Monthly Archives: July 2017

Thursday Throwback: Changing Election Laws

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Thomas Mets

Several years ago, there was a brief discussion about whether Republicans might change the law, so that key swing states, the electoral votes would go to the winner of congressional districts. This is the current system for Maine and Nebraska. … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

When Comics Suck

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Thomas Mets

In Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, Sean Howe summed up an uninteresting period Throughout the line, the creative assignments began to resemble a laconic game of Whac-A-Mole, with each substitution having little effect on the acceptably bland quality that had defined … Continue reading →

Posted in Criticism, Marvel Comics, Spider-Man | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Throwback Thursday: Can the Democrat’s Reagan lead to the Republican’s Clinton?

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Thomas Mets

Years ago, there was some speculation that President Obama might be the Democrat’s Reagan, leading to a period in which the party dominates the White House. Andrew Sullivan had has a slightly different take on the idea, focusing on what Obama can … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Dunkirk and the Bechdel Test

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Thomas Mets

A portion of a positive review of Christopher Nolan’s film Dunkirk has resulted in some controversy. The trio of timelines can be jarring as you figure out how they all fit, and the fact that there are only a couple of … Continue reading →

Posted in Comics Industry, Criticism, Film, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

A Story of Monopoly and Regulation From Mark Twain

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Thomas Mets

In his memoir Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain has an interesting anecdote about the emergence of a monopoly. This was when he was a young steamboat pilot. It started with the development of a union, to protect wages at … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature, Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Movies Watched in 2017 Part 4

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Thomas Mets

Earlier in the year, I set a goal of watching at least 100 films, and to make sure it includes some older stuff, included an additional challenge of focusing on at least ten films per decade (counting the 2010s as … Continue reading →

Posted in DC Comics, Film, Spider-Man | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Florida Voters

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Thomas Mets

A weird thing about Florida. In the 2004, 2008 and 2012 elections, turnout in Florida was higher than in Texas, despite Texas having a much higher population. In 2012, 8,474,179 voters came out in Florida compared to 8,077,795 in Texas. New York … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

If I Wrote Spider-Man 4

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Thomas Mets

If I had written Spider-Man 3, it would have ended with a few unresolved cliffhangers. Spider-Man and Mary Jane are worried because Harry Osborn is on the loose as the new Green Goblin. They’re unaware that Eddie Brock, a suicidal … Continue reading →

Posted in Comic Book Pitches, Film, Spider-Man | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Reforming Middle School

Posted on July 13, 2017 by Thomas Mets

This was an item I wrote a few years back for a class in my Education Masters program. It was a response to an article suggesting a reform in how middle school classes work, so that teacher teams would work … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Learning From Schools in Other Countries

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Thomas Mets

This was something I wrote for a class on multiculturalism in education, based on an article from the anthology Annual Editions- Education. The main idea of this article is the need for those involved in education in the United States … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment