Check this out, real quick, don't know if everybody know (Part 5669)....

 Check This Out!

So, by my count: 

Russia:  2

England: 3

Frnace; 1

Germany: 2

Spain: 2

Italy: 2

And interestingly, I've been to 6 of them!

POLT

My birthday song, my badass world (Part 369)...

 Badass Birthday

On this date, one hundred and 14 years ago (1912) in Spokane Washington, Chuck Jones was born. 

Now, a lot of people younger than me may not know who this is.   But as a Gen Xers, I was a latchkey kid. When I got home from school, my parents wouldn't be home for about an hour.  So I turned on the tv, turned on channel 5 (which then was an independent station, and remained so until sometime in the early 90s I think, when it was swallowed up by Fox Noise network), and enjoyed the cartoon reruns they replayed in the afternoon.  Half an hour of Tom & Jerry.  Half an hour of Bugs Bunny and his crew.  etc, etc, etc. 

And everytime on of those Bugs Bunny cartoon came on, "Directed by Chuck Jones" would appear on the screen.  He worked for Warner Bros making shorts to air before movies, and these shorts were bunched together in groups of three and aired together in half hour increments.  That's what I was watching. 

Chuck Jones had a hand in creating Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Wile E. Coyote & the Roadrunner, Pepe le Pew, Marvin the Martian and Porky Pig.  After leaving Warner Bros, he want to M&M and continued his career, working on the aforementioned Tom & Jerry.   And he even had a hand in the animated tv special "How The Grinch Stole Christmas".   Over the years, he was nominated for 10 Oscars and he won 4 of them!

He passed away in 2002 at the age of 89.

But anyone who can help create so many different iconic cartoon character surely is badass!

POLT

Check this out, real quick, don't know if everybody know (Part 5650)....

 Check This Out!

I don't think, even as a kid, any of those things would make me buy a comic book I wasn't already inclined to purchase.  A mean a purple background might draw my attention to the comic book, but I don't think it would guarantee I'd get it. 

I was never into the World War II comics, or the Westerns they published, and even if one of them had all SEVEN of these things on it, I still wouldn't have gotten it. 

But then Carmine Infantino was a comic book artist, creator, editor and publisher, so I suppose he knows what he's talking about.

POLT

Just repeat history, just repeat history (Part 152)...

 Vintage Visions

I'm pretty sure this is actor Christopher Atkins, and if it is, then that means this pic of him holding a football is from the early/mid 80s. 

And it leads me to ask: why the HELL don't men wear croptops and short shorts anymore???  This look is SO hot.  No man ever groomed into being gay, but guys dressing like this surely had some part in it!

POLT

If I were a hero, I'd be Martin Luther (Part 4675).....

 Superhero Anydays

Back in Elementary School, I took a lunchbox to school. One year I had Charlie's Angels.  And another year I had the Super Friends.  And yet another year, I had the Avengers!  And these Avengers from this specific picture were the ones all over my lunch box.   Brings back memories. 

Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Scarlet Witch and the Vision

*********************

And today we also have a cosplayer doing a damn good job of being the X-Men's Angel...and looking hot while doing so. 

POLT

My birthday song, my happy world (Part 363)....

 Badass Birthday

On this date, 35 years ago in 1991, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana was released as the first single from the album Nevermind. 

And ohmiGOD, EVERYTHING changed!

Prior to that song, by and large, all that was on the radio from the late 80s was rap, sap, crap and heavy metal.  None of which I very much liked.  I was in my Classic Rock phase: music from the 70s (Led Zepplin, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, David Bowie, etc).  And through Bowie, I had had some contact with the alternative/progressive music of the early 80s.  I was listening to WHFS out of DC 99.1.  They played Bowie (newer stuff) but also REM, Pixies, The Cure, The Smiths, New Order, Echo & The Bunnymen, etc.   And I was moving more into listening to that genre instead of the 70s stuff, though I still enjoyed it. 

And then all of sudden, I can still remember it, I was laying on my bed, HFS playing on the stereo by my bed, I was reading a book, I THINK it was the novelization of the movie Aliens, actually, and I heard it.  This guitar riff.  Like nothing I had heard before.  And then the drums kicked in.  And then the voice!  And I put my book down, sat up and looked at the stereo (for all the good that did).  I didn't understand what the hell he was saying, but my GOD I love the way he was saying it.  And the music.  And it was all NOTHING like I had heard or experienced before.   And when it was over, I wanted to hear it again!  I wanted to hear who it was and what the song as called.  But back in the those pre-Internet days, I got nothing. 

