Photos #1: Fall in the George Washington National Forest's North River Multiple Use Area

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Fzum6iLm2nd9zfWaR4Gk8n7qYKkxfiwjMew5Z0488nSvrf8ui92XK7mXe8A8f9-fRVMEkavzRjKfJkuyBwtVxKg0hJjTxYB5dnP5NFsuZpjqbsgmndk3ofCjZmuRu_4I5nf1z8qqSFZ3/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Fzum6iLm2nd9zfWaR4Gk8n7qYKkxfiwjMew5Z0488nSvrf8ui92XK7mXe8A8f9-fRVMEkavzRjKfJkuyBwtVxKg0hJjTxYB5dnP5NFsuZpjqbsgmndk3ofCjZmuRu_4I5nf1z8qqSFZ3/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Todd Lake</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMxbkFZlfYwMd6Cu4OoOLfxvnJfCoFStpxXlrgXtjuKRmuDpQ_maMvtmFETnoLwqyckJr_vZQQNALTwB29EAMVyuNEVzjCGPzAep-2ExOLfJGiIuY5ZUnrATKK-UULXJSGHyM55qB4g_D/s1600/26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMxbkFZlfYwMd6Cu4OoOLfxvnJfCoFStpxXlrgXtjuKRmuDpQ_maMvtmFETnoLwqyckJr_vZQQNALTwB29EAMVyuNEVzjCGPzAep-2ExOLfJGiIuY5ZUnrATKK-UULXJSGHyM55qB4g_D/s400/26.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejKkXSZqMf2_mPJZqdOan8hK_J3HxikTx_CW0rlQW4MCzOj4LmLr6cNi_yS9cr26lQrHXDKyPlb_UWWlC2KTgSXW6xGqssaPPaQiQFZDsfoM0wMpFcLXqXiXiOkZoEG2_OG6ZWOt8FzeH/s1600/28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejKkXSZqMf2_mPJZqdOan8hK_J3HxikTx_CW0rlQW4MCzOj4LmLr6cNi_yS9cr26lQrHXDKyPlb_UWWlC2KTgSXW6xGqssaPPaQiQFZDsfoM0wMpFcLXqXiXiOkZoEG2_OG6ZWOt8FzeH/s400/28.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is the North River Multiple Use Area of the George Washington National Forest in northwestern Augusta County: "A 25,000 acrew portion of national forest land managed for timber production, hunting, fishing, outdoor recreation, scenic beauty, water production, and flood control. Wildlife managed under cooperative program with Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries." </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsIYchKQ7zjhTmd4KSSI8DXR_gK_a7yJrWB7dNkNb2DB9DHkNU2_tzS928ivt33_XB1bSR4coVgDRvH7FYvfC8JppF8U-JCDvlJVhzK5aSEo0cnagYb6WqqINu162Gsj1iE2ufj7llZ9J/s1600/29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsIYchKQ7zjhTmd4KSSI8DXR_gK_a7yJrWB7dNkNb2DB9DHkNU2_tzS928ivt33_XB1bSR4coVgDRvH7FYvfC8JppF8U-JCDvlJVhzK5aSEo0cnagYb6WqqINu162Gsj1iE2ufj7llZ9J/s400/29.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSSU9IeJ67DV2dJTAMV9-jgEhvFvQlZ-usfGSCaWULESbgbIiEh52rCID7i5gA1u5XwkRxEPMHSe04B72ok4oYNgHd5zerqnuCVycFqjpQ_QLUvSPPuOk7od2VLjLAnUwM83c8pyz5DxR/s1600/30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSSU9IeJ67DV2dJTAMV9-jgEhvFvQlZ-usfGSCaWULESbgbIiEh52rCID7i5gA1u5XwkRxEPMHSe04B72ok4oYNgHd5zerqnuCVycFqjpQ_QLUvSPPuOk7od2VLjLAnUwM83c8pyz5DxR/s400/30.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hiking trails are throughout the area including the Wild Oak National Recreation Trail.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA3dss0Sf_9bXPsuC0foN6iI61Ivmly3YYDyBFPISQVgfXyLhjJ-MRS8Bf6nI0ikVh5wTaCe32DfHnsV4L7ZSVget7veGkBDCjhH2I7Elp-U4SMLRdzP2IrFYDXdJp7RLhPiaajmFz1qIW/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA3dss0Sf_9bXPsuC0foN6iI61Ivmly3YYDyBFPISQVgfXyLhjJ-MRS8Bf6nI0ikVh5wTaCe32DfHnsV4L7ZSVget7veGkBDCjhH2I7Elp-U4SMLRdzP2IrFYDXdJp7RLhPiaajmFz1qIW/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtOUMXfTS7FZ-FN8iZCg36u55_w2d9rS_nPDQ8775fwSQKJN2LhfFTHlEaWE3txW0kTmpjzh40NyUSYs_PcXZMUwxFOwSCqbqZ7IIfn53cC2W1N2YShk3gfeRpm7LpFQ1Yh93B8b03VtG/s1600/17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtOUMXfTS7FZ-FN8iZCg36u55_w2d9rS_nPDQ8775fwSQKJN2LhfFTHlEaWE3txW0kTmpjzh40NyUSYs_PcXZMUwxFOwSCqbqZ7IIfn53cC2W1N2YShk3gfeRpm7LpFQ1Yh93B8b03VtG/s400/17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPy_lDwaXDZwgXLkkIETUj3hOBmRj5NfpXcf1FiuPRhZKcrQHCfXRaxHOjp1AkP4XFqg-z0EI3MJJUELAu5FTL0US1ILdcPXcflT2bQJ4EUX0Txk26Jpwrf7zLPG5b0pLwRE7pEDJD24A/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPy_lDwaXDZwgXLkkIETUj3hOBmRj5NfpXcf1FiuPRhZKcrQHCfXRaxHOjp1AkP4XFqg-z0EI3MJJUELAu5FTL0US1ILdcPXcflT2bQJ4EUX0Txk26Jpwrf7zLPG5b0pLwRE7pEDJD24A/s400/10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIPbqZES6mHTaC-BPt-OQWj0f8kb1113HxZYRKafZ2o3lP6hPwJT_RIRvomRbE6sBzd4KCW6jlMV45fDqSDECcuYyvKau-5040igzFzyoW5qS3Dfb7MU0MrG3E-WQoMZ4la4aUpFtqttV/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIPbqZES6mHTaC-BPt-OQWj0f8kb1113HxZYRKafZ2o3lP6hPwJT_RIRvomRbE6sBzd4KCW6jlMV45fDqSDECcuYyvKau-5040igzFzyoW5qS3Dfb7MU0MrG3E-WQoMZ4la4aUpFtqttV/s400/11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis4EqVQGwtTNLDbQfiWlOYMr3FZmU5O_E6AYUzEVNx2Du0Q6q3PPkJRMRwHVx7KsOXYMenK_vnak4dnM5va3kx5ptb15XZ_jotERYAec8Y_I2G7Tv-jMrTuydOJmqKCP2jY_GEX_AefYg/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis4EqVQGwtTNLDbQfiWlOYMr3FZmU5O_E6AYUzEVNx2Du0Q6q3PPkJRMRwHVx7KsOXYMenK_vnak4dnM5va3kx5ptb15XZ_jotERYAec8Y_I2G7Tv-jMrTuydOJmqKCP2jY_GEX_AefYg/s400/12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJkitB8bxUwFzIo0DxBgvagPaMDsiemL3-drKBYfgcPfMErCH7_c8eXdAhmDKBKZ3nkQ5NbV8MzejjgenFxQyzRfW4ZB3iISQaVLqKiQmf192Dsyov-kV0bBLGEm3PCiHxe-Ryx_BxQWi5/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJkitB8bxUwFzIo0DxBgvagPaMDsiemL3-drKBYfgcPfMErCH7_c8eXdAhmDKBKZ3nkQ5NbV8MzejjgenFxQyzRfW4ZB3iISQaVLqKiQmf192Dsyov-kV0bBLGEm3PCiHxe-Ryx_BxQWi5/s400/13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgRpurkF664lx3KWpgC8ikVWe8nRQvXZQHGIoos6ZP04RqRCcrW0A0_1cL-BfbLWhMDUZpgHU4pER5wqT84vfYWAXEAg2T5VObSPVhmFcjuf75wXWvswK55cj3XDWr5wD4PQuPouq6o9V/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgRpurkF664lx3KWpgC8ikVWe8nRQvXZQHGIoos6ZP04RqRCcrW0A0_1cL-BfbLWhMDUZpgHU4pER5wqT84vfYWAXEAg2T5VObSPVhmFcjuf75wXWvswK55cj3XDWr5wD4PQuPouq6o9V/s400/14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiozQikV1PAZvb2EFDRdJqNHneXPE1sz7cTBRYbBK6R8RhzPhmfEHs99XW5QOwfhU8SUDdCL3N4QPngDtD7SyNaHkYbLFCa8GeuSqWsfp9Rw-6dQ8mvKY7tIQFoP1rgaaLzrJXo6knjB2O2/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiozQikV1PAZvb2EFDRdJqNHneXPE1sz7cTBRYbBK6R8RhzPhmfEHs99XW5QOwfhU8SUDdCL3N4QPngDtD7SyNaHkYbLFCa8GeuSqWsfp9Rw-6dQ8mvKY7tIQFoP1rgaaLzrJXo6knjB2O2/s640/15.jpg" width="537" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Although camping and restroom facilities are closed, the roads were open Wednesday in the George Washington National Forest including hunting roads, and campers were set up in forested areas with trailers, tents, and horses. Vehicles were in hiking parking areas. The temperature was in the mid-50s with a brisk wind that made it feel cooler. Fall will come quickly now ... the leaves will turn over the next two weeks.</div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />October 9, 2013

