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Je Suis Charlie
"Our republic and its press will rise or fall together." — Joseph Pulitzer

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¡Viva Chávez!
César Chávez Celebration XVI / Celebración de César Chávez XVI
Saturday 31 March 2018 / Sabado 31 de Marzo 2018
Highlights from the record-breaking 2017 event at Circus Circus Reno

Legislative Betrayal: One for the books under the bus
Barbwire by Andrew Barbáno / Expanded from the 6-21-2017 Sparks Tribune / Updated 6-22, 7-3 and 12-27-2017 / Expansions in blue.

Legislative Democrats threw their ATM under the bus in the 2017 Nevada legislative session.

Republicans got $20 million for private/religious school vouchers. Senate Minority Leader Bulldog Roberson, R-Gomorrah South, has publicly bragged about the success of GOP immigrant bashing.

Democratic leaders chirp about victories but mutter a "there-there" pat on the head to workers who got less than nothing. Not only is the drain hose firmly in the public school bucket, but all the anti-labor "reforms" of the 2015 Republican-controlled ledge remain.

Hardest hit: Public employees still working for 2007 pay and construction workers. The 2008 depression caused many to permanently leave the trades.

Their ranks remain thin while their wages and benefits have been permanently cut because they were used as pawns, traded away in the eleventh hour of the last night of the session.

Adding insult to injury, Gov. Veto El Obtúsè made sure minimum wage workers remain stuck at 1950's rates, adjusted for inflation.

Democrats will face primary challenges and perhaps an alternative party from their shattered union ATM.

DR. HANNIBAL LECTER, CALL YOUR OFFICE. The July issue of the venerable Harper's Magazine published this unintentional advice for errant Democrats: "Cannibalism is not nutritious. Fava beans come from Lower Galilee." Nice Chianti, of course, comes from France.

HIT AND RUN. A guy was walking his young German shepherd at 9th Street and N. Virginia near UNR at dusk Saturday. The dog sniffed his way over the curb and a driver swerved to hit him. His death yowl was heard a block away. Reno police are investigating.

If you know something, call them or secret witness, 775-322-4900.

HIT MEN. Post-mortems of Hillary 2016 reveal a new culprit. Actually, an old one: former Sparks schoolboy Karl Rove.

After Rove smeared Dubya back into office in 2004, less-talented consultants emulated his method of slicing and dicing every U.S. precinct into well-researched targets which could be hit with customized messages telling people what they wanted to hear (kinda like Trump).

UNDER THE BUS, PART DEUX. Clinton's Brooklyn computer controllers ordered busloads of Iowa union members to turn around and campaign back home to create a "diversion" in a state Trump was going to win easily. They were on their way to Michigan where they knew Clinton was in trouble but viable.

Brooklyn countermanded because their algorithms showed Hillary with a comfortable(?!) five-point lead in the Motown state.

The consultants hoped Trump would waste time in Iowa. I guess it worked. He went to both states just before the election anyway and won both.

LIKE PLAYBOY, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE PICTURES. This Thursday thru Sunday, my friends at Reno's locally-owned Grassroots Books on Grove Street offer 10,000 mint-condition items in Spanish, for which my limited skills arise from growing up Italian and two years of high school Latin. I can skim a printed page and get the sense of it, but you don't even have to do that. [1. Español]

The selection includes a panorama of titles on photography and architecture, for instance, where you need only open them to be amused and occasionally amazed.

Each page of a coffee table-sized illustrated history of Julius Caesar is on heavy cardstock with art worthy of a medieval parchment Bible. Kid stuff and comics, too, all from a quarter to 99 cents. Fill a bolsa (that means bag) from the 10,000 for $4.99.

However, if you're into Clive Cussler thrillers, best be fluent in Español.

If you're like me, you should not be allowed in that store without adult supervision. I always go in for one and walk out with five or six.

Be well. Raise hell. / Esté bien. Haga infierno. (Pardon my Spanglish.)

[1] Sucediendo pronto MÁS MANERAS DE AHORRAR Del 22 de junio al 25 de junio. Venta en Almacén 10.000 libros 99 ¢, DVDs, CDs y cómics 59 ¢, libros para niños 25 ¢ Domingo 25 de junio 9 am-5pm. Venta de bolsas Llene una bolsa de artículos de almacén por sólo $ 4.99. Ver más ventas.

        Annuncio non pagado. (The latter is not a paid advertisement.)

SMOKING GUNS —> Workers stiffed: Labor has bipartisan grudges
By Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review 6-29-2017
Condemned at Birth
The diabetes establishment inhibits research on a very promising diabetes CURE
"Tell us how it will make ever make us money."
Barbwire by Andrew Barbáno / Expanded from the 6-14-2017 Sparks Tribune / Updated 6-14 and 6-20-2017
Nevada consumers consumed again
Barbwire by Andrew Barbáno / Expanded from the 6-6-2017 Sparks Tribune / Updated 6-8 and 6-14-2017

ONLINE EXTRAS —>

GREAT SCOTT. Rev. William C. Webb will come out of retirement to conduct the memorial service for Nevada civil rights legend Eddie Scott. the 2015 University of Nevada Distinguished Nevadan honoree. It's scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 30, at Reno's Second Baptist Church, 1265 Montello Street. Arrive early. Nevada's best journalist, former Tribunite Dennis Myers, published an outstanding and touching obituary of my friend Eddie in the Reno News & Review. Please read the very hopeful story of the grand accomplishments of a very humble man.

END OF TIMES SURVIVAL KIT. Defend yourself with humorous or humorless but always-peerless predictions for 2017 by subscribing to the Barbwire Confidential News Service.

Last year's dark foreshadowings unfortunately became reality. I thus suggest inoculation by signing onto the HushHush! list at BallotBoxing.US/ It's cheap as well as enlightening entertainment.

THE GOOD DON. Nominations are afoot for the Nevada Press Association Hall of Fame. Time to ramp up for world-famous Tribune photographer Don Dondero. Here's the compelling case for his induction.