APRIL TENTH NEWS ROUNDUP

Independent Voter Site Balladeer’s Blog is back with another current events roundup from an America where a permanent headline could be NO MATTER WHAT TRUMP-HATERS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT TODAY THEY WOULD JUST FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO PRETEND IS THE END OF THE WORLD WITHOUT IT.

        If Trump acts, fools cry “war criminal” and if he shows restraint, they snivel “T.A.C.O.”

NATO SECRETARY GENERAL MARK RUTTE STATES THE WORLD IS ABSOLUTELY SAFER BECAUSE OF TRUMP STRIKES ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR WEAPONS CAPABILITY. The former Dutch Prime Minister also stated Trump was justifiably disappointed with various NATO members.

DEMOCRAT SENATOR FETTERMAN COURAGEOUSLY POINTS OUT THAT DEMOCRAT MEDIA OUTLETS ARE CARRYING WATER FOR IRAN. And they ignore the fact that Iran was at least as bad as rabid animal Vlad Putin’s regime. Clueless Republican failure to keep up with Democrats in the Media Arms Race is once again costing them. Much like with the current Gerrymandering fights between both major parties.

PATRICE ONWUKA PRAISES PRESIDENT TRUMP’S TAX CUTS FOR AMERICANS GETTING ELEVEN PERCENT HIGHER TAX REFUNDS THIS YEAR. The greatest president for the working class and the poor during my lifetime. 

ARTEMIS II CREW COMPLETE FIRST EVER “SHIP TO SHIP” CALL TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

UNHINGED DEMOCRAT MEDIA EMPLOYEE ABSURDLY CLAIMS “HITLER WAS LESS CRUEL THAN TRUMP.” Please learn more about history than just Hitler, Democrat vermin.

IRAN AND ITS PROXY STATES BEGIN RELEASING HOSTAGES THANKS TO TRUMP STRIKES.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FOUND GUILTY ON NINE COUNTS OF ASSAULTING HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS. Someone ask privileged white one-percenter Bruce Springsteen about this.

CONVICTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SEX OFFENDER CHARGED WITH KILLING ARKANSAS COUPLE. Thank Democrat “sanctuary” policies.

ANOTHER OF BIDEN’S ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED FOR BLUDGEONING A WOMAN TO DEATH. The latest Democrat hero.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF KILLING MARYLAND FATHER OF TWO Continue reading

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MABEL NORMAND’S BEST SILENT COMEDIES (1921-1927)

Balladeer’s Blog takes its third and final look at the best silent film comedies of the legendary comedienne Mabel Normand. For 1910-1915 click HERE. For 1916-1920 click HERE.

MOLLY O (1921) – This film was produced by Mabel’s longtime romantic partner Mack Sennett (the musical Mack & Mabel is about them) and co-written by Mary Hunt. Originally 80 minutes long, this comedy was once considered completely lost like so many other silent movies.

Part of the surviving 57 minutes of footage has an unusual survival story. Because the film centers on the romance of a poor struggling Irish girl, Molly O’Dair (Normand) and wealthy MD John Bryant (Jack Mulhall), much of the comedy centers on class stereotypes of Molly’s poor but honest family and Jack’s wealthy but villainous family.

The Soviet Union edited out all the funny parts and presented what was left as one of their propaganda films depicting life in America as one long nightmare of evil rich capitalists ridiculing and being cruel to poor working-class people.

That footage from the fallen U.S.S.R.’s film archives helped UCLA film historians flesh out what surviving footage they held with the chopped-up Russian version to make the 57-minute cut. Luckily the ending is intact and reviews from 1921 help fill in any missing story beats.

Molly’s Irish family runs a laundry and when she delivers some clothing to Dr. John Bryant, they fall for each other. Dr. Bryant is the only decent member of his family, and he & Molly struggle to make their romance work despite the snobbish machinations of his hoity-toity clan who despise the Irish.

The brother of John’s former lady is the main villain and tries to send Molly/ Mabel to her death from a high-flying dirigible in the thrilling finale. Dr. Bryant uses a bi-plane to reach the dirigible and executes a daring leap to board the lighter than air vessel so he can overcome the bad guy and save his true love.    Continue reading

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B-MOVIE HOST UNCLE TED (1974-1982, 1984-1997)

Edwin L. Raub (1921-1998) served as a paratrooper in World War Two and fought on D-Day & during Operation Market Garden. He was written about by name in Cornelius Ryan’s non-fiction book (later a movie) A Bridge Too Far about the latter action.

After the war, Raub went on to work as a magician, television sales rep, producer and announcer. While working at Scranton, Pennsylvania’s WDAU-TV, he adopted the on-air persona “Uncle Ted” and hosted The Uncle Ted Show performing magic tricks and otherwise entertaining children in the studio and at home.

