The Rise of the Pocket Universe Monkeys: Superman Haters

On July 21, 2025July 21, 2025 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Comics, Movies, Social Media

Welcome back, I’m so glad you could join me today. This week’s incoherent and mysterious blog is a follow-up to my Superman: Movie Preview/Review posts.

Superman has been out for over 10 days now, and it’s been receiving a lot of praise, as well as negative attention, particularly in conservative and right-wing circles. I noticed this when the first reviews came trickling in, but it exploded over James Gunn’s statement about Superman:

“Superman is an immigrant” and that, “Superman was the story of America”.

“An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost,

These words, coupled with superhero movie fatigue and Snyderverse enthusiasts, have led to criticism of the movie for various reasons, with the main argument being that the movie is woke, and it has turned Superman into a woke character. It’s been hilarious watching them decry Superman for being woke, even though he’s been woke since 1938.

Wait until the MAGA crowd discover that Clark Kent’s son from the comics, Jon, is bisexual, or the fact that Superman fought the Ku Klux Klan and Nazis. They won’t recover from that!

I have no problem with anybody praising or criticising a movie, or any other form of art. However, that statement can only take me so far, because over about two weeks, I have seen and heard some hilarious and ridiculous arguments and comments, especially from people who have ever seen the film. Haters have to hate, I guess.

Having seen the movie and being a fan of Superman, I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit that I find it entertaining to watch conservatives and right-wing individuals overreact to minor and absurd topics. I’ve gathered some of the most ridiculous responses to the new Superman movie for your enjoyment.

Before I go on, you may have noticed the title of the blog included the phrase, Pocket Universe Monkeys. No, that’s not the name of my autobiography, but it’s a term used to describe some characters from the movie. In one scene, Luthor is monologuing to Superman about his plan to defame and destroy him, while they are in a pocket universe that Luthor created.

While Luthor was talking, there were hundreds, if not thousands, of monkeys posting anti-Superman propaganda online; hence, the new term for Superman haters: pocket universe monkeys. I’m talking about people jumping on the “Superman is woke” train.

Credit: Warner Bros./DC Studios

And with that delightful thought, let’s crack on and enjoy reading some foolish Superman-bashing comments.

I’m going to leave you with two things I have said before, plus something new.

1.) So when someone starts talking smack about things that I love or have an interest in (whatever it is), I listen. Basically, it’s so I can determine if there is any truth to what they are saying, because I may agree with them, or to see whether they are just talking through their arse.

Everybody on this list is entitled to their opinion, but sadly, when discussing Superman, they are indeed talking out of their arses.

2.) For the record, comic books have always been political, by exposing readers to important social issues, from Superman being an illegal immigrant to the X-Men fighting for civil rights. Comic books have always been political.

When was the last time anybody on this list read any comic book? Superman has been talking about inclusivity and diversity since 1938; that’s why he’s the good guy; he’s Superman. That’s the point.

3.) Superman is a fictional character who does not exist in real life, no matter how much we might wish he did. However, just because a character is created in literature, movies, TV, or any other medium, it doesn’t mean we can’t relate to them or learn valuable lessons from their stories.

Yes, creators can make characters do whatever they want, because it’s business to make money from them, but also to tell stories. In every single story that has ever been passed on, there is a message. That message could be laced with positivity, or it could be a warning. And Superman’s message is simply hope. From my point of view, what’s wrong with that?

And with that, I’m done. Did you enjoy the comments from the pocket universe monkeys? If you have seen Superman, what are your thoughts? As always, please let me know.

Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Remember to read a banned book, please adopt a dog, stay away from red kryptonite, and I’ll see you next week for The Fantastic Four: First Steps-Movie Preview. Take care.

Random things my wife is now into

On June 9, 2025August 9, 2025 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn People, Social Media

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.

So, without further fanfare, let’s get started!

Watching snake eggs hatch:

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 easier and 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.

