No Way But to Fight

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The Book of the Week is “No Way But to Fight, George Foreman and the Business of Boxing” by Andrew R.M. Smith, published in 2020.

Born in 1949 in the Houston, Texas area, Foreman grew up in poverty in a large family. His future looked dim, as his schooling had been scant and his leisure activity had consisted of mugging people on the streets in the middle of the night.

Beginning in the mid-1960’s, president LBJ’s federal job-training program, called the Job Corps, arguably saved Foreman’s life. Various mentors who had acquired diverse life experiences- military veterans, counselors, coaches and teachers– supervised about two thousand troubled teens. Foreman learned about boxing, and won the first tournament he fought, in January 1967.

Foreman’s coach got him excused from the military draft for an undisclosed reason. As is well known, rival boxer Muhammad Ali became religious and resisted the draft. Through the decades, compulsory military service hindered plenty of careers of professional athletes, but they (Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio, Joe Louis and Roger Staubach, to name four) didn’t make a public issue of it. The government wanted to punish Ali on behalf of those athletes– regardless of his ethnicity– because it was unfair to them, that Ali could continue to develop his career while their lives were disrupted or put at risk.

Ali obviously turned this into a civil rights issue, but other people considered him to be “cheating” as he was getting an unfair advantage over his competition. It is interesting to see how, through the decades, the conversation has shifted on how some Americans define “cheating” in professional sports.

Performance-enhancing drugs (regulated in international competitions but not terribly strictly in American professional sports) have quietly disappeared from the discussion in the United States, as a million conspirators have pushed gender-issues to the forefront– as the next form of cheating. That just shows how easily human beings can be brainwashed by propaganda!

Anyway, yet another turning point in Foreman’s career, occurred at the dawn of the 1970’s, when he met Dick Sadler. The boxing promoter was a rare bird– did business on a handshake and wasn’t as greedy as his competition.

Boxing through the 1970’s was a complicated business, considering all the stakeholders involved: the fighters themselves, their entourages, event-venues, event-broadcasting outlets, the various professional groups that organized the matches, and the political entities that regulated and taxed the aforementioned.

In the early years of his career as an amateur, Foreman was criticized for choosing to fight easy opponents. In March 1974, he was also labeled unpatriotic for scheduling a match outside the United States (in Venezuela), even after his tax-avoidance and financial-related divorce troubles had ended. The international media stories arising from that fight, smacked of the poor diplomatic relationship between America and Venezuela (for oil-related reasons).

Read the book to learn much more about the boxers of Foreman’s generation who began their careers in the 1960’s, the history of the industry through the 1990’s, and Foreman’s careers.

Retaliation – BONUS POST

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Here’s a little song about what’s going on in the Trump camp.

RETALIATION

sung to the tune of “Fascination” with apologies to the Human League and to whomever else the rights may concern.

Impeachment a third TIME is needed. Arguments already made.
The plans of evil billionaires are heeded.
A powerless Vance, is dismayed.
Just looking to get rid of elections, in a modern, oppressive way.
The culmination of all-powerful connections, for profit and for play.

And so the opposition burns, and Trump’s enemies fall down.
And the propaganda churns, eveRY day.

Keep seeding retaliation, lashing-out, spinning, distractions all along.
Keep seeding retaliation, stiffing, menacing, moving on.

Well, truth has disappeared in the telling.
The story is so old.
And a golfing, senile Trump is raging.
Democracy’s on hold.

And so the opposition burns, and Trump’s enemies fall down.
And the propaganda churns, eveRY day.

Keep seeding retaliation, lashing-out, spinning, distractions all along.
Keep seeding retaliation, stiffing, menacing, moving on.

And so the opposition burns, and Trump’s enemies fall down.
And the propaganda churns, eveRY day.

Keep seeding retaliation, lashing-out, spinning, distractions all along.
Keep seeding retaliation, stiffing, menacing, moving on.

Keep seeding retaliation, lashing-out, spinning, distractions all along.
Keep seeding retaliation, stiffing, menacing, moving on.

Keep seeding retaliation, lashing-out, spinning, distractions all along.
Keep seeding retaliation, stiffing, menacing, moving on…

Blind Spots

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“The media clapped like seals congratulating the researchers. Reporters amplified the study’s conclusion, even thought they hadn’t yet seen the actual data… the media promoted whatever health authorities said, rarely challenging them or publishing quotes from dissenting experts.”

For decades now, such are the sound bites emanating from communications sources, telling people about alleged medical-research results or medical recommendations; information that is distorted at best, and is even harmful to the population.

The Book of the Week is “Blind Spots, When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What it Means for Our Health” by Marty Makary, MD, published in 2024. This slightly sloppily edited volume contained anecdotes of wrongheaded messaging of medical “experts” that resulted in numerous needless deaths and ruined lives. Not to mention lawsuits.

In 2000, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) told Americans that an infant should not be fed any peanut butter or products with any peanuts– as the child would develop a peanut allergy. The AAP should have made the opposite recommendation, as their reasoning was backwards.

Makary saw that the AAP’s board of messengers were mostly dieticians and had little or no immunology knowledge! For fifteen years, many pediatricians blindly obeyed the AAP, and told their patients to avoid peanuts. Those patients developed extreme (life-threatening) peanut allergies that had to be treated with exorbitantly priced EpiPens. The experts with whom Makary spoke– who claimed to know what caused a peanut allergy, were later promoted and got awards in their respective careers.

The above happens frequently in the medical industry. For decades, arrogant medical authorities also told people that opioids aren’t addictive. To combat a myth such as this, the author and his colleagues started a website, “Sensible Medicine” but a drawback is that one of the types of people (a closed-minded, cocky medical professional) who could benefit from the site, won’t read it!

The author wrote that Big Pharma shies away from funding research that doesn’t involve intellectual property from which it can make big bucks. Thus, funding was stopped for a non-mRNA technology flu vaccine (one covering many flu strains)– because it wouldn’t have to be administered annually, and wouldn’t pay royalties to anyone.

Meanwhile, the media continue to spout their staged and scripted reality shows of political soap-operas whose issues affect a tiny percentage of ordinary Americans, while America’s broken healthcare system continues to cause the deaths of, and bankrupt numerous people every day.

Read the book to learn of many more healthcare abominations borne of greed, and dogma, and how healthy skepticism is a good thing.

Puttin’ on the Blitz – BONUS POST

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Here’s a little ditty about the current political situation in the United States.

PUTTIN’ ON THE BLITZ

sung to the tune of “Puttin’ on the Ritz” (the short version played on the radio in the 1980’s) with apologies to Estate of Irving Berlin, Estate of Fred Astaire, Taco, and to whomever else the rights may concern.

States of BLUE, Trump’ll, unmercifully-mow down.

His goal is to go, where vengeance sits.

Puttin’ on the Blitz.

Diff’rent agencies to oppress each-day. Loots, ravages, snoops or cuts away, giving victims fits.

Puttin’ on the Blitz.

Rule by fear and force. Be a shaker and mover.

Trying hard to act like J. Edgar Hoover. [super-Hoover]

Trump will nix all democracy by 2026, with this oppressive mix.

Puttin’ on the Blitz.

He’s the SLAVE of the well-to-do, on Pennsylvania Avenue.

He’s an A-mer-i-CAN nightmare.

Scent-of Mao’s China is in the air.

The media revels, IN the hollers. Democrats are losing dollars.

Trump’s looking at every dime, and having a wonderful time.

States of BLUE, Trump’ll, unmercifully-mow down.

His goal is to go, where vengeance sits.

Puttin’ on the Blitz.

Diff’rent agencies to oppress each-day. Loots, ravages, snoops or cuts away, giving victims fits.

Puttin’ on the Blitz.

Rule by fear and force. Be a shaker and mover.

Trying hard to act like J. Edgar Hoover. [super-Hoover]

Trump will nix all democracy by 2026, with this oppressive mix.

Puttin’ on the Blitz.

Rule by fear and force. Be a shaker and mover.

Trying hard to act like J. Edgar Hoover. [super-Hoover]

States of BLUE, Trump’ll, unmercifully-mow down.

His goal is to go, where vengeance sits.

Puttin’ on the Blitz.

Puttin’ on the Blitz.

Puttin’ on the Blitz.

Where is Vance? Where is Vance?

Puttin’ on the Blitz.

Puttin’ on the Blitz.

Ugly Farce – BONUS POST

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According to recent media headlines, Trump PLANS to (in no particular order):

  • use military sites across the country to detain undocumented immigrants
  • take over the Postal Service
  • inspect Fort Knox gold
  • impose tariffs on foreign automakers, chips and pharmaceuticals
  • create a sovereign wealth fund
  • lower consumer energy costs
  • name himself chair of the Kennedy Center and fire board members
  • create a tourist mecca in a strip of land in Gaza
  • reduce access to abortion
  • lower the corporate tax rate to 15%
  • eliminate income taxing and payroll taxing of tips
  • eliminate taxing of Social Security benefits
  • trample on the rights of LGBTQ+ people
  • eliminate the Department of Education
  • replace the Affordable Care Act
  • give a tax credit for family caregivers of older and disabled adults between $5,000 and $6,000 per year
  • support more oil and gas drilling
  • take over Greenland and
  • take over Canada.

A year from now (February 2026) — the above can be used as a checklist of what the president has accomplished, made progress on, or NOT.
The simplest, most direct way for ethical leaders to turn the country around, would be to TAX THE RICH. Here’s a little ditty about that.

UGLY FARCE

sung to the tune of “Hungry Heart” with apologies to Bruce Springsteen and to whomever else the rights may concern.

If your life is in the United States,
you’ve been taken-for-a-ride,
you have a dismal fate.

Among the wealthy, money keeps flowin’.
Leaders-TOOK a wrong turn and they just kept goin’.

Now democracy’s an ugly farce.
Now democracy’s an ugly farce.
Little-people’s-voices PLAY no part.
Now democracy’s an ugly, ugly farce. uh-oh

The sleazy types have maximum power.
Canned-videos of Trump are the LAtest trend.
The-rich took what we had and they ripped it apart.
Now here we are with lies-smears, and lawsuits again.

Now democracy’s an ugly farce.
Now democracy’s an ugly farce.
Little-people’s-voices PLAY no part.
Now democracy’s an ugly, ugly farce. uh-oh uh-oh uh-oh

Everybody is SICK of this mess.
Not everybody HAS a home.
It matters most what the money says.
We’ll see in-a-year whether the deficit’s grown.

Now democracy’s an ugly farce.
Now democracy’s an ugly farce.
Little-people’s-voices PLAY no part.
Now democracy’s an ugly, ugly farce.

(Now democracy’s an ugly farce.)
(Little-people’s-voices PLAY no, no part.) uh-oh
Now democracy’s an ugly farce. oh yeah
(Little-people’s-voices PLAY no part.) uh-oh
Now democracy’s an ugly farce.

ah ah ah, oh yeah…

American Shield

[Please note: The word “Featured” on the left side above was NOT inserted by this blogger, but apparently was inserted by WordPress, and it cannot be removed. NO post in this blog is sponsored.]

The Book of the Week is “American Shield, The Immigrant Sergeant Who Defended Democracy” by Aquilino Gonell and Susan Shapiro, published in 2023.

Born around 1980, Gonell spent his early childhood in the Dominican Republic. When he was twelve, he moved to Brooklyn in New York State. In the late 1990’s, the author’s “green card” allowed him to join the U.S. Army Reserve while also attending college at Long Island University. He had a choice to join the military full-time. But part-time, he could eventually afford a higher education.

That just shows how desperate the U.S government is to get people to join its military, absent a draft. It is taking non-citizens! People who are so grateful to be living in America are more willing to risk their lives, and are willing to work harder and longer than people born here. And, in the event of war, American leadership wouldn’t be as aggrieved at losing fighters whom they don’t actually consider their own, anyway.

Through centuries of wars in the world, other countries have practiced variations on military recruitment methods. They’ve hired mercenaries, but those soldiers are fighting for the money and ego satisfaction. It’s a challenge for them to survive. They feel no obligation to anyone. In past wars, Britain has conscripted soldiers from its colonies in Africa, and India– forget the compensation.

