Please visit www.thehungersite.com Here, you can donate cans of food to those in need, without forking out a single penny. The donations are paid for by sponsors. Now That's Entertainment . . . Issue # 9 [[ WARNING: The following piece contains material and/or language that may offend or not be suitable for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.]] "Remembering Moore" Normally when I go about writing one of these things, I either attempt to take a comical twist on a serious event, satarize my every day life, or upon occasion, write on a serious subject and voice my opinion on it. Making it very clear what I think about, on that particular topic. Today, I take a sidestep from my usual writings and talk about a very sensitive subject. As this second millenium of our calendar years draws to a close, and the dawn of the new millenium, the next thousand years, can be seen on the horizon, we bear witness to the passing of our heroes, the legends, the myths. The most obvious of these people that we've seen leave this world in recent history, is no doubt, Princess Diana. I'm sure there has been a lot of literature written about her, and her passing. She was a great woman, with a great heart, and whether you lived in the UK, Canada, the US, or anywhere else in the world, you knew who she was, and you loved her. We will all miss her. Prior to her, millions and millions of people around the globe poured their eyes out when they first heard those words, those horrific words, from the tv, radio, or whatever the source may be. When they first heard, "Mother Teresa has passed away." She cared for any man, woman, or child as if they were her own. She had that heart for everyone, and for that she will always be remembered. She is deserving of the title, Saint Teresa. As is, Diana, Princess of Wales. Most recently, people not of this worldwide appeal left this world. However, they were loved just the same as our heroes and legends. The world of professional sports has produced many a national icon, many a national treasure, and many an international superstar. These names include the Great One, Wayne Gretzky. These names include soon to be hall-of-famer, Joe Montana. These names include His Airness, Michael Jordan. These men are still among us, however, a few have passed away these past few months. Wilt Chamberlain. The man known as "the Stilt" still holds the record for most points scored in a single game by a single man with a jaw-dropping 100 points. The man known as "the Stilt" was the originator of the low post game. Mr. Chamberlain was and always be a hero to many a basketball fan, past, present and future. And this hero, recently, passed away. Arguably the greatest basketball player ever, he wasn't a one game wonder with the 100 points. He consistently scored time and time again. His consistency, his high scoring ability, and sheer size made him a force to be reckoned with, and now, he has left us. Payne Stewart. One of golf's greatest players died in a plane crash not all that long ago. After winning a championship, it appeared this man would be on the rise to win championship after championship. Mentioned with elite names like Tiger Woods and David Duval, he was a great golfer. And he has left us. Quite possibly the greatest running back in NFL history, Walter Payton, passed away just today. The man that still holds the record for most career yards made any opponent of the Chicago Bears back in his day fearful of the man they call "Sweetness." Terrell Davis, Barry Sanders....Walter Payton. And now, our lives are without "Sweetness." However, the most crushing blow to at least the Vancouver community, has been the untimely death of Greg Moore. He was just 24 years of age when he crashed into that wall. I'm sure many of you have heard this story by now, the story of the Marlboro 500 and the California Speedway, and the legend of the man from the Player's racing team. Greg Moore was definitely the rising star in the world of professional racing, and was on the rise in the ranks of the CART circuit. A native of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, the people of the Lower Mainland held him close to their hearts. He was one of the few great legends who called BC his home. Paul Kariya is another. But Greg Moore, born that day in 1975, called Maple Ridge his home, growing up in a caring community, and made his way to the CART circuit. Now, me myself, I have not met him in person. No handshakes were ever exchanged between the two of us. However, through the mass media, everyone has grown to love Greg. Asking anyone in the racing industry, be it F1, CART, or whatever, they'd tell you he was a class act, mature beyond his years. Ask his former team-mate, Carpentier, and he'll tell you it was an absolute honor to have spent those two years alongside Mr. Moore. I've seen the footage, the graphic, dramatizing footage in lap 10 of the Marlboro 500, where Greg Moore's vehicle slides off of the course, and into the wall. I won't go into the details, as this is neither the time nor the place, nor is it appropriate. We cheer on things like that when we see them in movies. We cheer on things like that when we know it's staged, and perhaps we've almost become desensitized to the violence thanks to the media. But, when I saw that car crashing into the wall and flipping over, I was mortified. Many people tell me that they go to Nascar races and such just to see the crashes. Perhaps now, they will be singing a different tune. The race went on, as Moore was air-lifted to Loma Linda University Hospital to be treated for his massive head trauma and internal injuries. Just over an hour later, it came over the radio that Moore had passed away. The race went on and came to a conclusion, with the drivers not having a clue as to what happened. The flags were lowered to half-mast, and there were not post-race ceremonies. The winner of the race itself, Adrian Fernandez of Mexico said "This is a tragedy for all of us." Wiping away tears, Fernandez continues, "The win doesn't matter anything." Not only Maple Ridge's hero, not only BC's hero, but a national icon, Greg Moore will never be forgotten. He lives on in the hearts of all Canadians, and all racing fans around the world. We'll all miss him for sure. In loving memory, Greg Moore 1975 - 1999 ============================ © 1999 Michael Kwan. Reproduction, exhibition or distribution of the preceeding piece without the expressed written consent of the author(s) can result in severe criminal and civil penalties under international agreements. Note: As always, if you wish to be removed from this mailing list, feel free to email me at flawless316@usa.net and let me know. A reason behind why you'd like to unsubscribe would truly be appreciated.