Luvin1stdegree

For anyone interested, I just heard that Nick@Nite will be running a "Three's Company" marathon on Monday, Sept. 15th as a tribute to John Ritter. The marathon begins at 9:00 PM EST.

Alabama hears stories from wounded soldiers

By Ben Shurett

The Times-Journal

Published September 06, 2003

Country music supergroup Alabama’s American Farewell Tour includes more than the band’s final live trip around the country, according to tour manager Greg Fowler. It also involved fulfilling what the band believes is its patriotic responsibility.

During a concert trip to the Washington, D.C. in late August, the group — Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, Jeff Cook and Mark Herndon — was invited to present the Laying of the Wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. Participation in the event came at the invitation of Jack Metzler, of the national cemetery.

The trip involved more that just ceremony. Owen invited nearly two dozen soldiers wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq to join them on stage during a performance.

“It was the most powerful moment I have witnessed in a long time,” Fowler said, “and the 20,000 fans in the audience would certainly agree. These magnificent young men were asked by Randy to introduce themselves, and a roar of adulation swept through the crowd as they took their turn at the microphone.”

Following Alabama’s performance of “America the Beautiful,” the band was presented two awards honoring their service and continued support of American forces around the world.

Part of typical services of the band included visiting two hospitals — Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital.

The group spent several hours at each facility, spending time posing for photographs, signing autographs and even singing a little for injured troops.

“I will never forget that day,” Fowler said. “The stories we all heard were so humble. These young men and women who had sacrificed so much were so humble. All were proud of their efforts, yet each was quick to speak of others who were less fortunate than themselves.

“When you look on the faces on these brave young soldiers knowing what price they’ve paid,” Fowler said, “and you don’t feel pride for what they’re doing for all of us here in America, I believe you should find somewhere else to call home.”

The tour has 20 dates left, including a concert in Maryland Heights, Mo., today. The nearest performance to Fort Payne will be Oct. 19, in Maryville, Tenn.

Alabama has been nominated for the Country Music Association’s “Music Group of the Year,” which will be present Nov. 5 in Nashville, Tenn. Other nominees include Diamond Rio, the Dixie Chicks, Lonestar and Rascal Flatts.

The video is just so moving....nice addition, VBG.

Coke, it's the real thing.

I don't know if anyone here plays guitar but if you like Jeff's, you can check out his website at www.jeffcookenterprises.com. He designs and builds custom guitars and there is info on his site about ordering.

I live in Wisconsin....or as some might call it, the middle of nowhere.

My trek ambition is to view the entire TOS series so I can study up for that test!

Thanks for finally getting around to it, VBG! LOL...you know. before I met you, I NEVER would have imagined in my wildest dreams that Alabama would be linked to Star Trek. I guess I have to just start believing you when you say you can link anything I throw at you to either Trek or Elvis!! Keep up the good work.

For anyone interested in reading a great story I highly recommend "Let's Roll!" by Lisa Beamer. Her husband, Todd, uttered those famous words on board Flight 93 over Pennsylvania. It's the story of Todd's life beginning with his childhood, advancing through college, meeting Lisa, their courtship and marriage. It goes into exploring Todd's faith, his values and his family. Lisa also writes about how she first learned of Todd's death, how she turned to God to cope with the loss and how she explained his death to their two young sons. The story follows her through the birth of their daughter the next spring and the visit to the site of the crash to say goodbye. It's a very touching, very human story and brought tears to my eyes several times but so worth the read.

Just downloaded the new video (took about 9 minutes on dail up)and it was well worth the wait! I've loved that song since the first time I heard it and it was a great choice for the video tribute to our heroes...not only the ones who lost thier lives that day but to the families of those men and women who must carry on. Thanks VBG, for working so hard on this one...I found it to be very touching. Even brought tears to my eyes.

Good grief, I hope I'm never that dimwitted.

I think it sucks, except for modern country like Shinia Twain, and that song called 'Who's Ya Daddy?', dont know who sings it though.

 

Bel Ami :)

"Who's Your Daddy?" is sung by Toby Keith off his Unleashed cd.

Mine has absolutely no reference to Star Trek whatsoever. It came from a song title and I created it a couple years ago....long before I was tricked into watching Trek by someone we all know!!!

