Even here in the South Pacific, there seems to be no escaping from Donald Trump. He’s here, he’s there, he’s in every courtroom, Donald Trump, Donald Trump!
Over the years, I’ve developed two vices that I’m ashamed to admit. I enjoy watching Panda Fail videos; basically, pandas failing at being pandas, but also watching billionaires complain. I can’t get enough of both of them. This awful transition brings us to Donald Trump’s recent trial.
It’s difficult to believe that the star of Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, the founder of Trump University, and the winner of the 2024 Trump International Golf Club Most Improved Player award, was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to make hush money payments to a porn star, in an effort to make it appear as legitimate business expenses.
I was as shocked as you were. I mean, someone at the centre of over 4,000 legal cases, involving sexual harassment, sexual assault, personal defamation lawsuits, tax disputes, real estate lawsuits, and many more, couldn’t possibly be involved with lawlessness. The whole concept is very sad.
However, a jury of 12 of Trump’s peers, found him guilty of 34 felony counts, with sentencing to happen on 11th July 2024.
Former U.S President Donald Trump listens as defence lawyer Todd Blanche presents closing arguments during Trump’s criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City. 28th May 2024 in this courtroom sketch. Credit: Jane Rosenburg/Reuters.
I’m not here to discuss in detail the trial because I’m not a legal expert. I have enough trouble remembering what I said to my children last night, let alone explaining a court case. No, what I’m here to comment on is the reaction to Trump’s conviction, mainly through entertainment.
As I’m getting older, I’m finding that I prefer to experience satirical news a lot more than I did before, thanks to Trump. So because of this, may I present the best reactions to Trump’s conviction, whether it’s monologues or songs. Oh, I forgot, the last video isn’t a response to his conviction, but it ties it in quite nicely.
I love listening to billionaires complaining that life is unfair, and watching Trump’s reaction to his conviction has been hilarious. Like I said before, I do feel ashamed about this.
What’s been the best reaction or response to Trump’s conviction? As always, please let me know. I’m feeling better again, so I’m ready to be infected with a child’s new illness. Good times.
Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, watch the T20 World Cricket Cup, and I’ll see you next week because the Tour of the Solar System is painfully marching forward again. Awesome.
When it comes to making terrible ideas, this blog has had some crackers over the last few years. However, the concept of talking about the historical references from a song that came out in 1989; after multiple people have already done it, ranks quite high on that list.
My previous entries in this terrible endeavour include:
Beetroot Awareness Aotearoa seem to have a bee in the bonnet about this, because their press release about my We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1950 blog is downright mean.
“This human skid mark has done another We Didn’t Start the Fire, now there’s four of them! One was too many. We wonder what idiotic new idea, he’ll think of next. Listing how many people have puked on his $5 shoes, maybe? How about listing the number of times the All Blacks have won the World Cup? No, we have it; he will name the colours of the rainbow because nobody has done that before! This moron should be kept away from spoons because he’ll cut himself. What a joke.”
Is it my imagination, or do you think a Springboks supporter may have helped in drafting this release?
Haters are going to hate, I suppose. And with that, let’s check out the We Didn’t Start the Fire’s historic references for 1951.
Credit: Pinterest
1951
Rosenbergs:
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were a married couple, who were both born in Manhattan, New York. Being married or born in Manhattan does not automatically qualify you for this list, though. At this time, the Cold War had been established, and the Rosenbergs were part of that drama.
In 1950, Julius and Ethel were arrested and convicted in 1951 for espionage. They were spying for the Soviet Union by providing top-secret information about American technology, especially nuclear secrets. In 1953, both Julius and Ethel were executed by electrocution, at Sing Sing Prison.
The Rosenbergs are also infamous for being the first American civilians executed for espionage. Even though they’re not a 2024 equivalent for the Rosenbergs, I feel Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen would be the closest.
Credit: AP Images
H-bomb:
This is an odd one to discuss because it isn’t about a person, place, or event, but rather an object; a very destructive object. No, I’m not talking about Hellboy’s right hand, but rather the H-bomb.
This weapon has been given various monikers over the last 70 years, such as H-bomb, thermonuclear weapon, fusion weapon, or the most well-known, the hydrogen bomb.
In 1951, during the Cold War, the United States focused on developing the next generation of nuclear weapons. The goal was to combine atomic fission and nuclear fusion to create a more powerful nuclear explosion that could release more energy than a primary nuclear weapon. The first hydrogen bomb test took place in the Marshall Islands in 1952.
As a result, the design of the hydrogen bomb has had a lasting impact, with most of the world’s nuclear warheads being based on its design.
National Nuclear Security Administration/Nevada Site Office Photo Librar. The first hydrogen bomb tested by the United States vaporized the islet of Elugelab in the Marshall Islands in the North Pacific on Nov. 1, 1952.
Sugar Ray:
Born Walker Smith Jr., Sugar Ray Robinson was a professional boxer, who fought across the Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, and Light heavyweight divisions, becoming world champion six times (1 x welterweight and 5 x middleweight).
Robinson is in the song for his fight against Jake LaMotta, for the World Middleweight title in 1951. This was the sixth time the two men had fought, and the fight has been named the “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” over Robinson’s combinations that beat the world champion, LaMotta to a bloody pulp.
In modern times, this is quite awkward. It could go either two ways; the first could be rematches between the same two boxers like Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier, Erik Morales vs. Marco Antonio Barrera, Pongsaklek Wonjongkam vs. Daisuke Naito, or Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez.
As for the second way, it could be because a particular boxer went on to become an icon and legend in their weight division. For that answer, the choice is yours.
Panmunjom:
Do you remember how I mentioned that I’ll be discussing the Korean War again, from last’s month 1950 blog? Well, here we are. Panmunjom is a former village that’s near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), along the North Korean and South Korean border. The Joint Security Area (JSA) is also referred to as Panmunjom, and vice versa.
Panmunjom makes this list because, during the Korean War in 1951, North Korean and Chinese officials first met United Nations forces at Panmunjom for truce talks.
In 2005, I was lucky enough to visit Panmunjom, and I made a badly written blog about it. The legacy of Panmunjom is that it still provides a point of contact and meetings for the leaders of North Korea, South Korea, and others.
North Korean and U.S. militaries attempt to iron out an armistice at Panmunjom in the Korean Demilitarized Zone, October 1951. (National Archives photograph)
Brando:
Brando refers to the Godfather himself, Marlon Brando, the great actor and activist. Brando starred in the 1951 film, A Streetcar Named Desire, as the lead male role, Stanley Kowalski. In certain circles, people say that Brando’s performance of Stanley was the best of his long career, which resulted in him being nominated for Best Actor at the 1952 Oscars.
