Tag Archives: Balladeer’s Blog

COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM SEPTEMBER 21st

HEADLINES

Colorado Mines Orediggers NEWKNOCKING OFF NUMBER SEVEN – NCAA Division Two’s 17th ranked COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES OREDIGGERS traveled to face the country’s number 7 team – the COLORADO STATE AT PUEBLO THUNDERWOLVES. The Orediggers were unintimidated, leading the Thunderwolves 28-7 at the break before coasting to a 34-14 victory.

Keiser SeahawksNUMBER EIGHT TAKES A FALL – In the NAIA the KEISER UNIVERSITY SEAHAWKS took the field against the visiting number 8 team in the nation – the REINHARDT UNIVERSITY EAGLES (should be the Rottweilers). A 7-0 lead for the Seahawks remained unchanged come Halftime. Reinhardt pulled to within 7-6 to end the 3rd Quarter before Keiser U won the game 14-12 in the 4th.

HillsdaleHAPPY HILLSDALE – Back in NCAA Division Two the storied HILLSDALE COLLEGE CHARGERS welcomed the LAKE ERIE COLLEGE STORM. The Chargers led 14-7 at the Half. From there the Storm cut the lead to 20-14 in the 3rd Quarter before Hillsdale College floored it in the 4th for a 34-14 triumph. Continue reading →

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MESSAGES FROM MARS (1892): ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION

Messages from Mars 2MESSAGES 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.

Messages from MarsThe 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. Continue reading →

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM SEPTEMBER 19th

Cumberlands Patriots helmet NEWNUMBER FOURTEEN ROLLS – The NAIA’s 14th ranked UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS welcomed the WEBBER INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY WARRIORS last night. The Patriots dominated their opponents on both sides of the ball, leading the Warriors 28-0 by Halftime on their way to a 45-14 triumph.

Frostburg State BobcatsUNDER THE RADAR CLASSIC – Over in NCAA Division Two the FROSTBURG STATE BOBCATS played host to the WEST LIBERTY STATE HILLTOPPERS. The Bobcats held a 17-14 edge at the Half, following which each team added another 10 points as the Bobcats won this 27-24 thriller.

Northwest Mississippi College Rangers blueTUSSLE IN THE TOP TEN – In the NJCAA the 3rd ranked NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE RANGERS battled their guests the number 8 COPIAH-LINCOLN COLLEGE WOLVES. These familiar foes went blow for blow and score for score until the Rangers emerged with a 19-15 victory.  Continue reading →

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WOI: EPIC HERO OF LIBERIA

LiberiaBalladeer’s Blog presents another neglected epic myth from around the world. In this case, Liberia’s Woi Epic of the Kpelle people.

The Woi Epic is often studied for its use of music, dance, singing and audience participation to reflect the action in the story. Think of it as a combination opera, ballet, live drama and Rocky Horror Picture Show screening.

The order of the episodes in the epic is not set in stone and a performance may include only a few of the episodes, all of them or just one. The finish of each episode is marked by the performer(s) announcing “Dried millet, wese” to which the audience repeats simply “wese.”  

ONE – Woi, a culture deity and master of ritual magic, and his wife Gelengol are the only living things that exist. After Woi impregnates his wife she eventually gives birth to human beings, chickens, goats, cows, sheep and, after all other life-forms, spiders. (Plenty of African myths feature a female deity giving birth to multiple living creatures and many feature the woman also giving birth to tools and weapons and utensils.)    

TWO – Woi notes that the demonic figure Yele-Walo has stolen one of his bulls by sneaking up on it in the form of a rattan plant. Yele-Walo took the bull with him to his hideaway “behind the sky.” Woi prepares for battle and is aided by squirrel-monkeys, tsetse flies and horse-flies. Yele-Walo also steels himself for the upcoming fight. Continue reading →

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FOOL KILLER PART TWENTY-NINE: FEBRUARY 1921

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

Matthew as the Fool Killer would be perfectPART TWENTY-NINE – As always part of the fun comes from the way the Fool Killer’s opinions are a mix of today’s left-wing and right-wing attitudes. Some you’ll agree with, others you won’t but it’s always interesting. 

Here is a look at some of the Fool Killer’s targets from James L Pearson’s February of 1921 issue of The Fool-Killer.

** People who were fine with spending $23 million apiece on warships but who penny-pinched on contributions to feed starving children in Europe. Ironically given our 21st Century view of him, future president Herbert Hoover was working with the Literary Digest to raise money to send food to Europeans but came up with only $10 million – less than half their stated goal.

