Balladeer’s Blog’s Give Them A Shoutout Before They’re Dead gives a second shoutout to Billy Squier. From the Fast Times at Ridgemont High soundtrack it’s The Best Years of Our Lives.
Tag Archives: blogging
KILLRAVEN FIVE: WASHINGTON NIGHTMARE
FOR PART ONE OF BALLADEER’S BLOG’S EXAMINATION OF THIS OLD, OLD MARVEL STORYLINE CLICK HERE The revisions I would make are scattered throughout the synopsis below.
AMAZING ADVENTURES Vol 2 #22 (January 1974)
Title: WASHINGTON NIGHTMARE
Revised Title: Since this is Don McGregor writing, let’s go with something absurdly melodramatic like Reflections in a Night-Dark Mirror.
NOTE: This story introduces the popular female rebel called Mint Julep.
Synopsis: This issue begins an unknown number of days or weeks after the conclusion of the previous chapter. Killraven and his Freemen – M’Shulla, Old Skull, Hawk, Carmilla Frost and Grok – are traveling along the Potomac in a boat they commandeered from human quislings sometime after the end of our previous story.
REVISION: In my revision Killraven’s band of Freemen consist of M’Shulla, Old Skull, Hawk, Carmilla Frost and Deathlok – replacing Grok but still a creation of Carmilla’s – and Arrow, a female member. Like KR, M’Shulla, Hawk and Old Skull, Arrow is a former gladiator from the arena circuit run by Earth’s alien conquerors.
Just like Dagger – the female Freeman killed off last issue – Arrow was one of the bland, faceless Freemen introduced in the first two parts of Killraven’s comic book run. Arrow and Dagger were just dropped from the narrative with no explanation so I made them both female to add some variety to the Freemen. Just as Dagger was killed last time around, so Arrow will be killed this time, but at least in my revision their characters will have had some impact on the story AND emphasized the danger of Killraven’s rebellion.
Back to the story: Rising up from the Potomac to attack the boat is a monstrous subaquatic lifeform – one of the many creatures brought to Earth by the Martians. Our heroes battle the tentacled creature, eventually killing it, but their boat is trashed upon the rocks and is now useless.
REVISION: In my revision the underwater creature kills Arrow during the fight, before our heroes succeed in killing it, furious over the death of their comrade.
Back to the story: Sabre, a Hispanic quisling servant of the Martians (no relation to Don McGregor’s later, more famous character Sabre), attacks the Freemen with his own band of followers. While the battle rages, dialogue makes it clear that Sabre and his men are among the many groups of quislings who round up other human beings for the Martians, who feed on human flesh.
Sabre relishes facing targets who can actually fight back, instead of the usually easily-subdued humans he captures for his Martian masters. After Grok in particular manages to wipe out a large number of Sabre’s men he and his remaining troops retreat with Hawk and Old Skull as their captives. Continue reading
Filed under Superheroes
FIRST CHAPTERS CONTEST – SUBMIT THROUGH JULY 31st
OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS
Just over one month left to submit to the inaugural CRAFT First Chapters Contest! The award will be $2800, manuscript critique, and agency review to the top three first chapters of unpublished book-length fiction projects. The contest is open from June 1 to July 31, 2019 and is judged by Naomi Huffman of MCDxFSG and FSG Originals. The first chapters must be excerpted from unpublished novels or novellas, which can be complete or works in progress.
Filed under Uncategorized
COLLEGE GOLF CHAMPIONS FOR 2019
Here’s one last round of congratulations to the 2019 golf champions in the 9 divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog. I’ll cover the women’s champions separately.
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)
National Champions – TEXAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY RAMS
Runners-Up – College of Coastal Georgia Mariners
2018 Champions – Oklahoma City University Stars
NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association)
National Champions – ERSKINE COLLEGE FLYING FLEET
Runners-Up – Ottawa University (AZ) Spirit
2018 Champions – Colorado Christian University Cougars Continue reading
Filed under college sports
DEMOCRAT SANCTUARY CITY HAS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RAPIST RELEASED – WHEELCHAIR-BOUND VICTIM REPORTS HE RAPED HER AGAIN
THIS WEEK PELOSI ACTUALLY SAID “WHAT’S THE POINT” OF ENFORCING IMMIGRATION LAWS.
THANK DEMOCRATS FOR THIS GROTESQUE STORY COURTESY OF DEMOCRATS’ OBSESSION WITH ABETTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND ENABLING THE ADDITIONAL CRIMES THEY COMMIT.
WHITE, PRIVILEGED ONE-PERCENTER DEMOCRAT NANCY PELOSI AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO HINDERS BORDER SECURITY IS AN ACCOMPLICE TO THIS CRIME.
