- He presided over the bloodiest war in American history. While the total casualties from the Civil War were lower than many other wars that the United States has been involved in, the Civil War remains the single greatest loss of American lives. Over 620,000 casualties, a whopping 2% of the population, was dead by the end of the war. Interestingly, the United States fights most of its wars far away from its home turf. The World Wars, along with many of the USA’s other military engagements, all involved force projection far beyond American borders. Even Pearl Harbor was an attack on Hawaii, which was a territory and not on the mainland. The Civil War was the single most devastating war for the United States in a domestic sense. In a way, this speaks to the warfighting prowess of the USA: the most damage ever inflicted on the country was by Americans!
- He was assassinated. In one sense, this is less extraordinary than its sounds: of all the American presidents that have served, nine have been the subject of an assassination attempt, with four being successful. That means that, on average, one in five American presidents will experience an attempt on their life. What was extraordinary in Lincoln’s case was the way that the assassination worked out: Lincoln had already accomplished what he set out to do at his election, so the assassination was not out of political calculation. It was purely out of spite. John Wilkes Booth wanted to avenge the South. Even more bizarrely, Lincoln had a premonition three days prior, in which there was a corpse in the White House. He asked one of the guards in his dream who was dead, and the guard told him that it was the President, who had died at the hand of an assassin. Lincoln was also the very first president to be assassinated.
- His eerie parallels to JFK. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Boothe, who ran from the theater, and was eventually caught in a barn. JFK was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald, who ran from a warehouse and was apprehended by police in a theater. If a barn is basically an agricultural warehouse (and it is), Boothe ran from a theater to a warehouse, and Oswald ran from a warehouse to a theater. Kennedy had a secretary who warned him not to go to Dallas, and that secretary’s last name was Lincoln.
- Finally, his face. Abraham Lincoln was noted as an extremely unattractive man with a very asymmetrical face. That asymmetry, however, also made him look very distinctive. Unlike George Washington and other Presidents who looked similar to other men of their era, Lincoln’s face is unforgettable and would never be mistaken for anyone else. A fun story: Lincoln was once accused of being “two-faced” by a woman who confronted him on a train. He responded, “If I had two faces, do you think I’d be wearing this one?”
Game Review: Spider-Man & Venom: Separation Anxiety
Any good retro gamer is familiar with the beat ‘em up genre. A common fixture of arcade and console games in the 1990s, beat ‘em ups were the addictive game par excellence. If the local laundromat had an Altered Beast arcade machine, then you knew you’d better wash your clothes before using it. If you don’t, then you won’t be getting any laundry done, because your time and quarters will swiftly be eaten by the arcade. Beat ‘em ups are addictive because they are difficult. The basic premise is that you have a dozen lives or so, and your character walks through a stage beating up hordes of enemies with kicks, punches, and special moves. You will die quite frequently, and in the arcade versions, you get more lives by depositing quarters. There are generally different playable characters with unique special moves. Sometimes the basic punches and kicks are different, too.
Many superheroes and supervillains have made their appearances in beat ‘em up games. Thematically, the beat ‘em up is very suitable for use with superheroes because it involves one or two main characters fighting their way through hordes of mooks, which is exactly what superheroes are meant to do. And who better to serve as boss than a supervillain?
Enter Carnage. Everybody knows about Spiderman and Venom, and even people who aren’t total comic book geeks know who Carnage is. You might even have seen him on some Carnage t-shirts. In the 90s, there were two 
popular beat ‘em ups featuring Carnage: Maximum Carnage, and Spiderman & Venom: Separation Anxiety. In both games, Carnage is the final boss.
Separation Anxiety is the more well-known of the two. Although the game is repetitive, with a lot of unavoidable hits that make it fiendishly difficult, nobody can deny that it’s entertaining. The plot has Spiderman and Venom teaming up against the nefarious Life Foundation to stop a horde of genetically-engineered symbiotes from running amok. After fighting your way through several levels full of goons, you fight a number of new symbiotes with names like Riot and Agony. At the very end, you face off against Carnage.
The controls are responsive and the game is considerably fun to play. There’s a wide variety of moves. You have the basic punch/kick combos, as well as the ability to climb on walls and drop down with an aerial attack. One of the game’s big positives is being able to play as Spiderman or Venom. Both characters have a shield that they can use. Spiderman’s is a web shield held close to his body. Venom, on the other hand, melds his hands together to create a shield from his symbiote suit.