** Criminals who were using the military training they received in World War One to efficiently rob banks and armored cars. Continue reading →

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ASK BALLADEER: WHEN WILL YOU RESUME …

mascot new look donkey and elephant headsHello again, everyone! Like FAQ’s I figured I’d address these questions I’ve been asked a lot lately. And thank you for the good wishes regarding recent family hospitalizations.

Q: Will you ever get back to examining ancient Greek comedies?  

A: Yes, I will. As regular readers know I have already done dozens and I needed to step back a little for awhile. Now I’m revved up again and will resume soon.

Q: Will you ever resume your fictional look at a Second American Civil War?

A: No. Real-world events started to exceed my fictional takes in some ways.   

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DOCTOR MENSANA: AUSTRALIAN SUPERHERO

One of Balladeer’s Blog’s biggest hits was my examination of Australian-made comic book heroes like Dark Nebula, Vixen, Crimson Comet, Niteside and the super-team called the Southern Squadron. Here’s another, and for my full look at Aussie super-types click HERE

Doctor Mensana

Dr Mensana in one of his two super-powered forms.

DOCTOR MENSANA 

Debut Year: 1941 

Secret Identity: None. He openly used his real name, but the public often tagged him with nicknames like “the Samson of science” or “the man of Mind Plus.”

Origin: Sporting both an MD and a PhD the good Doctor Mensana used his unrivaled genius to create pills which could make him super-strong AND endow him with telepathic powers in addition to even greater intelligence than he already possessed. 

Powers: When our hero swallowed one of his M-Plus (M+) or Mind-Plus pills his already formidable brilliance was multiplied many times over. His cranium would grow and he would also boast telepathic and psionic powers. When Dr Mensana swallowed one of his S-Plus (S+) or Strength-Plus pills he would instantly bulk up with muscles and possess incredible super-strength. Continue reading →

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL RANKINGS FROM BALLADEER’S BLOG

Per the Glitternight Index:

Hutchinson Blue DragonsNJCAA   1. HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS    ###    2. BUTLER (KS) GRIZZLIES    ###    3. TRINITY VALLEY COLLEGE CARDINALS    ###    4. EAST MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE LIONS    ###    5. NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE RANGERS    ###   

Monroe College Mustangs helmet6. MONROE COLLEGE MUSTANGS    ###    7. LACKAWANNA COLLEGE FALCONS    ###    8. COPIAH-LINCOLN WOLFPACK    ###    9. IOWA WESTERN COLLEGE REIVERS    ###    10. CISCO COLLEGE WRANGLERS    ###    Continue reading →

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THE QUEEN OF APPALACHIA (1901): ANCIENT SCI FI

Queen of AppalachiaTHE QUEEN OF APPALACHIA (1901) – Written by Joe H. Borders. This novel features Paul Thornton, a merchant in Kentucky, and his Lost World adventures. While hiking in the wilderness Paul saves a beautiful woman from drowning. The woman is, coincidentally enough, utterly identical to Paul’s girlfriend May Arnold.

The rescued woman says she is Olivet, the Queen of a subterranean land called Appalachia. Several generations earlier, Kentucky pioneers were driven into hiding in a cave to escape hostile Native Americans. The cave was part of an entire network of subterranean tunnels which extend around the world.

A large mass of electricity provides light and heat and “revolves” in time to the Earth’s revolution to approximate day and night in the underground realm called Appalachia by the pioneers. Gold and diamonds are plentiful in Appalachia. Continue reading →

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM SEPTEMBER 14th

HEADLINES

Taylor Trojans helmet NEWNAIA OVER NCAA DIVISION ONE – The NAIA’s TAYLOR UNIVERSITY TROJANS once again played giant-slayer, this time on the road against NCAA Division One’s BUTLER UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS. The Trojans quieted the home crowd with a 7-0 1st Quarter lead that became a 14-7 advantage by Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with Taylor University on top 17-7 before the Trojans held on for a 17-14 Upset win.

Allen University Yellow JacketsNAIA OVER NCAA DIVISION TWO – The NAIA’s ALLEN UNIVERSITY YELLOW JACKETS hosted NCAA D2’s CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY PANTHERS yesterday. The Yellow Jackets led 7-3 in the 1st Quarter but the Panthers went up 10-7 by the break. From there Allen University shut out Clark Atlanta while taking a 13-10 3rd Quarter edge and sealing the Upset 16-10 in the 4th.

Susquehanna University River Hawks helmetNUMBER SEVEN TAKEN DOWN – Meanwhile, down in NCAA Division Three, the SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY RIVER HAWKS traveled to take on the number 7 team in the nation – the JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY BLUEJAYS. A deadlocked 7-7 opening Quarter turned into a 21-7 Bluejays lead at the Half. Neither team scored in the 3rd Quarter but the River Hawks exploded in the 4th for 21 points to win it 28-27. Continue reading →

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