MESSAGES FROM MARS BY THE AID OF THE TELESCOPE PLANT (1892) – Written by Robert D Braine. I shortened the title for the blog post headline. The main character of this novel is a sailor named Nordhausen. After leaving Madagascar our hero winds up shipwrecked on an uncharted island.
While roaming this island Nordhausen finds plants with thick transparent leaves which refract light like lenses do. The sailor breaks off one of the leaves to study it more closely, only to be seized by the island’s native inhabitants, who have been watching him from hiding.
The natives take him through a cave entrance to their hidden village which is a blend of the primitive and the futuristic. For the “sacrilege” of damaging one of the telescope plants Nordhausen is to be executed. The means? A device formed from several of the lens-like leaves which magnify the sunlight into a makeshift heat-ray, like holding a magnifying glass over a piece of paper to catch it on fire.
Our hero is saved at the last minute by a beautiful woman named Raimonda, who wants him spared. When her own words are not sufficient to stay the execution she enlists the King of Mars to persuade the natives to spare Nordhausen.
Raimonda explains to the freed sailor that the island is called Roxana and its inhabitants Roxanans. Long ago two shipwrecked scientists from Europe showed the Roxanans how to use the incredible leaves of the sacred plant to construct telescopes.
The telescopes led to the discovery of intelligent and advanced life on Mars (Oron to the people of the Red Planet) and eventually two-way communication between the islanders and the “Martials” as the book calls the inhabitants of Mars – interchangeably with “Oronites, as the aliens call themselves. Continue reading
Not even having the career criminal installed in his place in 2020 unleashing his attack dogs in the DOJ on him stopped him. Not even the heinous heads of the CIA stopped him. Not even multiple assassination attempts stopped him. (Though let’s face it, America’s cesspool of a political establishment may yet try more impeachments and assassination attempts against him.) 
But most importantly, the man himself prevailed. By refusing to give in to forces that would have stopped lesser figures, Trump inspired America’s voters to remember the many successes from his first term and take note of the failures, graft and lies of the white-collar criminals who opposed him. From BOTH parties. 
NBA LEVEL SCORE – Both teams made the Century Club in this game between the NEW COLLEGE OF FLORIDA MIGHTY BANYANS and the visiting WARNER UNIVERSITY ROYALS. By Halftime the Mighty Banyans were on top 66-41. The Royals rallied after the break but fell short as NCF won 124-117. Charlie Yoder led the victors with a Double Double of FORTY-FOUR points and 10 rebounds. 
CENTURY CLUB – Teams scoring 100 or more points in Regulation: The HUNTINGTON UNIVERSITY FORESTERS won 109-60 at the GOSHEN COLLEGE MAPLE LEAFS ## The BUSHNELL UNIVERSITY BEACONS beat the EVERGREEN COLLEGE GEODUCKS 100-92 ## The LSU-ALEXANDRIA GENERALS won 104-72 at the TEXAS COLLEGE STEERS ## And the DALTON STATE ROADRUNNERS downed the BREWTON-PARKER COLLEGE BARONS 115-87. 
DEFENSIVE EPIC – This game pitted the traveling CAL MARITIME ACADEMY KEELHAULERS against the SIMPSON UNIVERSITY REDHAWKS. The Keelhaulers held a 36-27 advantage at the Half then maintained enough distance from the Redhawks for a 64-59 triumph. Thirteen points from Jamal Frenchwood led this team effort. 
AVENGERS Vol 1 #114 (August 1973) 
Synopsis: The villainous Swordsman rejoins the Avengers with a pardon and alongside his mysterious romantic partner Mantis, making her very first full appearance. Mantis is part Vietnamese and part unknown at this point. 
Here at Balladeer’s Blog I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m an enormous fan of Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi, Scott Spiegel, Josh Becker, Robert Tapert and all the rest of the Michigan gang who hit the jackpot with the original The Evil Dead (1981, 1983). Ever since then they’ve starred in, written, and directed countless other movies and television projects like Hercules the Legendary Journeys, Spider-Man, Adventures of Brisco County Jr, you name it. 
CLEVELAND SMITH: BOUNTY HUNTER (1982) – This last of the Michigan Mafia’s short films is among the most accessible and enjoyable. I review the older ones below. As the title indicates, this 9-minute flick was one of the earliest Raiders of the Lost Ark parodies ever made. 
Cleveland Smith: Bounty Hunter plays like a live-action Warner Brothers or Woody Woodpecker cartoon and is a fun watch on that level. The Michigan gang’s infectious enthusiasm carries the comedy short, helped by the “cool” factor of knowing what the gang members went on to achieve in the years ahead. 
From 
Fellow blogger Dawn at 
I was happy when Lizard Planet started selling Murph Merchandise comparatively recently. We got Murph calendars for different rooms but if calendars aren’t your thing there are magnets, mugs, hoodies, cards, throw pillows, shopping totes and more! 
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