Francisco Carranza-Ramirez is on the run after serving just nine months for raping a wheelchair-bound woman. He was released on time served THAT SAME DAY after serving even less than the mere one year he was sentenced to (ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT PRIVILEGE) with NO notification to the victim and NO notification to ICE, since Democrats hate the thought of illegal immigrant rapists getting turned over to immigration authorities and deported.
The victim reported Carranza-Ramirez RAPED HER AGAIN and fled. Authorities speculate he is back in Mexico now but Democrats have made it so that he and countless others like him can just stroll back across our unsecured southern border whenever he pleases.
Read this and remember IT WOULD BE THE LEAD STORY ON EVERY NEWS SHOW FOR WEEKS IF NOT FOR THE FACT THAT IT DOESN’T FIT THE DEMOCRATS’ PRECIOUS “NARRATIVE.” As it is, Democrat reporters won’t even ask Democrat candidates about this atrocity.
Francisco Carranza-Ramirez. Democrats are keeping it so he can stroll back across the border at will. He’ll probably run for office as a Democrat some day.
“An illegal alien is wanted by law enforcement officials after he reportedly attacked the woman he raped following his release by the sanctuary city of King County, Washington.
“Francisco Carranza Ramirez, 35, has been living in the United States as an illegal alien for an unknown period of time, a law enforcement official confirmed to KOMO News. Ramirez crossed the southern border during an unknown time from his native Mexico.
“Ramirez, according to court records reviewed by the Seattle Times, raped a 32-year-old woman — who is bound to a wheelchair because of her disability — in King County on September 26, 2018. In the middle of the rape in her bedroom, the woman was able to convince the illegal alien to allow her to use the bathroom.
“While in the bathroom, the woman called the police but had to return to the bedroom after hearing that Ramirez had gotten up from the bed. That’s when she put the phone, still on the line with police, in her wheelchair and went back to her bedroom where the rape continued.
“Eventually, police arrived at the scene of the rape and the illegal alien was arrested and charged with third-degree rape. At trial, Ramirez entered an Alford plea, indicating that he would not admit to the rape but that he understood the evidence against him would lead to his conviction.
“Though the victim pleaded with the judge sentencing Ramirez to give him the highest penalty for the rape under the law, the court gave Ramirez a sentence of only 12 months in prison on June 13.
“That exact same day, the illegal was released by the King County jail because he had already served nine months in prison while awaiting his hearing.” CLICK HERE
AND DEMOCRATS CAN’T WAIT TO GIVE HIM HEALTHCARE AND A FREE EDUCATION PAID FOR BY THE REST OF US.
Before we get to the main list of additional crimes committed by illegal immigrants recently I’ll post another reminder of the way illegal immigrants can spread disease since they bypass screenings for such diseases – which could be spotted and treated IF we had a secured southern border.
Journalist and strong female role model Kelli Ballard courageously continues to compile as comprehensive as possible a breakdown of the additional crimes committed by people in the country illegally.
The victims of illegal immigrant crimes and the loved ones of those victims deserve at least as much care and compassion as the corporate media and the Democrats heap upon every criminal alien who commits murders and rapes.
The message has long been clear: Democrats care only about illegal immigrants and never the victims of illegal immigrant crime. And never about the diseases on the uptick in areas with a heavy illegal immigrant presence.
FOR KELLI’S JUNE 13th – 19th ROUNDUP OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS’ ADDITIONAL CRIMES CLICK HERE
Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion
ASK BALLADEER: DARK SHADOWS (1966-1971)
QUESTION: Recently you recapped the saga of Laura Collins the Phoenix from the old Gothic Soap Opera Dark Shadows (1966-1971). Do you plan to review any of the other story arcs from the show?
ANSWER: At this time I don’t but I would emphasize that the original series is always fun to watch for people who like horror, sci-fi and fantasy. Like early Doctor Who episodes, part of the charm comes from the unrefined, seat-of-their-pants, low budget nature of the 5 day a week Dark Shadows.
Even people who aren’t fans of the show seem aware that it featured a vampire, a witch, ghosts and a werewolf. There were also warlocks, a Dorian Gray figure, mad scientists, zombies, an artist whose works came to life because his canvases were made from enchanted wood, plus lots and lots of time travel.
In addition to the aforementioned Phoenix and other tales, Dark Shadows featured two other fun storylines which I’ll summarize briefly:
The Leviathan Cult: The supernatural Collins family clashed with what was basically an imitation Cult of Cthulhu. Dan Curtis (creator and guiding creative force behind Dark Shadows) made the undersea entity worshiped by the cult be Leviathan from the Bible. (“Try suing us NOW, Arkham House!” I’m kidding.) Other serpentine figures from world mythology were tied to the Leviathans, too, like Nagas.
