It’s time to Break It Down!

(Revised from Break It Down – 12/24/08, 12/22/10, 12/21/11, 12/26/12, 12/25/13, 12/23/15, 12/21/16, 12/26/17, 12/26/18, 12/25/19, 12/23/20, 12/25/21, and 12/21/22)

According to tradition, mine if no one else’s, my Christmas post includes a complement of Songs of the Season. Today’s issue will constitute the next edition in that tradition. It’s Tuesday night, or in my personal time dimension, Blog Night. In keeping with what I do, let’s make it so, Wednesday’s coming! As incorporated in the title above, many purists celebrate Twelve Days of Christmas. This has been documented in song, book form, at least one movie, and in countless tales and renditions.

By quirk of the calendar, Christmas was a couple of days ago, but this is still Christmas Week, and so, here, as scheduled, is the Christmas Blog. I hope you enjoy the blog/e-concert.

Merry Christmas to you! I know some of you are caught up in the whole “We Are The (Secular) World” trip; thus, you substitute Holiday for Christmas in seasonal greetings. But that really shouldn’t be a problem since the man we call 44 brought Christmas back (wink-wink). But seriously though, in case you don’t know, Christmas never went anywhere.  In fact, a quick check back over the Obama years reveals…Christmas was a staple in his repertoire. (http://www.msnbc.com/am-joy/watch/-merry-christmas-never-left-the-white-house-824078915806).  Of course, those innately curious enough to conduct the requisite etymological research know that the root derivation of holiday is “Holy Day;” but I digress; that is fodder for another day.

The beauty of this post is, it’s timeless. By the time you get around to it, most, if not all of you will already have done whatever it is you do to observe and/or celebrate Christmas. But you know what, herein lies an opportunity to take one more moment, a time out if you will, before returning full tilt to your normal schedule.

As is my custom, I will not use this Christmas Season Post, if you will allow me to call it that, to challenge you to sort through the facts, be they esoteric or mundane. Not the pending election, or the economy (recession or no recession), no wars, and absolutely no (further) references to Presidents, past, present, or future.

No, this is your time to take a break and leave all that behind. Notice, I did not say forget it, and I certainly would never ask that you pretend it doesn’t exist. Just give yourself a break.

In the true spirit of keeping it simple for both you and me, I am reprising an amalgam of previous posts. In fact, not just any posts…posts from several Christmas’ past. This is my fourteenth e-Christmas Concert. Several years ago, I pressed the reset button on the Concert. Instead of simply providing 12 standards, I upped the ante and provided 24, 12 by female artists, and 12 by male artists. This year, Christmas Day was Monday, two days ago. Take your time, but give them a listen, if you like Christmas Music.

The English playwright and poet, William Congreve, in the opening line of his 1697 Play entitled “The Mourning Bride,” asserted, “Music has Charms to soothe a savage Breast, To soften rocks, or bend a knotted Oak.”  I think Congreve was on to something.  If indeed music is capable of enabling us to overcome our basest instincts, and in so doing, ennoble us to pursue our finer impulses, and then indeed, we should take more opportunities to render ourselves captivated by its magical spell. (By the way, it really is breast…not beast; caught you thinking, didn’t I?)

So, I identified and pulled together an assortment of my favorite Christmas Standards by several of my favorite artists. This year’s version includes a variation of the artistic olio I pulled together for your reading, viewing, and listening pleasure several years ago. Below, you will find hot links to YouTube video interpretations and two songs for each of the 12 Days of Christmas listed and included in today’s Yuletide e-concert.

Female Artists

1. Eartha Kitt is known for having had many talents skills, and abilities, among them acting and singing.  Last year I substituted her most popular Christmas song for “Nothing for Christmas.”  After a 1-year hiatus, I’m bringing back Santa Baby.  As I’ve noted before, the song was born in 1953, and as I will this Sunday, it turned 65 this year.  She slays (or if you’re really in the Christmas spirit — sleighs) it. https://youtu.be/Mk_GmhD053E
2. Dianne Reeves is a Grammy-winning jazz artist who sings in the vein of Dinah Washington and Carmen McRae, a skilled lyricist and scat singer.  She presents “Christmas Time is Here” as if it’s her own. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hInJstw1cGE
3. Vanessa Williams was the first black Miss America.  She had a short and tumultuous reign.  But cream rises to the top, and her talent ensured that losing her title was but a mere speed bump in a star-studded road.  Her rendition of “Do You Hear What I Hear” provides a glimpse of her musical flexibility and skill. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKmvk0NJnzE
4. Lena Horne was a jazz musician whose career spanned over 70 years.  She was also an actress, dancer, and civil rights activist.  She demonstrates her vocal caliber in this version of “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh8JZp_gnU4
5. Cassandra Wilson was born December 4, 1955.  Her birthdate alone ensured that I included her on this list; ’06!  But that’s not the only reason she made the cut.  Her range includes blues, country, and folk music, as well as jazz.  Moreover, she stuck the proverbial landing in her rendition of “The Little Drummer Boy.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmAQzS5Zk7o
6. Toni Braxton is a lot of things: a talented songwriter, singer, pianist, record producer, actress, television personality, and philanthropist. She is known to be sexy, sultry, and an unpredictable reality show star.  She’s still best known for her music though, and her version of “Santa Please” will do absolutely nothing to change that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nFWiF_E_VQ
7. The Emotions are one of those classic Old School Girl Groups born in the 70’s.  Influenced greatly by Maurice White of Earth Wind & Fire Fame, they continue to perform today.  One of my favorite tunes by them is their version of “What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas?” https://youtu.be/coO2E2v5RwE
8. Anita Baker released her first solo album in 1983.  In 1986, she released “Rapture”, and it was the dawn of her stardom.  She is known for her trademark “husky” voice, and she is at her Christmas best in this version of “The Christmas Song.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHze40h13mc
9. Diana Ross and the Supremes were the “It” Group of Motown when Motown was the “It’ place of Soul Music.  The Supremes are America’s most successful vocal group with 12 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Here they are with their 1965 rendition of “Silver Bells.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIJROwP4BnM
10. Ella Fitzgerald is jazz royalty.  Frequently referred to as the First Lady of Song, the Queen of Jazz, and Lady Ella, she was widely acclaimed for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, and intonation, as well as a horn-like improvisational ability.  Virtually all scat singing is measured against her. Check out her version of “Sleigh Ride. ”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnEbRaFaqfg
11. Whitney Houston had a voice known worldwide.  Her recordings accounted for nearly 200 million records sold.  Hers was a clarion voice of our times.  This version of “Joy To The World,” taken from the movie, “The Preacher’s Wife,” is special, as was she. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYPpyTyPf6I
12. Ledisi (Anibade Young) is an R&B and jazz recording artist.  Her first name means “to bring forth” or “to come here” in Yoruba.  She was aptly named.  Enjoy her rendering of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.” https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xMz5oGc8s1Q