If you can acquire Separation Anxiety in a compilation, or get the original cart, I strongly recommend it. It’s a good game and a lens into the state of console gaming in the 1990s.
Adventure Time’s Intended Audience
There has been a big shift in entertainment over the past two decades. It has always been normal for adults to enjoy a little bit of children’s entertainment. You’re supposed to watch that stuff with your kids, after all. And there are plenty of grownup jokes in children’s movies that are there for the adults to pick up, and they’re designed to go over the kid’s heads. However, in the past decade or two, it has become much more normal for adults to consume children’s entertainment.
This has created a strange shift in children’s entertainment. Whereas older cartoons were just silly or banal, newer cartoons occupy a grey area between children’s shows and sitcoms for grownups. Good examples of this include the Regular Show, Stephen Universe, and, of course, Adventure Time. All of these shows are suitable for kids, yes. However, when consuming children’s entertainment, you usually have to suspend judgment. You have to let down your guard a little to enjoy kid’s entertainment. The difference with newer cartoons is that they’re written with a built-in grownup appeal, so that an adult can consume them without feeling as if they’re doing something age inappropriate.
Adventure Time is a good example of this on multiple levels. First of all, it’s a little known fact about the Adventure Time canon that the show is post-apocalyptic. This is incongruous with the way the show presents itself. It appears as something very happy go lucky. It’s also fantasy themed, and fantasy as a genre is typically characterized as escapist. But that extra layer of depth added by the way the world is constructed is just one example of how the show is designed to appeal to multiple demographics.
Another aspect of Adventure Time’s appeal to multiple demographics is its short length. Most episodes run about 11 minutes. This is intentional. If you’re a kid, then it’s bite-sized entertainment that can be consumed regardless of a child’s short attention span. If you’re an adult, then it’s the sort of thing you can watch on your phone while sitting at a bus stop or in a waiting room with some earbuds. The short, consumable nature of the show works for both children and adults, albeit for different reasons.
Adventure Time, and other cartoons like it, shows the changing nature of entertainment. First, cartoons were for kids. Then, they were for kids, but also watched “ironically” by college students and other people who wanted to signal their whimsical ironic sense of humor. Now, the irony has become sincere and you can quite comfortable be an adult running around in an Adventure Time t shirt.
What Made The Atari 2600 Great
Atari is not really a household name anymore, but dedicated nerds know what Atari was. Long before the X-Box and PS4, the two big contenders were Sony and Nintendo. Before that, Sega was in the fray as well. And before all three of those, all the way back in the late 1970s, there was Atari. Even if you’ve never heard of Atari, you’ve probably heard of Pong. Pong was the world’s first coin-operated arcade game, and it was a huge success. Pong made a big splash. In fact, one of the first mass-produced consoles was a console that did nothing but play Pong. Both the Pong arcade game and the Pong console were created by Atari.
But Atari’s big contribution was the Atari 2600. What was the Atari 2600? Simply put, it was one of the first mass-produced consoles that worked off of ROM cartridges. ROM stands for Read Only Memory, meaning memory that is only read and never altered. The game cartridges that were common to the NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, and Sega Genesis were all ROM cartridges. Many such cartridges also had a small amount of static RAM in them, which made it possible to save your game. Static RAM, or Random Access Memory, is similar to the RAM in your computer, except it doesn’t clear when you turn the system off, unlike your computer’s RAM. While the Pong system was confined to only one game, the Atari 2600 allowed for removable carts. Given the fact that the Atari 2600 cost $200 (more than $800 in today’s money), it stands to reason that it needed the capacity to play multiple games. Few people would want to pay $800 just to play a single game!
an atari video game shirt
The Atari 2600 was great because it brought arcade gaming into the home. That was ultimately the trick: instead of having to go out and pop coins into an arcade machine to play a game, you could have that entertainment in your living room. And indeed, the “homeliness” of the Atari 2600 was intentional and reflected in its design. The original console had a wood grain finish. The point of giving it a wood grain finish was to make it fit with the decor of the average person’s living room. The “now you can play at home” vibe was completely intended by Atari.
