Island Issues

The Fernandina Beach Sandbar And Kitchen Toasting Justice By Serving A Special “Kyle Rittenhouse Hat Trick” Cocktail

The Fernandina Beach Sandbar And Kitchen Toasting Justice By Serving A Special “Kyle Rittenhouse Hat Trick” Cocktail

Kevin Dooner, owner of the popular Fernandina Beach Sandbar & Restaurant on Main Beach, boasts that his establishment serves 1,200 different whiskies, more than any other bar in Florida.

Sandbar proprietor Kevin Dooner displays a near empty bottle of Rittenhouse Rye.

I challenged the affable Mr. Dooner on that claim following the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse, defying him to produce a bottle of Rittenhouse Rye. He confidently reached into his inventory and emerged with two bottles of the stuff, a whiskey produced by Heaven Hill Brands, which markets itself on being the “nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated producer and marketer of spirits.”

My curiosity was sparked when Joe Biden, his misguided Justice Department, a handful of radical far-left Democrat senators and House members, and major main stream media left-wing extremists, all condemned Mr. Rittenhouse’s “not guilty” verdict in Kenosha, WI. They say the jury denied Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber and Gaige Grosskreutz, their civil rights by preventing them from killing Mr. Rittenhouse for defending himself.

The jury’s verdict was bolstered by irrefutable video evidence and eyewitness accounts (including Grosskreutz, one of his attackers) that Mr. Rittenhouse shot all of his assailants – who each had criminal histories – in self-defense despite being falsely labeled a white supremacist mass shooter. When questioned on the stand, Grosskreutz admitted that it wasn’t until he pointed his gun at Mr. Rittenhouse that the accused fired. If Mr. Rittenhouse hadn’t been armed, he would now be dead and two felons, one a child rapist, would be alive and unpunished.

The young Mr. Rittenhouse performed what is now labeled “The Kenosha Hat Trick” with his AR 15 by bagging a wife beater, a burglar, and a pedophile who tried to kill him in one night. A hat trick in ice hockey is the scoring of three goals in a game by one player. I proposed to Mr. Dooner that he create a special drink, called the “Rittenhouse Hat Trick.” It consists of three 1 1/2  ounce shots of Rittenhouse Rye for $27.

I’ll buy the first one for the first person to order it, with Kevin being the official time keeper. After that you are on your own. Just be the first patron to order the Rittenhouse Hat Trick. Kevin will let you know if you’re it and present me with your check.

If you’re the winner take a photo and email it to me here and I’ll post it in the next blog unless you object. My contact information is on this site.

By the way, the Heaven Hill distillery says its not enthusiastic about folks using its brand to celebrate Rittenhouse being found not guilty of murder charges even though he shot in self-defense during the Kenosha riots.

The spirits maker said its Rittenhouse booze was named to commemorate Philadelphia’s historic Rittenhouse Square. It now serves other purposes by also celebrating the American judicial system and the Second Amendment.

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Look Behind The Curtain: Short-sighted leftists point to the large numbers of blacks behind bars and say it’s the result of systemic racism baked into our legal system. They ignore the fact that records show blacks are 13 times more likely to commit murder than whites. And they are mostly murdering other blacks.

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A Glimpse Into The future? The fact that Seattle voted in its first Republican mayor in years might be even more telling of things to come than Republican Glen Youngkin’s gubernatorial victory in Virginia last month.

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Thumbs Up To Nassau County: If you haven’t already seen the new Nassau County Annual Report it’s available at https://www.nassaucountyfl.com/DocumentCenter/View/22167/Annual-Report-for-FY-20-21

Sabrina Robertson, the county’s public information officer, deserves high praise for the effort she devoted to coordinating this outstanding document. I know. I’ve headed up corporate communications functions for various U.S. businesses that included producing annual reports. It isn’t easy!

The writing and graphics in the county report are exceptionally well done. It’s a report that residents, businesses, students, recruiters, the Chamber of Commerce, etc. will find useful and of which everyone can be proud.

While the writing and graphics are vital, it’s the behind-the-scenes efforts that also ensure its success. Dealing with the egos of various division and department heads, who all demand their “fair share” of the report is a delicate job that requires the utmost diplomacy and tact. Apparently Ms. Robertson is well-equipped to handle that difficult task. Well done!

