Hard to Watch

It was like watching a slow-motion trainwreck
with Biden trapped underneath the train.

Say "Greatness"

Willie Mays, one of baseball's all-time best players, died yesterday. As a New York Giant, he was my father's favorite player. I grew up hearing about him. When the Giants moved to San Francisco, Dad's loyalty moved right along with Willie.

So, although he was a lifetime New Yorker, Dad rooted for the San Francisco Giants when I was a kid. He was a Willie Mays fan. In conversations about Willie Mays, he usually tacked on the descriptive modifier "the greatest ballplayer that ever lived."

When one reviews his stats, there's a good argument for bestowing that title on Willie Mays. He finished his career as a New York Met, circling back to New York. Suddenly, Dad became a Mets fan. He took me to a Mets game, and I remember how excited he was when Willie Mays came to the plate. "Say Hey, Willie!" Dad whistled, clapped, and shouted, a combination of exuberant behaviors I don't recall seeing from him at any other time.

Due to his manner of greeting people, Willie became known as the "Say Hey Kid." I worked at the Mets stadium during his last season and kept an eye on the player's parking field on game days. Occasionally I got lucky and caught sight of Willie Mays sliding out of his pink Cadillac with the "SAY HEY" license plates. I always felt a sense of awe in seeing him. He had been a baseball legend to me from my earliest years.

I saw him on the field at a Petco Park event in San Diego about a decade ago, and I felt the same thrill. So today, in bidding farewell to another vivid childhood icon, I have a wistful feeling. Rest in peace, Willie Mays. And please "Say Hey" to my father for me.

"The Catch" - 1954 World Series

Pod Help Me

Over the past few years, I have made an almost complete transition from listening to talk radio to listening to podcasts. I must confess that podcasts have become a bit of an obsession.

There are so many I want to hear, but so few hours in the day. I rotate the podcasts I'm following, simply because there is no way to keep up. But the complete list of the podcasts I alternate keeping downloaded in my podcast app reads like this:

1. The Victor Davis Hanson Show - Victor Davis Hanson*
2. Highly Concentrated Hugh - Hugh Hewitt
3. The Bible in a Year - Fr. Mike Schmitz
4. The Megyn Kelly Show - Megan Kelly
5. The Dan Bongino Show - Dan Bongino
6. Call Me Back - Dan Senor
7. The McCarthy Report - Andrew C. McCarthy
8. The Commentary Magazine Podcast - John Podhoretz
9. The Shawn Ryan Show - Shawn Ryan

*=Never miss one

I occasionally drop in on The Rubin Report with Dave Rubin and Getting Hammered with Mary Katherine Ham and Vic Matus, when time allows. But the recent discovery of Shawn Ryan has practically ruined my life. I don't know where my head has been, but I didn't know about this host of the No. 21 podcast on the Top 100 Apple Podcasts until I heard Megyn Kelly interview Shawn recently. His story is so fascinating that I searched his podcast, scrolled down the titles, and promptly followed his show.

Since that moment, my life is not my own. Shawn Ryan's first podcast was in December 2019, so I have a lot of catching up to do. I pick out the titles that intrigue me, and I listen. And listen some more. While I'm cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, driving, weeding the garden, or trying to get to sleep at night, Shawn keeps me company. His podcasts are long; most are two or three hours, but some are more than five hours. The listener has to plan manageable segments, but it's often hard for me to break away.

Shawn has a calm, quiet demeanor that belies his life experience as a combat veteran Navy SEAL. His conversations with other SEALs and special forces veterans are riveting. I've also listened to his talks with Michael Shellenberger, Jordan Peterson, Jim Caviezel, and Tucker Carlson. The story of his spiritual experiences that brought him to faith in Christ (Episode #63) is spellbinding.

I may have found the object of next spring's Lenten fast. Giving up all podcasts would be beyond my human strength. Let's not get crazy. But, like a pretend SEAL training exercise in endurance, I'd like to see how long I could go without listening to Shawn Ryan.

At Normandy, Yesterday

 

Today they look like harmless old men sitting in the sun. But inside each of these heroes still beats the courageous heart of a youthful US warrior who faced down unimaginable terror to take the beaches of Normandy in June 1944. 

Yesterday a few survivors had returned to that scene of brutal carnage to remember the day that changed the world and to honor their fallen brothers. It was heartwarming to see the veterans cheered by French school children. As I learned on my visit to Normandy two years ago, the French people have a long memory for the gift of their freedom, so dearly purchased.

Americans can only stand aside with profound respect for and gratitude to these remarkable saviors. When the last of them are gone, it will be a very sad day for our country. We shall not see their like again.

Destruction by Disagreement

The Left destroys everything it touches.

~ Dennis Prager

Mark Steyn, the brilliant commentator and writer, was once Rush Limbaugh's go-to for guest hosting his national radio show. He was a Fox News contributor and a best-selling author.

But he had some politically incorrect ideas about climate change and Islam, among other subjects. This was enough to activate the leftist machine to destroy him. The Lefties have done an impressive job. They've nearly killed him, and they're not finished with him yet.

After a dozen years of legal persecution, in recent years Steyn has suffered two heart attacks; the second one was nearly fatal. I saw a recent photo of him being pushed in a wheelchair. His once coppery hair and beard are now grey. 

Steyn perseveres and still writes insightful, often hilarious, always powerful commentary at his website, SteynOnline. In his most recent posting, A Republic? You Can Keep It, Steyn addresses the relentless persecution, trial of, and verdict on former President Donald Trump. It's worth reading in its entirety, but a key section appears below:

"I am about to begin my thirteenth year in the foetid septic tank of the District of Columbia courts. My finances are ruined, and so is my constitution. By the latter, I mean my health, not the United States Constitution, which is already dead. By contrast, I'm just about hanging on, although I very much doubt I will live long enough to be vindicated at the Supreme Court. Which is bad news for my heirs and relicts. As one of the lawyers taunted me last year, "This doesn't end with your death."

I'm sad about that, and would much prefer to devote the time that remains to playing music and enjoying the sunsets. I am worn out, and bitter about the books I'll never get to write because of the way American litigation has consumed what should have been my most productive years. I have a theological objection to suicide, but would not be averse to dying in my sleep.

And that's just with two rinky-dink cases on the go.

Trump, on the other hand, is barraged at all turns - here, there, state, federal, civil, criminal. He has been subjected to all manner of indignities - such as, just this week, having to sit in the crappy courtroom while the jury deliberates, which Judge Irving did not force me to do in DC."

We in the United States of America are in a dark and dangerous place today. We must take our perilous situation seriously. Like a bad heart attack, it can quickly become fatal.