I had originally planned to write about something else this week, but after learning about a particular piece of news, the die was cast, and the decision was no longer mine to make.
Just in case you’re a very unlucky person and have not been following the news, there has been a recent development in the administration of peace in the United States. The United States Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., which is run by the United States Congress, has been unselfishly renamed after everybody’s favourite world leader, as the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace. Naming a building after yourself is rather classy, especially if it’s a government building.
This compelling and authentic move reflects President Trump’s desire for peace in the United States and around the world; except for Yemen, the European Union, Venezuela, Portland, Iran, Mexico, Canada, Chicago, and Greenland, but they don’t count.
To prove this point, President Trump was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize recently, which in no way panders to his fragile ego. That is just garbage, spun by fake news outlets that believe in accountability and justice.
Like President Trump, I am very humble, and I would like to acknowledge TheDaily Show for giving me the idea for this informative article. Credit where credit is due. On behalf of 100% of the staff at Some Geek Told Me, I would like to thank The Daily Show for the inspiring idea, as well as President Trump for pursuing peace, because he can stop wars that don’t even exist! What a role model!
Credit: BBC & Getty Images
Because President Trump is a bastion for peace in a world that seems divided by President Trump, I have collected some other clinics, institutes, academies, and other learning centres that could be renamed, like the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace.
Sadly, I was born outside of the United States and away from President Trump’s bigly protection, so some of my selections may not be familiar to my international readers, but my New Zealand readers will understand.
And with that, let’s turn the page and begin now.
The Christopher Luxon Entitlement Academy
The Winston Peters Centre of Cultural Diversity
The Brian Tamaki LGBTQIA+ Appreciation Institute
The David Seymour Food Nutrition Clinic
The Pauline Hanson Centre of Islamic-Awareness
The Vladimir Putin Geography Academy
The Kim Jong Un Institute of Human Rights
The Viktor Orbán Centre for Free Speech
The Alexander Lukashenko Institute of Democracy
The Bashar al-Assad Anti-Corruption Institute
The Benjamin Netanyahu Anti-Genocide Centre
The Xi Jinping Institute for the Protection of the Uyghurs
The Nigel Farage Centre of Tolerance and Inclusion
The Kristi Noem Gun Safety School
The JD Vance Museum of Furniture
The RFK Jr Centre for Preventable Childhood Diseases
The Marco Rubio School of Fawning and Grovelling
The Sean Duffy Centre of Climate Change
The Lauren Boebert Gender-Affirming Clinic
The Marjorie Taylor Greene Institute for Autism Awareness
The Ted Cruz Free Abortion Clinic
The Elon Musk Family Planning Clinic
The Jeff Bezos Centre for Independent Book Sellers
The Bob Iger School of Business Ethnics
The Patrick W. Smith Academy of Accountability
The Darren Woods Museum of Environmental Disasters
The Anthony Hopkins Academy of Method Acting
The Neil deGrasse Tyson Flat Earth Centre
The Jonathan Pie Anti-Profanity School
The Alex Jones Meditation Institute
The Nicholas Cage Institute of Marriage Counselling
The Rassie Erasmus Centre of Sports Ethnics
The Neymar School of Acting
The Cristiano Ronaldo Centre for Modesty and Humbleness
And I would like to close with a post humorous choice:
The J. R. R. Tolkien Memorial Institute for Concise Writing
So, how did I do? Did I miss any selections? As always, please let me know.
I hope you liked this week’s rant as much as I liked writing it. Next week will be the last proper blog post before I head off into the sunset for a much-needed break, since running a highly successful blog takes its toll.
Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, watch the Supergirl trailer, and I’ll see you next week.
I seem to be on a roll of adding to the diverse range of my previous blog posts. In 2021, I published the first Geographical Misconceptions blog post, and two years later, I published the second. Since it appears it takes me two years to create one of these, which is the same rate at which a Sonic the Hedgehog movie is released, I thought I would continue that tradition.
To recap what I’m talking about when I mention misconceptions, I’m referring to a piece of information that people believe to be true, that in reality is false. But before I continue, why should I care about misconceptions that are geographical in nature?
To be honest, some misconceptions are innocent and localised, but others are widespread. When I hear misconceptions, they grind my gears, so the Vulcan part of me is compelled to insert logic into the conversation and to push back against the misconception. 1
The biggest talking point is that I don’t want adults continuing to spread the incorrect information to other adults, but mainly I don’t want children being taught these misconceptions, because they will grow up believing them to be true, have children of their own and continue to spread the misconceptions. That and eating Sour Cream and Chives. Kids need to be aware of the dangers of that flavour, since “Fair is foul, and foul is fair”.2
So, let’s pull up our socks, step into our gumboots and traverse into the unknown that is a Some Geek Told Me blog post, and discuss some geographical misconceptions that get my undies in a twist. Lead on!
Anybody repeating this misconception could be forgiven, because it’s a close call. The Amazon River is one of the longest rivers in the world, spanning a whopping 6,400 km across seven countries in South America. However, this would be a strange misconception if the Amazon were, in fact, the longest river in the world.
The Amazon River is the second-longest river in the world. The gold medal goes to the Nile River, which stretches across 11 African countries, roughly 6,650 km.
Nile River basin and its drainage network. Credit: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
I need to add two points to this misconception: Firstly, it’s worth noting that rivers are constantly changing because of different environmental factors, and it can be problematic to decide and identify where a river starts, especially its source.
The second point is that there seems to be a campaign to crown the Amazon as the longest river, because the lengths are disputed, along with the fact that the Amazon has a higher discharge volume. Until the title has officially been stripped from the Nile, it’s still safe to say the Nile is the longest river on the planet.
Aerial view of the Baḥr Al-Jabal (Mountain Nile) and Juba, South Sudan. Credit: Frontpage/Shutterstock.com
New Zealand is an island/New Zealand only has two islands
I’m obviously biased here, but having lived in other countries, the subject of New Zealand consisting of only one or two islands is not a new misconception to me. Occasionally, the question would come up, and I would have to politely and tactfully explain the truth.
To set the record straight, New Zealand, like many other nations around the globe, is made up of several islands. Granted, the two main islands are the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) and the South Island (Te Waipounamu). The South Island is larger, while the North Island holds about 75% of the population.
During the last ice age, about 18,000 years ago, the two islands were connected by a land bridge when sea levels were lower. When the ice age ended, the land bridge was submerged when the sea levels rose, which resulted in the formation of the Cook Strait, the body of water that separates the two islands.
Located off the southern coast of the South Island is Stewart Island (Te Punga o Te Waka-a-Māui), which is the third largest island in the country. New Zealand consists of over 600 islands, including the Subantarctic Islands. Approximately 16 of these islands are inhabited. Therefore, it’s wrong to say that New Zealand has only one or two islands.
Map of offshore New Zealand islands. Credit: Department of Conservation
Istanbul is the capital city of Türkiye
Can you name any city in Türkiyeother than Istanbul? Istanbul is the most well-known Turkish city the world knows, so it has to be the capital city, right? The computer says no. 3
Like many cities on Earth, Istanbul is the most famous city in its country, or even the largest, but these two factors do not automatically mean it’s the capital.
Istanbul has a population of about 15 million, which works out to be roughly 18% of Türkiye’s population, so it is large, but it’s not the capital city; although it was the capital of the Ottoman Empire until 1922. That honour goes to Ankara, with a population of 5.2 million, and it’s been the capital of many empires over the years.