I voted KFC since it's the only chicken place in my town. We used to have a Kenny Rogers Roasters which was awesome but they closed down. And yes, Alterego, we still have the original extra crispy here. Shall I send you some??? LOL

I read in the paper yesterday that the steel from the World Trade Center is being melted down and recycled into a new Navel ship named the USS New York. I think it's a great way to pay tribute to the heroes that died that day.

On the way home from class tonight I heard the DJ talking about the "Freedom Walk" that's being held tomorrow. Participants are walking 11 miles to raise money for scholarships for children of the people who died in the towers. The walk is being held in the town of Freedom, which I thought was appropriate. I also believe there is a candlelight vigil on the steps of Lawrence University here in town. The local news tonight also asked everyone to wear red, white, and blue tomorrow. It started me wondering what other communities do to remember 9/11/01. If your town is doing something to remember, let us know.

I was in the training room at work learning to solder parts onto a circuit board. Like most people, I assume, when the first plane hit we thought it was some kind of accident due to mechanical trouble on the plane. One of the managers came in and asked to speak to our instructor outside in the hallway. A few minutes later she came back in tears. Her daughter lives in New York and the manager knew she worked in Manhattan somewhere so she left to try and get in touch with her. Just about then, we were told the second tower was also hit. We turned on the radio to find out what was going on and kept it tuned in for the rest of the day. I think we were all stunned into silence, much like the rest of the world. I remember sitting there thinking that the world I lived in would never be the same. All I wanted to do was go home and watch the news but we couldn't leave. Later we learned that the instructors daughter was in the building directly across the street from the towers and she saw the first plane just before it hit. Thankfully, she made it out of her building and home safely. My immediate supervisor did lose her niece in the North tower.

There are a multitude of films that get me going but the first ones that came to mind was Mr. Holland's Opus and The Rookie.

2 older brothers, no sisters

I just had to see what all the fuss was about so I asked VBG and he sent me a clip of the scene that offended you. I, for one, found the scene to be more humorous than sexual. Her line, "whatever you're about to say, I don't wanna hear it" together with the look she gave Lt. Reed just cracked me up. Regardless of whether ENT added the scene for ratings or not, I didn't see anything offensive or disgusting about it.

Not too bad, but it should've been Alabama!

Ok here's my predictions for week 1.

 

 

 

Sunday, Sep. 7

 

 

Packers over Vikings

FINALLY!!!! Something we can agree on!! LMAO

GO PACK GO!!

I received this in an email forward. I have no idea who wrote it or where it originated but I thought it was worth sharing. Regardless of your personal opinion about the war, President Bush or America in general, I think our military men and women (past and present) deserve more respect than they get....

I sat in my seat of the Boeing 767 waiting for everyone to hurry and stow their carry on and grab a seat so we could start what I was sure to be a long and uneventful flight home. With the huge capacity and slow moving people taking their time to stuff luggage far too big for the overhead and never paying much attention to holding up the growing line behind them, I simply shook my head knowing that this flight was not starting out very well and although I had a great bunch of meetings while conducting business on this trip, it was quickly becoming tarnished with these delays in my getting home to my loved one whom I had not seen in several days.

The meetings although fruitful were long and I had not slept well, not to mention those blasted new dress shoes that rubbed a blister on my heel. I was pretty focused on "my" issues and just felt like standing up and yelling for some of these clowns to get their act together and focus on taking their seats. Knowing I couldn't say anything that would really help, I just thumbed thru the sky mall widget magazine from the seat pocket in front of me. You know it's really getting rough when you resort to the over priced and mostly useless sky mall crap to break the monotony and inconvenience of the trouble "I" was going thru.

With everyone finally on board and seated, we just sat there with the cabin door open and seemingly no one in any hurry to get us going even though we were well past our scheduled take off time.

The paper work had not yet come in to the flight deck, the attendants just stood around talking. No wonder the airline industry is in trouble I told myself. Don't they realize we have some place we are supposed to be? We should be treated with more importance, after all we are the customers, right?

Just then, the attendant came on the intercom to inform us all "that we were being delayed"...as she paused, the entire plane let out a collective groan.

She resumed her announcement, "We are holding the aircraft for some very special people who are on their way to the plane and that the delay should not be more than five more minutes. Their connecting flight had traveled a long way and we would get underway just as soon as possible."

Now, I have had this happen to me before and more often than not, I had to catch the next flight or even go to another carrier to get to my destination. Still, I was grateful for the times when they waited for me, I thought that I would go back to my sky mall pages and try to forget just how much "I" was being inconvenienced.