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears, because I have some boring news for you

On April 21, 2025 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn People, Social Media

I’ve never dedicated an entire blog post to updating you with news before, at least about me. But, there’s a first time for everything, like trying Sour Cream and Chives for the first time. Your brain wants to shut down to stop feeling the vile taste.

Anyway, this blog post is slightly shorter, because of three main reasons. No, it’s not 20 questions, so I’ll tell you.

1.) I’m writing this before Easter because I will be busy over the weekend. Yes, I’m doing something at Easter, so the chances of me sitting down to work on New Zealand’s 5th least favourite website are slim. Not impossible, just slim, so I thought I would be prepared.

2.) As New Zealanders, we generally don’t boast about our achievements. This tendency stems from our history of being an isolated and pragmatic people. I’m not one to discuss my accomplishments or lack of. However, I feel compelled to share something significant that happened last weekend.

Long-time followers and subscribers of this wayward blog will know that I like running. To be honest, it’s somewhere between walking and jogging, but I pretend it’s running. Last weekend, I ran in one of my favourite half marathons, and something odd and wonderful happened.

2014 was the last time I ran a half marathon in under 2 hours. I’ve come close, dangerously close to that time, but that target has alluded me for over 10 years. In all honesty, I accepted the fact that I would probably never run another half marathon under 2 hours again. I thought my body had said, “To hell with that, we can’t do that anymore!”

By now, you can see where this is headed. For the first time since 2014, I ran a half marathon in under 2 hours. I know that in the grand scheme of things, it may not seem significant, but honestly, I thought I would never achieve this again. It’s surprising to realise I’m faster than I was in 2015, which feels almost unbelievable to me. In that sense, I feel proud of myself, which is a bizarre feeling.

It will sometime before that happens again. Maybe.

3.) For us, we are well and truly into Autumn, with Winter popping its ugly head up now and then. And just like the inevitability of the seasons and an Australian Prime Minister changing, we all change. This brings me to the biggest update, I’m changing jobs. I resigned in February, and the 24th of April will be my last day.

I’ve been there for nine years, and in the field for 16 years, but I’m going to be working for myself. I’ll be in the same industry, just adjacent to what I had been doing, which is equally exciting and horrifying, given how New Zealand and the world are currently.

Over the last few weeks, my emotions have felt like they are on a rollercoaster, and with my last day arriving soon, I’m sorry to report those emotions will probably just intensify. No doubt I’ll shame Chuck Norris by shedding a tear by the end.

I have no idea if this will work out, or even if it’s a good idea, but if the world’s most famous 78-year-old convicted felon has taught me anything, it’s that you can’t take anything or anyone for granted. I’m trying to look at the world differently, but also to try and do things differently.

I’ll let you know how things went on for the last day, but also how the new job is working out. Oh, look at me being all hopeful and positive!

Ok, that’s it for today. I promise I’ll get back to writing pointless posts like doing a Thunderbolts* Movie Preview next week.

Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, go fly a paper airplane, and I’ll see you next week.

Cherry picking Elon Musk’s delightful and inspiring tweets

On March 31, 2025 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn People, Politics, Social Media

Following on from last week’s award-winning blog post on Elon Musk and Tesla, I thought I would include an epilogue of some sort. And when I mean award-winning, I mean…wait, do I need to explain that joke?

Anyway, Musk is a busy man. He’s mismanaging DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), selling Teslas at the White House, launching and blowing up rockets with SpaceX, selling and buying his companies to himself, and doing interviews with Fox News.

To everyone’s surprise, Musk still manages to find time to share his innermost thoughts and ideas with his 218.8 million followers on Twitter.¹Because of this, I talked to my Chief Consultant for Bad Ideas and decided to examine what Musk has been posting and reposting on his account lately.

Three things to remember before we start this stupid idea:
1.) I’m only going back a week at the most, because, well, that’s all I can tolerate.
2.) I’m focusing on the different posts and reposts that Musk has done on his Twitter account. I’m not including anything other people have said about him, that is not on his account.
3.) Since this is my account, I get to decide what happens. Because of this, I will be selectively choosing posts and reposts, which make Musk stand out for various negative reasons.

Awesome, so let’s read what nonsense the richest person on the planet has to say on nearly everything.

Make of these posts as you will. That’s a lot to take in, as it was only over a few days, and that’s not counting all of the other stuff on his account. Musk is on social media more than George Takei, and that’s saying something!

Love him or hate him, Elon Musk is not going anywhere, least of all on Twitter, which Musk recently sold to xAI, an artificial intelligence start-up company, for US$33 billion. Just to clarify, Musk owns xAI, so he purchased and sold a company to himself. I have enough problems remembering to remind myself about things to buy at the supermarket.

Anyway, like I said last week, Musk is a complicated person, and his posts and reposts are a small window into the mind of a man who is one bad day away from becoming a real Bond villain.

That’s another blog post for another week. Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me.

Please don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, and if you can, please donate to the rescue relief in Myanmar, where a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit the country and killed over 1,600 people. From personal experience, earthquakes are hell, so if you can donate, please do. I’ll see you next week because we’re going back to 1957. Can’t wait.

¹I know Twitter has been rebranded as X, but it’s still Twitter to me; just like the Gulf of Mexico. Sorry, I’m a jerk.

15th March 2019: Six years later

On March 17, 2025 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn History, People, Politics, Social Media

I’ve mentioned this before, but sometimes I struggle to find humour in discussing certain topics. Not that I’m an expert in comedy—far from it—but today’s blog post is one of those times when I can find very little humour.

To make sure we all understand what I’m talking about, let’s very quickly establish the facts. On 15th March 2019, a lone gunman, armed with a collection of firearms, including semi-automatic rifles, shot and killed 51 people and injured 89, at the Al Noor Mosque, and Linwood Islamic Centre, in Christchurch, New Zealand. This event became known as the Christchurch mosque shootings or the Christchurch mosque attacks.

I’m not going to rehash the events of 15th March 2019, minute by minute. Professional journalists and reporters have done that already, so I can’t add anything new to the conversation.

The purpose of this blog post is to express my feelings and emotions about the sixth anniversary of the deadliest shootings in modern New Zealand history.

I have a strong connection to Christchurch, even though I no longer live there. I attended university in the city, played football, and met my wife there. It’s where we got married, and additionally, my first child, UMC1, was born in Christchurch. I was even present during the ML6.3 earthquake that struck on 22nd February 2011, which tragically resulted in the loss of 185 lives.

We moved away from Christchurch in early 2016, but it’s still important to us.

Christchurch features a large public open space in the city centre known as Hagley Park, which was one of my favourite places to run. I would always run in an anti-clockwise direction around the park, with Al Noor Mosque on my right-hand side, directly across from the park. The mosque is a famous and significant site for both the city and the Muslim community.

As for the Linwood Islamic Centre, it was only opened in 2018, but I lived only three blocks from the future site, so I know the area quite well. I wasn’t in Christchurch when the shootings happened, but six years later, I am still a mixed bag of emotions surrounding it.

Before I continue, I want to clarify that I did not know anyone who was shot or injured, so families of the victims and survivors will have a much more personal experience than I do. I don’t want to disrespect anyone’s experience, I simply want to express my emotions and feelings because I believe our country and the world are forgetting the lessons that day taught us.

Let’s start with easy emotions, like shame and sadness. Six years later, I’m still ashamed and saddened those murders happened in Christchurch, let alone in New Zealand. The city and country are forever linked to that day and will have to carry an albatross around their necks, until the end of time. Granted, the albatross will gradually decrease in mass and weight, but it will always be there.

There’s also the sadness and shame in educating and explaining to our tamariki (children) about that day, because it relates to them, directly and indirectly.

This brings us to the shame and sadness towards the Muslim community of Christchurch, New Zealand, and the world. Some of the people attending the two mosques were born in New Zealand, while others were born overseas, with some being refugees.

I still feel sad and ashamed for the families having to travel; especially from other countries to mourn their loved ones, because they should have been safe here in New Zealand. They should’ve been, and it was disgusting and unforgivable.

