Gun sales from coast to coast and throughout the fruited plain have soared in the runup to the presidential election. And where are sales profoundly up? In the seven presidential “toss up” states of Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Wisconsin. Gun sales growth in those states are up -- wait for it -- 77.9 percent.Ammo sales surged 139 … [Read more...]
Andrew Barbano Column: Tribal trauma, Belarus R Us and a hero passes
“Democracy without education becomes tyranny without limitation.” Our version of representative government found a toehold because the population of the colonies in the late 18th Century had a respectable level of education. So stated one of my college history profs who mentioned the above quote, some version of which goes back to Socrates and Plato. So how can a highly … [Read more...]
Harry Spencer Column: So Long, ‘Tray’
Harry Spencer One of the social mores that all athletes practice is calling their fellow teammates by their last name or a nickname. Hence the above headline which immortalizes the sobriquet most often used for the late Dick Trachok. The practice of using the surname probably had its genesis in the service during the war years of the last century. When you have a … [Read more...]
Harry Spencer Column: Competing conventions
Harry Spencer atching the Democrat convention and the Republican convention over the past two weeks revealed that they were a study in contrasts. The Democrat version was strictly a virtual presentation where the Dems trotted out a number of antediluvian swamp dwellers who attempted to paint candidate Joe Biden as a lovable, empathetic and caring individual. They … [Read more...]
Sherman R. Frederick Column: Looking for a ‘V’ shaped recovery
Sherman R. Frederick Battle Born Media The Associated Press reports that “U.S. unemployment dropped sharply in August from 10.2 percent to a still-high 8.4 percent with about half the 22 million jobs lost to the coronavirus outbreak recovered so far.” This indicates a likely “V” shaped recovery rather than a “U” shaped recovery. That’s a good thing because this … [Read more...]
Andrew Barbano Column: Diabolical Déjà Vu: Fire is the Devil’s only friend
When I saw him on the stage My hands were clenched in fists of rage No angel born in hell Could break that Satan’s spell - Don MacLean he Mahatmas have spoken. The great Baltimore Evening Sun columnist HL Mencken originated what has morphed into “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” And here we are. On July … [Read more...]
BINGO! Your rights are suspended
By Sherman R. Frederick Battle Born Media Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, unless the state has declared an emergency due to a mysterious pandemic and nameless people in Carson City unilaterally create crazy rules that absolutely, 100 percent prohibit the free exercise thereof. That’s … [Read more...]
There just ain’t no cure for stupid
“The chief justice has made his decision. Now let him enforce it.” -- President Andrew Jackson By Andrew Barbano Why, Lord, why oh why did the only two presidents named Andrew have to be such freedom-loving racists? President Donaldovitch’s favorite predecessor ignored any executive branch duty he didn’t like. Which goes a long way toward explaining why Trump is so often … [Read more...]