This talented lady also produces a monthly newsletter for the county that is equally informative and impressive. The last one I saw is available at https://www.nassaucountyfl.com/DocumentCenter/View/22192/October-2021 .

I’m sure a number of private companies will soon be on her trail attempting to recruit this highly talented county employee.

Speaking of highly talented employees, the county did everything but tar and feather Laura DiBella who skedaddled out of town almost two years ago to accept a job as head of the state Harbor Pilots Association in Tallahassee. Ms. DiBella was the incredibly successful Director of Nassau County’s Office of Economic Development as well as OHPA Port Director convincing numerous businesses to set up shop here. The county is now seeking to backfill the Economic Director position at a salary of more than $100,000 annually, more than Ms. DiBella earned during her tenure, while she successfully juggled two jobs. If I recall they didn’t pay her squat for serving as Port Director. If County Manager Taco Pope wants a qualified, experienced person in the County Economic Director slot then he should pick up the phone, call Ms. DiBella, apologize for the county’s past mistreatment of this talented gal, and make her an offer to return. Her track record is exceptional and she knows where the bodies are buried. Or maybe that’s a problem.

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Meanwhile Back At The Ranch: California transplant and current Fernandina Beach Mayor, “Marxist Mike” Lednovich, celebrated a birthday this past Tuesday and some of the customers at a local gym he frequents got together and bought him the cake pictured here. His reaction to his celebratory confection was undisclosed. But, hey, it’s the thought that counts right?

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Random Thoughts: The other day while sitting in a restaurant I had time to wonder why customers aren’t  the ones called “waiters” instead of the serving staff. I also had time to ponder why “a, e, i, o, and “u” are vowels, but “y” is only sometimes a vowel. When and why is “y” a vowel? And why only sometimes?

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Things I Wish I’d Said: “The oil is in Louisiana and Texas, but the dipsticks are in Washington, D.C.” — Senator John Kennedy (R-LA).

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From Bad To Worse: It took Jimmy Carter (1976-1980) four years to put the country on a road to ruin. Joe Biden has managed to do the same in just 11 months.

Following is a partial list of Carter’s most dramatic foreign and domestic blunders:

  • He saddled the U.S. with the disastrous Iranian hostage situation and a botched rescue mission with repercussions still being felt to this day.
  • He watched as Soviet backed “insurgencies” marched all over Africa, Central and South America and other places and as the USSR invaded Afghanistan.
  • He instituted a massive reduction in force of the U.S. military turning it into an empty shell.
  • Carter handed over the Panama Canal and all the U.S. equipment, expertise, and infrastructure to the country of Panama.
  • He presided over the country’s energy crises and the rise of OPEC and then told Americans to wear sweaters.
  • He lectured the American public on their ”malaise” while the country suffered unprecedented foreign affairs humiliations, raging inflation and interest rates hitting 18%.

In the race to the bottom of the list of “worst presidents” Carter was a clear winner until the arrival of the clueless, incompetent, mentally incapacitated Biden. That may be a relief to Mr. Carter but not the rest of the country.

Here’s a partial list of some of Biden’s major fumbles, incompetency, and ineptitude to date that’s leaving Carter in the dust:

  • The humiliating surrender and withdrawal in Afghanistan, with more than 400 American citizens, numerous green card holders and allies left behind to be hunted by the Taliban with more than $80 billion in abandoned U.S. military equipment.
  • Dismantling the southern border and welcoming more than two million Covid-infected, illiterate, unvetted illegals to enter the U.S. unopposed just this year alone with those numbers rapidly increasing.
  • Bungling of the Covid virus pandemic with unconstitutional mask and vaccination mandates, and contradictory and confusing messages from Biden and various government agencies.
  • Rampant inflation that has increased the cost of living and diminished any wage gains.
  • A busted supply chain, leaving many store shelves empty.
  • Surrendering U.S. cities to mob rule with a crime wave incentivized by liberal prosecutors, no-bail legislation, defund the police drivel and understaffed and demoralized police forces.
  • Siccing the Department of Justice and the FBI on parents for questioning local school boards about Critical Race Theory and other such garbage being taught to their children.
  • Turning America’s energy program over to teenaged Nordic nitwit, Greta Thunberg, crippling the U.S. auto industry with his unrealistic energy polices, cancelling the Keystone Pipeline, cutting off the issuance of drilling leases on public lands and reentering the lopsided Paris climate agreement that favors China and Russia, then begging OPEC to increase its output.

