COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM OCTOBER 2nd

HEADLINES

Charleston Golden Eagles helmet NEWTOPPLING NUMBER SIX – In NCAA Division Two, the UNIVERSITY OF CHARLESTON GOLDEN EAGLES played host to the number 6 team in the nation – the NOTRE DAME COLLEGE FALCONS (School Motto: “No, not THAT Notre Dame”). The Golden Eagles put the Falcons on Upset Alert with a 17-14 Halftime lead and ultimately won the game 38-28.

West Alabama Tigers helmet NEWNUMBER NINE FALLS, TOO – Staying in D2 for a moment, the 23rd ranked UNIVERSITY OF WEST ALABAMA TIGERS took it on the road against the country’s number 9 UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA WOLVES. A 24-17 lead for the Tigers at the break ended up in a 38-20 Upset victory for them.   

erskine flying fleetHISTORY IN THE NCCAA – The ERSKINE COLLEGE FLYING FLEET, in their very first year of intercollegiate football, notched their first ever victory yesterday. It came against their guests the VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY OF LYNCHBURG DRAGONS. The Flying Fleet were chasing the Dragons 7-3 in the opening Quarter but were on top 24-7 come Halftime. They never looked back on their way to a 59-13 blowout. Continue reading

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SPIDER-MAN: 1970s CLASSICS PART SIX – THE MOLTEN MAN

Here’s Part Six of Spider-Man 1970s Classics. For Part One click HERE.

spider man 132SPIDER-MAN Vol 1 #132 (May 1974)

Title: The Master Plan of the Molten Man

Villain: The Molten Man

Synopsis: With Peter Parker’s Aunt May finally out of the clutches of Doctor Octopus and being taken care of by her new roommate Anna Watson (Mary Jane’s aunt), Peter as Spider-Man is swinging his way around New York City one night a few weeks later.  He comes across a few cops investigating a strange break-in at the Metropolitan Museum.

Clinging to the ceiling and staying out of the way of the investigating officers, Spider-Man goes unnoticed as the investigation reveals that the break-in was committed by a supervillain who could burst through walls as well as melt locks and leave burned-in footprints in the floor. The thief stole meteor fragments from one of the displays then left.

Just as Spider-Man realizes this must have been the work of his old foe Molten Man, whom he fought two times previously, the cops notice him and open fire. At this time our hero is still wanted in regard to a pair of murders – of Captain John Stacy and Norman Osborn. (He won’t be cleared for years.) Continue reading

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THE OLD GODS WAKEN (1979): HALLOWEEN MONTH BEGINS

Silver John

Silver John

THE OLD GODS WAKEN (1979) – Another Halloween Month begins here at Balladeer’s Blog with this look at the first novel featuring Manly Wade Wellman’s iconic Pulp Hero Silver John. In 2011 I reviewed all of Wellman’s short stories and vignettes about this figure. The Old Gods Waken was the first of five Silver John novels.

For newcomers to these tales I’ll point out that Silver John aka John the Balladeer was a wandering guitar player in the Appalachian Mountain communities of yore. He would do battle with assorted supernatural menaces from mountain folklore like a combination of Kolchak and Orpheus. John’s silver guitar strings and silver coins were powerful repellants against much of the evils he faced down.

For more details on this neglected fictional hero click HERE or HERE or HERE. If you want an easy comparison the Silver John stories were based on the same type of mountain/ country folklore about music and the supernatural that the song The Devil Went Down To Georgia was based on.

silver john another coverThe Old Gods Waken deals with Silver John performing with other musicians at a music festival, then getting drawn into a property line dispute between the Forshay family and two sinister British men calling themselves Brummitt and Hooper Voth. As usual in our hero’s travels there are dark supernatural forces at work behind this boundary dispute – forces ultimately dealing with Pre-Columbian entities and transplanted Druidism.