You know the drill: the Leviathans ruled the world long before the dawn of humanity and wanted to rule it again with the help of their human cultists. The thwarted Leviathans punished Barnabas Collins by returning the curse of the vampire upon him. (In a disastrous move that was up there with New Coke, the show’s creative team had actually had Barnabas cured for a while, but babes just didn’t go for the less-than-smoldering Jonathan Frid without his fangs.)
Even the witch Angelique had given up her evil pursuit of Barnabas for a time and had settled down with wealthy publisher Sky Rumson (Geoffrey Scott of First and Ten). When it turned out Sky was really one of the Leviathan worshipers, the heart-broken Angelique was once again free to stalk the re-fanged Barnabas.
The second of the two storylines came by way of Mary Shelley Continue reading
Filed under Forgotten Television, Halloween Season
SECOND BATTLE OF MACHIAS: REVOLUTIONARY WAR
With the Fourth of July holiday fast approaching, Balladeer’s Blog makes with another often-overlooked item from our war of independence from Great Britain.
SECOND BATTLE OF MACHIAS – Previously I covered the First Battle of Machias from June of 1775. After that action Machias became a busy base for Privateering vessels. This second battle was fought August 13th-14th, 1777.
British Commodore George Collier learned of American Rebel plans to launch a second Siege of Fort Cumberland (Nova Scotia) after the first one – a nineteen-day stretch often called the Eddy Rebellion after Jonathan Eddy – had failed in November of 1776. To nip those plans in the bud, Commodore Collier launched an amphibious attack on Machias, ME, where supplies and troops for the new siege were supposedly gathering.
The supplies and men for a second siege of Fort Cumberland had not yet arrived in Machias, so the battle wound up instead being fought for possession of the town. Commodore Collier had five war vessels plus a force of 120-150 Royal Marines to throw at the seaside rebel village. The Americans, under Colonel Jonathan Eddy, fought back with an unknown total number of Militiamen as well as fifty or more Native Americans from the Maliseet, Penobscot and Passamaquody Tribes. Continue reading
Filed under Neglected History, Revolutionary War
JIMMY BUFFETT: I DON’T KNOW
Give Them A Shoutout Before They’re Dead strikes again here at Balladeer’s Blog. This time it’s Jimmy Buffett with I Don’t Know (Spicoli’s Theme). Say it with me: “Why am I failing History, Mr Hand? I – DON’T – KNOW, Mr Spicoli.”
Filed under opinion
ANOTHER POLL SAYS TRUMP HAS BEEN BETTER FOR YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICANS THAN OBAMA WAS
It’s no secret that Donald Trump is a de facto Third Party President, which is why he’s had to fight the crooks in both major political parties. Recently yet ANOTHER poll showed people recognizing the fact that President Trump has been better for young African-Americans than Obama was.
Remember, I’m skeptical of polls but anti-Trump loons eat, sleep and breathe polls, so it’s always fun to watch them froth at the mouth every time polls show a result they don’t like. Hilarious! Fifty-five percent of the respondents recognized that Trump was better for young African-Americans, as stated. CLICK HERE
Meanwhile, regarding Africa, even anti-Trump zealots like Aubrey Hruby have been forced to admit that UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP AMERICA INVESTS MORE IN AFRICA THAN UNDER ANY OTHER PRESIDENT!
The cornerstone to Trump’s strategy is his Prosper Africa program. It’s just another way that the Donald is pretty much “the new FDR.” CLICK HERE
AND REMEMBER, I’M NEITHER A DEMOCRAT NOR A REPUBLICAN – FOR MY LOOK AT U.S. PRESIDENTS FROM EISENHOWER TO TRUMP CLICK HERE
Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion
FIRST BATTLE OF MACHIAS: REVOLUTIONARY WAR
With the Fourth of July Holiday coming up Balladeer’s Blog will be making some seasonal posts, like this one, covering often-overlooked elements of America’s war for independence from Great Britain.
FIRST BATTLE OF MACHIAS – This battle took place June 11th and 12th of 1775, less than two full months after the Battles of Lexington & Concord kicked off our Revolutionary War. At this point in the 1700s Maine was still technically a Department of Massachusetts, which is why Maine is not listed as one of the original 13 colonies despite all the action that took place there.
With British forces under siege in Boston, Loyalist sellout Ichabod Jones contracted with the Brits to supply their troops there. A few of Jones’ ships plus the British war sloop Margaretta arrived in Machias, ME on June 2nd.
Initially the townspeople of Machias voted against doing business with Ichabod Jones since he intended to provide supplies for Redcoats in Boston. The Margaretta, commanded by James Moore, pulled to within bombardment distance of Machias, frightening just enough citizens to change their votes in favor of trade with Jones and his merchant ships.
Colonel Benjamin Foster, leader of the local Rebel Militia, gathered his men to fight back. Continue reading
Filed under Neglected History, Revolutionary War
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