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NCAA3 TITLE GAME, PLUS NJCAA2 ACTION

NCAA DIVISION THREE

randoph macon yellow jackets largeNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The RANDOLPH-MACON COLLEGE YELLOW JACKETS clashed with the ELMHURST UNIVERSITY BLUEJAYS for the D3 title.

This was a one-sided game dominated by the Yellow Jackets, who led 38-23 by Halftime, then left the Bluejays even further and further behind after the break. The final score was Randolph-Macon College 75  Elmhurst University 45. Josh Talbert’s Double-Double of 15 points and 11 rebounds led the Yellow Jackets, WHO LOST ONLY ONE GAME THE ENTIRE SEASON. * THE YELLOW JACKETS ARE CHAMPIONS OF NCAA DIVISION THREE *

NJCAA DIVISION TWO

parkland college cobras biggerCENTRAL DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The PARKLAND COLLEGE COBRAS took the court against the JOHN WOOD COLLEGE BLAZERS.

A tale of two Halves was in store here, as the Cobras compiled a 49-26 advantage by the midpoint, only to be outscored by the Blazers 49-31 in the 2nd Half. Parkland College emerged with an 80-75 triumph led by 21 points from Savon Wykle. * THE COBRAS MOVE ON TO THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT * Continue reading

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A FLIGHT TO THE MOON (1813) – ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION

a flight to the moonA FLIGHT TO THE MOON (1813) – Written by George Fowler. This story introduces readers to Randalthus (no last name given), an 1800s American man who has come to regard the moon with a mixture of near-pagan worship and pioneer longing.

Randalthus, who often goes by the shortened name Rand, is admiring the moon as he does nearly every night when a beautiful female alien figure appears to him.  Having read the adoring thoughts that our narrator directs at Earth’s satellite, she has come to grant him his wish to visit the moon and meets its peoples.

She wraps Randalthus in the white glow which surrounds her and flies the two of them to the moon. Randalthus recounts experiencing gravitational changes during the flight and eventual landing on the moon. Continue reading

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JIREL OF JOIRY: CHAPTER LINKS

Jirel of JoiryAn alert reader reminded me that I did not remember to put up a blog post with links to all my reviews of female author C.L. Moore’s six Jirel of Joiry pulp stories from the 1930s. Here is that collection of links in one convenient blog post.

BLACK GOD’S KISS (1934) – The first story featuring Jirel of Joiry, a sword-wielding woman warrior from late Medieval France. From Castle Joiry she leads her army in frequent raids on rival domains while often battling mind-boggling supernatural menaces. Jirel really was the kind of red-haired action heroine that people think of Red Sonja as being, but Robert E Howard’s character Red Sonya (not Sonja) was from the 1520s, not the Hyborean Age, and used guns as well as swords.  

This debut tale introduces Jirel, Father Gervase and the Jason Momoa-esque Guillaume the Conqueror. Our heroine enters a vile netherworld to secure a supernatural weapon. Click HERE. Continue reading

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NJCAA3 CHAMPIONS CROWNED, NCAA3 FINAL FOUR

NCAA DIVISION THREE

elmhurst bluejaysFIRST SEMIFINAL – In this game the ELMHURST UNIVERSITY BLUEJAYS played the WABASH COLLEGE LITTLE GIANTS.

By Halftime the basketball machine which IS the Bluejays program was on top 48-34. After the break Elmhurst University left the Little Giants further and further behind on their way to a 90-68 triumph. Jake Rhode’s THIRTY-TWO points led the Bluejays. Continue reading

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CALIFORNIA LADY: FRANK LARRABEE’S NEGLECTED BUT VERY CATCHY SONG

frank larrabeeRegular readers of Balladeer’s Blog know that all – or at least most – roads lead to bad movies with me. Since 1976 the movie Track of the Moon Beast has been a cult hit for the Psychotronic-minded and for those people who were lucky enough to catch it at various drive-ins during their heyday.

Hidden away inside that piece of 1970s schlock was the song California Lady, a catchy and fun song written and performed by Frank Larrabee. In the way that the song Recipe for Romance is associated with the movie Bloody New Year (aka Time Trap) and the song More is associated with Mondo Cane, California Lady has been bound to Track of the Moon Beast.

frank larrabee on stageFrustratingly, the song was not quite complete and had a few interruptions by dialogue from the film. For decades clearer versions of California Lady were incredibly rare. Mike Wolfer found and has uploaded two versions of the song at his YT Channel (subscribe HERE).

FRANK LARRABEE EPThe first was the studio recording of the song (below) and the second was the entire EP from Frank Larrabee. California Lady is at the 10:03 mark and is a much smoother, less worn recording of the song and is MUCH MORE LIKE THE PERFORMANCE IN THE MOVIE. No interruptions in either case, so you can enjoy this cult item the way it was meant to be heard.