I enjoy the Silver John short works far more than the novels and this book reflects plenty of reasons why. If The Old Gods Waken is a reader’s first exposure to the wandering balladeer then they might like it much better than I do based on the strength of the character and Manly Wade Wellman’s ear for old mountain dialects. As for me, I’ll explore the reasons why I think this novel embodies all the shortcomings of the (still very good) long form Silver John adventures.    Continue reading

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“HIS WORD AS A BIDEN?” JOE BIDEN IS NOT ALL THERE, IS HE?

biden blood on handsWE NEED ALTERNATE PARTIES! Recently Joe Biden, the corrupt establishment hack residing in the White House, actually sealed one of his meaningless promises by saying “I give you my word as a Biden.” Let’s take a look at what Creepy Sleepy Joe’s “word as a Biden” is worth. It will help make Biden getting booed at the Congressional baseball game even funnier.

*** JOE BIDEN COMES FROM A SLAVE-OWNING FAMILY.

*** JOE BIDEN EULOGIZED AN OFFICIAL IN THE KU KLUX KLAN, HIS FELLOW DEMOCRAT SENATOR ROBERT BYRD.

*** JOE BIDEN REPRESENTS EVERY SINGLE POLICY WHICH THE WORLD HATED AMERICA FOR OVER THE PAST FIVE DECADES.

biden cone*** JOE BIDEN HAS BEEN CAUGHT IN COUNTLESS LIES OVER THE YEARS, INCLUDING MANY THAT ARE DELUSIONALLY SELF-AGGRANDIZING. 

*** JOE BIDEN DEVIATED FROM THE CAREFUL AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL PLANS OF HIS PREDECESSOR AND OUR NATO ALLIES, THEREBY UNLEASHING A BLOOD BATH AND A HOSTAGE SITUATION WHICH HE CONTINUES TO LIE ABOUT. 

*** JOE BIDEN IS AN ACCUSED RAPIST AND THE WHOLE “C’MON, MAN” MEME ABOUT BIDEN CAME FROM THE WORDS HIS ALLEGED RAPE VICTIM SAID HE USED – “C’MON, MAN, I HEARD YOU LIKED ME.” Believe All Women.

*** JOE RUNS WHAT IS BASICALLY “THE BIDEN CRIME FAMILY” WITH HIS SON HUNTER BIDEN AS THE VIRTUAL UNDERBOSS FUNNELING BRIBE MONEY TO “THE BIG GUY” VIA PHONY SALES OF HIS “ARTWORK.”

biden n word*** JOE BIDEN IS A NOTED RACIST (LIKE HIS SON HUNTER) AND IS KNOWN FOR HIS HARSH CRIME LEGISLA-TION WHICH DISPROPORTIONATELY DAMAGED PEOPLE OF COLOR. (And remember Joe’s remarks like “If you don’t vote for me, then you ain’t black.”) 

*** JOE BIDEN CANNOT EXPLAIN HOW HE BECAME WORTH OVER 150 MILLION DOLLARS ON A SENATOR’S PAY FOR DECADES. Joe’s corruption scandals might give reasonable people an idea, though. Continue reading

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FOOL KILLER FIFTY-NINE: SEPTEMBER 1912

Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of the many facets of Fool Killer lore. FOR PART ONE, INCLUDING THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT IN THE 1850s, CLICK HERE 

PART 59 – Some of the Fool Killer’s targets in the September of 1912 edition of James Larkin Pearson’s publication:

Fool Killer gray*** Child labor, which the U.S. Supreme Court kept upholding in yet another of its series of disgraceful sagas. These attacks were noble, but it has to be said that Pearson’s Fool Killer came nowhere close to Klarenc Wade Mak’s version of the folk figure when it came to attacking the atrocity of child labor. (In America in 1912 over two million children were working in mines, mills and factories.) 

*** People who opposed nationwide voting rights for women.  

*** An unnamed High Society family which held an invitation-only meal for themselves and ninety-nine other bloated rich pigs. The ASS-ociated Press (As Pearson and his Fool Killer always called the AP) breathlessly reported on it the same way the media of today gives groveling coverage to such monumentally vain celebrity affairs.

              The meal cost ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS in 1912, the equivalent of $2,775,000.00 here in 2021. The Fool Killer pointed out how many meals the $100,000.00 could have bought for the starving poor. I’m a bit torn, though, because at least back then bloated rich pigs weren’t constantly talking down to the rest of us about their “causes” while wasting that much money. Hundreds of butterflies and birds were released into the air as part of the festivities.

