Man of the Year (2015)

Here are the people of the year for 2015 as chose by myself.

Robin Lord Taylor: Brought the Penguin to life.

Kansas City Royals: First title in 30 years.

Golden State Warriors: First true super team in a couple decades.

Mick Fanning: Winning titles and fighting sharks.

Rhonda Rhousey: She was everywhere in 2015. Made the other girls jealous.

Iran: They get to play with nuclear weapons (thanks Obama).

Donald Trump: The Summer of Trump.

Holly Holm: Beat the previously mentioned Rhousey.

Lauren Hill: Courage.

Adele: The first time in years an album release was an event.

Jim Harbaugh: Bringing Michigan back!

and the winner is Jim Harbaugh!


Past Winners: Meriam Ibraheem (2014); Mariano Rivera (2013), Miguel Cabrera (2012), Justin Verlander (2011), Drew Brees (2010), Leonard Nimoy (2009), Barack Obama (2008), Al Gore (2007), Rahm Emmanuel (2006)

Quotes of the Month: July 2015

Quote of the Month:
"A Cespedis for the rest of us"?
-Jerry Seinfeld

Stupid Quote of the Month:
"I like people that weren't captured."
-Donald Trump






And the rest...
"On the world stage, I think [Obama's accomplishments] have been minimal. But on the world stage, just to be objective about it, I can't think of many nations in the world where we have a better relationship now than when he took over."
-Jimmy Carter

"I felt like I was in a period-piece sometimes. Because I could hear echoes or
sensations of Connery or of Roger, which I didn't try to censor; I'd just allow
them to come in."
-Pierce Brosnan

"This issue is not really an issue that is on the foremost mind of Kenyans and that is a fact."
-Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta after Obama embarrassed himself with a lecture on gay rights
"The Iran deal will take the Israelis and march them to the door of the oven.”
-Mike Huckabee

What a stunning historic mistake!"
-Benjamin Netanyahu on the Iran nuclear deal

"What is the difference between a Democrat and a Socialist?"
-Chris Matthews

Sci-Fi History: The X-Men (1963)

The X-Men arrived in the Marvel Universe at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. They were mutants with a X-gene, hence the name X-Men. This extra gene provides mutants with all sorts of powers. Each mutant possessed a different mutation. As a result, Magneto controlled metal, Wolverine was indestructible, Cyclops shot lasers from his eyes, etc. People feared the mutations leading to bigotry and oppression. At the same time, Stan Lee tied the X-Men to the nuclear age. It is hinted that mutants received radiation exposure that created the x-gene. Lastly, the main villain, Magneto, was a concentration camp survivor adding an interesting twist to his crusade against humanity. As a result, the X-Men tied together the civil rights movement, World War II, the Cold War, nuclear anxieties, and the holocaust.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZAhqEiq4cA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi43Vr2yJqI

Sci-Fi History: The Hulk (1962)

The Hulk is a large green humanoid creature that grows more powerful as he gets angrier. He is invulnerable and possesses super strength. His alter ego, Dr. Bruce Banner, is a reserved scientist that transforms into the Hulk during times of stress. The pair represent schizophrenia and have a symbiotic love/hate relationship. The comic has explored also explored Banner's past and the abuse he suffered from his father. A gamma explosion transformed Banner's DNA. Throughout the series, Banner was chased by the military that views him as a threat as well as a potential weapon. He was inspired in part by Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Since his creation, the Hulk has appeared in comics, video games, cartoons, a successful television series starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno, and feature films.

The Incredible Hulk:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOXpKUu6pUg

The Cartoon Theme:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj26N10Ymlg

Sci-Fi History: Godzilla (1954)

Godzilla was a Japanese reaction to nuclear power. In 1945, the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on Japan ending World War II. Memories of the attacks led Japanese writers to develop Godzilla. The monster became a metaphor for nuclear weapons. In the beginning, he was a destructive monster. However, Godzilla's popularity forced a change. In later films, Godzilla played the hero and sometimes defended humanity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKrj1ymJzmo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laJ7UCzCtV4

The Incredible Hulk #1-6

The Hulk is another example of culture addressing the nuclear age. The Incredible Hulk is very different in the first few issues from the behemoth readers and audiences grew used to. This is a simple recap of the first six issues of the Incredible Hulk with some commentary on how it relates to the period and changes across the six magazines.