The problem was that Brando didn’t win the award, instead, it went to Humphrey Bogart’s role as Charlie Allnut in The African Queen. This snub, as it’s been referred to, has been recorded as one of the biggest in the history of the Academy Awards.
A modern equivalent for a person being snubbed for acting at the Oscars can be somewhat subjective. However, in the spirit of the blog, maybe Margot Robbie (Barbie), Glenn Close (The Wife), Jim Carrey (The Truman Show), Amy Adams (Arrival), or Pam Grier (Jackie Brown).
Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
The King and I:
We’re back with another Rodgers and Hammerstein production, in the form of The King and I. The musical was based on Margaret Landon’s 1944 novel, Anna and the King of Siam, and also inspired the 1956 film.
The King and I first opened on Broadway in 1951, and it was a commercial and critical success, playing 1,246 performances. It also won five Tony Awards in 1952, including Best Musical. From there, the musical has been revived over the years, with the latest in 2015 (Broadway) and 2018 (West End). It remains a beloved story around the world.
Original poster for The King and I. Credit: St. James Theatre
The Catcher in the Rye:
For the first time in We Didn’t Start the Fire, a book has been mentioned. As you would expect, The Catcher in the Rye, was released in 1951, and it was written by J. D. Salinger. If you haven’t heard of the novel, then you may have heard of its protagonist, the teenager Holden Caulfield.
The novel makes the list because of the various themes it contains, like belonging, connection, sex, identity, loss, depression, innocence, and a whole lot of angst; which were unexplored topics for teenagers in early 1950s literature. The character of Holden Caulfield has become a symbol of rebellion and, you guessed it, teenage angst. Like I said before, this book has a whole lot of angst.
TheCatcher in the Rye has sold more than 65 million copies, and remains a solid-selling book, even in 2024. This controversial novel has also been banned several times in various places around the world in the 20th century, which is sadly becoming a growing trend in the 21st century.
An unwanted caveat for the novel is that in 1980, a 25-year-old Mark David Chapman, shot and killed John Lennon, outside his apartment in New York. Chapman had developed an obsession with The Catcher in the Rye; among other things, and especially with Holden Caulfield, and tried to emulate his misadventures.
First-edition cover of The Catcher in the Rye (1951) by author J. D. Salinger. Credit: Wikipedia.
So for 1951, we covered two spies, the hydrogen bomb, a boxer, a Korean village, an actor, a musical, and a novel. A useless piece of information is that 1951 holds a special connection to me, because it’s the year my father was born.
Next month, I’ll look at 1952, and if I feel motivated enough, 1953 as well, but I don’t like the odds of that. I think it’s 34-1. Did I mention that I suddenly like the number 34?
Anyway, that’s it for another week. If you’re enjoying my We Didn’t Start the Fire project, or maybe you think I’m wasting my time, please let me know.
Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, watch the T20 World Cricket Cup, and I’ll see you next week, where I’m going to be petty and mean. You’ll love it.
Being a parent means that if a child in your house starts coughing and sneezing, the odds of you starting to cough and sneeze are the equivalent of The Thing winning a fight against the Yancy St Gang; it’s always going to happen.
The doctor said I have a mild dose of man flu, if a mild dose of the virus even exists. Suffice it to say, this is a strange rant today, folks, so I’m sorry about that.
In the time allotted today, I want to talk to you about the 4th July 2024. My subscribers in the United States might think I’m discussing their Independence Day, which celebrates their Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom. This declaration was ratified on 4th July 1776, and it became well-known around the world, even in little old New Zealand.
But, it’s the 4th July 2024 that I want to discuss, although the United Kingdom is still involved. On 22nd May 2024, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak announced that the next UK General Election would be held on 4th July 2024, which is about six weeks away.
Some keen followers of Some Geek Told Me, may have noticed that some of the news or information that I write about, involves the UK. The obvious reason is no, I’m not an agent of SPECTRE, so I’m not trying to take down the country. I think they are doing that all by themselves.
The truth is that I lived in the United Kingdom for three years, so I have a soft place in my cold heart for the British people. Which brings me back to Rishi Sunak. Now, before I go on, let’s establish something:
I’m not going to discuss the motivations for Sunak and the Conservative Party for bringing forth this general election early.
I’m not going to talk about how after 14 years in power, the Tories have brought the NHS and the country to its knees.
I’m certainly not going to mention the greatest political version of self-harm, which is the apocalypse known as Brexit.
I’m not going to mention the recent UK local government elections, where the Tories were the victims of a humiliating defeat, on par with the Battle of Isandlwana or Newcastle losing 8-0 to the A-League Men All-Stars.
And I promise you, I am not going to discuss the Tories’ opening policies on the campaign trail, by bringing back national service for 18-year-olds.
I would never bring up or mention any of these things, I’m not that type of person.
CREDIT: James Veysey/Shutterstock
However, what I am going to discuss is Rishi Sunak’s announcement of the general election, because it was like a broken-down AI had written a movie script, where chimpanzees were the actors. No, that’s wrong of me, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have dragged chimpanzees into this, because chimpanzees would have done a better job.
If you have no idea what I’m talking about, oh, you’re in for a treat. Picture this, the Prime Minister of the sixth largest economy in the world, and the second largest economy in Europe, walked outside his residence at 10 Downing Street, and discussed the general election. It sounds like a standard boring press briefing, am I right?
Now hold that image, because we have to add some beautiful details. The first point is that Sunak was talking at a single wooden podium. No other person is there supporting him, by standing next to or behind him. It’s just the Prime Minister, standing outside his house, at a podium. That’s it.
The second point was that it was raining. Seriously, it was raining. Sunak was standing at the podium talking while wearing a very nice suit and getting drenched. To make it clear, Sunak wasn’t wearing a coat or jacket; he was wearing a suit.
This also means nobody is standing next to Sunak, holding an umbrella to protect him. Sunak is one of, if not the wealthiest Prime Minister the United Kingdom has ever had. With the combined wealth of his wife, Sunak is estimated to be worth about £651 million, which I now understand, means he’s richer than King Charles III.
But despite being worth about £651 million, Rishi Sunak could not afford an umbrella or a jacket. I didn’t realise that British inflation was that bad, that even multi-millionaires couldn’t afford those items. Damn, and here I thought the inflation in New Zealand was dire.
To make this scene even more bizarre and farcical, only about three years ago, the UK government had spent around £2.6m refurbishing 9 Downing Street as a media centre, to equal White House briefings.
