dekalbramblings.com

Article and Photos by Ladon Campbell – Staff Writer

In the 1980’s before cable television came to town, I used to cross the road to watch my grandparents’ giant satellite dish.  Some of the best entertainment in the world used to come across that black mesh goliath.  Every Saturday night at 5:05 pm , everyone knew where to find me and what I would be watching.  World Championship Wrestling, at the time owned by Jim Crocket Promotions, as part of the NWA, provided me with the finest two hours of programming my pre-teen mind could imagine.

During those days I got to see the vile “Nature Boy” Ric Flair , America ’s greatest threat, Nikita Koloff, and his arch enemy, the all-American good guy, Magnum T.A.  What really fascinated me at the time was two ordinary sized guys that didn’t have the over-the-top personality of Dusty Rhodes or the sheer size of Hawk and Animal of the Road Warriors.  I can still recall the typical entrance; as a rock song blared over the public address system with women and girls screaming at the top of their lungs, the ring announcer boomed, “Ladies and gentleman from the Volunteer state of Tennessee , Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson fans… they are The Rock ‘N Roll Express!”

Morton and Gibson were not the largest guys in the business, but their ability in the ring set them apart.  At the time, they were the residential teen idols and the rock stars of the company.  I felt as if the blond Ricky Morton was the David Lee Roth of the team with his rock hair and showmanship, while Robert Gibson was the quiet but hard working Eddie Van Halen.  At the peak of their popularity they actually released a single entitled “ Boogie Woogie Dance Hall ”.

First formed in Memphis , Tennessee by wrestling legend Jerry Lawler to feud with and later replace The Fabulous Ones of Steve Keirn and Stan Lane , Morton and Gibson dazzled fans with their fast tags (replacing members of the team during a match), showmanship, and their trademark double dropkick finisher.  The Rock ‘N Roll Express sold out arenas from Atlanta to Los Angeles and even Japan at their peak and are still wrestling in front of audiences both young and old across the United States.

As The Rock ‘N Roll Express pulled into a local VFW Hall in Trenton, I actually had the opportunity to catch a ride down memory lane with these two legends of the ring.  Both now in their 50’s, they are not afraid to get in the ring and show the youngsters what professional wrestling is all about.  Gibson told me that “it was a lot different than it is now, if you jam a finger you get a cortisone shot and go home, for us we wrestled no matter how bad we were hurt”.

I was reminded of a time following a match when wrestling was “real” (before everyone was told as to the inner workings of the business) and told Gibson that he really impressed taking a clothesline (an opponent running at you and hitting you on the upper chest region with a straight arm) in which he couldn’t talk properly and coughed throughout the interview.  I commented that he went the extra mile to make sure the fans got that touch of realism to which he commented, “Oh, it really did hurt”.

Throughout their storied careers Morton and Gibson have sustained their fair share of injuries.  Morton said, “I wrestled with a broken nose, cracked ribs, we’ve both lost teeth in the ring and Robert had his knee ripped out as well”.  You often hear the saying “the show must go on” but in the world of professional wrestling, it is most true as Morton said “we had families to support so you had to wrestle anyway”.

While injuries mounted, the toughest part of the business was being away from family.  Spending over 300 days a year on the road took a toll.  “It was the life I chose and I enjoy what I do, but it cost me a family,” Morton told me as we discussed his young son that travels with him to the shows.  “He’s a kid but I guarantee you that he can outwork any of the guys on TV, because he’s been around it his whole life.  I have two children in college and one is a country musician,” Morton said with pride.  When asked if he would allow his son to become a professional wrestler Morton replied “if that is what he wanted.”

Gibson, often quiet and reflective, often gave interviews on television in sign language and informed me that “I gave the interviews in sign language for my parents; they’re both deaf”.  Obviously, family is important to both men as their faces brighten like that of a weary soldier when they discuss the love of their family.

Spending days on the road and nights in the ring developed relationships among the wrestlers that were at times stronger than brothers.  Unfortunately, over the years circumstances, prematurely ended these relationships at young ages.  Many superstars that were contemporaries of these men died before middle age.  WCW rival Road Warrior Hawk died of a heart attack at the age of 46 and Davey Boy Smith of the British Bulldogs (who faced Morton and Gibson) in the AWA had the same fate at age 39. Morton said, “Over the past 10 years, I lost 50 of my closest friends, but it’s a part of life.”

