Hits and Misses
MISS: Back when the Soviet Union still existed and Joseph Stalin ruled it with an iron fist, officials who fell from favor were airbrushed out of photos, usually after they were put before a firing squad or perished in a gulag. Sure, it’s not as extreme, but the National Archives and Records Administration took a note from Stalin when it recently blotted out anti-Trump messages within a photo of the 2017 Women’s March that was being used in an exhibit. Officials at the National Archives issued an apology: “We made a mistake.” They were likely trying not to provoke the notoriously tetchy commander in chief, but the National Archives is in the business of preserving and recounting history as it is, not as one person wants it to be, no matter how powerful that person is.
HIT: In the grand scheme of things, the sixth-in-line to the British throne deciding he wants to shed most of his royal duties and decamp to North America doesn’t matter all that much. But the decision by Prince Harry and wife, Meghan Markle, to split from the royal family has divided public opinion in his homeland and set tongues a-wagging across the globe. Frankly, Harry’s decision is entirely understandable. He and his wife have been the objects of brutal disparagement by a cynical and racist British tabloid press. Who would want to be subjected to that day after day? And it’s possible that Harry believes a life of being “the spare,” with its succession of ribbon cuttings and soirees, might be a tad unfulfilling. It’s not hard to imagine that the couple will soon be enjoying a happier and more satisfying life.
MISS: Is there something in the water in Donegal Township? First, residents and their elected board of supervisors were divided over the imposition of zoning in the township, even though zoning is commonplace in most communities. Now, supervisors and residents are up in arms over a police contract lame-duck supervisors approved at the end of 2019. The township has filed a civil action against the Donegal Township Police Officer’s Association in order to have the contract scrapped and negotiations restarted. Lane Turturice, Donegal’s solicitor, said the township has “no intention of moving forward” with the litigation unless the union agrees to negotiate again and make concessions or changes in the contract. The union should hold firm and resist this, though. The contract was approved by elected representatives who were duly elected. The police had been without a contract for two years, and its approval was overdue. Reopening negotiations now seems a pointless and petty endeavor.
MISS: If you haven’t gotten a flu shot yet, here’s a blunt piece of advice: Find a location where they are administering them and get it done. Now. Or at least as soon as you can. The flu is on the march across Pennsylvania, and getting vaccinated is the best way to ensure you won’t get it, or the symptoms will be less severe. It also means you won’t spread the virus, particularly to individuals with weakened immune systems. Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported there were more than 25,000 cases of the flu across the commonwealth. The number will probably peak in February or March. It should also be noted that frequent hand-washing and cough etiquette will help stop the spread of nasty viruses. By getting a flu shot, even now, you’ll be helping yourself, your neighbors and your co-workers.