The implications of this mean, that even though the Tories had a £2.6m refurbished media centre next door; where it’s spacious, warm, and dry, they still held the general election announcement outside 10 Downing Street. In the rain. It’s like nobody had the original idea, that maybe, just maybe, someone should check the weather forecast, because a general election announcement is sort of a big deal, and you don’t want to stuff it up.
And to bring the Westminister Amateur Acting Guild production to a close, let’s talk about the background music. As Sunak was talking about the Tories’ small victories and discussing the general election; and please remember, he’s getting soaked by the rain, some background music was being played. And it didn’t stop.
The song “Things Can Only Get Better” was released by the band, D:Ream in 1993. It gained attention when it was used by the Labour Party in their successful general election campaign in 1997. The song was being played by Steve Bray, a political activist.
Apparently, within 24 hours of the general election announcement, the song entered the top 10 on the iTunes Charts. Being the great supporter of Tory policies that he is, physicist Brian Cox would have loved that.
For someone living on the other side of the planet, this was amazing and comical to witness. For the British public, this was an unmitigated disaster, showcasing the level of Tory efficiency.
A British Prime Minister standing alone, outside his house in the rain, without any protection, asking the public to vote for his party; because they know what they’re doing and the public should trust them. And all to the soundtrack of a rival political party’s successful ex-campaign song.
It would be a hilarious movie scene if it wasn’t so tragically real.
My father has said some pearls of wisdom over the years, but currently, no other statement can top this when talking about a group of disorganised people:
They couldn’t organise a piss-up at a brewery.
I can’t help but think, that the Tories are one of the greatest living examples of this. Though to be fair, the Coalition of Chaos is not that far behind them.
Here’s the video from the BBC.
And with that positive and uplifting note, I need to go to bed. Thank you for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me, because this project helps me to navigate this crazy world.
Please don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, go and slam a revolving door, and I’ll see you next week for the return of We Didn’t Start the Fire! Can’t wait.
I’m a sports fan, but even I find it difficult to follow every sport. I mean, it’s impossible. Well, maybe not for Chuck Norris, but for mere mortals like us, it is. Because of this obvious fact, I’m not an expert on North American sports, so a lot of NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL information can easily slip by me.
It could be that some team has a new manager, another team has won 13 games in a row, another team has a new stadium, or a player has a new $200 million contract, and I wouldn’t know. My interests in these sports annually peak around the Superbowl, the World Series, the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the NBA finals, then they die down.
I do know enough, however, to understand that the New York Mets and New York Jets are terrible. At least, according to late-night hosts.
As a New Zealander, I’m just pleased I can roughly match the name of an American team to its sport. If it’s not rugby union, rugby league, cricket or football, I shamefully filter things out. However, despite all of this, I had never heard of Harrison Butker, until last week.
I was on my lunch break, resting my weary feet and enjoying my Vegemite sandwiches when I read an article about Harrison Butker. This led me to discover that I didn’t know who he was, but I knew about the Kansas City Chiefs because they won Super Bowl LVIII. That news even reached New Zealand.
I’m getting off-topic as usual, but after reading the short article regarding Butker’s commencement speech at Benedictine College; which I thought was a prank, I discovered videos about him from various news sources.
It was about that time when I realised that this news story was about a real event, it wasn’t a prank. After discovering the real existence of this speech, I made the decision not to mention it to my wife. The reason was I knew it would piss her off, so I wanted to avoid mentioning it to her. The joke was on me, though.
When I got home from work, my wife asked if I had heard about some guy in America who gave a speech. With a deep and regretful sigh, I said I had. I’m not going to repeat what my wife said, but she used a lot of adjectives about Butker’s speech.
In his speech, Butker seemed to throw a lot of shade at various things, including, men, women, Joe Biden, COVID lockdowns, IVF, abortion, LGBTQ+ and others, which have brought praise and criticism across the United States, but also around the world.
Am I going to add my opinion on this topic?
No, I’m not.
Why not? Everybody has an opinion, what’s yours?
My answer is in two parts. Firstly, any person who reads, follows, and subscribes to my daily/weekly posts, will already realise my views and opinions on these topics. If not, please read three years’ worth of nonsense.
Secondly, why would I want to add my voice to the thousands of comments about the speech, when other people have already done so, with far more articulated and wittier results?
So, sit back, relax and enjoy social media and its amazing responses to Butker’s speech. I’ve removed people’s names on the posts because I hope that’s the correct thing to do.
From X
From Mastodon
From Facebook
Free speech is a double-edged sword; no one can physically stop you from speaking your mind and giving your opinion. However, it doesn’t mean you are free from consequences or repercussions, because of your words.
I’m a not smart man, but I’m wondering how long those consequences and repercussions will catch up to Harrison Butker. Maybe it won’t, I mean, we do live in reality and things don’t always go the way we want or need them to go.
Anyway, thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me.
Please don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, go and divide by zero, and I’ll see you next week.
This is where I’m attempting to talk about the historical references in the song and try to relate them to our contemporary society. I know this sounds like a terrible idea, but apparently, the group known as Beetroot Awareness Aotearoa sort of agrees. After publishing my blog post concerning 1948-1949, this New Zealand-based group released their own harsh review:
“Does this idiot know that the song came out in 1989, and since then, numerous people have already talked about the historical references? Can he not think of anything original or does he just steal other people’s ideas? What a buffoon!”
And with that positive and uplifting feedback, let’s check out the We Didn’t Start the Fire’s historic references for 1950.
Image from the We Didn’t Start the Fire music video
1950
Joseph McCarthy:
We briefly discussed Joseph McCarthy last time with 1949’s Walter Winchell, but we’ll expand it like a dog taking over your bed. McCarthy was a US senator for Wisconsin, who had a few issues that he liked to talk about. Early on in the Cold War, and during his Lincoln Day speech, McCarthy launched an anti-communist crusade.
He promoted the concept that Soviet Union and communist spies and sympathizers had infiltrated American society, through the federal and local governments, as well as in academic and entertainment circles. This led to the persecution and political repression of many people, based on being un-American and their opinions. It was during this period that the terms “The Second Red Scare” and “McCarthyism” were born.
For a modern equivalent to McCarthy, just think of everybody’s favourite twice impeached, four times criminally indicted, ex-US President, Donald Trump.
Credit: Biography.com
Richard Nixon:
Richard Nixon makes the list because in 1950, the future President of the United States of America was first elected to represent California, in the US Senate. If you’re a student of history, you’ll realise this will not be the last time Nixon makes the list. He will return.