Appalachian Mountains Augusta County George Washington National Forest government shutdown North River Multiple Use Area Photos #1: Fall in the George Washington National Forest's North River Multiple Use Area

Todd Lake This is the North River Multiple Use Area of the George Washington National Forest in northwestern Augusta County: "A 25,000 ...

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Angry about the shutdown? There's an app for that!

A free app designed to let you express frustration about travel delays to U.S. senators and members of Congress can also be used for something else: telling the electeds you're frustrated with the government shutdown.<br /><br />Here, for example, is something to be frustrated about: Military death benefits are being held up by the shutdown. <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/nation/2013/10/08/shutdown-casualties-combat-benefits-unpaid-pentagon/2941809/" rel="nofollow">USA Today</a> reports:  <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">The government shutdown is denying families of troops killed in combat, training or by other causes in the military from receiving an array of financial benefits. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Families of four soldiers and a Marine killed in Afghanistan since the shutdown last week are not receiving a $100,000 death gratuity or any unpaid income due their loved ones, or being reimbursement for burial expenses, the Pentagon says. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">"Unfortunately, as a result of the shutdown, we do not have the legal authority to make death gratuity payments at this time," says Navy Lt. Com. Nate Christensen, a Pentagon spokesman.</blockquote><a href="http://www.bafuture.org/" rel="nofollow">Building for America's Future</a> Educational Fund, which promotes infrastructure investment, says the app is needed now more than ever.<br /><br />CQ Roll Call's Executive Briefing explains.  <br /><blockquote>Way back in August, when the Oct. 1 government shutdown seemed like a distant possibility and the focus remained on what Congress might actually achieve once it returned from a long summer recess, Building America's Future released its <a href="http://www.bafuture.org/">"I'm Stuck" mobile device app</a>. It lets users tell Congress about knuckle-whitening traffic backups, pothole alleys on Interstates, airport or train delays, worrisome bridges and other infrastructure problems. Nearly 11,000 downloads later, travelers have already tapped the software to send 3,000 such notes to lawmakers. Well, that same app has built-in features that can now let users sound off to Congress about the budget battles and disruption of federal services. </blockquote><blockquote>BAF President Marcia Hale tells us that "with the government shutdown, it is more important than ever before for people to tell their members of Congress just how unhappy they are with the state of our roads, runways, rails and bridges in this country." She adds: "The app has always allowed users to modify the email they’re sending to their representative and senators, so users can send a message about their feelings on gridlock in Congress and on our roads.”</blockquote>Click for the free <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/im-stuck/id657757666?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4" rel="nofollow">iOS</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kiwi.stuck&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5raXdpLnN0dWNrIl0" rel="nofollow">Android</a> download.<br /><br />

government shutdown Angry about the shutdown? There's an app for that!

A free app designed to let you express frustration about travel delays to U.S. senators and members of Congress can also be used for somethi...

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Today's Teamster News 10.07.13

<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24419564" rel="nofollow">US shutdown is starting to hit business, says Commerce Secretary</a>  BBC News   ...On Friday, the US defence contractor Lockheed Martin said it would put 3,000 workers on unpaid leave...<br /><a href="http://portside.org/2013-10-05/progressives-and-working-families-rally-against-chained-cpi-and-other-safety-net-cuts" rel="nofollow">Progressives and Working Families Rally Against 'Chained' CPI and Other Safety Net Cuts</a>  AFL-CIO Now   ...progressive members of Congress and working families are looking ahead to fight against any proposed grand "bargain" that would include benefit cuts to Social Security, Medicaid or Medicare...<br /><a href="http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-10-06/now-mastercard-wants-your-fingerprints" rel="nofollow">Mount Rushmore blockage stirs anger in South Dakota</a>  Argus Leader   ...The National Park Service placed cones along highway viewing areas outside Mount Rushmore this week, barring visitors from pulling over and taking pictures of the famed monument... <br /><a href="http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/truthdigger_of_the_week_lori_wallach_20131005" rel="nofollow">Truthdigger of the Week: Lori Wallach</a>  Truthdig   ...The extreme want of coverage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal in even the independent, alternative press is a testament to the near-complete domination of politics and the news media by transnational corporate interests...<br /><a href="http://www.wjla.com/articles/2013/10/person-lights-self-on-fire-on-national-mall-94921.html#.UlBwSnZxv-M.twitter" rel="nofollow">Man sets self on fire on National Mall</a>  Associated Press   ..."I heard from people around me that he was yelling something about voting rights...[He] poured the gas can on his head and lit himself on fire.," describes witness...<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/business/mugged-by-a-mug-shot-online.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" rel="nofollow">Mugged by a Mug Shot Online</a>  New York Times   ...for-profit Web sites, with names like Mugshots, BustedMugshots and JustMugshots ... routinely show up high in Google searches ... The ostensible point of these sites is to give the public a quick way to glean the unsavory history of a neighbor, a potential date or anyone else. That sounds civic-minded, until you consider one way most of these sites make money: by charging a fee to remove the image. That fee can be anywhere from $30 to $400, or even higher...<br /><a href="http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-10-06/now-mastercard-wants-your-fingerprints" rel="nofollow">Now Mastercard Wants Your Fingerprints</a>  zero hedge   ...MasterCard is joining the FIDO Alliance, signaling that the payment network is getting interested in using fingerprints and other biometric data to identify people for online payments...<br /><a href="http://digital.vpr.net/post/home-care-workers-vote-unionize" rel="nofollow">Home Care Workers Vote To Unionize</a>  Vermont Public Radio   ...Organizers say a vote to unionize by home care workers marks the largest unionizing effort in Vermont. It’s estimated there are 7,000 home care workers in the state. Now, as part of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, they will negotiate with the state over issues like pay, hours and benefits...<br /><a href="http://www.theindychannel.com/money/bloomington-ge-workers-protest-over-job-cuts" rel="nofollow">Bloomington GE workers protest job cuts</a>  ABC News Channel 6   ...By the end of October, 160 workers at Bloomington's General Electric refrigerator plant will be out of jobs, and dozens of workers were outside the plant Saturday protesting the company's decision...

chained CPI government shutdown job cuts organizing privacy Today's Teamster News 10.07.13

US shutdown is starting to hit business, says Commerce Secretary  BBC News   ...On Friday, the US defence contractor Lockheed Martin said i...

