Here's one I missed but it could not be helped

This year Christmas came and went, and I barely knew it. When you are totally depleted of energy, merely getting dressed is an ordeal. I spent the entire season doing nothing but getting my choir ready for special Christmas music. Beyond that, there was nothing left for writing or anything else.

And I hate that because Christmas inspired some of the greatest music ever written. One of those was O Sanctissima. You may be vaguely familiar with the tune because Bing Crosby used the tune as the basis for a new song he introduced called The Bells of St. Mary's, which, by the way was the name of the blockbuster movie in the early 1940s by that same title, and starring Bing Crosby.

The original tune inspired that song. And I can think of no other medium through which to convey that old tune to the masses than Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Ormandy developed a sound all his own and unequaled among the great symphony orchestras. It was a big, full sound in the grand classical tradition. He doubled the size of the string section when he took over the orchestra in the late 1930s, and his brass and woodwind sections had the best musicians in the world. Ormandy loved the velvety, mellow feel the strings gave his sound, but he would not hesitate to play full volume when the music called for it. And it was all in balance, the brass in sync with the strings due to the fact that Ormandy had insisted on so many stringed instruments. Very few ever were able to capture the Ormandy magic, and I can tell you that watching him and learning from him was the thrill of a lifetime.

Ormandy's arrangement of O Sanctissima has it all. In fact one could say it is a miniature showcase of the Philadelphia sound. It begins quietly and slowly and gradually builds through the trumpets and woodwinds until on the final round those glorious strings let it fly...and I mean they play it as if they are playing for God Himself. And then after Ormandy shows us what his "Philadelphia sound" can do, he gradually lowers the volume until the end when the strings play one last chord the way Ormandy liked it on a piece like this -- soft, deft, lovely, and inspiring. You see, music is primarily an emotional exercise. No one could capture that like Eugene Ormandy because he himself was deeply moved by the music, sometimes tears rolling down his cheeks as he directed the orchestra from the podium. And then there would be that impish smile as if to say, "This is what music is meant to do, and this is what I present to you through my wonderful musicians. Isn't that just absolutely beautiful..."

Yes, dear maestro, it is...

O Sanctissima by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra
  

Long forgotten tape from 2002 contradicts Trump's claim of opposing Iraq War

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump raised a ruckus in South Carolina last weekend when he claimed he vehemently opposed the Iraq War...But a long forgotten tape has surfaced that contradicts Trump's claim... Trump told Stern he supported sending the U.S. military into Iraq after the mission was completed in Afghanistan...

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Clinton's renewed health concerns

The Examiner has learned today, Feb. 18, that Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is beset with a renewal of her health concerns stemming from a concussion she sustained in 2012. The concussion was severe enough to give her double vision, and she was prescribed thick prism glasses in an attempt to prevent the double vision from interfering with a normal life in the public eye...

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Stand By Me

I was talking about a song Glen Allred wrote for the Inspirations the other day, and I knew I wasn't through. I had to write about this song below because, well, it just one of the finest recordings of this song if not THE finest I ever heard. The song itself is very old, but in the hands of a singer like Glen Allred and the Florida Boys who sing it A Capella, it just comes to life.

This was just a few years before the Florida Boys as I knew them retired. Glen was 70 years old or close to it, and he sang this song flawlessly just as he had his whole life. I am so glad they decided to do this song and let Glen take the lead. The message is so touching that I start to cry whenever I hear it or watch this video. And when great singers get hold of it they can take it to levels never before heard. The song is very meaningful to me in the midst of my ongoing illnesses. I find myself crying to the Lord, "Please, please, Lord, stand by me." And I find Him standing right beside me when I watch this song. Please understand where I am coming from.

Stand by Me by Glen Allred and the Florida Boys
 

Republicans may back off initial intent to delay Obama's Court nominee

Fearful that any attempt to delay action on Obama's pending nominee to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court left by the death of Antonin Scalia, some Republicans appear ready to back off of their initial vow to delay hearings on any nominee until after this year's presidential election. Only once in modern times has a new Court justice been chosen in an election year. But a few Republicans appear ready to do just that...

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D.C. underground whispers reveal the real story

The most powerful power center on earth, most politicos say, is Washington, D.C. In a place like D.C., what does not get reported but is nonetheless the subject of most if not all of the whispers is where the real truth lies. The real story is often underground in the dark corners, crevices, and out of the way bars, away from public view and from the ever present ear of the Washington news media establishment. This underground chatter seems to kick up into super high gear during a presidential election year. This year is no different due to the palpable rage of the electorate, wild card candidates such as Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, and of course the sudden and unexpected death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

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One of those nights

I spent a good deal of the day at the doctor;s office and the pharmacy. I am beat, and when I am beat I find it hard to sleep. So, here I am.

The song I ran across tonight brought back a lot of comforting memories. The message really speaks to me, plus the writer is a good friend of mine, now retired, who spent 55 years as the stellar baritone for the Florida Boys -- Glen Allred. Glen did not write many songs, but when he did you could rest assured it was an exceptional tune and carried a very moving message.

Glen wrote this song for The Inspirations back in the early 1970s. These guys started their group four years before I started mine. Their claim to fame was their devout Christian beliefs born and bred in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. And, since they were mountain boys their singing had an authentic mountain gospel flavor that you can't find anywhere except in the N.C. mountains. But millions of fans around the world loved their singing not only because it is an original part of authentic Americana but because these guys were and are Christian gentlemen, the salt of the earth.

Glen's song perfectly captures that flavor. It has a haunting melody that is realistic about this world of woe yet ultimately hopeful in that the Christ of all the ages is the Lord of all, even the storm.

Glen, if you happen to read this, thank you for giving us such a gift as I find in this song.

He Brought Me Out (Allred)

Fact checking the claims made about Scalia's replacement

The legal world is still reeling from the death of one of most brilliant jurists who ever sat on the Supreme Court, Antonin Scalia. A Reagan appointee, Scalia is singularly responsible for defining, teaching, and advocating for a school of thought that came to be known as "originalism." Today the term and what it stands for has made a place for itself as a major, accepted theory of modern jurisprudence. It is no surprise, therefore, that opposing points of view are determined ram through to the Court a justice who is the opposite of Scalia, They are doing this by using outrageous claims, and these must be fact checked.

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A sad day, and an admonition

I am personally saddened by the untimely death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. He was a giant among jurists and his intellect is rarely matched on the court. It was Scalia along with Sam Alito and Clarence Thomas who held fast to original intent when it came to the Constitution, holding the line against the heretical and dangerous "living Constitution" balderdash espoused by progressives, liberals, and other legal charlatans.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stated there would be no hearings on any replacement sent up by Barack Obama and that this issue will be taken up once a new president is in place. Let's hope he sticks to his guns. And let us remember that the Senate is not obligated to approve ANY court nominee sent up by president. Democrats have never hesitated to refuse to confirm Justices nominated by Republican presidents -- such as Robert Bork and Harriet Miers.

So, folks, watch this one very carefully. Had it not been for Antonin Scalia we would have already lost the individual right to own and bear firearms. So trust in God but keep your powder dry. Our rights as described by the Bill of Rights are hanging by a very thin thread.