“This is an extraordinary collection unlike anything I have ever encountered – a remarkable compilation of powerfully disturbing statements. These are the terminal documents of the twentieth century.” – J.G. Ballard
APOCALYPSE CULTURE (1987) – Call me a purist, but the only Apocalypse Culture book I like is the very first one from 1987, not the later editions nor the sequel from the year 2000. By 2000 the book was pointless and unnecessary since the internet was already replacing such publications as Apocalypse Culture, Answer Me! and much of the Loompanics catalogue.
The late Adam Palfrey edited this book, collecting the kind of transgressive, fringe, daring, paranoid, insane and sometimes just plain sophomorically shocking writings that when taken as a whole reinforce the importance of freedom of expression against both left-wing AND right-wing censorship.
Apocalypse Culture seems almost wimpy here in 2025 but it’s an interesting reminder to those of us who remember the pre-internet days, when you had to devote a lot of energy to finding such wild reading material.
WARNING! The subjects and opinions covered in Apocalypse Culture are not for people who are easily (or not so easily) offended or who cannot tolerate reading viewpoints contrary to their own. What follows is similar to the fringe horror movies I sometimes review. Mature minds only. Continue reading
THE AUTOMATIC MOTORIST (1911) – Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at another silent movie short by England’s Walter R. Booth. It’s a remake of his own 1906 short film The Mad Motorist but taken to the extreme. Running time is 6 1/2 minutes. 
JOURNEY WITH DEATH – Talimbo, one of the Indian members of the Luftschiff’s crew, has died. His widow Siva is devastated and asks to travel on the spaceship Meteor‘s next journey. Kapitan Mors okays the request little dreaming that the widow blames Machinist Mate Schrecken for stopping her from immolating herself in mourning and wants to kill him for revenge. 
Merchant Ships was written and publicly staged in approximately 424 B.C. to 421 B.C. according to the available data. It was another of Aristophanes’ comedies protesting the pointlessness of the Greek city-states warring among themselves instead of uniting against the encroachments of the Persian Empire.
FRONTIER CIRCUS (1961-1962) – The traveling Thompson & Travis Circus roams the 1880s American West performing for audiences and having adventures. 
DEPTHS OF FEAR (1st episode) – Ben Travis signs a formerly great Lion Tamer (Aldo Ray) who has become a town drunk. Ben coaches the man back to performing status despite the attempts to derail him made by a jealous bully. Guest stars Vito Scotti, James Gregory and Bethel Leslie.
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at the Union Army’s Michigan Brigade of Volunteers – nicknamed the Wolverines – from the U.S. Civil War. I’m focusing on them because, though not unknown, increasing numbers of people have taken to ignoring their contributions to the Union victory just because of the post-Civil War career of the Brigade’s commander – General George Armstrong Custer. 
The brigade was first being formed in December, 1862 and on June 29th, 1863 newly promoted General Custer assumed command. 
Balladeer’s Blog hopes all of you are having a respectful Memorial Day weekend. I’ll have a brand new Memorial Day blog post tomorrow, but for another seasonal post here are some of my Memorial Day offerings from years past. 
2012 – 
2013 – 
Balladeer’s Blog offers up a Memorial Day weekend post. In keeping with World War One’s “Eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” tradition that spawned Veterans Day in November, here are eleven WW1 figures who were awarded the Medal of Honor. 
JAKE ALLEX 
Balladeer's Blog 