Thomas Reports was created in 2006. For over 30 years Fred Thomas, III developed a successful career in real estate financing, focused on consumer lending. He is a licensed broker (DRE 01097630) and has managed over two-thousand closed transactions. ThomasReports was created to weave writings and passions under one platform; Real Estate, History, Travel & Culture, Politics and Technology. In today's social media demands, Thomas' voice has been recognized as an official Influencer, Tester and Reviewer for international marketing organizations.
Thanks to the tireless work of Dr. Carter G. Woodson Black History Month is now commonplace and widely celebrated in the United States as well as around the globe. California strikes again as a leading state of African-American first. On January 29, 2021 Governor Gavin Newson swore in San Diego Assembly member and Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus Dr. Shirley N. Weber as California Secretary of State. Dr. Weber is the first-ever African American to serve as Secretary of State in California history.
“As the state’s Chief Elections Officer, Dr. Weber will continue her lifelong dedication to defending civil rights and will undertake a vital role in protecting our democratic process at a critical time.” Governor Newson.
Less than a week from being sworn into office the Biden administration has made history and a lot more events are planned as they move forward in trying to rehabilitate the country from the Trump’s administration’s recalcitrant behavior.
General Lloyd Austin received a congressional waiver having terminated active military service less than seven years. Recently he received Senate confirmation as Secretary of Defense and the first African-American to lead the agency.
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 25: Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (2nd L) participates in a ceremonial swearing-in with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris (R) in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on January 25, 2021 in Washington, DC. On Monday, President Biden signed an executive order repealing the ban on transgender people serving openly in the military. Austin was previously commander of the U.S. Central Command in the Obama administration. (Photo by Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images)
Yanet Yellen is known from her role on the Federal Reserve Board. She received Senate confirmation as Secretary of Treasury and becomes the first female to lead the agency.
WILMINGTON, DELAWARE – DECEMBER 01: U.S. Secretary of the Treasury nominee Janet Yellen speaks during an event to name President-elect Joe Biden’s economic team at the Queen Theater on December 1, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. Biden is nominating and appointing key positions to the Treasury Department, Office of Management and Budget, and the Council of Economic Advisers. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Henry Aaron passed away yesterday. For baseball nerds like myself I was sad to hear the announcement. It came on the heels of what has been quite a week. First, we saw the news that Trump “was gone.” After four years of tremendous turbulence which saw him contribute to the Republican party losing the House of Representatives, then the Senate and finally the presidency his antics, criminal behavior and abusive personality will undoubtedly make him one of the most memorable boneheads in history. That same day civility returned as Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States.
Larry King RIP
Then this morning we awakened to the news that legendary broadcaster Larry King passed away at 87. But this post is about Henry Aaron.
The legend of The Hammer
Sports is part of our culture and oftentimes history is made right before our eyes. Henry Aaron was an unassuming professional athlete. He was known as “Hank” and later as “The Hammer.” During his era many great African-American players blossomed and their slugging prowess might have been taken for granted.
Through his career he was not known as a high-profile player. His first major league team was with the Milwaukee Braves which was considered a small-market franchise. This more than anything allowed him to fly under the radar as it was not until you analyzed his stats that you realized his greatness. He played twenty-three years and not once did he go on the DL (disabled list). There were no pads to protect his body from blazing fast-balls, no batting gloves to protect his hands from being jarred by a batted ball which didn’t connect with the sweet spot of the bat. He just went and did his job, day in, day out and through it all earned the distinction as the home run king.
The historic 4th Inning
On that Monday night in 1974, I was at the apartment of my buddy Ed Davis. The Braves were playing our beloved Dodgers and we knew it was a matter of time but we sat in anticipation drinking Schlitz beer. Just like that, after Al Downing (known as Gentleman Al) let go of the pitch we heard Vin Scully describe the historic moment of 715.
Aaron wound up with a whopping 755 home runs. He became a great ambassador of the game and for his activism in civil rights. As Atlanta was preparing for the 1996 Olympics, Aaron’s home field, Fulton County stadium was about to be transformed into the main Olympic venue. We heard that once the games were complete the stadium would be named in honor of him. Unfortunately, that did not happen. In 2000 I finally got a chance to visit “Turner Field” and while I came for the game as the Braves were hosting the Pirates, I wanted to see the field replication that was embedded into the parking lot. It featured an accurate layout of the field and had a marker where Aaron’s 755th blast landed. What a site! As I went to see the game, I was lucky to catch a home run ball off the bat of a Pirates player.