After the Turkish War of Independence and the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Republic of Turkey was formed. Ankara was officially made the capital on 29th October 1923, since the administration of the country was moved from Istanbul to Ankara.
Ankara, the capital city of Türkiye. Credit: Türkiye Visa
The Himalayas are the longest mountain range on the planet
This is an easy misconception to believe, because it makes sense that they would be. Firstly, the Himalayas are the world’s highest mountain range, averaging 6,000 to 6,100 m. It’s rather obvious when nine of the ten highest mountains above sea level are found in the Himalayas, especially with Mount Everest, the highest mountain on the planet above sea level, measuring 8,848.86 m.
But, we were asking about the longest mountain range on the planet, were we not? Correct, because it’s not the Himalayas; it’s the Andes. Stretching along South America’s spine, it covers 8,900 km through Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela, and is 200 to 700 km at its widest. The Andes are the longest mountain range above sea level on the planet.
Now, if you were paying attention, I mentioned something odd. Similar to Mount Everest being the highest mountain in the world above sea level, the same can be applied here. The Andes are the longest mountain range in the world, but only above sea level.
The longest mountain range on Earth is actually underwater: the Mid-Ocean Ridge. The Mid-Ocean Ridge is found around the world, as it is interconnected by plate tectonic boundaries. These underwater ridges are part of a global Ocean Ridge system, which covers every ocean.
The mountain range is continuous, and it spans over 65,000 km, making it several times longer than the Andes. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge alone stretches 16,000 km. So to clarify, the Andes are the longest mountain range above sea level on the planet, but the Mid-Ocean Ridge is the longest in total.
The Andes mountain range as seen from a plane, between Santiago de Chile and Mendoza, Argentina, in summer. Credit: Jorge Morales Piderit.
The United States of America only borders two countries
This is yet another misconception, which, in my humble opinion, is quite understandable, why people would think this is true. Yes, the United States of America does indeed border two countries, notably two land borders.
The infamous Southern border, where apparently the world’s supply of drug dealers, criminals, rapists, and murderers enters the United States, which borders along the southern end of the continental United States and Mexico.
The Northern border, which you don’t need to be a brain surgeon to understand, shares two borders with Canada. The first and most obvious border is on the northern side of the continental United States. The second border with Canada is shared through Alaska, because, as we all know, “Alaska is part of the United States.”
So, to recap, the United States shares borders with Mexico and Canada, though they are land borders. And this is where the misconception comes into effect, because the United States also has maritime borders, or water borders.
It shares a maritime border with Russia, yes, I said Russia. It’s a de facto boundary between the two countries across the Bering Strait, because of Alaska’s location and position relative to Russia’s easternmost islands.
The United States also have many dependencies, territories and islands in the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. This results in the United States having maritime borders with The Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Japan, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, and Federated States of Micronesia, as well as collective and/or disputed borders with Jamaica, Haiti, Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, Sint Maarten, the British Virgin Islands, and Anguilla.
Because some of these countries are dependencies and territories of other countries, the United States, by extension, also shares maritime borders with Venezuela, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.
A map to the 1990 USA-USSR maritime boundary agreement. Credit: Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs.
How did I do with explaining these geographical misconceptions? Do you have any of your own? As always, please let me know.
And that is another blog post for another week. Just to give everybody a heads up, my Christmas break is coming up soon, where I will take the second of my two annual holidays away from New Zealand’s 5th least favourite website. The dates have to be confirmed with the staff, but I’ll let you know soon.
Also, if you can’t back yourself, nobody else will, so in that vein, I would like to remind everybody that my Twitter and Mastodon accounts still exist, so please drop by. I’m aiming to one day get 50 followers on Twitter and 200 followers on Mastodon. I seem to be more popular on Mastodon than Twitter, though the reasons are probably, like Destruction, Desire and Dream, endless.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2027 Rugby World Cup schedules have been recently drawn, so I’m still processing New Zealand’s games in both of these tournaments. I may have to post a reaction to them. Maybe. Are you happy with either draw or Netflix’s monopoly purchase?
Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, don’t commit war crimes, and I’ll see you next week.
1. It’s always nice to sneak in a Star Trek reference.
2. Like wise for Shakespeare references as well.
3 In 2022, the government of Turkey officially changed its name to Türkiye, which was adopted by the United Nations.
Flags, flags, flags, I love a good flag. I live in an area where there are four houses within walking distance of my home that have a flagpole. A few weeks ago, I was walking along when I noticed a flag slightly flying on one of them. I could make out that the flag had orange and black on it.
I suddenly realised I had no idea whose country it belonged to, let alone the continent. Orange and black, orange and black. I was going to memorise the flag, then search for it later on. What country just had orange and black on their flag?!
As I walked closer and closer, I searched the bottom of the flag knowledge file in my mind for any possible answers. Because of the angle I was facing, the majority of the flag wasn’t revealed until I was three houses away.
It was then that I made the discovery that delighted and frustrated me; it was a Halloween flag featuring a witch. This mundane incident obviously triggered my Geek-sense, and the idea grew into the amazing blog post you are now reading.
Just over three years ago, I published my first and only blog post about flags, which can be discovered here. In that literary masterpiece, I discussed four countries’ flags that are no longer in use, for various reasons.
In some circles, three years is the perfect length of time for a sequel, so where is The Batman: Part II? To extend upon this, I have decided to create a sequel to that blog post, but this time, to simply discuss one country, whose history of name changing and flag swapping would make a swinger’s head swivel.
So, sit back, relax, and put your tray table away, because we’re going to look at one country’s many failed flags.
DR Congo’s location in Central Africa, marked by a pin of its national flag. Credit: Mappr
Democratic Republic of the Congo (Formerly known as the Congo Free State/Belgian Congo/Republic of the Congo/Democratic Republic of the Congo/Zaire)
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is odd because it doesn’t just have a few national flags, but several, although it’s the same country; but at the same time, it’s six countries. I told you it was odd.
We have to venture to Central Africa, and to explain the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I need to explain Zaire. In order to explain Zaire, I need to explain the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and to explain the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I need to explain the Republic of the Congo. But to explain the Republic of the Congo, I need to explain the Belgian Congo. However, to explain the Belgian Congo, I need to explain the Congo Free State. It’s like Russian nesting dolls filled with flags and countries.
The Congo Free State
Flag of Congo Free State (1885–1908). Credit: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Starting with the Congo Free State is arguably the best country to begin with. The flag has a blue background with a yellow star in the centre. It was first introduced when the Congo Free State was a de facto African colony of Belgium, but more importantly, it was controlled by King Leopold II of Belgium.
Also, in a totally random and unrelated coincidence, the Congo Free State shared its flag with the International Association of the Congo or the International Congo Society, which was set up by King Leopold II of Belgium, to further his interests in the region. What are the odds of that happening?!
Belgian Congo
Flag of Belgian (1908-1960). Credit: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In 1908, the Congo Free State was officially annexed by the Belgian government, so the country was renamed the Belgian Congo, but they decided to retain the flag. That was nice of them, considering the atrocities the Belgians committed upon the Congolese, in the pursuit of rubber, ivory and minerals.