As Morton and Gibson sat behind a table and signed autographs for fans, they were more than willing to share a memory and smiles.  When asked about their favorite memory, Morton said, “We came from Memphis (an area based on characters and storytelling) to work for Bill Watts in Louisiana (a territory of hard wrestling and extreme travel) and popped the crowd (got popular on their merits).  On our first night in the NWA we beat the Russians (Ivan Koloff and Krusher Kruschev) for the tag team titles.  It was unheard of.”  That was the first of what Morton said was eight world tag team title reigns.

When shown a picture that I had signed by both childhood heroes, I asked what came to mind when they saw it.  “That’s from about 1985 and we just had the won the titles; we were just kids” Gibson reflected.

Morton joked, “We were young, Robert had hair, I had a fuller head of hair.  We were about 29 years old and had the World tag belts.  I don’t dwell on the past. I still love this business, but it still seems like yesterday because it was yesterday.”

As I left our meeting, I said that I was anxious to see them get in the ring again as it had been a while since I last saw them in action.  “We’ll make you think it’s 1985 all over again!” Morton told me.  As I sat ringside, I could not help feeling the way I did when I saw them on the satellite all those years ago.  While the double drop kick may not have been quite as high, the excitement was the same.  At the end of the night, the hands of The Rock ‘N Roll Express were raised triumphantly in the air as they celebrated winning the AWF tag team championships.  Morton was right.  I was transported to a simpler time and Rock and Roll was king.

I would like to thank Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson for taking the time to grant me this interview and would also like to thank “The Real Nature Boy” Paul Lee, owner and star of American Wrestling Federation, for allowing me access.  If you love Southern culture or professional wrestling be sure to look for The Rock ‘N Roll Express on tour and the AWF at an arena near you.

By Pamela Gifford – Editor

Over the last few days, I’ve posted interviews with others who have quit smoking by either using a prescription pill or by using nothing at all.  To round off the series in order to help you determine which method is best for you, I’m going to talk about the method I used to quit smoking by posing the same questions I ask the others.

I used the patch.  My previous attempts at going cold turkey just didn’t work so I purchased the generic version of what I needed of each step of the nicotene patch and began to prepare myself to quit.

Why did I want to quit smoking?

I wanted to get healthy.  I wanted to do more, be more active, and be able to run aroung with my kids without getting winded or having to stop to go get a cigarette while they continued to play.  Another reason was that my birth mother had died only a few months before from lung cancer.  She smoked up until the day she died and never really gave herself a chance to even try to get better.  I didn’t want to go through that and didn’t want my kids going through that.

How did I deal with the withdrawals?

The patch did it’s job to take care of the heaviest part of withdrawals.  Then it was up to me to get rid of the habit and to curb the rest of the cravings.  I kept a goody bowl around filled with sugar free candy and gum.  Every time I felt the urge to smoke, I grabbed something out of the bowl.  Additionally, I would run up and down my stairs or run in place and get my heart pumping really good.  That usually worked to ease the urge, also.  I got some weird looks from my family but it worked!

What kind of advice would I give to someone who is quitting using the same method?

First, buy the entire supply you’ll need to quit before you try to quit.  Spending the money on the entire supply shows your committment to quit and adds a little more motivation for you to quit as opposed to letting all that money go to waste.

Second, don’t expect the patch to do all the work for you.  While, in my opinion, it is easier to quit using the patch then it is using nothing, it will still take an amount of willpower to keep from smoking.  You’re not just breaking a physical habit but also a mental habit.  The patch will take care of the physical withdrawals but it will not erase that urge to smoke while you are watching television or shooting the breeze with your buddies or even when you get that full satisfying feeling after you eat.  You’ll have to figure out a way to curb those urges on your own.

This article is part of an ongoing series for the non-profit group, DeKalbRamblings.com Health Alliance. If you’d like to join this free support group, participate in challenges and help others as you help yourself, please join us by visiting our Yahoo! Group here. We will not try to sell you anything and we don’t make money. As a result, we will tell you the truth about what you need to be successful in being healthy.

