My thing with 111111

When you contemplate this day, please remember Veterans because they are seriously not being fully considered. They need our collective help and they always will.

Special thanks: pinksuedeshoe.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - It's really settled down a lot over the last couple of years, but for a long time, I saw 1's everywhere I turned. At times it was laughable, predictable, bizarre, and almost always surprising, even shocking.

We're talking about car odometers, why did I always (seemingly) instinctively look at them just as a series of one's line up? Sometimes it was the trip meter, of course the biggest culprit was the damned digital clock, that is my personal record holder. There will never be a time that I've viewed on a clock more frequently than 1:11 and 11:11.

In the mid 90's it was at its peak. I went to work for Channel 11; the telephone number was 782-1111. I was assigned News Unit 1. I needed legal assistance and the attorney who was recommended, and ultimately hired, worked out of an office at 1111 Wilshire Boulevard in West LA.

In the mid to late 90's, I went to Europe to work on a documentary about World War One, a conflict I have long been a student of, and I have spent time on the battlefields of France where that war was fought. Of course it ended 11-11-1918.

It just goes on and on, though as I said it has tailed off in the last few years.

Who knows, now we have reached 11-11-11 and 1:11 a.m. west coast time has passed, so far the earth isn't trembling and all is well. Someday I would like to know what it means, if it means anything. It would be logical if I started seeing '99' everywhere I went and far more fitting.

Those who have similar 1111 stories are welcome and encouraged to post their own experience below in the comments section.

My final thought is that when you contemplate this day, please remember Veterans because they are seriously not being fully considered. They need our collective help and they always will. This is one of our biggest subjects at Salem-News.com, join us in doing everything you can for those who, right or wrong, are willing to put their lives on the line for their country. You don't have to dress it up with patriotic slogans and fancy songs.

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Tim King: Salem-News.com Editor and Writer

Tim King has more than twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines. Tim is a former U.S. Marine.

Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Silver Spoke Award by the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (2011), Excellence in Journalism Award by the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs (2010), Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), First-place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Tim has several years of experience in network affiliate news TV stations, having worked as a reporter and photographer at NBC, ABC and FOX stations in Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Tim was a member of the National Press Photographer's Association for several years and is a current member of the Orange County Press Club.

Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. As News Editor, Tim among other things, is responsible for publishing the original content of 91 Salem-News.com writers. He reminds viewers that emails are easily missed and urges those trying to reach him, to please send a second email if the first goes unanswered. You can write to Tim at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com