Graduating to the hour-long Uncle Ted’s Children’s Party, Edwin Raub cemented his position as a local television icon. In 1974, Scranton’s WNEP-TV hired him to use his Uncle Ted persona to host their Friday nights at midnight Bad Movie show Uncle Ted’s Ghoul School, elevating his kiddy-show schtick to the more wry and sarcastic approach of hosting old and bad movies.

For this program, Edwin changed Uncle Ted’s costume to a suit and fez while adopting the air of a vaudeville-level mad museum curator to accommodate this show’s older audience. Uncle Ted performed magic tricks and acted in comedy sketches for his Host Segments.   

In 1975 WNEP reporter Bill O’Reilly, future national figure, did a 9-month stint writing for Uncle Ted’s Ghoul School to supplement his income. Already a jackass, O’Reilly (per his own year 2000 memoirs) clashed with Edwin Raub, whom Bill felt muffed his jokes too many times. Continue reading

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ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION: THE INHABITANTS OF MARS (1895)

THE INHABITANTS OF MARS: THEIR MANNERS AND ADVANCEMENT IN CIVILIZATION AND THEIR OPINION OF US (1895) – I shortened the title for this blog post heading. This novel was written by Willis Mitchell, who called himself a professor but never elaborated.

Willis served as the narrator, who interviewed a man given the pseudonym Mr. Ego. That man says he has traveled psychically or in astral form to Mars and can provide a detailed account of Mars, which even had its own version of Jesus.

NOTE: Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog may remember that as odd as that sounds, it is NOT the only example of 1800s science fiction that includes a Martian Jesus.

Mr. Ego describes Mars as having similar topography to Earth but with a reddish tint. There are no canals, he informs Mitchell. When the Martians need water, they aim electronic vibrating devices into the sky, thus causing rain to fall.  Continue reading

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NCAA D2 & D3 CHAMPIONSHIPS PLUS MORE NJCAA ACTION

NCAA DIVISION TWO

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The last two teams standing in D2 were the GANNON UNIVERSITY GOLDEN KNIGHTS and the LANDER UNIVERSITY BEARCATS. No real suspense in this title game, unfortunately, as the Golden Knights dominated Lander U. on both sides of the ball all the way. Come Halftime, Gannon had compiled a 37-21 advantage and from there they coasted to an 84-61 victory. Leading the Golden Knights was Pace Prosser with a Double Double of 28 points and 11 rebounds. Continue reading

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NEWS ROUNDUP: APRIL EIGHTH

Time for another current events roundup from Independent Voter Site Balladeer’s Blog.

IN SPECIAL GEORGIA ELECTION TO REPLACE MTG, THE TRUMP-ENDORSED CANDIDATE CLAY FULLER WINS. Like I always say, I’m skeptical about what can be read into special election results, but we all know that if the anti-Trump candidate had won Democrats would be insisting it proved Trump is doomed.

DEMOCRATS SUPPORT REQUIRING I.D. TO ENTER OBAMA’S LIBRARY BUT NOT TO VOTE. The party of insanity. 

PRESIDENT TRUMP’S POLICIES BRING PAY INCREASE TO MEATPACKERS. The greatest president for the working class and the poor during my lifetime.

DEMOCRAT “SANCTUARY” NEW YORK LET LOOSE THREE-TIMES DEPORTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT NOW CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING A FOUR-YEAR-OLD GIRL. Still no sanctuary for victims under Democrats – only for perpetrators. 

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ARRESTED FOR BEATING A WOMAN TO DEATH. Bruce Springsteen should be asked about this. Continue reading

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FORGOTTEN TELEVISION: THE GIRL WITH SOMETHING EXTRA (1973-1974)

THE GIRL WITH SOMETHING EXTRA (1973-1974) – This half-hour sitcom continued the concept of having Sally Field in possession of paranormal abilities. The Flying Nun saw her capable of flight and The Girl with Something Extra featured her comedic escapades as a young woman who was able to read people’s minds.

NBC was apparently hoping for this series about ESP to be the new version of Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie, but The Girl with Something Extra never quite gelled. Field as Sally Burton was married to John Davidson’s John Burton, a lawyer.   

The supporting cast included Terri Garr, Jack Sheldon, Zohra Lampert and William Windom. NBC lost faith in the ESP angle and often downplayed it during the 22-episode run of this show that couldn’t decide if it wanted to be about cutesy newlyweds or lean into the mind-reading element. 