For a modern version, I’m a bit stumped over this. I can’t compare Richard Nixon of 1950 to Richard Nixon of 1972, because they are two people with different life experiences. However, when comparing Nixon of 1950 to modern times, it would be any young politician moving up the ladder, to become a long-term politician. I’m sure every country has some. I’m looking at you Winston Peters, I’m looking at you.
Studebaker was an automobile manufacturer, which was based in the United States. For about 50 years, Studebaker was one of the leaders in the car industry and had built up a great reputation for their vehicles.
That changed around 1950 when Studebaker started having some major financial problems. In 1954, they merged with Packard, another automobile company to ease their financial difficulties. It didn’t work the way they thought it would, so in 1967, Studebaker ceased production and the company shut down.
Some modern equivalents would be Oldsmobile and Pontiac, or even some non-automobile companies like Kenner and Toys “R” Us.
Studebaker’s “Lazy S” logo, designed by Raymond Loewy, was used from the 1950s until 1966/1950 Studebaker Champion. Credit: Андрей Перцев/Classic Auto Mall.
Television:
Is there a greater icon for the 20th century other than television? I think not. Television or TV had been developed, improved and marketed for years before 1950, but it was slowly becoming an important household product. In the context of US history, TV was becoming an attractive way to transmit information to the public.
Data on sales of TV sets in the United States for 1950 varies. An estimated 9%-20% of households in the United States had at least one television set, but by the end of the decade, that figure had grown to nearly 90%. The age of television was upon us, and it changed the way people from around the world, consumed news and entertainment forever.
In the 21st century, the easiest and best example of a different communication network would be the Internet. You can watch your favourite team play live while riding on the train, watch your favourite TV show on your lunch break, or stream the latest news via your phone or laptop. Outrageous.
This is the first time that I need to discuss two references together, because in 1950, North and South Korea dominated the news around the planet. At the time, North and South Korea were two separate countries, having been divided at the 38th parallel north, by the Soviet Union and the United States, after the end of the Second World War.
On 25th June 1950, the North Korean army crossed the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea. Given that the Cold War was the political climate at the time, this conflict slowly became a proxy war for democracy vs communism.
On one side, there was the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the People’s Republic of China (China), along with the unofficial support of the Soviet Union; against the Republic of Korea (South Korea), along with the United Nation Forces, which consisted of the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Netherlands, Canada, France, New Zealand, Philippines, Turkey, Thailand, South Africa, Greece, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ethiopia and Colombia; with many more countries supplying support through different means.
This conflict became known as the Korean War and was fought for three years, with the war ending in a stalemate in 1953, with the Korean Armistice Agreement. The war claimed an estimated 2.8 million military and civilian deaths. Much like the Chinese Civil War, the geo-political repercussions of the Korean War are still being felt in 2024.
Sadly, the Korean War will make another entry in the song.
Credit: Map Porn
Marilyn Monroe:
Born Norma Jeane Mortenson, Marilyn Monroe was a model and actress who became an international sex symbol, during the late 1940s-early 1960s. In 1950, Monroe landed some breakthrough roles in films and actually starred in five different films in that year. (A Ticket to Tomahawk, The Asphalt Jungle, All About Eve, The Fireball, and Right Cross). From there, Monroe’s career took off and she soon became a household name.
It’s hard to determine which contemporary model/actress would be like Marilyn Monroe of 1950, so I’ll let you decide on that one. Sorry.
Marilyn Monroe in All About Eve (1950). Credit: 20th Century-Fox
So for 1950, we have covered two US Senators, a failed automobile company, the explosion of television sales, the Korean War, and a model/actress. Like I said last time, this project is going to take some time, so I’ll try and cover 1951-1952 next time. Cool.
That’s it for another week. Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, call for a ceasefire in Palestine, and I’ll see you next week because I’m going to be discussing a milestone. It could be interesting.
There have been numerous terrible ideas throughout the history of our planet, and unfortunately, many of them have originated from this account. Despite this, we will carry on the tradition and introduce the latest addition to the family of bad ideas, which is Some Geek Told Me.
Last month, I ranted on about my love for We Didn’t Start the Fire, by Billy Joel. In that hot mess of literary foolishness, I explained that I was going to cover all of the historical references in the song; or at least try to, but also relate them to contemporary time. I’ll do this by producing one blog per month. Maybe.
The aim is to cover the 119 references from 1948-1989, so how long will this take me? You tell me and we’ll both know. The lyrics will be in bold and italics because we’re really fancy on this account!
Right, I’m not here to shag spiders, so without too much fanfare, let’s crack on and do this!
Credit: CBS
1948
Harry Truman:
Harry S. Truman was the Vice-President of the United States of America from January-April 1945, then became President after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Truman is a divisive figure in US and world history, much like Elon Musk or George W. Bush.
On one hand, he helped steer the United States through to the end of the Second World War; authorised the Berlin Airlift; recognised the State of Israel; won re-election in 1948; and promoted civil rights. On the other hand, Truman deployed troops into the Korean War and authorised the atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In saying that, George W. Bush would be the modern version of Truman.
Born Doris Mary Kappelhoff, Doris Day was a major entertainment star in the United States. She was already a successful singer before she turned to acting. Over the years, she became a huge attraction to the television and movie industry.
Billy Joel mentioned her in the song, became her first feature film, Romance on the High Seas, was released in 1948. If you’re still unsure about her impact on pop culture, just think of Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, or Rihanna.
In 1949, the Chinese Civil War came to a close after causing the deaths of millions of people. Mao Zedong, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, succeeded in defeating the government led by Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang. As a result, the People’s Republic of China was established.
The Kuomintang, also known as Nationalists, fled mainland China to Taiwan, where they settled and took control. The geo-politics of 2024 concerning China and Taiwan, have their origins in the end of the Chinese Civil War.
The Chinese Civil War, 1949. (Source: diverse-travel.com)
Johnnie Ray:
Johnnie Ray, a singer, songwriter, and pianist, was born in Oregon, USA. He was widely recognised as the Father of Rock and Roll due to his significant contributions to the genre. During the late 1940s and 1950s, he was one of the most famous singers in the world.
His music and dance moves reinvented the method singers could perform, and paved the way for others to follow him; notably Elvis Presley. When Ray signed to Okeh Records, music was going to be changed forever. For contemporary equivalents, the best people I can think of would be Michael Jackson and Madonna.
Credit: Johnnieray.com
South Pacific:
Not only is it the name of my location, but South Pacific was a Broadway musical, that opened in 1949. The musical was based on the World War Two book, Tales of the South Pacific, and the musical also inspired the 1958 film.
South Pacific is famous; at least to me, for mainly two reasons. The Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein production became one of the best musicals of all time since it was extremely financially and critically successful.
The other reason was that the musical was progressive for its time, as it tackled racism and prejudice. This was important because the United States was still in its segregation phase. If South Pacific opened in 2024, and not in 1949, you can bet your Black Lives Matter flag, that the musical would be labelled as woke. Very, very woke.
Original poster of South Pacific. Credit: Majestic Theatre
Walter Winchell:
We’re going back to another US icon in the form of Walter Winchell. Winchell was primarily a radio news commentator and newspaper columnist, through the 1930’s-1950’s. His notoriety is that he had outspoken views on a variety of subjects, which included attacking the Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan; as well as denouncing communism.
This led Winchell to join the “McCarthyism” movement, in spreading misinformation about the Second Red Scare, supporting the idea that communists had infiltrated the US Government; in addition to destroying people’s careers and reputations.
If you’re having trouble understanding what I’m talking about with Winchell, just picture Alex Jones from InfoWars and you’re there.
Credit: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc
Joe DiMaggio:
Born Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio, Joe DiMaggio was a famous US baseball player. He held multiple batting records and mainly played for the New York Yankees, during the 1940s-1950s. In the world of team sports, DiMaggio would have been Michael Jordan or Lionel Messi. DiMaggio was a star and hero to millions of people.
In 1949, DiMaggio signed a contract with the Yankees worth $100,000. This was a record-breaking contract for a professional sportsman at the time and helped to usher in a new wave of extremely well-paid players.
Credit: Associated Press archives
And with that, we have covered 1948-1949, in the form of a US President, a singer/actor, a civil war, another singer, a musical, a gossip columnist, and a baseball player.
My We Didn’t Start the Fire project is going to take some time, but we’ll get there. Eventually.
Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, eat a raw lemon, and I’ll see you next week, because we’re going to check in with my wife and her television shows. It’s going to be riveting.
Allow me to take a momentary pause from my typical geek-related content to discuss the current status of the Coalition of Chaos in New Zealand. It has been well over 100 days since the ex-Air New Zealand CEO was elected to lead the country by 38.08% of the voting population. Furthermore, 8.64% of voters supported a party that believes National is not hardcore enough, while 6.08% voted for a party that’s notorious for its frequent changes in allegiances.
To my non-New Zealand followers and subscribers, this blog may be awkward and unrelatable, so I’m very sorry. Please give it a chance, because you probably know of similar politicians in your country.
As for my New Zealand followers and subscribers, I’m a box of birds, and we’re going to have a chin wag about some ginormous eggs.
After the 2023 New Zealand General Election, the parties of National, ACT, and NZ First formed an alliance, centred on a conservative coalition. They go by many names, like the Government, Lupesey, The Three-Headed Taniwha, the enemy of Maori, and my favourite, the Coalition of Chaos.
It’s been over 100 days since the Coalition of Chaos took the steering wheel of the 52nd-largest national economy in the world. In that time, they have been quite busy, because they have been dropping some brain-melting quotes.
In honour of the first 100 days of the Coalition of Chaos, may I present some awful quotes, from their finest members.
Credit: Newshub
The Honourable Chris Bishop MP: Minister for Sport and Recreation, Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Minister for Infrastructure, and Minister for Housing.
10th March 2024
When asked by a reporter about the government and Bishop’s accountability towards environmental damage in New Zealand because of new fast-tracked energy projects legislation, Bishop replied:
“Ultimately, the public will be able to judge the performance of the Government in late 2026.”
{Bishop means that the next New Zealand General Election is in late 2026, so that’s when the Government can face accountability, but not before that time}
In the same interview, when asked on whether fast-tracked consents incentivised lobbying, Bishop said:
“But you know, lobbying is not illegal and it’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
{Bishop is a former tobacco lobbyist for Phillip Morris, now known as Altria. This tobacco company is one of world’s largest producers and promoters of cigarettes, tobacco, and related products}
The Honourable David Seymour MP: Leader of ACT New Zealand Party, Minister for Regulation, Associate Minister of Education, Associate Minister of Finance, and Associate Minister of Health.
9th March 2024
Seymour made a post on X concerning the Hurricanes Poua rugby team’s haka, that criticised the government.
“More time practicing, less time on politics.”
{Seymour is a free speech advocate and opposes hate speech laws}
The Right Honourable Winston Peters MP: Leader of New Zealand First Party, Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister for Racing.
24th November 2023
At the press conference discussing the coalition agreement, Peters was pressed by reporters about the length of time it took for negotiations to happen. Peters responded by saying:
“Please don’t be mathematical morons…”
{Peters had a fragile relationship with the New Zealand Media}
17th March 2024
During his State of the Nation speech, Peters talked about co-governance.
“Some people’s DNA made them, sadly, according to these people and condoned by their cultural fellow travellers, their DNA made them somehow better than others. I’ve seen that sort of philosophy before. I saw it in Nazi Germany. We all did. We’ve seen it elsewhere around the world in the horrors of history.”
{Peters was born in April 1945, so he was still a baby when the Second World War was being fought. Also his comparison of Nazi Germany to co-governance in New Zealand has been criticised by Holocaust survivors}
The Right Honourable Christopher Luxon MP: Leader of the National Party, Prime Minister of New Zealand, and Minister for National Security and Intelligence.
18th December 2023
When speaking to reporters about scrapping the bonuses civil servants were receiving for being fluent in Te Reo Maori, Luxon said:
“In the real world outside of Wellington and outside the bubble of MPs, people who want to learn te reo or want to learn any other education actually pay for it themselves.”
{The irony is that Luxon used taxpayers money to pay for his Te Reo lessons. Luxon is the second wealthiest person to become Prime Minister of New Zealand, valued at over $21 million}
18th February 2024
During his State of the Nation speech, Luxon said:
“A justice system which had a deliberate strategy to empty New Zealand’s prisons, even as violent crime soared.
{Luxon was implying that Labour had a policy of releasing all of the prisoners in New Zealand. This was not true}
20th February 2024
On X, Luxon said:
“The days of taxpayers being treated like a bottomless ATM are over.“
{Just over a week later, Luxon was at the centre of the accommodation supplement scandal, where he was claiming the supplement of $1,000 per week, to live in his mortgage free apartment in Wellington}
I can’t forget to include Luxon’s 1st March interview about his accommodation supplement, where he repeated several times: “I’m entitled.”