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Hundreds of union workers protest government shutdown

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oPdw5m-v-ygb0vRAVXRx1KfXEEm2GS1zg1ZM3gW-uqrzH_P-J6pJAEVmATbR1ioCaOFUdXcbT2vaIflexHPaEa2OfrXe6ObtlkLQ2RX4NJ3ZvjC6XAJx9hibqH3AqSh63mN3Y10DhJkh/s1600/Furloughed_fed_workers_protest_congress_lockout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oPdw5m-v-ygb0vRAVXRx1KfXEEm2GS1zg1ZM3gW-uqrzH_P-J6pJAEVmATbR1ioCaOFUdXcbT2vaIflexHPaEa2OfrXe6ObtlkLQ2RX4NJ3ZvjC6XAJx9hibqH3AqSh63mN3Y10DhJkh/s400/Furloughed_fed_workers_protest_congress_lockout.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Union workers protest shutdown today.</td></tr></tbody></table>Locked-out federal workers <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2013/10/04/federal-workers-to-rally-against-shutdown-on-capitol-hill/" rel="nofollow">gathered in front of the Capitol</a> in Washington D.C. this morning to protest Republican extremists in Congress who shut down the government. <br /><br />Members of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Federation_of_Government_Employees" rel="nofollow">American Federation of Government Employees</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Treasury_Employees_Union" rel="nofollow">National Treasury Employees Union</a> and other unions spoke for thousands of union workers employed by the government, calling the shutdown what it is: a lockout.<br /><br />Led by Reps. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and union leaders, the crowd of workers chanted "Let us work" and "Shut down the shutdown." Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said the jobs of dedicated public servants should not be held hostage by tea party fanatics:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Two weeks ago a shooting took place not too far from here at the Navy Yard. Hundreds of brave federal police officers responded to stop the carnage and restore security. Today those dedicated officers are not being paid. That's outrageous.</blockquote>Sanders noted the budget that Republican extremists refuse to pass is already a very conservative one. He said there's no reason for them to shut down the government over a budget that is more to the right-wing's liking than anyone else's.<br /><br />As the crowd grew, furloughed federal employees talked about the uncertainty and hardship their families are facing during the shutdown. An aviation safety inspector said he can't do his job to make sure planes are safe to fly. And a worker from <a href="http://goodjobsnation.org/" rel="nofollow">Good Jobs Nation</a> who works at a McDonald's at the Smithsonian described how  the shutdown harms low-wage federal contract workers.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkevrdvH68adkOByYwtb1JyfEOvUlQdxRxATfmprfkzbhmuflhM6s8siwNhUnZGCH-pg0JCI4sE_MVKYnnKQ19nqUkuh7DQvf2Jv7JsqjBy2NF-lNBqnTTOe34O0wNncCiH_Eqfp4YXTN/s1600/Furloughed_fed_workers_protest_lockout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkevrdvH68adkOByYwtb1JyfEOvUlQdxRxATfmprfkzbhmuflhM6s8siwNhUnZGCH-pg0JCI4sE_MVKYnnKQ19nqUkuh7DQvf2Jv7JsqjBy2NF-lNBqnTTOe34O0wNncCiH_Eqfp4YXTN/s200/Furloughed_fed_workers_protest_lockout.jpg" width="185" /></a></div>Workers at the rally said they should get back pay for the days they are furloughed. Some members of Congress have <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal_government/house-and-senate-bills-would-pay-federal-workers-for-shutdown-furloughs/2013/10/03/d2fc8096-2c58-11e3-97a3-ff2758228523_story.html" rel="nofollow">proposed legislation</a> to do just that. <br /><br />The pain from the shutdown is not just being felt by government employees. Speakers railed against right-wing lawmakers who put veterans' families and other vulnerable people at risk, just to score political points and to gut a law they don't like.<br /><br />As for Republicans' proposal to reopen some parts of the government with piecemeal funding, workers at the rally said they want all of their coworkers to get back to work, not just some of them. <br /><br />Rep. Ellison said locked out federal workers were prepared to come back and protest every day for as long as extremists in Congress keep holding the government hostage.

anti-worker extremists Bernie Sanders government shutdown government workers lockout Hundreds of union workers protest government shutdown

Union workers protest shutdown today. Locked-out federal workers gathered in front of the Capitol in Washington D.C. this morning to protes...

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September scenes along the Blue Ridge Parkway

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwyFVelB1Iaa7Jbu_6vgoAfP9I4PemlOc06aea3XWx_PVgFYiFHy_gT2SQmYv3XoffXxRj4o7ACKGyGOM8A8knNOfMRFmtXRKVUBWpgUTC7oL50VMPVsBKurFKK3_BTJ_S8Hdliej0BRa/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwyFVelB1Iaa7Jbu_6vgoAfP9I4PemlOc06aea3XWx_PVgFYiFHy_gT2SQmYv3XoffXxRj4o7ACKGyGOM8A8knNOfMRFmtXRKVUBWpgUTC7oL50VMPVsBKurFKK3_BTJ_S8Hdliej0BRa/s400/14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The government shutdown has closed all attractions, restaurants, restrooms, and visitor centers along the Blue Ridge Parkway but the roadway itself is still open. Here are some scenes from Monday, the last day before the shutdown, as SWAC Husband and I drove from North Carolina back home to the Shenandoah Valley.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTiEOtE-YDgwMxRp2-QtSufTb5rx08ltBmoWQROOX7BlGAi-pUY4CpSxDmKDnRT6lmQH6xMq9mz7TJbqaxoSYmlBDJZTzceJ0JOepjuUc_rfmTUxZYgSxTGc5zgrp12XN2vaN73ARWtspP/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTiEOtE-YDgwMxRp2-QtSufTb5rx08ltBmoWQROOX7BlGAi-pUY4CpSxDmKDnRT6lmQH6xMq9mz7TJbqaxoSYmlBDJZTzceJ0JOepjuUc_rfmTUxZYgSxTGc5zgrp12XN2vaN73ARWtspP/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mabry Mill and the restaurant are closed due to the shutdown. We enjoyed visiting with historical interpreters including the blacksmith who had visited the <a href="http://www.frontiermuseum.org/">Frontier Culture Museum</a> in Staunton and was impressed not only with the museum's blacksmith but the entire site.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKM3pP6vGVhdqKatqxowMrzzrzY_Rz0yl8mpiu8OuyOc_YwD47nfUgiWsEh64pGS-O0h19ti5sJ-jRb-Qv7k_50g-eRdsWsbkpNLm29O-TSoZvt2SStrFp38tRMnjWvLfooRJcKp51WEp6/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKM3pP6vGVhdqKatqxowMrzzrzY_Rz0yl8mpiu8OuyOc_YwD47nfUgiWsEh64pGS-O0h19ti5sJ-jRb-Qv7k_50g-eRdsWsbkpNLm29O-TSoZvt2SStrFp38tRMnjWvLfooRJcKp51WEp6/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYTPDPiLxImQuGE8hzKzzAfP1be1IAE8fYZ0knWJwU-7MjZw53vyP7hX7ue7d7XFG5ah44Lr0dOSerOs4Z1CyCkBS-S9Uqr2aJ2qYpkUfqH_Ad9XxE2ScOsn4e68P60VlxdupryjE4jBN/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYTPDPiLxImQuGE8hzKzzAfP1be1IAE8fYZ0knWJwU-7MjZw53vyP7hX7ue7d7XFG5ah44Lr0dOSerOs4Z1CyCkBS-S9Uqr2aJ2qYpkUfqH_Ad9XxE2ScOsn4e68P60VlxdupryjE4jBN/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1jut1Z2sc91Hp_yuBEJLuPyvzRlSmJ9LKdMhAZPMg-KV0LBT2Q4h6amSqW4-5Pup-8_0WEbSheb7YGpFyuBMPTSq1Spvay4p28klAggu6kZWFkr4B__gJbq8h9stDUJxCQoXQlwv3coM/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1jut1Z2sc91Hp_yuBEJLuPyvzRlSmJ9LKdMhAZPMg-KV0LBT2Q4h6amSqW4-5Pup-8_0WEbSheb7YGpFyuBMPTSq1Spvay4p28klAggu6kZWFkr4B__gJbq8h9stDUJxCQoXQlwv3coM/s400/8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKRX6twfUCLqyqdH8N_DdT2MAfysbwDCfdX6g2jl3MCkGE5ULR3FjmVqCzw6cKIOBUEw-O5r1Ab9queQYIXQNEACOlIs9GUCrQrwqgU7-5ITxo2B5PZd4L32uee0WH5R5VmFZb7y_T-8j/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKRX6twfUCLqyqdH8N_DdT2MAfysbwDCfdX6g2jl3MCkGE5ULR3FjmVqCzw6cKIOBUEw-O5r1Ab9queQYIXQNEACOlIs9GUCrQrwqgU7-5ITxo2B5PZd4L32uee0WH5R5VmFZb7y_T-8j/s400/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWJWm2qSMk338Jos-E8mwZI-_fApuGqnwSJM2uhL8xzyEa_cPl62jXsIrExrCeedCw8wiGu_Df5xsywW9xq0W-3NYogW0x-vGNJozho3jXrUXVFF2N8jHl_1kbWnKEBeg1BzA8i5Tffkq/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWJWm2qSMk338Jos-E8mwZI-_fApuGqnwSJM2uhL8xzyEa_cPl62jXsIrExrCeedCw8wiGu_Df5xsywW9xq0W-3NYogW0x-vGNJozho3jXrUXVFF2N8jHl_1kbWnKEBeg1BzA8i5Tffkq/s400/13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpXqFjG-BFXA2JkvSpR6p4Xuj3H40pnkg9Ovvih54VL8cQfBTWT-_11boH2ekzgntl-T6bhDKw9KdQuuvCF1nfYLTDZsVuYPjhL0PjIiTXmwHdL2kCSqiXvJntWJeP-9nXDxqULShP6nA/s1600/24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpXqFjG-BFXA2JkvSpR6p4Xuj3H40pnkg9Ovvih54VL8cQfBTWT-_11boH2ekzgntl-T6bhDKw9KdQuuvCF1nfYLTDZsVuYPjhL0PjIiTXmwHdL2kCSqiXvJntWJeP-9nXDxqULShP6nA/s400/24.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />September 30, 2013