By Pamela Gifford – Editor

Another popular method used in smoking cessation is by using a prescription drug.  The most recent and most popular drug to date is Chantix.  Supposedly, the reason it is so popular is because smokers can continue to smoke while using it.  It is supposed to decreased the urge to smoke.

I talked with Jan Johnson who used this method to quit smoking.  While she did have some side effects from it that prevented her from following through with the entire dose, she says that it did give her a great head start and that she wouldn’t have been able to quit without it.

In with this, Mrs. Johnson conveys an important political message as well.  If you have any comments please leave them via the form below.

DR: Why did you want to quit smoking?

By Pamela Gifford – Editor

For some, it is such a daunting task to think about quitting much less quitting without any “assistance”.  But many have toughed it out and have done it.  Meet Michielle Beck, who quit smoking via the “cold turkey” method and her thoughts on the process.

DR: Why did you want to quit smoking?

MB: I actually quit for the man I was involved with at the time. He was very…sheltered, shall we say. He’d never even kissed a girl, and I didn’t want his first kiss ever to taste like an ashtray. When we broke up months later, I was already past the point of wanting to smoke, so I never went back.

DR: How did you deal with the withdrawals?

MB: Withdrawals were awful. I have anxiety and quitting made it worse. Plus, I coughed a lot. I ate candy or mints to help, and I tried very hard to stay busy – writing was good, because I was using my hands to type, so they weren’t tempted to reach for cigarettes. After a month or two, it got much easier. I gained a few pounds (around 10), but lost them back after about a year.

DR: What kind of advice would you give to someone who is quitting using the same method?

MB: For anyone who wants to quit smoking – there has to be a good reason (in their own mind) to do it, or they won’t. My mother didn’t quit until she had a stroke and the doctor told her she had to. Even then, it was hard for her. If you really want to quit, though, put them down and walk away. Be strong, and it will get much, much easier with time. Get help to quit if you really need it, but I believe anyone can do it on his/her own with commitment. In time, you’ll wonder why you ever smoked, and the smell of someone else smoking will be awful. I can’t stand to be around it, now.

This article is part of an ongoing series for the non-profit group, DeKalbRamblings.com Health Alliance. If you’d like to join this free support group, participate in challenges and help others as you help yourself, please join us by visiting our Yahoo! Group here. We will not try to sell you anything and we don’t make money. As a result, we will tell you the truth about what you need to be successful in being healthy.

By Ladon Campbell – Staff Writer

The theme for the month of March is green.  Soon the cold chill in the air will be gone, the grass will be growing and people will be worrying about how much green they may have to pay Uncle Sam.  Not only does green relate to St. Patrick’s Day but going green is important to the environment.  Did you know that sometimes going green will also help you get into shape and save you money?

Thrift stores rank high on the list of ways in which people live the green lifestyle by purchasing vintage clothing, household materials, and furniture.  By subscribing to the “reuse” portion of the mantra “reduce, reuse, recycle” I have been lucky enough to purchase a huge amount of home gym equipment for a fraction of what I would pay for it new.  All it takes to find quality equipment in thrift stores is a keen eye and knowing what you want.

On my travels around Dekalb County , I have found that some of the local thrift stores often have the essentials that are needed to furnish a home with enough equipment to get you into shape.  Sometimes I have ventured into Chattanooga for the specialty items and larger pieces that I require, but if you want to get into shape a thrift store can be your best friend.

Currently, I have 450 pound of plates that I purchased from a second hand store in Chattanooga .  The plates are rubber coated and have multiple locations on each plate for safety while handling them.  Individually, these ten plates would have been over $100 new.  Used I paid only seventy-cents per pound or $355 for the entire set. This saved me over $600!

You can’t have weights without a bench.  No matter where you workout or what you do for a living, if someone knows you lift weights the question is always “how much ya bench?”.   For me that answer is 455 which always costs me extra when I buy home equipment as I need a heavy duty bench.  While researching online for a high capacity bench I was looking at paying $300-$500 for a combination flat, incline, and decline (FID) bench.  A chance trip to Rainsville resulted in me purchasing an 850 pound capacity FID bench with leg curl and leg extension attachment for only $30, saving me at least $270.

