The blowback from the notorious Prince Harry & Meghan Markle interview focused so much on her and on royal family racism allegations that it overlooked some pretty shocking things that came out of the mouth of erstwhile royal Golden Boy Harry.

Chief among these was describing his father, Prince Charles, and older brother, Prince William, both heirs to the British throne, as “trapped” inside their royal existence. Set aside the obnoxiousness and presumptuousness of characterizing another individual as trapped–in front of the whole world, let alone privately. Maybe they don’t feel trapped, and if they do, it’s not Harry’s place to say it.

One of Harry’s more absurd claims was that he, also, was trapped his whole life, he just didn’t realize it until his noble and martyred wife opened his eyes to it. Gee Harry, I can only speak for myself, but you sure didn’t look “trapped” to any casual observer all those years. You looked like you were having the time of your life. You were the footloose and fancy-free prince clubbing and playing strip-pool in Vegas.

Harry, you won the world’s heart after losing your mother to a violent fate at the tender age of twelve, and rightfully so. But you’ve just about played out the sympathy card. At 36, it’s time to grow up. There are millions of other people who lost one or both parents at a young age, but unlike you, they also had to work hard for a living.

Yes you did a stint in the British military, and one could argue that the public duties of a royal prince and living your life in the glare of the spotlight is a form of work in itself. But you never had to worry about where your next meal was coming from or how you would provide for your family. You’ve been waited on hand and foot since birth. And now you have the gall to tell us you were “trapped” the whole time?

In fact, to this observer, you didn’t appear trapped at all until you hooked up with Meghan. Now you’re whiny and entitled and ungrateful. You made a conscious choice to leave royal life and duty behind, but you’re indignant that your family “cut you off” from the gravy train and your loving dad stopped taking your calls, after they had tried best they could to work with and around you and your whims.

You’re outraged that you chose to “step back” but couldn’t continue to live in palaces and have a taxpayer-funded security contingent and private aircraft. Well what did you expect? You never realized, you claim, that your unearned privilege came with strings attached?

Talk about wanting to have your cake and eat it too.

And then you wonder why your father and brother, whom you’ve publicly trashed and alienated, keep you at arms-length? No Harry, it’s not being trapped. It’s called having a sense of duty and class. The queen has it, Charles has it, William and Kate have it. You and Meghan don’t. They never publicly complain, though they may have good reason to. And none of them, especially your grandmother, deserves the way they have been maligned by you pair of ingrates.

You have lobbed against them—without producing a shred of evidence—charges of overt racism, just about the worst charge that could be lobbed against anyone, leaving them helpless to defend themselves. You seem hell-bent on destroying the very institution that not only produced and nurtured you, but indulged, defended and humored you through your various struggles and rebellious stages. The Nazi costume ring a bell? That was a real beauty. (And you have the nerve to accuse them of racism.)

******************************************************

My guess is the Windsors are probably the least racist Caucasian family in Great Britain. Just by virtue of the kinds of lives they live, the places they go and people they meet and work with. Prince Charles for forty years has been benefactor of the Prince’s Trust charity for disadvantaged British youth. Princess Anne worked with Save the Children.

How dare you.

What I saw in Sunday night’s Oprah travesty was a man trapped. Trapped by his own vanity, trapped by his wife’s petty grudges and melodramas. It was in your body language and written all over your face. Your tension and unhappiness were laid bare for the world to see. I saw someone who has painted himself into a corner that it will be holy hell to escape from. And I can’t have been the only one.

Welcome to my favorite season. Spring. I love spring. (Don’t tell summer, fall and winter.)

Spring brings a bonanza of light and warmth and a heady feeling of positivity knowing there’s a lot more where that came from. Knowing that this season, there are oodles of firsts to look forward to.

Out of the dark muck, as if by magic– poof!– the first sprouts of grass pop up, turning–abrakadabra!–into a carpet of emerald green. There are the first buds on the trees. The first leaves.

The first flowers that shower us with a bounty of color–from bright-as-the-sun daffodils to the buffet of tulips to the heavenly scented lilacs.

Then there are the bluebells. A few years ago, for the first time in my life, I spotted an entire field of bluebells. It’s not hyperbole to say it was a nature show worthy of public television.

There’s the first robin. The first bicycle ride. The first picnic. The first time outdoors sans the necessary winter equipment–gloves, scarf, boots, puffy jacket, long underwear. Spring. I mean, what’s not to love!?

After a year unlike any other, a year filled with fear, grief and anxiety, it’s fitting that the arrival of COVID vaccines should coincide with the season of firsts.

This spring, we will also experience an additional set of firsts. For me, it will be the first time in a year, I will stroll through the grocery store minus the feeling that I’m taking my life in my own hands.

I’ll take my first trip to Aldi, Walmart, Mariano’s, Dollar Tree and an array of other stores that are outside my bubble of necessity shops.

For the first time, I will venture inside the public library, instead of picking up my books curbside, where the cheery folks who work there will place your picks in your trunk.

I’ll get a haircut. In a salon.