Blue Ridge Parkway government shutdown Mabry Mill North Carolina Virginia September scenes along the Blue Ridge Parkway

The government shutdown has closed all attractions, restaurants, restrooms, and visitor centers along the Blue Ridge Parkway but the roadway...

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How many Americans does it take to shut down the government?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2tmrkdAXSMRcjGnEicOB6MrY5qLgU58cpyofvKlqDBol91iZWuZ7jlFlIX84G6HmkyDexcI6q-pTc-ze5C8-POqyVD0vV2kaWOPlp9IZ5qBbYcm77iuSe476NWjydZlQGJyA6JFd2Y2y/s1600/jobsnotcuts.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2tmrkdAXSMRcjGnEicOB6MrY5qLgU58cpyofvKlqDBol91iZWuZ7jlFlIX84G6HmkyDexcI6q-pTc-ze5C8-POqyVD0vV2kaWOPlp9IZ5qBbYcm77iuSe476NWjydZlQGJyA6JFd2Y2y/s200/jobsnotcuts.png" width="200" /></a></div>Extremist Republicans claim shutting down the government over their opposition to a law passed three years ago is what the American people want.<br /><br />That's an interesting theory considering less than 5 percent of the population actually voted for these hostage-takers.<br /><br /><em>Business Insider</em> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-government-shutdown-is-the-will-of-a-pathetic-43-of-the-population-2013-10">reports</a>:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Let's look at the element of the House GOP that supports tying the continuing resolution to fund the government to an un-passable defunding of the Affordable Care Act. Judging by the number of people who signed  <a href="http://meadows.house.gov/uploads/Meadows_DefundLetter.pdf" sl-processed="1">freshman Rep. Mark Meadow's (R-N.C.)</a> letter,  <a href="http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/jwithrow/does-your-senator-stand-with-mike-lee-against-obam" sl-processed="1">81 members</a> of the 233 GOP caucus support this hardcore strategy. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Adding them up, we see that only 13.8 million Americans actually voted for the suicide caucus. That's only 11.7% of the people who voted in a congressional election in 2012, and an absolutely pathetic 4.3% of the U.S. population.</blockquote>How can such a small percentage of people stack Congress with enough sociopaths to shut down the government? The answer is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerrymandering" rel="nofollow">gerrymandering</a> -- self-serving congressional redistricting that allowed Republicans to get 33 more seats than Democrats in the last election despite getting fewer votes.<br /><br />And <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/10/02/2716421/how-gerrymandering-makes-a-speedy-shutdown-end-unlikely/"><em>Think Progress</em> reports</a> that Republican gerrymandering makes a quick resolution to the shutdown even more unlikely:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Obama garnered 48.8 percent of the vote or more in just 13 of the 218 other Congressional Districts currently represented by a Republican -- and even if the general public wants the government reopened, there is little political pressure in heavily GOP districts for Republican members to side with President Obama and the Democrats.</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">With a gerrymandered majority consisting of districts that do not represent the majority of Americans’ viewpoints, House Republicans can keep the government in a shutdown highly insulated from the anger and blame they are receiving.</blockquote>So when you hear the fanatics in Washington say they're carrying out the will of the American people, remember they're more likely carrying out the will of their heavily gerrymandered districts. They aren't satisfied with the <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/02/sequester-is-anti-growth-and-anti.html" rel="nofollow">anti-worker sequester cuts</a> they got this year. To them, it's great to tear at the social safety net. But it's better to rip it to pieces and even better to make it look like your opponents are to blame for the crisis.<br /><br />When that doesn't work the extremists are busy downplaying the crisis altogether. But <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/01/the-nine-most-painful-consequences-of-a-government-shutdown/" rel="nofollow">the shutdown is much more than a few shuttered parks</a>. It's an attack on federal workers, veterans' benefits, vaccine programs, food safety inspections, food assistance for women and children, disability benefits, Head Start programs, financing for small businesses, and tourism.<br /><br />And it's all thanks to the shrill minority spawned from gerrymandered voting districts -- democracy (and the economy) be damned.

gerrymandering government shutdown health care reform Sequestration tea party How many Americans does it take to shut down the government?

Extremist Republicans claim shutting down the government over their opposition to a law passed three years ago is what the American people w...

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My two cents: Government shutdown ... so what has been accomplished?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWMV3h5wQr9ecoDXQ-ZQTfadPD9-hDDRSlUjGX7z735kc6A_xwoH4DrhVEEkvuYgXo56Xv60tovl77RGuyyba7zkzlprQ4WjKRomu65i3oBlmPKvav8ZZugWruN_SbHZxnGYzGfP0y99M/s1600/GOP-Dem+fighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWMV3h5wQr9ecoDXQ-ZQTfadPD9-hDDRSlUjGX7z735kc6A_xwoH4DrhVEEkvuYgXo56Xv60tovl77RGuyyba7zkzlprQ4WjKRomu65i3oBlmPKvav8ZZugWruN_SbHZxnGYzGfP0y99M/s320/GOP-Dem+fighting.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />So here we are on Day 3 of the Government Shutdown. Nothing has been accomplished and there's no end in sight.<br /><br />There's enough blame to go around on all sides of this debacle but the <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2013/08/ny-times-on-gop-shutdown-threat.html">show horses of the Republican Right</a>, led by Ted Cruz and encouraged by Rand Paul and Marco Rubio, got their way even though past history predicted a train wreck.<br /><br />If Mr. Cruz had been paying attention, he would have realized the <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/ted-cruz-blasted-by-angry-gop-colleagues-government-shutdown-97753.html?hp=t1_3">backlash was going to be against him</a>. From all accounts, he entered the battle without a survival plan or exit strategy. If this was to help pad his presidential hopes, it certainly didn't show good leadership skills. A poll before the shutdown showed 71 percent of Americans were against it, and a poll released after the shutdown showed 72 percent of Americans were against it. Clearly, it was going to be a suicide mission for Republicans.<br /><br />The problem with these kinds of stunts is the unintended and unexpected consequences that emerge and hit mainstream media and social media. The <i><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/01/the-nine-most-painful-consequences-of-a-government-shutdown/">Washington Post</a></i> today lists ten of the more serious ones.<br /><br />For some, the thought of being furloughed without a paycheck is a scary proposition. Imagine having a mortgage, car payment(s), and daily living expenses only to lose your income or have it delayed. Sure, the investment types talk about having six months' worth of income bankrolled for a rainy day, but how many have truly been able to do that? With the constant financial demands of raising a family, many find themselves living paycheck-to-paycheck.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/10/01/bragg-hagel-obama-shutdown/2903915/">Military families are impacted</a> and <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/shutdown-idle-us-based-military-commissaries-20435412">commissaries</a> were shut down on bases around the country. <br /><br />On Tuesday, a group of <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2013/10/heroes-still-ww-ii-vets-push-aside.html">elderly World War II veterans were so ticked off </a>when they saw the World War II memorial closed that they pushed aside barricades set up by the government, and visited anyway. Most were from out of state on probably the only chance they will ever have to see this memorial erected by the American people to honor the service of those who saved not only America but the world. As many noted, these men had scaled the cliffs of Normandy in their youth. A barrier was not about to block them, and the news spread like wildfire through Twitter and Facebook.<br /><br />For those of us who live in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it's ridiculous to have the gates closed to <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2013/10/skyline-drive-and-shenandoah-national.html">Shenandoah National Park</a> at the start of leaf season, blocking the scenic Skyline Drive as well as access to lodges and hiking trails utilized by thousands. Is the down-time going to be added to season passes to make up for the lost days? It's a mere inconvenience to us but not for those from overseas or states across the country who had planned October visits to this well-known national park, nor to workers who are now on furlough and out of work.<br /><br />Even though a last-minute decision by the National Park Service kept the <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2013/09/government-shutdown-skyline-drive-blue.html">Blue Ridge Parkway</a> open, all facilities along this 470-mile ridgetop drive have been shuttered. That leaves tourists helpless as they drive past Mabry Mill, <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2013/10/just-reopened-peaks-of-otter-now-victim.html">Peaks of Otter</a>, campgrounds, restaurants, and visitor centers not to mention restrooms. <br /><br />For communities <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_24209569/government-shutdown-closing-national-parks-could-spark-public">bordering national parks throughout the country</a>, the loss of tourist dollars is going to hurt big-time, pushing some who were hanging on by a thread over the brink. <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2013/10/just-reopened-peaks-of-otter-now-victim.html">Peaks of Otter </a>near Bedford had just reopened; will it recover from this unexpected shutdown? On the Outer Banks, the lighthouses are closed as well as NPS-controlled beaches.<br /><br />The <i>News Virginian</i> made good sense in Wednesday's editorial, <a href="http://www.dailyprogress.com/newsvirginian/opinion/editorials/congress-needs-to-rethink-priorities/article_66ead884-2b00-11e3-a726-0019bb30f31a.html">Congress needs to rethink priorities</a>:<br /><blockquote><span class="paragraph-0">If the government is shutting down, why haven’t they turned off the lights? That was a random thought from our staff Monday night, while following the House and Senate debates. Midnight passed, all of the deadlines expired and members of both parties talked about how the government was shut down now. Yet a government which shut down Shenandoah National Park Tuesday morning due to lack of funds kept the lights going as both parties argued whose fault it was, long into the night.</span></blockquote>They added:<br /><blockquote>Let’s be realistic. Whether you agree with the Affordable Care Act or not, nobody is going to defund it. House members can vote another 40 times and while it looks good on paper, nothing is actually accomplished. The Democrat-controlled Senate is not going to vote to shut down something that President Obama has made a key part of his legacy.</blockquote>While many were against ObamaCare, <a href="http://cmsdev.gdn.newsleader.com/article/20131002/OPINION02/310020026/Poteat-GOP-faction-flirting-disaster?odyssey=nav|head"><i>News Leader</i></a> columnist Matthew Poteat makes a valid point:<br /><blockquote>Take for example the willingness of a small but influential bunch of House Republicans to shut down the Federal government because they oppose implementing the Affordable Care Act. Never mind that the law was passed by due process, signed into law by a duly elected (and reelected) president, and validated by the Supreme Court.</blockquote>It was the reelection of Barack Obama that showed the majority of Americans were in favor of ObamaCare. Republicans fought it for three years and lost. That's the way our system works. If the shoe was on the other foot and Democrats were pulling this stunt, Republicans would be excoriating them for ignoring the will of the people.<br /><br />I'm weary of the hypocrisy from both sides of the political aisle. That includes the hypocrisy of Congressional members who are exempted in what many consider an odious law. What's good for the American people should be good enough for our elected leaders who voted for the Affordable Care Act. <br /><br />No one is going to emerge from this fight unscathed but, sadly, Republicans are going to bear the blunt of the blame which brings to mind that explanation of insanity: "Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

Blue Ridge Parkway democrats government shutdown impasse Republicans Shenandoah National Park U.S. Congress My two cents: Government shutdown ... so what has been accomplished?

So here we are on Day 3 of the Government Shutdown. Nothing has been accomplished and there's no end in sight. There's enough blame ...

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News Virginian LTE: 'Congress needs to adjust its priorities'

<a href="http://www.dailyprogress.com/newsvirginian/opinion/letters/i-agree-with-wednesday-editorial/article_4e5f0984-2bc8-11e3-a2fa-001a4bcf6878.html">News Virginian Letter to Editor</a><br />October 3, 2013<br /><br />This is disgusting. So the government is shut down. I can’t even take a trip to Shenandoah National Park. But at the same time, members of Congress still get paid. How does that make any sense? Why should a Congressional staffer still collect his $90,000 paycheck when the park ranger making $30,000 just got furloughed? As usual, it’s a case of both parties looking out for their own self interest.<br /><br />I agree with <a href="http://www.dailyprogress.com/newsvirginian/opinion/editorials/congress-needs-to-rethink-priorities/article_66ead884-2b00-11e3-a726-0019bb30f31a.html">Wednesday’s editorial</a>, Congress does need to adjust its priorities. Unfortunately, they won’t. You and I both know it. I’m a Republican, but even I can see the Democrats in the Senate won’t defund Obamacare. So why are we screwing over people to “fight” for something that’s never going to happen? I’ll tell you why. It’s so these Republicans in Congress can come back to all of us and say well, we gave it our best shot. We failed, but at least we tried.<br /><br />No, they didn’t try. If you know the answer to something is going to be no, why ask the question? Instead of shutting down government, why not work toward a compromise? I teach my kids that they may not get everything they want. Sometimes they have to be the bigger person and work things out with someone. It’s time for Congress to do the same.<br /><br />Greg Miller<br />Waynesboro

government shutdown letter to editor News Virginian Shenandoah National Park News Virginian LTE: 'Congress needs to adjust its priorities'

News Virginian Letter to Editor October 3, 2013 This is disgusting. So the government is shut down. I can’t even take a trip to Shenandoah N...

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Where's Ted Cruz?

Okay. So we have a government shutdown. After being front and center and grabbing the camera for weeks, where is Ted Cruz? He's toned it down considerably ... <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/ted-cruz-blasted-by-angry-gop-colleagues-government-shutdown-97753.html#.UkzOwlCwvJI.twitter">perhaps this is why</a>.<br /><br />End the government shutdown.

government shutdown Ted Cruz Washington politics Where's Ted Cruz?