The single largest piece of my muscle making armory is also the one that saved me the most money.  Everyone that is serious about lifting weights knows the name Nautilus.  Nautilus is responsible for the advent of the cable and weight stack machines that are popular in fitness centers around the world and known for their durability and safety.  I needed something that would allow me to perform free weight squats, bench presses, military presses and dead lifts in safety.  The only answer was a power cage.

A power cage (sometimes called a power rack) is a four-sided steel tower that allows the user to position a steel rail into a hole or slot at a point in relationship to the user’s height allowing the user to execute a lift with the rail acting as a preventative measure from injury to the lifter.  The power cage that I purchased also came with a pull up bar, upper cable attachment for pulling down exercises and a low cable attachment for low rows or bicep exercises.  The overall price that I paid for the power cage was $149.  Included in the price are a 7 foot Olympic weight bar and other various attachments for use in cable exercises valued at $300.  The cost for a new Nautilus power cage with pull-up bar and cable attachments is $1499 not including freight charges or the accessories.  Overall, with the costs of attachments, I was able to save $1650 by visiting a thrift store for my need.

Thrift stores often have the small items in stock that will help in weight loss and muscle toning at significant reductions as well.  I have purchased an ab wheel from Rainsville for only $2 and later found another in Chattanooga for 99 cents, that’s a price so nice I bought them twice.  These items are typically $7 at Wal Mart, but due to the intensity they put on the user (it’s a movement of lying on a floor face down, extending your arms completely while holding onto a bar allowing the wheel to roll and crunching your abs back to a relaxed position on your knees) most people only use them once or twice and decide to discard them or donate them.

Another popular and often well stocked item are exercise bands.  Available in various sizes and strength capacities these bands or tubes can be carried in a suitcase while traveling, in your car for a quick workout on lunch breaks, for use at home or for the advanced weight trainer as a method of adding intensity (through Variable Resistance Load Training) to free weight workouts.  Often costing about $12 per set new, I have bought fives different sets for different uses for only $8.

My last purchase was for an exercise step.  Used for plyometrics exercises, step cardiovascular training, or adding height for exercise band training this step will typically cost $30 new.  My purchase only cost me $4 with minimal use at a local thrift store.

If you are interested in getting into shape while helping the environment and saving money a thrift store is the way to go.  Most are always well stocked with exercise bikes, bicycles, steppers and other miscellaneous items to get you on the way to a healthier you.

This article is part of an ongoing series for the non-profit group, DeKalbRamblings.com Health Alliance. If you’d like to join this free support group, participate in challenges and help others as you help yourself, please join us by visiting our Yahoo! Group here. We will not try to sell you anything and we don’t make money. As a result, we will tell you the truth about what you need to be successful in being healthy.

You don’t want to throw them away but you don’t want to hand them down.  Kids’ shirts or pants that have small holes in them can be repaired and given new life.

• Go get an iron on patch in a color that matches or corresponds with the color of the item of clothing.
• Look online for a shape that you can use on the clothing.  Fun shapes for kids are hearts, stars and if you’re doing more then one patch or iron-on, you could even do “A-B-C” or “1-2-3″.  An initial of the child’s name also makes a fun patch.
• Print out the shape and pin it to the patch.  Cut around the shape.
• Using the directions on the patch, iron it on over the hole in the clothing.  Now the hole won’t get any bigger and it gives clothes a new look.

By Pamela Gifford – Editor

Have a “Life Tip” you’d like to share?  Send to staff@dekalbramblings.com.  Be sure to include your name if you’d like credit.  If not, you’ll be identified as “Anonymous”.

• Up to 10% of anorexics die within 10 years of the illness starting and up to 20% will be dead after 20 years.
• The mortality rate associated with anorexia is 12 times higher than the mortality rate of ALL causes of death for women ages 15 to 24 years of age. Without treatment the mortality rate is 20% of those with serious eating disorders.  That rate can drop to 2% to 3% with treatment.
• Statistics also show that anorexia is the 3rd most common chronic illness among adolescents.  About 50% of girls ages 11-13 see themselves as overweight and haved tried to lose weight.  Most of these girls are not overweight.

