Bat Masterson

He was born Bartholomew Masterson on a farm in Quebec, Canada. He was also known as William Barclay. He was a respected journalist and a leading authority on boxing.

At one time in his life he was a deputy US Marshall for the southern district of New York, appointed by Teddy Roosevelt.

In other times he had other careers. He was a buffalo hunter, an army scout, a saloon owner, and a professional gambler.

Bartholomew or William Barclay went by the nickname of "Bat." Bat Masterson, sheriff of Dodge City, friend of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday and Wild Bill Cody.

History tells us Masterson was a gun fighter. He may have had a couple of gunfights, but more correctly he knew a lot of legitimate gunfighters.

Masterson's friend and writer Alfred Henry Lewis wrote a book called the Sunset Trail, where he embellished Bat's adventures with the famous gunfighters of the west and the legend increased. How many current urban legends are out there with little truth in their telling?

Bat Matereson died in New York City in 1921 from a heart attack while sitting at his desk. He was sports editor for the New York Morning Telegraph.

Things are not always as they seem.

Brexit

Brexit

In many ways, the re-thinking of Brexit amplifies the observations I have been writing about in this blog for a number of years. To wit: People don’t do enough research on their own to make an educated choice on just about anything.

Once the vote in the UK was tallied and, markets plunged, volatility reigned, and people said to themselves, “what did I do?” And now there are second thoughts. We must remember that it was only a referendum, not an absolute. We'll see. Choices, however, always have unintended consequences. Your best hedge against the unknown is for you to do your “due diligence” and research the question and consider, “what if.”

In general, human beings are a lazy lot. We think somebody else has done the research, and then we let them tell us what we should do. We listen to neighbors and family and to commentators who we think share our values, but never forget “values” are often another name for “prejudices.” Promoters on all side of any issue always have a hidden agenda. It is very rare when a passion for a project or a change or even an idea is altruistic.

America has similar cataclysmic consequences possible in this election cycle. Each presumed candidate has negatives and positives. They each distort the truth in their campaign rhetoric. Don't take as truth anything you hear or read. Don’t listen to the pundits, the soothsayers; the truth mongers no matter from where they come. Do your fact checking and not just from sources that share your thinking. Check sources from other sides too. It might surprise you. You are smart enough to discern the best choice for you and then what the majority decides rules. It’s called democracy.

My First and Last Selfie

I just took my first selfie!

Not a good idea!

If you are between 30 and 40 years of age, then I understand all the selfies I see on the internet.

If you are between 40 and 50 years, that’s OK too, but not too many.

If you are between 50 and 60 years old, then an occasional update for the record is acceptable for family and friends.

If you are between 60 and 70 years old, then you ought to have your head examined to post a selfie photo to anyone, but your closest family members, friends, no, let them remember you at sixty years.

If you are, as I am, between 70 and 80, you are absolutely out of your mind to post any photo that confirms you are what you are. OLD.

For those of you who are younger, enjoy, for you will be there someday. For those of you who are older, remember, and look at it again for tomorrow when it will be new again. I'll be there with you shortly.