Okay. So we have a government shutdown. After being front and center and grabbing the camera for weeks, where is Ted Cruz? He's toned it...

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Just reopened, Peaks of Otter now a victim of government shutdown

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8IuKVsgcPO25YS8QQrJgaTptcSCxDUV5Z4jsvX6FzjRutF_eS8DiEDpyXbCHjeF5d4xiNHKW-eTqQ96BSFjMAbMHBSwFU0x6ha0iTm0lQ43mpKHWfltrq5KJLPW65RDPOlnfn7QYvICL/s1600/22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8IuKVsgcPO25YS8QQrJgaTptcSCxDUV5Z4jsvX6FzjRutF_eS8DiEDpyXbCHjeF5d4xiNHKW-eTqQ96BSFjMAbMHBSwFU0x6ha0iTm0lQ43mpKHWfltrq5KJLPW65RDPOlnfn7QYvICL/s400/22.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Peaks of Otter Lodge on September 26, 2013.</i></div><br />The government shutdown <a href="http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/article_d9749888-2b17-11e3-a817-0019bb30f31a.html">has shuttered Peaks of Otter</a>, that historic lodge and restaurant that reopened this year after being closed the past two years. Even though it is run by a private enterprise, the government has forced its closing until a budget is passed by Congress.<br /><br />Will it recover?<br /><br />Take a drive south on the Blue Ridge Parkway and you will see shuttered gift shops, restaurants, and campgrounds because no vendors can be found to run these concessions. Imagine running a business that the government can arbitrarily shut down at a time of year that brings in more than 25% of income.<br /><br />Last week, as SWAC Husband and I meandered down the Blue Ridge Parkway toward North Carolina, we stopped at Peaks of Otter for lunch. I had been excited at its reopening this year and even tried to book a room -- albeit on short notice -- for our trip but they were full. That was a good sign.<br /><br />The restaurant at mid-day last Thursday was busy with every window table occupied. The host, a gentleman about retirement age, greeted us and led the way to a table directly in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Abbott Lake and Sharp Top. I joked with him, asking how he <i>knew</i> we wanted to sit in front of the window. He chuckled and said sometimes there aren't enough windows for all the requests to be at those prime tables.<br /><br />The manager, a friendly middle-aged lady, welcomed us and made sure we were comfortable, then took our drink orders. A few minutes later a smiling young waitress, probably twenty-something, arrived to take our orders. We enjoyed a twenty-dollar lunch with a million-dollar view as we watched guests strolling the pathway that circles the lake. <br /><br />A lady arrived alone and was seated at the table beside us. From nearby Bedford, she said she had been busy working at home that morning but decided to drop everything and head to the Peaks for lunch. Maybe she was listening to the news ... maybe she needed a taste of mountain air ... but I'm glad she did it last week because if she felt like an impromptu lunch today, she would be out of luck.<br /><br />After lunch, we explored the lodge, saying hello to the friendly staff and taking photos of the rustic interior with beautiful views. A friendly young lady worked the gift shop. Inside the visitor center, an outgoing gentleman boomed out a welcome and offered directions to various hikes and the bus trip to Sharp Top. Next door in the country store, stocked with camping and hiking necessities, another man about retirement age greeted us with a friendly smile, offering information and bus tickets for the ride to the top of Sharp Top. Running every hour on the hour for those with young children or mobility issues, the bus offered an alternative for those who could not make the trek up the steep trail. We took a short leg-stretcher, not having time to hit the summit either by bus or legs, and then hit the Parkway south as we continued on our trip.<br /><br />Today while listening to news of the government shutdown, I thought about all those workers we encountered last week. They are out of work at one of the busiest times of year for leaf-looking country. It's sad to think that the lodge, restaurant, and all facilities are closed to the public because of the debacle in D.C.<br /><br />Reporter Eleanor Kennedy with the <a href="http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/article_d9749888-2b17-11e3-a817-0019bb30f31a.html"><i>Lynchburg News and Advance</i></a><i></i> talked with folks at Peaks of Otter:<br /><blockquote>General Manager Robert Peters said most of the lodge’s 72 employees were gone by noon on Tuesday, with more set to depart at 5 p.m. when the front desk officially closed. About half of those employees, like front desk supervisor Debbie Smith, worked for the lodge under its previous operator and were rehired when Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts took over and reopened the attraction in July.<br /><br />“I’ve been through a lot with the Peaks of Otter,” said Smith, who started as a housekeeper there more than 25 years ago.<br /><br />A handful of staff members remained Tuesday to keep the place going, including Peters, Smith and a few housekeepers and maintenance staffers. But today, Peters said, the lodge will be maintained by Peters and one other person.<br /><br />“[The employees] are out of work with no pay until the government figures out what to do,” he said. “It’s bad for the guests, it’s bad for the employees…it’s a bad situation.”<br /><br />Tuesday’s closure came only days after the lodge’s grand opening celebration last Friday and at the start of its biggest moneymaking season, when autumn foliage draws many to the Parkway each year.<br /><br />Peters said the 63-room attraction was expected to be at about 50 percent capacity Tuesday night, 75 percent today and Thursday and completely booked through the weekend.<br />...<br />During that time, Peters said, the lodge likely will lose between $5,000-$10,000 on weekdays and $20,000-$30,000 thousand over the weekends.<br /><br />“It’s adding up quickly,” he said. “This is the money that’s coming in that pays the bills for the rest of the year.”</blockquote>A guest preparing to leave the lodge made a comment that is true across the board for those affected by this shutdown:<br /><blockquote>“The people here have been absolutely fantastic,” said Loudene Riggs, a member of the North Carolina contingent who’s been coming up to the Peaks with her husband since the 1960s.<br /><br />“They have been handed a really rough deal.”</blockquote>End the government shutdown.<br /><br />Here are more photos from Thursday, September 26, 2013, as we enjoyed some time at Peaks of Otter: <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFux8ATR4bdKQfYz3pAGvsZC-PZQLv0f3Tnq8FFl6xALvbTj0IRTzwNhWmMqg71AsbB3je91Us74tN1gHxFEQymt5LPfhKEiEQ962BE0vP_AiRyvmJNDkHJmlq0KcTsWzHVbWXBJ9k87as/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFux8ATR4bdKQfYz3pAGvsZC-PZQLv0f3Tnq8FFl6xALvbTj0IRTzwNhWmMqg71AsbB3je91Us74tN1gHxFEQymt5LPfhKEiEQ962BE0vP_AiRyvmJNDkHJmlq0KcTsWzHVbWXBJ9k87as/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">A welcoming fall entrance to the Peaks of Otter.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2R3v9onpxSqdBIbsAMtJVBDeLo1YIquLnRocfADCW18ph2qu0fVzQLKo_SBosnijHq6BXdl2-_yBCnjxbqt1frl3Z6vAM6Gixa_hx2MUdM8rEZyPnTIAHYLecMlrwxA4ab_LXAOHlnq7/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2R3v9onpxSqdBIbsAMtJVBDeLo1YIquLnRocfADCW18ph2qu0fVzQLKo_SBosnijHq6BXdl2-_yBCnjxbqt1frl3Z6vAM6Gixa_hx2MUdM8rEZyPnTIAHYLecMlrwxA4ab_LXAOHlnq7/s400/8.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Our lunch table overlooked Abbott Lake and Sharp Top.