Monthly Archives: April 2014

THE PARTY CRASHERS (1958) – ON THE TEXAS 27 FILM VAULT

Mysterious Doctor SatanIn the middle 1980’s/ Way down on Level 31 –

Before MST3K there was … The Texas 27 Film Vault!

Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of this neglected cult show from the mid-1980′s.

EPISODE ORIGINALLY BROADCAST: Saturday September 13th, 1986 from 10:30pm to 1:00am.

Randy (right) and Richard way down on Level 31 hosting The Texas 27 Film Vault

Randy (right) and Richard way down on Level 31 hosting The Texas 27 Film Vault

EXTRAS: This episode featured Randy and Richard’s interview with Denver Pyle, who appears in the film being riffed on, The Party Crashers. They taped the interview with him at Ben Johnson’s ranch earlier in the year. The interview would be rerun when The Texas 27 Film Vault showed The Flying Saucer, another film with Denver Pyle in a supporting role. OR as some T27FV fans have claimed The Flying Saucer was shown by Randy and Richard during the summer of 1986 so the Denver Pyle interview was being run for the second time in TONIGHT’S episode. When or if I can confirm or nail down the specifics I will adjust this entry.

SERIAL: Before presenting and mocking The Party Crashers our machine-gun wielding Film Vault Technicians First Class presented and mocked an episode of Mysterious Doctor Satan, a Republic serial from 1940. The serial featured a mad scientist called Dr Satan trying to take over the world with a VERY goofy- looking robot while a pulp-style hero called the Copperhead tried to thwart his plans.     Continue reading

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Filed under Bad and weird movies, Movie Hosts

COLLEGE BASEBALL: BALLADEER’S BLOG’S LATEST RANKINGS

lindenwood-belleville lynxUSCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association) – 1. UNIVERSITY OF LINDENWOOD AT BELLEVILLE LYNX      ###      2. NEWPORT NEWS APPRENTICE SCHOOL BUILDERS      ###      3. PSU- GREATER ALLEGHENY LIONS      ###      4. SELMA UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS      ###      5. UNIVERSITY OF CINCINATTI AT CLERMONT COUGARS      ###      

ave-maria-university-gyrenes6. AVE MARIA UNIVERSITY GYRENES      ###      7. SOUTHERN MAINE COLLEGE SEAWOLVES      ###      8. CANTON STATE UNIVERSITY KANGAROOS      ###     9. SOUTHERN VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS      ###      ###      10. ROCHESTER COLLEGE WARRIORS      ###       Continue reading

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Filed under College Baseball

THE MUSLIM MARATHON MASSACRE: ONE YEAR LATER

A SYMBOL OF HATRED AND SLAVERY

A SYMBOL OF HATRED AND SLAVERY

BREAKING NEWS: Liberals and Conservatives still suck.

Yes it was a year ago that the world got another reminder about the blood-soaked, homophobic and misogynistic savagery called Islam when the Tsarnaev brothers set off explosives at the Boston Marathon and seemed proud of it. As if the attack itself wasn’t repulsive enough the American media made it even worse by once again showing their ugly biases. Remember how they spent a few days implying that since the attack happened on Tax Day it must have been Tea Party members (the favorite bogeymen of the American left) who set off the explosives? When the culprits turned out to be Muslims those same outlets looked even more foolish than they usually do. Yes, whiny Liberals, I know Fox News Channel and talk radio show conservative bias but all the other news outlets show liberal bias that is at least as blatant. Grow up and deal with it already.

As I pointed out last year after the attacks were revealed to be Islamic in nature and not tax-related: Continue reading

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Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, opinion

THE TOP NEGLECTED CONSPIRACY KOOK THEORIES

mascot chair and bottle picHere at Balladeer’s Blog I enjoy treating conspiracy theories as a form of modern-day mythology. Just like mythology and religions conspiracy theories are irrational explanations for occurrences or situations that have much more rational explanations. And since I REALLY love obscure items that have dropped off the radar to a certain degree here’s a look at a few conspiracy kook ideas that were so crazy it’s almost a shame to see them not being discussed as much anymore.  