Gradually, I went back to reading, but keeping my ear a little more attuned to the stereo.   And after a while after, I don't twenty minutes, time for a couple songs and a couple ads, the DJ came on and announced that the phone lines have been JAMMED with callers wanting to know about that song.  And I put the book down again and listened.  And he said, "It was "Smells Like Teen Spirit" from the band Nirvana, from their album Nevermind".   I quickly jumped up and wrote it all down on some paper I had in the room!  I didn't want to forget it. 

The whole experience was almost like an epiphany!   I was gobsmacked. 

And within a week I and my neighbor Jeff were in Frederick MD for some reason or another (maybe expressly FOR this reason), and we were in the Fredericktown Mall and they had a Waxie Maxie's there (ahhh, another memory gone) and I went in, found the Nevermind CD and bought that fucker right then and there!   And what did I do when I got home?  Played that CD all the way through...twice I think. 

And my musical tastes were forever changed.  

But so was the general music scene. All of a sudden, in that fall of 1991, there was a ton of new bands I'd never heard of before getting airplay.  Bands from Seattle, or decked out all in flannel, or part of the new Grunge musical genre.   They were everywhere, every station was playing it.  And for the next 5 years or so, Grunge ruled  (only dethroned by bubblegum pop like Brittany Spears and The Backstreet Boys).  But music was never like before. 

Honestly, I think you can divide American music of the latter 20th century into Pre-Nirvana and Post-Nirvana.  It was a true watershed. 

And it came out 35 years ago today!

POLT

Check this out, real quick, don't know if everybody know (Part 5673)...

 Check This Out!

Pfft, that's every bedroom I've ever had since I was like 12.  And a few other bedrooms I may have stayed in for shorter periods of time.

POLT

Check this out, real quick, don't know if everybody know (Part 5667)....

 Check This Out!

What a LIST!  Man, these fellas would be a blast to have a party, right? 

Ya know, though, i don't know how accurate it is, because I've been several different categories on this list at various times in my life!

The Bisexual (or so I thought)

The Self-Isolating Homosexual (I hate people and I hate going out now)

Sugar Daddies (well I've never paid for it, but I guess I'm at the age where I could if I had to)

The Club Type (oh, in my youth, I'd not roll in from the club until 3, 3:30 on Saturdays!)

The Homosexual "Friend" (I've been the "Gay Best Friend" to many people, male & female)

The "Guilty" Homosexual (yeah, when I was young and not fully out to myself yet)

The Religious Homosexual (I own 2 Bibles, have read them and do pray nearly every day, does that count? )

POLT

If I were a hero, I'd be Martin Luther (Part 4645)....

 Superhero Anydays

Mike Grell was one of the Legion of Super-Heroes greatest artist, and this is a portion of a cover he drew for a book.  It shows some members of the Legion from the mid-70s. 

Chemical King, Colossal Boy, Superboy, Chameleon Boy, Saturn Girl

************************

And today we also have an ad from the mid-70s for the MEGO line of superhero action figures!  Man I had a whole box of these I kept under my bed and I'll pull them out several times a week to play with them!  Making all my own comic book adventures using them!

Superman*, Captain Marvel, Supergirl*, Thor, Isis*, Mr, Mxyzptlk*, Conan, Green Arrow*, Falcon

Aquaman*, Batman*, Catwoman*, Hulk, Riddler*, Robin*, Batgirl, Joker*, Penguin*

Captain America*, Mr. Fantastic, Green Goblin, The Thing, Human Torch, IronMan*, Invisible Girl, The Lizard, Spider-Man*

Ones with asterisks are ones the I owned.  I also had some Star Trek ones who aren't listed here.

POLT

Check this out, real quick, don't know if everybody know (Part 5525)....

 Check This Out!

I've been to two of them: Vatican City and Monaco.

POLT

It's so cool, to be uncool (Part 798)....

 What's Cool? 

You think you're cool?  Well you'll never be as cool as these teen heartthrobs over the years!

Ahhh, Leif Garret.  Leif Garret (in the boxing gloves if you don't already know), man he set my 12 year old heart aflutter.  I'm pretty sure my fixation with longish hair on men started with him. 

POLT

 So, Saturday is Independence Day.  As it's on a Saturday, work is giving us Friday off.  In years past when this occurred, I'd work Friday and take the holiday ON the holiday.  That way, I could watch the parade through town, then visit the small 'festival' they have in town afterwards.  And then go to mom's for a cookout lunch. 

This year, however, I will be taking the holiday on Friday and working Saturday, since I am the only one there on Saturdays.   

And why have I decided to do that this year when I haven't in years past?  Well, that's because there is absolutely nothing about this country I wish to celebrate this year.   The things that have happened in just the last 18 months have surely got the founding father rolling in their graves. 

This is just one of many things that anger me about the orange shitgibbon: he takes the fun and the joy and the merriment out of EVERYTHING!  Everything has got to be about him.  And about making him money. 

In his first term, there was the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote.  Anyone remember any sort of commemoration in August of 2020?  Nope, me neither. 

There was the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI, and yes he DID go to France.  But when it came time for the official memorial, he didn't go.  He stayed in his hotel room.  It was raining after all and we can't have the orange pancake makeup running down his cheeks.

There was is the World Cup we're partially hosting.  This was something even I was looking forward too when I heard it years ago.  But now, we've got talented refs denied entry to the country (and the fact they're African is just totally coincidental right?)  We've got another busload of black athletes being stopped and all their luggage and persons being searched along the road.  We've got the Iranian team being unable to stay in the USA (which wouldn't BE an issue if we didn't have his war of choice going on).  And of course we've got several country's fans openly mocking the president with their chants.  Not that THAT'S really a bad thing, cause all the good people in our country openly mock the president.  But I digress. 

There's the coming Olympics, which Los Angeles hosts.  If we even have them in 2028.  But hopefully there will  be one less orange shitgibbon in the world by then and maybe it won't quite as bad...but I don't hold my breath for either of those things to happen. 

I remember the Bicentenntial in 1976, I was 8 years old.  I remember the parades, the historical stuff on TV, New York Harbor full of all kinds of ships and boats, the things we did in school (I was in the second grade leading up to it), all the lil tidbits ofhistory that were in the newspapers and on the news shows.   There was so MUCH, all about American history, and the revolution, and the presidents and how government worked and all about us as a country. 

And this year, this 'celebration , we got...nothing.  We got a fenced off green Reflecting Pool, a "national state fair' with temps higher than the number of people showing up, a desecrated White House and surrounding grounds, a taxpayer dollars going into the pockets of millionaire cronies with no-bid contracts. 

There's not fun, or joy, or even real celebration of AMERICA in all of this.   It's all about how much moeny can I stuff in my pockets while kissing the orange ass. 

It's pathetic and sad.   And complete shame. 

POLT

Check this out, real quick, don't know if everybody know (Part 5593)...

 Check This Out!

This pic and text was sent to my mother and me by my cousin.  This high chair is the one mom and dad for me when I was baby.    Then mom just stored it up in the attic.  When my cousin had her son 10 years ago, mom gave her the high chair to use, and when he outgrew it my cousin kept it in her attic.  Then my cousin gave it to a friend of hers, who's daughter apparently loved it. 

The same high chair (which was able to be modified as the child grew to be able to allow the kids to sit in it and play...which I apparently did, and my cousin's son did as well) was used for 50 years, and STILL in use a few years ago when this pic was taken. 

Things were built to last back then!

POLT

Back to the beginning without you...

 Today, 21 years ago, in 2005, I made the first post to the Palace.   It's right here,  

It's just crazy to think that if my blog were a person, The Palace would now be able to legally drink alcohol. 

In June 2005: 

#1 movie: Batman Begins

#1 song: We Belong Together, by Mariah Carey

#1 tv show: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

George W. Bush was president

Tony Blair was UK Prime Minister

Paul Martin was Canadian Prime Minister

Benedict XVI was Pope

Barack Obama was a US Senator from Illinois

Joe Biden was a US Senator from Delaware

the orange shitgibbon was a theiving, rude, obnoxious, failed buinessman and 'star' of a mediocre TV reality show

The (ugh) New England Patriots was reigning NFL champion

The Chicago White Sox were on their way to winning their first World Series since 1917

The was no Stanley Cup winner due to a strike & lockout in the NHL

The San Antonio Spurs won the NBA finals.

In June 2005, the Ninth Doctor Who (Christopher Eccleston) regenerated into the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant). 

Michael Jackson was aquitted by a California jury of molesting a 13 year old

Princess Alexia of the Netherlands, second daughter to the king Willem-Alexander, was born. 

I was in the my ninth year in my current job.  

I was 8 years living in my apartment and 4 years from buying my house.

My father, my mother's mother, and one of my mother's brothers were all alive.  They've all since passed.

As, as mentioned above, Polt's Palace was created. 

Twenty one freakin' years.......wow.......

POLT

Check this out, real quic, don't know if everybody know (Part 5581)....

 Check This Out!

When I was younger, this was me! 