Turner Field with diamond layout of Fulton County stadium and site where Aaron’s blast landed.
In 2017, Trust Park (Suntrust) became the new home of the Braves. I was still miffed they moved from “the hood” but I had a trip to Atlanta which coincided with the baseball season and luckily it was a home game. I organized the trip because I wanted to see long-time Dodger Matt Kemp who had been recently traded to the Braves. In addition, I wanted to see the much-heralded Hank Aaron statue and other tributes the new stadium featured. It was quite a site.
Fred at “The Hammer” statue – Trust Park 2017
Aaron’s legacy will be remembered by fans around the globe and known for his humanity and goodwill.
The cover picture is from the first "Freshman" college in 2006 as students took their place in front of the iconic Dr. Bethune statue at the campus
Dr. Mary McLeod-Bethune’s legacy is historic. The school she founded in Daytona Beach, FL is a proud HBCU (Historically Black College and University) campus.
Dr. Bethune will be the first African-American to have her statue in Statuary Hall which is located in the United States Capitol in Washington, DC. Perhaps aided by the BLM (Black Lives Matter) movement during last year’s worldwide reaction, Dr. Bethune’s statue will replace Confederate General Kirby Smith.
Interestingly the statue will be sculpted by Italian Master sculptor Nilda Comas. While her selection was already sealed, it brings some consternation among African-American sculptors who for years have developed an impressive tradition in preparing works of art. Similar to the Dr. Martin Luther King memorial which was produced by a Chinese sculptor, once again they may feel shut out of lending their talents to such revered figures.
Nevertheless, this represents a great testament to the respect Dr. McLeod-Bethune garnered during her life’s work.
editorial note: Bethune-Cookman University (BCU) has a great history particularly in Daytona Beach. The campus is two miles from the Atlantic seashore. More importantly it is located approximately one mile from Jackie Robinson stadium, which is where Robinson played as part of his brief minor league stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The venue is now part of the Chicago Cubs organization. For those who watched 42 featuring Chadwick Bosman, many scenes from Robinson’s time in Daytona Beach were near the campus. Our youngest son, Fred IV was a graduate of BCU.
I just returned from one of my treks and had a layover in Panama. You will appreciate the newly remodeled airport, among the many updated restaurants, stores and services it has several COVID testing stations. If you are traveling through Panama on your way to your final destination and you have documentation of NEGATIVE testing results from within 48 hours, and you do not plan on exiting the terminal testing in Panama IS NOT REQUIRED.
This article will cover COVID testing as well as information should you desire to go to Panama City.
If you wish to exit the terminal and perhaps take the 20-minute metro ride to Panama City YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE A TEST AND THE RESULTS MUST BE NEGATIVE.
The process at Panama’s Tocumen airport is fairly simple.
Once you disembark from your air carrier you will notice COVID stations.
Staff will greet you and take your temperature.
You will be directed to the station where they will inspect your passport, complete their paperwork and ask how you wish to handle the $50 payment (credit card).
You will be directed to the other station where the technician will administer the PCR test through your nasal.
You will be directed to the waiting area immediately adjacent the Covid station.
In approximately 30, no more than 45 minutes staff will come out, call your name and hand your test results in a letter form.
Assuming you are negative you are free to go through customs and exit the terminal. also once you return back to the airport the same day there is no need for retesting.
Should you have any question or need tips please contact me separately because as simple as the process is you must prepare yourself with accurate information so that your ultimate trip meets your expectations and is successful.
Bienvenida a PANAMA!!!!
For those wishing to head to PANAMA CITY using the Metro Rail.
Getting to Panama City is pretty easy. It is approximately 20-30 minutes from the airport. For some a taxi works so expect about $25. For trekkers like me on a budget, the Metro rail is perfect. You can pay for rides each way or simply get a Metro Day Pass for $5. You will see kiosk inside the terminal and staff will gladly assist you.
Next once you go through immigration simply exit the terminal and head RIGHT that leads you to the curb where you will see traffic. LOOK FOR ZONA 2 as that is the pick-up point for the Metro Bus.