Male Artists

1. James Brown was renowned for his energetic performances, which earned him another of his many titles, “Hardest working man in show business.” His rendition of “Merry Christmas Baby” is not so up-tempo, but still a reminder that he had earned his chops the hard way, and that he was much more than just flash and dash. https://youtu.be/4VFZGRoZwB0
2. Donny Hathaway was a multifaceted soulful crooner and a product of Howard University who excelled in jazz, blues, soul and gospel music, an Alpha Man.  He suffered from depression and died of suicide January 13, 1979, at 33 years old.  He rendered this marvelous recording of “This Christmas. https://youtu.be/pj1mVUEHeUE
3. The O’Jays were formed in 1965 and have been a staple in Soul and R&B music ever since.  They knock it out of the park with this version of “Christmas Just Ain’t Christmas Anymore.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc4g1wsIA9g
4. The Temptations were a significant part of what made Motown, Motown, in the 60’s and 70’s.  Their rendition of Silent Night lives on as a classic among classics as far as Christmas music goes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFc7STuQF0U
5. Al Green, soul singer, turned minister, soul singer-minister was at his most popular during the 70’s.  He puts his considerable talents to good use in this version of “I’ll be Home for Christmas.” https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cFyRwlR5YXk
6. El DeBarge was the central figure in the group known as DeBarge, which reached its zenith in the 80’s.  El was one of several members of the group who went on to fashion solo careers.  He nails this version of “Christmas Without You.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_xB6VD7fS8
7. Will Downing has been recording albums since 1988.  I’ve seen him in concerts twice, including a couple of weeks ago, and I own most of his recorded music.  He simply does not disappoint.  This recording of The First Noel is no exception. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOQWKBIuk-I
8. Joe (Lewis Thomas) released his debut album in 1993.  He has maintained a presence on the music scene ever since. His nuanced presentation of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” is just another fine example of his limitless talent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vbpsVILCvU
9. Jerry Butler, popularly known as the Ice Man, fitting for an Alpha, is a singer, songwriter, and musician (guitar, electric guitar, bass, piano, saxophone, and drums) who was the lead singer for the Impressions before going on to a solo career. He recorded this classic version of O Holy Night. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0dR1Dk7Bu0
10. Luther Vandross was a musical icon. Period. End of story.  He is one of my favorite musicians, and his treatment of “My Favorite Things” is certainly among my favorite Christmas songs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6TRlV6MOOU
11. The Whispers hail from LA, and have been around since the 60’s.  They became members of the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003…for good reason.  They got it like that.  And they prove it with this version of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbJ95aWUc_A
12. Kem (Owens) is an R&B/Soul singer who has made his uniquely fashioned mark on the music scene since 1999.  He enlists Ledisi (Anibade Young), another single named musical star to create a fabulous rendition of “Be Mine For Christmas.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_8rVJ_ENaY

That’s it, 24 artists and videos and/or songs. Add it all up and you get “Twelve Days Of Christmas: The e-Concert – 2023 Edition!” Enjoy it throughout the Season, and by all means, remember the Reason for the Season!

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: https://thesphinxofcharlotte.com/. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.”  Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

Twelve Days of Christmas: The e-Concert – 2018 Edition

Twelve Days of Christmas: The e-Concert – 2019 Edition

Twelve Days of Christmas: The e-Concert – 2020 Edition

Twelve Days of Christmas The e-Concert 2021 Edition

Twelve Days of Christmas: The e-Concert – 2022 Edition

Twelve Days of Christmas: The e-Concert – 2023 Edition

It’s time to Break It Down!

In a stunning development, the Colorado Supreme Court removed Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 Presidential Ballot, ruling that he isn’t an eligible presidential candidate because of the 14^th Amendment “insurrectionist ban.”

In a previous ruling on November 17^th, a Colorado lower court had ordered the state’s top elections official to place Trump on the 2024 primary ballot, rejecting a lawsuit from a group of voters who argued the Republican frontrunner is constitutionally ineligible to hold office under a Civil War-era insurrection clause.

Judge Sarah B. Wallace of the Denver District Court ordered Trump be included on the ballot, even though she rejected Trump attorney’s claims that Trump’s messages to his supporters, including incendiary social media posts and a speech at the White House Ellipse preceding the violence at the Capitol, were protected speech under the First Amendment. Wallace wrote:

“The Court concludes … that Trump incited an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, and therefore ‘engaged’ in insurrection within the meaning of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.”

Still, Wallace ultimately sided with a legal theory, put forward by several conservative scholars arguing that the provisions of the insurrection clause does not include the presidency. She wrote:

“After considering the arguments on both sides, the Court is persuaded that ‘officers of the United States’ did not include the President of the United States,” Wallace wrote. “It appears to the Court that for whatever reason the drafters of Section 3 did not intend to include a person who had only taken the Presidential Oath.”

Similar suits have also been rejected in Minnesota, and in Michigan, where the matter is currently under appeal. Yesterday’s Colorado Supreme Court ruling is the first to actually bar Trump from a state’s Presidential Ballot in 2024. The ruling disagreed with the assertion that the ban did not apply to the President. And, since it agreed that he had incited an insurrection, a majority of the Court concluded Trump should be excluded from the 2024 Ballot, ruling him ineligible due to the provisions of the 14^th Amendment Insurrection Ban.

The ruling is being placed on hold until January 4, in order to facilitate an appeal by Trump’s legal team to the U.S. Supreme Court.  Read the 4-3 decision.

The Trump campaign said it would swiftly appeal, and described the ruling as “a completely flawed decision.” Trump has denied wrongdoing regarding the events of January 6^th. He has decried the 14^th Amendment lawsuits as an abuse of the legal process.

The state Supreme Court decision only applies to Colorado, but the historic ruling will almost certainly roil the 2024 presidential campaign. At least until SCOTUS decides whether it will hear the case (of course it will), and subsequently issue a ruling.