As the word came from a scrambling attendant down the connecting tunnel to the main cabin door I thought that maybe she had some information that would let us now why we had been sitting there for over 30 minutes!! Had someone finally given word that after waiting six times as long as we were first promised that "I" was finally going to be on my way home? Why the hoopla over when these folks? Just get their butts in a seat and lets hit the gas, I thought to myself.

After a few minutes we were all "locked on" when the attendant came back on the speaker, semi expecting some celebrity or sport figure to be announced as the reason the aircraft was delayed so long. I thought who cares, let's go!

She announced in a loud and excited voice that we were being joined by several United States Marines returning home from Iraq!!!! Just as they walked onboard, the entire plane erupted into applause.

The men were a bit taken by the surprise of the 340+ people cheering for them as they searched for their seats It didn't stop, they were having their hands shook and touched by almost everyone who was within an arm's distance of them as they tried to push thru the aisles.

Whistles, cheering, an occasional "hurrah", one elderly woman kissed the hand of one of the Marines as he passed by her, and the applause didn't stop for a long time as they continued toward the back of the aircraft.

When we finally got air born I am sure I was not the only civilian checking his conscious as to the "delays" in me getting home from my hard business meetings," finding my easy chair and remote, a cold beverage, and tending to my blister." In fact I felt pretty stupid as I am sure many did. After what these men had done for all of us, and I had been complaining silently about "me" and "my issues"?

It sure made me realize that as much as I told myself that I didn't take for granted some of the everyday freedoms I enjoy and the conveniences of the American way of life and that it sometimes seems like a personal attack on one of us when things don't go exactly right...I was doing exactly that.

I was taking it for granted. I took it for granted when others who had really paid the price for my ability to moan and complain (even if it was just to myself)...let alone a few minutes delay to me so that those HEROES could go home to their loved ones.

I attempted to get my selfish outlook back in order and minutes before we landed I suggested to the attendant she announced over the speaker a request for everyone to remain in their seats until our Hero's were allowed to gather their things and be first off the plane.

The cheers and applause continued until the last Marine stepped off and we all rose to go about our too often taken for granted everyday freedoms.... I felt proud of them. I felt it an honor and a privilege to be among the first to welcome them home and say Thank You for a job well done. I vowed that I will never forget that flight nor the lesson learned. I have said it before but I can't say it enough,

THANK YOU to those VETERANS and ACTIVE SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN who may read this, and a prayer everyday for those who cannot because they are no longer with us. GOD BLESS AMERICA. Welcome home &Thanks for a JOB WELL DONE!

Things to wonder about..........

Can you cry under water?

How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?

If money doesn't grow on trees then why do banks have branches?

Since bread is square, then why is sandwich meat round?

Why do you have to "put your two cents in"...but it's only a "penny" for your thoughts"? Where does that extra penny go?

Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?

Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

What did cured ham actually have?

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up like every two hours?

If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?

If you drink Pepsi at work in the Coke factory, will they fire you?

Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

How come we choose from just two people for President and fifty for Miss America?

Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They're going to see you naked anyway.

If a 911 operator has a heart attack, whom does he/she call?

and finally...

Why is "bra" singular and "panties" plural?

Wow, what a memory VBG. I remember some of the shows I watched, but not the nights they were on much less the time!! Since my Father ruled the TV and only enjoyed shows that were unsuitable for young kids, most of the programming from the 70's I didn't get to see until they were in reruns. After he left, I remember fighting my older brothers for television rights. The rule at our house was the first on to get to the tv got to choose what we watched. Needless to say I was forced to watch Charlie's Angels a lot! I think the only show we ever agreed on was Dukes (I'm sure Daisy was the reason!). During the 80's I was fan of MacGyver, The Cosby Show, The Fall Guy and Magnum PI. I'm sure there were others but these shows come to mind at the moment. One show from the 70's that I just loved was Starsky & Hutch. I used to set my alarm for midnight and get up to watch it on late night tv. I had to have the sound turned down real low so my Mother wouldn't wake up. I don't remember exactly when but at some point my brothers found out so then we would all get up to watch it. This went on for about 4 or 5 years before the show was taken off the air. Someone told me recently that they're making a S&H movie that should be out sometime next year. Thanks for this subject, VBG...it brings back a lot of memories.