Back to Basics

One would be hard pressed to top this Christmas Story that unfolded in Carmel, California.  As shoppers frantically picked out last minute gifts, a lady carrying a bag, with her little dog on a leash, turned from the main area onto a quiet side street.  A thief seeing the vulnerable woman with the little dog quickly appeared with a strong arm approach, demanding she give him everything she had. “Oh please,” she said, “I only have this bag.” The thief grabbed the bag out of her hand and ran off into the distance.

The victim shrugged her shoulders and smiled. That bag was filled with dog poop she had scooped up as she walked her pup.  And MilesTones can’t help but wonder if the thief loudly uttered those two famous words that automatically follow an unexpected result when he opened his bounty….maybe spoil is a better word to use here.

Another Christmas happening guarantees lumps of coal in the stocking of AMC (American Movie Classics) next year. Last night, the day after Christmas, they aired a show especially for youngsters, Polar Express, a great fantasy story for kids (and adults). Wonderful family fare. THEN a commercial broke in to hawk ‘Trojan Vibrators for the exquisite pleasure of women’. The sex-toy-for-women commercial is one of the longer ones. Shame on you AMC! There are no proper words to describe how despicable you people are, even though some improper ones might do.

Some soothing music is needed after that one. Radio host,syndicated columnist and author, Jerry Newcome, who co-authored the book, George Washington’s Sacred Fire, currently out on the Barnes and Noble bookshelves, answers the call, comes forth and answers, “Here am I.”.

The Birth of a Classic: Handel’s Messiah
By Jerry Newcombe

One of my favorite “viral videos” that circulates around the world through the Internet takes place in a food court in a mall, presumably in Canada.

As people are eating and resting from the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, suddenly a woman with a scarf on, who appears as an ordinary shopper, stands up and starts singing the “Hallelujah Chorus.”

Clearly, this is a professional musician, who is soon joined in by another professional musician singing a different counterpart to the first soloist.
Then comes other singers, one after another.

These are high quality musicians, and the whole act is well choreographed (and well shot too). What throws off the average viewer is the inconspicuous appearance of the singers. They fit right in with the frazzled shoppers.

This beautiful video, recorded in November 2010, has now had more than 35 million views.

I have heard that the opening lines of the Hallelujah Chorus are the most recognizable piece of music the world over.

Of course, the Hallelujah Chorus comes from Messiah, an oratorio (a sacred opera) by George Frederick Handel. The whole work is heavenly, and its highlight is the Hallelujah Chorus. (Sometimes, I view Messiah as the zenith of Western civilization.)

I remember when the millennium change-over first hit on January 1, 2000 (although geeks like to say technically the first day of the millennium was January 1, 2001). In one far eastern country’s time zone after another, people the world over were celebrating the new year, the new century, the new millennium.

Since Barbara “don’t call me ma’am” Boxer seems to have the exact number nailed down, perhaps she can tell us exactly who these people are so we can warn them:

California Democrat Sen. Barbara Boxer said on Tuesday that House Republicans will kill 8,100 Americans with the latest version of their payroll tax cut bill.

Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Boxer, the chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, assailed a provision House Republicans attached to their payroll tax-cut bill that would delay boiler regulations the Environmental Protection Agency recently enacted.

“They have attached a poison pill — literally, colleagues — because it will kill 8,100 more people more than would have otherwise been killed from pollution,” Boxer said. “They attach that to the payroll tax cut. So have that for a Christmas gift.”

Maybe the GOP could get Boxer on board if they referred to the hypothesized fatalities as “retroactive abortions.”

Fun fact: Leading scientists theorize that putting Barbara Boxer in the Hadron Collider and turning it on would lead to the discovery of “The Dipshit Particle.”

This past June, Rep. Lynn Woolsey, a California Democrat, announced that she’ll retire when her current term expires at the end of 2012. Obviously she’s already started practicing:

What’s a five-letter word for neglecting a responsibility?

From The Blaze:

This truly is one of those “gotcha” moments that will leave people shaking their heads in dismay, and disapproval. Democrat Lynn Woolsey, who reportedly earns $174,000 a year serving her constituents in the U.S. House of Representatives, can be seen below in the following C-SPAN clip, doing a crossword puzzle on the House floor while fellow California Democrat George Miller spoke addressed the topic of union rights on Wednesday.

The backdrop provided by Woolsey offered a fitting symbolic compliment to Miller’s speech on worker productivity, wouldn’t you say?

(h/t The Blaze and Andrew Malcolm)

Eric Holder has gotten just a tiny bit sensitive about the increasingly louder calls that he resign over the deadly Operation Fast and Furious. Yesterday, he threw a little hissy fit at a reporter who dared to ask him about an actual news story. .

