you totally short out the system. They said, ‘How did you know that?’ I said, ‘Because I know that.”
Both of these statements talk about how Trump believes that magnets do not work underwater. In reality, magnets can still work effectively underwater. This is because water is basically non-magnetic, so it does not interfere with a magnetic field. However, saltwater and heat, over a period of time, can weaken them.Inferring that a magnet can not work underwater is false.
Autism
“The meteoric rise in autism is among the most alarming public health developments in history. There’s never been anything like this. Just a few decades ago, 1 in 10,000 children had autism. So that’s not a long time. And I’ve always heard, you know, they say a few, but I think it’s a lot less time than that.”
Trump is correct that autism rates in the United States, but also the world in general, are rising. However, the main reasons for this are that technology has evolved, which means the assessment process is more refined, as well as experts having a far better understanding and recognition of the condition. Both of these factors will drive the rates up. Trump’s statement is misleading.
“It’s [the MMR vaccine] too much liquid, too many different things are going into that baby.”
There is no scientific research or medical evidence to suggest a link between vaccines, like the MMR vaccine, and autism. A child can not catch autism, nor can it be given through a vaccination. Evidence reveals that autism is hereditary, so it is passed on through families, like parent to child.Trump’s statement is false.
“First, effective immediately, the FDA will be notifying physicians that the use of a — well, let’s see how we say that acetaminophen — is that OK? Which is basically commonly known as Tylenol during pregnancy, can be associated with a very increased risk of autism.”
Acetaminophen is a painkiller that is known under brand names like Tylenol and Panadol. While it’s true that no medication is 100% safe, various health and medical organisations around the world have issued statements saying that acetaminophen is a safe option for pregnant women to take. There is no scientific research or medical evidence to suggest a link between acetaminophen and autism. Trump’s statement is false.
Coal
“[Coal] It’s cheap, incredibly efficient, high density and it’s almost indestructible.”
We have already established that coal is the most expensive form of energy, at a cost of per kilowatt; it is not cheap. As for the claim that coal is almost indestructible, you can mine and burn coal, in addition to breaking it with a hammer. Trump’s statement is false.
“There is a thing called clean coal. Coal will last for a thousand years in this country [United States of America].”
Coal production in the United States is becoming cleaner, but the answer is more complex than that.Coal is one of the dirtiest fossil fuels that humans use. When burnt, it releases carbon dioxide, which is a major greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Burning coal also creates health issues, such as lung disease, smog, acid rain, and respiratory illness, as well as neurological and developmental damage. Trump’s statement is false.
The United States has the largest coal reserves on the planet, estimated to be around 22% of the world’s share; however, that is finite. Overall, coal production in the United States has slowed, and estimates put the current coal reserve will last for only another 400 years, depending on whether production increases or decreases. Trump’s statement is false.
Climate Change
“This ‘climate change,’ it’s the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world, in my opinion. All of these predictions made by the United Nations and many others, often for bad reasons, were wrong. They were made by stupid people that have cost their countries fortunes and given those same countries no chance for success. If you don’t get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail.”
It’s becoming extremely difficult to be a politician and deny climate change now. Climate change is one, if not the biggest, threat to life on Earth. Our planet does have a natural climate change cycle, so it is a real process. However, mountains of data and evidence confirm that our current climate cycle is being accelerated by humans, caused by the large release of carbon dioxide. Trump’s statement is false.
“There is a cooling, and there’s a heating. I mean, look, it used to not be climate change, it used to be global warming. Right . . . That wasn’t working too well because it was getting too cold all over the place.”
Trump is referring to the fact that climate change used to be known as global warming; this is correct. However, the term has evolved to become “climate change” because the term “global warming” was not entirely accurate. If you hear the term global warming, you think of the entire planet heating up. Everywhere will be getting hotter because of the rising temperatures, thanks to the massive release of carbon dioxide through the use of fossil fuels. The reality is that generally, the hot areas will continue to get hotter, to extreme conditions. The opposite is also true, where the areas that are cold will continue to be colder, to the point of extreme weather. Climate change is a far better term to describe the effects of the planet’s rising temperature. Trump’s statement is misleading.
There is a lot more fantastic scientific advice from the world’s greatest leader (a man who was held liable for the sexual assault of E. Jean Carroll, as well as being named in the late convicted paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein’s files), but I have run out of time.
