Sci-Fi History: Harry Osborn's drug problem (1971)

Stan Lee decided to include social commentary into Marvel Comic storylines. In 1971, Peter Parker's best friend, Harry Osborn, developed a drug problem. The problem persisted for the rest of the character's life. Harry had to bear the burden of being the Green Goblin's son, the breakup of his relationship with Mary Jane Watson, and eventually becomes the New Goblin. Lee decided to get around the comic code by printing "Not approved by the Comic Code Authority" on the issue. This opened up unlimited potential for comic writers.
http://www.thegreengoblinshideout.com/harry-overdoses

Dan Plesac: Milwaukee Brewers timeline

Born: February 4, 1962

1980: Drafted by St. Louis Cardinals (did not sign)

1983: Drafted by Milwaukee Brewers

Debut: April 11, 1986 (Brewers)

1986: 10-7, 2.97, 14 saves

1988: 30 saves

1989: 33 saves

1992: Signed with Chicago Cubs

1994: Signed with Pirates

1996: Traded to Toronto Blue Jays

1999: Traded to Arizona Diamondbacks

2002: Traded to Philadelphia Phillies

2003: Last Phillies pitcher at the Vet

2003: Retired

2005-08: Worked at Comcast Sportsnet

2009: Dropped off Hall of Fame ballot (0 votes)

2009-present: MLB Network Analyst


Accomplishments:
3x All Star

65-71

3.64 ERA

1064 Games

158 Saves

1072 IP

1041 Strikeouts

1.286 WHIP

10 wins (1986)

Sub 3.00 ERA: 6x

20+ Saves: 4x

30+ Saves: 2x

90+ IP: 2x

Postseason: 0-0, 54.00 ERA, .1 IP (1999 NLDS)

Jesse Orosco: New York Mets timeline

Born: April 21, 1957

1977: Drafted by St Louis Cardinals (did not sign)

1978: Drafted by Minnesota Twins

1979: Traded to New York Mets

Debut: April 5, 1979

1983: 13-7, 1.47 ERA, 110 IP, 17 saves, 84 strikeouts, 1.036 WHIP

1984: 10-6, 2.59 ERA, 31 saves, 87 IP, 85 strikeouts, 1.057 WHIP

1986: Ended both NLCS and World Series with strikeouts

1986: Mets win World Series

1987: Traded to the Dodgers

1988: Dodgers win World Series

1988: Signed with Indians

1991: Traded to Brewers

1995: Signed by Orioles

1999: Traded to Mets

2000: Traded to Cardinals

2001: Signed with Dodgers

2002: Signed with Padres

2003: Traded to Yankees

2003: Signed with Diamondbacks

2009: Dropped off Hall of Fame ballot (0.2%)


Accomplishments:
2x World Champion

2x All Star

MLB record 1,252 games pitched

87-80 record

3.16 ERA

1,252 Games

144 Saves

1,295.1 innings

1,179 Strikeouts

581 Walks

1.263 WHIP

10+ wins: 2x

1.47 ERA (1983)

Sub 2.50 ERA: 3x

100+ IP: 2x

75+ IP: 7x

20+ saves: 2x

31 saves (1984)

Led league in games (65): 1995

Postseason: 3-1, 4.15 ERA, 2 saves, 21.2 IP, 22 strikeouts, 1.200 WHIP

Mark Grace: Chicago Cubs timeline

Born: June 28, 1964

1985: Graduated from San Diego State

1985: Drafted by Chicago Cubs

1985-88: Minor Leagues

Debut: May 2, 1988

1989: Cubs win NL East

1989: NLCS: .647, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 1.118 OPS

1995: .326, 16 HZR, 92 RBI, .911 OPS, 51 doubles

1998: Cubs win Wild Card

2000: Signed with Arizona Diamondbacks

2001: Single in 9th inning of Game 7 of World Series sparked walk off rally

2001: Diamondbacks win World Series

2002: Pitched (1 inning, 1 hit, 1 run, 1 home run, 1.000 WHIP, 9.00 ERA)