As Holder’s aide was escorting the attorney general offstage following his remarks Tuesday afternoon at the White House, a Daily Caller reporter introduced himself and shook Holder’s hand. The reporter asked him for a response to the growing chorus of federal legislators demanding his resignation.

Holder stepped towards the exit, then turned around, stepped back toward the reporter, and sternly said, “You guys need to — you need to stop this. It’s not an organic thing that’s just happening. You guys are behind it.”

Holder then walked offstage without answering TheDC’s request for comment about calls for his resignation.

He then presumably went to his office for a glass of juice and a nap because that’s the cure for a bad case of crankypants.

We shouldn’t be surprised at Holder’s petulance. He’s never been known for being upfront and honest about the various corrupt schemes in which he’s embroiled himself in his relentless quest for political power. His political career has been one long example of failing upwards into positions of greater power and greater responsibility but less accountability to the citizens for whom he is supposed to work.

As I left the store, a blue shirted elderly woman sporting a warm smile said, “Thank you for shopping at Walmart..”For some reason, it struck me, “Wow, all this was started by one man, Sam Walton.”

I caught a bit of the Walmart story while flipping through the channels a few days earlier. Walton’s wife said, “We were finally out of debt and living comfortably. But, that was not enough for Sam. He had an idea for a new store.”

A businessman on the TV program said, “I liked Sam. So, when he showed me his new store, I leveled with him. I said it was the worst store I had even seen and could never work. Thank God Sam did not listen to me.”

Sam Walton following his dream, passion and vision created a worldwide phenomenon employing two million associates in the U.S.; one man affecting the lives of mega millions. Wow!

Patriots, like so many of you, I am extremely frustrated by the debt ceiling deal. We worked our butts off to get tea party candidates elected and the Republicans still caved. Our country is disappearing and this latest fiasco in DC left me feeling pretty helpless to change anything.

But, that little old lady thanking me for shopping at Walmart, Sam Walton’s legacy, reminded me of the power and impact of just one man. I felt inspired.

I am only one man. Despite political betrayals, with all that is within me, I will stay diligent in my efforts to free my beloved country from this vile, tyrannous and evil enemy within known as Barack Hussein Obama in 2012.

History is full of individuals like Sam Walton who changed the world. Patriots, each of us possess more power than we can imagine. Please, please, please do not give up. Stay committed to do your part to take back America.

Like Sam Walton, one committed man or woman can make a world of difference.

Lloyd Marcus, Proud Unhyphenated American

Vice Chair: Campaign to Defeat Barack Obama

Please help me spread my message by joining my Liberty Network.

LloydMarcus.com

© Lloyd Marcus

Nancy Pelosi violated a major tenet of comedy, which is “never open with your best joke”:

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on proposals announced today to reduce the deficit and avoid default:

“It is clear we must enter an era of austerity; to reduce the deficit through shared sacrifice.

Did the biggest spending House speaker in history say that? I feel like a bottle of Stoli just offered to help me jump on the wagon, but I guess it’s a start.

Pelosi was of course referring to the Reid proposal that is said to contain no tax increases, would raise the debt ceiling $2.7 trillion and allegedly cut the same amount in spending, but somewhere around half of those “cuts” would be “money that won’t be spent as a result of winding down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

If that’s not enough to satisfy Republicans, Reid will propose an additional $150 billion in cuts that will be realized by not going to war against Liechtenstein in 2018.

(h/t Weasel Zippers)

A funny thing about American dreams, upon building up enough momentum, they become contagious.

Mary and I were young newlyweds, both divorcées. We were also in the process of turning our lives around after actively pursing the 60′s peace, love and drug culture life style. We reconnected with our faith. Still, neither had Mary nor I begun to even realize, let alone tap into our potential.

One day, an elegant lady driving a pink Cadillac showed up at our low rent neighborhood apartment. I don’t know how she and my wife Mary connected, but Natalie was there to introduce her to Mary Kay Cosmetics.

Mary became a proud and enthusiastic Mary Kay Beauty Consultant.

Mary came home after a sales meeting extremely excited about a Mary Kay regional sales contest. To qualify for the grand prize which was a diamond ring, consultants must have ten shows in one week (facials with product presentations).

Booking ten shows in one week was not an easy task. Beyond the extremely difficult scheduling issues, Mary would have to convince ten women to invite friends into their homes to receive a facial and sit through the presentation.

Still, Mary was able to book her ten shows. By mid week, the cancellations started. Mary frantically began replacing the canceled shows.

Up until this point, I was not involved nor was I really paying attention. But suddenly, I was beginning to grasp how much this contest meant to my wife.