The bus runs fairly quick but be sure to hop on the correct one. Look for the bus where the sign reads CORREDOR SUR – It is about 3-5 minutes from the terminal and is a transfer point where you can take local buses or hop on the metro rail. GO UPSTAIRS to the Metro Rail and take Panama City Metro Line 2.
The trains are clean and efficient. Enjoy your trek to Panama City. Please note, upon arrival back to the airport YOU WILL NEED TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS, so give yourself enough time to catch your connecting flight.
The contents of this article are from actual experience but I am indebted to two contributors who helped make better sense of the process, R. Field and Juan Carlos
I just returned from the Caribbean’s largest country otherwise known as CUBA. Unless you have a personality full of anxiety, skepticism, fear or other traits which lead to hesitant reactions, if going to Cuba is part of your upcoming plans, I would encourage you to pack your bags. If you are a citizen of the US, the assumption is you already are part of the twelve approved categories to travel as published by the United States Treasury.
Covid is real. From what I witnessed you must applaud the Cuban government for maintaining a disciplined approach to manage this pandemic.
My first recommendation is to check your air travel and see if the mandatory Cuba Covid insurance has been added? If not no worries because as you check-in air travel staff ask you for the $30 fee. It can only be paid with a credit card.
The process for entry into CUBA is fairly simple.
Once you disembark from your air carrier you are directed to your respective terminal.
2. From there you will be directed to the line for your Covid screening.
3. Staff will hand you a questionnaire which should be completed as you snake your way through the line. It is pretty straight-forward and among other things ask where you will be staying.
4. As your turn nears, you will notice medical staff at the line who will inspect your form for completeness.
5. Once it is your turn, you will be directed to staff seated at tables. They will inspect your form and assuming it is correct you will be handed a form which spells out what you must do because as soon as you depart the airport you must go to your designed casa or place you have indicated for mandatory quarantine.
VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ AND UNDERSTAND
6. The next station will be the Covid PCR test. A technician will administer the test which includes both nasals being swabbed.
7. Your next stop will be going through immigration – having your documents reviewed and having any personal items you brought on your flight for screening.
8. From there and just before you go to retrieve your luggage, your last Covid station will be staff administering a temperature check.
9. From there you grab your luggage, exit that area (unless you are a returning Cuban national DO NOT STAND IN THE WRONG LINE. Typically, all you have is your luggage so you should be able to whisk through the exit.
10. Your final line is customs declaration and unless you have something bizarre you are passed for the official exit from the terminal.
AS YOU LOCATE YOUR RIDE, YOUR NEXT STOP MUST BE TO YOUR CASA.
Quarantine is communicated to last from 24 hours to five days.
If you are positive someone from the local clinic will usually contact you immediately. Do not be surprised if even after five days you have not been contacted. Should that be your reality you should request from your host to contact their clinic or authorized Doctor to administer the second PCR test. Once that test is completed, results are typically received within 24 hours. If you are NEGATIVE you have successfully completed your Covid quarantine.
Should you have any question or need tips please contact me separately because as simple as the process is you must prepare yourself with accurate information so that your ultimate trip meets your expectations and is successful.
Bienvenida a CUBA!!!!
As mentioned earlier, COVID is real and you will see the effects all over the country. But no fret as while there are some inconveniences you can still get around and enjoy your stay. Even before COVID the country was experiencing an economic downturn but you will not starve or otherwise be miserable. Like other parts of the world, many are out of work or seen their employment greatly modified. The key recommendation is to be smart and otherwise use commonsense.
One last tip to understand is due to economic hardships the government will be imposing targeted reforms. The biggest will be the elimination of the CUC starting January 1, 2021 (people will have a 180 window to purge themselves of this currency). My recommendation is TO NOT TRANSFER FUNDS AT THE AIRPORT or at your arrival. Find a legitimate source wherever you are heading and they will gladly assist you. In my case I traded US Dollars at a rate of 1.50:1 – what a deal!!!!! CUP’s will become the predominate currency and of course, like I, you can head to the local Cadeca and transfer CUC’s into CUP’s.
Bottom-line, the country is still bustling but not at the rate seen prior to COVID. And yes, as it relates to those from the United States the many people I ran into are encouraged of the upcoming change in the presidential administration.