I’ll take public transportation. Or maybe not.

Still, there’s so much more to look forward to this spring, perhaps, more than any other. For the first time in a year, I will eat in a restaurant. I’ll meet a friend at Starbucks.

I will set foot into the home of my sister and brother-in-law. And for first time in twelve excruciatingly loooong months, I will hug them.

I know not everyone has received their vaccines yet, but everybody who wants them will, hopefully, get them soon.

This spring, thanks to the COVID vaccine, there is so much for which to be grateful, including the things that we once took for granted.

My advice: savor these things, these seemingly small moments, these seemingly teensy events. I once took them for granted. Not anymore.

The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act regulates the demands of workers within the state for compensation laws. In order to receive workers’ compensation insurance, you must have an employer-employee arrangement with a corporation or agency. In almost every kind of employment, workers’ compensation insurance coverage is required, even when the employer has just one employee. Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act, the City of Chicago is an employer. You will demand health insurance for employees if you are a City employee and you are injured at work. The City is a big employer, and if you intend to file a claim, it is advisable to retain an experienced Chicago workers’ compensation attorney.

An employee includes someone in the service of the State of Illinois or another public agency under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act (IWCA). Section 2 notes that certain employers can choose to pay compensation or not to provide compensation at all for work-related injuries. The compensation coverage of employees for a new city employee begins when they are employed. There isn’t any waiting time.

The City of Chicago is self-insured, like other major corporations. They do not pay premiums to get workers’ compensation benefits, but they have been allowed by the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC) to pay all claims directly instead. Self-insured businesses must be financially stable and can use either a benefit adjustor for employees to deal directly with lawsuits or a third party administrator.

If you work for the City of Chicago, it is necessary to inform your boss in writing immediately if you are injured at work. You should have the date and time of the accident that caused the injury, and what happened should be mentioned. This written notice may be applicable to your situation. In order for you to receive workers’ compensation insurance, your injury must be job-related, and your warning will provide vital proof of the circumstances of the damage you suffered.

Often, disabled public employees are denied coverage from workers’ compensation. The City could claim that because the actions violated City policy, the injuries were sustained. It could be claimed that while you were not still on the job, the injuries were sustained. It could mean that when you were committing a violent crime, your injuries were sustained. It can also say that the wounds have been self-inflicted. A competent compensation lawyer for employers will help you make a claim and attempt to overcome these forms of arguments.

BenefitsVia City of Chicago workers’ compensation claims, a broad variety of benefits are available. Health benefits, missed pay differentials, work retraining, disability benefits, disfigurement, and vocational rehabilitation may be open to you. Depending on the extent of the injuries, the benefits available to you can differ. The City of Chicago has several different types of employees, including those who work in dangerous occupations, such as workers in the sewage department, and those who work as secretaries or managers in more sedentary roles. Fair and appropriate medical costs can be covered under workers’ compensation if they are causally linked to a workplace accident and are found to be necessary in accordance with section 8(a) of the IWCA for the diagnosis, relief, or cure of your injury. You will bear the burden of showing that the services you received were sufficient to receive coverage and the expenses you paid were fair. It would become a matter of evidence for the IWCC if the City questions the reasonableness or necessity of your medical expenses. The decision of the Commission cannot be reversed unless it is found to be contrary to the manifest weight of the facts.

For several minutes after last week’s victory against Youngstown State, Bryson Strong transitioned from linebacker to tech guru, helping a Southern Illinois University athletics department staff member tackle the postgame press conference settings on Zoom.

Just as he does on the field, Strong put his leadership skills on display to diagnose the issue, offer advice, then show off a bright smile to the media.

Between Bryson and his younger brother, Justin, a sophomore running back for SIU, there’s been plenty to smile about this season.

When the 10^th-ranked Salukis (3-1) host No. 4 Northern Iowa (2-1) at noon Saturday (ESPN+), Bryson Strong will be making his 10^th consecutive start at middle linebacker dating back to 2019.

“He’s just relentless,” SIU head coach Nick Hill said. “If you come to the games or are standing on the sidelines, you just feel the passion that (number) 31 plays with.”

In his first season at running back, Justin Strong has been a reliable part of a three-back rotation with sophomores Javon Williams Jr. and Romier Elliott. But the first impression he made on coaches was as a safety in 2019.

“Justin’s got a bright future around here,” Hill said. “Pound for pound, he might be the best athlete on our team. He’s 215 pounds, explosive, really strong in the weight room. We had to get him more involved.”

Football beginnings

Growing up in Fairview Heights, Ill., in the St. Louis metro area, the Strong brothers – who are 23 months apart in age — spent plenty of time on the football field together.

“We played with each other a lot,” Justin Strong said. “When I was younger, I played up with him.”

They had successful careers at Belleville’s Althoff Catholic High School, which has had only four losing seasons since 2000, according to IHSA.org.

But Bryson Strong, at 5-foot-10, didn’t earn rave reviews for his physical skills from most college recruiters.

“Too short. Didn’t run a fast 40 (yard dash) at any camps,” Hill said. “We took him on scholarship. It was that it factor, that leadership. When you’re around Bryson Strong, there’s just a sense that you want this guy on your team.”

Off to Carbondale

When he arrived at SIU, Bryson Strong’s goals were simple.

“I wanted to be known as the guy that gave 110%, no matter what we were doing,” he said.

Coming from a winning high school program gave him a perspective on how to change SIU’s trajectory from a 6-16 record in his first two years on campus.

“That’s just being consistent and dominating the details every day,” he said.

His persistence paid off when he took over a starting job in mid-2019, during which SIU posted a 7-5 record and narrowly missed the FCS playoffs.

During the Salukis’ five-game winning streak against Missouri Valley Football Conference opponents, Bryson Strong led the team in tackles three times and ended the season as SIU’s fourth-leading tackler.

“I feel really comfortable with our coaching staff,” said Bryson Strong, who credited defensive coordinator Jason Petrino for his strong play. “Since Coach Petrino has been here, I’ve taken that next step in my game. We’re always on the same page.”

Against Youngstown State last week, Bryson Strong had nine tackles, a sack and forced a fumble in the fourth quarter as SIU was trying to protect its 30-22 lead.

He also has proven to be on the same wavelength as his teammates, including his younger brother.

“Bryson is the best big brother you could ask for and he’s the best leader you’re going to get,” Justin Strong said. “He’s on another level of smarts, and he plays with a different type of aggression.”

For Bryson Strong, leading others is not something he takes lightly.

“I feel like for you to be able to be a talker and a motivator for other people, you also have to be a doer,” he said. “You’ve definitely got to show that you’re capable of doing the work before opening your mouth out there.”

Back in the backfield

A two-way player in high school, Justin Strong opened plenty of eyes as a running back and defensive back.

“He can just do anything for you,” Bryson Strong said. “In his senior year, when I was here (in Carbondale), it seemed like he’d get two picks and three or four touchdowns every game.”

Justin Strong’s first exposure to college football, though, was on defense at SIU, where he worked in the same position group as Jeremy Chinn, who went on to finish second in NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting this season with the Carolina Panthers.

Hill said the team’s strength and conditioning staff even compares Justin Strong favorably to Chinn in terms of “pure athleticism.”

As the 2019 season wound down, Justin Strong found himself working at safety along with helping out as a scout team running back.

“I’ve played running back my while life,” he said. “(The coaches) liked what they were seeing. They asked after the season, ‘Do you want to play safety or do you want to play offense?’ Ever since then, I never looked back.”

While Williams and Elliott take the bulk of the workload, Justin Strong has shined in the spring season as an added weapon in the offense.

Over the past two games, he has 17 touches (13 carries, four receptions). Seven of those touches have resulted in first downs, while one was a touchdown catch.

“The way we all feel is we’re all three starting running backs,” he said. “My role is that whenever I need to go in and make a play, I’m going to make the play.”

Having three quality backs also has strengthened the SIU defense.

“In the Missouri Valley, we see a lot of good running backs every week, and I feel like I go against some of the best of them every practice,” Bryson Strong said. “That absolutely helps my game.”

Going back to running back has been a positive on and off the field for Justin Strong, who is averaging 4.2 yards per carry.

“He’s found that love for playing running back again,” Bryson Strong said. “He’s happy. He’s coming home smiling. I think his role is going to keep expanding with the success he’s having.”

One year. One long, never-ending, never-repeatable year.

One year ago I told the story of our shopping trip to Woodman’s, as a maskless, non-socially-distanced, throng filled the aisles and their shopping carts with paper towels and toilet paper and anything else they thought would help them in a long siege. Our year of Covid-19 had begun.

I sit here now, as one of the fully-vaccinated, physically undamaged, lucky survivors. No one close to me lost their lives, indeed, I have to think hard to come up with anyone in my circle who even tested positive.

We never closed the lab, though we limited our on-site staffing in the early days. We never stopped seeing our children and grandchildren, with drive-bys graduating to driveway and back yard visits, then in-garage celebrations, and eventually, small gatherings in the kitchen.

We voted (by mail.) We mastered many difficult jigsaw puzzles (and gave up on some impossible ones.) We wrote haiku and parody songs and scripted our favorite TV shows. And we binge-watched. Oh, how we binge-watched. Who knew there were so many dramedies coming out of Australia! We cooked.

We avoided one pet while gaining another, the dog who has grown and grown both in his own body and in our hearts. We have joined Boards, volunteered, and served on committees, now knowing enough to mute our microphones on interminable Zoom calls.

And what have we learned? The pleasure of welcoming our friends and neighbors to our socially distanced back yard, instead of trying to converse in a noisy restaurant. That many movies are just as good at home as at a multi-plex. That books can still take us away from our everyday life. That science will win out–but not always right away.

My thoughts go out to all of you who have suffered much much more. The fact that we have turned a corner may be no solace to those of you who have lost a mother or father, lost a job, lost financial security. Still, I pray we are all on our way to a better place and time.