Colorado’s secretary of state, Jenna Griswold, vowed to follow the state Supreme Court’s ruling disqualifying former President Donald Trump from Colorado’s ballot. She disagreed with the dissenting justices’ rulings that the court erred in its decision. She told CNN’s Pamela Brown on “AC360:” 

“My job as secretary of state is to make sure that only qualified candidates appear on our ballot.”

Not surprisingly, virtually the entirety of GOPWorld roundly condemned the decision.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) railed against the decision, calling it “nothing but a thinly veiled partisan attack.”

Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump’s campaign, vowed the Trump campaign would appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority and includes three justices nominated by Trump.

House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) similarly dug into the justices, writing in a statement, “Four partisan Democrat operatives on the Colorado Supreme Court think they get to decide for all Coloradans and Americans the next presidential election.”

Without calling out Democrats directly, Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said “they will do everything they can to block Donald Trump from being president again.”

Calling the ruling “extreme judicial activism,” Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert (R) said the ruling was designed to suppress the votes and voices of Colorado residents.

Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) called the justices behind the decision a “disgrace to our country,” and echoed the ruling is “just more election interference.”

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz (R), who publicly endorsed the former president earlier this year, said Democrats are “trying to imprison the party’s chief political opponent.”

Conservative Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) echoed her Republican colleagues’ comments, arguing the decision “stole the election” away from Colorado voters and “robbed” them of their right to vote for Trump.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) weighed in on the decision, suggesting the Colorado Supreme Court violated an interest of the U.S.

Kari Lake, who is currently seeking one of Arizona’s seats in the Senate, said the decision overturns “over a century of judicial precedent.”

Even Texas Rep. Chip Roy (R), who came under attack by Trump on Monday, expressed his opposition to the ruling. In a repost of Sen. Mike Lee’s (R-Utah) post that read, “This lawless, cynical ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court will not stand,” Roy wrote, “Agree.”

With that, it’s clear, the wagons have been circled. Even a guy skewered by Trump Monday, took his side Tuesday. Trump went after Roy, who has long backed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s Republican presidential nomination, calling for someone to primary Roy, though the election filing deadline already passed.

Finally, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said he plans to introduce legislation to prevent states from disqualifying presidential candidates from the ballot “on Constitutional matters that should be decided by only the Supreme Court.”

The reality, as it relates to Tillis’ gambit…is, it is unlikely that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, will have the Senate take up the legislation.

Oh, by the way, the six petitioners who lodged the suit that ultimately led to the court banning Trump, are comprised of four Republicans, and two unaffiliated voters. Sorry to disappoint the naysayers in the Trumpian echo chamber, but, there was no vast left wing conspiracy. One final point. That Democrats were not a party to the action was no accident. Colorado state law dictates that in order for voters to challenge the placement of a candidate in the Republican presidential primary, they must be Republicans or unaffiliated voters. In other words, in order to have standing…they had to be Republican. The lead plaintiff, Norma Anderson, 91, is a former state legislator who served as a Republican in Colorado’s House of Representatives and state Senate. As Norma likes to say, she has “been a Republican for longer than most of her lawyers have been alive.”

Lest anyone get too excited, or distressed, by this action, just remember, SCOTUS is 6-3 conservative, including 3 Trump appointees. It is very likely this decision will be overruled. Still, I am heartened by the fact that after courts in several states, including North Carolina, rejected bids to remove Trump, one followed its convictions, and ruled without fear or favor, that no man is above the law. Kudos Colorado. “Colorado Supremes Declare Presidential Ballot A No Trump Zone: SCOTUS to Decide!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the links: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.comand/or http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com.

Find a new post each Wednesday. 

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box. 

Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/colorado-trump-14th-amendment-12-19-23/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2023/12/19/colorado-supreme-court-trump-2024-ballot-election-14th-amendment-honig-tsr-vpx.cnn

Colorado Supremes Declare Presidential Ballot A No Trump Zone: SCOTUS to Decide

It’s time to Break It Down!

Occasionally, I stretch my personal boundaries and share a personal experience in my posts. During the last couple of weeks, I published reprised editions of the blog. As a concession to being away on vacation, I opted to do so, instead of delving into process of developing new or current content. But make no mistake, posting on the fly, from thousands of miles, and numerous time zones away was a challenge. Another box checked. 

The last couple of weeks presented me with an extraordinary and exhilarating slice of life. My hope is, it unfolded in an unobtrusive, if not totally unnoticeable way. My wife and I undertook a 14-day odyssey that included six airports, eight flights, a 3-day cruise, and more than 10,000 miles, not including nautical miles, or ground transportation. In addition, we spent time in locations seven, and nine time zones away. Not coincidentally, I posted from cities in each of those time zones, Egypt Standard Time two weeks ago, and Gulf Standard Time last week.

For a time, we wondered whether the whole notion of this trip was merely a snake-bit idea. Initial planned and schedule for post-Thanksgiving 2020, Covid intervened, and effectively said, NOPE, not happening. It took three years to reschedule it to post-Thanksgiving 2023. Then Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, and suddenly, the journey that I had looked to with such anticipation and excitement, seemed quite possibly headed for a second cancellation. However, as we continuously monitored State Department advisories, consulted trusted friends and associates who recently traveled to Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as checked-in with our travel agents. We continued to get affirming intel, and on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, admittedly, with some degree of trepidation, we boarded our first flight, and said, “Let’s do this.”

Needless to say; there were people in our inner circle who were not wild about the idea of our traveling to the Middle East, especially, amid heightened tensions stemming from the conflict between Hamas and Israel. Interestingly, there were also folks who, in one camp, thought Egypt was overrated, and folks in another camp who were unimpressed with the UAE in general, and with Dubai, in particular. Then there was yet another camp which was enraptured by the opulence of the Emirates. Fast forward to the end. Peace in the Middle East, at least in the parts we visited, endured. Both Egypt and Dubai delivered, as advertised. They are two very different places, The Capital of Egypt, Cairo, is part of a sprawling 20 million people metropolitan area, and known for its antiquities, while the UAE was created in 1971, one of, if not the wealthiest nation on earth, and filled with gleaming streets, and soaring skyscrapers. Dubai, the largest city in the Emirates, with a population of 3 million people, and the Capital of Emirate of Dubai, is home to the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa, which stands 2,722 feet tall (over half a mile). Abu Dhabi, the second largest city in the Emirates, and the Capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, is home to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the largest Mosque in the Country, and the third largest Mosque in the world. The building complex covers an area of more than 30 acres, excluding exterior landscaping and parking.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent in the UAE, this is where I fully embrace my bias and admit, the impetus for the trip, for me, was Egypt. As a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (ΑΦΑ), Inc., which holds as its symbol, the Sphinx, I’ve long wanted to see it in person. My wife is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (ΔΣΘ), Inc., and the Pyramid is one of the organization’s symbols. For an Alpha-Delta couple, it doesn’t get much better than having an opportunity to visit/see the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid. Except, it did get better. It just so happened that the trip not only covered December 4th, the Fraternity’s 117th Anniversary, but also December 1st, my 50th Alphaversary. All of a sudden, that 2020 Covid cancellation is feeling like divine karma. I’ll take it.

