Balladeer’s Blog
These were originally posted in 2020.
“We’re a world of 7 billion people, 10 billion blogs and 20 billion political poses” is always the opening line of Balladeer’s Blog’s pieces like this. So, let’s have some fun framing American politics as part of the Alien and Dune franchises. Both political parties are bashed.
RIPLEY and the other humans in the Alien films are American VOTERS. As we struggle to survive in this dangerous setting we need to stand together against the common threats. And that applies whether a voter considers themselves Independent or Democrat or Republican. Political labels have become meaningless for US as the Neo-Feudalists view all of us as peasants and cannon fodder, anyway. Continue reading
ABSOLUTE EVIL (1918) – This longish short story was written by Julian Hawthorne, son of Nathaniel. The tale features Julian’s tragically overlooked supernatural adventuress Martha Klemm. 
THE BLACK PIRATE (1926) – Fairbanks starred as the Duke of Arnoldo aka the Black Pirate in this high seas adventure that captured the feel of 
DR. SCAR – This Movie Host was played by Jack Jacobson and hosted TWO shows at once on KGUN-TV Channel 9 in Tucson, Arizona. He hosted Big 9 Chiller on Saturday nights at 10:30 pm from 1962-1977 and Science Fiction Theater on Sunday nights at 9 or 10pm from 1965-1980. 
TENAFLY (1973-1974) – The same television season that Richard Roundtree’s Shaft was adapted as a small-screen series, another black detective show titled Tenafly debuted. 
THE VIDEO DEAD (1987) – This gory low-budget zombie movie plays like an unused segment of Creepshow expanded to feature length. Long before The Ring, this production presented creepy zombies from an old black & white horror flick climbing out of a tv set and slaughtering anyone and everyone.
PART 79 – As always, it’s fascinating to read the over 100-year-old opinions of James Larkin Pearson (and by extension his Fool Killer), including the opinions that one doesn’t agree with. Here are some of the Fool Killer’s targets in November 1915.
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER ONE – In NCAA Division Three the number 2 WHEATON COLLEGE THUNDER (John Belushi’s alma mater) visited the top ranked NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE CARDINALS. Defense dominated the 1st Half as a Thunder Safety was the only score. The Cardinals went up 3-2 in the 3rd Quarter, but Wheaton College won out in the 4th 13-10. 
TOPPLING NUMBER THREE – Up in the NAIA the 10th ranked MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS hosted the number 3 team in the country – the INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS. The Knights put Indiana Wesleyan on Upset Alert with their 17-14 edge at Halftime. Going into the 4th Quarter Marian University led 24-21 and held on for a 30-28 victory. 
