LOOKING FORWARD: A DREAM OF THE UNITED STATES IN 1999 (1899) – Written by Arthur Bird. This is speculative science fiction looking at world events and scientific advances from 1899 to 1999. Since the U.S. was coming off the 1898 war with Spain that accounts for the way Spain is presented as the major villain on the global scene.
In 1912 Mexico became part of the United States followed by Peru in 1920, Canada in 1930 and by 1935 the U.S. consists of the entire Western Hemisphere. Mexico City – now renamed Washington – has become the new capital of the expanded United States.
America and Great Britain retain their “special relationship” and in this book’s depiction of 1999 the U.K. is ruled by King Alexander II. Britain never lost its old colonies and in fact drove the French, Germans, Belgians and Spanish out of Africa to absorb the entire continent.
France itself was annexed as a German province after losing wars to Germany in 1907 and 1935. Russia conquered China and now rules all of Asia, while Spain – the epitome of evil in this book’s view – has been reduced to a war-torn wasteland following a World War. Continue reading
MATEWAN (1987) – This John Sayles film examines the 1920 Matewan Massacre in the West Virginia coal fields. The workers were attempting to form a union and the owners – the kind of people that the one percenters’ beloved New York Times has proclaimed to be “the conscience of the country” used hired thugs to harass – and even kill – the laborers. 
NUMBER TWO TAKES A FALL – In the NJCAA the 14th ranked IOWA CENTRAL COLLEGE TRITONS welcomed the number 2 team in the nation – the IOWA WESTERN COLLEGE REIVERS. The Tritons put the Reivers on Upset Alert with a 12-10 1st Quarter edge which became a tighter 18-17 lead at Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with Iowa Central College on top 21-17 before they won it 28-26 from there. The NJCAA’s number 1 East Mississippi College lost Thursday night. 
ONE AND TWO ROLL – Meanwhile, up in the NAIA, the top ranked defending champions – the MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS – annihilated the visiting UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS to the tune of EIGHTY to NOTHING ### And the number 2 BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS eviscerated their hosts the GRACELAND UNIVERSITY YELLOW JACKETS 72-7. 
CELEBRATING FOOTBALL – Also in the NAIA the 4th ranked KANSAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY COYOTES welcomed the TEXAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY RAMS for their season-opening event called Celebrating Football. The Coyotes wound up doing all the celebrating, doubling up on the Rams for a 48-24 triumph. 
Labor Day weekend is the appropriate time to post this look at neglected working class folk hero Joe Magarac. This figure was the Steel Mill equivalent of Paul Bunyan and John Henry. 
As a lame play on words since this is Labor Day season I’ll present Joe Magarac’s origin and then depict his tales as “Labors” like in The Labors of Hercules. 
Representatives from film, literature, television, gaming, comic books and the arts will be there.
NUMBER ONE GOES DOWN – In the NJCAA the HINDS COLLEGE EAGLES welcomed the top ranked, two-time defending champions – the EAST MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE LIONS. A 13-10 lead for the Eagles in the opening Quarter remained unchanged at Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with the Lions on top 16-10 but Hinds College dominated the 4th, including a pick-six as they toppled Number One 24-16. 
AND NUMBER FOUR COMES TUMBLING AFTER – Meanwhile the COAHOMA COLLEGE TIGERS took on the visiting 4th ranked JONES COUNTY COLLEGE BOBCATS. The Tigers led 6-0 in the 1st before the Bobcats went up 7-6 at the Half. Coahoma College seized an 18-7 lead in the 3rd Quarter and won it by a final score of 18-10. 
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER NINE – Up in the NAIA the 23rd ranked ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLIN’ BEARS traveled to face the number 9 team in the nation – the DICKINSON STATE BLUE HAWKS. The Battlin’ Bears defense kept the Blue Hawks off the scoreboard the entire 1st Half as a 3-0 Rocky Mountain College lead in the 1st Quarter became 10-0 at the break. That became a 20-7 advantage in the 3rd Quarter before the Battlin’ Bears had to hold on by their fingertips in the 4th for a 23-21 upset win. 
BIETIGHEIM (1886) – Published anonymously in 1886 this work of alternate history accurately predicted some of the actual results and fallout of the coming First World War (1914-1918). Bietigheim is presented as a series of John Minor lectures about world history as seen from “futuristic” 1932. 
NUMBER TEN TRIUMPHANT – In the sole NAIA game yesterday the 10th ranked REINHARDT UNIVERSITY EAGLES (should be the Rottweilers) hosted the WEBBER INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY WARRIORS. The Warriors, coming off last year’s 7-win season, gave the Eagles almost more than they could handle in the 1st Half, holding Reinhardt to a mere 3-0 lead by the break. The 3rd Quarter ended with the Eagles up 9-0 before RU went on to win the game 16-6. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER THREE – In the NJCAA the 6th ranked SNOW COLLEGE BADGERS visited the number 3 team in the nation – the GARDEN CITY COLLEGE BRONCBUSTERS. The Broncbusters led 3-0 in the 1st Quarter and 13-3 at Halftime, but the Badgers had a 24 point 3rd Quarter enroute to a 30-27 comeback victory. 
NUMBER SIXTEEN FALLS – The FORT SCOTT COLLEGE GREYHOUNDS welcomed the 16th ranked HIGHLAND COLLEGE SCOTTIES yesterday. These two Jayhawk Conference rivals served up one of the best games of the day in a tightly fought smash-mouth affair. In the end the Greyhounds knocked off the Scotties by a final tally of 20-16. 