Of course, there is plenty of history since the late 1970s in the gaming world. The NES was yet to come. Sega would still make its mark. And Atari itself was comparatively short-lived because of all the competition. Following the release of Pong, several competitors in the arcade market immediately sprang up. The same thing happened after Atari switched to at-home consoles. This meant that Atari quickly fell into financial trouble because it couldn’t move enough units, and the Atari 2600 itself cost nearly half a million in 1970s dollars to develop. So while Atari was not a terribly long-lived brand, it still left a significant mark with the Atari 2600. This is why you can still see the Atari logo on video game shirts.
Book Review: Jurassic Park
Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park is almost an underrated book. This might sound like a weird thing to say. Jurassic park is very famous. So how is it underrated? The answer is simple. The movie overshadows the book. Jurassic Park is famous as a movie more than a novel. And we associate Spielberg with it more than Crichton. Spielberg is famous for directing the movie. Crichton has almost been forgotten. So the book, which is very good, deserves a treatment of its own. Let’s get into it. First, I will tackle the characters. Then, I’ll take a look at the underlying ideas. Then, I’ll look at some of the flaws. Finally, we’ll have a wrap-up.
First, the characters. The main character, Dr. Alan Grant, is very compelling. He’s likeable. He remarks that he likes children because they have one thing in common: a love of dinosaurs. He’s unpretentious. He’s an academic, but not like other academics. He likes to dress casually and be down to Earth. And he enjoys getting his hands dirty. He’s not fond of computers. Remember that this was written back in the 90s when familiarity with computers was not taken for granted. We also have Ian Malcolm, who is egotistical and over-the-top but still likeable in his eccentricity. And we have Hammond, the owner of Jurassic Park, who is childish and petty.
The underlying idea of the book is chaos theory. The idea is that human reasoning can’t understand nature. The real world is too complex for our basic linear thinking to comprehend it fully. So our plans will always become messed up because we don’t appreciate complexity. The real world is always a step ahead of us. We might think we have it all figured out. But we don’t, and that will come back to bite us every time.
The big flaw in the book is how dated it is. I talked about the 90s feel of it earlier. The other part is the use of computers. Some parts are not very believable. There is a part where a pair of young children hack into a computer. This would have been believable in the 90s, when few people understood computers. Thirty years later, it’s not believable. We’re all familiar with computers now. And we all know they don’t work that way. But in the 90s, the average adult could almost believe that kids, who always seem to know how to use computers, might be able to do such a thing. So the book is a little dated in the final analysis.
Finally, to wrap it all up, I think that this is a book very much worth reading. It’s not as good as some of Crichton’s other books. Books like Sphere are more well-written and examine the limits of human reasoning more closely. And Crichton raises more challenging ideas in his other books. But Jurassic Park is still a great novel that raises some fascinating problems. There is a reason that people still wear Jurassic Park t shirts.
Why Nerds Love Lincoln
An Abe Lincoln tee shirt.
If you grew up in the United States, you know who Abraham Lincoln is. He’s on our money. He’s on Mount Rushmore. There’s a Lincoln Memorial with a larger-than-life statue of him. There are . Five dollar bills feature his face and the Lincoln Memorial. Pennies feature the Lincoln Memorial and, until recently, had a tiny, almost invisible imprint of the Lincoln statue itself inside of the memorial. That imprint can be seen with a magnifying glass or jeweler’s loop.
We all know that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves, but his presidency was unique for a number of other reasons. Some of these are well known, and some of them are more obscure. Let’s go through:
What are Saggittarius traits?
In ancient Greek mythology, medicine was considered to have been created by a centaur named Chiron. Chiron was thought to be a wise old centaur who had gifted the knowledge of medicine to human kind. You could almost call him the centaur for disease control! Horrible puns aside, the Sagittarius symbol is a centaur, and it echoes the qualities of Chiron. This is the symbol you see on zodiac merchandise, such as a Sagittarius t-shirt. Sagittariuses are wise, loyal, kindhearted, and understanding. They can also be egotistical and manipulative if they are unhealthy. Carrying Chiron’s traits, Sagittariuses have some unique qualities that make them stand out among other signs. If you want to understand Sagittariuses, you must know that they carry the following traits:
A Saggittarius t shirt
First, Sagittariuses are self-determined. They have what psychologists call an internal locus of control, meaning they follow their own way and are not pulled around by other people. This can be a strength because a Saggi is hard to manipulate and can be very creative, inventive, and original in a way that other people are not. But it can also be a weakness, because Saggis can be rude, cold, or rejecting toward other people if they feel imposed upon. As always, moderation is key. Learn to recognize your Sagittarius independence and its strengths, but know that other people’s input can be valuable.
