Echo: JFK Lives Wherever We Go

Today is the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. From roads to an airport to a train station to even a space center, his name is memorialized wherever we go.

JFK had a huge influence on a lot of things during his short life, but one of the highlights was his goal to land a man on the moon by 1970. In July of 1969, his goal was accomplished, thanks to the support from Lyndon Johnson.

Air travel for the President also changed under JFK. His presidency is considered when Air Force One officially entered the jet age. The new Boeing 707, SAM 26000, became a moment in history a year after it entered service- it was the plane that flew Kennedy to Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, and, later that day, was where Johnson took the oath of office. At Johnson's request, the plane also transported Kennedy's body back to D.C. The plane last served as Air Force One for Bill Clinton.

Thank You

Today is Veterans Day. It is the day we honor all who served and sacrificed for our country. A favorite tradition is singing the songs of our Armed Forces.

This video is from the annual Memorial Day Concert allows us all (even those who may have forgotten the words) to sing along:

For information on the history of Veterans Day, visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.

Spelunking: Be Like Peyton

No matter what team is your favorite, it is obvious Denver Broncos Quarterback Peyton Manning is a future Hall of Famer. He is the fastest ever to reach several passing records and has been named player of the year or MVP several times.

Of course, Steve Barnes and Krysten Parrish had to see they could be as great as Peyton at something. So, we checked the Wikipedia page, and found an accomplishment that seemed attainable- the Saltine challenge.

What is the Saltine challenge? It is a competition in which you must eat six saltine crackers within one minute. You may not drink anything during the challenge and all crumbs must be eaten. Peyton did it while in college at Tennessee, failing the first time, but beating it when he changed his strategy- he stacked them and ate them all at once.

Krysten got all six in her mouth, but still had full cheeks at the end of the minute. Steve came close, but also failed. Even Peyton failed the first time...