Polls indicate that even many Democrats are admitting their guy isn’t up to the job, far from it. He lacks any leadership or analytic skills and has succeeded in creating major problems and divisiveness with no indication that he can succeed at even the most trivial function.

He can barely read the teleprompter or string together a coherent sentence, nods off with visiting heads of state sitting next to him, and slept soundly while attending the recent climate change session in Scotland. His visit with the Pope and England’s royal family were embarrassing stinkers according to press reports. Even the mainstream media is now having trouble ignoring Hunter Biden’s China and Ukraine connections and payoffs revealed on his laptop computer.

The big difference between Cater and Biden is that if Carter had been removed from office he had a competent backup in Vice President Walter Mondale. Biden’s Vice President, Kamala Harris, is as inept, useless, dim, and even more disliked than her boss. There’s no safety net. As unimaginable as it seems things could get worse with a Harris presidency.

In 1980 Carter lost to Ronald Reagan in a landslide. Voters had seen and had enough. Biden would lose in a landslide to a barrel of hair in 2024 if he isn’t locked in the White House basement or confined to a dementia institution by then.

Because the alternative is Harris, the country needs Biden to hang on until the 2022 midterm elections when from all indications, he’ll be sidelined by a Republican sweep of the House and Senate, making him a useless lame duck, to be used for display purposes only.

One term of his incompetency will keep any presidential successor busy putting his misguided “Build Back Better” catastrophe back the way Biden found it, then some.

This commentary is also posted on the national BizPac Review site at https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/12/01/dave-scott-biden-bolted-out-of-the-gate-to-pass-carter-in-race-for-last-place-1169544/

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Poll Watchers: Results of the most recent poll posted here say that of the just 64 readers who responded that 38% or 24 say they get their news from TV; 27% or 17 say newspapers; 13 or 20% turn to social media and only 10 or 16% say radio.

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More Jaguars Misery: If the sad sack Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, 24-14, loss to the Atlanta Falcons wasn’t embarrassment enough, its mascot got hung up in his bungee cord and had to be lifted to safety at the start of the game. Jaxson de Ville has had lots of practice with his role as the Jaguar mascot and has entertained fans with a bungee jump off the top of the stadium prior to the kickoff in Jaguars games many times. This time, however,  he abruptly stopped, hung up in the bungee cord. He was safely lowered to the stands without injury, except perhaps to his pride. Meanwhile the hapless Jaguars lost their ninth of 11 games. Things aren’t going well at TIAA Field. By the way TIAA is Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America. I’m sure the firm’s investors are hoping  the company’s securities will fare better than its hapless stadium tenants.

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C’Mon Man! Joe Biden keeps saying that his “Build Back Better”  bill will reduce the cost of goods to consumers. In other words, by spending more he says prices will go down. He then added: “I’m going to create good paying union jobs – union…not $12 and hour, not $15 an hour – $45 an hour and up with good benefits.” Geeze Louise, can someone please explain to me how that will reduce the cost of goods to consumers? C’mon man!

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Things I Just Learned: Our local resident alligators are the largest known species able to grow lost limbs as the young ones have the ability to regenerate tails up to nine inches long – about 18% of their total body length say researchers at Arizona State University. Arizona State? Not many alligators in Arizona are there? Why aren’t University of Florida, Florida State or Miami looking into this or are they busy studying cactuses/cacti? And why are there two plurals of cactus?

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Don’t Forget To Eat Strawberries: A study of 925 folks ages 58-98 at Rice University in Texas indicated that those who ate at least one serving of strawberries a week were 34% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who ate them only once a month or less.

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Avoid Covid! Move To Florida: The Epoch Times reported Sunday that “Florida Reports Lowest Daily COVID-19 Cases per Capita in US.” According to the article, Sunshine State cases continue to plummet, dropping another 5% over the last two weeks. It contrasted Florida’s six (6) cases per 100,000 to Michigan, which weighs in at a hefty eighty-five (85) cases per 100,000 — about fourteen times higher than Florida.