Second, Sagittariuses are empathetic. They are high in what psychologists call trait agreeableness. This means that they are capable of understanding other people’s feelings. Even more, a Saggi can sometimes feel another person’s emotions directly. If an anxious person is in the room, the Saggi may feel anxious and not know why! This can be a strength, because a Saggi can be very good at reading and empathizing with people. This makes them natural counselors and therapists. But it can also be a weakness, because sometimes Saggis are manipulative, using their powers for the wrong end. They can also become overwhelmed by the emotions of others.
Third, Saggis are very inquisitive. This means they are high in what psychologists call trait openness, or openness to experience. Saggis are open-minded novelty seekers who want to see more of the world. They can become bored easily and need constant new stimulation. This can be a strength, because Saggis become very knowledgeable after tasting and dabbling in so many different things, and because they are willing to entertain any idea, no matter how outlandish. It can also be a weakness, because Saggis can be “so open minded their brains fell out”. They sometimes can be easily distractible. They can lose focus or end up being preoccupied by small things out of curiosity, missing both the bigger picture and their own responsibilities.
As a Saggittarius, you are one of the wisest and most open of all signs. Remember to stay focused, never let your natural curiosity die, use your powers for good, and don’t let other people’s feelings overwhelm you. Listen to their counsel, but always, always march to the beat of your own drum, whether that means having your own unique style, wearing vintage t shirts, or burning incense in your home.
Nothing Is True, Everything Is Permitted
The Assassins’ Creed games popularized a certain saying. “Nothing is true, everything is permitted.” Meaning that the reality that one inhabits is an illusion, to some degree. That one can meekly accept the way things are, or transcend the order of things. This phrase may be an invention. Or, it may have come from the real-life order of hashashins (Assassins). The Assasins Creed games are based on that order. It appears in all of the games, and on a variety of merchandise, including coffee mugs and video game t shirts.
Where did it come from?
The origins of the phrase are a little murky. The Assassin’s Creed cites a 1938 novel by Vladimir Bartol as the origin. But this can’t be true. Books exist from earlier than 1938 that contain the phrase. The book “The Genealogy of Morals” from 1887 is one example. The author discusses the order of assassins. According to him, they say, “Nothing is true, everything is allowed.” Some authors think this really was an old Arabic saying. Others think that someone invented it later. Either way, the phrase is about transcending an illusion. Even in the games, this does not necessarily mean physical reality, so much as the common morality foisted upon one by other people.
Templar Control
The Templars want to use the illusory reality to rule. In the first game, Altaïr realizes that the reality (or morality) that the Templars want to foist on everyone is an illusion that they use to dominate. In later games, Templars control huge companies, especially technology companies. They also seem to have a grip on media, possibly even scientific research and academia.
A gaming t shirt bearing the Abstergo Industries logo
The Templar behind these technology companies sell it as harmless entertainment that anyone can equally have access to. So all of the institutions under Templar control want to rule using the illusion. Those institutions include media, academia, and tech companies. “Nothing is true, everything is permitted” means the consensus is wrong. A lot of people tell Altaïr what’s right and wrong. They tell him to be more compassionate and empathetic.
In later games, the Templars create the Abstergo corporation. Abstergo tries to create a “New World Order” to unify the whole world under their control. If you haven’t played the later games yet, you may recognize the Abstergo logo from where it appears on video game t shirts. The Templar aim for a one-world order. That way they can enforce their absolute rule on everyone equally. They do this with the Pieces of Eden. The Templars have mobilized tech companies to acquire the Pieces of Eden. They also control a lot of professors who study the Pieces of Eden. In the later games, they also control a lot of the media.
The Assassins motto is about transcending all that propaganda. Altaïr realizes this during the first game. The phrase is quietly profound. That’s why it fits so handily on posters and gaming t shirts. It carries through to the later games as well.