Republic of the Congoor Congo-Léopoldville (Not to be confused with its neighbour, the Republic of the Congo)
Flag of the Republic of the Congo (1960–1963). Credit: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
In 1960, the Belgian Congo declared independence from Belgium. Among civil unrest and wars that plagued the newly (re)minted country, the nation’s name changed for a second time to the Republic of the Congo, along with a tweaked version of the original flag, namely, the vertical column of six five-pointed stars on the left-hand side.1
Flag of the Republic of the Congo (1963-1966). Credit: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Three years later, in 1963, the flag was changed yet again to another similar, but different version. This new flag still had the original yellow star, but it was smaller and had been moved to the top corner of the left-hand side. It also had a red and yellow-lined band that ran diagonally across the centre. The star represented unity, the yellow symbolised prosperity, the blue stood for hope, and the red reflected the people’s blood.
In 1964, the call was made to change the official name of the Republic of the Congo to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, because why the hell not?
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1966-1971). Credit: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Just like how a classic comic book character like Daredevil is relaunched with a new #1, and then three years later, he has yet another relaunch with another #1, the same applies here. In 1966, because three years in an eternity in politics, the government decided the national flag needed an update, because if the country has a new name…it needs a new flag.
This flag was identical to the previous one, but for two small changes. The red band has widened, and the yellow star has decreased in size.
Zaire
Flag of Zaire (1971–1997). Credit: Moyogo.
To offer a recap, the Congo Free State rebranded itself to become the Belgian Congo, then changed into the Republic of the Congo; along with several flag alternations, and another name change to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. By 1971, you would think that the days of the country’s name and flag changing were over. However, to quote John Rambo, “Nothing is over! Nothing!”
The Democratic Republic of the Congo was renamed Zaire to shake off its colonial past and embrace its African heritage and culture. The new name came with a new flag, which included the Pan-African colours of red, yellow, and green.
The green background represented hope and the country’s fertile land; the yellow symbolised the country’s prosperity and bountiful natural resources, and the red stood for the blood shed for independence and the nation’s martyrs.
The circle with the flaming torch represented the unity of the Zairean people, as well as being a symbol of the ruling party, the Popular Movement of the Revolution (MPR).
Democratic Republic of the Congo (Again)
Flag of Democratic Republic of the Congo (1997-2003). Credit: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The government was overthrown in 1997, which, you guessed it, brought about a new name and flag. The name Zaire was dissolved, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo was reintroduced, along with updating the flag. Instead of looking to contemporary times for inspiration to redesign the flag, it was decided to dive back into the past, 1960, to be correct, to find the next flag.
The new, but old flag was a variation of the first Republic of the Congo’s flag, which was adopted in 1960. The number of stars and their yellow colour didn’t change, but the central star is slightly smaller, along with a lighter blue background.
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2003–2006). Credit: Moyogo.
When the Democratic Republic of the Congo was just six years old, a decision was made that the national flag needed to be updated. As a result, the flag underwent a makeover. Perhaps someone was allergic to the original blue or felt that it wasn’t light enough, but whatever the reason, the blue on the flag was changed to a lighter shade, and the size of the central star was also adjusted.
In my personal opinion, I think some ministers’ OCD was out of control.
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (since 2006). Credit: Nightstallion.
By now, you would have guessed what happened in 2006, three years after the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s third flag was revealed. Yes, we have another flag change. 10 points to Hufflepuff!
You can’t make this stuff up, but in 2006, the wheel turned again, and another flag was introduced. It’s a hybrid of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s first and third flags, combining the design of the 1966 flag, but using the blue from 2003’s flag.
If I understand it properly, the star represents the future for the country, red is for “the blood of the country’s martyrs”, the country’s wealth is yellow, and the blue stands for peace.
Next year will mark the 20th anniversary of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s current flag, and long may it last. However, like a married man having a midlife crisis, who starts dating a woman old enough to be his daughter, will the Democratic Republic of the Congo have another makeover, via a name and flag change? Who knows?
I hope this blog post was coherent enough to understand, because as I was writing it, I kept saying to myself, “This makes no sense, but it’s true.” As always, please let me know your thoughts on the subject.
Writing about the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s flags and name changes has given me a small headache, so I’m done. Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me.
Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, the world is a vampire, and I’ll see you next week.
1.) When the Republic of the Congo was named, its neighbour was also called the Republic of the Congo. To sort through the confusion and help the international community differentiate between the two Congos, the flags were different.
In addition to this, the Republic of the Congo was referred to as Congo-Léopoldville, acknowledging its Belgian past. And not to be outdone, the Republic of the Congo was known as Congo-Brazzaville, acknowledging its French heritage. Not confusing at all.
It’s been a long time since I celebrated a real achievement on this highly popular website. I’ve made over 250 critically acclaimed blog posts that are the envy of all the Flat Earth creators, and produced numerous content where people have actually left comments; sometimes it’s been two people! I know, it’s quite impressive, so please, don’t be intimidated too much.
The point is that today marks an important milestone in the history of New Zealand’s 5th least favourite website. On 29th April 2024, we entered the 1950s in the We Didn’t Start the Fire historical references blog posts, and today we finally enter the 1960s!
To remind any newcomers about this amazing life choice, I have decided, in my utterly infallible wisdom, to explain all of the historical references in Billy Joel’s song, We Didn’t Start the Fire. Why would I do such a thing when various people have already done this with a greater degree of professionalism? The short answer is that I love the song and history, so what’s another thing I can add to the Mountain of Eternal Regret?
I have said this before, but this blog keeps me off the streets and out of bars, so my wife can keep track of me.
The list of previous fascinating and informative blog posts can be found here:
We have now entered the third decade of historical references in the song; what a ride! This entry is shaping up to be quite chaotic, so you need to strap yourself in, because we are going back to 1960! Prepare yourself!
Credit: Rosners’/Pinterest
U-2
The incident happened during the Cold War, and it had nothing to do with an Irish rock band. U-2 refers to the Lockheed U-2, which is a high–altitude reconnaissance aircraft that has a single engine and a single pilot. The aircraft, known as a spy plane, is operated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the United States Air Force (USAF).
In what can only be described as a plot for a spy movie, on 1st May 1960, an American Lockheed U-2 spy plane took off from Pakistan and was eventually shot down over the Soviet Union by the Soviet Air Defence Forces.
The pilot, Francis Gary Powers, was taking aerial photographs when his aircraft was hit by a Soviet surface-to-air missile. Powers parachuted away and was captured by Soviet forces, then put on trial for espionage. The entire affair was a huge embarrassment for the CIA and USAF, as well as for the United States Government, and resulted in the cancellation of an upcoming summit in Paris between the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and France.
Two modern examples of spy plane scandals were the 2001 Hainan Island incident between the United States and China, as well as in January 2024, when Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian Beriev A-50U airborne early warning aircraft, which serves as a surveillance and command-and-control platform. Truth is stranger than fiction.
The remains of the Lockheed U-2 are now on display in the Central Armed Forces Museum, Moscow, Russia. Credit: Alan Wilson.
Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee (1875-1965) was a dedicated advocate for Korean independence during the Imperial Japanese annexation of Korea. Rhee eventually became the first President of South Korea, who served from 1948 to 1960. He also wanted to reunify the Korean Peninsula.
If you’re a student of history like me, you would have noticed that Rhee was president during the Korean War. It could be argued that Rhee might have made this list for other reasons, but the reason he actually made the list in 1960 was related to the South Korean presidential election.
Rhee was looking to be re-elected for a fourth term, but his opponent, Chough Pyung-ok, died one month before the election. This meant Rhee was re-elected unopposed, and government reports said that he received 100% of the votes from a 97% voter turnout.
