With Dune 2 out there now, here are TWO items as a salute of sorts to the Frank Herbert classic. The first book in the series was serialized beginning in 1963, then released as a novel in 1965.
DUNE: THE OPERA – Previously I wrote about how Philip Wylie’s science fiction novel Gladiator could be done as an opera. Then I looked at how an opera version of the 1966 Spaghetti Western Django could be done and then an opera based on the novel Venus in Furs. If you’re not familiar with the story told in Dune it is set over 20,000 years in the future, when humanity has colonized many Earth-like planets.
LANGUAGE: Spanish. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that most of my fellow English-speakers find English-language operas to be silly. The prosaic nature of the forced rhymes in a language we are well-versed in does seem to rob opera of its mystique and its grandeur.
SINGERS: Two Baritones, two Bass-Baritones, two Sopranos, one Mezzo-Soprano, four Tenors, a contralto and a Bass.
ACTS: FOUR ACTS
STORY: My fellow Dune geeks may get annoyed with this change, but remember, adaptations for staged performances have to be made very tight. I would start out at the Arrakeen Great Hall as the family and court members of House Atreides have just arrived on Arrakis/ Dune, the desert planet. All the scenes that the book covered while the Atreides family were preparing to depart their home on Caladan would instead play out shortly after their arrival on their new planetary fiefdom. Continue reading
USA SOUTH CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The last two teams standing in this tournament were the MARY BALDWIN UNIVERSITY FIGHTING SQUIRRELS and the GREENSBORO COLLEGE PRIDE. By Halftime the Fighting Squirrels held a slight 30-28 edge. After the break Mary Baldwin University left their opponents further and further behind on their way to a 72-62 triumph. Luke Ogle led the Squirrels with 15 points. 
LEOPARD GIRL 
Powers: Leopard Girl employed her supernatural “cry of the leopards” to use a small army of leopards to help her fight the forces of evil in Africa. She could interact with the Dark Continent’s ghosts, who saw her as an ally. 
Comment: In her secret identity as “Gwen”, Leopard Girl worked with research scientist Dr. Hans Kreitzer. Her fellow assistant was named Peter, whom she once carried with one arm while swinging through the jungle. 
JUNGLE JIM (1948) – Decades before Raiders of the Lost Ark, “Jungle Jim” Bradley, mercenary jungle guide and adventurer, was fighting Nazis, Communist Spies and other menaces while finding lost cities & ancient artifacts, all while romancing lovely ladies. Throw in the occasional dinosaur, giant spider or huge, man-eating eel and enjoy!
Jungle Jim, a former comic strip character, was featured in a 1937 serial, a series of movies in the 1940s and 1950s, plus a television series in that latter decade. Former Tarzan Johnny Weissmuller played Jungle Jim in everything but the 1937 serial. 
ROUND ONE: GAME ONE – The MAYVILLE STATE COMETS took the court against the VALLEY CITY STATE VIKINGS. By Halftime the Comets held a 39-32 advantage over their opponents. After the break, Mayville State got more and more separation from the Vikings for an 82-68 victory. Jamison Kramer led the Comets with 18 points while teammate Darren Jones logged a Double Double of 10 points and 13 rebounds. 
FURIOUS (1984) – It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed a classically bad movie here at Balladeer’s Blog. To remedy that here’s a look at the wildly out there film Furious, one of the most joyously weird action/ fantasy movies ever made. It’s like the most incoherent dream that anyone ever described to you. 
GEORGE ADAMSKI (April 17th, 1891 – February 26th, 1965) occupied a special place in the history of cults. In 1936 he claimed to represent the Royal Order of Tibet and preached “its teachings” in California (where else). 
The readjustments started after George Adamski published Pioneers of Space in 1949, a general look at the infant Flying Saucer phenomenon, and in 1952 he claimed to be in telepathic contact with a being from Venus. Claims of additional contacts followed, including hieroglyphic writings from the Venusian.
Every Presidents Day, Democrat media outlets release their hilariously biased lists ranking the presidents – lists compiled by Democrats who call themselves “historians.” (LMAO) Remember, the past decades have seen Democrats drive most non-Democrats from the “educational” profession. 
I’m presenting my own ranking of the presidents in this blog post, but obviously people are free to disregard it as readily as they disregard all other such lists. These lists are fun conversationally, but none of them – including mine – have any relevance in the real world.
JOHN F KENNEDY 
USCAA OVER NCAA – The number 1 team in the USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association) – the NEWPORT NEWS APPRENTICE SCHOOL BUILDERS (shipbuilders) – traveled to take on NCAA Division Two’s CHEYNEY UNIVERSITY WOLVES. By Halftime the Builders were on top 39-28. After the break they floored it, trouncing the Wolves by a final score of 98-56. Adrion Wall’s 20 points led the Apprentice School. 
CENTURY CLUB – The STANTON UNIVERSITY FIGHTING ELKS topped fellow newbies the SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY RHINOS by a count of 103-60 ### Meanwhile, the (4) BRYANT & STRATTON COLLEGE AT SYRACUSE BOBCATS triumphed 102-62 over the PAUL SMITH’S COLLEGE BOBCATS ### And the BRYANT & STRATTON COLLEGE AT ROCHESTER BOBCATS defeated the visiting MOHAWK VALLEY COLLEGE HAWKS 105-90. 
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