Who are the strongest Dragon Slayers—Let’s set the record straight, then find our favorite Anime t-shirts.
When it comes to Anime, there really is nothing better than Dragon Slayer. Watching the journey through every episode of these powerful Dragon Slayers utilizing the Lost Magic to consume the element they wield is amazing! It’s why we bought our first Anime shirt anyway, and why today we wanted to run through who we think is the most powerful form weakest to strongest!
And then, because everyone needs their own Dragon Slayer t-shirt, we’re going to tell you where you get your favorite Anime shirts and graphic tees with all your favorite Slayers on them.
Weakest
In our humble opinion, Erik, while he was one of the original Dragon Slayers and one of the most powerful ones, he hasn’t really received any powerups like the others throughout the series. He is still a fan favorite, though.
Next, Wendy Marvell was way too young when she first came into the series, which would naturally make her not as advanced as the other slayers. Then came the one-year time jump, and she was accessing dragon force like it was her business and slaying Ezel and Irene at every turn.
Getting Stronger
Gajeel Redfox, when first introduced, was quite the badass and very strong. He kept progressing and powering up throughout the series and defeated a boosted rogue after consuming his shadows. You all remember when he defeated one of the strongest demons at the 9 Demon Gates? He’s always been one of our favorites, and we have a massive collection of anime t-shirts featuring Gajeel.
God Serena is a mighty, second-generation dragon slayer and, as you all know, wields the power of eight different dragon lacrimas. When we first met him, he was the strongest mage in Fiore and still grows throughout every episode.
Strongest
Acnologia has defeated more dragons in his life throughout the series than any other dragon slayer. Including that time, he destroyed the fire dragon king Igneel. How cool is it that he bathes in the blood of the dragons he slays to become stronger?! That is utterly badass if you ask us.
Every Dragon Slayer fan has their own list of which slayers are the most powerful, but they all love the series. And so do we. That’s why we love being friends with the guys at Anime Shirt club, a new site that will send you a super cool officially licensed from great shows like Demon Slayer, JoJo, Trigun, Cowboy Beebop, DBZ, Naruto, Bleach, and many other great ones. Check it out today.
5 AC/DC Must-Have Accessories 2021 – Rock Band Teen Edition
1: Heart Of Bone Jewelry
AC/DC has recently partnered with the Australian jewelry brand Heart of Bone. The new collection fuses advanced biomolecular microscopy technology with traditional craftsmanship to high a high-voltage unisex luxury accessories collection. Take your style to the next level by investing in one of their signature pieces. From a limited-edition 9k solid gold collectors’ ring to a bespoke sterling silver tribute ring, in three distinct styles to choose from. Or opt for a pair of sick-looking stud earrings. More affordable but without compromising on the AC/DC rock look appeal. Pair with your favorite band t-shirt for the ultimate 2021 raver look.
2: AC/DC Classic Rock Band T-Shirt
No AC/DC fan worth their weight in salt can call themselves a fan without this bad boy in their wardrobe. When it comes to classic rock band t-shirts for young rebels or teen rockers, you can’t go wrong with a pair of black skinny jeans and this signature t-shirt. Inspired by the 1990s hit Thunderstruck, the song’s inspiration was taken from the urban legend of how Angus’ plane was hit by lightning. Written by guitarists and brothers Angus and Malcolm, the plane almost crashed when it flew through a thunderstorm. So if you need a reminder of why you should always live life to the full…well here it is!
3: Monopoly AC/DC Edition
We’re all frustrated being at home due to the global pandemic, but there are always board games to keep you entertained. Check out the AC/DC Monopoly edition! Tokens have been exchanged for dynamite, lightning bolts, and even an Angus’ Hat. Watch out for the recording studio fees, concert ticket expenses, and head to the Highway to Hell to reap the rewards. Invest in gold records and trade your way to fame and fortune. Throw on your favorite classic rock band t-shirt and let the games begin!
4: Hells Bells Rock Band T-shirt
The perfect partner in crime, rock this classic and understated rock band t-shirt and pair it with your favorite hoodie. Hells Bells was written as a tribute to lead singer Bon Scott, and features his replacement, Brain Johnson. The band actually commissioned a one-ton bronze bell in order to achieve the acoustics they wanted for this memorial piece. If you’re a massive rock band AC/DC fan, wear this tribute t-shirt and remember the incredible talent of rock legend Bon Scott.