Adam WeishauptADAM WEISHAUPT: THE MAN ON THE ONE DOLLAR BILL – Even though Illuminati conspiracies have gone through the roof in recent decades this particular little nugget has gotten neglected. When the first meeting of Weishaupt’s Illuminati was held on May 1st, 1776 the nutcase theory goes that the conspirators had already laid out their plans to have two future superpowers, the United States, declare its independence that year AND for May 1st (the future May Day) to be the big annual holiday for the other one, the eventual Soviet Union. Continue reading

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Filed under Milestones In Stupidity

COLLEGE WRESTLING: 2014 CHAMPIONS

Grand View VikingsNAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)

National Champions: GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS (3rd in a row)

Runners-Up: UNIVERSITY OF GREAT FALLS ARGONAUTS

2013 Champions: GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS

newportnewsApprentice-school-builderUSCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association)

National Champions: NEWPORT NEWS APPRENTICE SCHOOL BUILDERS (3rd in a row) 

Runners-Up: ALFRED STATE PIONEERS

2013 Champions: NEWPORT NEWS APPRENTICE SCHOOL BUILDERS   Continue reading

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Filed under college sports

PULP HERO: NORTHWEST SMITH

Northwest Smith

Northwest Smith

Previously Balladeer’s Blog has done a story-by- story examination of the neglected pulp heroes Silver John and the Moon Man. Now begins a look at the pulp adventures of that often neglected 1930’s science fiction hero Northwest Smith.

THE HERO: Space traveling anti-hero Smith was created by the female writer C.L. Moore in the 1930′s. Four decades before Han Solo, Northwest Smith was a ruthless swashbuckling smuggler, thief and all-around mercenary. Smith’s less than sterling character made him a refreshing change from the usually wholesome pulp heroes of the time.

THE STORIES: Northwest Smith’s adventures take place in the far future, when regular trade exists between Earth and the native inhabitants of Mars and Venus. The other planets in the solar system have been colonized by those Big Three worlds, providing a backdrop that combines elements of westerns, seagoing adventures and colonial-era war stories. Continue reading

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COLLEGE BASEBALL: BALLADEER’S BLOG’S LATEST RANKINGS

* NAIA *

OklahomaBaptist-_Bison_150p1. OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY BISON      ###      2. LEWIS-CLARK STATE WARRIORS      ###      3. GEORGIA GWINNETT COLLEGE GRIZZLIES      ###      4. BELHAVEN COLLEGE BLAZERS       ###      5. OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY STARS       ###       Continue reading

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APPROPRIATELY RENAMED SPORTS TEAM: THE BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY COWARDS

Frederick Lawrence, Brandeis U's cowardly and hypocritical president, is the perfect mascot for such a spineless institution.

Frederick Lawrence, Brandeis U’s cowardly and hypocritical president, is the perfect mascot for such a spineless institution.

Location: Cowering under a bed somewhere

Conference Affiliation: Institutions Too Cowardly To Defy Muslim Homophobia and Misogyny

Comment: Balladeer’s Blog is renaming the Brandeis University sports teams to reflect their recent gutless decision to rescind the honorary degree they were extending to Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the courageous woman who defies death threats from Muslim fanatics by continuing her criticism of the religion whose oppressive nature caused her to flee two countries now.

Brandeis spinelessy claimed that after Islamist pressure group C.A.I.R. and others brought attention to Ali’s criticism of Islam’s barbaric treatment of women, including genital mutilation, Brandeis’ administration rescinded the honorary degree they were scheduled to confer upon her. Continue reading

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Filed under Cool names and cool logos

A VOYAGE TO THE WORLD OF CARTESIUS: MORE “ANCIENT” SCIENCE FICTION FROM BALLADEER’S BLOG

Voyage to the World of CartesiusA VOYAGE TO THE WORLD OF CARTESIUS (AKA DESCARTES) (1690) – By Gabriel Daniel. This book dealt with a journey to the moon, the planets and ultimately to the “space beyond the universe”. The author’s use of “space” in this sense is often cited as the oldest known use of the word regarding concepts of “outer space” and “space travel”.

If you enjoyed Monty Python’s Philosopher Drinking Song you should enjoy A Voyage to the World of Cartesius (Descartes). Daniel depicted himself on a search to contact the soul of the philosopher Rene Descartes. In keeping with Cartesian philosophy’s separation of mind and body Descartes was shown drifting through space, employing his philosophy to “correct” mistakes that were made by the Mad Genius Creator of the Universe. Continue reading

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Filed under Ancient Science Fiction

EQUAL PAY DAY: OBAMA’S WHITE HOUSE STILL PAYS WOMEN MUCH LESS THAN IT PAYS THE MEN

Equal PayYes, it’s National Equal Pay Day, on which we once again observe that Obama is one of the most hypocritical demagogues in history! While continuing his usual public pose that he is big on women’s issues Little Barry still refuses to give women equal pay! Typical cheap lip service!  Continue reading

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Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES