Puck magazine (1871-1918), the well-known political humor magazine, was at its height under original founder and creative director cartoonist Joseph Keppler. Here is a February 23rd, 1881 Keppler political cartoon depicting Jay Gould, the telegraph monopolist, and Cornelius Vanderbilt the railroad baron.
The point of the cartoon is the way those two Robber Barons – allied with like-minded newspaper tycoons – abused their wealth and political influence to bind the United States (represented here by Uncle Sam) to their will.
Joseph Keppler was outraged at the power so unethically wielded by such figures to cloak themselves in righteous, philanthropic public images while in reality they – in Keppler’s words – clutched “the United States and all its institutions by the throat.”
This is similar to the way the Silicon Valley and Social Media Robber Barons of today cloak themselves in “socially conscious” public images while in reality clutching the United States and all its institutions by the throat.
The Robber Barons criticized by Puck magazine exerted their ugly influence on behalf of right-wing politicians. The Robber Barons of the 21st Century tend to exert their ugly influence on behalf of left-wing politicians. The end results are equally totalitarian. Continue reading
Projected Title: FLASHMAN ON THE GOLD COAST 
In June the advance of the Ashanti was halted at Elmina and back in England Her Majesty’s Government made plans to send additional troops to the Gold Coast to deal with the situation. By August 13th General Garnet Wolseley was chosen to lead the army. 
ANTI-TRUMP LOONS ACCIDENTALLY PROVE DEMOCRAT COLLUSION WITH RUSSIA WHILE PURSUING TRUMP
ASK BALLADEER: Who is your favorite Attic Old Comedian outside of Aristophanes? 
Privileged white one percenter and Democrat career criminal Nancy Pelosi once again demonstrated her political party’s typical hypocrisy on the issue of illegal immigration and border enforcement. The link is below.
Loomer, a heroine to an entire generation of empowered young women, then read aloud from a list of the dead and raped victims of illegal immigrant violence until Nancy Pelosi sicced police on the crowd. 
NCAA Division Two – 1. NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS ### 2. BELLARMINE UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS ### 3. INDIANA UNIVERSITY IN PENNSYLVANIA CRIMSON HAWKS ### 4. SAINT EDWARD’S (TX) RATTLERS ### 5. ASHLAND UNIVERSITY EAGLES ### 
6. NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY SHARKS ### 7. MOREHOUSE COLLEGE MAROON TIGERS ### 8. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT AIKEN PACERS ### 9. WEST LIBERTY STATE HILLTOPPERS ### 10. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO TRITONS ### 
Crypt TV is a YT channel featuring original horror film shorts with a variety of deadly monsters. Many of the monsters are featured in ongoing stories that are like ARG’s but with much better special effects. This particular video features the first appearance of a violent creature whose ongoing appearances hint at plenty of unsavory, sinister secrets as well as serial killings in a small town. It’s titled The Wedding Hand, as a play on a Wedding Band. NOT FOR THE EASILY FRIGHTENED! 
February 16th to 17th is when the 2019 Boston Sci-Fi Marathon will happen. 
January is an appropriate month for this latest post about Puck magazine (1871-1918). Here at Balladeer’s Blog I’ve long made clear my fascination with that political humor magazine. Puck political cartoons – especially from the covers – are still much sought-after and I own a few myself. 