Spoiler: if you are a follower of this vanity project, you would realise that I am not a supporter of Donald Trump or his policies. I don’t want The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, CNN, Fox News, or especially The Sun, stating that I endorse Trump. This is a piss-take because I advocate for accurate scientific communication, and not spreading false scientific misinformation or disinformation. Sorry, but not sorry; I am a geek, after all.
I will revisit more of Trump’s scientific claims, as well as looking at some other things he has said that are not entirely correct, concerning one of my other favourite topics. And with that, I am done. Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me.
Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, be wary of cats that listen to you, and I’ll see you next week.
The date was 16th June 2025, and it was a simpler time. We were watching the break-up of the world’s wealthiest person and the President of the United States of America; South Park Season 27 had not yet aired; New Zealand rugby supporters were happy; and the world had not yet discovered that the cause of autism was paracetamol and women were to blame.1
However, that date is also famous for being the last entry in one of the planet’s greatest literary feats, discussing the historical references in Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire.
The answer to your first question is no, James Gunn has not contacted me about being part of the DCU. The answer to your second question is yes, it’s back. After delays with other blog posts and events, the long-awaited musical and historical breakdown has returned, much like your persistent back pain.
Since no living person is perfect2, I have collected the previous entries of this wonderful endeavour and presented them to you, just in case you have missed any of them. They include:
If you’ve studied the teachings of Sesame Street’s greatest mathematician, you would have realised that after looking at the sequence of numbers above you, it leads you to the conclusion that 1959 is the next year in the pattern. Thanks, Count.
I’m curious to learn if there’s any positive and uplifting information that we can gather from 1959. So, like many times before, strap yourselves in, because we are going back in time! Cool.
Credit: Ruby Lane
1959
Buddy Holly
Charles Holley was born in 1936 and became a singer, songwriter, and musician. His stage name was Buddy Holly, and along with his band, the Crickets, he gained fame in musical genres like country and western, and rock and roll.
In the late 50s, his musical career was soaring, with national and international tours, as well as television appearances. Sadly, Holly is not in this song because of his musical talents. Holly and his new band were on tour, but they were having issues with the bus. The schedule was tight, and some people have said that it was poorly planned.
On 3rd February 1959, a flight was chartered from Iowa to the next gig in North Dakota. The plane was a four-seater aircraft, and on board the flight were 22-year-old Holly, 17-year-old Ritchie Valens, 28-year-old Jiles Perry Richardson Jr (The Big Bopper), and the pilot, Roger Peterson, a 21-year-old.
Soon after take-off, and flying in terrible weather conditions, Peterson lost control of the aircraft and crashed, killing everybody instantly. This incident was known as The Day the Music Died, made famous by Don McLean’s 1971 song “American Pie“.
Some contemporary examples of musicians being killed in aircraft crashes include Stevie Ray Vaughan, who died in a helicopter crash in 1990; John Denver died when his experimental plane crashed in 1997; and Aaliyah and her entourage were killed in a 2001 plane crash in the Bahamas.
Buddy Holly backstage at the Prom Ballroom in St. Paul on Jan. 28, 1959. (Courtesy of Blue Days Productions)
Ben-Hur
Released in 1959, Ben-Hur was a film that was adapted from Lew Wallace’s book, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, but also a remake of the 1925 film Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. It tells the story of Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston), or just Ben-Hur, in one of Heston’s most famous roles. Ben-Hur is a Jewish man living in Roman-occupied Judea, around the same time as Jesus Christ.
With a US$15 million budget, unheard of at the time, it earned US$146 million at the box office. By today’s standards, Ben-Hur’s earnings would be a disaster for the film studio, but for 1959, this film was a smash hit.
Like The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Ben-Hur won several awards. This included winning 11 Academy Awards, which still holds the record, tied with Titanic (1997) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), as well as three Golden Globe Awards.
Ben-Hur also raised the benchmark for various elements within the film industry, especially the size of sets, and the number of extras, animals, costumes, and other artists involved with the film; added with the legendary chariot race, places Ben-Hur as a Hollywood classic.
For examples of modern movies dominating awards, I covered this with The Bridge on the River Kwai entry. So instead of doing that, some better examples would be films quantifying their design numbers, such as Kingdom of Heaven (2005), which used around 30,000 extras, Stalingrad (2013) for the massive set designs, Marie Antoinette (2006) for the costume designs, and Alexander (2004) for using large numbers of horses and elephants.