Mary was down to the wire with a few days left and eight or nine shows under her belt. If another show canceled at the last minute, I was prepared to tell my poker buddies, “Guys, if we are to remain friends, you’re gettin’ a facial. Don’t ask questions, just do it!”

Mary did it, ten shows in one week. The big night arrived when they would announce the winners of the regional sales contest. The event was at a grand ballroom on the opposite side of town.

I did not want to go. However, Mary said it would mean a lot to her for me to attend. So I relented.

Upon reaching the expressway, our car broke down. This was before cell phones. Somehow, we made our way to a phone and Mary called her dad who lived thirty minutes away.

Mary and I are an interracial couple. At that time, Mary’s dad did not approve of his daughter marrying a black guy. However, that night, his feelings did not matter.

Obviously, he picked up the vibe in Mary’s frantic voice, over the phone, that we had to get to the event and nothing else mattered.

Mary’s dad arrived and the three of us rode to the meeting in silence. Upon, our arrival, Mary thanked her dad and gave him a big hug and a kiss. He dropped us off. We would figure out how to get back home later.

The hall was packed; at least six hundred enthusiastic Mary Kay Beauty Consultants from our region.

After speeches and so on, they got to the sales contest winners. Second runner up. First runner up.

With the public release of emails, it certainly looks as if the Dems have not been seriously negotiating with the Governor. It would be nice if the media would give a more complete and straightforward account of the emails.

As the dispute over union rights drags on in Wisconsin, lawmakers from both the left and the right are seeking media attention to prove their side is actively seeking a compromise. At the same time, both sides are pointing fingers, calling the other party out for grandstanding in front of the press.

Republican Gov. Scott Walker yesterday evening released a series of e-mails to prove he’s tried to negotiate over union rights with “reasonable” Democratic state senators, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported. One of those “reasonable” senators, however, was quick to denounce the public release of the e-mails, suggesting it undermined their talks.

“I’ve never seen negotiations be done successfully in public,” said Democratic state Sen. Bob Jauch. “I thought they were bargaining in good faith.”

Jauch is one of two Democratic state senators who in recent days has met with the state Senate Majority Leader and Walker aides. He downplayed the meetings, pointing out they never reached a deal with the Republicans.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca is slated to meet with Walker this morning and asked Walker to open the meeting to the public, Wispolitics.com reports.

In a letter to Walker, Barca wrote that in their past meetings in recent weeks, “You have repeatedly stated for weeks that you will have ‘zero flexibility’ on the budget adjustment bill and would ‘not budge.’”

Yesterday, Walker said he wants to negotiate with the state Senate Democrats who are holding up progress on his bill that would scale back union rights. Barca wrote their meeting today should be open “to ensure these are not simply hollow words.” . . .

With teachers’ unions and everybody and his brother demanding entitlements; me, me, me, gimme, gimme, gimme, these two people give me hope. The American Spirit is alive and well.

A gray haired white guy knocked on my front door yesterday. Jim, the Meat Man. He was selling beef and seafood. Jim was a character, witty, upbeat and a gifted salesman. Jim made my wife Mary and I laugh. Like two bargaining Titans, Jim and Mary haggled over the price of his wares and struck a deal.

I liked Jim. There was something refreshingly American about a guy with a freeze on his truck using his wit, smarts and talent; going door to door earning a living. The quality of Jim’s grass fed beef are awesome. I gifted Jim a copy of my “American Tea Party” music CD.

Susie is a black single mom in her early sixties. She has worked at our corner gas/convenience store for at least the past 5 years. At age fifty, Susie launched her last child out on it’s own.

A big fan of Perry Mason and other lawyer TV shows, Susie decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an attorney. Susie worked while attending college. She just graduated law school. It has taken her at least ten years. Wow, talk about commitment to a dream. Still working part-time at the store, Susie is an intern at a law firm.

What is so refreshingly American about Susie is her lack of an entitlement mindset. She simply works hard and does what needs to be done. Also, Susie does not appear to carry around any negative baggage; I’m a victim of racist America crap.

I stopped for gas at the store where Susie is employed. Susie was outside wiping down the glass doors. Never have I seen Susie’s fellow employees taking such initiative. I gifted Susie an autographed copy of my book, “Confessions of a Black Conservative.” Susie read and loved it.

Jim, the Meat Man’s attitude and spirit made me smile. I so admire Susie’s attitude and commitment to her dream. Jim and Susie are the kind of people who make America great.

Isn’t it interesting how the “A” word, attitude, keeps popping up?

Brother and sister patriots, in my travels to over 200 tea parties across America, I have met thousands of folks like Jim and Susie. Because of you, we’re goin’ win this thing; this battle against a vicious, evil and relentless enemy within. God and righteousness are on our side.

© Lloyd Marcus