Here is another college team staying far away from the overused names like Eagles, Tigers, Bulldogs and Wildcats.
QUINCY COLLEGE Continue reading
MYRA BRECKINRIDGE (1970) – LEGENDARILY BAD
MYRA BRECKINRIDGE (1970) – This film is based on the novel by Gore Vidal, who once called director John Waters “the pope of trash.” Well, Gore, Waters never had anything to do with Myra Breckinridge in any of its forms, so you have no room to talk.
This year in which there is no escaping online arguments over Barbie and cinematic depictions of masculinity, femininity, transexuals, garish camp and so much more, it seemed the perfect time for me to review another of the all-time worst movies ever made: Myra Breckinridge.
First up, a summary of the plot – Myron Breckinridge, played by THE Rex Reed, the famed film critic, is fascinated with Hollywood and is conflicted about his sexuality AND about societal notions of masculinity. Myron believes that the film industry has distorted and perverted masculinity into what would today be called by certain people a “toxic” stew of rabid machismo.
Myron himself, who wants to be a woman, is more into the Hollywood musicals and romances of a bygone era and blames the film industry for providing what he sees as negative role models for young males. Myron has a sex change operation, going in as Rex Reed and coming out as Raquel Welch. No, I’m not kidding.
Next, as Myra Breckinridge instead of Myron, the character goes to Hollywood to work at the acting school run by her uncle – former cowboy star Buck Loner … played by JOHN FREAKING HUSTON! Myra’s plan is to change the way male thespians behave and how men are portrayed in film so that she can destroy the very concept of traditional macho movie heroes forever.
It says a lot that Gore Vidal originally conceived all this as satire, because here in 2023 there are big names in Hollywood who really do mouth such inane sentiments with 100% seriousness while they lecture the rest of us about “toxic masculinity”, etc. Continue reading
Filed under Bad and weird movies
A PESTILENT VAPOR (1903) ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION
A PESTILENT VAPOR (1903) – Written by Alice MacGowan, this neglected story introduced a figure who should have become as famous in his way as H.G. Wells’ Invisible Man.
The tale is set in “the far future” of 1950. The mad scientist Dr Sylvester assassinates the U.S. President for refusing to grant Sylvester the appointment he wanted to an overseas post where he could continue his bizarre experiments.
The not so good doctor is taken into custody and gets even more spiteful satisfaction out of the way the country is rife with rioting and protests. Dr Sylvester wants to further his plans by exploiting the spreading anarchy and disappears from his prison cell.
Sylvester has discovered a way of transforming his body into a gaseous state. When no one was watching him he turned into a vapor and drifted out of the prison, returning to his human form when he had reached safety. Continue reading
Filed under Ancient Science Fiction
NEWS, MEME AND POLITICAL CARTOON ROUNDUP FOR AUGUST 7th
Independent Voter Site Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at some of the latest from Joe Biden’s corporate fascist kleptocracy.
GROUP “BLACKS FOR TRUMP” RALLY AROUND TRUMP DURING THE DEMOCRATS’ RIDICULOUS TRUMP INDICTMENTS. A MUST READ. Their words and the video are inspiring. One of their comments: “(E)verything Jack Smith is charging him with, Biden did it times 300.” Naturally, Democrats use racist slurs against them.
BIDEN REGIME DROPS ANOTHER CHARGE AGAINST HUGE BIDEN DONOR SAM BANKMAN-FRIED FROM THE FTX SCANDALS. You expected something different?
TERRIFIC PIECE ABOUT THE BIDEN CRIME FAMILY AND THEIR ACCOMPLICES.
COURAGEOUS DEMOCRAT ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. LAUNCHES FREE SPEECH LAWSUIT AGAINST GOOGLE. RFK Jr. is opposed by the same thugs who harass Donald Trump and Tulsi Gabbard.
NEW YORK TIMES ASKS READERS TO COMPARE JOE BIDEN TO AN ANIMAL – RESPONDENTS RIP BIDEN TO PIECES. “A sloth,” “a snail”, “a turtle” were some answers, plus this one: “A meerkat,” said Milan, a New Hampshire Independent. “Anytime it’s nice out, his head’s up, and then as soon as something goes wrong, he’s just gone again.”
THE UGLINESS UNLEASHED BY DEMOCRATS WITH THEIR ABSURD TRUMP INDICTMENTS. American politics sinks to a new low.