Space monkey
For this entry, you can promote the advancement of science; however, the method is always up for debate. You can be for or against these particular scientific experiments, but regardless of your position, this historical reference requires acknowledgement and examination.
The space race between the Soviet Union and the United States of America had begun, and both nations were determined not to lose. To that end, we have “Space monkeys”, which is probably exactly what you think it is.
Space flight was still in its early stages, so they needed non-human organisms to be sent on flights to test the systems, but mainly to reduce the dangers to humans. These animals included fruit flies, mice, dogs, rabbits, frogs, and primates. The point is, a lot of these animals died being astronauts.
On 29th May 1959, NASA sent a rhesus macaque named Miss Able and a squirrel monkey called Miss Baker on a NASA JUPITER AM-18 mission. The monkeys successfully travelled a distance of 2,735 km, at a height of 579 km, with a top speed of 16,000 km/h.
Both monkeys survived the flight, making them the first two animals to be launched by NASA into space, survive and be recovered. Miss Able died four days later in post-flight surgery from an anaesthetic reaction, while Miss Baker lived until 1984.
In modern times, people still use animals in space experiments, but it’s mainly to assess how they cope and adapt to microgravity environments, rather than testing to see whether they survive space flights. Lately, these animals have included mice, fruit flies, spiders, and bobtail squids, as well as tardigrades, because they seem to be one of the resilient lifeforms ever found.
As you would expect, Mafia refers to organised crime, but there is more to it, because it’s not just one reference; it’s actually several. Since I’m a geek, I’m going to add some background to this, because it’s fun to learn about things!
In 1957, a meeting involving over 100 mobsters from the United States, Cuba, and Italy took place in Apalachin, New York, dubbed the Apalachin meeting. Topics to be discussed at the meeting included the takeover of recently murdered Albert Anastasia’s crime operations, but also gambling, loansharking, and narcotics trafficking within the United States.
The meeting was discovered by law enforcement agencies, which resulted in 60 mobsters being arrested, including the host of the meeting, Joseph “Joe the Barber” Barbara, and crime boss, Vito Genovese. This meeting forced law enforcement agencies to confront two things: the sheer scale of the organised crime network in the United States, and to admit to the public that the Cosa Nostra (The Sicilian Mafia) existed in the United States.
Fast forward to 1959, when some events occurred that were directly linked to the Apalachin meeting. The 1957 arrest of Vito Genovese, the boss of the Genovese crime family, led to his conviction in 1959 for drug trafficking, and he was sentenced to 15 years. Other 1959 convictions included Vincent Gigante (7 years), Joseph Valachi (15 years), and Paul Castellano (5 years).
These convictions changed the Mafia’s power structure, as well as empowering law enforcement agencies in their war against organised crime. Obviously, organised crime has never gone away, but some modern examples of assaults on their leadership have been the conviction of crime boss, John Gotti (1992); the Justice Department indicted 14 members of the Chicago Outfit, leading to convictions under the RICO Act (2005); and FBI agents arrested 127 mobsters in a single day, known as the Mob Bust (2011).
Vito Genovese, 1959. Credit: Phil Stanziola.
Hula hoops
This entry is quite straightforward. When Hula Hoops hit stores in the late 1950s, they were not an original creation. They had been used for thousands of years, in various forms across different societies, including using bamboo, rattan, willow, stiff grasses, and grapevines.
The new Hula Hoops were made of plastic tubing and were a colossal hit around the world. The trend drove sales of the toy to the heights of $100 million in the United States between 1958 and 1960.
For a 2025 equivalent, I would have to say Labubu. These elf-type monsters have conquered the world, with global sales in the first half of 2025 being over $670 million.
The Hula Hoop craze, Deerfield Illinois, 1959. Credit: Art Shay.
Castro
Love him or hate him, but there is no denying Fidel Castro’s influence on the 20th century. Castro was a Cuban lawyer, politician, and revolutionary, who was involved in the Revolución de Cuba (Cuban Revolution), which was an armed revolution against the Cuban dictator, Fulgencio Batista.
It began on 26th July 1953, and ended with Batista fleeing the country on 31st December 1958; though Castro’s forces (The 26th of July Movement or M-26-7) did not learn about this until the next day, when they started to take control of Cuba.
Castro became Prime Minister of Cuba on 17th February 1959 and served until 2nd December 1976, then became President of Cuba from 2nd December 1976 to 24th February 2008. Castro overhauled Cuba and transformed it into the first communist country in the Western Hemisphere, and ended up having a brutal regime, just like his enemy, Batista.
I’d like to add that Castro will return for the 1961 edition of this wonderful project. Be prepared for the Bay of Pigs Invasion.
A contemporary example of someone overthrowing an authoritarian government would be Ahmed al-Sharaa, when Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was toppled in December 2024, after 13 years of civil war.
Fidel Castro addresses a rally in 1959. Credit: Sovfoto/Universal Images Gro/REX / Shutterstock
Edsel is a no-go
This is an interesting entry because there are two points to discuss. To establish the background, Edsel refers to a brand of car created by Ford Motors, and it was named after Henry Ford’s son, Edsel, since Ford was the company’s founder.
The car was launched in 1958 and became a commercial failure. By 1959, sales for the car had dropped significantly, which included reasons such as low quality, being ugly, being vaunted too much, and being introduced during a recession. The car resulted in a loss of over $250 million for Ford Motors, so it was pulled from production in 1960.
The second point of this tale is the actual name. Edsel was a relatively common name for boys in the United States at the time. However, due to the failure of the Edsel car brand, many new parents became hesitant to name their baby boys after a name associated with a failed product. As a result, just as sales of the car declined, so did the popularity of the name Edsel.
Some 21st century examples of failed or failing car brands include the Lincoln Blackwood, Rover CityRover, Saturn Ion, Chrysler Crossfire, Aston Martin Cygnet, Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, BMW XM, Fisker Ocean, and the Tesla Cybertruck, to name but a few.
A 1958 Edsel convertible made by Ford. Credit: Underwood Archives / Getty Images
So for 1959, we covered a musician, a movie, two astronaut monkeys, mobsters being convicted, a toy, a revolutionary leader, and a failed car brand. 1959 was busy, and like many other years in this project, it can reflect 2025 as well. But look on the bright side, we get to enter the 1960s next time! Yay!
So that brings another blog post from yours truly to a close. Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. My accounts on Twitter and Mastodon are still operating, where I post daily things concerning everything. Cool.
As a New Zealander, I would also like to apologise to the world on behalf of my country for my government’s inaction in recognising the State of Palestine. It’s not good enough, and I’m very sorry.
Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, stay away from Polonium-210, and I’ll see you next week for some science advice.
1 In New Zealand, Tylenol is known as the drug, Paracetamol.
Hi everybody, how are we all feeling? This week’s lecture is bittersweet, which in reality, is nothing new for this writer who suffers from delusions of grandeur. The act of transferring information and knowledge through the written word does not come easily for me. There are moments where humour can be injected into the topic, and it feels natural.
There are times when a certain unofficial degree of levity is needed, and in most cases, finding the balance between the two can be challenging, depending on the topic.
This is my long-winded way of discussing the fact that I need to acknowledge the deaths of Jim Shooter, Ozzy Osbourne, and Hulk Hogan.
Firstly, let’s discuss James (Jim) Shooter. Shooter died on 30th June, 2025, aged 73 years, at his home in Nyack, New York. For those of you not in the know, Shooter was a comic book writer, publisher, editor, and occasional fill-in artist who worked for several companies, like Dark Horse, DC, and Marvel, having broken into the industry at the age of 13. He also went to establish Valiant, Defiant and Broadway Comics.
For me, Shooter wrote some legendary storylines for DC and Marvel, but also created popular characters like Archer & Armstrong, The Beyonder, Emerald Empress, Faith Herbert, The Fatal Five, Henry Peter Gyrich, Harbingers, Karate Kid, Mordru, Parasite, Ferro Lad, Rai, Shadow Lass, Tabitha Smith, Star Brand, and Titania, and many more. I also have a soft spot for his Aric of Dacia, aka X-O Manowar.
His characters and stories were bombastic, featuring aliens, superheroes from the future, supervillains, and everything in between. I can’t fully express my gratitude to people like Shooter, people who donate their lives and careers to a medium I love.
I valued and enjoyed his work, and like several other comic book creators who have passed away, Jim Shooter will live forever, inspiring the next generation of writers to dream of aliens and superpowers, as well as the human condition. UMC2 likes Parasite for some reason, so that’s a win!
