Category Archives: opinion

BESS THE DETECTRESS: SILENT FILM HEROINE

BESS THE DETECTRESS – Bess Meredyth was a silent film starlet, writer and director. This particular blog post will focus on her Bess the Detectress character at Universal Studios but in the future Balladeer’s Blog will cover other aspects of her life and career.

Bess was married to Casablanca director Michael Curtiz and was the mother of writer-director John Meredyth Lucas, famous for his work on Star Trek and other programs. 

BESS THE DETECTRESS IN THE OLD MILL AT MIDNIGHT (Jun 1914) – The first short in the Bess the Detectress series. When the stage show she was performing in closes as a flop, Bess is left scrambling for her next meal. She spots a Wanted poster offering a reward of $200.00 (equal to $6,300 in 2025) for the capture of the male outlaw Honey Hall.

Bess determines to get that reward money and turns sleuth, wielding a toy gun which she uses to bluff criminals. She follows a few wrong leads but ultimately gets the bandit and the reward money. Continue reading

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BALLADEER’S BLOG RANKS THE PRESIDENTS: 2025

FIRST, I AM DOING WHAT ANY SUCH LIST COMPILER SHOULD DO IF THEY ARE TRYING TO BE AS OBJECTIVE AS POSSIBLE: I am omitting the most recent presidents because of the way emotion (and hysteria in some cases) can color perceptions of them. Presidential rankings lists which go all the way up to the present year are used simply as partisan political propaganda, not as true assessments.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT

GEORGE WASHINGTON 

THEODORE ROOSEVELT Continue reading

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FEB SEVENTEENTH ROUNDUP OF NEWS, MEMES AND POLITICAL CARTOONS

Another current events roundup courtesy of Independent Voter Site Balladeer’s Blog, coming to you from an America where the Democrat/ Republican divide has temporarily been replaced by a “pro-corruption/ anti-corruption” divide.

TRUMP-MODI MEETING RESULTS IN INDIA BUYING MORE FUEL AND JETS FROM THE UNITED STATES.

BUSTING THE USAID-INTERNEWS MEDIA CARTEL.

CORRUPT WASHINGTON DC POLITICIANS AND FUNCTIONARIES SCRAMBLING TO DESTROY EVIDENCE, LAUNDER THEIR ILL-GOTTEN MONEY OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND LAWYER UP.

MORE REVELATIONS ABOUT THE BIDEN REGIME MONEY LAUNDERING OPERATION.

ANOTHER ONE POINT NINE BILLION DOLLARS REVEALED TO HAVE BEEN LOOTED FROM HUD BY THE BIDEN REGIME. More about HUD HERE.

BIDEN REGIME’S ARMY WAS DIVERTING SOLDIERS’ FOOD MONEY FOR OTHER USES

WASHINGTON STATE DEMOCRATS ADJUST LEGISLATION IN FAVOR OF WITHOLDING INFORMATION FROM PARENTS IF THEIR CHILD SUFFERS SEXUAL ASSAULTS AT THE HANDS OF FACULTY OR STAFF. Democrats, can you please leave children alone?

JUDGE’S STEALTH MODIFICATION TO THEIR ANTI-INTEGRITY RULING GIVES THE GAME AWAY.

FURTHER LOOKS AT HOW DEMOCRATS DISTORTED THE DOE, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES INTO CHURCHES OF IRRATIONAL THOUGHT AND POLITICAL INTOLERANCE. I need to revive my Faculty Lounge Fascist Roundup series.

DEMOCRAT SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY RIDICULED FOR MISTAKING A FAKE LARA TRUMP PAGE FOR THE REAL THING. Once again, we see that anti-Trump buffoons will foolishly believe anything. Murphy was called a moron, but hey, anti-Trumpers will be quoting the fake page as if it was real for years. Continue reading

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THREE FORMER PRESIDENTS WHO RETURNED TO FEDERAL SERVICE

As Presidents Day Weekend continues here’s another seasonal post from Balladeer’s Blog. This item looks at the three former presidents who occupied other United States federal government positions after their years in the White House.