BIDEN REGIME AGAIN THREATENS REPORTERS. Under Biden’s predecessor, anything remotely like this was hysterically labeled a “war on journalism”. Continue reading
Filed under Neglected History, opinion
BALLADEER’S BLOG’S PRESEASON FOOTBALL TOP 20: NAIA
On Thursday, August 24th, the 2023 college football season will kick off in the divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog. Below is my Preseason Top 25 for the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics).
*** 1. MORNINGSIDE UNIVERSITY MUSTANGS ### 2. NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS ### 3. KEISER UNIVERSITY SEAHAWKS ### 4. MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS ### 5. LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS ###
6. SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE MOUNDBUILDERS ### 7. GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS (should be Zebras) ### 8. BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS ### 9. REINHARDT UNIVERSITY EAGLES (should be Rottweilers) ### 10. INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS ### Continue reading
Filed under college football
AUGUST 2018: LOOKING BACK
FOR PART ONE (2016) OF THIS RETROSPECTIVE FROM INDEPENDENT VOTER SITE BALLADEER’S BLOG CLICK HERE.
ANOTHER AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADER PREDICTS TRUMP WILL BE “THE MOST PRO-BLACK PRESIDENT OF OUR LIFETIME.”
BLOATED BIG TECH RICH PIGS SETTING THEMSELVES UP AS GLOBAL CENSORS. And since the year 2018 all of us have seen that statement become more and more accurate, I’m afraid.
ROB SMITH – BLACK GAY MAN DECIDES TO #WALKAWAY FROM THE DIVISIVE AND HATEMONGERING DEMOCRAT PARTY. More HERE. “Smith, who grew up a Democrat, said the party is all about keeping people in line.
“I think Democrats use identity politics to keep people in line,” Smith explained. “To keep black people in line. To keep Latinos in line. To keep gay people in line. I’m black and gay, and I have seen them use the same tactics for black people as they do for gay people.”
DYSTOPIA NATION: THE NEW COLONIALISM – More relevant than ever here in 2023. It’s HERE.
SALIM MANSUR ON DEMOCRATS REWRITING HISTORY HERE.
PRESIDENTIAL LOSERS: PROS AND CONS – If you liked my tongue-in-cheek look at Presidential Pros and Cons, give this similar bashing of both political parties a try. It’s HERE.
DEMOCRATS LOVE CORPORATE FASCISM – You can read it step by step HERE.
ANTIFA IS REALLY KLAN-TIFA – “KLANtifa members seem to be mostly white children of privilege who have a very simple-minded view of the world. Plus, they’re intolerant cowards who hide behind masks.” It’s HERE. Continue reading
Filed under Neglected History, opinion
JUSTICE SOCIETY: 1948 STORIES
For this weekend’s light-hearted, escapist blog post about superheroes, Balladeer’s Blog goes back to the Justice Society of America, this country’s very first superteam.
Years ago, I covered the early years of the JSA, from their first appearance in December 1940 up to their December 1945 issue, which wrapped up their World War Two tales with a look at disabled veterans. Earlier this summer I covered their 1946 stories and their 1947 stories.
ALL STAR COMICS Vol 1 #39 (February 1948)
Title: The Invasion From Fairyland
Justice Society Roster: Dr. Mid-Nite, Johnny Thunder, the 1st Wonder Woman, 1st Flash, 1st Green Lantern, 1st Atom, 1st Black Canary, and 1st Hawkman
Villainess: The Lorelei
Synopsis: Every thousand years, a portal appears connecting Fairyland to the real world for 24 hours. The Lorelei, evil ruler of Fairyland, wants to lead an army of evil figures from fairy tales to take over the Earth.
The JSA members enter Fairyland and try to stop the Lorelei, a basilisk, a griffin, a dragon, Gallifron the Ogre, tinderbox dogs and a giant from using the portal to invade Earth. Lorelei leads her army in destructive attacks around the globe. Continue reading
Filed under Superheroes
LONG HENRY: NEGLECTED GUNSLINGER. HAPPY FRONTIERADO 2023!
