Dateline: Wholly Wednesday

I was wondering what to write for Wednesday when two of our today today fell into my lap. Sometimes you write and sometimes a post writes itself. And with that, let’s get get into Holy Hump Day.

Holy Wednesday

Holy Wednesday, sometimes called “Spy Wednesday,” is a quiet, heavy day in Holy Week when we remember Judas slipping away to betray Jesus for a handful of silver (Matthew 26:14–16). It’s a moment that stings because it’s not just about Judas-it’s about all the times we’ve let Jesus down, too. Across churches, this day is for looking inward, thinking about betrayal, repentance, and the sacrifice Jesus is about to make, like a deep breath before the storm of the cross.

Different traditions mark Holy Wednesday in ways that feel both sacred and familiar. Orthodox Christians gather for soulful services, anointed with oil for healing, singing hymns that contrast Judas’ choice with the woman who poured perfume on Jesus. Catholics might kneel in confession or join processions in places like Spain, carrying the weight of the moment. Protestants, from structured Anglican services to simpler Baptist sermons, focus on stories of grace and failure, inviting us to reflect through prayer or study. It’s a day that feels like a heart-to-heart with God, urging us to turn back to Him before the darkness of Good Friday.

Wink Martindale, RIP

Winston Conrad “Wink” Martindale, born December 4, 1933, in Jackson, Tennessee, passed away on April 15, 2025, at age 91 in Rancho Mirage, California. A legendary radio and television personality, Martindale began his career as a disc jockey at 17, later becoming a prominent game show host. He was best known for hosting Tic-Tac-Dough (1978–1985), Gambit (1972–1976, 1980–1981), High Rollers (1987–1988), and Debt (1996–1998).

His smooth voice, affable demeanor, and friendship with Elvis Presley marked his 74-year career. Martindale also produced shows like Headline Chasers and had a hit spoken-word record, “Deck of Cards” (1959). Survived by his wife of 49 years, Sandra, three daughters, and sister, he leaves a lasting legacy in entertainment.

Wink Martindale’s connection to Elvis Presley began in the mid-1950s at WHBQ radio in Memphis, Tennessee. Martindale, then a young disc jockey, met Elvis when the budding singer visited the station for an interview. This was around 1954, during Elvis’s early rise with Sun Records. Martindale worked the evening shift and Elvis’s charisma and raw talent struck him. They hit it off. bonding over music and their shared Southern roots.

A notable story involves Elvis inviting Martindale to a local diner after a late-night radio shift. Over burgers, Elvis shared his dreams of stardom, while Martindale, already a fan, predicted he’d be huge. Their friendship grew, with Martindale often playing Elvis’s records on WHBQ, helping boost his local fame. Martindale later recalled Elvis’s gratitude, saying he’d drop by the station just to chat, sometimes bringing his guitar to strum a few tunes. Martindale’s role at the station gave him a front-row seat to Elvis’s meteoric rise, and their friendship remained a cherished memory throughout his career.

Picture this: it’s the late ‘70s, early ‘80s, and you’re sprawled on the couch, maybe “sick” from school with a bowl of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup. The TV’s blaring Tic-Tac-Dough, and there’s Wink Martindale, rocking a loud blazer and that big, friendly grin. He was like your cool uncle, hosting this game where folks answered trivia to slap chyron X’s and O’s on a giant tic-tac-toe video board. From 1978 to 1985, Wink made it must-watch daytime TV, dishing out millions in prizes with his smooth DJ voice.

Every Friday, he’d pop on goofy hats sent by fans-some even had dragons, tying into the show’s wild bonus round. It was pure ‘80s fun, and if you were a Gen X kid, you ate it up, humming that funky theme song while dodging homework. Growing up in Garland, it was on in syndication after school and just before dinnertime.

Then there was Thom McKee, the Navy pilot who became a phenomenon in 1980. This guy was unstoppable, winning 88 games over 46 episodes, racking up $312,700-back when that could buy a house! He snagged eight cars (imagine all those Buicks), three sailboats, and a pile of vacation trips. To us kids, Thom was like a real-life action hero, outsmarting 43 opponents while we cheered from our living rooms. One epic game had him pocketing $36,800 in a single match-our jaws hit the floor. If you missed one day, you asked your friends at school the next day, “Did Thom win again?”