Credit: DC Comics/Marvel/CBR
Next, we have the Prince of Darkness, John Osbourne, otherwise known as Ozzy Osbourne. Osbourne was famous for different reasons, like being a reality TV star, co-creating the music festival, Ozzfest; a businessman; and advocating for charities, which have all added to the aura of this multi-talented Englishman. He was also a media personality and songwriter.
However, the main reason Osbourne was an icon was that he was the singer for the heavy metal band, Black Sabbath. He was loved the world over, mainly because, in my humble opinion, he would always find a way to relate to people through his career, on and off the stage.
I loved his music, and for me, he was one of the first nonconformists that I listened to and admired. He had a lifestyle that many people envied, being a real OG rock star, but I always appreciated his amazement of this world, and the beautiful people who live in it, as well as his unique experiences and views. He was a real showman who gave electrifying performances.
Osbourne died on 22nd July, aged 76 years, at his home in Buckinghamshire. I can’t remember the first song I heard Osbourne sing, but War Pigs is one of my favourites. Whenever I listen to it now, it will have a greater meaning.
Let me tell you something, brother, because we have finally arrived at Hulk Hogan. Born Terry Bollea, Hogan died on 24th July in Clearwater, Florida. As you will be well aware, Hogan was arguably one of the most famous professional wrestlers of all time. Where and when I grew up, we couldn’t watch World Wrestling Federation (WWF). And even if we did, I’m very confident my parents wouldn’t have let me watch it.
In saying that, all of the kids at school, myself included, still knew who Hulk Hogan was: he was the heavyweight champion of the world. It wasn’t until I got older that I managed to watch matches. My favourite wrestler was the Ultimate Warrior, but there was nothing like Hulk Hogan ripping his t-shirt, brother. Hulkamania was everywhere!
Like Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, Hulk Hogan taught me the art of trash-talking, especially how ridiculous and empowering it can be. UMC1, UMC2 and I trash-talk each other from time to time, and it’s so difficult to keep a straight face when a 7-year old is explaining to his father that nobody can defeat him, and that I’m going to experience pain like never before. Added to UMC1 pointing out that he will squash his opponents like grapes before power flexing, is too much for me.
Hogan provided me with entertainment that I never knew I wanted, but I badly needed. Growing up, that kind of outlet was outstanding, brother.
Credit: WWE/Getty Images
I am also aware that all three men have had their share of controversies, which have upset and offended some people, with actions in their careers, and retirements. Those comments and issues could be discussed on this blog, but not today. Today, I’m just glad these three larger-than-life figures have injected some entertainment and life into an odd and quirky boy living in the South Pacific. For that, I am eternally grateful.
Now, because you train, say your prayers, and take your vitamins, you would have noticed that the title for this rant was: Jim Shooter, Ozzy Osbourne, Hulk Hogan, and 250. The first three parts of the title have been easy to identify, but what about 250?
Well, my dear and loyal readers, this blog post is my 250th. Yes, from my first blog post on 1st December 2020, I have now written 250 of the weirdest blog posts, this side of The New Zealand Sour Cream and Chives Preservation Society’s Swimming Carnival, or Beetroot Awareness Aotearoa’s baby matching game.
Let me tell you something, brother, those idiots are the worst. The Thing has the Yancy Street Gang, Daredevil has the Hand, and I have The New Zealand Sour Cream and Chives Preservation Society and Beetroot Awareness Aotearoa.
In the history of the universe, this achievement of writing 250 quasi-humorous blog posts is nothing, but to me, it’s everything. 250 blog posts of nonsense, utter nonsense. Maybe one day my writing will improve. Maybe.
Credit: Abode Stock
Thank you for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. I have no idea what the future has in store for me or Some Geek Told Me, but here’s to another 250 oddly-written and semi-informative blog posts.
Remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, laugh at Neo-Nazis, and I’ll see you next week for the 80th VJ Day Anniversary. Look after yourselves and your family.
I was thinking the other day about our finite time on this beautiful planet. We try to use it by developing various skills and spending time with our loved ones. And then there is this project, which I don’t fully understand where it would fall.
Yes, dear reader, one of the worst ideas I have ever had has returned with a vendetta against logic and reason. Some Geek Told Me is proud to present the latest instalment of We Didn’t Start the Fire, where we examine the historical references of the song.
For the previous non-award-winning entries of the song, please see below to be stunned into submission!