Visiting Giza may have been the pièce de resistance of the trip, it was one of many highlights. The Hanging Church in Cairo, the seat of the Coptic Pope, is perhaps the first church built in basilican style. It is called “Hanging,” because its nave is suspended over a passageway. The Aswan High Dam is a prominent historical landmark, and one of the largest embankment dams in the world. It is used as a mechanism to prohibit the Nile from flooding, Then, there is the Nile, the world’s longest river, 4,132 miles (11 countries…Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Republic of the Sudan, and Egypt). Karnak Temple Complex, located in Luxor, comprises a vast mix of temples, monuments, and chapels. Construction of the complex began during the reign of if Senusret (1971-1926 BCE). BCE means Before the Common Era, or before Christ was born. There were also numerous museums of note, including, the Karnak Open Air Museum, the Mummification Museum, and the Le Scarabe Papyrus Museum. Every stop included shops, and or vendors.

In the UAE, we visited three of the country’s seven Emirates, all eponymous of their Emirate, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, the largest cities in each of the three largest Emirates. I mentioned the Burj Khalifa earlier. Standing on the 125^th Floor circular observation tower, looking out over, and surveying the sprawling, gleaming city of Dubai was an amazing sight. The 60-second ride from lobby level to the 124^th Floor, as you might imagine, was quite the experience. But nothing compared to cityscape vista available from any point on the 125^th Floor. By the way, to get to the top floor, you must climb the final flight of stairs. I guess the engineers, architects, and designers wanted visitors to do some of the work on their own, of ascending to the summit. The only 7-Star Hotel in the world, Burj Al Arab (Tower of the Arabs), is located in Dubai. It is the third tallest hotel in the world, and one of the most iconic structures in Dubai. Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization is a veritable one-stop shop for viewing over 5,000 artifacts from the Islamic world. It was a fascinating venue. Finally, Abu Dhabi, home to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, President of the UAE. Sheikh Zayed is the third son of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was the first President of the UAE, which was founded in 1971. The Presidential Palace, Qasr Al Watan, is a working palace, and a cultural landmark. Perhaps the most visited landmark in Abu Dhabi is the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The main axis of the building is rotated 12 degrees south of true west, aligning it in the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

We visited all these sites, and more. Mrs. Miller even rode a Camel while in Giza, and we rode the dunes in the Arabian Desert. Much appreciation to our travel agent, tour guides, and traveling compatriots. Thank God for traveling mercies. “Fourteen Days; What an Adventure!“

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the links: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.comand/or http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com.

Find a new post each Wednesday. 

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.”Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box. Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

Fourteen Days; What an Adventure

It’s time to Break It Down!

In 2011, in observance of the 70th Anniversary of the Pearl Harbor bombing by Japan, I wrote the following post. The now 82^nd Anniversary, which we will commemorate tomorrow, seems like an apt occasion to revisit subject. Since I wrote the post in 2011, a few years ago, my wife and I visited Honolulu, Hawaii, and Pearl Harbor, including the Battleship Missouri Memorial, the USS Arizona Memorial, the USS Oklahoma Memorial, the USS Utah Memorial, and the USS Cisco (Submarine) Memorial Pearl Harbor Historic Sites. It was a great trip with lots of amazing history and artifacts. So, here’s the original post:

Seventy years ago today, an incursion of the highest order befell our great nation.  On that fateful Sunday in early December, the Japanese Empire, with the aid of its naval and air forces, attacked the American military installation at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  Although, Hawaii did not officially become the 50^th State until June 27, 1959, the Republic of Hawaii was annexed, and had become the incorporated U.S. Territory of Hawaii on July 6, 1898.  To wit, America was, in an instant, immersed in World War II (WWII), by default.

The next day, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) met with the U.S. Congress to request a Declaration of War, and in so doing, uttered these now famous words: “Yesterday, December 7, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”

This brazen and unmitigated act of war had surprised the American military establishment, and the Country as a whole.  While we as Americans remember the pillage at Pearl Harbor, the comprehensive nature of the Japanese attacks, though amply documented, is less well-known.  In fact, over a two-day span, Japan spread a torrent of carnage throughout the Pacific, including:

·         Torpedoing ships between Honolulu and San Francisco

·         Launching an offensive against Malaya

·         Assailing Hong Kong

·         Raiding Guam

·         Attacking the Philippine Islands

·         Raiding Wake Island

·         Invading Midway Island

FDR’s request was granted of course.  Four days later, on December 11^th, Germany, and Italy, which had signed a three-nation pact with Japan on September 27, 1940, declared war on the United States.  In his prepared statement, Adolph Hitler declared Germany and Italy were compelled to defend their ally, Japan.  At that point, it’s fair to say it was on!  From December 7, 1941, until Japan surrendered, unconditionally, on September 2, 1945, global Armageddon raged.  Over those 3 ¾ years, many of the key operational dynamics would shift, change, or otherwise be altered, as is always the case during periods of war.  During this time frame:

• Benito Mussolini quit his post as Dictator of Italy
• U.S. Flag raised over  Iwo Jima
• FDR died; Harry S. Truman was sworn in as President of the United States
• Italians killed Mussolini
• Adolph Hitler committed suicide
• U.S. tested first Atomic Bomb at Los Alamos (New Mexico) National Laboratory
• Winston Churchill lost re-election bid
• U.S. dropped the (Atomic) Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, three days apart
• Allied Nations celebrated VJ (Victory over Japan) Day
• Japan surrendered, unconditionally

The War had actually begun in 1939, when Germany invaded Poland on September 1^st; it lasted six years.  During that span, in what was the second World War in 25 years, every major world power was involved in a war for global domination.  By the end, over 60 million people had lost their lives.  Ultimately, the conclusion of the war was precipitated by the United States unleashing the cataclysmic and previously unknown forces of nuclear weaponry.  It was only after the U.S. destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki in a three-day period that the Japanese Empire was persuaded to surrender, which for all practical purposes, ended the war.

So it is with much respect, simple humility, and a heavy dose of sadness that I salute the millions pressed to service to defend the world as we know it against the rapacious desires of those in search of global hegemony and world domination.  In any version of this story America deserves a special place.  As a nation we resisted direct involvement until victimized by a lethal and unprompted frontal assault.  After engaging, we worked with allied forces to try and repel the efforts of relentless transgressors.  Finally, when nothing else worked, we introduced a wild card, the most lethal weapons system known to man, the Atomic Bomb.  The resulting death and devastation was so stunningly pervasive, a heretofore recalcitrant enemy was forced, immediately to “call it off.”

We now live in the nuclear age of course.  Many nations have access to nuclear weapons, while others are trying to attain them.  What the future holds is uncertain.  But we know for sure that any number of countries have The Bomb at their disposal, and there are enough nuclear weapons stored around the world to destroy the earth, many times over.  With what should be mixed emotions, as Americans, we also know that the only nation ever to unleash the fury of this potential “world-ender” is us, as in the U.S.  In that regard, it was then, and remains today, an absolute truth, “December 7, 1941: A Date Which Will Live In Infamy Redux ’23!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the links: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.comand/or http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. Find a new post each Wednesday. 

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.”

Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box. Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5166

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infamy_Speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VqQAf74fsE

http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/day-of-infamy/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor

http://framework.latimes.com/2011/12/06/pearl-harbor-photos/#/0

http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/harford/opinion-talk/ph-ag-edit-pearl-1207-20111206,0,5066736.story

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContributors/Article.aspx?id=248401

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/pearl-harbor-day-december-7-1941-a-date-live-infamy-pearl-harbor-photos-gallery-1.25192

http://docs.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/tmirhdee.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/11/newsid_3532000/3532401.stm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Alamos_National_Laboratory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II

http://www.worldwar-2.net/

http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/2011/12/december-7-1941-date-which-will-live-in.html

December 7, 1941: A Date Which Will Live In Infamy Redux ’21

December 7, 1941: A Day Which Will Live in Infamy Redux ’23

It’s time to Break It Down!

The World Wide Web is an amazing thing. Through its miraculous capacity, we are enabled to communicate instantly across the world as we know it. Typically, I figure out a way to engage you once a week, no matter what.

In doing so, I select a topic that appeals to me in that space and time, and I write about it, or what I think about it, of what I believe others think about it, and yes, occasionally, what I wish more people would think about it.

Today, as happens every so often, I’m “out of the office,” so to speak. As a result, I’m delivering a reprised post, not because it’s a holiday for you, but because it’s one for me. And while it’s not a holiday, as I noted last week, the holiday season has commenced. There is no better time than the holiday season to pay additional attention to one’s health. So, listen up/check out my post from about a year and a half ago. While you’re at it, be easy on yourself.

Your Personal Health: It’s A Serious Matter (Originally posted May 11, 2022)

So yesterday, I did a thing.

Our time on this orb called earth is limited. One Biblical proclamation asserts that “The days of our years are threescore years and ten (70 years), and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years (80 years), yet is their strength labor and sorrow, for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” Psalm 90:10. 

Anthropological historians and demographers have noted that human lifespans have increased, primarily due to numerous factors, including, but not limited to, improvements in environment, food/food preservation, medication, labor saving devices, refrigeration, science, and living in an age of relative peace.

Over the course of the last few decades, life expectancy has increased around the globe. The average person born in 1960, the earliest year the United Nations began tracking global data, could reasonably have expected to live to be 52.5 years of age. Today the average is 72.  In the UK, where records have been kept longer, the trend is even greater. In 1841, a baby girl was expected to live to just 42 years of age, a boy to 40. In 2016, a baby girl could expect to reach 83, a boy, 79. In the U.S., life expectancy decreased from 78.86 years in 2019 to 76.99 years in 2020, and 76.60 years in 2021, a net loss of 2.26 years. While these changes in the U.S. and 19 peer countries have been published online by Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), the study has not yet been peer reviewed. However, the trend highlighted by these results are significantly attributable to the death toll from COVID-19.   

Laying COVID-19 to one side, the natural conclusion is that both the miracles of modern medicine and public health initiatives have helped us live longer than ever before – so much so that we may be running out of innovations to extend life further. The fact is, while medical advancements have improved many aspects of healthcare, the assumption that human lifespan has increased in some dramatic fashion over the centuries is, in a word, misleading. As always, the devil is in the details. Overall life expectancy hasn’t increased so much because we’re living far longer than we used to as a species. It has increased because more of us, as individuals, are making it that far.

I could go way more in depth about the differences and distinctions between life expectancy (which is an average), and life span of humans. Don’t worry; I won’t. In fact, this is where I shift gears.

I have written before about the importance of attending to one’s individual health. In a previous paragraph, I noted that the point that drives people to notice how much longer we live, is the fact that, more of us are living longer. Moreover, a key reason more of us live longer is more of us have and take advantage of better available healthcare. But let’s not get it twisted. None of us is here on permanent assignment. Nothing we do will alter that fact.

If there were only two people in the world, and one died of pneumonia, due to lack of available healthcare, at two years old, and the other lived to 80, the average lifespan of earth’s population would have been 41. Yet, if those same two people, instead, both lived to be 50, the average lifespan would be 50 years. Even though one of the two lived 30 years less than in the previous example, the average age increased by nearly a decade. Doing right by oneself matters. Providing, accessing, and utilizing advanced healthcare options is a critical necessity. It directly affects each of us and our quality of life as individuals, but it also redounds to us in a macro sense, because the more of us who partake of this benefit, the longer more of us are likely to live.

I had my fourth Colonoscopy yesterday. My medical history also includes a Flexible Sigmoidoscopy. Yesterday’s procedure was executed without incident, and the results were good. No polyps or other areas of concern revealed. 

I am writing about this for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, I’m relieved and frankly delighted to have received a clean report. I’m happy for my wife and me, but also buoyant that my extended family and friends do not have to share the burden I would be carrying had I received a bad report.

Secondarily, I write to caution and encourage every single person who reads this post to act proactively when it comes to your health. In Invictus, William Ernest Henley asserted, 

            It matters not how strait the gate,

            How charged with punishment the scroll,

            I am the master of my fate,

            I am the captain of my soul.

