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The Top Ten MST3K Movies (That Really Aren’t That Bad)
MST3K showed the world the true bottom of the barrel when it came to B- and Z-grade cinema. However, some of the movies featured on the show are perfectly watchable on their own.
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The Lightning Portrait of Pickens County
On a pane of glass in a window of a courthouse in western Alabama, there is the permanent impression of an anguished human face that reportedly dates back to the era of Reconstruction.
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Fall of a Premier: The Coup D’état Against Nikita Khrushchev
In 1964, Nikita Khrushchev's rivals staged a stunningly swift, efficient, and bloodless coup d'état against the Premier, deposing him from power and forcing him into a "voluntary" retirement.
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King for a Day? How About King for 20 Minutes? The Story of Louis XIX, the Shortest-Reigning Monarch in History
No reign in the history of the world can match the brevity of that of King Louis XIX of France, who abdicated the throne a mere 20 minutes after receiving it.
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A Journey to "The Blue Hole" - The Home of the Jersey Devil
Situated at the southern end of the Pine Barrens in Winslow Township is one of New Jersey's many local legends. "The Blue Hole", as it is known throughout the area, is a piece of local folklore that has endured throughout several centuries.
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The Ethics of Vigilantism in "The Boondock Saints"
The Boondock Saints is an independent crime thriller directed by Troy Duffy in 1999 that tells the story of two Irish Catholic brothers who embark on what they believe is a mission from God to punish those who do harm to others. It is an examination of the ethics of vigilantism and the...
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The Mystery of "Big Red Eye" -- New Jersey's Other Woodland Monster
In the northern part of New Jersey, there is legendary creature that stalks the forests. Reports of this creature began in earnest in the 1970s, when residents began hearing horrible screaming noises in the middle of the night. Sightings were reported of a towering humanoid figure with hair all...
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Hurricane Camille: The Compact Killer
When most people think about Gulf Coast hurricanes these days, Hurricane Katrina springs immediately to mind. However, no resident of the area who was alive in 1969 will ever forget Hurricane Camille, the strongest hurricane to ever strike the mainland United States, and one of the four strongest...
- 3
The Great Northeast Blackout of 2003
At 12:15 in the afternoon on Thursday, August 14, 2003, a seemingly routine procedure enacted by the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator set into motion a chain of events that would affect 55 million people in the Northeastern United States and Canada. The Great Northeast Blackout of...
- 2
Don Denkinger and the Blown Call That (Possibly) Turned a World Series
The outcome of Game 6 of the 1985 World Series, in which a badly-blown call by first base umpire Don Denkinger in the bottom of the ninth inning played a role in preventing the Cardinals from putting away the Royals and winning the series, has generated a great deal of controversy and speculation...
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Reggie Strickland: Boxing's Ultimate Journeyman
In the world of journeyman boxers, there is perhaps none more prolific than Reggie Strickland. In two decades, Strickland accumulated two records that are likely never to be broken in the world of boxing: the most professional fights fought, and the most professional fights lost. But a closer look...
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Koala Bears: The Cutest, Cuddliest Animal in the World (That Will Rip Your Face Off)
Comparing the koala's appearance and its behavior in the wild is likely to give you a rather jarring cognitive dissonance.
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Able Archer 83: The Forgotten Close Call that Almost Started World War III
The NATO exercise known as Able Archer 83 was designed to simulate an attack on the Soviet Union following a hypothetical nuclear first strike. The problem was, the Soviets took it seriously.
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The Curious Case of the Philadelphia Sports Fan
Philadelphia sports fans (and really, Philadelphia anything fans) have gotten a terrible rap from the national media for as long as I've been alive. We get down on our own teams when they underperform. We're loud, vulgar, rude, demanding, unforgiving louts with incredibly high standards who don't...
- 4
The Greatest Femme Fatales in the History of Film
There is an undeniable...something...about a really good femme fatale, beyond the obvious appeal of breathtaking looks and the radiance of confidence. It’s an indescribable allure that elevates the interest level of her character above that of many other stock female archetypes.
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The Battle of Shiroyama: Last Stand of the Samurai
Among the great last stands of determined military forces against overwhelming odds throughout the history of warfare, the Battle of Shiroyama in 1877 does not top many lists as the most well-known. However, it could easily rank high among a list of the most tragic.
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The Dirtiest Presidential Campaigns in the History of United States Politics
The history of politics and presidential campaigns in the United States bears out the reality that our discourse has always been subject to bitter partisan divisions, even during times of national crisis.
From the Land of Sky Blue Waters
From the land of pines’ lofty balsams
Comes the hub refreshing
Matt’s the hub refreshing
Yep, obscure references; it’s pretty much what I live for. You’ll find they crop their way into just about everything I write, as I have about a thousand interests, mostly related to some form of geekdom or another. Worse still, I tend to transcend the various "subsets" of geekdom, being able to write with a relative degree of authority on all things high-tech, politics and current events, music composition and performance, classical and modern literature, history, film, weaponry, economics, and far too many other things to list here. Hence, you’re not going to find much of a central theme here.
Anyways, about me…my name is Matt, and over the years, I’ve tried life as a public policy writer, auto mechanic, business owner, computer technician, competitive martial artist, opera singer, columnist, mobile disc jockey, and many other vocations. Right now, I seem to have settled into computer programming and web development, the career path I probably should have been in all along. Let’s hope this one sticks.
Despite working at a job that sometimes requires 60 hours a week and being the head of a Great House, I often find myself with a lot of spare time on my hands. Writing is certainly an outlet I enjoy, and a way to resolve all of my various interests in one place. I actually used to pen a weekly current events column long before the word "blog" came into the mainstream, but gave it up when I was trying to find actual paying work after college.
Anyways, that’s enough of an intro for now. Hope you enjoy what I have to offer.