Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

In 1897, eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon asked her father if there was really a Santa Claus. He suggested she write to The Sun, a prominent New York newspaper, because, as he said, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so."

And so Virginia wrote her letter:

The letter landed on the desk of editor Francis Church, a former war correspondence during the Civil War. Perhaps his observations of the hopelessness during that tragic time in American history made him want to install hope and faith in this little girl. He responded in an editorial that was published in The Sun:

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! . . . You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world, which not the strongest man, or even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real?

Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else so real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives, and he lives forever — a thousand times ten thousand, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

— Francis P. Church

The response is timeless and as meaningful today as in 1897, and feeds an innocent faith that yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

9/14/2001 ... President George W. Bush at Ground Zero

"USA! USA! USA!" Spontaneous chants roared from the crowd of rescue workers on September 14, 2001, three days after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, as President George W. Bush stood at Ground Zero and, with bullhorn in hand, called out the words that were heard around the world:

President Bush: Thank you all. I want you all to know -- it can't go any louder (referring to the bullhorn) -- I want you all to know that America today is on bended knee, in prayer for the people whose lives were lost here, for the workers who work here, for the families who mourn. The nation stands with the good people of New York City and New Jersey and Connecticut as we mourn the loss of thousands of our citizens

Rescue Worker: I can't hear you!

President Bush: I can hear you! I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people -- and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!

Rescue Workers: (Roar from the crowd) USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

President Bush: The nation sends its love and compassion ...

Rescue Worker: God bless America!

President Bush: ... to everybody who is here. Thank you for your hard work. Thank you for making the nation proud, and may God bless America.

Rescue Workers: (Chanting) USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

We were in a different mindset on this day 12 years ago. This is a reminder that President Bush's remarks at a time when our nation was in deep mourning were comforting not only to those in New York City but also to those of us in the Shenandoah Valley.

May we never forget 9/11 ... and may God bless America.

10:28 a.m. ... 9/11 ... World Trade Center North Tower collapses

At 10:28 a.m. the north tower of the World Trade Center collapsed after burning for 102 minutes.

9/11 ... may we never forget.

10:28 a.m. ... 9/11/2001 ... World Trade Center South Tower collapses

10:28 am ... South Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed on 9/11.

9/11/01 ... may we never forget.

GWB: 'Soon the whole world will hear you'

Remember this photo? It was September 14, 2001 when President George W. Bush visited NYC after the terrorism attacks of 9/11 and stood at Ground Zero with Bob Beckwith, a member of the New York City Fire Department. Mr. Beckwith is now retired and visited the George W. Bush Presidential Center this week and saw the 9/11 exhibit for the first time. He had handed the bullhorn to the President and it is now on display in the museum. When you look at this photo, you are looking into the faces of leadership.

Bob Beckwith Visits the George W. Bush Presidential Center (8 photos)

"Hi ... from Times Square"

My son just texted, "Hi ... from Times Square."

It's 10:30 pm ... I texted back, "You're in the City that never sleeps. Enjoy!" I imagined him and his JMU friends exploring the Big Apple on their second adventure to NYC and the surrounding area.

But I also marveled at technology available to my 25-year-old son that was not available when I was his age. To just pull a phone out of your pocket and text a message to anyone, anywhere, still is a bit mind-boggling to this mom who grew up with old-school technology. How did we survive the days of phone booths and calling cards and reverse calls?

Meanwhile, New Jerseyites are showing Virginians around their stomping grounds in the middle of the night, a little different adventure than what they are used to in Harrisonburg and Staunton.

Ridiculous

$24,000. Of your money. That's how much it cost the Obamas for their "date night" in New York City.

But that was only part of it. As a former NYPD lieutenant, Yankee Phil knows how much it costs for presidents to visit the Big Apple and has all the details:

NYPD has a thing called "Ordered Overtime." Word has it that over 1000 cops were called in for OT. They are guaranteed 8 hours and 35 minutes cash overtime. That is over 8500 man hours. With Detectives, Sergeants, Lieutenants, Captains, Inspectors, and Chiefs, the bill for NYC for just the police, was over 250K. Add in the traffic control agents, sanitation, emt's, and all the support agencies, Obama's date cost NYC taxpayers a half a mil, easy.

I am waiting for a responsible journalist in the mainstream media to question the wasteful spending of this president at a time when thousands have lost jobs, companies are going under, the economy is sputtering, and many are losing their homes.

Meanwhile, their idea of stimulating the economy is to spend, spend, spend taxpayers' money.

$24,000 ... half a million dollars? Read Phil's entire post for more.