You’ve heard it stated before…..”better late than never!!!!!” The Negro Leagues are celebrating their 100th Anniversary and there has been great interest from those who only read about them or saw limited footage. Today Major League Baseball (MLB) announced the records from the Negro Leagues will be consolidated into the officials records.
Olympian and great track and field athlete Larry Questad passed away on Nov. 1. 2020 at the age of 77. Some may not recall the name Questad but during his prime competition years he was known as “The fastest white man in the world.” Earlier this year I was doing some research on the Olympics and came across a documentary which focused on the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, specifically the Men’s 200 meter medal celebration where Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fist.
A part of the doc featured Questad’s reaction during the victory ceremony as he was perched in his seat at the stadium. He voiced being stunned and surprised at what he was watching as well as somewhat disappointed. Being from Utah he was not entrenched at the urban ills many in the black community experienced. He further mentioned great frustration with the Olympic coaching team for not allowing him be a part of the Men’s 4×100 relay because the coaching staff had decided to run “an all black team.” He assumed since lead runner Jim Hines was injured during one of the prelims, he would get selected as based on running times he was in the top four.
In life perspective is everything. Many like myself understood the protest, while those such as Larry saw it as something negative, if not disrespectful.
After watching the doc I knew I had some homework to complete. As a sixteen year old High School student and a person who always loved track and field, as well as being on staff at the 1984 Olympic Games which granted me the opportunity to meet both Tommie Smith and John Carlos, all I could wonder is why I had never heard about Questad’s lament?
About two months ago I tried to contact Questad. To my amazement I made contact and was eventually directed to his wife; Elizabeth who agreed to set up a tele/interview with him. About a month later, I struck oil as Larry called and allowed me a brief interview.
He has an amazing story and I am so grateful for his family in allowing me to speak to him. I was not aware of any severe health issues other than he was planning a hip surgery.
I would encourage you to do a little research to discover his feats. Even though he finished sixth in that iconic 200 meter race in Mexico City, to this day he holds records which are still standing.
Rest In Peace – LARRY QUESTAD, A life well lived.
[postscript]
I finally located the footage featuring Peter Norman. It included the comments I mentioned earlier made by Larry Questad regarding his perspective on the Black Athletes plight as well as being slighted for not being allowed to run on the Men’s 4×100 relay team. Astonishingly he admits to being in shock if not downright embarrassed by the gesture Smith and Carlos employed. Again, it shows how people from different groups see things differently. In Questad’s world it was unthinkable to show “disrespect” to the country you were representing. On the other hand Smith and Carlos challenged the very government of how Blacks were targeted and suffered trying to realize a productive lifestyle.
For many of us 2020 will be a year we were sheltered in place due to Covid. Since most of us have reduced going out we have watched a lot of TV.
“With Drawn Arms” was recently released and I saw the preview today. IT IS A MUST SEE. Not because you are a documentary nerd, a track and field affectionado or some type of revolutionary. The doc is about the great Tommie Smith and his world record breaking performance at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. Smith was an exceptional athlete but many remember his powerful gesture along with teammate John Carlos as they stood on the victory stand in what has become international folklore.
Produced by Glenn Kaino it is moving and inspirational as you are invited to get to know Tommie through his narration of many personal moments.
The doc is a solid 10 and available on the STARZ network.
The Major League Baseball (MLB) season of 2020 will forever be remembered by the worldwide Covid pandemic. The season was adjusted so that all involved in the national pastime could be played in conditions deemed as safe as possible. MLB continued its international appeal although surprisingly the number of players as part of each team’s 40 player active roster, dropped by 3 from the previous year. Cuba is the Caribbean’s largest country and also known as a Latin powerhouse. For the 2020 season twenty-two players are part of MLB’s thirty team active rosters. Cuba is the Caribbean’s largest country and prides itself as a Latin baseball powerhouse and ranks in the top five around the globe. A key metric not openly discussed is the national team has lost some of its lustre through defections as stars lucky enough to be noticed by an MLB team gladly make the transition. Similarly to the Negro Leagues before Jackie Robinson broke the color-barrier was its popularity. However once Robinson opened the door the rest is history as many wanted to see those “stars.” Thus the Negro Leagues “prime product” was diluted and eventually disappeared. Hopefully high level baseball in Cuba can be sustained.
One more point about this year’s lineup, two star studded players have experience in MLB but as of this writing are not officially on any teams roster.
Thomas Reports 