William Howard TaftWILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Gang Affiliation: Republican

Post-Presidency Office: Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

Comment: In July of 1921, President Warren G. Harding took time out from letting his criminal cronies run the country to appoint former President Taft as the new Chief Justice.

Among the Associate Justices serving on the Supreme Court when Taft took the position were three of the legends of the Court – Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr, Louis Brandeis and Willis Van Devanter. (I like to think that when the other Justices dissented from a Willis Van Devanter opinion those dissents would start with the words “Whatchoo talkin’ ’bout, Willis?” But I’m kind of weird.) Continue reading

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VICE PRESIDENTS: A PRESIDENTS DAY WEEKEND LOOK AT HISTORY’S SECOND BANANAS

John Adams

John Adams

Since it’s Presidents Day Weekend here’s a seasonal post.

John Adams called the Vice Presidency “the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived.” A very old joke went “Once there were two brothers. One ran away to sea and the other became Vice President. Neither was ever heard from again.”

In George S Kaufman’s and Morrie Ryskind’s classic stage work Of Thee I Sing one of the characters turns down an offer to be Vice President because he’s ashamed to have his mother know. He’s persuaded to accept the office when it’s pointed out that if he doesn’t tell her about it she’ll never find out.

The office has featured eminently forgettable figures as well as comic relief buffoons like Dan “The Global Village Idiot” Quayle and Al “Koo Koo for Cocoa Puffs” Gore. In the light-hearted style of Balladeer’s Blog’s look at U.S. Presidents here’s a look at the folks who got to hang around and see if the country’s Chief Executive wound up six feet under. I’m omitting VP’s who went on to actually become President, so no John Adams or Thomas Jefferson, etc. 

aaron-burrAARON BURR

Served Under: Jefferson 

Noted for: Shooting dead more Treasury Secretaries and hatching more plots to start his own country than any other Vice President. (So far, anyway.)

Best Burr Quote: “I’m still searching for the real killers of Alexander Hamilton.” 

GEORGE CLINTON

Served Under: Jefferson and Madison

Noted for: P-Funk and Funkadelic Leading American Rebel forces against the British troops of his loyalist cousin Sir Henry Clinton during the Revolutionary War.

Best Clinton Quote: “Do fries go with that shake?” Continue reading

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NEWS, MEMES AND POLITICAL CARTOONS ROUNDUP: FEB FOURTEENTH

Independent Voter Site Balladeer’s Blog posts another current events roundup from an America where our political establishment’s monumental corruption is being rooted out and dealt with by the outsider Donald Trump.

        EVEN THE DEMOCRAT MEDIA OUTLET THE NEW YORK TIMES REVEALED THAT THERE IS PLENTY OF EVIDENCE BEHIND D.O.G.E.’s FINDINGS. And all that despite frantic Democrat lies to the contrary. Hilarious! 

JUDGE MCCONNELL, ACCUSED OF BUYING HIS JUDICIAL APPOINTMENT VIA HUGE DONATIONS TO DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES, IS ALSO ON THE BOARD OF ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS HIS RULING INSISTED HAVE ITS FUNDING RESTORED. A clear conflict of interest, but Democrat judges refuse to recuse themselves in such cases. It’s like how the judges persecuting President Trump during the campaign were huge Democrat donors and one even had a family member in the Biden campaign.

THE IRRATIONAL RAMBLINGS OF THAT SAME “JUDGE” SHOW HIS DEEP-SEATED HATRED OF TRUMP. FURTHER PROOF THE JUDGE SHOULD HAVE RECUSED HIMSELF. So, the honorable act of recusal is another victim of Democrat divisiveness and open political corruption. The Democrat view is obviously “Don’t recuse yourself when you’re handling a case against our political opponents.”

CONSTITUTIONAL EXPERT SPEAKS OUT ON DEMOCRAT JUDGES PRETENDING THAT ACTIONS WHICH ARE WITHIN A PRESIDENT’S POWERS ARE SUDDENLY FORBIDDEN JUST BECAUSE THEY SAY SO. Alan Dershowitz joins him HERE. The only “constitutional crisis” going on right now is being caused by judicial overreach. A great item on all of it HERE. Schlichter weighs in HERE

TWENTY BILLION MORE DOLLARS REVEALED TO HAVE BEEN LAUNDERED BY THE BIDEN REGIME. More HERE. Yet anti-Trump loons continue defending such actions. They’re pro-corruption apparently.