5: Fire & Flames Socks
Pair a classic kids rock band t-shirt with skinny jeans and these striking fire and flame socks. Don’t conform to a standard pair of white ankle socks, when you can rock these AC/DC-inspired knee highs. Made from 100% cotton, if you have a fierce sense of style, pick up a pair today and add a dramatic accessory to your rebellious wardrobe.
Explore this online collection of classic rock t shirts and accessories and express your appreciation for the legends that brought us hit tracks such as Highway to Hell, Thunderstruck, Moneytalks.
Resident Evil Resistance Review
Resident Evil Resistance really wasn’t the game we wanted. After the excellent re-release of Resident Evil 2, any new title looked poor. So the announcement was received with disdain by the players.
On the other hand, after Capcom confirmed Nemesis ‘return, Resistance was quickly eclipsed from gamers’ memories. In fact, the game has even disappeared a little from the collective mind. A few months later, we finally got our hands on Resistance and Resident Evil 3, so it’s time to draw some conclusions.
Resident Evil 3 being a bit short and unfortunately unable to recreate the magic of the original game, it is obvious that Resistance serves as a consolation to consolidate the overall proposition of the game. On the other hand, to our surprise, it does not stop at this reason to be. We must admit having had a great time on this multi opus.
Even though the two are sold together, Resistance stands apart. Ironically, it might have been better if the game was included in the menus of RE3 for the latter to feel more fleshed out. So what is this multiplayer experience that works but nobody asked for? We will explain to you.
Using the same engine as RE3, this is a third-person, 4v1 multiplayer game. Graphically, it is as stunning as its opposite solo and even includes certain areas of the main title. But the graphics and sound qualities are already hallmarks of Resident Evil remakes since RE2, so let’s get to the interesting stuff.
Right now, you can choose between six different Survivors and they each have their own abilities. Becca excels with firearms, Valerie is a careful and Samuel is quite a melee-oriented. We are especially fans of January who has the ability to hack cameras and is a fan of explosives. All have their positive and negative points and interesting thing, at the start of a game, you can only choose from 4 of the 6 characters.
Video Game T-shirts are available
Everything is based on cooperation. Each part is divided into zones and you must work with your allies to move from zone to zone and complete the objectives (find a magnetic card for example). To summarize, the game consists of completing small puzzles to get out of one section and move on to the next, all while facing hordes of the living dead, naturally.
If one team member decides to go it alone, it just might hurt the rest. We mentioned a 4v1 mode, didn’t we? This is because against these four survivors stands a fifth player, in the skin of the “Mastermind”, the Brain. An evil genius who has at his disposal a number of traps and a small army of zombies to launch on the survivors. You will be able to choose from familiar faces such as Annette Birkin, who has the ability to unleash William on other players.
The Brain spies on survivors through security cameras much like Five Night at Freddy’s. Your trap options are displayed as cards. You choose what you want to lay, such as infected soil, and position it where you think it will be most useful.
There is a whole range of traps and enemies that you can deploy. A thick brute that can tank multiple hits; fast attack dogs that are hard to hit or crawling zombies that crawl on the ground and grab your ankles. After a while, you will be able to use the unique character in your Brain, and even take control of it.
Video game Shirts are available
Another very nice element in Resistance is the level system. Nothing new, of course, but it sticks well to the experience. Your characters (good and bad) can all be upgraded. Each character has a special ability, for example, Becca can channel her focus to perform a more precise shot. These abilities can be improved before games, but also during the game thanks to the money you collect while fighting.
And that’s the core of the game. Four players push their way through the hordes while a fifth tries to stop them. Despite this rather simple format, Resistance does it all in a nice way that helps extend the life of the RE3 experience.
Given that it’s available directly with the remake, it would be silly not to at least take a look at Resident Evil Resistance. We wouldn’t recommend it to you as an argument to buy the pack but if you’re hesitant to take RE3, this multi feature should be able to tip the scales. To sum up, if you’ve purchased Resident Evil 3, don’t overlook Resistance, it might surprise you.