Besides the location, a place of worship like a mosque, church, synagogue, or temple, should be a place of safety and protection for people. It still upsets me that this evil act of hatred was committed, not just against Muslims, or Christchurch or New Zealand, but it happened at all.

My experiences of feeling shame and sadness towards the attacks are also deeply connected to my anger and rage.

I’m still angry someone was able to amass a collection of firearms of that magnitude with ease.
I’m angry that he was able to livestream the first shootings on Facebook.
I’m angry that a white migrant shot and killed other migrants because they were from a different ethnic background to him.
I’m angry that the gunman believed in the conspiracy theory of the Great White Replacement. Long-time followers and readers of this account will understand my views towards conspiracy theorists and the garbage they peddle.
I’m angry that it happened in New Zealand, and of course, Christchurch.
I’m angry not only for the Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand, and around the world, but also for the Muslims where I live.
I’m angry that this evil act empowered supporters of conspiracy theories, the alt-right, and anti-Islam groups in New Zealand to speak up.
I’m angry for the victims and their families because this should not have happened.
And I’m angry as a white, straight non-Muslim New Zealand male. This country has been slowly working towards diversity and inclusion for over 170 years, so the whole thing is a nightmare.

Having said that, you can’t have light without the dark, and just like the Christchurch earthquakes, you can’t have dark without the light. The 15th of March 2019 was one of the worst days in living memory for my country, but it allowed hope and pride to take centre stage.

The way the city, country and government, rallied around the victims and their families, was and still is excellent.
The flowers, hakas, and tributes were wonderful.
The denouncing of hatred towards people of our community and country was powerful.
The work towards pressuring social media companies to regulate more of their content, especially around hate speech and livestreaming, was impressive.
Closing the gun law loopholes and making semi-automatic firearms illegal was swift and direct.
There were stories of bravery, love, compassion, and humanity that were uplifting.
The backlash over the upcoming film, detailing the shootings was glorious by the New Zealand public.

Ultimately, what gave me hope and made me proud as a New Zealander, was the amazing response to the shootings. The world looked at New Zealand at one of our lowest and darkest days, so we did what New Zealanders only know how to: we embraced the victims and families because they were us; and told hate groups to fuck off, because this event would not stop us from doing the right thing, as in being a nation of diversity and inclusion.

There are many other emotions I could talk about, but the main one that remains is frustration, which concerns what’s currently happening in New Zealand and around the world.

In New Zealand, our new government have said they are open to rolling back the assault weapons ban, “…because it punishes the good and responsible gun owners.”
Taking his cues from the President of the United States of America, our Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, wants to start an anti-woke crusade, to weed out DEI hires, because, according to him, diversity and inclusion are tools of the left.
Attacks and prejudice towards the LGBTQIA+ community are increasing the world over.
Because of Hamas’ actions, anti-Muslim attacks are rising, along with antisemitism, because of the actions of the Israeli government.
For all the optics, the richest man in the world, Elon Musk, seems to be at the very least, a Nazi-sympathiser.
The Great White Replacement conspiracy theory is still being pushed by popular anchors, hosts, and influencers.
People are still making racist jokes online and in person; along with spewing hate speech on social media platforms, with little or no recourse.
Fascism is being dragged into the 21st century for a reboot.

I feel frustrated, because to me, a lot of the lessons of tolerance, compassion, diversity and inclusion, surrounding the shootings, are getting lost in the noise of prejudice, hatred, nationalism and extreme behaviour; even here in New Zealand.

We have been slowly falling back into the mindset of, “…if another group of people are different from me, or if I don’t understand them, that makes them wrong.”

It’s frustrating to witness the tremendous efforts that have been made to rebuild and move forward from the shootings, been slowly eroded due to everyday life. The rise of disinformation, misinformation, conspiracy theories, and hate groups, along with various governments claiming that diversity and inclusion weaken us, is both disheartening and morally wrong.