I submit that every adult among us has a responsibility to him or herself to be the best person he or she can possibly be. When it comes to our health, just as with our finances, it behooves us to be our own personal fiduciary. Some folks are reticent to consult medical professionals. Many of us know someone who received devastating news after a consultation with their physician. In too many cases, due to reluctance, hesitancy, fear, and sometimes just being too busy, we put off visiting a doctor, when there were troubling signs or symptoms that we could and should have shared with a physician much sooner, and as a result, received a more favorable diagnosis, or have had an opportunity to a get a more effective regimen prescribed. Stop playing. “Your Personal Health: It’s A Serious Matter!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://news.vcu.edu/article/2022/04/us-life-expectancy-continued-to-fall-in-2021https://thesphinxofcharlotte.com/2022/05/11/your-personal-health-its-a-serious-matter/

It’s time to Break It Down! 

This is a vintage post, originally pinned November 24, 2010, and subsequently edited and re-posted every year since 2013, including November 27, 2013, November 26, 2014, November 25, 2015, November 23, 2016, November 22, 2017, November 21, 2018, November 27, 2019, November 25, 2020, November 24, 2021, and November 23, 2022.

Still, it was not a given that I would re-share this post today. As I weighed recent events, numerous options presented themselves, including, the still relatively new Speaker of the House, the recently approved agreement to forestall a government shutdown, POTUS’ 81st Birthday, Monday, the dueling criminal charges of Donald Trump and Hunter Biden, the GOP impeachment inquiry into President Biden, Clarence Thomas’ protégé-led federal judge panel striking down another tool in the arsenal of civil rights enforcement, and finally, of course, the brand new hostage release/prisoner exchange deal, between Israel and Hamas. No dissenting opinions were registered. After earnestly deliberating the question of today’s topic, I put the matter to a vote. It was unanimous; me, myself, and I decided to go with Thanksgiving. 

As in the past, since it is Thanksgiving Week, this post will deviate from the standard fare. I know that travel schedules (in some cases impacted by weather events, and COVID-19, again this year), meal planning, family time, shopping, football, basketball, parades, and if there is any time remaining, relaxation, will be the dominant theme this week.

However, it is Wednesday, so there shall be a blog.

Those among us who have perfected humility, and ascended to a genuine Nirvana state, have no doubt also elevated giving thanks to an art form. The rest of us must fully invest our appreciation in the notion, “That’s why we have Thanksgiving!”

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day, which kicks off what we commonly refer to as the Holiday Season. Almost instinctively, Thanksgiving and Christmas come to mind. Yet, there is so much more than that to the Season.

Over the next 54 days, many of us will enjoy succulent feasting at Thanksgiving, exchange gifts and contribute to the needy during Hanukkah. We will buy, give, exchange, and/or receive, and (in far too many instances) return gifts at Christmas, eat, drink, and celebrate the 7 Principles of Kwanzaa, and party and toast the dawn of 2022 on New Year’s Day. We will honor the life and works of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on MLK Day. In addition, even in these tough (though improving) economic times, still further fraught with the consequences of coronavirus, further complicated by soaring inflation, and a roiled supply chain, this weekend, millions of Americans will pay (literally) homage to our most celebrated of shoppers’ holiday weekend, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, by rising early, and proceeding to scour the aisles for those perfect gifts…and if not perfect, at least cheap, relatively speaking. There are even some precociously enterprising businesses that will start the shopping clock Thursday (though, fewer than in the recent past). Sigh!

In some previous years, I have recounted my reasons for being thankful. This year, like most, I find that I have more reasons than ever to sit contemplatively in humble repose, and affirm boldly, that I know, without caveat, not only the goodness, no the greatness of God, but also of his inestimable and inexhaustible beneficence. I thank Him for deliverance, and for imbuing me with the sense and sensibility to discern the distinction between Kairos and Chronos, Greek concepts for God’s time, and man’s time, respectively. 

In this the Year of our Lord and Savior, 2023, a.k.a. Year 7 A.D. (After Donald), I have again been reminded, God really does have a sense of humor. In accordance, I thank him dearly and daily for the wit of Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, Dave Chappelle, and SNL, et.al. More importantly, I am thankful this moment also reflects Year 2 A.J. (After Joe), even though many of my compatriots have lost their zeal for that fact. It would take more time that I plan to devote to the matter today, to explain why I believe they are wrong, but suffice it to say, without equivocation, I do.  Amen!

Eons ago, when I was a college student, I pledged a fraternity. It is familiarly known as the Oldest, Boldest, and Coldest, but I digress. The point of this reference is that during the erstwhile pledge process, as prospective initiates, we were required to learn and recite several classic poems. There were many, each selected to convey a specific life lesson. Some of them have stayed with me, but none more than Invictus, written by English poet, William Ernest Henley (1849-1903).

The Latin translation for Invictus is Undefeated. You may recall it, but just in case, see it below:

Invictus (Latin for Undefeated) By William Ernest Henley:

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

So, as you go about your way tomorrow, and all the tomorrows that follow, recognize that Thanksgiving, at its core, is not simply a day on the calendar. It is a spirit that dwells within each of us, an impulse that prompts us to thank God (for enabling us to be undefeated), and a level of insight that compels us to graciously share His blessings with our fellow men and women. Indeed, every day is “A Time for Giving Thanks, Redux ’23!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: https://thesphinxofcharlotte.com/. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.”

Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box. Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kairos

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronos

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ernest_Henley

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invictus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwanzaa

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year’s_Day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr._Day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Friday_(shopping)

A Time For Thanks Redux ’18

A Time For Thanks Redux ’19

A Time For Giving Thanks Redux ’20

A Time For Giving Thanks, Redux ’21

A Time for Giving Thanks, Redux ’22

A Time for Giving Thanks, Redux ’23

It’s time to Break It Down!

The 45^th President is renown as a pugnacious, in your face, instrument of bluster. He preens and debases, and snarls, and swears, and rants, and raves, and basically serves as the role model for which his Party simply cannot get enough. Yesterday was a prime example of Republican Trump wannabes doing what they all seem to want to do best; emulate their idol.

At one point, Speaker Mike Johnson was successfully brokering a House agreement to avoid a government shutdown. A crime recently deemed so heinous and politically incorrect, the rightest of right-wingers in the Grand Old Party punished then Speaker Kevin McCarthy by summarily relieving him of his duties. Yesterday, the Party collectively yawned, prompting McCarthy supporters to scream hypocrisy.