Continue reading

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL RANKINGS FROM BALLADEER’S BLOG (NAIA & NCCAA)

Lindsey_Wilson_KYNAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)   1. LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS (defending national champions)    ###     2. MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS   ###    3. NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS   ###    4. INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS   ###   

Southwestern College Moundbuilders NEW5. SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE MOUNDBUILDERS    ###     6. GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS (should be the Zebras)    ###    7. BAKER UNIVERSITY WILDCATS    ###     8. KANSAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY COYOTES    ###      Continue reading

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ROLLER BLADE (1986): POST-APOCALYPSE PAP

roller bladeROLLER BLADE (1986) – They’re the Cosmic Order of the Roller Blade and they’re female Jedi Knights on roller skates. Well, sort of. Where does one begin when reviewing this film that is so beloved by all of us fans of bad movies? Let’s start with the setting and then tackle the characters as well as Roller Blade’s legendary director Donald G Jackson (R.I.P.). 

This film is set in the future during The Second Dark Age, years after humanity’s “energy weapons” have unleashed an apocalypse which has left the world a ravaged mess of ruined cities yet immaculately maintained roads and highways. Go figure.

Amid the usual tableau of feral gangs and predatory mutants there stands a force for good dedicated to rebuilding the world: a religious order of warrior nuns called the Cosmic Order of the Roller Blade … Even though none of them wear actual roller blades, just regular roller skates. 

skate or die“Skate or Die” is the ugly motto of the survivors in this kill or be killed future. That’s because the filmmakers absurdly pretend that traveling via roller skates or skateboards is the only way to move swiftly enough to have a chance of evading the dangerous gangs and mutants.

If you have any goods or supplies that you are taking with you the only way to transport them is in metal grocery carts that can roll along with you as you skate through the post-apocalyptic landscape. I’m not joking. This grocery cart nonsense is another idiotic element that the movie takes 100% seriously despite how inane it looks. 

Our characters:

Mother SpeedMOTHER SPEED (Katina Garner) – The Mother Superior of the Order of the Roller Blade. She is in a wheelchair yet still wears roller skates on her feet since such skates are part of the Order’s sacred garments. Mother Speed, like all the good guys in Roller Blade, speaks in grandiose faux-Shakespearean littered with “thees” and “thous” and “yea, verilies.” ESPECIALLY “yea, verilies.” 

Making Mother Speed even more fun is the way she speaks with a weird accent that makes her sound like popular 1980s sex therapist Dr Ruth Westheimer. Continue reading

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DEMOCRAT ATROCITY ROUNDUP: SEPTEMBER 27th

democrats white collar crimeLike the repulsive George W Bush, Joe Biden was “selected, not elected” as becomes clearer and clearer with the investigations into the forever tainted 2020 presidential election. (links below) 

A. THE VOTE FRAUD IN ARIZONA LOOKS WORSE WITH EACH PASSING DAY. To quote one report, the discrepancies were caused by “either malicious actions or severe incompetence.” No chain of custody records regarding many, many ballot boxes. (link below) (People who understand the election process will appreciate the alarming implications of having no chain of custody for ballot boxes.)

  • “On the ballot side, batches were not always clearly delineated, duplicated ballots were missing the required serial numbers, originals were duplicated more than once, and the Auditors were never provided Chain‐of‐Custody documentation for the ballots for the time‐period prior to the ballot’s movement into the Auditors’ care. This all increased the complexity and difficulty in properly auditing the results; and added ambiguity into the final conclusions.”

B. MARICOPA COUNTY’S REFUSAL TO COOPERATE WITH SUBPOENAS PREVENTED A FULL AUDIT. (link below) SIMILAR RESISTANCE TO SUBPOENAS IS MARRING PENNSYLVANIA’S ATTEMPTED VOTE AUDIT, TOO. (link below)

C. THE BIDEN REGIME CONTINUES TO ALIENATE AMERICA’S ALLIES. (link below)

D. THE DEMOCRATS HAVE BECOME THE PARTY OF THE CALLOUS, UNCARING WEALTHY. (link below) Money follows power, and Democrats have proven they can run rings around the clueless, buffoonish Republican office holders.

