MULWINDA – The goddess who protected the royal clan. Each of the 46 clans of Bunyoro had its own protective deity. They each also had their own totem-name which could be an animal, e.g. Kiroko (hippopotamus) or a plant, e.g. Bulo (millet), a utensil, e.g. Kaibo (basket), or a part of the body, e.g. Amara (stomach). No one was Continue reading
MYTHOLOGY – THE BUNYORO GODDESS MULWINDA
Filed under Mythology
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: A ROUNDUP OF MARCH 8TH’S TOURNAMENT RESULTS
* NAIA *
UPSETS – Day 3 of the NAIA Division Two tournament took place yesterday. The (11) INDIANA UNIVERSITY SOUTHEAST GRENADIERS toppled the (6) ST XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS by a score of 83-73. ### And the (10) DORDT COLLEGE DEFENDERS dragged down the (7) INDIANA WESLEYAN WILDCATS 75-62. The Defenders led 35-24 at halftime and retained control in the 2nd half.
INSTANT CLASSICS – The MIDLAND UNIVERSITY WARRIORS and the YORK PANTHERS needed Overtime to resolve their 2nd Round game. In the end the Warriors emerged with a 76-71 victory. ### And the final game of the 2nd Round was the tightest last night. The DAKOTA STATE TROJANS led the ST THOMAS (FL) BOBCATS 30-27 at the break, but wound up winning by just a single point. The final score was Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION: TWO TALES OF LUNAR EXPLORATION FROM 150 AD
Here’s a look at two forgotten early ventures into the form of story- telling that we now call science fiction. My fondness for the ancient Greeks prompts me to examine a pair of works by Lucian, the Greek philosopher who lived in the 2nd century C.E. Lucian was noted not just for his philosophical observations but also for two works that defied definition by his contemporaries but would easily fall into the category of science fiction today. Both works are from roughly 150 C.E.
1. ICAROMENIPPUS – The title, obviously, was inspired by the myth about Icarus using wings crafted by his father Daedalus to fly too close to the sun, which hubristic act led to his death. In this work Lucian depicted his hero Menippus using one wing from an eagle and one from a vulture to fly to Mt Olympus, and from there to the moon. He discovered that 
the moon (on which he could breathe just like on Earth) was populated by the souls of the deceased (roughly twelve hundred years before Dante’s Paradiso). From the moon Menippus made the astonishing observation that Continue reading
Filed under Ancient Science Fiction
MARCH 7TH’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY TOURNAMENT RESULTS
* NAIA *
ROUND ONE, DAY TWO – The NAIA Division 2 National Championship Tournament finished up Round One yesterday.
UPSETS – The CAL MARITIME ACADEMY KEELHAULERS led the way on this category with their authoritative smackdown of the (4) NORTHWESTERN (IA) RED RAIDERS to the tune of 76-54 ### The (5) WARNER PACIFIC COLLEGE KNIGHTS fell to the DAKOTA STATE TROJANS 89-80 ### Meanwhile the ST THOMAS (FL) BOBCATS won an 85-72 upset over the (12) MT MERCY MUSTANGS.
UPSETS II: THE SEQUEL THEY SAID COULDN’T BE MADE – The GRACE COLLEGE LANCERS joined in the fun by toppling the (13) TN WESLEYAN COLLEGE BULLDOGS in a 93-69 pounding ### … And the Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball, college hockey
MUSH MADNESS: 2013 IDITAROD’S CURRENT STANDINGS
Time for a look at where those lucky (?) mushers who have Official Balladeer’s Blog Nicknames stand at present in “the last great race.”
1. Martin “Below Zero” Buser ### 2. Mitch “Pops” Seavey ### 4. Aliy “Absolute Zero” Zirkle ### 6. Peter “Wiser Than The” Kaiser ### 7. Nicolas “The Continue reading
Filed under Iditarod
COLLEGE BASKETBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AND OTHER TOURNAMENTS CONTINUE
* NAIA2 *
The NAIA National Championship Tournament – THE OLDEST SUCH COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT IN THE COUNTRY – yes, you read that right – got underway yesterday.