I do realise Simeon Brown, Nicola Willis, and Brooke van Velden have said some awful quotes as well, but they are light-weights compared to Bishop, Seymour, Peters, and Luxon.
So, let’s look forward to the next 100 days of chaos, though my Spider-Sense is telling me that we need to buckle up because they’re probably going to be worse.
Did I miss any cringe-worthy or clueless quotes from the Coalition of Chaos? As always, please let me know. That’s it for another week because I’m off to watch Last Week Tonight for my weekly 30-minute lecture.
Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Don’t forget to walk your dog; read a banned book; and praise Putin, since he won six more years. What a shock. I’ll see you next week because we’re going to revisit We Didn’t Start the Fire. Good times.
I dabble here and there with politics on this blog, because I find it interesting and entertaining; yet it can be a flashpoint for some people. I’ve been following politics from around the world, especially the Republicans, One Nation, and the Tories, and laughing at their insanity for promoting climate change deniers, anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theories, and book banning/burning. Sadly, in my hubris and arrogance, I now have to deal with the concept that homegrown clown school drop-outs, will be running my country.
That amazing and beautiful transition now brings us to Lupesey. Oh, Lupesey, Lupesey, Lupesey. We’ve had chaos, eye-rolling, repeals, conspiracy theories, media leaks, culture wars, rants, anti-wokeness, misogyny, rollbacks, shenanigans, along with nepotism, and it’s only been two weeks; and that’s not counting the six weeks of awful negotiation.
For all you wonderful people who have no idea or care who Lupesey is; and like I said last week, I envy you, we have a new conservative coalition government in New Zealand, which is like a three-headed mutant baby born from our general election on 14th October.
Our new government is made up of three right-wing conservative parties, National, ACT, and New Zealand First. The three leaders of these parties are our newly minted Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (National), Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters (New Zealand First), and Future Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour (ACT); which is the triumvirate of Lupesey.
Lupesey is upset for a great number of reasons, and one of them is that they are not too keen on the use of Te Reo Maori for the names of government departments. One idea floated by our new Prime Minister, suggested that having English and Te Reo names for government departments and agencies is too confusing for the average Kiwi. I find this hilarious, considering Te Reo Maori was the first language of our nation. Lupesey loves talking about Te Reo, just not actually using Te Reo.
Lupesey has already explained their contradictory positions over multiple policies, so I thought it would be nice to sit down and educate Lupesey on some Te Reo words that are relevant to New Zealanders now, as well as including words people are going to need to use because Lupesey wants to drag us back to the 1950s.
With me so far? Great! Let’s begin. Spoilers, if you’re a Lupesey supporter, you won’t enjoy this. Sorry, not sorry. Also with Te Reo, there can be several different words describing the same word.
Aotearoa: New Zealand
ariā kakai: conspiracy theory
aroha: love
hahoretanga: poverty
hamupaka: sham
hapanga: redundancy
heahea:idiot
hikareti: cigarettes
hori:lie
hunga kore mahi: unemployment
hunga pāpāho:media
huringa āhuarangi: climate change
kaiako: teacher
kaikaiwaiū: betrayal
kaituku: donor
kaituku rīhi: landlord
koranehe: fossil fuel
korekiko: ineffective
kōrero parau: to tell an untruth
korotake: incompetence
Kotahitanga o Ngā Iwi o te Ao:United Nations
kuīni whakarākei:drag queen
kutukutu ahi: nonsense
manapori: democracy
mate pukupuku:lung cancer
Minitatanga mō ngā Wāhine: Ministry of Women’s Affairs
nanakia:cruel
oati teka:false statement
parau: deceit
pātaka Kai: food bank
pēkerapu: bankruptcy
penihana: unemployment benefit
pōrewarewa: imbecile
pōrori: stupid
puhipuhi: smoking
pūtaiao: science
rongoā āraimate: vaccination
rorirori:halfwit
rūkahu: propaganda
rūpahu:mislead
Takatāpui: someone belonging to the rainbow community or LGBTQI+
tamariki:children
taupoki:cyclone
Te Aka Whai Ora:Māori Health Authority
Te Kāhui Tika Tangata: Human Rights Commission
Te Manatū Hauora: Ministry of Health
Te Manatū Māori: Ministry of Māori Affairs
Te Manatū mō Ngā Iwi o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa: Ministry for Pacific Peoples
Te Manatū mō te Taiao: Ministry of the Environment
Te Manatū Pūtaiao:Ministry of Research, Science and Technology
Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga:Ministry of Education
Te Tari Pūreke: Firearms Safety Authority
teka:lying
tipatipa: erroneous
ture kore:chaos
waea pūkoro: mobile phone
waipuketanga:flooding
Waka Kotahi:NZ Transport Agency
Whakahaere hauora o te ao: World Health Organization
whakahāweatanga:prejudice
whakapāha: apology
whakapikinga utu: inflation
whakapōhēhē: misinformation
whakatahe: abortion
whāwhāki: leaks
I’ll be checking in on Lupesey over the next three years because my Spidey-Sense is telling me that Lupesey’s nonsense will make them a one-term government. Is anyone having buyer’s remorse yet? Don’t worry, Lupesey will give you ample opportunity to experience it.
Alright, that’s it for another week. I’m sorry if this one was a bit weird, but I’m sick of Lupesey already. Thank you 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 I’ll see you next week.
Also, please don’t ever tell your advertisers to go fuck themselves. Not the smartest move in the world, but what do I know; I have no advertisers.
Voting in a general election can be difficult. You could vote for a political party for any number of reasons.
It could be because it’s a generational thing; your grandparents and parents voted for them, so you vote for them.
You could be a swing voter and only vote for parties that keep their promises.
You could have researched each party and studied them until you found the party that best aligns with your values.
Maybe your favourite celebrity or influencer told you to do it.
It could be because that party has the best logo or the most attractive candidates.
The reasons are like Destiny, Death, and Dream; endless.
But voting can be a double-edged sword. The party you support may have an amazing education policy, like every primary school child will have all of their stationery and uniforms paid for by the government. However, that same party could have a crazy immigration policy by demanding every immigrant, regardless of age, needs three PhDs, with $5 million to support them.
If you choose to vote for that party, you’re choosing to help and support the nation’s children, but at the same time, you’re supporting an inhumane immigration policy. Like I said, it’s a double-edged sword.
Credit: New Zealand Electoral Commission
This brings us to the New Zealand General Election. Our general election is being held on 14th October 2023, though advanced voting started on the 2nd October.