28 Comments

Betsy Ross - 06. Dec, 2021 -

I love you

Peg Dickinson - 05. Dec, 2021 -

I don’t know how many of you who commented about me will read this but here goes. I am not a Dem, if you re-read Dave’s blog, he commented on Biden and his cronies first, I didn’t introduce politics. I am sorry some of what I said was wrong, but the baseline is still the same – two men are dead and so far no one is to blame. A 17 year old took his mother’s car and drove across state lines because he saw something on Facebook. In many states 17 year olds still have limited licenses, not allowing other teenagers in the car, or they have a time they should be off the road. There is a reason 17 year olds cannot buy guns, alcohol or cigarettes. When I saw Rittenhouse on trial I saw a scared little boy, not an adult responsible for his actions. Whether or not the men chasing him had guns is not a point as they didn’t pull them out and try to shot him. One of the father’s commented that Rittenhouse was going home free and he was going home without his son. Rittenhouse hopefully was scared enough by being charged and going through a trial to realize he is not mature enough yet to handle extreme circumstances, but someone needs to held responsible for his actions.

Edgar - 06. Dec, 2021 -

At the age of 17, Alexander III of Macedon was acting regent of that country, subdued a rebellion by a Thracian tribe, and founded the city of Alexandropolis……………hmmm, 17 year olds are what, again?

Chris Boelkes - 10. Dec, 2021 -

“…and so far no one is to blame” There are many people to blame. How about all of those rioting and burning the town? In particular, the two dead men are to blame for their own actions leading to their death. And the injured man who was shot WHILE POINTING A GUN at Kyle at point blank range. Both your baseline is wrong and your point about nobody pulling out a gun and trying to shoot him is wrong. Maybe all this will end when people stop feeling sorrier for the perpetrators than the victims (and I mean all the victims, which includes all the peaceful residents of these cities just trying to live their lives). And, make no mistake, Kyle’s life was forever changed, as well.

M W - 05. Dec, 2021 -

C. L. Kyle Rittenhouse stated he was part of the “Yang Gang.” Yang fans are not conservative. Your analogy is faulty. :/

Gina Calogero - 03. Dec, 2021 -

Liberal heads exploding in 3.2.1.

Caroline Adams - 03. Dec, 2021 -

Ms. Dickenson, shame on you for injecting democrats vs republicans as a reason for Kyle Rittenhouse being declared “not guilty”. The law is to serve all people the same. Sour grapes don’t help you. There is also the fact that those three known criminals had weapons and were not there in harmony and peace. They acted to injure or kill a 17-year-old boy who was wise enough to endeavor to live. You have to look at yourself, begin to use discretion and facts, not hate.

Another point you tried to make concerns minimum wage, I believe. Fact: When minimum wages rise, every price or charge for every product or service rises proportionately. Consequentially, there is no benefit to minimum wage earners. You, whether you are paid minimum wage or not, will pay increased prices. That’s how it works. When the government pays people NOT to work, they won’t and businesses have to close because they cannot find people to hire at any wage.

Kevin Mooney - 03. Dec, 2021 -

How can I send you a photo that I think, you’d enjoy?

Wayne vincent - 03. Dec, 2021 -

I love your blog, thank you for your time and effort!

Neil - 03. Dec, 2021 -

Regardless of how you feel about the verdict, the preventable situation Kyle Rittenhouse found himself in is nothing short of an American tragedy. It is highly irresponsible – and detestable – to encourage and laud the actions of Kyle Rittenhouse in taking an assault rifle across state lines to an area under active curfew, and then (surprise!) finding himself in a violent situation. The criminal record of who he killed is irrelevant. I’m sure he didn’t stop to run a background check and ensure they “deserved it” before pulling the trigger. Extrajudicial killings are nothing to celebrate. This is shameful.

Mark Harrison - 03. Dec, 2021 -

I’m as conservative as anyone here, but Kyle didn’t need to be there. He seems to me to have been a voluntary vigilante. As deplorable as the behavior of the protesters was, it didn’t call for vigilantism. I agree what he did was in self defense, but he shouldn’t be celebrated for killing protesters. He needed to have let law enforcement handle the situation. Either we’re a nation of laws or anarchists. While I certainly don’t agree with all of our laws, having 330 million different sets of laws to follow and the person with the most bullets wins doesn’t sound like a better scenario to me.