Democrat Party

ILLINOIS DEMOCRAT MICHAEL MADIGAN FOUND GUILTY IN CORRUPTION TRIAL.

EX-USAID HEAD SAMANTHA POWER EXPOSED FOR “SOMEHOW” COMPILING THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS DURING A FEW YEARS MAKING JUST ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR. Remember the uproar from Democrats to see Trump’s tax returns? Well, we saw them and there was nothing wrong. Notice how America’s corrupt political establishment did not go on to insist on tax return transparency for their fellow white-collar criminals?  Continue reading

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CASABLANCA (1942) – VALENTINE’S DAY MOVIE REVIEW

CasablancaCASABLANCA (1942) – Happy Valentine’s Day! A few readers of Balladeer’s Blog have asked me for my opinion on this classic movie so I figured Valentine’s Day was the perfect opportunity.

People are often surprised when I like movies that so many other people rate highly. I like plenty of the old, old classics, it’s just that I prefer to blog about much more offbeat and obscure items. My favorite film of all time is Citizen Kane. Really. But I’ve never reviewed it here because I wasn’t in the mood to write the 100 millionth glowing review of that particular movie.

masc chair and bottleGetting back to Casablanca, it’s possibly the greatest “bittersweet ending” romantic flick ever made. I find that it appeals to almost everyone. If you’re young and naïve it can make you ache at the thought of persevering despite your broken heart. If you’re older and cynical it makes you nostalgic for a time when you actually thought a broken heart was the worst thing that could happen to you. Continue reading

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FEBRUARY TWELFTH ROUNDUP OF NEWS, MEMES AND POLITICAL CARTOONS

From an America finally dealing with its cesspool of corruption that masquerades as a political establishment, Independent Voter Site Balladeer’s Blog posts another current events roundup.

Democrat Party

Remember how Democrats were fine with Joe Biden REPEATEDLY ignoring Supreme Court rulings that said no president had the power to make the taxpayers foot the bill for the student loan debt he waived for his political favorites? Yet now they act as if Trump ignoring absurd rulings from far lesser judges would be a crisis.

         Judicial overreach needs addressed. And don’t try pretending it’s a Separation of Powers situation. These are LOWER COURT JUDGES, not the Supreme Court. The lower courts are NOT on the same level that the Supreme Court is and should not be able to hold the entire country hostage over and over again. (And again, Biden supporters were fine with him ignoring rulings from the Supreme Court that went against him anyway.)

        And yes, I mean that no matter who the president is or which party they’re from. If lower courts make decisions ordering THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH to cease actions immediately then it should mean that UNTIL THE SUPREME COURT WEIGHS IN ON THE SITUATION the president’s orders stand, not the other way around.

JIM BANKS PRAISES TRUMP FOR BRINGING BACK MANUFACTURING JOBS AND SAVING THE AMERICAN DREAM. Trump is still the greatest president for the working class and the poor during my lifetime. Remember when callous Democrats mockingly said “Those jobs ain’t comin’ back!”

PRESIDENT TRUMP GETS AMERICAN MARC FOGEL RELEASED FROM RUSSIA. Another failure of the Biden Regime corrected.

SENATE DEMOCRAT NICOLE MITCHELL FACES ADDITIONAL FELONY CHARGES IN BURGLARY ARREST. Caught red-handed in commission of the crime. Democrat office-holders are branching out to more hands-on crimes now.

NEW YORK DEMOCRATS CONSIDER LETTING 800,000 NON-CITIZENS VOTE. I guess they figure they’ll “vote for candidates Americans won’t vote for.”

TRUMP’S D.O.G.E. EXPOSES HOW FIFTY BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR WAS BEING SENT TO PEOPLE WITH NO SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. A reasonable person might wonder how many of those people were funnels for the Democrats.

