Writers develop a unique understanding of words, emotions, and ideas. Everyone learns a wide spattering of words and their meanings. But writers usually find themselves when they go beyond those meanings, and find the meaningful connections between words. Some words form greater connections with others. Some words have limited connections they can make. But usuallyContinue reading “What I’m Thinking About: All This Turmoil”
Category Archives: Opinion
Why Does Small Town America Matter?
…right now, in 2019, small towns do have the ability to add some balance to the value they provide compared to their bigger, devouring brothers.
How ‘Real’ is Story: What Treme Taught Writers
Writers are the greatest of story tellers, if only for the fact that the tools they have at their disposal give them the ability to tell the greatest version of any story. Especially when writing for a book, writers get use interplay between plot and story, the two main elements that advance a novel, andContinue reading “How ‘Real’ is Story: What Treme Taught Writers”
Friday Night Opinion Returns: Vince McMahon and the XFL, also Returns!
Yesterday we were entertained by a 25 minute, 39 second long remote-conference where Vince McMahon, owner of World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE Studios, and host of other multimedia endeavors, announced that he’s bringing back the XFL, a league that lasted one season in 2001, and was forced out of operation by a media-led backlash by thenContinue reading “Friday Night Opinion Returns: Vince McMahon and the XFL, also Returns!”
Friday Night Opinion: Gun Control is Not as Easy as You’re Being Told
However, enacting public health ordinances, regulation, or similar structures ‘to combat gun deaths’ is a rather sophomoric response to the all too serious state of mental illness in our country, and speaks to agenda, rather than real solution building.
OKC Memorial: Did We Learn Anything?
Don’t think of this as a call to centrism, because it’s not.
Charlottesville: When Apathy and Confusion Collide
It’s time we as Americans got serious about a problem we have in our country, that we are contributing to: apathy. Because we refuse to be truly engaged in events like these, we give people like McAuliffe a platform to lie…
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”
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”
Matthew Ballantyne 