McCarthy himself may have temporarily lost his political equilibrium, as Representative Tim Burchett, of Tennessee accused the former Speaker of assault. Burchett claimed McCarthy elbowed him in the back while he was talking to a reporter after the House GOP conference meeting. He characterized the incident as, a ‘Clean shot to the kidneys. For his part, McCarthy denied the incident. He told CNN’s Melanie Zanona, “I didn’t shove or elbow him. It’s a tight hallway.” One small issue with Kev’s denial. As noted, Burchett was being interviewed at the time the incident ensued. The reporter, NPR’s Claudia Grisales, was an eyewitness. She described the events this way:

“While talking to @RepTimBurchettafter the GOP conferenc4 meeting, former @SpeakerMcCarthy walked by with his detail and McCarthy shoved Burchett. Burchett lunged towards me, I thought it was a joke. It was not. And a chase ensued…”

To add intrigue to injury, FL Rep filed an ethics complaint against McCarthy, stemming from the alleged assault.

But the political pyrotechnics didn’t end there. Over in the upper chamber, aka, the Senate, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) challenged Teamsters General President, Sean M. O’Brien, to a fight during a senate hearing. In another sign of the time, octogenarian Sen. Bernie intervened and stopped Mullin from engaging in the would-be fight.

The proverbial cherry on top was provided by Speaker Johnson, who celebrated defying the red line conservatives gave McCarthy by endorsing Trump, the ultimate pseudo-warrior, for President. “Just Another Day in TrumpWorld: From Blindsided to Full Frontal Squaring Off!“

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

Consult the link below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/14/politics/speaker-johnson-conservative-reaction/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2023/11/14/tim-burchett-kevin-mccarthy-hallway-scuffle-intv-sot-manu-raju-cnc-vpx.cnn

https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending/rep-burchett-accuses-rep-mccarthy-elbowing-him/VEZRKTO4UFD2FEKF7APJJ77CFY/#

https://gaetz.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-matt-gaetz-files-ethics-complaint-against-kevin-mccarthy#:~:text=Congressman%20Matt%20Gaetz%20Files%20Ethics%20Complaint%20Against%20Kevin%20McCarthy%20for%20Assaulting%20Tim%20Burchett,-Image&text=Washington%2C%20D.C.%20—%20Today%2C%20U.S.,halls%20of%20the%20Capitol%20complex.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/14/politics/mike-johnson-donald-trump-endorsement-president/index.html

Just Another Day In TrumpWorld: From Blindsided to Full Frontal Squaring Off

It’s time to Break It Down!

Fourteen years ago, I wrote a post in recognition of Veteran’s Day, and the service personnel we as a nation honor on that day. In 2009, and again in 2015 when I reprised this post, Veterans Day fell on Wednesday. In 2018, the day fell on Sunday. In 2019, on Monday, in 2020, on Wednesday, in 2021, on Thursday, and in 2022, Friday. This year, the day falls on Saturday. So, although today is not Veterans Day, it’ll be here in three days. I’ve decided once more, to edit/re-post the Veteran’s Day Edition of “Break It Down!”

Yesterday, of course, was Election Day. I could undertake a blow by blow of the outcomes, but the news with take care of making sure you get the A to Z. Meanwhile, back to my holiday norm. Many of you may know, or at least faintly recall that I frequently alter the blog format to integrate holiday traditions into the discussion. Often holidays are expanded by days away from work, long weekends, travel, and a host of leisure activities. In those cases, I prefer to scale back in recognition that aside from road map directions, GPS instructions, and the like, most of us do very little reading.

As most Americans know, this year marks the 105-year Anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I, AKA “The Great War,” and/or, “The War That Ended All Wars.” At first, it was known as Armistice Day. It later became known as Veterans Day. But what do we really know about this day that has been set aside to honor real American heroes and sheroes?

Well, first, Veterans Day is not Memorial Day, and vice-versa. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Day is intended largely to honor Living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served – not only those who died – have sacrificed and done their duty. Memorial Day honors those veterans who died in the service of their country, particularly those killed in combat, or because of wounds sustained in battle.

We also know that Veterans Day is a different kind of federal holiday. Except for Sundays, it falls on its actual date. In 1968, Congress approved the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. This law, which took effect in 1971, amended the observance of certain federal holidays so that Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day would be observed on Mondays instead of on fixed dates.

Congress passed the Act to increase the number of three-day holiday weekends for federal employees. After a loud and persistent outcry from Veterans and Veterans’ groups, who argued the historical significance of November 11th was compromised by the change, Veterans Day observance was returned to November 11th in 1978.

So how did this affinity for November 11th come about? As with many historical facts, it evolved. As noted earlier, Veterans Day began as Armistice Day. The significance of Armistice Day is that it was the day of the signing of the Armistice that terminated World War I (WW I). In effect, WW I ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. That was when the Germans signed the document, ending hostilities that had begun in 1914. President Woodrow Wilson subsequently proclaimed the first Armistice Day, November 11, 1919.

WW I was deemed The Great War, and was thought by many, at the time, to be “The War That Ended All Wars.” It was, as the numeric designation suggests, the First World War. Of course, more wars would ensue. There was World War II (WW II), later the Korean Conflict, and then Vietnam.

In 1953, a storeowner in Emporia, Kansas, Al King, launched an idea to honor all Veterans, not just those who served in WW I. The idea took root, sailed through Congress, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into law May 26, 1954. Congress amended the Act November 8, 1954, changing Armistice to Veterans, and thus it has been ever since.

So now, especially remember…”The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month Redux ‘23!” To augment a popular bumper sticker, “If you can read this, thank a teacher”…and a veteran.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:

The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month…Redux!

The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month Redux ’19

The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month Redux ’20

The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month Redux ’22

The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month Redux ’23

It’s time to Break It Down!

Last spring, I wrote a post about going home…for my 50^th High School Reunion. Naturally, as the subject of the piece, it was a departure from my usual, at least partially researched content. This post, in some ways, is a next level version of last year’s blog.

It’s not the same, not an extension, and not a different version. Next level. 

Last October, my six surviving Line Brothers (LB’s) and I committed to spend a year preparing for our Golden Anniversary Celebration Banquet. We had been motivated by attending the 50^th Anniversary Banquet of our Prophytes, the men who pledged us into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. At Fayetteville State’s 2022 Homecoming, a couple of my LB’s and I attended, and took in every single detail of The Tenacious 22’s Celebration.