UPSETS – Round One’s upsets: The COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS BOBCATS always shine in prime time and last night was no exception. The Bobcats stunned the 3rd seeded NORTHWOOD (FL) SEAHAWKS in a 57-49 defensive masterpiece. ### The MIDLAND UNIVERSITY WARRIORS eliminated the 8 seeds, the EASTERN OREGON MOUNTAINEERS, by a score of 77-53 ### A battle of Panthers went into Overtime with the YORK PANTHERS eking out a 78-77 win over the DAVENPORT PANTHERS ### And ending a bad day for the WHAC, the 14th seeded MADONNA UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS fell to the SOUTHERN OREGON MOUNTAINEERS 83-66.
CHALK – The Top Seeded WILLIAM PENN UNIVERSITY STATESMEN had their hands full with the (BD) MCPHERSON BULLDOGS but prevailed in the end by a score of 71-65 ### The BETHEL (IN) PILOTS eliminated the EMBRY RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY EAGLES in a 73-49 rout ### The INDIANA UNIVERSITY SOUTHEAST GRENADIERS edged the VALLEY CITY STATE VIKINGS 75-72 ### And the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT MARY SPIRES were Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
FORGOTTEN TELEVISION – PSI FACTOR: CHRONICLES OF THE PARANORMAL 1996-2000
PSI Factor depicted a series of investigations into the paranormal conducted by the fictional Office of Scientific Investigation and Research, or OSIR. This Canadian-made series was often unfairly dismissed as “X-Files Light”, but that in no way does justice to a very entertaining program. The members of the OSIR’s various field teams went about their business in a much more convincing mock-scientific way than conspiracy kook Fox Mulder ever did, and that helped the audience suspend their disbelief.
Each episode featured Continue reading
Filed under Forgotten Television
MARCH 5TH’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Evangel Logo
HEART OF AMERICA ATHLETIC CONFERENCE – The championship game of this conference pitted the top seeded EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS against the 3 seeds, the MIDAMERICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY PIONEERS. The resulting clash was a hardcourt epic and in the end the Crusaders walked away with the conference crown after an 88-81 victory. Now it’s on to the NAIA Division One National Championship Tournament.
FRONTIER CONFERENCE – The 5th seeded ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLIN’ BEARS stunned the nation by taking the conference title. In the championship game RMC took on the 2nd seeded MONTANA WESTERN BULLDOGS and manhandled them for a 68-52 win. On their way to the title game the Battlin’ Bears also defeated Westminster and Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
DENNIS RODMAN OR GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: WHO’S A BIGGER IMBECILE?
Once again readers of Balladeer’s Blog can vote on a particular question. This time around the subject is the now- notorious appearance of Dennis Rodman on George Stephanopoulos’ news program This Week.
If this isn’t the sartorial appearance of an expert on U.S.- North Korean relations I don’t know what is! Since Dennis Rodman showed up wearing a suit made out of make- believe dollar bills I guess Wall Street Week will be where this Renaissance Man shows up next.
Yes, former NBA star Rodman recently visited North Korea as a guest of Kim Jong Un. Like many other shallow and brainless American celebrities who relish getting to be chummy with dictators Rodman mistakenly believed that the lack of legal opposition in a dictatorship means that that dictator is beloved and respected. Rodman compounded his error by Continue reading
Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES
COLLEGE BASKETBALL CONFERENCE AND REGIONAL TOURNAMENT RESULTS FROM MARCH 4TH
Later today the National Christian College Athletic Association begins its National Championship Tournament. Balladeer’s Blog will, of course, bring you coverage of all those games. Meanwhile let’s get caught up on the results of Conference and Regional Tournaments as of March 4th.
* NAIA *
MID-SOUTH CONFERENCE – The conference title tilt went into Overtime, but in the end the top seeds prevailed. The (1) LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS outlasted the 2nd seeded PIKEVILLE UNIVERSITY BEARS in a 77-73 game for the ages. Along the way to the MSC championship the Blue Raiders eliminated UVA- Wise and Campbellsville University, too. Next stop for Lindsey Wilson College: the NAIA’s Big Dance!
* NJCAA TOURNAMENTS *
REGION 9 – The NORTHWEST COLLEGE TRAPPERS won an 80-74 Instant Classic over the CASPER THUNDERBIRDS. ### The NORTHEASTERN COLLEGE PLAINSMEN bounced the LARAMIE GOLDEN EAGLES by a score of 87-67. ### The OTERO COLLEGE RATTLERS eked out a 58-56 defense- heavy win over the CENTRAL WYOMING RUSTLERS. ### And the GILLETTE COLLEGE PRONGHORNS Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