Before I go on, you could be thinking, “Well, I’m not a New Zealander, Scott, so why should I care about it?” That’s a fair question, so here’s a fair answer: you don’t have to care, it’s just nice to know things. Like going to a party and knowing the capital city of Brazil is not Rio de Janeiro, but Brasília; or the fact George Lucas did not direct The Empire Strikes Back, it was Irvin Kershner. It’s nice to drink and know things.
We have 17 parties to choose from, along with their candidates in this election. I’ll admit that I’m biased, but we have some good parties, some average parties, some bad parties, and some truly awful ones as well. We have parties ranging from left-wing, centre-left, centre, centre-right, right-wing, and the insane.
They have a range of policies that are truly amazing to the downright batshit crazy, and it’s these batshit policies I’d like to highlight. We have some conspiracy political parties now, which is equally terrifying and hilarious; so it’s not a surprise that I’ll discuss these. Also, I’m not mentioning all of the 17 parties, just the policies that are batshit crazy, in my humble opinion.
I’m apologising in advance if you think any of the below policies are…well, good.
All of these policies are linked through Policy NZ and through the websites of the political parties.
ACT Party
To abolish the New Zealand Human Rights Commission, the Ministry for Women, the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, and the Ministry for Ethnic Communities.
To restrict access to permanent sickness benefits, if the person can work.
To increase the retirement age to 67.
To halt contributions to the New Zealand Super Fund, which is the sovereign wealth fund that supports the cost of superannuation.
To oppose laws against hate speech.
To ignore the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
To remove a public holiday.
Require annual leave to be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
To abolish the Fees Free tertiary education programme.
To repeal the Zero Carbon Act.
To abolish the Climate Change Commission, the Climate Emergency Response Fund, the Progressive Home Ownership Scheme, and the First Home Grant.
To sell public hospitals to private investors under leaseback arrangements.
To reduce government Kiwisaver contributions.
To hold a referendum on the interpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi.
New Conservatives
Our long-term problem of fatherlessness is not helped by telling men and boys that their masculinity is toxic and unwelcome. New Conservatives will be a voice for men and the value of masculinity.
To ban medical abortions and withdraw public funding for abortion services.
To ban gender reassignment surgery and hormone therapies for young people.
We affirm the biological reality that there are only two sexes, and oppose the lie that a person can be ‘born in the wrong body’, or can ‘change their gender’.
To remove left-wing ideologies from the curriculum, including critical race theory, gender theory, decolonisation, and extremist “climate science” and sex “education”.
We believe that current climate policies are a distraction from real opportunities to protect and improve the environment. There is no climate emergency. We will end all climate-focused taxes, subsidies, and regulations.
Reducing New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions does not actually benefit the environment in any way – if anything only shifting high-emitting activities overseas.
New Conservatives believe that is an inappropriate use of technology1 – we should not be playing God, altering the natural makeup of organisms for no real environmental benefit – and this shows there is no real case for change.
Fossil fuels are here to stay, and should be harnessed for the good of the country. We will restore orderly licensing for oil and gas exploration, and make sure that the players in this industry know they are welcome in New Zealand for the long term.
New Zealand First
Withdraw from the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as it removes the rights of New Zealand citizens to write their own laws.
To stop using Te Reo Māori names for government departments.
To amend the Sport and Recreation New Zealand Act to remove public funding from bodies that allow non-biological women to be selected unequally against biological women.
Require a national interest test to stop us being dictated to by the United Nations and agencies like the W.H.O.
To remove gender ideology from the curriculum, and review the New Zealand curriculum to remove critical race theory and de-colonialism.
We will abolish the Māori Health Authority.
To create a Royal Commission of Inquiry into media independence in New Zealand.
To restore 90-day job trials to provide employer certainty.
We will prepare a bid to hold the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch.
Leighton Baker Party
To drop the carbon net-goals as they do not work and impoverish our nation.
There must be a full review of the harm caused by the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as the effectiveness of the vaccine.
New Zealand Loyal
To end New Zealandʼs participation in the United Nations, World Economic Forum, and World Health Organisation.
To investigate the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and its past practices.
To investigate who has benefited by selling this country out to the “Green Agenda.”
Freedoms NZ
To remove UN driven campaigns to control our country and drive the Climate Change fraud, food production, and Health Control.
We believe we are already carbon negative.
To scrap the Resource Management Act.
To ensure there is no more school indoctrination with the Transgender Agenda + more.
To scrap all changes to New Zealand’s firearms legislation made since March 2019.2
New Nation Party
No state funding for media.
To leave the United Nations.
To launch a Commission of Inquiry into our country’s COVID-19 response.
Limit Significant Natural Areas (SNA) to public areas.
To reduce the number of Members of Parliament to 100.3
NewZeal Party
Westand on the side of biological and scientific reality when it comes to gender, and reject attempts to deny or erase the biological evidence of gender.
We will oppose proposed significant content regulations and limitations for media and online platforms.
We will ensure that our media platforms and press can be independent and reliable, free from censorship and unnecessary restrictions.
Have I been too harsh on these parties, or not harsh enough? Have I missed out on any batshit crazy policies? Do you agree or disagree with any of them? As always, please let me know.
Hopefully this time next week, we will have a clear election result, but who knows, the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party may surprise us all!
This was my 149th blog post, so next week I’ll reach the milestone of 150, and I have no idea what to do about it.
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, play Lego with some children, watch some Rugby World Cup games, and I’ll see you next week.
1 The technology stated is Genetic Engineering.
2 This refers to the Christchurch mosque shootings, where 51 people were killed and 40 people injured. Two AR-15-style rifles, one semi-automatic shotgun, one pump-action shotgun, and two other rifles were used in the massacre.
I want to talk about Donald Trump. Why? Where do I begin? I honestly can’t remember when or how I first heard of Donald Trump. Maybe it was at primary school, intermediate or high school, but that piece of information has been lost to the sands of time, like someone’s PIN code.
I’m not going to sit in my cold and dark little room, and give a brief introduction of Trump. I mean, why would I?! If you haven’t heard of the 45th President of the United States of America, then I’m quite envious of you.
I’ve been thinking of writing a blog about Trump for a long time now. Not as long as Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet, because nothing is longer than that, but still a long time. However after his indictment last week, I thought now’s a good time to bust a blog out.
Over the years, many people with more literary talent and qualifications than myself, have written countless articles, reports, lawsuits and books about Trump. Because of this, I have some easy options open to me over what to write about.
Trump’s lawsuits.
Trump’s childhood.
Trump’s allies and friends.