THE EPISODES:

SALLY ON MY MIND – Attorney John Burton contemplates asking out Sally, a woman he’s just met. He is surprised when, out of nowhere, she tells him she is available the next night. Their whirlwind courtship ends in marriage and on their wedding night, Sally finally tells John about her ESP abilities. Feeling uncomfortable, John walks out on her but realizes he loves Sally enough to just deal with the fact that she can read his mind.

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO HIDE BUT COULDN’T – Once while kissing Sally, John is thinking about Annette Funicello instead. Naturally, Sally can tell and wears Mouseketeer ears the next time she and John canoodle. John feels embarrassed, leading to Sally telling him about men she thinks about when they are together. Continue reading

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THE ORPHIC ARGONAUTICA: PART THREE

FOR PART ONE, ITS TIES TO ORPHISM AND ITS DIFFERENCES TO THE MAINSTREAM MYTH OF THE ARGONAUTS CLICK HERE. FOR PART TWO CLICK HERE

With the Titaness Rhea placated by the funerary rites, libations and games that the Argonauts dedicated to her slain son Kyzikos, our heroes resumed their Quest for the Golden Fleece.

Reaching the Rhyndacus River in what is now southwest Turkey Jason, Orpheus and the other Argonauts paused to gather fresh water and hunt to replenish their food supplies. Herakles went hunting with his male lover Hylas and the pair got separated.

Hylas, while trying to find Herakles, encountered the Rhyndacides, nymph daughters of the river god Rhyndacus and the mountain goddess Didymos. The Rhyndacides were so awestruck by Hylas’ physical perfection that they detained him indefinitely. Continue reading

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CHAMPS CROWNED IN THE NSAC, PLUS THE NCAA D2 SEMIFINALS & MORE

NSAC

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – Fighting for the title were the NEWPORT NEWS APPRENTICE SCHOOL BUILDERS (Shipbuilders) and the URBE UNIVERSITY TIGERS. The Builders made a statement with their 39-29 Halftime advantage over URBE University. From there, they pretty much maintained distance from the Tigers for a 69-60 triumph led by Donovan Means with 17 points.

NCAA DIVISION TWO

FIRST SEMIFINAL – The LANDER UNIVERSITY BEARCATS pulled off a major Upset against the defending national champs – the NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY SHARKS. At the Half the Bearcats had NSU on Upset Alert with their 42-31 lead. After the break, Lander U. kept the Sharks at arm’s length enroute to a 91-81 victory. Twenty-five points from Greyson Pritzl led the Bearcats, while teammate Dylan Canoville got a Double Double of 18 points and 11 rebounds. Continue reading

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APRIL SIXTH NEWS ROUNDUP

Independent Voter Site Balladeer’s Blog starts the week with a current events roundup from an America where Democrats are feigning outrage that Trump used an F-bomb but we all know they would spin it as “cool” and “real” if a Democrat president did that.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP PRAISES RESCUE OF SECOND AIRMAN IN IRAN. But haters gonna hate.

TURNER: TRUMP STOPPED IRAN’S ABILITY TO BECOME A NUCLEAR SUPERPOWER. Someone had to after Obama financed their nuclear weapons program. More HERE.

A LOOK AT THE OVERSEAS TYCOONS WHO FUND THE RIDICULOUS “NO KINGS” EXERCISES IN PARANOIA AND SELF-CONGRATULATIONS. The silly little asses who attend such things need to grow up and/or seek professional help.

PRESIDENT TRUMP MAKES RETIREMENT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY AVAILABLE ONLY TO THE WEALTHY AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE. The greatest president for the working class and the poor during my lifetime.

PRIVILEGED WHITE ONE-PERCENTER STEPHEN KING, LOOKING NOTHING AT ALL LIKE A CREEP WHO STALKS CHILDREN, GETS SMACKED DOWN FOR HIS COLOSSALLY STUPID POST ON X.

DEMOCRATS FALSELY CLAIM PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS HOSPITALIZED. How stupid does someone have to be to believe Democrat lies about Trump after all these years?

VIDEO: BLACK AND GAY VOTERS ARE DONE WITH DEMOCRAT ACTIVISM.

NEW YORK TIMES DOESN’T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE FOUR LETTERS IN N.A.T.O. STAND FOR. What a farce.

SOUTH KOREA AND UKRAINE HELPING TO SECURE THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ.

IN DEMOCRAT “SANCTUARY STATE” CONNECTICUT, ICE ARRESTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT MS-13 MEMBER FOR MURDER. Victims get no sanctuary from Democrats – only perpetrators do.

ILHAN OMAR CALLED OUT FOR ASSISTING FRAUDSTER IMMIGRATION IN EXCHANGE FOR A FEE. Continue reading

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