READER QUESTION: What’s your opinion of the latest John McCain/ Trump bit?
ANSWER: As long-time readers of Balladeer’s Blog can vouch for, I despised John McCain since long before Donald Trump was president. In fact, since I started Balladeer’s Blog back in 2010 I frequently made it clear that I considered McCain to be even lower than the clump of bacteria named George W Bush.
To give you an idea of how strongly I feel: I can promise you that no matter how much I despise George W Bush and Barack Obama I will NOT describe them in the same hostile way I describe John McCain. Especially after they’re dead. McCain doesn’t deserve any courtesy or consideration. Yes, that’s how low I consider McCain.
Searching under McCain’s name will bring up all the past posts here if you want all the details so I’ll try to keep it brief in this reply.
For starters, the media used to point out what trash McCain was, but now that he’s dead they just like using his corpse to hit Trump. By the way, all my criticisms of John McCain are the same ones used against him by the media when he ran for President in 2008. Since he feuded with Trump the media ignores what garbage McCain always was.
In my opinion John McCain embodied the stereotype of the racist, warmongering Republican rich pig. But I found him far more repulsive because he would often showboat with some token criticism of his colleagues to get positive pub from Democrat media outlets, then vote with the other Repubs anyway! It’s not “being a maverick” to act like “Hey, those other Republicans are all a bunch of racists and warmongers but not me” and then largely vote for all the policies that those “racists and warmongers” are voting for anyway.
HERE’S ANOTHER COLUMN POINTING OUT HOW REPUBLICAN JOHN “LET’S FIGHT WARS ALL OVER THE WORLD” MCCAIN WAS CALLOUS ABOUT PEOPLE DYING IN THE WARS STARTED BY HIM AND HIS PALS IN THE MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX – But people who claim to hate American Interventionism and Cowboy Diplomacy praised McCain simply because he took cheap shots at Trump. Click HERE
The reason President Trump once again mentioned what filth McCain was is because even more evidence has come out linking McCain to the pack of bizarre lies known as the Golden Showers Dossier. So, no matter what you think of the Orange One this is not a case of a sitting president gratuitously dumping on a dead Senator. He’s dumping on a Senator involved in publicizing such a low form of gossip-mongering that even the fascist J Edgar Hoover might have balked at doing it.
To quote from my most recent blog post featuring McCain:
His nauseating way of behaving like a prick then basically saying “You wouldn’t insult a man who has brain cancer, would ya” is so typical of this bought and paid for Republican worm.
John “Songbird” McCain was often linked to stories about how he collaborated with his North Vietnamese captors to the detriment of his fellow prisoners, some of whom were beaten to death. And refuses to okay the unsealing of his POW files despite frequent calls to do so. Hmmmm. Continue reading
DAY ONE, GAME ONE – The LSU-SHREVEPORT PILOTS (Riverboat Pilots) clashed with the WILLIAM JESSUP UNIVERSITY WARRIORS. The Pilots were chasing the Warriors 32-29 at Halftime but outscored them 54-33 after the break for an 83-65 comeback win. LSU-Shreveport was led by Jeff Garrett with his Double Double of 20 points and 13 rebounds. 
DAY ONE, GAME TWO – In this game the ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM took on the WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY PIONEERS (should be the Flying W’s). The Firestorm held a slight 41-40 edge at the Half then left the Pioneers a bit further behind to defeat them 81-73. Callum Lawson led the way for Arizona Christian University with a Double Double of 23 points and 11 rebounds. 
DAY ONE, GAME THREE – The WILLIAM PENN UNIVERSITY STATESMEN faced the VANGUARD UNIVERSITY LIONS. The defenses dominated in the opening Half, which ended with the Statesmen clinging to a 29-28 lead. After the break William Penn U got some more separation from the Lions for a 69-53 victory. Sixteen points from Abrian Edwards led the way for the Statesmen. 
For Balladeer’s Blog’s Number One Harry Flashman Novel click 
10. ROYAL FLASH (1970) 
“Horse riding, sword fighting, brawling, drinking and humping, Harry is always in the thick of 19th Century history! This time the lusty scoundrel is tangled up in political intrigues involving Otto Von Bismarck, Lola Montez, Karl Marx and the Schleswig-Holstein Question.” 
Synopsis: Harry Flashman, fleeing a police raid on a gambling establishment he was frequenting, winds up meeting the legendary real-life adventuress Lola Montez, one of the few women to tug at Flashman’s heart, not just his man-parts. During their romantic nine-day wonder of wild love-making and tempestuous quarreling, Harry also winds up clashing with future statesman Otto Von Bismarck in clubrooms, on the hunt and on the riding range. 
ELITE EIGHT: FIRST BERTH – One of the remaining 1 seeds – the POINT LOMA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY SEA LIONS – took on the 3rd seeded SAINT MARTIN’S UNIVERSITY SAINTS. The Sea Lions put up 30 points in the 1st Half compared to the 24 scored by the Saints. In the 2nd Half the teams notched another 30 points each, giving Point Loma Nazarene University a 60-54 victory. Daulton Hommes led the Sea Lions with 25 points.
ELITE EIGHT: SECOND BERTH – The 4th seeded UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN INDIANA SCREAMING EAGLES did battle with their Region’s 2 seeds – the BELLARMINE UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS. The Screaming Eagles seemed doomed to defeat at Halftime, trailing the Knights 42-26. However, from there USI outscored Bellarmine U 50-27 for a 76-69 comeback Upset. Twenty-seven points from Alex Stein led the Screaming Eagles. 
ELITE EIGHT: THIRD BERTH – Another remaining 1 seed – the NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY SHARKS – went up against the 3rd seeded LYNN UNIVERSITY FIGHTING KNIGHTS. The Sharks methodically parlayed a 44-39 Halftime advantage into a comfortable 89-74 triumph. Nova Southeastern University was led by David Dennis with his 28 points. 
Ever wonder where people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez get the irrational gibberish they spout? Thank a teacher! (And remember, AOC has a degree from Boston University … a degree in economics. LMAO) Here’s another look at the way Democrats have distorted the educational system into a one-party practice in bias and irrational thought. 
Professor Sam Abrams at Sarah Lawrence College is accused of a Thought Crime because he spoke out in support of ideological diversity. DOZENS of Democrats in the faculty joined with students in demanding that Abrams be fired for this modest suggestion. (Hey, Democrats are such criminals they consider getting people fired to be “making their bones.”) 
Balladeer’s Blog’s posts about neglected Pulp Heroes like the Nyctalope, G-8 and His Battle Aces and others have proven enduringly popular over the years. My work on the then-obscure Moon Man from the 1930s caught the eye of author Greg Hatcher, who was kind enough to thank me for my synopses of all 38 original Moon Man stories AND to send me a copy of his story in the 2014 collection of new Moon Man (and other hero) tales by modern authors. 
This brings us back to the Nyctalope, the neglected bionic French Pulp Hero created in the VERY early 20th century by France’s sci fi icon Jean de la Hire. My review of some of the Nyctalope novels in the original French predated a couple of the recently published English language translations and assorted readers were wondering when I would finish the whole series, like I did with G-8, Silver John and Northwest Smith. 
DAY ONE, GAME ONE – Tipping off the 2019 National Tournament for the NJCAA Division One was this clash between the 17 seeds – the CAPE FEAR COLLEGE SEA DEVILS – and the 16th seeded ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE MATADORS. The Sea Devils led 48-40 at Halftime, following which points continued to fly like shrapnel. In the end Cape Fear College defeated the Matadors by a Century Club-level score of 104-90. JJ Miles put up 28 points to lead the Sea Devils. 
DAY ONE, GAME TWO – Next the 20th seeded KASKASKIA COLLEGE BLUE ANGELS faced the 13 seeds – the SHERIDAN COLLEGE GENERALS. The Blue Angels put the Generals on Upset Alert by the break with their 47-37 advantage. From there Kaskaskia College managed to eke out just an inch more separation to win the game 92-80. Parker Dortch couldn’t lose, leading the way for the Blue Angels with his 21 points. 
#BLEXIT is a kindred movement to #WALKAWAY and is about the way Urban Intellectuals Matter. #BLEXIT and #BLACKLIVESMAGA center around black people who add their own “voices” (to use one of the Democrats’ most nauseating clichés to tweak them) to an ongoing national discussion. 
ENDGAME (1983) – More Weirdness at the End of the World with yet another Italian imitation of The Road Warrior. These Spaghetti-pocalypse movies were to the 80s what Spaghetti Westerns were to the 60s and 70s. 
Lilith works like a figurative Mutant Called Moses (with apologies to Harriet Tubman) and has been heroically smuggling mutants out of the cities, Underground Railroad style. 
DAY THREE, GAME TWO – The 2nd seeded AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY JAGUARS faced the 3 seeds – the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT AIKEN PACERS. The Pacers were leading 37-28 at the break but the Jaguars roared back to force Overtime with an 84-84 tie. In the extra session Augusta University won it 93-89. Tyvez Monroe led the Jaguars with 21 points. 
DAY THREE, GAME THREE – This game pitted another 1 seed – the QUEENS UNIVERSITY OF CHARLOTTE ROYALS – against the 4th seeded CATAWBA COLLEGE INDIANS. The Royals had compiled a 44-35 advantage by the midpoint but then had to hold on tight for a 96-93 victory. Daniel Carr put up THIRTY-THREE points to lead Queens University of Charlotte. 
