Biden's Poor Prescription

Yesterday, when President elect Biden picked transgendered physician Rachel Levine for his Assistant Secretary Of Health,  her gender was front and center with him.  

“Dr. Rachel Levine will bring the steady leadership and essential expertise we need to get people through this pandemic — no matter their zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability — and meet the public health needs of our country in this critical moment and beyond," Biden said in a statement. "She is a historic and deeply qualified choice to help lead our administration’s health efforts.”

While I have no issue with Dr. Levine's gender status, I do have an issue with Biden being so politically correct that he would go out of his way to choose someone because of their unique gender.  Levine is a historic choice, but not deeply qualified.  She was trained as a pediatrician. There are 50 states with health officials, Levine was by no means a star in her pandemic decisions. The nursing homes virus fatality rate in Pennsylvania was abysmal.  While other states also failed their most vulnerable elderly,  why not pick a physician trained in infectious disease,  not just noted for a personal decision about gender identity. 

Boxing 1930's, Primo Carnera

When Abe Simon fought Joe Louis in 1942, Abe was the biggest heavyweight* fighting. That wasn't the case when Abe began his career in 1935. Primo Carnera was an Italian strongman on the European circus circuit. He fought his first fight in Paris in 1928. It is pretty well known that he was brought to N.Y.C. by mobsters who arranged and managed his fights. The 6'6" giant upset Jack Sharkey in 1933, and held the title for a year until Max Baer had a go at him.

In 1935 Carnera fought the up and coming Joe Louis, who pulverized him into a bloody mess. Primo would return to Europe. Shown in the ring with him in 1933 is Jean Harlow, promoting her movie classic Bombshell.

* 6'7" Buddy Baer, brother of Max, had retired after a beating from Louis earlier in 1942.

reprinted from November 2012

FlashBack

                   Joe Louis vs. Abe Simon, Madison Square Garden, May 1942

In the 1930's and 40's, slow film emulsion and fast action, required bright light to capture the scene. A Speed Graphic camera, equipped with a large flashbulb gun, was the standard workhorse for the ringside photographer. By the 1960's, smaller format cameras, electronic strobes and faster film were standard equipment.

reprinted from November 2010 

ADDENDUM 2021: In December of 2012,  viewable through this blog's sidebar archive feature,  I produced twenty three Joe Louis era boxing posts.

Security Overreaction Or Surge Event

I don't know anything about the danger to Biden's inauguration from Trump supporters, but I do see a clear and present danger from the massive security put in place.  Young guardsmen will return to their communities from all over the country, after having spend over a week in close quarters with each other.  Many of these young people, in addition to no social distancing, were maskless much of the time. 

Security for January 20th,  appears to be an overreaction from the mistakes of January 6th.  The ceremony could have been staged in a secure location,  instead of bringing over 20,000 troops to Washington.  

Prior to January 6th,  Tea Party groups and others openly organized bus caravans to that rally. Locally, I have heard of no such organization for this coming event,  plus Washington will be closed to the public for the inauguration. 

I cannot understand why this massing of guardsmen and other security isn't recognized as the surge event it will unfortunately become.

UPDATE JANUARY18,2021: While no security threats materialized over the weekend, the surge event expanded. Guardsmen now number over 25,000 in Washington DC. One hapless fellow was arrested in DC for having a handgun in his vehicle with a brick of ammo. Turns out that he is a security guard, and the gun is licensed in Virginia. In Harrisburg, all that could be found was a couple of anti-Trump protesters.

Bill White's Insult

Regular readers of this page know that I have issues with the Morning Call editor. I also have taken Bill White to task, for his repetitive serial topics. I always felt that his serial topics, like Eating His Way Through Musikfest, wasted the column space. I suppose with White I should have been careful what I wished for.

Yesterday his column accused everybody who voted for Trump of putting our democracy at tremendous risk. White should know that everybody who voted for Trump didn't attend the rally in Washington or think that the election was stolen. White should know that everybody who did attend the rally did not storm the Capital Building.

I'm offended by White's column, and I didn't even vote for Trump. I was wrong, Bill, stick with judging chocolate cake recipes.

Morning Call Damage Control

Readers of today's local paper learn with how much historical devotion the Morning Call passed on its legacy to the local historical society.

“It is sad to think about all the history and all of the work that went into compiling that history,” Morning Call Editor-in-Chief Mike Miorelli said. “But we feel very fortunate that the Heritage Museum and the National Museum of Industrial History will give our precious history a good home.”

Readers of this blog and it's sister publication, Allentown Chronicles, know another side of the story. A large portion of the archives were discarded to the landfill. After it was revealed that I obtained a few of the negatives, Morning Call editor Mike Miorelli had a meltdown. The employee who salvaged the material was placed on leave, and his job threatened, unless all material in my possession was returned. I cooperated fully for the sake of the young man's job. I can only assume that the material ended up where Miorelli originally intended, back in the landfill. In a terse email exchange two weeks ago, Miorelli accused me of engaging in half-truths. That term pretty much describes the story in today's paper. 

Addendum: My issues with the paper's story on the archives does not reflect on the reporter, who is excellent. I'm sure her hands were tied in regard to not reporting on the large amount of discarded material.

In the picture above I'm receiving an award from The Morning Call for this blog. Now, under the current leadership, they won't even print a letter to the editor from me.