To all my veteran brothers, enjoy our day of recognition. And "Welcome Home".
I just got home from my annual day of foraging and some simple math shows a haul of 3 1/2 feet of turkey sub, a little over 3 square feet of pizza, 2 gallons of diet Pepsi and a deep concern about how bad an eating disorder is when you start measuring food in linear footage... Though I suppose it doesn't become a disorder unless you eat it all in one sitting. This will last me a week.
My father, my six uncles and Janice’s father all served in WWII combat. Many folks nowadays appear to not understand sacrifice. Hats off and respect to all veterans past and present and to those currently serving.
The photo is one i shot of our local veterans cemetery where Janice’s father and mother rest. We visit it several times a week. It’s beautiful and is very large which makes for a pleasant walk.
Bud
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I drew #312 in the "lotto for your life." My best friend died in Vietnam (actually Cambodia but those operations were classified) and I went to graduate school. All due to a safe number. Sans that number I would have joined the Navy. I've felt a bit of guilt about it all for 50+ years. Hard to explain those times if you weren't there.
Bud
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I was #7, Bud. The day before me was #320. The day after was #285. I was #7. I took a 3rd year to go to Germany and avoid Vietnam. 88 days after I arrived in Germany my entire battalion was picked up and moved to Vietnam. I was so naive I thought that my sign on contract was binding. I was sitting in the base bar drinking with an older E7 I met there and he just laughed and said "Boy, Uncle Green sends you wherever the F he thinks they need you. The small print you likely didn't read has something about 'emergency' in it. You'll be fine. You are a mechanic so you will be on a base camp and you'll grow to like the duty there."
Well, he was right. Shave, don't shave, whatever. Polish boots, don't polish boots, whatever. Haircuts, if you feel like. I liked it so much better with the relaxed discipline that I extended my tour for an extra 6 months. Came home at Christmas time in 1972 and had to go BACK to Ft Sill(y) Oklahoma and immediately went back to hating the Army.
Thanks to all the vets. I for one am glad some of you did not have serve. I did a second tour to keep someone else from going to Vietnam. Many of us did that to protect others. We got to go to school also but just later.
There are no winners in war, just survivors.
I have my Selective Service System Notice Of Classification card setting here on my desk dated 21 September 1965, I-A. At least I had some idea of what I was getting into because I was in Europe in the beginning of 1965. There you saw on TV what was really going on. There was less hiding the truth from the public in France at that time.
On May 7, 1954, the French-held garrison at Dien Bien Phu was over runned so by 1965 the French were fed up with the whole thing. So I guess there was little reason to hide much by that time.
I was part of the people that were never there in the places that we never were. I think this was the beginning of the serious lack of trust in our federal government and the people who were in power.
Thanks to all the vets I served with who made it possible for me to return alive, and to all the vets both here and abroad.
If you get hungry Eddie, just drop by anytime. You will always get something good to eat at my house. Sorry, but I ate all the C-rations....lol
Cheers,
Billy
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
In ‘63 i was a college senior, don’t remember whether I was 4F or not when I went for a physical it verified I had a bad heart valve but not serious enough to keep me out of service. An opportunity opened up for me to join the 561st California air national guard band so I suspended my last semester to join. It was one of my better life decisions.
I was a high number lotto guy. I did however go for the Navy physical voluntarily. But when I was there I found myself trying to do everything I could to fail. Which I did not. So I was schedule to report to airport a week later to fly out. But I never went to the airport. That is about as much of the details as I recall. But I am pretty confident I did not sign anything and no one is looking for me.
Heck, I was kinda a mess around that point in my life. Nothing to be proud of. Given that sordid history I can only say I have the utmost respect and I will always honor our service men and women. God bless you all and thank you for your service.
Well, they'd be like 50 years old now anyway, so....
In Vietnam I had a hotplate in my room. I would always trade guys who came off the road for a few days on the firebase for whatever Cs they had to spare. Beer was the best currency there. I would get a lot of the chicken casserole/stew and the spaghetti and meatballs. I would take the chicken casserole and add canned vegetables to it, make ramen noodles, and my roommate and I could dine in if we chose to. It is always said that the people you want to meet are the motor sergeant and the mess sergeant. I WAS the motor sergeant and the mess sergeant was one of my best pals over there. When he needed a Jeep, he got one. And if we were hanging out at night and got hungry, well, he had the keys...
I remember we had our choice of Schlitz or Hamm's beer. I HATED Hamm's. I had a small fridge in my room as well as one in my office at the shop. When a new guy rotated in the torch of responsibility was passed to him to keep the shop fridge stocked with beer (and NOTHING BUT beer). Guys would toss a buck here and a buck there into the beer fund and the new-boot knew where the money was. Guys would come in off the road to have something done to their jeep or truck and they had a nice cool room to hang out and have a beer in.
I wish I could tell you how many mufflers and exhaust pipes were patched with Schlitz cans. We didn't exactly have an Auto Zone nearby.... Just open both ends of the car, cut out what you needed, and weld it onto the muffler or tailpipe.
And one time we had an audit coming and we had a jeep we weren't supposed to have because some guy came in out of the field in the jeep and then grabbed a chopper back to his home base. The captain told me "And you need to lose that extra jeep." I asked him how to do that and he turned his back, started walking out and said "Just lose it." So I called the heavy equipment guys and told them I needed a couple of front end loaded earth movers. We drive it down to the shore of Danang Bay and I had the graders dig a long, slow trench, and when it got deep enough one of them pushed the jeep into the trench and then covered it up. If the cement stanchions from the guard tower right there are still there, I'd bet 100 bucks that I could still find that jeep by triangulating the math I used to bury it. Unless of course erosion from 48 years ago has already uncovered it, but is that happened, good luck with them calling me out on it. All I did was follow orders and make a jeep vanish! LOL!!
Heck, I was kinda a mess around that point in my life. Nothing to be proud of. Given that sordid history I can only say I have the utmost respect and I will always honor our service men and women. God bless you all.
Nobody with a brain would hold anything against you this many years later. It isn't for everybody. That said if I was 19 again I would have picked Navy. Those guys got to see stuff. I never met a Navy guy who didn't have binder after binder of photos from all these great places. The best I can do is Lawton Oklahoma...
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
Playable RealTracks Set 5
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
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