democrat platform hatredE. DEMOCRATS AND THEIR MEDIA OUTLETS ARE ONCE AGAIN VICIOUSLY ATTACKING THE “BLACKS FOR TRUMP” ORGANIZATION. Democrats still hate it when voters of color refuse to obey their orders on which candidates that Democrats “allow” them to vote for. (link below) 

F. ON THE LIGHTER SIDE, ANTI-JOE BIDEN CHANTS CONTINUE TO ROCK COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAMES. (link below) Continue reading

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM SEPTEMBER 25th

HEADLINES

Bethel (TN) WildcatsNUMBER SIX TAKES A FALL – In the NAIA the BETHEL (TN) WILDCATS played host to the nation’s number 6 team – the REINHARDT UNIVERSITY EAGLES (should be the Rottweilers). In this tale of two Halves the Wildcats were on top 21-0 by the midpoint. In the 2nd Half a furious Reinhardt University rally fell just short as Bethel U won out 34-33.

HillsdaleHILLSDALE HOME STAND – The storied HILLSDALE COLLEGE CHARGERS took the field against the visiting MISSOURI S&T MINERS. The Miners led the Chargers 10-7 in the opening Quarter and 24-17 at Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with Missouri S&T in front 31-24 before Hillsdale College came back in the 4th for a 38-31 victory. 

Harding Bisons helmetDOWN GOES NUMBER SEVEN – NCAA Division Two’s 22nd ranked HARDING UNIVERSITY BISON welcomed the number 7 team in the nation – the OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY TIGERS. A 14-7 1st Quarter edge for the Bison became a 24-7 advantage by the Half. After the break both teams scored 14 more points as Harding University upset OBU 38-21. Continue reading

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SPIDER-MAN: 1970s CLASSICS PART FIVE: THE PUNISHER AND THE JACKAL DEBUT

Here’s Part Five of Spider-Man 1970s Classics, in which readers finally learn what lies behind the whole Dr Octopus/ Aunt May/ Canada storyline. For Part One click HERE.

spider man number 129SPIDER-MAN Vol 1 #129 (February 1974)

Title: The Punisher Strikes Twice

Villains: The Punisher and the Jackal

NOTE: I skipped over the less than classic Spider-Man #s 127 and 128, which featured a rushed, poorly written story about our hero fighting a scientist who accidentally mutated himself into a copy of Spidey’s frequent foe the Vulture.

              In issue 127 some subplots moved along, so here’s a recap – Spider-Man and his friend the Human Torch (Johnny Storm) of the Fantastic Four continued working on the Spider-Mobile that our hero will get paid for since Corona Motors’ new pollution free engine will be running it.

              Meanwhile, Peter Parker and his roommate Harry Osborn had an ugly argument about their strained relationship since Harry’s father died. Peter does not yet know that Harry is the one who removed Norman Osborn’s Green Goblin costume from his dead body before the police arrived. Thanks to the documents that Norman had on his person, Harry now knows that Peter is really Spider-Man and – in his drug-addicted mind – thinks Peter intentionally killed his father.

              Lastly, Professor Miles Warren, Peter Parker’s bio-chemistry instructor and academic advisor at Empire State University, had a terse talk with Peter about how he has let his grief over Gwen Stacy’s death seriously jeopardize his grades. Now, on with issue 129.

jackal and punisher splash pageSynopsis: In a laboratory hideout are two costumed men, the Jackal and the Punisher, BOTH making their first ever appearances. The Punisher, the now-legendary vigilante who got multiple movies long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was launched, is blowing apart statues of Spider-Man with high-tech, specially designed rifles and machine-guns paid for by the Jackal.

Though the Punisher usually works alone, the Jackal has talked him into an alliance against Spider-Man, whom the Jackal wants dead for as yet unknown reasons. The Punisher wants Spider-Man dead because this was when our hero was wanted in regard to two murders – Captain George Stacy and Norman Osborn.

Elsewhere that night, Spider-Man defeats four armed robbers hijacking a truck, while having Peter Parker’s camera set to automatically snap photos of the action. The next morning, as Peter, he shows up at the Daily Bugle with the pics. Continue reading

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