The focus turned to the race for the Vice President, which resulted in Rhee’s running mate Lee Ki-poong defeating Chang Myon, 79.19% to 17.51%. This caused widespread calls of election fraud and authoritative claims against Rhee and Lee, which led to the massive civil unrest and Rhee’s resignation and exile to the United States.
For some contemporary examples of politicians resigning because of public protests; would be the Arab Spring (2010-2012), Viktor Yanukovych (2014), Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson (2016), Serzh Sargsyan (2018), Omar al-Bashir (2019), Sheikh Hasina (2024), KP Sharma Oli (2025), Milos Vucevic (2025), and so many more.
TIME Magazine Cover: 16th October 1960. Credit: TIME Magazine/BORIS CHALIAPIN
Payola
This entry is completely believable, and it’s a wonder it didn’t happen sooner. The term payola refers to an illegal practice in the music industry, where a payment is made to a commercial radio station to play a song, but the station does not disclose the payment.
In 1959, a federal investigation was launched into the practice, which turned into a gigantic scandal. Over 330 DJs and radio hosts admitted to taking bribes to play certain songs over others. This led to criminal charges being levelled at radio hosts like Alan Freed, who was extremely popular at the time.
These investigations caused several people to lose their jobs and careers. An estimated $263,000 was accepted in bribes.
A modern equivalent would be in 2006, when a payola scandal involving record companies Universal Music Group, Sony, and Warner Music Group. Record labels were paying various radio stations for radio play, with settlements being over $30 million, after a New York Attorney General’s investigation.
Credit: Daily News
Kennedy
This is a straightforward reference involving John F. Kennedy being elected as the 35th president of the United States, defeating Richard Nixon. Kennedy served as President until his assassination in 1963. He was the second youngest person to be elected as President of the United States at 43 years old.
For comparison, Donald Trump was 70 years old when elected in 2016, Joe Biden was 78 years old and 61 days when elected in 2020, and when Donald Trump was elected for a second time in 2024, he was 78 years old and 220 days, making him the oldest person ever to be elected as President; just to point that out.
John F. Kennedy campaign button Button from John F. Kennedy’s 1960 U.S. presidential campaign. Credit: Encyclopædia Britannica
Chubby Checker
Cover songs can either work so well that the new version completely eclipses the original, so that people tend to think the cover is the original, or the cover song just simply exists, and pales in comparison to the original, or the cover and original both benefit from each other’s success. Trust me, I am going somewhere with this.
In 1960, Ernest Evans, aka Chubby Checker, released a song called, The Twist, which in fact was originally released by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters in 1958. The original was very popular in its own right and did very well in sales, but the cover sent the popularity of The Twist into the exosphere.
One of the reasons Chubby Checker’s version was popular, to the point that even if a nightclub in New Zealand played the song, people would know what to do, was the dance, or rather, a dance craze.
“Doing’ the Twist” twisted people on the dance floor around the world, but also helped in the United States, at least, by producing a dance that was popular with black and white audiences during the “Jim Crow” racial segregation era.
Naming cover songs that were successful and popular is one thing, while naming songs that introduce a dance craze is another. However, combining the two is a little more difficult, so the best that the staff at Some Geek Told Me can think of is Macarena, which is a remix from the Bayside Boys in 1995. You know the dance, I bet you do. Hey Macarena, ay!
Psycho
I’m not a huge horror movie fan, but I can sit down and enjoy one. Granted, I may have my eyes shut or my hands covering my face, but I have seen the next entry. This, of course, reminds me that one day I’m going to write about my favourite movie directors.
Like the seamless transition of Sméagol to Gollum and back, this brings us to Psycho. I can’t remember where or when I first saw the movie, but I sure as hell remember what happened in it. Released in 1960, Psycho is arguably one of director Alfred Hitchcock’s most famous works.
Shot in black and white, Hitchcock gave audiences a ride they didn’t see coming, in the form of a ground-breaking masterpiece in Psycho, which covered a range of themes like guilt, madness, voyeurism, family, and morality. Not only did Psycho change thriller and horror movies forever, but movies in general as well.
With a budget of only US$800,000, it collected US$50 million at the box office, as well as being nominated for four Academy Awards, with Janet Leigh winning a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture.
For previous movie references in the song, Psycho did not win multiple awards, but rather changed how movies are made; it was revolutionary. In that vein, some modern movie comparisons include Pulp Fiction (1994), Toy Story (1995), Saving Private Ryan (1998), The Blair Witch Project (1999), The Matrix (1999), The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003), and Avatar (2009).
Belgians in the Congo
Belgians in the Congo means exactly what you think it does. For some much-needed context, in the 1870s, King Leopold II of Belgium was keen to have a Belgian colony in the Congo basin, which is located in Central Africa.
By the 1880s, he had effectively set up shop in the Congo basin. The people of the Congo Free State, as it was known, suffered atrocities with an estimated 1.5 million to 13 million deaths at the hands of Leopold’s policies and greed.
In 1908, the annexation became official, with the Congo Free State being rebranded as the Belgian Congo, thus becoming a colony of Belgium. The Belgian government began a massivesuppression of rights and economic exploitation of the region and of its people.
After years of a fierce independence movement, the country achieved independence from Belgium on 30th June 1960. The new country was renamed The Republic of the Congo, then changed to Zaire, and changed again, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is what it is called today.
After independence was achieved, the transition resulted in civil unrest, protests, and conflicts, which became known as the Congo Crisis (1960-1965). Various wars were fought, with Belgian troops trying to regain control of the country, as well as other factions and countries that were involved. This eventually served as a proxy war between the United States and the Soviet Union, just like the Korean War, Vietnam War, Angolan Civil War, and Afghan–Soviet War.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo went on to suffer wars in the shape of the First Congo War (1996-1997) and the Second Congo War (1998-2003), which resulted in a combined death toll of about 5.65 million people. The Second Congo War was the deadliest war since World War II, with parts of the country still being unstable because of armed conflicts, mainly between the Congolese army and the M23 rebel group.
Belgian paratrooper secures the restaurant terrace of Léopoldville (Kinshasa) airport, during Congo Crisis, July 1960. Credit: Unknown.
So, for 1960, we covered a spy plane being shot down, a South Korean president, a music scandal, a US president, a musician and his dance craze, a movie, and an armed conflict. Obviously, all of these references happened before I was born; however, it always pays to understand why things happened and how they are related to the world today. Well, to me at least, because I love history.
Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. My Twitter and Mastodon accounts are still producing daily data about the world, so please drop in to say hello.
Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, Grok is not always correct, and I’ll see you next week.
The date was 16th June 2025, and it was a simpler time. We were watching the break-up of the world’s wealthiest person and the President of the United States of America; South Park Season 27 had not yet aired; New Zealand rugby supporters were happy; and the world had not yet discovered that the cause of autism was paracetamol and women were to blame.1
However, that date is also famous for being the last entry in one of the planet’s greatest literary feats, discussing the historical references in Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire.
The answer to your first question is no, James Gunn has not contacted me about being part of the DCU. The answer to your second question is yes, it’s back. After delays with other blog posts and events, the long-awaited musical and historical breakdown has returned, much like your persistent back pain.