We absorbed every detail of the evening, from the décor to the program, to the meal, to the video PowerPoint, and event/post event photographs. Twenty-two holds a particular significance. There were twenty-two members of the Line that went over before my Line, and that subsequently pledged us. Watching the surviving Brothers from that Line engage and interact with each other; engaging and interacting with them ourselves, reminded us of the incredible power of bringing together in a small room, a circle of nearly 20 college-educated Black men who’ve know each other for more than five decades. It was a moment that happens too seldom, outside of funerals. Yet here we were at our alma mater, actively celebrating life, with gusto, instead of passively viewing a celebration of life, at our favorite House of Worship. Two completely different kinds of celebrations.

But enough about the Tenacious 22. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the ΑΦΑ Epsilon Zeta (EZ) Chapter Truckin’ 11. Our Line Name was inspired by Eddie Kendrick’s 1973 hit song, Keep On Truckin’, and the eleven men who bonded during our journey into Alphadom.

The week after Fayetteville State’s 2022 Homecoming (GO BRONCOS), I called the five (of six) Line Brothers, for whom I had numbers. I told (not asked) them that we were going to plan and execute our own 50^th Anniversary Banquet. The catch was, we were going to take a full year to plan and execute it. That was the beginning of our full-fledged reunion. Along the way, we picked up the 6^th Brother when 3 of us visited him. Finally, in the week before the event, we made a firm connection with the 7^th and final surviving member of our Line. We were set.

The five of us met every month. Zoom was our mechanism of engagement. We saw each other more in the past 12 months, than we had in the last 50 years. However, of the seven of us, only five attended the meetings. It took 11 months to finally lay eyes on the sixth member, and we literally did not see the seventh member until the evening of our Golden Anniversary Celebration Banquet.

The Journey. In the process of preparing for the event that took 50 years to unfold, 5 of our Line members worked together nearly as intensely as we did when we pledged. There were moments of unbridled joy, and spirited revelry, but also instances of high tension, and flat-out disagreement. As I noted in the closing notes of the Program Booklet, our experience reminded us of everything that frustrated us about each other, but also reintroduced us to all the traits and characteristics that endeared us to each other and made us Brothers for Life. Fifty years later, we are well on our way; Alpha Always.

So, on October 20, 2023, in a room filled with 50 people, and I do mean filled…with family, our closest friends, and our Fraternity Brothers, the Truckin’ 11 immersed ourselves in the memories, in the camaraderie, and in the Esprit de Fraternite that is endemic to Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., in general, and to the 315^th House of Alpha in particular. On this night of mirth, merriment, and conviviality, we also reveled in the reunification of our brotherhood. We invoked the blessings of an all-wise God, we prepared a paraphernalia and keepsake display, we took lots of photos to memorialize the occasion, we presented a PowerPoint photo loop of our Fraternal memories, we shared personal stories, we heard poetic recitation, we dined on a sumptuous meal, we conducted a Memorial for our Dearly Departed Brothers, we shared gifts with our Brothers and with our guests, we sang our beloved and most solemn Fraternal Hymn, we prayed our Fraternal Prayer, and we extended God’s benediction on the assembly. But there was more.

During the week following the celebration, we convened another Zoom Meeting, on Tuesday, our regular meeting night. In that meeting, we undertook a debriefing of the preparation, and of our event. But more importantly, we talked about the future. October 20, 2023, was the first time some of us had seen each other in 50 years. We committed to act with intentionality to ensure that we get together more frequently, virtually, and in-person, starting with a Zoom Meeting next month.

It’s a start. It’s a not-so-subtle reminder that we let a lot of time slip away over the past 50 years. We will do better. Living Our Lives Like They’re Golden: Half a Century on da Phi!

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the link below:

Living Our Lives Like They’re Golden: Half a Century on da Phi

It’s time to Break It Down!

It’s been 3 weeks since the United States of America had a Speaker of the House. Keep in mind, the Republican Party jettisoned its own Speaker because…well, because he actually engaged in brokering an agreement to keep the U.S. government running. Let that sink in.

In the squirrely sequence of events, first Patrick McHenry, Speaker Pro Tempore adjourned the House for a week, presumably so his Party of crack legislators could get their underwhelming, inauspicious act together. Fast forward to last week, and the emergence of two highly motivated, but apparent uninspiring candidates for the job; Steve Scalise, Louisiana, and Jim Jordan. Neither moved the needle enough to gain the 217 votes necessary to ascend to the Speakership. This week, Tom Emmer, Minnesota, and Mike Johnson, Louisiana, respectively, take their turn…and it’s only Wednesday. We should learn sometime this afternoon, whether Mr. Johnson has the right stuff (In the eyes of his GOP colleagues. We shall see.

In other news, elsewhere under the Big Tent, aka the GOP Circus, yesterday, another Trump associate negotiated a plea deal. 

“Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” – Sir Walter Scott, circa 1808

Attorney, prominent conservative, and noted Trump supporter, Jenna Ellis pleaded guilty to a felony charge over her efforts to overturn Donald Trump’s 2020 loss in Georgia. A tearful Ms. Ellis told the judge she looks back on that time with “deep remorse.”

Ms. Ellis is the fourth defendant in the case to enter into a plea deal with prosecutors. She joins an august list that includes, Scott Hall, Kenneth Chesebro, and Sidney Powell. Ellis was vocal in her advocacy of Trump’s 2020 reelection bid, She was charged under Georgia’s  anti-racketeering law.

Ellis pleaded guilty to one felony count of aiding and abetting false statements and writings. After pleading guilty, she said, through tears, Ellis said she would not have represented Trump, is she knew then what she knows now. She claimed she relied on lawyers with much more experience than her, and failed to verify the things they told her. She went on to say:

“What I did not do but should have done, Your Honor, was to make sure that the facts the other lawyers alleged to be true were in fact true.”

All-in-all, three high-profile people responsible for pushing baseless legal challenges to Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory have agreed to accept responsibility for their roles rather than take their chances before a jury. A lower-profile defendant pleaded guilty last month. “Another Day, Another Criminal Defendant Pleads…”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the link below:

https://apnews.com/article/jenna-ellis-plea-deal-georgia-election-case-c4dbacd3e4bbb5415ebd3d42d8fa3128

Another Day, Another Criminal Defendant Pleads…