Author Archives: Matthew Ballantyne

Cubs Sunday: 1st Place in the Division

So a lot has changed yet again on the Northside. The Cubs are a game above in the division, and have hit a few win streaks that are causing them to separate from the rest of the pack. Their last ten has them losing more than winning, but don’t mind that.  Manager Joe has aContinue reading “Cubs Sunday: 1st Place in the Division”

Order Walk with Warriors

Hey, another quick note about Walk with Warriors, order yours today, and very soon I’ll be making appearances to discuss my contribution to this veteran project, at which point I can sign your copy. This is the first installation of an on-going project intended to support veterans, giving them a voice to their stories ofContinue reading “Order Walk with Warriors”

Friday Night Opinion: Seattle Mayor Ed Murray Must Resign

I know most people are living in or near Seattle.  Mathematics and statistical distribution says it’s not possible. But I must comment on one of the worst scandal-not scandal’s I’ve seen in some time. Ed Murray is the embattled Mayor of Seattle.  The reason he is embattled is because it has come to light thatContinue reading “Friday Night Opinion: Seattle Mayor Ed Murray Must Resign”

Character Development: How Should you Write Someone

Writers have a lot of avenues to collect advice on how to write characters.  I’m not the kind of person that tells people how to write.  I come from the Charles Bukowski school of writing: Just write. That being said, I was talking with a few people who have some of my business affairs atContinue reading “Character Development: How Should you Write Someone”

Update: Hope in Varnell, Georgia

In a very strong showing,  in the small town of Northern Georgia we discussed a few weeks ago, Varnell, citizens showed they were done fooling around with the city council nonsense, and told their sitting council that it’s time for them to resign. To recap, Varnell Police responded back in June to an incident at SheldonContinue reading “Update: Hope in Varnell, Georgia”

Military Nude Picture Scandal: Where are we today?

 I can’t say I’ve been perfect in my relationships.  I can’t say that in my relationships that I would do it all the same again.  I know I have misstepped, I know I have done things wrong.  But I can be sure that I’ve never done anything remotely like this to any woman, and wouldn’t dream of it.  But I do wonder what it takes for someone to reach their level of depravity.

What Global Aid is Really Telling the US

I’ve been thinking a lot about global aid efforts we in the US put on, both through out taxes, and through our own checkbooks. In the course of reading about the issue, I also watched the documentary, Poverty, Inc. which was released in 2015. The recent data, results, and of course responses by people inContinue reading “What Global Aid is Really Telling the US”

Everything is Stupid: Marijuana enters the Prenatal Care Industry

A friend of mine recently conveyed to me that during a prenatal visit to his wife’s OB/GYN, she described how she was concerned with the quality of birth, as she read studies about births that turned into emergency C-sections. The doctor’s response?  A prescription of medical marijuana.  Yes, you read that correctly, marijuana, as inContinue reading “Everything is Stupid: Marijuana enters the Prenatal Care Industry”