Trump’s marriages.
Trump’s businesses.
Trump’s political career.
Trump’s tv and film performances.
Trump’s social media.
Trump’s two impeachments.
Trump’s indictment.
Even with these easy topics to discuss, here’s my Mum’s description of me to explain what I’m doing to do.
“If there’s an easy way and a complicatedway of doing something, he will chose the complicated way, every single time.”
Sorry about that, Mum.
If you’re a sharp and clever person; like I know you must be, because you’re reading this blog, you would have noticed the title: Things that Donald Trump has taught me. I’m not talking about being a contestant on The Apprentice or having worked with him; no, I’m talking about living over 14,000 km away, while watching and reading about him. This concerns learning about people and life lessons; that I’ve learnt either directly or indirectly from Trump, that I will pass onto UMC1 and UMC2.
I’ve listed them in no particular order, however I did fight the urge to list them alphabetically or chronologically.
And with that, let’s do it.
People
News:
Thanks to Trump, I now know the names and faces of many reporters, anchors, talk show hosts, and journalists, across the media spectrum. I didn’t know these people existed before Trump, but I do now. This includes:
Fox News: Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity, Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt, Brian Kilmeade, Kayleigh McEnany, Greg Gutfeld, Jesse Watters, Bret Baier, Jeanine Pirro, and Peter Doocy.
CNN: Don Lemon, Jim Acosta, John Berman, Victor Blackwell, Erin Burnett, Kate Bolduan, Alisyn Camerota, S. E. Cupp, Van Jones, and Abby Phillip.
MSNBC: Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, Willie Geist, Katy Tur, Nicolle Wallace, Chris Hayes, Ari Melber, Joy Reid, Hallie Jackson, Lawrence O’Donnell, and Stephanie Ruhle.
Talk Show Hosts: Bill Maher, Trevor Noah, Seth Meyers, Wendy Williams, Chelsea Handler, and Samantha Bee. And I can’t forget, Sean Spicer, Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos.
Politics:
Once again, I have to thank Trump, because now I know the names and faces of many politicians across the political spectrum. Again, I didn’t know these people existed before Trump, but I do now. This includes:
Republicans: Paul Ryan, Mike Pence, John Bolton, Devin Nunes, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Rand Paul, Rick Perry, Lindsey Graham, Mike Lee, Chuck Grassley, John Barrasso, Tom Cotton, Rick Scott, Adam Kinzinger, Ron DeSantis, Susan Collins, Josh Hawley, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Nikki Haley, J.D. Vance, Tim Scott, Ron Johnson, Marsha Blackburn, John Cornyn, Kay Ivey, Brian Kemp, Mike DeWine, Kristi Noem, Brad Raffensperger, Greg Abbott, Liz Cheney, Kevin McCarthy, Ryan Zinke, Paul Gosar, Lauren Boebert, Matt Gaetz, George Santos, Jim Jordan, Ronny Jackson, and of course, Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Democrats: Kamala Harris, Richard Blumenthal, Chris Murphy, Chris Coons, Jon Ossoff, Raphael Warnock, Dick Durbin, Tammy Duckworth, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker, Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, John Fetterman, Tim Kaine, Joe Manchin, Nancy Pelosi, Eric Swalwell, Stacey Abrams, Ilhan Omar, Hakeem Jeffries, Jerry Nadler, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Pete Buttigieg.
This also covers Bernie Sanders, Kyrsten Sinema and Angus King.
Others: Allen Weisselberg, Melania Trump, Tiffany Trump, Barron Trump, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Lara Trump, E. Jean Carroll, Samantha Holvey, Billy Bush, Jeffrey Epstein, Michael Cohen, Michael Avenatti, Herschel Walker, Joe Tacopina, Sidney Powell, Mike Lindell, Michael Flynn, George Papadopoulos, Roger Stone, Paul Manafort, Robert Mueller, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, William Barr, Jeff Sessions, Alvin Bragg, Fani Willis, and lastly, Stormy Daniels.
Every single one of these people, I know now because of Trump. I’m sorry if I’ve missed anybody out, but Trump’s been busy.
Life Lessons
Don’t open an university and name it after yourself.
A 76 year old male will never change, but its not too late for you to change.
Make sure you understand what the words “gaslighting” and “nepotism” mean.
During an eclipse, only look directly at the Sun with the correct eye protection.
Muslims are real people; but they are not coming to get you.
It’s possible to get a job that you’re not qualified to do.
Detonating a nuclear weapon inside a hurricane, is not a good idea.
Never name a brand of steaks after yourself.
You should never inject yourself with bleach.
You can only give someone a nickname, if you’re prepared to receive one; or if you’re 8 years old.
Even though you can hate it, it’s important to pay your taxes.
Always proof read and edit your social media posts.
It’s legal to make hush money payments in the State of New York, but it’s illegal to cover it up.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community are real people; but they are not coming to get you.
It’s not a great look if you’re on a social media rant, at 4.30 am when you’re the President of the United States of America.
If people quote or record what you’ve said, you can’t deny it happened when there is physical evidence.
Claiming you’ve never met a particular person, before photos being released of you meeting said person, is quite hilarious.
Take the time to learn about your country’s history; especially if there was a Civil War and the causes behind it.
If a Neo-Nazi or the Ku Klux Klan agrees with your views of society, you’re doing something wrong.
Reading is fun.
If someone is writing a book about you with your consent, and they’re following you around, please remember they are actually there.
Don’t call your favourite media talk show, to decry the media.
It’s important to learn world geography.
Vaccines are some of greatest achievements in the history of humanity.
Just because someone disagrees with you, doesn’t make them wrong or evil.
If you’re going to create a new word like bigly or covfefe, you can’t just use it once; you need to use it multiple times for it to catch on.
A Sharpie is a quality marker.
Children being killed at school through gun violence, should never be acceptable.
Understanding how the impeachment of a president works. (Twice).
Never conduct interviews, with a helicopter in the background.
Just because you don’t like what someone else says, doesn’t make it fake news.
I could go on, but UMC1 and UMC2 would have fallen asleep by now. But seriously, the biggest life lesson Trump has taught me, is this: Never lie about something, that can be fact checked by a person using their phone, during their toilet break.
Has Trump taught you anything? Please let me know. Anyway, I’m done with Trump tonight, but not forever. I need to sleep, because Daylight Savings has finished, and my body is rebelling against it. Thanks once again for reading, following and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me; it means a lot. Remember to walk your dog; watch a banned movie; stay away from variant comic book covers; and I’ll see you next week.
SOME GEEK TOLD ME 
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