Since no living person is perfect2, I have collected the previous entries of this wonderful endeavour and presented them to you, just in case you have missed any of them. They include:
If you’ve studied the teachings of Sesame Street’s greatest mathematician, you would have realised that after looking at the sequence of numbers above you, it leads you to the conclusion that 1959 is the next year in the pattern. Thanks, Count.
I’m curious to learn if there’s any positive and uplifting information that we can gather from 1959. So, like many times before, strap yourselves in, because we are going back in time! Cool.
Credit: Ruby Lane
1959
Buddy Holly
Charles Holley was born in 1936 and became a singer, songwriter, and musician. His stage name was Buddy Holly, and along with his band, the Crickets, he gained fame in musical genres like country and western, and rock and roll.
In the late 50s, his musical career was soaring, with national and international tours, as well as television appearances. Sadly, Holly is not in this song because of his musical talents. Holly and his new band were on tour, but they were having issues with the bus. The schedule was tight, and some people have said that it was poorly planned.
On 3rd February 1959, a flight was chartered from Iowa to the next gig in North Dakota. The plane was a four-seater aircraft, and on board the flight were 22-year-old Holly, 17-year-old Ritchie Valens, 28-year-old Jiles Perry Richardson Jr (The Big Bopper), and the pilot, Roger Peterson, a 21-year-old.
Soon after take-off, and flying in terrible weather conditions, Peterson lost control of the aircraft and crashed, killing everybody instantly. This incident was known as The Day the Music Died, made famous by Don McLean’s 1971 song “American Pie“.
Some contemporary examples of musicians being killed in aircraft crashes include Stevie Ray Vaughan, who died in a helicopter crash in 1990; John Denver died when his experimental plane crashed in 1997; and Aaliyah and her entourage were killed in a 2001 plane crash in the Bahamas.
Buddy Holly backstage at the Prom Ballroom in St. Paul on Jan. 28, 1959. (Courtesy of Blue Days Productions)
Ben-Hur
Released in 1959, Ben-Hur was a film that was adapted from Lew Wallace’s book, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, but also a remake of the 1925 film Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. It tells the story of Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston), or just Ben-Hur, in one of Heston’s most famous roles. Ben-Hur is a Jewish man living in Roman-occupied Judea, around the same time as Jesus Christ.
With a US$15 million budget, unheard of at the time, it earned US$146 million at the box office. By today’s standards, Ben-Hur’s earnings would be a disaster for the film studio, but for 1959, this film was a smash hit.
Like The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Ben-Hur won several awards. This included winning 11 Academy Awards, which still holds the record, tied with Titanic (1997) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), as well as three Golden Globe Awards.
Ben-Hur also raised the benchmark for various elements within the film industry, especially the size of sets, and the number of extras, animals, costumes, and other artists involved with the film; added with the legendary chariot race, places Ben-Hur as a Hollywood classic.
For examples of modern movies dominating awards, I covered this with The Bridge on the River Kwai entry. So instead of doing that, some better examples would be films quantifying their design numbers, such as Kingdom of Heaven (2005), which used around 30,000 extras, Stalingrad (2013) for the massive set designs, Marie Antoinette (2006) for the costume designs, and Alexander (2004) for using large numbers of horses and elephants.
Space monkey
For this entry, you can promote the advancement of science; however, the method is always up for debate. You can be for or against these particular scientific experiments, but regardless of your position, this historical reference requires acknowledgement and examination.
The space race between the Soviet Union and the United States of America had begun, and both nations were determined not to lose. To that end, we have “Space monkeys”, which is probably exactly what you think it is.
Space flight was still in its early stages, so they needed non-human organisms to be sent on flights to test the systems, but mainly to reduce the dangers to humans. These animals included fruit flies, mice, dogs, rabbits, frogs, and primates. The point is, a lot of these animals died being astronauts.
On 29th May 1959, NASA sent a rhesus macaque named Miss Able and a squirrel monkey called Miss Baker on a NASA JUPITER AM-18 mission. The monkeys successfully travelled a distance of 2,735 km, at a height of 579 km, with a top speed of 16,000 km/h.
Both monkeys survived the flight, making them the first two animals to be launched by NASA into space, survive and be recovered. Miss Able died four days later in post-flight surgery from an anaesthetic reaction, while Miss Baker lived until 1984.
In modern times, people still use animals in space experiments, but it’s mainly to assess how they cope and adapt to microgravity environments, rather than testing to see whether they survive space flights. Lately, these animals have included mice, fruit flies, spiders, and bobtail squids, as well as tardigrades, because they seem to be one of the resilient lifeforms ever found.
As you would expect, Mafia refers to organised crime, but there is more to it, because it’s not just one reference; it’s actually several. Since I’m a geek, I’m going to add some background to this, because it’s fun to learn about things!
In 1957, a meeting involving over 100 mobsters from the United States, Cuba, and Italy took place in Apalachin, New York, dubbed the Apalachin meeting. Topics to be discussed at the meeting included the takeover of recently murdered Albert Anastasia’s crime operations, but also gambling, loansharking, and narcotics trafficking within the United States.
The meeting was discovered by law enforcement agencies, which resulted in 60 mobsters being arrested, including the host of the meeting, Joseph “Joe the Barber” Barbara, and crime boss, Vito Genovese. This meeting forced law enforcement agencies to confront two things: the sheer scale of the organised crime network in the United States, and to admit to the public that the Cosa Nostra (The Sicilian Mafia) existed in the United States.
Fast forward to 1959, when some events occurred that were directly linked to the Apalachin meeting. The 1957 arrest of Vito Genovese, the boss of the Genovese crime family, led to his conviction in 1959 for drug trafficking, and he was sentenced to 15 years. Other 1959 convictions included Vincent Gigante (7 years), Joseph Valachi (15 years), and Paul Castellano (5 years).
These convictions changed the Mafia’s power structure, as well as empowering law enforcement agencies in their war against organised crime. Obviously, organised crime has never gone away, but some modern examples of assaults on their leadership have been the conviction of crime boss, John Gotti (1992); the Justice Department indicted 14 members of the Chicago Outfit, leading to convictions under the RICO Act (2005); and FBI agents arrested 127 mobsters in a single day, known as the Mob Bust (2011).
Vito Genovese, 1959. Credit: Phil Stanziola.
Hula hoops
This entry is quite straightforward. When Hula Hoops hit stores in the late 1950s, they were not an original creation. They had been used for thousands of years, in various forms across different societies, including using bamboo, rattan, willow, stiff grasses, and grapevines.
The new Hula Hoops were made of plastic tubing and were a colossal hit around the world. The trend drove sales of the toy to the heights of $100 million in the United States between 1958 and 1960.
For a 2025 equivalent, I would have to say Labubu. These elf-type monsters have conquered the world, with global sales in the first half of 2025 being over $670 million.
The Hula Hoop craze, Deerfield Illinois, 1959. Credit: Art Shay.
Castro
Love him or hate him, but there is no denying Fidel Castro’s influence on the 20th century. Castro was a Cuban lawyer, politician, and revolutionary, who was involved in the Revolución de Cuba (Cuban Revolution), which was an armed revolution against the Cuban dictator, Fulgencio Batista.
It began on 26th July 1953, and ended with Batista fleeing the country on 31st December 1958; though Castro’s forces (The 26th of July Movement or M-26-7) did not learn about this until the next day, when they started to take control of Cuba.
Castro became Prime Minister of Cuba on 17th February 1959 and served until 2nd December 1976, then became President of Cuba from 2nd December 1976 to 24th February 2008. Castro overhauled Cuba and transformed it into the first communist country in the Western Hemisphere, and ended up having a brutal regime, just like his enemy, Batista.