POSSIBLE SIGNS OF ANEREXIA

1.  Feeling overweight when slim.

2.  Person may experience dramatic weight loss.

3.  Basing self worth on body weight.

4.  Skipping meals often.

5.  Cooking meals and not eating.

6.  Weighing self often.

7.  Looking in mirror often for flaws.

POSSIBLE SIGNS OF BULEMIA

1.  Uncontrollable eating, fasting, vomiting, vigorious excercising and/or abusing laxatives.

2. Frequent trips to the bathroom.

3.  Preoccupation with body image or weight.

4.  Consumption of foods high in calories.

5.  Depression and/or mood swings.

6.  Bloating, constipation, weakness and/or exhaustion.

If you see any of these signs in yourself or anyone you know please talk with a health care professional to see if theses signs may be caused by an eating disorder. You can look up more information on these disorders by visiting www.healthyplace.com or www.mirasol.net or go to the South Carolina Department of Mental Health.

It’s inevitable at some point when you have small children that love coloring but don’t quite understand that coloring the wall is a no-no.  You leave your darling at the kitchen table with their coloring book, go change out the laundry and come back to find a gorgeous stick figure zebra on the kitchen wall.

How can you get those marks out without stripping the paint?  Here are two ways you can try.

1. Scrub the spot with toothpaste, let dry and rinse off.
2. Use a dryer sheet to wipe off the marks.

By Jennifer Robinson-Tijsma and Pamela Gifford – DeKalbRamblings.com

Have a “Life Tip” you’d like to share?  Send to staff@dekalbramblings.com.  Be sure to include your name if you’d like credit.  If not, you’ll be identified as “Anonymous”.

General Rules:

You CANNOT participate if you:

- Are a staff member or family of a staff member of DeKalbRamblings.com.
- If you are under 18 years of age.
- If you have a photography business.  The photography portion of the contest is for hobby photographers only.  You may advertise your photography business on our pages.  Click here for more info.
- You live outside the United States.

Duration and Prizes:

The submission deadline for the contest is 11:59pm, March 31, 2010.  Any submissions received after that time will not be eligible to win.

Judging by a panel of anonymous volunteers will commence until April 14, 2010.  On April 15, 2010, five finalists in each of the three categories (short stories, poetry, photography) will be announced and their work will be published on DeKalbRamblings.com.  The public will be able to vote for their favorites until 11:59pm April 30, 2010.  Public votes will determine who wins the prizes.  Prize winners will be notified and announced on May 1, 2010.

Winner of the Short Story Category will receive $50

Winner of the Poetry Category will receive $30

Winner of the Photography Category will receive $30

In addition, readers can also win by commenting on the finalists’ works which will be published on April 15, 2010.  Each comment will count toward an entry in a random drawing.  Entries must be received by 11:59pm, April 30, 2010.  Make sure you include your email address when entering your info to make a comment.  (Your email will not be displayed and will not be shared.)  Not including your email will give us no way to contact you in the event your name is drawn.  Drawing will be held and the winner will be notified and announced on May 1, 2010.

Winner of the drawing will receive $50.

Submission Guidelines – Short Stories:

- We are open to any genre with exception to erotica or dark fiction.  No stories depicting excessive and unnecessary violence, sex, or vulgar language will be allowed.
- Word count limit is 3,000 words.
- Story must not have been previously published on any type of media.
- Submit your story to staff@dekalbramblings.com.  Put “2010 Contest – Short Story -  Name of your story” in the subject line of your email.  Copy/paste your story into the body of the email.  No attachments please.
- Please wait up to a week to receive confirmation of receipt of your submission.
- By submitting, you agree to allow DeKalbRamblings.com to publish your story in the event it is accepted as a finalist in the contest.
- You may submit up to two short stories free.  If you would like to submit more, a *fee of $5 per submission will be charged, payable via PayPal or check.  Please note that even if we like two or more of your submissions, only one will be eligible to make it into the finals.  You cannot occupy more then one spot in the finals, regardless if you’ve entered more then one category.
- You may submit to other categories.  To be clear, there is no fee if you decide to submit to each category at the limit of each category.  For example, you may submit two short stories, five poems, and five photos without paying a fee.