We already have enough violence in Ukraine, Palestine, Congo, South Sudan, and Myanmar; we don’t need to add to it. We need to get back to educating our family, friends, and the public, that diversity, inclusion, tolerance, and compassion are strengths, and they are the glue that binds us together, not separating us. And we do this through actions, not just words.

I think that’s enough for today. I need my precious beauty sleep because my wrinkles are becoming deeper and wider. Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me.

Just like last week, please don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, continue to tell Nazis to fuck off, and I’ll see you next week.

Culture wars: Coming to a town near you

On November 25, 2024December 1, 2024 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Children, Parents, People, Politics, Social Media

I want to talk about culture wars today. Why? Well, it’s easy, because as popular, hilarious and crazy as they are, they seem to be spreading everywhere faster than The Flash’s diarrhoea.

Old Mac (Insert name of politician/celebrity) had a country, E-I-E-I-O!

And in their country they had a culture war, E-I-E-I-O!

With a culture war here, and a culture there,

There a culture war, here a culture war,

Everywhere a culture war,

Old Mac (Insert name of politician/celebrity) had a country, E-I-E-I-O!

Culture wars have been making headlines for a few years, around different places on our beautiful planet. Even here, in Godzone, sadly.

Before I venture into my lecture, let’s take the time to define what a culture war is, because just like Christmas or Salt and Vinegar chips, it can mean different things to different people. However, for today, we are going to define a culture war as:

1.) A conflict that is usually between two different social groups, that disagree about a particular subject that involves challenging ideas, virtues, or beliefs, that are political, social, or religious.

2.) It’s not really a war, but rather a battle of words, backed up with protests and other expressions of free speech.

I’m not an expert on this because if I were, I would have much more fun with it! Maybe in the last 10-15 years, culture wars have slowly invaded our lexicon, like cuckoos laying their eggs in another bird’s nest.

They have infected our homes, schools, workplaces, supermarkets, and even the highest levels of government. I mean, our glorious 79-year-old Deputy Prime Minister, The Right Honourable Winston Peters, loves discussing how he works against the “secret woke agenda.”

The culture wars of today involve debates about areas like politics, religion, society, and entertainment, but also views concerning prejudice, racism, sexism, and bigotry are getting tossed around like a hot potato. Sadly, even science has been dragged into these ridiculous discussions because of conspiracy theories.

There is also a case to be made that culture wars are just a different form of class war. Food for thought? Preferably pizza, thanks.

So, what are some examples of culture wars? Great question; you’re good at that! I’m looking at this through the lens of a New Zealander, but I think some culture wars are global. Here are some of them, but not all of them; but they emphasise the “us vs them” mentality, depending on what side of the fence you sit down or land on. These examples get people angry and passionate, whether you are for or against them.

Do any of these culture wars seem familiar to you?