I’d like to add that Castro will return for the 1961 edition of this wonderful project. Be prepared for the Bay of Pigs Invasion.
A contemporary example of someone overthrowing an authoritarian government would be Ahmed al-Sharaa, when Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was toppled in December 2024, after 13 years of civil war.
Fidel Castro addresses a rally in 1959. Credit: Sovfoto/Universal Images Gro/REX / Shutterstock
Edsel is a no-go
This is an interesting entry because there are two points to discuss. To establish the background, Edsel refers to a brand of car created by Ford Motors, and it was named after Henry Ford’s son, Edsel, since Ford was the company’s founder.
The car was launched in 1958 and became a commercial failure. By 1959, sales for the car had dropped significantly, which included reasons such as low quality, being ugly, being vaunted too much, and being introduced during a recession. The car resulted in a loss of over $250 million for Ford Motors, so it was pulled from production in 1960.
The second point of this tale is the actual name. Edsel was a relatively common name for boys in the United States at the time. However, due to the failure of the Edsel car brand, many new parents became hesitant to name their baby boys after a name associated with a failed product. As a result, just as sales of the car declined, so did the popularity of the name Edsel.
Some 21st century examples of failed or failing car brands include the Lincoln Blackwood, Rover CityRover, Saturn Ion, Chrysler Crossfire, Aston Martin Cygnet, Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, BMW XM, Fisker Ocean, and the Tesla Cybertruck, to name but a few.
A 1958 Edsel convertible made by Ford. Credit: Underwood Archives / Getty Images
So for 1959, we covered a musician, a movie, two astronaut monkeys, mobsters being convicted, a toy, a revolutionary leader, and a failed car brand. 1959 was busy, and like many other years in this project, it can reflect 2025 as well. But look on the bright side, we get to enter the 1960s next time! Yay!
So that brings another blog post from yours truly to a close. Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. My accounts on Twitter and Mastodon are still operating, where I post daily things concerning everything. Cool.
As a New Zealander, I would also like to apologise to the world on behalf of my country for my government’s inaction in recognising the State of Palestine. It’s not good enough, and I’m very sorry.
Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, stay away from Polonium-210, and I’ll see you next week for some science advice.
1 In New Zealand, Tylenol is known as the drug, Paracetamol.
I think I need to start with an apology. I’m sorry, but I have not released a new Tour of the Solar System blog post since 19th May. That is being rectified today with the latest chapter of the tour that very few people actually want or need. Yes, my loyal readers, Some Geek Told Me’s Tour of the Solar System is back!
For the previous entries on this non-award winning project, we have:
Some Geek Told Me’s Tour of the Solar System is the best tour that money can buy; I mean, it’s free, so the quality is somewhere in the middle. However, I beseech you to stay and enjoy one of the rare tour stops that is not about a singular object, but many. Prepare yourselves, because we are going to discuss…drum roll please…..The Moons of Neptune! Let’s listen to the chime and begin now.
An annotated picture of some of Neptune’s many moons as captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. The bright blue diffraction star is Triton, Neptune’s largest moon; while Hippocamp, its smallest regular moon, is too small to be seen.
Just like Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus, Neptune has multiple moons. 16 known moons have been discovered orbiting Neptune since 1846, which makes it a very successful foster parent.1 In addition to this, their names come from Roman or Greek mythology, just like Jupiter and Saturn, but as you remember, not the moons of Uranus.
On the last stop of the tour, we visited Triton, which was the largest natural satellite of Neptune. Because that entry was so riveting, I’m only able to list the next five largest moons, even though there are 10 more moons. Sadly, these moons will not be discussed because of my lack of sleep and time, so I do repent my actions on this. 2
So, without further delay, let’s crack on and meet some of Neptune’s moons!
Proteus
Proteus is the second-largest moon of Neptune, with a diameter of about 420 km. It orbits Neptune at around 117,640 km, and it’s tidally locked to Neptune. What this means is that the amount of time it takes Proteus to execute one orbit of Neptune is the same time it takes Neptune to rotate just once. An easy example of this is with the Earth and the Moon.
Proteus is not named after the Marvel mutant, as you may have thought, but rather a shape-changing sea god from Greek mythology, who was the son of Poseidon (Neptune). It was discovered by Stephen P. Synnott on 16th June 1989, from images taken by Voyager 2, before it completed its flyby of Neptune.
Proteus’ shape is an irregular polyhedron, instead of a traditional spheroid, like the majority of cosmic objects. Another interesting fact is that Proteus has an impact crater called Pharos. What makes Pharos unique is that it’s measured to be 10–15 km deep and has a diameter of 250 km, which, if you have been keeping up, means it’s more than half the diameter of Proteus.
This image of Neptune’s satellite 1989N1 was obtained on Aug. 25, 1989 from a range of 146,000 kilometres. The resolution is about 2.7 kilometres per line pair. Credit: Voyager 2, NASA.
Nereid
Nereid is named after the Nereids, who were from Greek mythology, as they were sea-nymphs and servants to Poseidon (Neptune). Nereid has a diameter of only 340 km, making it the third-largest moon of Neptune, after Triton and Proteus. Nereid is the ninth-farthest moon from Neptune, orbiting at an average distance of 5,513,400 km.
Nereid is the second moon of Neptune to be discovered. Astronomer Gerard Kuiper made this discovery on 1st May 1949. You’ll encounter Kuiper’s name several more times during our tour, so pay attention! Trust me.
Because of Nereid’s massive distance from Earth (about 4.5-5 billion km), Voyager 2 has been the only spacecraft to fly past the moon, which happened in 1989. Nereid has an eccentric and curious orbit, which ranges from 1.4 to 9.6 million km. It takes 360 Earth days to make one orbit of Neptune, while it takes about 11 hours to make one rotation.
This Voyager view of Nereid was obtained on Aug. 24, 1989 at a distance of 4.7 million kilometres. With a resolution of 43 kilometres per pixel, this image has sufficient detail to show the overall size and albedo. Credit: NASA/JPL
Larissa
Larissa was discovered by a team of astronomers, Harold J. Reitsema, William B. Hubbard, Larry A.Lebofsky and David J. Tholen, on 24th May 1981, after many occultation observations. Its existence was confirmed with the Voyager 2’s flyby in 1989. Larissa has a diameter of 194 km, making it the fourth-largest moon of Neptune. It’s named after a nymph who was a lover of Poseidon, because in Greek mythology, the Gods had fidelity issues.
Larissa orbits Neptune at about 73,540 km, which makes it the fifth-farthest moon from the planet, placing it within Neptune’s rings. For its orbit, Larissa completes one rotation around Neptune every 13 hours and 20 minutes.
The moon is gradually twirling towards Neptune, and it is believed that it will eventually hit Neptune’s atmosphere. Another theory is that Larissa could be ripped apart by Neptune’s tidal forces to create a new ring. As for Larissa’s surface, it is heavily cratered and irregularly shaped, just like my face when I was a teenager.
These Voyager 2 images of satellite 1989N2 at a resolution of 4.2 kilometres per pixel reveal it to be and irregularly shaped, dark object. Credit: NASA/JPL
Galatea
Moving right along, we have Galatea. It’s the fifth-largest moon of Neptune, with a diameter of about 174.8 km. It was discovered in 1989 by Synnott, along with a team of astronomers, with the announcement being held on 2nd August 1989. Like several other moons on the list, Voyager 2’s images proved to be invaluable.