PARENTS OF HAMAS HOSTAGE PRAISE TRUMP FOR HIS STRENGTH. Continue reading

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NEWS, MEMES AND POLITICAL CARTOONS ROUNDUP: FEB TENTH

Independent Voter Site Balladeer’s Blog brings you another current events roundup.

THE HISTORIC CLASH BETWEEN PRESIDENT TRUMP’S REFORM FORCES AND AMERICA’S CESSPOOL OF CORRUPTION CONTINUES. Will Congressional Republicans revert to their usual spineless selves to betray their constituents and the rule of law?

STATELY MCDANIEL MANOR ON USAID: THE COCKROACHES BEGIN TO BE CRUSHED. An incredible article that deserves to be read and passed on.

COURAGEOUS BLACK TRUMP SUPPORTERS SUING NEW YORK MAGAZINE OVER AN ARTICLE WHICH ACCUSED THEM OF BEING “WHITE SUPREMACISTS.” Pushing race hatred and division is in the DNA of the Democrats.

ANOTHER SCHOOL IN NEW YORK CAUGHT PUSHING THE TRANS RELIGION ON SMALL CHILDREN. Democrats, can you please leave children alone?

REMINDERS TO DEMOCRAT BUFFOONS WHO SNIVEL THAT MUSK WAS “NOT ELECTED” – CIA HEADS AREN’T ELECTED, FBI HEADS AREN’T ELECTED, FUNCTIONARIES IN FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS AREN’T ELECTED, ANTHONY FAUCI WASN’T ELECTED, ETC. Democrats who support corruption still don’t comprehend how things work, do they?

ZELENSKY BEING PERSUADED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP’S PEACE PROPOSALS.

PRESIDENT TRUMP BRINGS JOBS AND ROOTS OUT POLITICAL CORRUPTION. The Great Reformer is hated and feared by the graft-grabbing white-collar criminals of Washington DC. But I do disagree with his Gaza statements.

TRUMP CONTINUES TO LAY BARE THE ROT AT THE CORE OF OUR POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT. More HERE.

EVEN MORE USAID MISDEEDS. And it’s repulsive seeing bureaucrats so eager to defend their own jobs even though they were so callous toward the working class losing their jobs. Continue reading

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FEBRUARY SEVENTH ROUNDUP OF NEWS, MEMES AND POLITICAL CARTOONS

It’s time for another current events roundup from Independent Voter Site Balladeer’s Blog.

THE SCANDAL OVER THE WAY DEMOCRATS USED USAID TO COVERTLY FINANCE DEMOCRAT MEDIA OUTLETS, TARGET DEMOCRAT ENEMIES AND PUSH GROTESQUE SIDE PROJECTS CONTINUES TO GROW. More HERE. And HERE. This will join the Teapot Dome Scandal, the Credit Mobilier Scandal and other monumental scandals in American history. Even more HERE. And HERE.

PRESIDENT TRUMP AND SENATOR TUBERVILLE PURSUING LEGISLATION TO END THE TAXING OF SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS. Another campaign promise is addressed.

TRUMP ONCE AGAIN IMPROVING THINGS FOR THE WORKING CLASS AND THE POOR, LIKE HE DID IN HIS FIRST TERM, TOO. He has been and still is the best president for the working class and the poor during my lifetime.

FEMALE ATHLETES PRAISE PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR KEEPING MEN OUT OF WOMEN’S SPORTS. Videos HERE. And HERE. And HERE.

DEMOCRAT OBSESSION WITH MUTILATING THE GENITALS OF CHILDREN CONTINUES. Democrats, can you please leave children alone?

TRUMP CLEANUP OF THE SEWER AT THE CIA IS IN THE SPIRIT OF JFK’s LONG-AGO PLAN TO CURB THAT AGENCY’S COUNTLESS ABUSES. Let’s hope President Trump keeps himself safe.

TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS STILL BEING ARRESTED IN AURORA, CO. Remember when Democrats tried pretending that the gang wasn’t even in Colorado and that Trump was making it up?. Continue reading

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