Having bilingual names for government departments, along with street and road signs.
Promoting an indigenous or native language.
Drag story time at libraries.
Painting rainbows over pedestrian crossings.
Pushing a “woke” agenda, or just being “woke”.
Hakas should only be performed on a sports field, marae, or on a stage, and nowhere else.
Being pro-Israeli means you’re anti-Islamic.
Being pro-Palestinian means you’re Anti-Semitic.
Embryos should have the same rights as humans; so IVF and abortion are murder.
Immigrants are the root cause of our country’s problems.
Governments promote smoking to generate revenue.
If someone can’t speak the official language of the country they live in, they should leave.
Islam is evil.
Pronouns are a source of conflict.
Urban policies vs rural policies.
Annexing or invading another sovereign country is fine and legal, if, to you, that country is not legitimate.
Vaccines and face masks don’t work.
The Earth is Flat.
Climate change is a hoax and not real.
Indigenous people should not be given a representative voice in government, nor have any extra or special rights.
Burqas, hijabs and turbans should be banned in Western countries.
The Great White Replacement Theory.
The gender you were assigned at birth should determine the gender related to the public and school toilets or changing rooms you use. This applies to both children and adults.
Members of the LGBTQIA+ should not be able to marry each other, along with not being able to adopt or work with children.
You’re a Nazi or fascist if you believe in right-wing politics or conservative policies.
You’re a communist or socialist if you believe in left-wing politics or progressive policies.
People should be allowed to peacefully protest, but only for the values and beliefs you agree with.
Politicians who are multi-millionaires but show conflict of interests.
Is hate speech a form of free speech?
Critical Race Theory.
Black Lives Matter.
Defending a country’s right to protect itself, means they need to break international law to do so.
Wars in another countries are not relevant to my country, because we don’t look like them, therefore, they are not our concern. Eg Sudan and Myanmar.
Punishments for breaking anti-homosexual laws.
MeToo movement.
Major tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy, landlords, and large corporations.
Depending on the country you live in, having great access to firearms.
Whitewashing history.
There are only two genders.
Suppressing some people’s right to vote is important because they might not vote for your party.
The vandalism and removal of statues of historical figures linked to racism, slavery, colonisation, murder, sexism, or genocide.
The increasing amount of book banning, challenging, and censorship, across school and public libraries.
Any person born a male, should not be able to participate in any female sports; regardless of age or level of transition.
Males should not be able to work in a female-dominated industry.
Females should not be able to work in a male-dominated industry.
Criticising another country because they have a theocracy government, but actively promoting and advocating for your own country to be one as well.
Totalitarianism, authoritarianism, and dictatorships are effective because they can weed out the undesirables.

And the list could go on and on.

Given the rise of culture wars worldwide, I’d like to offer some reasons why and how this has happened, or maybe I’m just talking out of my arse. Again, I’m coming at this from a New Zealand perspective, but also observations worldwide, so some culture wars could be known or relevant to you.

1.) The name “culture war” is relevantly new, but the concept and notion of it are not. At a best estimate, some culture wars started over 150 years ago. The concept is not new, just the name.

2.) With elections, whether they are at local or national levels, always seem to bring out an increased amount of warriors, fighting in their particular culture war. I feel this is done to target minorities, or fringe communities, and highlight how dangerous they could be because they are different and not mainstream.

The result is that people are encouraged to become passionate and empowered about these ideas, instead of focussing on larger and more important subjects like crime and unemployment rates, or the state of the economy.

It’s a form of distraction; it’s all smoke and mirrors. You can’t vote for/against or understand an important policy if politicians only even talk about trivial things that don’t matter.

“Don’t worry about the tobacco lobbyists having meetings with government ministers, you should worry about the man dressed as a woman, reading books to children at the library.”

3.) Using social media, conspiracy theories and misinformation makes it harder for people to differentiate fact from fiction, truth from lies, and understanding from bigotry.

“I read it on the internet, so it must be true.”

“I saw a news report about it, this is serious!”

“I agree with the TV host, they need to be stopped. We need to think of the children.”

Sound familiar? It’s easier to believe in a beautiful lie, than to accept the awful truth; especially if someone you trust is saying exactly what you’re thinking.

Judging people is easier than helping people, isn’t it?

4.) I think culture wars can bring out the best and worst of humanity, which causes more division within our communities; especially with gaslighting. Oh, gaslighting, where would the righteous few be without gaslighting? Not living in the White House I would imagine.

How many arguments have you had with your father over public protests? Or your mother over immigrants? Or your co-workers about vaccines, or drag story time with your siblings?

If culture wars keep getting pushed onto us by politicians, religious leaders, celebrities, and billionaires, then who wins? The conservatives? The progressives? I’ll tell you this for nothing, I may not be able to tell you who wins, but I can tell you who loses, and that us. You, me, the vulnerable, the prosecuted, the poor, and the oppressed.

I think some culture wars need to be explored, debated and argued. It helps you to draw a line in the sand, so you can understand and define your own morality, but also to understand where your neighbour, friend, child, parent, or spouse’s ideas are coming from. Some things need to be discussed.