2002: Diamondbacks win NL West

2003: Retired

2004-12: Broadcaster

2009: Dropped off Hall of Fame ballot (4.1% of vote)

Accomplishments:
2001 World Champion

3x All Star

4x Gold Glove

Baseball's hit leader for the 1990s (1,754)

.303

173 HR

1,146 RBI

1,179 Runs

2,445 Hits

511 Doubles

1,075 Walks-642 Strikeouts

.383 OBP

.442 Slugging

.825 OPS

3,565 TB

107 Runs (1999)

30+ Doubles: 10x

40+ Doubles: 3x

51 Doubles (1995): Led league

Hit .300: 9x

.400 OBP: 3x

.516 Slugging (1995)

Led league in doubles (51): 1995

Led league in SH (10): 1999

Postseason: .329, 2 HR, 13 RBI, .904 OPS (6 series)

Sci-Fi History: Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Night of the Living Dead became the first major zombie movie. It cost $114,000 to make and eventually took in $30 million. The film heavily influenced the zombie movie genre. Every film since has either borrowed from or been a response to Night of the Living Dead. The film debuted before the movie rating system went into place. As a result, the violence shocked audiences and led to controversy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gUKvmOEGCU

Sci Fi History: Planet of the Apes (1968)

Planet of the Apes might be the most disturbing post apocalyptic film ever. Humanity devolved to little more than cattle. Meanwhile, apes became the planet's dominant species. The apes hunt people for sport and enslave them. The dominant species developed speech and advanced intelligence. On top of this, the film's star, Charlton Heston, was an A-list actor and hero. Despite this, not even Heston could not overcome this threat to humanity, which is part of the film's appeal. Moses could not escape the Planet of the Apes, so who could? In addition to Heston's helplessness, the end was particularly disturbing when his character discovers he is on Earth after a long space voyage. Lastly, the film dealt with racial tensions by focusing on three types of apes. Gorillas were the enforcers, chimps the intellectuals, and orangatans ruled. Each type of ape held their own prejudices against the other reflecting modern America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJT2vJMsYc4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb4eZ7Z5yk8

Quotes of the Month: April 2014

Quote of the Month: “So, if we’re all going to be outraged, let’s be outraged that we weren’t more outraged when (Sterling’s) racism was first evident. Let’s be outraged that private conversations between people in an intimate relationship are recorded and publicly played. Let’s be outraged that whoever did the betraying will probably get a book deal, a sitcom, trade recipes with Hoda and Kathie Lee, and soon appear on ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ and ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ ”
-Kareen Abdul-Jabbar

Stupid Quote of the Month: "You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that ... and not to bring them to my games."

Clipper Owner Donald Sterling to his girlfriend

Worst Presidential Quote since Carter's "Crisis of Confidence":
"That may not always be sexy. That may not always attract a lot of attention, and it doesn't make for good argument on Sunday morning shows, but it avoids errors. You hit singles; you hit doubles. Every once in a while, we may be able to hit a home run."
-Barack Obama

"Nirvana defined a moment, a movement for outsiders, from the fags and the fat girls to the shy nerds and the goth kids in Tennessee and Kentucky, for the rockers to the awkward to the too-smart kids and the bullied. We were a community."
-Michael Stipe

“Again, I can’t thank you enough. All of my best to you and yours and I look forward to working with you throughout this election.”
-Senator Chuck Schumer to the Koch Brothers (2010)

"Chill out."
-Congressman Dave Camp to Sander Levin over the IRS Scandal.

"My goodness, I didn't know solid waste management was so controversial."

-Hillary Clinton after someone tossed a shoe at her

“Some presidents take their foreign policy from the idealism of Woodrow Wilson, some from the realism of Henry Kissinger. This is foreign policy from Monty Python.”

– George Will on Obama's foreign policy

"Con man. He has a way of tricking people, and he tricked a lot of people."

-Adrian Dantley on Isiah Thomas

"They abort their young children, they put their young men in jail, because they never learned how to pick cotton."

-Cliven Bundy