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQxI4XRrLVLeiTlQhBeGR6Jx_7DxJYF6woHn5pW85SSMXratBgj-konvsSGFvvYRrNysXUm4VUmhwmbeX6aG8uBCpRzn7W3-GOsBdg5FATIt0t4bhdu4In5beVDYxYz6q89K11m4qAPj1/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQxI4XRrLVLeiTlQhBeGR6Jx_7DxJYF6woHn5pW85SSMXratBgj-konvsSGFvvYRrNysXUm4VUmhwmbeX6aG8uBCpRzn7W3-GOsBdg5FATIt0t4bhdu4In5beVDYxYz6q89K11m4qAPj1/s400/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIBhGz2NL2YsXRNlziB40IvjNSkhY57w_LhtiHJYOPshs_nFb9VJfQldQTwOTYxz9Ia-UAdJ_JBH0uioxZbftWicVZAJ5vEkp2MmSet5peWW1OP-uOSv74vsKkDNcO3BNba9wjxgh-ZVi/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIBhGz2NL2YsXRNlziB40IvjNSkhY57w_LhtiHJYOPshs_nFb9VJfQldQTwOTYxz9Ia-UAdJ_JBH0uioxZbftWicVZAJ5vEkp2MmSet5peWW1OP-uOSv74vsKkDNcO3BNba9wjxgh-ZVi/s400/13.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixR10Bc5AH53fb3s4yXEbmcb9GJlh4Y9eIk2xmmit2KZK2QqxgmbuNzlsJE8d7Fcb-RVXOyaUuUPOl4Okm91_tPIWdKoSBl1AfPtRMdrzXd0hLGjhMyN7KCSZE6DLLLHg82qogKVEs1FSV/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixR10Bc5AH53fb3s4yXEbmcb9GJlh4Y9eIk2xmmit2KZK2QqxgmbuNzlsJE8d7Fcb-RVXOyaUuUPOl4Okm91_tPIWdKoSBl1AfPtRMdrzXd0hLGjhMyN7KCSZE6DLLLHg82qogKVEs1FSV/s400/14.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-M9iL7MpY0UkZmHgBhF3skZkh2l4kZUwyY1WN-E3qH6DikqdjTghOdUDY0vS9e7zSvowIKg9KIh4jB6MpYYO-NpaaQkvDy3Ezkt3dNEusRCx9l3e-SwT90-W8Qmocktby4NPuv3xfszM/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-M9iL7MpY0UkZmHgBhF3skZkh2l4kZUwyY1WN-E3qH6DikqdjTghOdUDY0vS9e7zSvowIKg9KIh4jB6MpYYO-NpaaQkvDy3Ezkt3dNEusRCx9l3e-SwT90-W8Qmocktby4NPuv3xfszM/s400/15.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhou20fUhZYGo06PinygFyLGklvp-nbN74wY-5xZfeq8wd3R0AUat3KZl7nFLIDsNioWjKDCmaZQe6xHrBv9rawUhENsuUxsAGIZdzfn_Rfj1HS8KBHxlK02RlLF7pESUR4nyzIpkK7sSOU/s1600/16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhou20fUhZYGo06PinygFyLGklvp-nbN74wY-5xZfeq8wd3R0AUat3KZl7nFLIDsNioWjKDCmaZQe6xHrBv9rawUhENsuUxsAGIZdzfn_Rfj1HS8KBHxlK02RlLF7pESUR4nyzIpkK7sSOU/s400/16.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_q6Lj1bC8be44Z4f6MXU-wK4OVxdEEubzy6jW1jJCUKTYwHOuxTcSB6824Amjwlm1Yzg5eipFwLDtlhOziHSaC4vwJK9Ow7mgmAxKTAYL-CVTD3Hcad4Ox0lRnIN0Qyl_YE3D7eo0utH/s1600/17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_q6Lj1bC8be44Z4f6MXU-wK4OVxdEEubzy6jW1jJCUKTYwHOuxTcSB6824Amjwlm1Yzg5eipFwLDtlhOziHSaC4vwJK9Ow7mgmAxKTAYL-CVTD3Hcad4Ox0lRnIN0Qyl_YE3D7eo0utH/s400/17.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">The lounge area of the main lodge.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUdRfSumcV_3lq5TkyrNJOcpRjHupWra5EWOY3XmogDJTaB7XyKZorWWvsLhx-mRZJ49OTeRmvf2Qs_vIVjIu84PYAM1echg-wsMYKg_a_RvOGRnKKv46lsXAlsV3YLMeoxMN3HTJ7v5S/s1600/18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUdRfSumcV_3lq5TkyrNJOcpRjHupWra5EWOY3XmogDJTaB7XyKZorWWvsLhx-mRZJ49OTeRmvf2Qs_vIVjIu84PYAM1echg-wsMYKg_a_RvOGRnKKv46lsXAlsV3YLMeoxMN3HTJ7v5S/s320/18.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaS4oS3S5uOuEkAI_u7Y-m0MrXLq2FcahYdgBo_A0gLrNgs6xWgTw-e1BdHVWnkh73GI2I_Jt2UGgGlNq6AeWRLutv0eWa_wTuqjs91t_MMw3y5sh4vZXZNvcLcIkaVQlQXYeiDUPCA0wz/s1600/19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaS4oS3S5uOuEkAI_u7Y-m0MrXLq2FcahYdgBo_A0gLrNgs6xWgTw-e1BdHVWnkh73GI2I_Jt2UGgGlNq6AeWRLutv0eWa_wTuqjs91t_MMw3y5sh4vZXZNvcLcIkaVQlQXYeiDUPCA0wz/s400/19.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lobby area and gift shop.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFyfTv7-Xkv3l7ZkJhhMwmkrx4OE7gRmArug85bbPywJMjhFAXcSlBCUqg_RKty1KwgrtWVkurjiD2rYH9Pl0NL-JrRb5uNOr59Tq8USYWBEgXP8S-kGE-zlc0Rbi401hjO-XEeaS5k0z/s1600/20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFyfTv7-Xkv3l7ZkJhhMwmkrx4OE7gRmArug85bbPywJMjhFAXcSlBCUqg_RKty1KwgrtWVkurjiD2rYH9Pl0NL-JrRb5uNOr59Tq8USYWBEgXP8S-kGE-zlc0Rbi401hjO-XEeaS5k0z/s640/20.jpg" width="280" /></a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Available from the gift shop....</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQrbNcyNt2sqlAA41Mj8Kz1Aof7xpM0lz7Gted7ctz6Cp5TBdOwn2NV81rQ5mX6uMCkuJU6rH_t2UOjvcZQ-_79EljiDk-vJeEbyTXLIkZdyKPhxaiLsYoPYNRfI7av2JTReTvnCbCJL4U/s1600/24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQrbNcyNt2sqlAA41Mj8Kz1Aof7xpM0lz7Gted7ctz6Cp5TBdOwn2NV81rQ5mX6uMCkuJU6rH_t2UOjvcZQ-_79EljiDk-vJeEbyTXLIkZdyKPhxaiLsYoPYNRfI7av2JTReTvnCbCJL4U/s400/24.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Peaks of Otter Campground is now closed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnGc_0L-Y5RZRjW08cpgrK-9G7SeqcYSbi8X8qDJFoRlEI6sVPr9jvNpm01teDOHSgcW86U0_-xZB9Zxy2MvMsd-VosSPdWTtQoudsctTIKxEpPcgKlgAbIFmzCWLRT6mLKxsQLorTrvW/s1600/25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnGc_0L-Y5RZRjW08cpgrK-9G7SeqcYSbi8X8qDJFoRlEI6sVPr9jvNpm01teDOHSgcW86U0_-xZB9Zxy2MvMsd-VosSPdWTtQoudsctTIKxEpPcgKlgAbIFmzCWLRT6mLKxsQLorTrvW/s400/25.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTodC0VQr7FgT4dKcqb3l2fllqRAdSBLb2gnTGfGdEfxF-w4tX0DCnHK8DpnNTZx5v054JXKhFz3t5JXdzhRyvuOOvh5SncHYoVrqUG736hjoLgeLxD5j9H_qY6uZ0pqcVc8xN3JrWvLm/s1600/28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTodC0VQr7FgT4dKcqb3l2fllqRAdSBLb2gnTGfGdEfxF-w4tX0DCnHK8DpnNTZx5v054JXKhFz3t5JXdzhRyvuOOvh5SncHYoVrqUG736hjoLgeLxD5j9H_qY6uZ0pqcVc8xN3JrWvLm/s400/28.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsSyxHBUzXrxK8iRUmpdnqly5JY-zvW2kfJoM-yJdtc-7HC7TbjrV9RubIQWdz4_teX5UtAhgXe9yg3IU7qzlY1V9MKj1OJv3U68ZBLx3PnAVn3lPjDfoMI0U4Ug2B2HaOLcigrMYrmIK/s1600/29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsSyxHBUzXrxK8iRUmpdnqly5JY-zvW2kfJoM-yJdtc-7HC7TbjrV9RubIQWdz4_teX5UtAhgXe9yg3IU7qzlY1V9MKj1OJv3U68ZBLx3PnAVn3lPjDfoMI0U4Ug2B2HaOLcigrMYrmIK/s400/29.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSzkAuqSB-UWOsbQOv88nW5l_JA5HcUZMvFztsPa7jqMiHn7_B0MiQOvXcF33og2NToPZVqNrrI7bRFD_ikcbYb408ny0moFeLgZ0XoC36tDuf5LoCwrWO9epIIRD6m0f4LR4uViJWr2Z/s1600/30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSzkAuqSB-UWOsbQOv88nW5l_JA5HcUZMvFztsPa7jqMiHn7_B0MiQOvXcF33og2NToPZVqNrrI7bRFD_ikcbYb408ny0moFeLgZ0XoC36tDuf5LoCwrWO9epIIRD6m0f4LR4uViJWr2Z/s400/30.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8OM6S_BhlNjU9l4fpCE1VcnAR6DHJ9oztmmeznlebtnhrYYk-KUZ6byHU3X3hk8ZMVNgGJey5EVICKNzCXn98Y_oFKlz1fsiXiG0iMphOipF4dVgRS-bfVRCUTjITkwN7JaQVJY87iTJ/s1600/31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8OM6S_BhlNjU9l4fpCE1VcnAR6DHJ9oztmmeznlebtnhrYYk-KUZ6byHU3X3hk8ZMVNgGJey5EVICKNzCXn98Y_oFKlz1fsiXiG0iMphOipF4dVgRS-bfVRCUTjITkwN7JaQVJY87iTJ/s640/31.jpg" width="451" /></a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gb6LBj2C-SE6GX7r3jxVPG6z7vJdC-gMrEBY8d8ekuAy3usd-J-799c9ms_nk1-xTsUIB_sWx6XlCdN-N9qIP8AP7QpRriFzniZoBPvf4LvQB2pCCzlVAm0KfgA0eoC0ws7yagcpF6FA/s1600/32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gb6LBj2C-SE6GX7r3jxVPG6z7vJdC-gMrEBY8d8ekuAy3usd-J-799c9ms_nk1-xTsUIB_sWx6XlCdN-N9qIP8AP7QpRriFzniZoBPvf4LvQB2pCCzlVAm0KfgA0eoC0ws7yagcpF6FA/s400/32.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNS_te6OUjR3opFgk6WVq3a_UilxiuVePvGJuAz-3rKRHU8otAD3PIkrKhrU_bTu2e0_JmZj6xB51sZI0Sasya9stNoKbDCRfHI2mgI8ISBlVstMJ5qNPoG9NqHyEEGB9x-2YJs3xBLN4/s1600/33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNS_te6OUjR3opFgk6WVq3a_UilxiuVePvGJuAz-3rKRHU8otAD3PIkrKhrU_bTu2e0_JmZj6xB51sZI0Sasya9stNoKbDCRfHI2mgI8ISBlVstMJ5qNPoG9NqHyEEGB9x-2YJs3xBLN4/s400/33.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAempAbdqJ4PvViDRtqofydpOS0py1PTGTlXydwD9qut6aHgEMI2vP-u2orJbBIAAll2Es1LZ1PjlWEhJAmB3ZtHzujdG0kOpiZRIMp012OTWaEpc5ANWO3yROXohBq8NMC0oNsIiFx4cD/s1600/21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAempAbdqJ4PvViDRtqofydpOS0py1PTGTlXydwD9qut6aHgEMI2vP-u2orJbBIAAll2Es1LZ1PjlWEhJAmB3ZtHzujdG0kOpiZRIMp012OTWaEpc5ANWO3yROXohBq8NMC0oNsIiFx4cD/s640/21.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><i></i> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3J_7YvZGba18Af3V-MN045ijSxQedRoOTIWuMwULRzJS-oDhibxRf5b0Y87SHky1RluXPYode5Erxbww8PbKPn3j637oLM3Io5moRQEgQ1GdBLZyNE29juZezxP4iLbJ713iPo6uvZDj6/s1600/23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3J_7YvZGba18Af3V-MN045ijSxQedRoOTIWuMwULRzJS-oDhibxRf5b0Y87SHky1RluXPYode5Erxbww8PbKPn3j637oLM3Io5moRQEgQ1GdBLZyNE29juZezxP4iLbJ713iPo6uvZDj6/s400/23.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sharp Top looms over Peaks of Otter Lodge.</div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />September 26, 2013