Click HERE for the EP with the song at 10:03 and HERE for the version below. FOR THE GClephMusique REMASTER, with California Lady as the first song click HERE.   

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Filed under Bad and weird movies, opinion

GHOST WATCH (1992)

Ghostwatch 1992GHOSTWATCH (1992) – This was a British made for t.v. movie that aired on Halloween Night in 1992. Ghostwatch is a nice – albeit boring – little novelty item for the way it anticipated the paranormal “reality” (LMAO) shows of today.

masc graveyard smallerThe telefilm also can’t help but put viewers in mind of the Paranormal Activity series and countless other Found Footage horror movies. Ghostwatch involves much older technology of course but for once, since the make-believe t.v. crew is filming their investigation of a haunted house, it MAKES SENSE for people to be filming everything.  

The casting for this production was well-done in that it contains virtually NO recognizable faces. Usually when watching BBC items from back then viewers can’t help but play Spot the Doctor Who/ Sherlock Holmes/ British Murder Mysteries Actor. Continue reading

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IRON MAN: 1970s CLASSICS 1 – THE BLACK LAMA AND RAGA, SON OF FIRE

robert downey jr iron manWeekends are the time for Balladeer’s Blog’s escapist forays into superheroes, who seem to be everywhere these days. This time around it will be a multi-week look at Iron Man and one of his most memorable story runs from the 1970s.

im 52IRON MAN Vol 1 #52 (November 1972)

Title: Raga, Son of Fire

Villains: The Black Lama and Raga, Son of Fire

NOTE: This is still the decades-long period of time when Tony Stark covered up his identity as Iron Man by pretending publicly that the armored superhero was really his high-tech bodyguard. That explanation allayed suspicion about why Iron Man so often showed up wherever Tony Stark was at the time. 

Synopsis: This issue starts off with Tony Stark in his Iron Man armor using his high-tech training room at Stark Industries Headquarters on Long Island. Our hero uses this hidden area as a testing ground for every upgrade he adds to his armor.

rdj as tony starkThis afternoon all of the destructive devices and traps are overcome by Iron Man’s latest improvements. The test session over with, Tony Stark catches a flight to California. With his engagement to long-time girlfriend Marianne Rodgers called off recently our hero is off on a vacation.

He starts partying with other members of the Jet Set in the on-board lounge during his flight westward. With Tony once again available – and with his secret heart transplant working perfectly – he returns to his old playboy ways. The women on board vie with each other for Stark’s attention, smitten with his looks, brains and immense wealth. Continue reading

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NJCAA FINAL FOUR AND NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT ACTION

NJCAA DIVISION THREE

North Lake College BlazersFIRST SEMIFINAL – The 4th seeded NORTH LAKE COLLEGE BLAZERS ended the Cinderella run of the 8 seeds – the ROCK VALLEY COLLEGE GOLDEN EAGLES.

At Halftime the Blazers were chasing Rock Valley College, who held a 31-28 edge. From there North Lake College came roaring back, ultimately winning the game by a final score of 66-65. Gregory Crawford led the Blazers with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Continue reading

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FIVE MORE ANCIENT GREEK COMEDIES VIEWED THROUGH A MODERN LENS

Balladeer’s Blog’s previous look at Seven Ancient Greek Comedies with Themes That Are Still Relevant went over pretty well, so here are five more.

aristophanes picTHE BANQUETERS – By Aristophanes. This was the very first comedy from the Athenian whose name is synonymous with ancient Greek comedies, especially political satires. The nineteen-year-old presented a landowner from Athens whose two sons were being introduced to his phratry brothers at a banquet dedicated to Herakles. 

The sons were on opposite ends of what we would today call the political left & the political right. Following an argument between the two of them they switch friend groups to see who can handle the other’s daily life better. Jokes abound about values, hair styles, tastes in music and more. Continue reading

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ADVENTURES OF A MICRO-MAN (1902) ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION

adventures-of-a-micro-manTHE ADVENTURES OF A MICRO-MAN (1902) – This work of vintage or “ancient” science fiction was authored by Lancelot Bayly under the pen name Edwin Pallender. The central character of the story was Doctor Geoffrey Hassler, a wealthy eccentric scientist who has discovered “microgen” a gas which shrinks objects down to a very small size.  

masc graveyard smallerDr Hassler’s demonstrations of the procedure in a diving-bell shaped chamber convinces even the skeptics and he rakes in even more money plus scientific recognition. One day when he, his daughter Muriel, her fiancee Gerald and a family friend named Reverend Eden are all inside the chamber a fluke accident causes them all to be shrunk down to a fraction of an inch.

Nobody was around to witness the accident so the quartet are trapped at tiny size for approximately 10 days, when the microgen treatment will wear off and they will return to normal. In their struggle to survive they manage to escape the chamber and make their way to Dr Hassler’s garden which – at their current size – is like a vast, dangerous jungle to them. Knowing they need food and water the group has no alternative but to venture forth. Continue reading

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