Chris Boelkes - 03. Dec, 2021 -

A nation of laws means nothing if they are not enforced, particularly en masse like we are now experiencing. And he didn’t shoot protesters, he shot criminal rioters. Forget the background checks, they were committing crimes at the time. Did he use the best judgement in going out that night? Probably not. Was he a little naïve? Probably. But he found himself in a situation and attempted to get out of it, but was attacked. He did what he had to do to survive and the world is better for it.

CoCoNUT Harry - 03. Dec, 2021 -

Peg Dickinson : Kyle Rittenhouse single handedly accomplished what all the liberal prosecutors and the DoJ were unable, or unwilling, to do – remove 3 dangerous felons from our streets. Kudos to Kyle !

Coleman Langshaw - 03. Dec, 2021 -

Hey CoCoNutless Harry (whatever is your FULL and REAL name)…will you give me (a 2nd amendment liberal) the same hall pass if I go to a White Supremacist’s protest, with an AR, incite them to attack me, then get to kill them and find our after the fact that they were criminals? Maybe you would even be willing to help pay my legal expenses? Don’t worry CoCoNut, I am not that stupid to 1: go into a situation like that and swat the hornet’s nest and 2. expect you, a card-carrying member of the Hypocrisy Party to show up in my defense. So sick of people with sick minds lauding others with sick minds! Now THAT’S what’s wrong with this country.

Barnes Moore - 04. Dec, 2021 -

Would be helpful if you had the facts correct. He did not incite anyone. He was part of a group who were asked by a car dealer to help protect his car lots from the rioters who had already burned one of them since the police were doing nothing. He was running away from the crowd while being chased. As to white supremacists riots, name one, and no, Charlottesville and January 6 were not white supremacists riots except to the deluded left. The sick minds are on the left – it is people like you who defended as mostly peaceful riots that resulted in 2,385 looting incidents (affecting many if not mostly minority owned businesses by the way), 624 arsons, 97 burned police vehicles, more than 2,000 injured police officers, a death toll of 25 Americans, and a bill of $2 billion.

Richard Norman Kurpiers - 04. Dec, 2021 -

Would be even more helpful if you had the facts correct before suggesting others have their facts correct. The owners of the car dealership to which you refer took the stand during the Rittenhouse trial and testified that they never asked Rittenhouse or his group of armed men to protect their business.

Coleman Langshaw - 05. Dec, 2021 -

Oh ok, walking with a weapon on the street, not on guard at your alleged car dealership doesn’t incite anything? What a bunch of brown shirt crapola. Oh…and sure enough he was running away from the crowd that he was supposedly “standing guard” against, still more spin with that, why was he running? If he’s on guard then he should have stood his ground, but he ran because he was not guarding anything but his own life, that he put in peril himself by trying to be some militia type, but realized that they saw HIM as a threat, and they attacked him. I call that a 50-50 situation. And I love your comment: “As to white supremacists riots, name one, and no, Charlottesville and January 6 were not white supremacists riots except to the deluded left”…so what? they were left wingers causing all that violence? I know, its always the left wing’s fault, the Hypocrite Party never takes responsibility for their behavior. PLEASE, CHECK YOU KOOL AID, I think its tainted with LSD. To me, you sound like a white supremacist apologist, which is sad and so anti-American, but probably you don’t care because, you perhaps think all non-white people are the enemy of the state anyway. Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted, and whether I agree or not, that is the decision of the jury and I stand by it. Funny thing is, if he was convicted, I am sure as hell all of the HYPOCTITE Party would have been up in arms, its just how they role. Probably looking for more future liberal protestors to take out in revenge.

Peter Waldron - 03. Dec, 2021 -

Thanks again.

Peg Dickinson - 03. Dec, 2021 -

Since the Republicans loaded the courts with Republican judges I don’t think the Rittenhouse case needs to be blamed on solely 0n Democrats. That said, the idea that a 17 year old BOY can cross state lines, legally buy an automatic rifle and no one is responsible is beyond comprehension. Even the army thinks a 17 year old is too young to carry a gun. Pistols are for protection, rifles are for hunting, AR-15 are for killing people. When are we as a country going to wake up and respect guns?