For Gen Xers, Tic-Tac-Dough was the ultimate after-school show, especially for latchkey kids chilling with the TV as the babysitter. That growly dragon in the bonus round? It still haunts our dreams. Years later, we’re still swapping stories online about Thom’s streak and Wink’s hats, proving that show was our childhood in a nutshell.

The Deck of Cards

You’ve probably heard Wink Martindale’s smooth voice spinning the “Deck of Cards” story, but he wasn’t the first or the last to tell it. Back in 1948, T. Texas Tyler kicked things off with the original, a heartfelt country hit that had folks tearing up over a soldier’s clever take on a deck of cards as his personal Bible. It was a post-war gem that hit #2 on the country charts, full of that old-school patriotism and faith.

Tex Ritter released his own version that same year, infusing it with a gritty, Western vibe that seemed perfect for reciting around a campfire. Fast forward to 1959, Phil Harris, that jokester bandleader, tossed in a playful spin, making it less preachy and more like a fun story you’d hear at a family barbecue. Each of these takes feels like a different uncle telling the same tale with their own personality shining through.

The story kept shuffling through the years, popping up in all sorts of places. In the ‘70s, Red Sovine, the king of trucker tearjerkers, gave it that weepy, road-worn feel, perfect for late-night drives. Across the pond, Max Bygraves made it a British favorite in 1973, keeping it straight and moral like a Sunday sermon. By 1991, Bill Anderson dusted it off for country fans, polishing it up with a modern twang. And let’s not forget the goofy side-Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan turned it into a hilarious mess in the ‘60s, like kids messing around with a classic joke. From country radios to comedy skits, “Deck of Cards” is like that one story your grandpa keeps retelling, but every time someone new grabs it, they make it their own, keeping it alive for another round.

Whoopi Goldberg Speaks Up for Federalism

A moment of clarity from Whoopi Goldberg on The View yesterday.

What we have to always do, regardless of who we voted for – you still gotta pay your rent, you still gotta take care of your kids, you still gotta take care of your business – and maybe some of what’s happening, like they’re trying to take apart the Department of Education, maybe that is a good thing.

Maybe it will force us to make sure that out kids actually get what they need. Maybe it’ll force us to go to our state and say ‘Listen, I want to make sure, since you’ve taken all this money from my taxes, I want to make sure that my kids get exactly what they need.’ I don’t have to wait for the government to do it. We can do it.

This is now in our hands. And it’s gonna be tough. Nobody wants to do it, because it’s a bitch. But you know what? If it comes down to your survival, this is what you gotta do. You gotta take care of what you gotta take care of.

Taxation is Theft Day will have that effect on you. She amazed me by cutting straight to the heart of the argument for Federalism. It enforces accountability at the state and local levels, which is what our Framers designed the system to do.

In Federalist No. 17, Alexander Hamilton argued that state governments are better suited to handle local matters due to their closeness to the people and understanding of local needs. He wrote:

“The administration of private justice between the citizens of the same state, the supervision of agriculture and of other concerns of a similar nature, all those things, in short, which are proper to be provided for by local legislation, can never be desirable cares of a general jurisdiction.”

Hamilton, without explicitly mentioning education, included it within “concerns of a similar nature” and “local legislation,” indicating that education fell under state and local responsibilities. He stressed that the federal government would prioritize broader issues, such as commerce and defense, while states, being “more competent” and less prone to mismanagement, would handle local affairs. This reflects his view that states’ proximity to citizens ensures effective governance of local matters.

In Federalist No. 45, James Madison wrote:

“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.”

This quote encapsulates Madison’s argument that the federal government’s authority is limited to specific, enumerated powers, while states retain broad authority over a wide range of local and internal affairs, including matters like education.

The producers at The View cut to a break instantly and I really will be disappointed, but not surprised if she’s made to read a statement else go through a struggle session on air today. Or worse, both. But that’s the way the Left works, which is why it was refreshing to see Whoopi take a step and stand tall for an institutional idea that we can all support even if we disagree and pursue different policies within that institution. Lean on the Framers. They were smart guys.

I Can’t Wink

I wanted to wink to end this one as a little hat tip to Wink Martindale. After about five minutes of snapping selfies I learned after over half a century that I can’t wink. Seriously, this is ridiculous. I either look like Popeye or I have to take extreme measures out of frustration.

We have passed Taxation is Theft Day,  though if there were any sense in the system we would be voting today. They are six months apart for a reason. Remember that. We are winking at the weekend, have a Wonderful Wednesday, folks.

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