HAPPY FRONTIERADO! The first Friday of every August marks this holiday devoted to the myth of the old west rather than the grinding reality. For some of us the celebration kicks off Thursday night, for others they wait until the actual day of Frontierado to hold their festivities. Enjoy your buffalo steaks, rattlesnake fried rice, corn on the cob, tumbleweed pizza, cactus salad and more today and tonight, and enjoy the leftovers on Saturday and Sunday.
Kid Russell’s painting of Long Henry, seen at left
LONG HENRY – Henry Thompson aka Henry Pell was born in 1866 in the Texas Panhandle. His mother was Cherokee, and his father was a white soldier or, by some accounts, a freight driver. Long Henry referred to his mother having to use a bread board for his cradle because of how poor their family was.
Of his father, the gunslinger stated that the man fought Native Americans and outlaws, but no details have come down to us. In his teens, Long Henry joined up with the Henry Starr Gang, taking part in rustling and armed robberies of banks, trains, post offices, and general stores. Continue reading
Filed under FRONTIERADO
THE DENVER DOLL: DIME NOVEL HEROINE (1882-1883)
THE DENVER DOLL – The annual Frontierado Holiday will be tomorrow, Friday August 4th. Here is yet another seasonal post while there is still time.
The Denver Doll was one of the many Dime Novel heroines created by author Edward L. Wheeler. Previously, Balladeer’s Blog examined his very first gun-toting Wild West woman, Hurricane Nell. Next, I reviewed Wheeler’s books that featured Baltimore Bess and Cinnamon Chip, two other western heroines who fought the forces of evil in the old west.
This time around my subject is the Denver Doll, whose adventures were published in 1882 and 1883. Her four Dime Novels were:
DENVER DOLL, THE DETECTIVE QUEEN; or YANKEE EISLER’S BIG SURROUND (November 14th, 1882) – In this debut appearance, the Denver Doll’s two fisted, gunslinging, card playing, crimefighting nature is established, along with her mysterious past. The heroine’s secrets aren’t revealed until her fourth and final tale.
To start off Denver Doll’s saga, she takes on Road Agents in Colorado and the evil Mademoiselle Zoe. Alongside the Doll are her sidekicks Yakie Strauss the Dutchman, a “warm-hearted and brave” African American named Fitzwalter August “Walt” Christie and a hard-drinking, roguish Chinese man called Chug. Continue reading
Filed under FRONTIERADO
AUGUST 2nd ROUNDUP OF NEWS, MEMES AND POLITICAL CARTOONS
On the surgery front, my family member is doing even better so far today, so I had a few minutes to compile this latest roundup from Independent Voter site Balladeer’s Blog.
YAAAWN. Another purely political, nonsense indictment against Trump by the Kleptocrat-in-Chief Joe Biden, this time over the mass-trespassing incident on January 6th, 2021. I’ve said all I need to say about this idiocy HERE.
ARCHER’S TESTIMONY SKEWERS THE BIDEN CRIME FAMILY. More HERE, and HERE
DEMOCRAT MEDIA OUTLETS CIRCLE THE WAGONS AROUND THE BIDEN CRIME FAMILY.
BIDEN REGIME’S ONGOING EFFORTS TO INTIMIDATE WITNESSES. Joe Biden is a large clump of bacteria sculpted into human form.
SOME GREAT PIECES ABOUT THE UGLY WAR ON TRUMP BY THE BIDEN REGIME – Read them HERE, HERE, HERE, Just as people came to just accept the fact that politicians take bribes and graft money, Joe Biden has now made indictment warfare a likely fixture of American presidential politics moving forward. As if our cesspool of a system wasn’t already bad enough.
FITCH RATINGS DOWNGRADES AMERICA’S CREDIT RATING DUE TO BIDEN’S DISASTROUS ECONOMIC POLICIES. The Regime’s media outlets try to spin this. Pathetic.
BUT TURNING TO THINGS THAT HAVE ACTUAL EVIDENCE, EVEN MORE PROOF THAT CREEPY JOE BIDEN TOOK WHAT HIS DAUGHTER ASHLEY BIDEN CALLED “INAPPROPRIATE” SHOWERS WITH HER WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD. Yeah, I was skeptical about this at first, years ago, but the mountains of evidence to emerge convinced me long ago that this is indeed true and that Joe Biden is an even lower life form than suspected. But hey, maybe Trump can be tied to the Jimmy Hoffa disappearance by America’s joke of a system. Continue reading
Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion
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