The March 2025 Free Press Salon was held over Zoom on March 8. This is what happened.  

Link to salon video

Free Press Board member Mark Stansbery started out the March 2025 salon by wishing everyone a happy International Women’s Day and relating a message from our friend Yurii Sheliazhenko in Ukraine, highlighting the day’s Ukrainian roots and connection to anti-war efforts.

Convicted felon Trump and, in practice, his co-president Elon Musk are engaging in efforts to radically transform the federal government, with the support of billionaires, the Republican Party, and his increasingly shaky “base” of millions of right-wing citizens. The Supreme Court gave him “immunity” while he is president. He thus has been given a judicial “mandate” to say and do just about anything while in office without any fear of punishment. So, he stretches the truth and lies.  

The Lies

For example, here’s what Linda Qui reported for the New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/17/us/politics/trump-election-lies-fact-check.html).

“Before the 2020 election had even concluded, President Donald J. Trump laid the groundwork for an alternate reality in which he was declared the victor, falsely assailing the integrity of the race at nearly every turn.

Let me start by saying that I am not a doctor. I have more experience than many in this particular area, but my words are based on real life experience and not science. My trainings are long behind me. I do check in for new thoughts and techniques, but i have yet to lose anyone and quite a few were flatlined when I started.

The opioid epidemic, as it has been named, has touched pretty much everyone in one way or another. I am one of them. I have reversed 23 overdoses so far. Two of those were dogs that got into a stash.

I used fentanyl for quite a while. I didn’t particularly want to. I liked smoking heroin tar on foil. Sadly, fentanyl became so pervasive that it was economically and practically impossible to avoid. Many people fall in this way. Prescription pills are so expensive, and frequently fake, that sustaining a habit is impossible except for the very wealthy. Even the wealthy will eventually get a pressie (fake pills) if  they aren’t fastidious about testing.

If I find out Matt Miner is in a band. I know I will like the music. I saw the Third Pyramid Band included Matt Miner. Matt’s portfolio is unparalleled. The Columbus skateboard legend played in Three Studies For A Crucification and Teeth of the Hydra. Three Studies were an important band during Hardcore Columbus’ formative years in the 90’s. After Three Studies, his next group Teeth of the Hydra were a nationally known doom metal band once the punks decided Sabbath is the ultimate working man’s music in the early aughts. I loved Matt’s next band, Nukkkehammer.

I attended the Third Pyramid Band show. I know the Third Pyramid Band show wouldn’t be wack. I was impressed. Third Pyramid landed hardcore’s progression into saving rock’n’roll. A lady singer named Nic crooned like Janis Joplin or Grace Slick while a band plays with black sabbath accent.

The Third Pyramid Band is the best newish band in Columbus. It ain’t even a contest.

I recommend The Third Pyramid Band @ Cafe Bourbon Street/March 8th.