With the news that Steven Spielberg will no longer be directing the bizarre film project Indiana Jones 5, a few readers asked me for Balladeer’s Blog’s take.
In the past I’ve mentioned how foolish it is to think that Harrison Ford MUST play Indy in all the movies. James Bond and Tarzan are just two recurring heroes that have survived multiple casting changes over the years.
The obvious move long ago would have been to cast a younger actor – say, Chris Pratt – as Indiana Jones and detail some of his earlier adventures. I love the Roaring Twenties so I think it would have been great to see Dr Jones’ activities in that decade.
Since it would be before Raiders of the Lost Ark even Belloq (maybe Gary Oldman) could appear in a few installments. I can’t possibly be alone in wanting to see some of those “many stimulating encounters” that Belloq referred to having with Indy in Raiders.
Belloq was French, so do a story with Dr Jones searching for a lost relic in 1920s Vietnam. Belloq’s hoity-toity family could be among the French plantation owners there, helping to set up a clash with our hero. Or have the two vying with each other to recover ancient Russian artifacts from violent factions of Red and White Russians in the years after the Russian Civil War. Any number of things.
One of the main things I hate about keeping Harrison Ford as Indy is the fact that Ford’s age requires the setting to be the 1950s or 1960s. Those decades are far too late for the “homage to 1930s pulp and serial heroes” charm of the original Indiana Jones trilogy.
Back in 2008, instead of the awful Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls, they could have made Son of Indiana Jones. Chris Pratt – or anyone else NOT named Shia Lebouf, who is shia venny talent – could have been the son of Indy and Marion, named Gemini Jones or Mercury Jones or something similar. Continue reading
ECLIPSE MAGAZINE Vol 1 #8 (January 1983) 
Like an old west gunfighter, the Masked Man’s fame has motivated plenty of would-be tough guys in the criminal ranks to try making a name for themselves by killing him. Even a few random wackos try their hand at bumping off our hero, convinced that it will bring them notoriety and a fortune when they sell the book and movie rights to their story. 
NUMBER ONE COMES BACK – The (1West) INDIANA UNIVERSITY SOUTHEAST GRENADIERS took on the (4East) OHIO CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY TRAILBLAZERS. The Grenadiers were chasing the Trailblazers 41-36 at Halftime but came roaring back after the break for a 93-78 victory. Twenty-seven points from David Burton led IUS. 
EAST OVER WEST – In the RSC’s unique tourney format the (2East) INDIANA UNIVERSITY EAST RED WOLVES faced the (3West) MIDWAY UNIVERSITY EAGLES (should be the Admirals). The Red Wolves were on top 45-39 at the midpoint, then floored it from there for a 97-78 win. Bishop Smith scored 29 points to lead IUE while teammate Jehu Lafeuillee notched a Double-Double of 21 points and 19 rebounds. 
UPSET OF THE NIGHT – The 7 seeds – the BETHEL (IN) PILOTS (Riverboat Pilots) – tackled the 2nd seeded MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS yesterday. The Pilots had the Knights faithful worried with their 35-33 Halftime edge, then consummated the Upset with an 85-77 triumph. TreVion Crews’ 26 points led Bethel U. 
PART THIRTY-THREE: This latest look at the Fool Killer centers on the February of 1910 issue of James Larkin Pearson’s Fool-Killer. That month’s targets of the Fool Killer (I prefer no hyphen) included: 
Andrew Yang, former candidate for president, has joined the chorus of voices pointing out how the Democrats have abandoned and driven away the working class and the poor of all colors. 
ROUND ONE, GAME ONE – The 4th seeded AVE MARIA UNIVERSITY GYRENES hosted the 5 seeds – the WARNER UNIVERSITY ROYALS. By Halftime the Gyrenes were in complete control with a 50-25 lead over the Royals. After the break Ave Maria University kept up the pressure, ultimately winning by a final tally of 89-67. Leo Behrend led the Gyrenes with a Double-Double of 26 points and 12 rebounds. 
We’re in the midst of another surge in end of the world nonsense with assorted unstable people claiming the world will end in 12 years or less. Balladeer’s Blog has often examined some of the countless end of the world scares of the past. 
Superheroes continue to dominate pop culture. And not just on the printed page, but on the big and small screens as well. Readers of Balladeer’s Blog are always quick to ask for more superhero entries whenever I go too long without one. 
Just as Van Sciver, Meyer and Malin (NOT a law firm) blaze new creative trails today, Eclipse Comics did decades ago, supporting both established names AND new talent, all producing work that the Big Two publishers would have been too corporate-minded to publish. 
The NFL draft is just a few months away and the internet is in overdrive with speculation on how the draft could play out. Rather than bore readers with another of the countless mock drafts out there here is a more light-hearted item – a look at some of the worst draft picks ever made. 
Balladeer’s Blog’s coverage of corporate fascism continues with this look at Michael Lind’s brilliant book The New Class War: Saving Democracy from the Managerial Elite. Lind often writes for Salon and Politico and in this book deals with the way in which the global trend toward populism started in response to oppression from what he calls “The New Class.” 
Lind’s work criticizes the new corporate fascist elite, like last year’s Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridharadas (previously reviewed here at Balladeer’s Blog). Lind, a professor at the University of Texas, argues that the plutocrats of today don’t just guard their money and privilege, they disguise their self-interested pursuits under the pretense of “social activism” and other deceptive buzzwords while lecturing the working class and the poor.
Lind writes, “The new class war is very real—and the managerial class is winning.” Lind’s “managerial class” quite rightly includes not just the wealthy elite themselves but also the facilitators of these privileged fascists – the bought and paid-for politicians, the unelected bureaucrats, biased journalists, media propagandists and the politically prejudiced lawyers and “educators” who promote the interests of the wealthy while pretending to be championing the underclasses. 