Galatea sounds like the name of a female professional wrestler, but alas, it’s not. Do you remember how Nereid was named after the Nereids, the sea-nymphs? Galatea was named in 1991 after one particular Nereid, because one of Poseidon’s sons, Polyphemus, was in love with her. Lucky girl. It’s also noteworthy that Polyphemus was the same Cyclops from the epic Odyssey, written by Homer.
Out of the six major moons of Neptune, Galatea is the fourth closest to the planet, with an orbiting distance of about 62,000 km. Galatea also shares other traits with its siblings, like being irregularly shaped, with some scientists believing that these irregularly shaped moons are the leftovers of some cosmic collisions.
Like Larissa, Galatea is spiralling towards Neptune and one day, it will be ripped apart or collide with Neptune’s atmosphere. Galatea also orbits the gas giant every 10 hours and 18 minutes.
Galatea as seen by Voyager 2. The image is smeared due to the combination of long exposure needed at this distance from the Sun, and the rapid relative motion of Galatea and Voyager. Hence, Galatea appears more elongated than in reality. Credit: Voyager 2/NASA.
Despina
Now, if Galatea sounds like a female professional wrestler, then Despina sounds like a female Disney villain, though the name is still interconnected with Greek Gods and relationships. Big surprise. Despina was a nymph, as she was the daughter of Poseidon and Demeter. And since Poseidon and Demeter were siblings, that meant Despina’s biological parents were also her uncle and aunty.
Despina is the sixth-largest of Neptune’s moons, and as you can guess, it was discovered by Synnott again, as well as with the Voyager Imaging Team, in July 1989.
The moon is only 150 km in diameter, which is 1/23rd the diameter of the Moon. Despina is believed to be made up of water ice and rocky material, and has an orbital period of 8 hours.
Despina as seen by Voyager 2. There is significant horizontal smearing due to the combination of long exposure needed at this distance from the Sun, and the rapid relative motion of the moon and Voyager. Credit: NASA/Calvin J. Hamilton.
Like I said earlier, there are 10 more moons to discuss, whose names are Thalassa, Halimede, Naiad, Neso, Sao, Laomedeia, Psamathe, Hippocamp, S/2002 N 5 and S/2021 N 1. Maybe one day I’ll discuss them, but not today, because I need a lot of beauty sleep. What’s your favourite moon of Neptune? As always, please let me know.
Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. My Twitter and Mastodon accounts still exist, if you feel like reading some boring facts and information. It’s an attractive offer, isn’t it? Please don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, watch some games from the Women’s Rugby World Cup, and I’ll see you next week.
1 The most recent moons to be discovered were in both in 2024, with the awesome working names of S/2002 N 5 and S/2021 N 1.
2 As you know, I enjoy Shakespeare, and I enjoy even more when I can understand it.
Oh, you’re back. I wasn’t expecting that, so welcome. I hope your week’s been treating you better than Trump, Putin, Netanyahu, or Luxon’s. Those four precious darlings just can’t catch a break. For this week’s lecture, I want to discuss a sequel of some sort that occurred last week, on 15th August, to be precise.
Sorry, if you were hoping for another fun-filled blog post, you are out of luck today. This one is all about history, baby! In May, I published the 80th VE Day Anniversary, which commemorated the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, on the 8th May 1945. This event brought the Second World War to a close in Europe, but, as you know, not the war itself. This day became known as Victory in Europe Day or VE Day.
The focus of the war then turned towards Imperial Japan, even though fighting in Asia and the Pacific had been going on since the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931.
On 6th August 1945, the United States dropped a 64 kg uranium-235 core bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. This was the first time an atomic weapon had been used against a population. Three days later, on 9th August, a second bomb, one with a 5 kg plutonium core, was dropped on another Japanese city, Nagasaki. My blog post about the 80th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki can be found here. Hopefully.
Imperial Japan surrendered on 15th August 1945, but because of the time zone difference, some countries reported it as the 14th August. However, the official surrender of the Imperial Japanese forces was held on 2nd September 1945, on board the battleship USS Missouri.
Since 8th May was known as VE Day, 15th August was named Victory over Japan Day or VJ Day. An interesting point is that while various nations commemorate VJ Day on 15th August, like us in New Zealand, the United States honours VJ Day on 2nd September, the day of the official surrender.
Since 8th May was known as VE Day, 15th August was named Victory over Japan Day or VJ Day. An interesting point is that while various nations commemorate VJ Day on 15th August, like us in New Zealand, the United States honours VJ Day on 2nd September, the day of the official surrender.
In Japan, 15th August is known as Memorial Day for the End of the War and/or The Day for Mourning of War Dead and Praying for Peace. Regardless of what day you mark VJ Day, it celebrates the end of the Second World War.
Credit: Chesham Town Council
The VE Day celebrations were massive, and filled with happiness, relief and joy. The VJ Day celebrations were similar, but they also signalled the end of the worst conflict the world had ever seen. Over the years, it’s been estimated that 70–85 million people were killed, which worked out to be 3% of the planet’s population at the time.
The horrors and legacies of World War II are still within the living memories of people today. I can’t add anything more to the volumes of literary work that already exist on the subject, other than the dual nature of humans, bringing inhumanity unto ourselves, but also helping each other.
In New Zealand, the 80th anniversary of VJ Day was commemorated with dignity, sharing stories of courage, bravery, and sacrifice while also honouring those who lost their lives.
World War I was supposed to be the war to end all wars. Who would have thought that when the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919, only 20 years later, an even deadlier war was coming?
I’m uncertain about the lessons that Homo sapiens have learned from World War II. Since its end, we have made strides toward peace and tolerance, yet we continue to struggle with civil wars, genocides, ethnic cleansing, Neo-Nazis, and invasions.
Still, there is hope that one day, as a species, we can finally get it right and educate people about war in history lessons, and not through current affairs.
Just like my 80th anniversary VE Day post, I found various online photographs of people celebrating VJ Day, on 15th August 1945, or as close to that date as I could find. Again, since I’m a New Zealander, I’ve started with the celebrations in New Zealand, then moved around the globe in alphabetical order. I’m very sorry if I have missed your country, so please forgive me.
Relax and enjoy witnessing people expressing joy and relief 80 years ago, when the Second World War finally ended.
New Zealand
Victory Japan Day (VJ Day), Nelson, 1945. Nelson Provincial Museum, Kingsford Collection: 160684
A crowd of young people celebrating V-J Day at the crossing of Cuba and Manners streets, Wellington, New Zealand. Photographed by an Evening Post staff photographer on the 15th of August 1945.
Australia
Photo of a yet unidentified man dancing in the streets of Sydney, Australia at the close of World War II (August 15, 1945)
Victory in the Pacific Day celebrations in Sydney in 1945. Picture: Australian War Memorial
Canada
V-J Day celebration, Elizabeth Street August 1945. Credit: City of Toronto Archives
China
Crowds in Shanghai celebrating V-J Day, End of World War II in China. Photo by Public Domain.
India
VJ Day, India Gate New Delhi. Credit: Unknown.
Kenya
VJ Day celebrations in Nairobi, Kenya, circa August 1945 (IWM (K 9878))
Korea (Before dividing into North and South Korea)
August 15 1945, Korea celebrated its liberation from over 30 years of colonial rule under Imperial Japan. Credit: Unknown.