Issue #1: Bruce Banner becomes the Hulk when an accidental overdose of Gamma Radiation alters his genes. Banner is exposed when a Gamma bomb explodes. He had run onto the test range to rescue Rick Jones, a teenager that wandered onto the range on a dare. Why they could not stop the test was not explained, but one would think that there would be safeguards against something like this. Anyway, the issue also introduces Thunderbolt Ross, an army general that chases the Hulk, and plays the J. Jonah Jameson role. Ross’ daughter, Betty plays a potential love interest in her Jackie Kennedy attire. In the beginning, she is a non-entity.

At first, the Hulk is gray to reflect a mood. However, gray did not translate well to the page and Stan Lee changed the color to green. In addition, the Hulk only changes at night. He is a bit like a werewolf as Banner returns at daybreak. This version of the Hulk is not a mindless brute. He is more like an angry Ben Grimm. He is sophisticated, thinks through problems, and can operate machinery.

At the end of #1, the Hulk matches wits with the Gargoyle. The villain is a deformed Soviet agent that eventually befriends the Hulk after kidnapping him. Banner finds a cure for Gargoyle’s deformity and returns to New Mexico. By this point, Ross is determined to capture the Hulk.

Issue #2: The Hulk takes on the Toad Men. This time, he is green. The Toad Men come from outer space and kidnap Betty to force the Hulk to comply with their demands. Eventually, he rescues Betty and Banner uses the Toad Men’s weapons against their invasion force.

Issue #3: The Hulk is lured into a space rocket by Ross and shot into space. Rick Jones sneaks into the launch facility and manages to crash the rocket on Earth. During the flight, Banner is exposed to more radiation making the Hulk susceptible to Jones’ commands. Later, the pair defeat the Ringmaster.

Issue #4: Banner and Jones create a machine that allows the pair to control when the Hulk appears. The machine changes Banner to the Hulk and back. However, the radiation severely weakens Banner and as time passes, the transformations take longer to happen. This is a nod to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde who transformed via a potion. Afterward, the Soviets pretend to be Martians and are defeated by the Hulk.

Issue #5: 1000 years or more ago, Merlin banished Tyrannus to the underworld. Little did he know, Tyrannus would find allies that built him an empire and the Fountain of Youth. In 1962, he threatens the Earth leading the Hulk into action. Hulk defeats Tyrannus, and in a second adventure, beats the Chinese Communist armies of General Fang.

Issue #6: The Metal Master travels to Earth and easily defeats the Hulk and the world’s armed forces. Where the Fantastic Four were during the crisis is anyone’s guess. This seems to be more up their alley. Anyway, the Hulk defeats the Metal Master with a cardboard gun. The issue also debuts Rick Jones’ teen brigade. Meanwhile, the damage to Banner’s use of the changing machine appears to be accumulating.

The first six issues of the Incredible Hulk deal with all the themes of the early 1960s. There is the communist threat, nuclear fears, and Kennedy fashion. Meanwhile, the Hulk himself is not yet the brainless monster we all know and love. Instead, he is more of an angry Ben Grimm that despises the “puny humans” that hunt him.

Bush: Year 2 (2002)

Year two was dominated by the War on Terror. In January, Bush made the now infamous "Axis of Evil" speech. He tied Iran, Iraq, and North Korea together in the same fashion as Italy, Germany, and Japan during World War II. He was trying to be bold and Reaganesque. It was Bush's attempt at an "Evil Empire" speech. The problem was Iran and Iraq hated each other. There may be some connection between Iran and North Korea though.

The Bush Administration opened the Gitmo Detention Facility. Human Rights groups and liberals complained. However, where were these people to go? When the facility closes, where will the bad guys go? Originally, they were going to go through military tribunals. There is precedent for this. Nazis captured in the US had military tribunals. The courts have since ruled that they have constitutional rights. So, Bush has kept the nation safe. However, the courts overruled some of his methods.

Bush also opened the Department of Homeland Security. This was a pet project of Senator Joe Lieberman. Conservatives have talked about closing departments and downsizing government. Yet, Bush created a new cabinet department. On the downside, it creates a new bureaucracy and expands government. On the plus side, it should lessen interdepartmental squabbles and ease information sharing.

In other foreign policy matters, Bush withdrew from the ABM Treaty. The treaty goes back to 1972. The main sticking point was missile defense. This was a bit silly. The missile defense system could end up the American Maginot Line. Massive missile strikes or suitcase nukes render the system null.

Lastly, Worldcom went bankrupt. Again, mismanagement and Clinton era corruption at Worldcom and in the government led to this.

Year 2 was mixed. Withdrawing from the missile treaty was wrong. The Department of Homeland Security was not needed. Although, there was a need to end interdepartmental squabbles and increase information sharing. Gitmo kept bad guys out of the field, but made the US look bad. The Axis of Evil Speech was a bit silly.