Anyway, the author served in Iraq, and was a Capitol police officer on January 6, 2021, by which time he was a U.S. citizen. He didn’t know he’d be risking his life during what should have been a peaceful transfer of power from one president to the next. Yet 140 officers sustained serious injuries to their heads, limbs, backs, internal organs (from bear and pepper spray)– as though they were wounded in a war.

Gonell described in detail: “…fellow officers brazenly beaten with pipes, sticks, and rocks by rioters chanting ‘Fight for Trump’ and ‘USA! USA!’ Trump banners outnumbered American flags, and for a second I froze in fear. I’d seen this kind of unbridled rage in Iraq when the base was under attack, and I knew this was bad.” Gonell himself sustained serious injuries that would plague him the rest of his life.

Americans like to think they don’t live under a dictatorship, but their thinking has changed. Before, during and after the insurrection, Fox News was spouting smears and lies, such as– Antifa plotted the agitation at the Capitol. Very few GOP leaders at that time had the courage to actually condemn the violence. There are still too many people who owe their jobs to the major influencer of the violence to kick him out of office, even though he’s now senile!

AND, theoretically, the American president, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, has ultimate authority to decide on military deployment. However, if the president has sole control over the military and it obeys only him, is loyal only to him, including in connection with all top-secret foreign policy matters– THE PRESIDENT IS A DICTATOR.

Be that as it may, Gonell bravely appeared on talk shows to reveal the truth about the Capitol riot, even though he and his family feared doxing and death threats. He felt that a firearm would help him defend his family in his private home, and “The paperwork and background check only took fifteen minutes, and I walked out with a new Glock in its black case.” He mentioned that he had PTSD while he was in Iraq, but apparently, in the United States, traumatized ex-military members can acquire firearms in no time, with no pertinent questions asked.

Read the book to learn much more about Gonell’s life and times. A major change in the American regime will be announced during a slow-news week, so that its messaging will have maximum impact, and the media can make maximum money. Meanwhile, here’s a ditty on the current state of affairs.

STUCK WITH AI

sung to the tune of “Stayin’ Alive” with apologies to the Bee Gees, their estates, and to whomever else the rights may concern.

Well, it’s the same old DRECK on the idiot box.

Old clips and deepfakes fill airtime on Fox.

Smearing loud, inciting a storm,

Musk and Trump tooting his horn.

It’s far Right, it’s a sad day.

It’s his way or THE highway.

It’s hard for some to understand,

how the brainWASHing got out of hand.

Whether you’re innocent or guilty as sin,

we’re stuck with AI, stuck with AI.

See criminals walking and Big Tech stalking.

We’re stuck with AI, stuck with AI.

new-normal police-state, stuck with AI, stuck with AI.

new-normal police-state, stuck with A-I-I-I-I.

Oh, criminals walk…

Well, the GOP’s low, and on power they’re high,

and democracy’s crumbling before our eyes.

Job security at an all-time low.

A lying senile leader causing more woe.

It’s far Right. It’s their way.

Fourth Amendment is in shreds today.

It’s hard for some to understand,

how the brainWASHing got out of hand.

Whether you’re innocent or guilty as sin,

we’re stuck with AI, stuck with AI.

See criminals walking and Big Tech stalking.

We’re stuck with AI, stuck with AI.

new-normal police-state, stuck with AI, stuck with AI.

new-normal police-state, stuck with A-I-I-I-I.

Vance needs to step up. Somebody help him. Somebody help him, yeah.

Vance needs to step up. Somebody help him, yeah. Stuck with AI.

Well, it’ the same old DRECK on the idiot box.

Old clips and deepfakes fill airtime on Fox.

Smearing loud, inciting a storm,

Musk and Trump tooting his horn.

It’s far Right, it’s a sad day.

It’s his way or THE highway.

It’s hard for some to understand,

how the brainWASHing got out of hand.

Whether you’re innocent or guilty as sin,

we’re stuck with AI, stuck with AI.

See criminals walking and Big Tech stalking.

We’re stuck with AI, stuck with AI.

new-normal police-state, stuck with AI, stuck with AI.

new-normal police-state, stuck with A-I-I-I-I. Argh.

Vance needs to step up. Somebody help him. Somebody help him, yeah.

Vance needs to step up. Somebody help him, yeah. We’re stuck with AI…