What was on his lips, was in our hearts...

On the air, Vin Scully reflects 10 years after 9/11

Los Angeles Times / September 11, 2011

Here’s the treasure that is Vin Scully, on the air Sunday after a pregame 9/11 ceremony in San Francisco:

"We had a lead, gray morning, slowly burning off to a brilliant sunrise, making you think of that beautiful day in New York 10 years ago, Sept. 11, 2001. Certainly a day in which God must have wept, wept over man’s inhumanity to man. A day of heroes and a day of horror.

"And there are numbers we always talk about in baseball. We know of the total number of people who passed away that day. But I think of two particular numbers -- 405 and 343. Four-hundred and five were the total number of first responders who died that day trying to help others. And the 343, all of those brave firemen who as most of those people who did escape were going down the stairs, 343 firemen were going up the stairs on the way to meet their destiny.

"Yes, it was a day to remember. We all take a promise now, we will never forget. But you know in retrospect, we’ve kind of forgotten Pearl Harbor. We’ve kind of forgotten D-Day and World War II. I guess it’s a tendency to try and push aside something that brings us so much pain.

"But it should also bring some honor for as we watch rising from the ashes of New York, like the Phoenix itself, the high-rises that will once again be a testimony to the heart and soul of this great country.

"I remember Ronald Reagan once said, 'If we ever forgot that we were one nation under God, we will be one nation that goes under.' And you might notice today, above all days, you will hear God’s name mentioned, and we hope, not in vain.

"So that’s the scene here at AT&T Park. We will do as we did 10 years ago. We will try and turn the page, at least for a couple of hours and concentrate on a child’s game called baseball. But all the while, each and every one of us should carry a small ache in our heart for what happened. And please God, we will never forget what took place 10 years ago today. And with that, we’ll pause for this."

The camera then panned to a scene outside the stadium that had a banner that read: "We will never forget 9/11."

This story and the photo of the field/crowd at Dodger Stadium appeared in the LA Times' Dodger Blog. Photo: The American flag is displayed during the Dodgers' first game following the September 11th Terrorist attacks. Photo by Aleaxander Gallardo / Los Angeles Times.

If at first you don't suceed...

...try something else.

Hey, GOP. Remember how profligate spending helped run the party out of Washington? Remember how Tea Parties usually zero-in on hacks and lying politicians? Then why in the heck are you doing this?

And Justice for all? Forever?


Lady Justice?...

No smart alecky remark here. This is just the Tweet O’ The Week©!

You’re getting warmer: looks like they’re starting to follow the money.

This just in from the icebox formerly known as Washington, D.C.: “UPDATE: The following Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing [has] been postponed due to inclement weather this week: The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold a hearing entitled, ‘Global Warming Impacts, Including Public Health, in the United States.’”


Congress shut down due to heavy weather. (Thank You, God!)

When it comes to science, when all else fails look at the data. (Which might explain why some of that climate change information is coming into question.)

“Forget all that! If we really want to get to the bottom of this weather stuff, we need more bureaucracy.”


It didn't seem possible, but things actually got chillier in D.C...

Looks like Ol’ Rahm is the one getting the finger this time.

From the president’s mouth to tourists’ ears (Sen. Reid – please explain to the 350 or so employees that will no longer have a job how that Hope & Change is working for them.)

Demonize any place long enough and you're bound to bring some sort of Change...

I wasn’t impressed by Sarah Palin cribbing reminders on the palm of her hand (for an interview), but if you’re going to go after her at least don’t immolate yourself in the process.

Add Palin: I guess White House spokeshole Robert Gibbs wasn’t listening to his boss’ chat with the press before he took the stage.

"What does the writing on my hand say? Quit acting like a jackass..."

Merry Christmas

For my money - aside from the original Christmas message* - this one is tops:



The crew of Apollo 8 (Dec. 21, 1968) wishing their fellow Earthlings a Merry Christmas...

*The Christmas Story - from the Gospel of Luke

Luke 2:1-20
Now it came about in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.
2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3 And all were proceeding to register for the census, everyone to his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,
5 in order to register, along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.
6 And it came about that while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:8-14
And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
10 And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people;
11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

Luke 2:15-20
And it came about when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 And they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.
17 And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.
18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

From my family to you and your loved ones...Merry Christmas.