I would hold it even if it hurt, even if it made me feel bad, until I got home.   But, as I've aged, well....when the poops gotta get loose, the poops just gotta get loose.  I still try to wait until I get home, but I'm not averse to using public facilities in a pinch.   Still don't like doing it in other people's homes tho. 

POLT

Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet.....

 And so, 40 years ago, sometime around now, this happened. 

Yep, that's your own Uncle Polt, walking across the stage to receive his high school diploma. 

All I remember from that night is, it was SO HOT (we had to move it into the gym instead of in the football stadium due to rain).  Also, when I walked up on the stage it seemed to be a helluva lot of people were cheering, from various places around the gym....more than just where my family were sitting.  But then, I may have imagined that, who knows? 

I don't really remember anything else, no who the feller is shaking my hand, someone from the school board I'd assume. I know he's not the principal.  And I think I'm wearing the only tie I owned at the time.

Aw well, 40 years.....my God, where have they gone? 

POLT

It's so cool, to be uncool (Part 790)......

 What's Cool?

Our local K-Mart had a little cafe when they opened back in the 70s.  I never ate there, that I recall, we didn't eat out much back then cause mom was such a good cook.   But now we can see how much prices have changed in 50 years. 

POLT

Night arrives with her purple legion (Part 12)......

 Legion Lore

Ultra Boy

Jo Nah was born on the planet of Rimbor and got involved in the gangs who were all over the planet.  He stole a space shuttle and ran from the Science Police.  When in space fleeing from the authorities, he encountered a giant space whale, who swallowed the entire ship. 

(yes...Jo Nah was swallows by a space whale.....well it WAS 1962....)

The ship got out of the whale, i dont recall if it blasted it way out or flew back out the mouth, but while inside, the energies therein gave Jo most of the powers of Superboy (flight, super strength, super speed, invulnerability, as well as Penetra-vision, which Superboy did not have, and which allowed him to, unlike Superboy, see through lead), except that he could only use one power at a time!

I can't tell you why but Ultra Boy was always my favorite Legionnaire.   He was elected Legion leader and Deputy Leader more than once.  He was thought to have been killed at one point, only to return alive.  And unlike most of the team his costume remained basically the same from his joining until the beginning of the Magic Wars when Keith Giffen fucked around with ALL the uniforms and made his look stupid (along with most of the others). 

POLT

I would not sell my collection, if I did, I would cry (Part 126)......

 Today In The History Of Polt's Comic Book Collection

Today we travel back to May of 1978 and The Avengers #171.

When I was a little pre-teen Polt, sometimes I'd walk a couple blocks to downtown, cross the busy Main Street (all by myself) and go to the Waynesboro News Agency.   They had not only a soda counter and grill where they made food, but they had several shelves of magazines (held back by tiny coiled metal strings) and among these were a bunch of comic books.  And I vividly remember seeing this particular cover and having to buy it!  At 35 cents and issue, that meant that, with my $1.00 a week allowance, I could buy two comics, and save the leftover cents to bring with me next week to buy three comics!

Anyway, back to this issue.  It's drawn by the Maestro George Perez (might even be my first exposure to his art).  The storyline goes that Avengers enemy Ultron built a 'wife' for him and named her Jocasta.  He captured the Wasp and used her brainwaves to put into the robot.  The Avengers tracked them down to his hideout (inside a nunnery of all places, with a robotic Mother Superior!) and they fought.  

Ultron activated Jocasta expecting her to join him in the battle against the hero.  But, since the Wasp brainwaves were in her head and influencing her attitudes, thoughts and opinions, she joined the team in fighting Ultron!  

Ultimately, he was blown up by the Scarlet Witch's hex spheres, and Jocasta went with the team.  She hung out with the Avengers for a couple years, never actually officially joining the team, which irritated me, as I like the character.  What pissed me off even more is when the team when through a reorganization, cutting members and adding two members, they never thought to even ask Jocasta, and she just left the mansion, upset and frankly, unmissed.  No one even went looking for her. 

I know this so well because I read and re-read and re-re-read the issue so many times ! I love this whole stretch of the Avengers and I think it's the best run on their line. 

POLT

Check this out, real quick, don't know if everybody know (Part 5385).....

 Check This Out!

Oh MAN!  I remember this SO VIVIDLY!  

The miniseries aired over a series of days, and the day after, this was THE topic of conversation in Middle School between my peer group.  We LOVED this show so much.  And the theme song....those drums....I can still right now, after all these years, hear the beat like I'm listening to it.

Helluva miniseries!  The followup mini-series as well.  The series that followed that...not so much.  But the mini-serieses...hell yeah!

POLT