In 1957, there were many shenanigans, so 1958 might be a nice change of pace. So strap yourself in, because we’re going back to 1958! Make it so!
Credit: Collinson & Cunninghame Ltd: Publisher
1958
Lebanon
Lebanon is a country that can be found in the region called the Middle East and has a deep and rich history, dating back to at least 5,000 BCE. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, with Cyprus just 240 km off the coast. Syria lies to the north and east of Lebanon, with Israel and the Golan Heights to the south. Lebanon has a population of approximately 5.84 million people, similar to New Zealand, which has a population of about 5.3 million. The capital city, Beirut, has an estimated population of 2.3 million.
1958 was the year of the Lebanon Crisis, where the country was thrown into political and religious turmoil. At the time, the President of Lebanon was Camille Chamoun, and he was in the sixth and final year of his term.
Some of the issues Lebanon were facing included tensions between Christians and Arab Muslims flaring up; Egypt and Syria had merged to create the United Arab Republic (UAR) and wanted Lebanon to join them; an armed rebellion had formed; along with Chamoun wanting to seek another term, which went against the Constitution of Lebanon.
The problem was brought to the attention of the United Nations Security Council, and one proposed solution involved United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower leading an intervention at the request of Chamoun. Under Operation Blue Bat, he sent 5,000 marines to secure the Port of Beirut and Beirut International Airport. This lasted from 15th July to 25th October 1958.
The legacy of the Lebanon Crisis was that Chamoun did not attain a new term, with Fouad Chehab becoming the President of Lebanon, and a national reconciliation government was formed. Sadly, Lebanon went on to suffer a civil war for 15 years, which killed an estimated 150,000 people, coupled with conflicts with Israel, the Syrian Civil War, the Arab Spring, the October Revolution, and a financial crisis, Lebanon is now identified as a failed state.
Charles de Gaulle remains a famous French icon, over 130 years after his birth. Born in 1890, de Gaulle was a veteran of the First World War, and after the war ended, he stayed with the army. This led him to gain worldwide attention later on during the Second World War, after de Gaulle was promoted within the army and the government, to the point where he was in charge of the Free French Forces against Nazi Germany.
After the war, de Gaulle remained within the government in various roles until 1946. However, in 1958, Algeria was involved in an armed conflict to wrestle its independence from France.
Charles de Gaulle re-entered French politics during a crisis in the Fourth Republic, particularly regarding Algeria, during the 1958 election. He was appointed Prime Minister and granted special powers to address the Algerian Crisis, as many believed he was the only person capable of resolving it.
This led to de Gaulle drafting a new French Constitution, which established the Fifth Republic of France, where he was subsequently elected as the first President of the Fifth Republic. Although Algeria won its independence from France on 5th July 1962, de Gaulle remained President until 1969.
A contemporary equivalent for de Gaulle would be someone who was a war hero and then entered politics. History is filled with such people, however, I’ll go for George H.W. Bush, Bajram Begaj, Hashim Thaçi, Aslan Maskhadov, and Min Aung Hlaing, along with many others.
Charles de Gaulle gives a press conference, 1958. Photograph: Daniele Darolle/Sygma via Getty Images
California baseball
This is not the first time a baseball team has appeared as an entry on one of our lists. California baseball refers to the New York Giants, who had played in the National League, in MLB (Major League Baseball), since 1883. They were based in…wait for it…New York; Upper Manhattan to be precise.
One of their rivals was the Brooklyn Dodgers, who managed to grace the 1955 edition of We Didn’t Start the Fire. At the end of the 1957 season, the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers left New York and moved to California. They transformed into the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers, all ready for the 1958 season so they could continue their feud.
After moving to California, the Giants won the World Series in 2010, 2012, and 2014. I’ve stated this before, but I’m not a baseball expert, so for a modern example of a baseball team relocating recently, I think the Oakland Athletics moving to Las Vegas, Nevada is a clear winner.
Giants first practice at Seal Stadium on April 15, 1958. Starting line up: Davenport, O’Connell, Mays, Cepeda, Sauer, Spencer, Thomas, Gomez. Starting Pitcher Ruben Gomez. Credit: Art Frisch.
