A VOYAGE TO THE MOON (1657) – Written by Cyrano de Bergerac. Yes, the one and only Cyrano de Bergerac, noted for his prominent proboscis and for Rostand’s play depicting his romance with Roxanne, at first acting on behalf of his friend. Some people still mistakenly believe Cyrano was a fictional character.
If he seems an unlikely man to dabble in science fiction consider this brilliant excerpt from de Bergerac’s writings: ” I think the planets are worlds revolving around the sun and that the fixed stars are also suns that have planets revolving around them. We can’t see those worlds from here because they are so small and because the light they reflect cannot reach us. How can one honestly think that such spacious globes are only large, deserted fields and that our world was made to lord it over all of them …?”
Cyrano’s fictional space traveler was named Dyrcona and was the first to use multi-stage rockets to reach his destination. Dyrcona’s rocket design was based on firecrackers of the time period. The lunar inhabitants wore no clothing, had four legs and spoke in song. Their technology included transparent globes that captured solar rays for illumination, talking book-machines (early radio) and ray-guns that not only killed game but simultaneously cooked it. Continue reading
THE HOLY WAR (1682) – The work that John Bunyan is most well-known for is The Pilgrim’s Progress, but given the theme of Balladeer’s Blog, rather than write the 2 billionth review of that book I decided to take a general look at one of Bunyan’s often overlooked writings on mythology/ allegory. 
(Hey, it’s John Bunyan. If you’re looking for subtlety, let me introduce you to Mr. You-Won’t-Find-It-Here. Still, his works can be entertaining and thought provoking in a quaint, fairy-tale way.)
HEIMSKRINGLA! OR THE STONED ANGELS – This was a pioneering presentation from WNET and first aired on November 6th, 1969. 
UPSETS IN THE RANKINGS – The ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLIN’ BEARS hosted the 19th ranked DICKINSON STATE BLUE HAWKS yesterday and upset them in a 20-19 nailbiter ### And the EVANGEL UNIVERSITY VALOR took down the visiting number 20 KANSAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY COYOTES.
TUSSLE IN THE TOP SEVEN – The number 4 team in the nation – the MORNINGSIDE UNIVERSITY MUSTANGS – took it on the road against the 7th ranked BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS. The Mustangs led 7-0 in the 1st Quarter but the Ravens went up 10-7 by Halftime. That turned into a 13-10 edge for Morningside University to end the 3rd Quarter before the Mustangs won out 20-17 in the 4th. 
SHUTOUTS – The MONTANA STATE-NORTHERN LIGHTS blanked the MAYVILLE STATE COMETS 14-0 ### Meanwhile, the UNION COLLEGE BULLDOGS won 27-0 at the CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY PHOENIX ### And the UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS clobbered the KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS 44-0. 
X-MEN Vol 1 #52 (January 1969) 
Synopsis: The recently arrived evil mutant called Erik the Red says he has come to Magneto’s subterranean lair out west to join his forces. Erik demonstrates his powers against the Demi-Men, Magneto’s latest team of mutants intent on conquering humanity. 
JIMMIES AT VIKINGS – The VALLEY CITY STATE VIKINGS hosted the UNIVERSITY OF JAMESTOWN JIMMIES in NAIA action last night. The Jimmies were on top 8-0 to end the 1st Quarter and 8-7 come Halftime. In the 3rd Quarter the Vikings went up 20-8 before winning the game by a final score of 23-15. 
INSTANT CLASSIC IN KANSAS – In Jayhawk Conference action in the NJCAA the (9) GARDEN CITY COLLEGE BRONCBUSTERS took the field against the visiting (12) BUTLER (KS) GRIZZLIES. A scoreless opening Quarter was followed by a 7-7 tie at the Half. The 3rd Quarter ended with the Broncbusters clinging to a 13-9 edge. From there Garden City College defeated the Grizzlies 27-22. 
LIFE IN A THOUSAND WORLDS (1905) – Written by William Shuler Harris. This is yet another work of “ancient” science fiction that deals with life on other planets. Each celestial body that is visited gets its own chapter. 
THE FOURTH REICH (1990) – This film’s greatest obstacle to greater renown is its own title. Anyone coming across the title The Fourth Reich will quite reasonably assume it’s a B-movie about Nazi war criminals in hiding trying to resurrect their rightfully defeated cause. 
THE FOURTH REICH deals with South African boxer Robey Leibbrandt, who participated in the 1936 Olympics where he met and shook the hand of Adolf Hitler. Leibbrandt was strangely impressed with Hitler and his philosophy of hatred, and after becoming South Africa’s Heavyweight Boxing Champion in 1937 he returned to Germany in 1938. 
PLEASE DON’T TOUCH ME (Filmed in 1959, released in 1963) – Buy this for the Lash La Rue fan in your life, but mostly for the Ron and June Ormond fan in your life. For people outside of us lovers of Bad Movies I’ll point out that Ron and June Ormond were the famous husband and wife team of low-low-low budget filmmakers. 
Though Please Don’t Touch Me sounds like it would be a sexploitation flick, lurid assault film or Nudie Cutie, rest assured there’s nothing in this 67-minute oddity that your grandmother couldn’t handle. Well, maybe your mother, instead of grandma. 
*** NCAA DIVISION TWO – 1. PITTSBURG (KS) STATE GORILLAS ### 2. FERRIS STATE BULLDOGS (defending national champions) ### 3. GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS ### 4. UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA ARGONAUTS ### 5. COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES OREDIGGERS ### 
6. DELTA STATE STATESMEN ### 7. MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS ### 8. NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS ### 9. INDIANA UNIVERSITY IN PENNSYLVANIA CRIMSON HAWKS ### 10. ARKANSAS TECH WONDERBOYS ### 
