Branded Funk and Horror

Darkness falls across the land, the midnight hour is close at hand. Creatures crawl in search of blood, to terrorize the neighborhood—and whosoever shall be found without the soul for getting down, must stand and face the hounds of hell. We bring the funk of forty thousand years, while grizzly ghouls from every tomb are closing in to seal your doom. Fight though you might to stay alive, your body starts to shiver. For no mere mortal can resist the evil of the ... thriller*!

The werewolf—found in ancient texts as far back as those by Herodotus, references to werewolves were not flights of fanciful horror. They were believed real and several accounts given by eyewitnesses. Indeed, it was reported that a Scythian tribe morphed into werewolves one each year, changing back after a few days. Here is more ancient evidence of the werewolf's curse.    

The mummy’s initial service in the horror genre began with The Mummy! Or a Tale of the Twenty-Second Century. This science fiction novel made mummies weird right from the start. Written in 1827, the odd twist was dropping an ancient mummy into the 22nd Century. It’s like a demented Buck Rogers. Of course, Bram Stoker (of Dracula fame) did his part to stoke the horror perceptions of the gift-wrapped demons. Together with other storytellers, Loudon and Stoker built the foundations for mummy awareness. Here is the answer to what spurred fascination with these mindless, stomping corpses of the past.

Dracula impaled victims made up of political opponents or Turks captured on the battlefield, and left them to slowly slide down a wooden spike in agony and without mercy, until they bled out. Death often took days. The near dead and corpses were left on the spikes as birds pecked and tore at their rotting flesh. Here are the answers to why Dracula scare invading Turks.

*Introduction unabashedly lifted from Michael Jackson's song, Thriller.

D-Day—a Beginning to an End

Operation Overlord, otherwise known as D-Day—6 June 1944, marked the beginning of a year long effort to conclude the European theater of World War II. Unless you live under a rock, it's no secret the day was long, bloody, and the hinge of ultimate victory or defeat for both sides. Perseverance, sacrifice, and just plain grit gave the Allies the edge—and thankfully so.

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day, below are posts relevant to the entire war, fitting to give texture and context to the event that lit the fuse to the War's end. Therefore submitted for your approval...

An Infamous Brand – Pearl Harbor was a watershed moment for the United States of America. Reminiscent of Hannibal's defeat of Rome at Cannae, Japan made the same errors and let loose a sleeping giant. Also watch this short clip: Living in Infamy. 

Eye of the Tiger – One of the wildest Team Brands from World War II, and highly effective to Tojo's chagrin, are the Flying Tigers. These were hard living, fast flying, ruthless-in-the-skies pilots and ground crews that made Japan think twice. Sit back for the whole nine yards and learn more.

Red Tails – To squadrons of bomber crews gritting it out in the skies over Europe, the Red Tails were angels on their shoulders. This is "Pure-D" American, and it showed that absolutely no color mattered except one—Red. Push the throttle balls to the wall and learn more.

The Original Inglorious Bastard – The Churchill name is synonymous with British resolve and toughness. While Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II,  he was singularly defiant of Hitler and repeated NAZI assaults on the Brits. Dig in your heals alongside this wartime icon to learn more.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt – FDR held up as one of the greatest of the U.S. presidents. Elected to office four times, Roosevelt presided during the Great Depression and World War II, all while battling a crippling disease. Take a fireside seat to learn more.

A new deal           A new deal for new hope 

The Blue Ghost – That nickname was given to the aircraft carrier Lexington (CV-16) during World War II. She earned it from her enemy, the Imperial Japanese, and it was popularized by the propagandist, Tokyo Rose. Dive in to learn why.

A Presidential Brand

Serving in the Oval Office of the White House is no small thing. The people who serve as its primary occupant are of extraordinary resolve. And so it is that we observe Presidents' Day, although it is really the unofficial name for Washington's Birthday—that actual legal holiday commemorating the birth of our first president. We use the day to not only remember Washington and Lincoln, whose birthday falls in February but to celebrate all those who've served in the Oval Office.

Below are some doozies. Each of these presidents brought something unique to the role which helped define it and, had something personally and profoundly admirable. These are men we think we know well, but you might be surprised that there are some details you don't know—and are worth your interest.

Therefore, submitted for your approval...

George Washington: Our first president was a man well prepared to lead our nation against the British. If there was one better, he never surfaced. Not only did Washington serve our budding nation with honor—his leadership demonstrated deep conviction for that which he fought.

Abe Lincoln: As commander in chief for the Civil War, he was never a soldier, but he studied hard about military history and tactics while leading a nation through that divisive conflict. And for his duty, he gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Theodore Roosevelt: Some would argue that Teddy Roosevelt was the greatest U.S. president of the 20th Century, perhaps of all time. Few presidents have had as much impact on the evolution of American status, policy—both foreign and domestic, while influencing future presidents of both major parties. For this one, it took three entries to tell his story.

A bully brand        The bully pulpit         The old lion

Franklin Delano Roosevelt: FDR, as he was known, is held up as one of the greatest of the U.S. presidents. Elected to office four times, Roosevelt presided during the Great Depression and World War II, all while battling a crippling disease. Like his cousin, Teddy, Roosevelt has lasting influence on American politics, even today. Many of his Depression-era programs remain in effect, leaving his legacy both revered and reviled.