Starkweather homicide
Alright, here’s a historical reference from 1958 that is still sending ripples through time. Between November 1957 and January 1958, Charles Starkweather killed 11 people and two dogs, accompanied by his girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate. The victims’ ages ranged from 2-70 years old, with the 2-year-old being Betty Jean Bartlett, Fugate’s sister.
Starkweather killed his first victim on 30th November/1st December 1957, then went on to terrorise the US states of Nebraska and Wyoming. The Starkweather homicides gripped the American public, which had resulted in a large manhunt for the couple. They were finally captured by authorities near Douglas, Wyoming, on 29th January 1958.
After he was found guilty, Starkweather was executed by an electric chair on 25th June 1959, while Fugate was given life imprisonment, though she was released in 1976.
The Starkweather homicides have spawned many adaptations and variations across television, film, books, comics, music, and video games.
Starkweather has been characterised as both a serial killer and a spree killer. The term spree killer is often used interchangeably with rampage killer or shooter. If you’re looking for a modern equivalent in 2025, simply reading a newspaper or watching news videos will help you find the latest incidents of spree killings, no matter where you are in the world.
Casper Tribune-Herald on 30th January 1958, describes Starkweather’s capture. Credit: Casper Tribune-Herald
Children of Thalidomide
Children of Thalidomide refers to the Thalidomide scandal that swept the globe. Thalidomide was first introduced in 1957, under the name of Contergan, and it was a revolutionary new drug. It was marketed as an over-the-counter medication, that could help with tension, sleeping, anxiety, and morning sickness.
Health authorities around the world began to observe three troubling trends: an increase in infant deaths shortly after birth, a rise in miscarriages, and a growing number of babies born with deformities such as heart, arm, leg, eye, and urinary tract defects. A common factor associated with these alarming trends was the use of thalidomide by pregnant women. Approximately 300 million tablets of thalidomide were sold during this time.
By 1958, the Thalidomide scandal was in full effect across the planet. Soon, country by country were starting to stop the sale of thalidomide and introduced legalisation to ban the drug. It was later discovered that thalidomide caused birth defects by disrupting the development of blood vessels in the embryo.
The Thalidomide scandal prompted many countries to review their drug regulatory policies, resulting in enhanced monitoring of these regulations. The effects of this are still observed today with stronger drug regulations worldwide.
In the last 15 years, many drugs have been withdrawn because of safety concerns, which have included Ingenol mebutate gel, Lorcaserin, Ranitidine, Flupirtine, Tetrazepam, Drotrecogin alfa, Propoxyphene, Gemtuzumab ozogamicin, Ozogamicin, and Rosiglitazone, to name but a few.
Contergan tablets. Credit: WDR
So for 1958, we covered a country, a war hero-turned-politician, a baseball team, a spree killer, and a dangerous over-the-counter drug. One of the biggest points about the historical references for 1958, is how these events are still being echoed in 2025.
So that’s it for another week. The 1960s are just months away, but we need to face 1959 first, so hang in there. Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. My accounts on Twitter and Mastodon, are still there, doing whatever the opposite of cool is.
This is a good time to remind my amazing audience that my mid-year break is coming up soon, where I take a well-deserved two-week holiday from running New Zealand’s 5th least favourite website. It’s hard work producing low-quality content.
Anyway, please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, swipe right on diplomacy, and I’ll see you next week.
It’s been a while since I’ve discussed my wife and her quirky traits, so I thought I would remedy that. For previous insightful entries about analysing her, please see here about her choices of books, TV shows, and movies.
To set the scene, I shared some ideas with her, but she considered my suggestions and proposed a topic that was far better than what I had originally come up with. Like anyone else, she often talks to me about various unusual topics that pique her interest, and these interests have evolved over the years.
This includes when I’m watching rugby or reading, she will start discussing some new or crazy topic. I love her, but the All Blacks would be playing, and she decides now is the best time to talk to me about her new interest in following Mongolian throat singing, or something to that effect.
I have compiled a collection of her new and random interests, along with the rationale behind each one, presented in her own words whenever possible. Additionally, my wife has noted that she has interests beyond just watching things; these are simply her latest random pursuits. She believes that this makes her pretty cool.
I think its fascinating and the eggs are soft and just so un-egg like (Molinaro Snake Lab to be precise).
Watching restoration videos:
The rustier the better, I just like all the steps and processes involved. (Chip Channel Restorations and The Fabrick to be precise)
Manufacturing videos:
Like food factory stuff. It’s just great what people have come up with to make life easierand I find it exciting.