Submission Guidelines – Poetry:

- We are open to any theme and type of poetry with exception to erotica.  No poems depicting excessive and unnecessary violence, sex, or vulgar language will be allowed.
- Please limit up to 30 lines.
- Poem must not have been previously published on any type of media.
- Submit your poem to staff@dekalbramblings.com.  Put “2010 Contest – Poetry – Name of your poem” in the subject line of your email.  Copy/paste your poem into the body of the email.  No attachments please.
- Please wait up to a week to receive confirmation of receipt of your submission.
- By submitting, you agree to allow DeKalbRamblings.com to publish your poem in the event it is accepted as a finalist in the contest.
- You may submit up to five poems free.  If you would like to submit more, a *fee of $5 per submission will be charged, payable via PayPal or check.  Please note that even if we like two or more of your submissions, only one will be eligible to make it into the finals.  You cannot occupy more then one spot in the finals, regardless if you’ve entered more then one category.
- You may submit to other categories.  To be clear, there is no fee if you decide to submit to each category at the limit of each category.  For example, you may submit two short stories, five poems, and five photos without paying a fee.

Submission Guidelines – Photography:

- We are open to any theme with exception to pornographic or nude pics.  No pics depicting violence or gore, no gross pics allowed.
- Photo must not have been previously published on any type of media.
- Submit your photo to staff@dekalbramblings.com.  Put “2010 Contest – Photo – Name of your photo” in the subject line of your email.  Attach your photo as a .jpeg.
- Please wait up to a week to receive confirmation of receipt of your submission.
- By submitting, you agree to allow DeKalbRamblings.com to publish your photo in the event it is accepted as a finalist in the contest.
- You may submit up to five photos free.  If you would like to submit more, a *fee of $5 per submission will be charged, payable via PayPal to or check.  Please note that even if we like two or more of your submissions, only one will be eligible to make it into the finals.  You cannot occupy more then one spot in the finals, regardless if you’ve entered more then one category.
- You may submit to other categories.  To be clear, there is no fee if you decide to submit to each category at the limit of each category.  For example, you may submit two short stories, five poems, and five photos without paying a fee.

*We charge a fee after the submission limit in order to keep down a flood of useless submissions.  To send payment via PayPal, send to staff@dekalbramblings.com.  To send payment via check, send to PO Box 743, Fyffe, AL, 35971.  Please indicate on the additional submissions which payment type you will be making.  Additional submissions that are not paid will be discarded and will be ineligible for entry into the contest.

More Controversy Shocks Ider

by Ladon Campbell – Staff Writer

Interest in the town of Ider has picked up after Councilman James “Snuffy” Smith’s encounter with police officer, Lee Harrison.   Thursday at 1:30 , according to sources, Smith entered the building and addressed Officer Harrison and questioned him as to where he was purchasing fuel for his cruiser.

Also according to sources, Smith continued to aggressively question Harrison and berated the officer.  Smith stuck his finger into the chest of Harrison and pushed him once.  Harrison informed Smith that he could have him arrested to which Smith responded by saying, “Do you know who I am?” and that he “could not be arrested”.  Smith then pushed the officer once again and threatened to hit the officer with a staple gun that resulted in Harrison discharging his taser on Smith.

With Smith subdued he was placed under arrest and charged with Second Degree Assault, Disorderly Conduct and Resisting Arrest.  Smith was released on bond later that day.

The events of Thursday came on the heels of Monday’s council meeting in which Chief Neal Sparks addressed all in attendance with a letter stating his commitment to the citizens of Ider.  His letter stated that all officers should act with “pride, integrity, and honor to maintain his command presence in any situation.”  Chief Sparks stated that the police department should operate as a separate entity from the Town Council as “councils and public should not control what they do not completely understand” and that “police officers should be able to do their job without fear of retaliation or retribution from the city council.”

Sparks letter also informed everyone that they will be treated with the utmost respect and “that it doesn’t matter if it is council members or citizens on the street.”

Later in the meeting former officer Kneely Pack sought to be reinstated after being dismissed from the Ider Police Department.  Pack and Attorney Chad Stallings stated that his dismissal was due to a “time sheet discrepancy” and that he should only be suspended rather than terminated.

Since February 16, Ider has lost two officers.  Officer Jonathan Phillips resigned to take a position with the Rainsville Police Department.  Kneely Pack was dismissed.  The town is offering those interested in a position with the police department training at the academy in Jacksonville , Alabama if they agree to a two-year contract with the town.