It’s true that Little Big Town had one of the most incredible nights of their lives on the evening they were admitted into the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. The first show of the series featured a lovely rendition of “Why Me Lord,” the result of a collaboration between country singer Vince Gill and Little Big Town. Many individuals, including the author, had goosebumps as a result of the performance, which left a lasting impression.
With Vince Gill, the foursome—Kenna Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Jimi Westbrook, and Phillip Sweet—worked together to produce a masterpiece. “Why Me Lord,” which was written and recorded by country music icon Kris Kristofferson in 1972, has been performed by a wide range of performers throughout the years. However, the performance featured in the video is regarded as one of the best of all time.
It seems that Vince Gill was informed about Opry policies prohibiting musicians from playing Jesus-related songs. As the story behind the film suggests, this was apparently done to avoid potentially upsetting non-Christian audience members. Vince decided to carry on with the performance despite this, and it appeared that the audience welcomed it with enthusiasm.
The video can be accessed here for those who would like to witness this incredible collaboration in its entirety. Kindly feel free to express your thoughts by leaving a Facebook remark and telling us exactly what you think!
33 Thomas Street: The Mysterious 29-Story Windowless Skyscraper in New York. What’s it use for?
In the heart of Lower Manhattan, an unusual 29-story skyscraper, devoid of windows, stands tall and mysterious. Its code name is Titanpointe, and it is located at 33 Thomas Street. This building has baffled New Yorkers for years.
The building, constructed in 1974, was designed to withstand atomic blasts and was initially intended to house vital telecommunications equipment. It was envisioned as a communication nerve center, fortified against nuclear threats, by the architectural firm John Carl Warnecke & Associates.
This imposing structure, a gray tower of concrete and granite soaring 550 feet into the New York skyline, remains, unlike any other building in its vicinity. Unlike neighboring residential and office buildings, it does not have a single window and remains unilluminated. At night, it takes on an eerie presence, and by day it casts a giant shadow, its square vents emitting a faint hum, often drowned out by the city’s bustling sounds.
For decades, 33 Thomas Street, also nicknamed the “Long Lines Building,” has captured the imagination of New Yorkers as one of the city’s weirdest and most iconic skyscrapers. But the true purpose of this enigmatic structure has remained largely concealed, shrouded in secrecy.
The Secret Behind 33 Thomas Street
Beyond its enigmatic exterior, 33 Thomas Street conceals a deeper secret. This building appears to be more than just a telecommunications hub. Evidence from documents obtained by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, along with architectural plans and interviews with former AT&T employees, suggests that 33 Thomas Street served as an NSA surveillance site, code-named Titanpointe.
The NSA’s involvement goes beyond mere speculation. Inside the building, there’s a major international gateway switch that routes phone calls between the U.S. and countries worldwide. The NSA is believed to have tapped into these calls from a secure facility within the AT&T building. This covert surveillance program has targeted not only international organizations like the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank but also numerous countries, including U.S. allies.
While AT&T has cooperated with the NSA on surveillance, few details have emerged about the specific role of facilities like 33 Thomas Street in carrying out top-secret programs. The Snowden documents, however, provide unprecedented insight into how NSA equipment has been integrated into AT&T’s network in New York City. This integration reveals the methods and technology employed by the agency to gather communications data from the company’s systems.
The NSA’s presence within this iconic skyscraper raises questions about the boundaries of surveillance in the modern world. As Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the liberty and national security program at the Brennan Center for Justice, points out, “This is yet more proof that our communications service providers have become, whether willingly or unwillingly, an arm of the surveillance state.” The deep integration of the NSA within domestic communications infrastructure challenges the notion that such surveillance can be neatly confined to non-American targets.
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