Bedford Blue Ridge Mountains Blue Ridge Parkway government shutdown National Park Service Peaks of Otter Just reopened, Peaks of Otter now a victim of government shutdown

Peaks of Otter Lodge on September 26, 2013. The government shutdown has shuttered Peaks of Otter , that historic lodge and restaurant that r...

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Heroes still: WW II vets push aside shutdown barriers to enter WW II memorial

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVjHnaTlDi0p2e3p3ho8t0vLPU24hm9vo0bvfotVwQWmiQznSrgKvfZ_fSxnPZsHevxeXdqenU3rrvYOi2LMSjuojlBWkzi7-MmPRw5ocXBBkWrNbkYD5cMcTyvDegX2AOG0f2DANfL1J/s1600/World+War+II+memorial+DC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVjHnaTlDi0p2e3p3ho8t0vLPU24hm9vo0bvfotVwQWmiQznSrgKvfZ_fSxnPZsHevxeXdqenU3rrvYOi2LMSjuojlBWkzi7-MmPRw5ocXBBkWrNbkYD5cMcTyvDegX2AOG0f2DANfL1J/s320/World+War+II+memorial+DC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />They fought for their country at a time when the world was in tumult, and are now in the twilight years of their lives. On Tuesday, when the U.S. Government shut down, 72 World War II veterans from Mississippi <a href="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/witness-mississippi-congressman-opened-the-barricade-to-closed-wwii-memorial">were scheduled to visit the World War II memorial</a> in Washington, D.C.<br /><br />Because government was shut down, the memorials were closed at a time when the gentlemen were there to visit, possibly the only chance in their lifetimes.<br /><br />And so they visited anyway. In news that flew around the internet on Monday, the veterans pushed through barriers that were then set aside to allow 80 elderly veterans in wheelchairs to see the memorial erected in their honor by the people of America.<br /><br />They ignored park police, pushed aside the barriers, and wheeled in anyway, these Honor Flight vets. <a href="http://www.stripes.com/news/wwii-veterans-storm-dc-memorial-closed-by-government-shutdown-1.244447"><i>Stars and Stripes</i></a> reported one veteran's response:<br /><blockquote>“We didn’t come this far not to get in,” one veteran proclaimed.<br /><br />The scene was both emotional and comical at once. After it was clear they had lost control of the situation, Park Police officials stood aside, telling press that they had “asked for guidance on how to respond” to the breach of security.<br /><br />As 80-something veterans slowly walked around the massive war memorial, Park Police stood quietly to the side, advising other tourists that the site was technically still closed. But they made no moves to stop the wishes of the war heroes.</blockquote>It was the right thing to do.<br /><br />Now let's end this government shutdown.

American heroes government shutdown Stars and Stripes veterans World War II memorial Heroes still: WW II vets push aside shutdown barriers to enter WW II memorial

They fought for their country at a time when the world was in tumult, and are now in the twilight years of their lives. On Tuesday, when the...

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