That said, when are people going to wake up and realize what is raising prices is “A Living Wage”? I wonder if I’m the only one who realizes when people have to be paid more the price of what they are doing goes up, businesses are not going to lose money!

Mark Shotwell - 03. Dec, 2021 -

Ms. Dickson, All due respect, and not debating the act or verdict but much of your information is incorrect. (1) a 17 year old boy is absolutely allowed to cross ANY state line (2) Rittenhouse did NOT buy the firearm, he could not purchase it due to his age (3) the rifle was NOT an automatic rifle (4) the rifle was similar to but NOT an AR 15 (5) a 17 yr. old CAN legally posses a firearm in Wisconsin and join the service with parental consent. Lets also keep in mind that at least one of the “protesters” (Grosskreutz) was himself armed with a firearm. I would also add that if you’re going to use a pistol for “protection” you better also be willing to “kill people” with that same firearm. I’m not sure who’s at fault, political parties or society, but I do think it’s going to get worse before it gets better.

Deborah Biggs - 03. Dec, 2021 -

Peg Dickinson: Kyle Rittenhouse DID NOT “buy an automatic rifle.” If you seriously followed the trial, you would know that his friend, Dominick Black, bought the gun.

I didn’t waste my time reading the rest of your drivel since the second sentence is FALSE.

Chris Boelkes - 03. Dec, 2021 -

“I wonder if I’m the only one who realizes when people have to be paid more the price of what they are doing goes up…”

An excellent, succinct description of inflation. First, businesses do lose money, because as prices increase, sales decrease. and, when sales decrease, often jobs are lost…no more living wage for them. Second, as inflation increases, those on fixed incomes lose. Their buying power decreases, thus they are able to purchase less or do without…sometimes that is medicine, rent, or food.

Richard Norman Kurpiers - 04. Dec, 2021 -

Perhaps you can explain then why Corporate profits in the United States rose 4.3 percent to a fresh record high of USD 2.54 trillion in the third quarter of 2021.

Chris Boelkes - 04. Dec, 2021 -

The answer to that question involves a very large number of complex, interrelated, factors. The high level of profits were primarily in the larger corporations. In general terms, I see two primary types of large corporations: 1) Those that benefited most from the lockdown situations, such as on-line sales and distribution companies, and 2) Those that deliver a digital product that experienced increased usage (both sales and advertising hits) as people spent more time at home with government supplied extra cash. Big pharma, which is kind of in a category of its own, is making a TON of money off of the continued Covid fear-mongering and mandates. All this while many small businesses were struggling to stay open…some losing money and many closing forever. Surprisingly, the chip shortage increased the automobile manufacturer’s profits due supply and demand for fewer cars and the resultant lack of discounting. Many more factors, but those are some of the high points.

Richard Norman Kurpiers - 04. Dec, 2021 -

So then it sounds to me like you’re describing an economy where economic and tax policies favor big corporations over smaller companies and mom-and-pops. Republicans cling to the idea that when you allow corporations to operate unfettered by regulations and taxes they will, in good faith, share the wealth by providing jobs and benefits to employees. Yet instead, they enjoy record profits while paying low wages, and as an extra bonus, have people like you blame the employees for inflation when they demand and receive liveable wages. I’m no fan of Elizabeth Warren and I’m glad she didn’t win the Democratic nomination, but on this, she has it right.

Chris Boelkes - 05. Dec, 2021 -

You’re grasping at straws now. I did not blame the employees for inflation. That is absurd. The rest of your post is all opinion and runs counter to the facts. I have no desire to attempt changing your opinions or any expectations that I could and will leave the discussion as is. Thanks for the discussion.

Richard Norman Kurpiers - 05. Dec, 2021 -

My apologies Mr. Boelkes. I re-read your original comment and realized your first statement was a quote from an earlier post made by Ms. Dickenson and not your words.

Lucy Dawson - 03. Dec, 2021 -

AR-15 AR stands for “Armalite Rifle”, named after the company that developed this firearm. 

Fact check the rest of your statements.