Some culture wars, on the other hand, don’t need to be discussed, because it’s about common sense, or the lack of it. I mean, you’re not going to win an argument with a person who has the IQ of a carrot, are you? In these cases, I feel it’s better to smile and ignore them, so let them live their best life by being stupid. Let them do them, so you can do you.

The problem is identifying the real culture wars from the batshit crazy ones; which I’ll admit, I’m still learning how to do.

Did I miss any culture wars? What culture wars are you invested in? As always, please let me know.

Thanks 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, if you happen to see Vladimir Putin or Benjamin Netanyahu cruising around in a country other than Russia or Israel, please do me a favour, and tell the ICC and your government. That would make my year.

The Lincoln Project: Living rent-free in Trump’s head

On October 28, 2024 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn People, Politics, Social Media

Growing up as a member of the Commonwealth, the 5th of November has always been synonymous with the Gunpowder Plot, in the form of Guy Fawkes Night, Bonfire Night or Fireworks Night. 419 years later, people still remember it.

If you haven’t already guessed or been living in Worzel Gummidge’s hat, this 5th of November is also unique, because it’s the date for the United States presidential election. At the time of writing this blog post, the polls are tighter than Uncle Scrooge’s wallet, between Kamala Harris and everybody’s favourite bankrupting casino owner, Donald Trump.

Over the years, you don’t have to do a lot to incur Trump’s wrath, by getting under that beautiful orange skin or living rent-free in his head. And nobody does it better than the Lincoln Project. For the uninitiated, the Lincoln Project was founded by former Republican Party members and moderate conservatives, who publish and release anti-Trump content. And they are very good at what they do. They oppose Trump and his policies, along with his Dick Tracy villain doppelgangers.

I can’t remember the first Lincoln Project video I saw, but I was stunned and confused to learn that it was Republicans and conservatives bashing Trump. Even though I’m a New Zealander and not a US citizen, I thought this was weird; however, I thought it was so brilliant that I subscribed to them.

Whether it’s because their origins are based on right-leaning politics or they have some extremely driven people, they seem to have an uncanny way of pissing Trump off. Whenever I hear the phrase, “If you can’t say anything nice, say something clever and devastating,” I will always think of the Lincoln Project.

The ‘Lincoln Project’ is made up of Republicans dissatisfied with the direction the party has taken under Trump. Credit: Reproduction/Facebook.

Their videos fall into several groups. Some videos have focused on promoting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, by encouraging people to vote for them. Other videos highlight American values and how Trumpism and Republicans are against it. There are also videos highlighting the shenanigans of some Republicans, comparing Harris to Trump, and talking about the January 6th riots.

The irony is that these videos are created by conservatives. Additionally, the ones directed at Trump can be described as “beautiful nightmares.” They are devastating, accurate, intelligent, funny, and sharp. I often show them to my wife while doing my geek dance, saying, “Oh, you need to see this; it’s amazing!”

In my opinion, all of the anti-Trump panels, videos, columns, podcasts, and articles combined, pale in comparison to the humiliation that the Lincoln Project has inflicted on everybody’s favourite 78-year-old convicted felony.

Below, I have collected several of my favourite recent Lincoln Project videos that directly attack Trump and his policies. And damn, these are burns! Some honourable mentions are the recent Things Fascists Say videos, highlighting Trump’s love for dictators and strong male leaders. It would be hilarious if it wasn’t so serious.

Without any more delay, let’s look at some of my favourite Lincoln Project videos that belittle Trump’s age, cognitive ability, intelligence, morals, and just about anything. Please enjoy!

The next two videos are not humorous, but they are very effective at highlighting how dangerous Trump is. As for that last one, well, it’s my favourite.

What’s your favourite Lincoln Project video? As always, please let me know. If you haven’t already subscribed to the Lincoln Project, I suggest you do so. They are exceptional at what they do.

That’s another rant, for another week. Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. And just like last week, please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, and if you’re a US citizen, please vote for Kamala Harris. I want to witness Trump whine about losing and how difficult his life is being a 78-year-old white male billionaire. Please!

Take care and I’ll see you next week.