The Philippines
TARLAC, LUZON ISLAND, THE PHILIPPINES, 1945-09-24. VJ (VICTORY OVER JAPAN) DAY CELEBRATIONS FLOAT. Credit: Australian War Memorial.
United Kingdom
Thousands of people descended on the Mall, London, in 1945 to celebrate VJ Day. Credit: Getty Images.
People celebrate in Piccadilly Circus, London on VJ Day. Credit: Getty Images.
Celebrations in London, August 1945 (Image courtesy of IWM)
Newquay VJ Day 1945. Credit: Unknown.
United States of America
V-J Day in Times Square, a photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt, was published in Life in 1945 with the caption, “In New York’s Times Square a white-clad girl clutches her purse and skirt as an uninhibited sailor plants his lips squarely on hers”
750,000 people gathered in “Times Square” to Celebrate Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day), following announcement of Japan’s acceptance of Postdam Declaration of unconditional surrender. Image Credit: Unknown. Reprinted with permission.
Crowds at the corner of Hollywood and Vine celebrating surrender of Japan, ending World War II – VJ Day, August 14, 1945
When Seattleites celebrated V-J Day on August 14, 1945 – marking victory over Japan and the end of World War II – it was one of the biggest impromptu parties downtown has ever seen. (MOHAI)
Like I said in the 80th VE Day blog post, we owe them a debt we can never repay. Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, Crimea is Ukraine, and I’ll see you next week for the 2025 San Diego Comic-Con catch-up. Sounds exciting. Maybe.
Welcome to a rare occurrence, a Saturday blog from Some Geek Told Me. This is a special one, since this week saw the world commemorate the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Given that the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over Japan) is just around the corner, which signalled the end of the Second World War, I thought it would be important to revisit one of my previous blogs, concerning the bombings.
I’ve tidied up some of the old blog post, but the core of the message is the same: the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki changed the world. How it changed remains your decision and judgment.
As a history fan, I find it hard to ignore these events. However, I will not be discussing the following:
The development of the atomic bombs, through the Manhattan Project.
The justification behind the Allies’ decision to drop the bombs.
The Quebec Agreement or ThePotsdam Declaration.
The Allies warning the Japanese citizens of the bombings.
Whether Japan had the capability to defend itself, against an Allied invasion.
I’ll be discussing the impact of the two bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as their effects on the citizens. While this topic may not be as exciting as Fifty Shades of Grey or The Da Vinci Code, it’s important to understand and remember the lessons of history.
With that in mind, let’s now begin this week’s special lecture.
The gutted Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall – now known as the A-Bomb Dome or the Hiroshima Peace Memorial – after the bombing on 6 August 1945, and the same location near Aioi Bridge in 2015. Photograph: Toshio Kawamoto/Yoshio Kawamoto/Reuters/Issei Kato
Hiroshima: 6th August 1945
At the time of the bombing, Hiroshima was the headquarters for the Chūgoku Regional Army, as well as the Second General Army. Given Hiroshima’s position for shipping and military resources, it was one of the targets selected to be hit.
Hiroshima’s population was nearly 345,000, which was made up of military personnel, citizens, including children, slave labourers and prisoners of war.
The weapon used on Hiroshima was a bomb with a 64 kg uranium-235 core, nicknamed Little Boy. It had the power of 15 kilotons of TNT.
On 6th August, at 8.15 a.m. (local time), the bomb was dropped from the Enola Gay, an American Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, at an altitude of 9,400 m. It fell for 44-45 seconds before detonating at 580 m, which was directly above a hospital.
The result of the first nuclear weapon being used in warfare, was nothing short of horrific.
The ground-level temperature surpassed7,000 °C.
70,000 people were instantly killed by the blast and the resulting firestorm, with under 10% being military personnel.
By the end of 1945, the death toll had risen to over 100,000, mainly through radiation and injuries.
Of the city’s buildings, 70% were destroyed (60,000), with another 7% damaged.
Nuclear shadows or blast shadows of victims were created on the city’s footpaths and walls.
A mushroom cloud was created and rose to more than 12 km high.
The blast radius of the weapon had total destruction for 1.6 km, along with fires stretching across 11 km².
Over 90% of doctors and 93% of nurses in Hiroshima were killed or injured.
For people looking for medical treatment from the weapon, many would die before any medical help could be given to them. This resulted in dead bodies lying around hospitals.
During the war, Nagasaki was an important seaport, which was one of the largest in Japan. Nagasaki was also home to four massive companies that were involved in the production of various military technology and machines. These companies employed 90% of the labour force in the city. Because of this, it was selected as a target.
Nagasaki’s population was 263,000, which consisted of Japanese citizens, Korean citizens, Korean and Chinese workers, soldiers and prisoners of war.
The Nagasaki bomb had a 5 kg plutonium core, nicknamed Fat Man. This weapon had the equivalent power of 21 kilotons of TNT.
On 9th August, at 11.01 a.m. (local time), the plutonium bomb was dropped from another American Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, Bockscar. It fell for 53 seconds, exploding near 500 m, which was directly above a tennis court.
As Japan and the world were still reeling after the Hiroshima bombing, a new nightmare was about to unfold.
40,000 people were instantly killed by the blast, with 60,000 injured.
By the end of 1945, the death toll had risen to an estimated 80,000, mainly through radiation and injuries.
40% of the city’s buildings were destroyed.
The industrial area sustained 68-80% of its production, was destroyed.
A mushroom cloud was created to a height of 16 km.
The blast radius of the weapon had total destruction for 1.6 km, along with fires stretching 3.2 km south of the blast radius.
Image by WikiImages from Pixabay. Photo of Nagasaki after the bombing, from a 1946 US report.
Casualties of the bombs could be collected under three main groups: radiation injuries, debris injuries, and burns.
Radiation injuries accounted for 10% of the deaths in Hiroshima and 6% in Nagasaki. Debris injuries accounted for 30% of the deaths in Hiroshima and 14% in Nagasaki, while burns accounted for 60% of the deaths in Hiroshima and about 80% in Nagasaki.
This information does not even touch upon the massive reconstruction effort of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; the aftercare needed for the survivors, named as hibakusha in Japanese; the radiation and cancer research conducted with the survivors; the cultural and historical impact on Japanese society; or even the world’s reaction and response to the bombings.
Over the last few years, I’ve explained what happened to Hiroshima and Nagasaki to UMC1 and UMC2. I haven’t gone into great detail about them, but it’s difficult to explain to children that the nuclear apocalypse of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was real. It’s not fake, this happened; not once, but twice.
The Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki, which was obliterated on 9 August. The replacement was built in 1959. Photograph: Shigeo Hayashi/Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum/Reuters/Issei Kato
The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki changed Japan forever, but also the world. I think the legacy of the two cities is a twisted form of doublethink.
The destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki can show us an example of what the worst of humanity can offer; what terrible things we can do to each other. However, it also shows us how, quite literally and figuratively, humanity can stand up after being knocked down and start to rebuild in the name of peace.
Both statements are true. They can co-exist alongside each other in your mind, and that’s alright. Though I think, just maybe, it’s about what you want to focus more on: hate or hope.
And that’s enough from me today. I hope this was enlightening for you, as I’ll be back on Monday with another thrilling post from New Zealand’s 5th least favourite website. Take care.
SOME GEEK TOLD ME 
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