born 11 September 1970

Andrea Boccaletti, New York, New York, actor

Bill Bouvier, state of Maine, accounting clerk

Chris Garver, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, tattoo artist

Christopher Talbot, Santa Barbara, California, non-practicing attorney

Fanny Cadeo, Lavagna, Italy, wearer of short shorts

Fernán Rudnik, Buenos Aires, Argentina, writer/director

Jason Bedig, Los Angeles, California, leadman

Laura Wright, Clinton, Maryland soap opera actress

Lea Walker, Nottingham, England, “Big Brother” contestant

Rob Renfro, state of Texas, musician

Taraji P. Henson, Washington, D.C., Academy Award

nominee Taraji P. Henson

Taylor Peiris, Rochester, New York, person of indeterminate qualities

Ted Leo, South Bend, Indiana, musician

Vera Alves, Lisbon, Portugal, actress

So all of these people had a rough enough thirty-first birthday. Hey, at least the eleventh of September of 2001 wasn’t a milestone birthday for any of them. Think of poor Jacoby Ellsbury (the speedy outfielder who turned 18 that day), Markos Moulitsas (the lefty blogger; 30), or Virginia Madsen (the curvy blonde; 40). That must have really, really, really, really sucked.

There’s a lot I could say in response to this list of names on this day. The recitation of a list of names, after all, has become the hallmark symbolic act of the day, the way in which we officially commemorate the gruesome passing of the brave, doomed people who were burned, crushed, and made to fall and crash from an insurmountable height. But my feelings on so much of the matter are my own damn business; ask me if you want to know, but I’d prefer not to volunteer too much too freely.

Let me reiterate my purpose with this project: to honor my colleagues in birth, at least one person per day, and to celebrate one or more of their unique and unparalleled contributions. In that vein, I feel certain that a solid preponderance of the firefighters, policemen, bankers, and CIA operatives, among others, who lost their lives that day would, were they still here, appreciate the talents, such as they are, of Today’s Winner.