Prop making:
I like watching other people make stuff, while I’m making my own stuff. It’s great to understand their thought processes around problem-solving. It’s like you’re working with an arts and crafts buddy. (Rachel Maksy to be precise)
Bardcore music:
I have no explanation for this, I just like it because it’s cool. (Hildegard von Blingin’ to be precise)
British Football chants:
So hilarious, unexpectedly funny and just really creative.
Keith Richards memes:
Another illogical one because I’m not even a fan of his; they are just funny.
Comedy music artists:
Music + humour. What’s not to like? They tickle my brain. I really like Tom Cardy, Rhett and Link, and Flight of the Concords. Also ERB (Epic Rap Battles of History) has the bonus of learning stuff too.
That is just what’s happening with her in the first half of 2025. I’m anxious about what the remaining months of the year hold for her.
Do you enjoy any of these interests like my wife? Is she correct, and agree that she’s cool? As always, please let me know.
This blog is shorter this week, but I’ll make up for it next week because we’re going back to 1958. Yes, Billy Joel would likely be disappointed in me.
Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, and I’ll see you next week.
Also having two conservative billionaires having a very messy public break-up, at the beginning of Pride Month, via their own social media platforms, is catty, petty, and bitchy. I’m ashamed that I love it.
In this week’s blog, I want to discuss the death of another giant of the comics and entertainment industry, Peter David. He passed away on 20th May at NYU Langone Hospital, New York, at the age of 68.
Over the last week, many articles have been written by professionals about Peter, across various media. In saying that, I’m going to offer my humble tribute to a man I had never met.
Comic-book writer Peter David ‘PAD’ attends “Stan Lee’s World of Heroes” during Comic-Con International 2012 held at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel on July 12, 2012 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Each time I reflect on someone who has influenced my life from afar and has passed away, I feel grateful for the various genres that exist, including comics, television shows, movies, and novels.
I love comic books, and as long-time followers and readers may know, I was captivated by them when I was a boy and have never recovered. Among the many reasons for my enduring passion, one of them was Peter David.
For those of you who have never heard of Peter, he was a proficient writer who had penned hundreds of comics, but also novels, videogames, and screenplays. He had worked for both DC and Marvel, but also added a large volume of work to the Star Trek canon through various mediums.
Peter David was always somebody who was in my sphere of knowledge, even though I didn’t know it. I can’t tell you the first comic I read that was written by Peter, but over time, I started recognising his name and work.
For me, his work on Supergirl, Aquaman, X-Factor,Spider-Man, and the Incredible Hulk, has become immortal, along with his status as a writer. From a comic book lover’s perspective, I enjoyed his stories because they included a collection of social issues, mixed with action.
Peter’s Incredible Hulk #420 may have been the first time that I can recall, reading about a character who was dying from AIDS in a comic book. It was relevant then, and it’s relevant now. It’s been my understanding that Peter’s life would bleed through onto the pages, helping to shape and guide characters.
Through his hard work, Peter also gave us The Maestro, a future evil version of the Hulk, who remains a key Marvel villain, and still a warning about ourselves when we allow our morality and compassion to be stripped away, to gain more power. I still have Hulk: Future Imperfect #1–2 and Incredible Hulk: The End #1; I probably always will.
I always liked his strong female characters, who rarely needed a man to save them, because they were always strong enough to save themselves, as well as other people. He also tried to champion people not just on the page, but also off it, with his views and dedication; especially about supporting creators and many other causes.
Over the last few years, I was deeply saddened to hear about his financial and medical issues. Even though he was living in another country, in reality, he might as well have been living on the Moon.
From Spider-Man 2099 to Talos, to Cyber, to Joe Fixit, to Random, to Fallen Angel, Peter’s characters are unique and beloved. I wish I had the opportunity to have met him, but the universe doesn’t work like that. So instead, I’d like to thank Peter for his amazing literacy work that helped expand the mind of a boy living in a small town, half a world away.
What’s your favourite Peter David story? As always please let me know.
Alright, that’s it for another week. Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. I’m also on Twitter and Mastodon, where I bumble around in various echo chambers.
Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, and if you had a bet that PSG would win the UEFA Champions League Final, over Inter Milan, 5-0, then you’re a lot smarter than me. I’ll see you next week.
SOME GEEK TOLD ME 
You must be logged in to post a comment.