Australia’s minimum wage is $16

<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Say the U.S. businesses can't pay a living wage? </span><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/08/the-magical-world-where-mcdonalds-pays-15-an-hour-its-australia/278313/" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One just needs to look at Australia</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, which already pays workers at least $15 an hour and fast-food employees above $16 an hour, to see that it can be done.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is the result of paying workers a fair wage? High unemployment? Slow economic growth? Neither. Instead the Land Down Under was the only nation that avoided a catastrophic recession five years ago. All while receiving health care, vacation days and sick days as required by the Australian government.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Salvatore Babones, a senior lecturer at the University of Sydney, notes the </span><a href="http://truth-out.org/video/item/18106-australia-has-16-minimum-wage-and-is-the-only-rich-country-to-dodge-the-global-recession?tmpl=component&print=1" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">conditions for working people are just plan better</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> in his country:</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think it's long past the time when Americans should wake up and see, you know, how far along the rest of the world has come. If a $15 minimum wage seems unrealistic, it's only because we're stuck in the 1950s or 1960s idea of how you should live as a worker in America. Ordinary workers, people who do, you know, grocery store checkout or fast food, simply do much better in the rest of the developed world than they do in the United States.<o:p></o:p></span></blockquote></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> While buddies of big business have long insisted that an increase in wages would only hurt workers, that just hasn’t proven true. Jared Bernstein, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said </span><a href="http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/09/the-economics-of-a-higher-wage-floor/?smid=tw-share" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">economists no longer hold such a point of view</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">:</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why don’t they lose their jobs? In part, because some of the cost of the higher wages comes out of profits, which, as noted, explains the “who and why” of the people fighting the hardest against this idea.<o:p></o:p></span></blockquote></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Others agree. Too many companies are simply </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/companies-need-to-pay-people-more-2013-8" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">holding onto cash in an effort to maximize their bottom line</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><u><span style="color: blue;">s</span></u></span>. In the end, they are hurting themselves:</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If average Americans don't get paid living wages, they can't spend much money buying products and services. And when average Americans can't buy products and services, the companies that sell products and services to average Americans can't grow. So the profit obsession of America's big companies is, ironically, hurting their ability to accelerate revenue growth.<o:p></o:p></span></blockquote></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> It is time for corporate America to move beyond the old tired lines it has used for decades. It can afford to pay higher wages without shuttering. Let’s create a system that pays fair wages and allows businesses to profit, too.</span>

Australia living wage low-wage workers Australia’s minimum wage is $16

Say the U.S. businesses can't pay a living wage? One just needs to look at Australia , which already pays workers at least $15 an hour a...

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Wintergreen: 8th Annual Blue Ridge Mountian Music Festival this weekend

8th Annual Blue Ridge Mountain Music Festival<br />August 17<br />12-7 pm<br />Dunlop Pavilion, Wintergreen Resort<br /><br />Celebrating our mountain heritage, Wintergreen Performing Arts presents the 8th Annual <a href="http://direct.wintergreenresort.com/ct/22881275:23605075909:m:1:1511708989:696BC2655C4E4C3F4E415FEEFEDEF136:r" target="_blank">Blue Ridge Mountain Music Fest</a>. This year the Fest features the return of the always popular Robin and Linda Williams and Their Fine Group and the Grammy-nominated marquee bluegrass group, Blue Highway. Rounding out the program, we welcome Honey Dewdrops as well as Kim and Jimbo Cary & Peter and Ellen Vigour.<br /><br /> Schedule:<br /><br />12 pm Honey Dewdrops<br />1 pm Blue Highway<br />2 pm <a href="http://direct.wintergreenresort.com/ct/22881278:23605075909:m:1:1511708989:696BC2655C4E4C3F4E415FEEFEDEF136:r" target="_blank">Robin and Linda Williams</a> and their Fine Group<br />3 pm Honey Dewdrops<br />4 pm Blue Highway<br />5 pm Robin and Linda Williams and their Fine Group<br />6 pm  <a href="http://direct.wintergreenresort.com/ct/22881279:23605075909:m:1:1511708989:696BC2655C4E4C3F4E415FEEFEDEF136:r" target="_blank">Kim & Jimbo Cary</a> and <a href="http://direct.wintergreenresort.com/ct/22881281:23605075909:m:1:1511708989:696BC2655C4E4C3F4E415FEEFEDEF136:r" target="_blank">Peter & Ellen Vigou</a>r<br /><br />Join us for a toe tapping good time!

Blue Highway Blue Ridge Mountains Honey Dewdrops Kim and Jimbo Cary Nellysford Peter and Ellen Vigour Robin and Linda Williams Virginia Is For Lovers Virginia tourism Wintergreen Resort Wintergreen: 8th Annual Blue Ridge Mountian Music Festival this weekend

8th Annual Blue Ridge Mountain Music Festival August 17 12-7 pm Dunlop Pavilion, Wintergreen Resort Celebrating our mountain heritage, Winte...

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Teamster employer causes Walmart nightmares

<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/AVvXsEgrjncEpFyseMo9S0w4aByoPE1__woQl4K4m6PH0v9EZh4VnYge9xT5IQb2_Wdqdqi0qyzCtcVHfvYSru6JoKgykOu_X67gG9fDRUjEKDs2-oIVE9AI86NeASSYKrVtquq4XjACeCeOxMRd/s1600/winco.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrjncEpFyseMo9S0w4aByoPE1__woQl4K4m6PH0v9EZh4VnYge9xT5IQb2_Wdqdqi0qyzCtcVHfvYSru6JoKgykOu_X67gG9fDRUjEKDs2-oIVE9AI86NeASSYKrVtquq4XjACeCeOxMRd/s400/winco.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walmart's worst nightmare.</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="http://www.wincofoods.com/" rel="nofollow">WinCo</a>, a Teamster employer, is described by retail analysts as "Walmart's worst nightmare." Not only can WinCo undercut Walmart on price, but it treats its workers well.<br /><br />Imagine that.<br /><br />Brother Dale Varney brought the story to our attention. The Teamsters already represent two WinCo distribution centers in Woodburn, Ore., and Modesto, Calif. He's helping to organize WinCo workers in Boise, Idaho. The Boise-based company owns about 100 grocery stores, mostly in the West.<br /><br />Here's how WinCo describes itself:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">We are The Supermarket Low Price Leader®, proudly offering 24 hour service at each of our WinCo stores for your convenience. Incredibly low prices, great quality, a vast selection, excellent service and local employee ownership; that’s who we are. How may we help you today?</blockquote>Brad Tuttle at <a href="http://business.time.com/2013/08/07/meet-the-low-key-low-cost-grocery-chain-being-called-wal-marts-worst-nightmare/" rel="nofollow">Time</a> magazine tells us more about how WinCo treats its workers: <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">...what really might scare the world’s largest retailer is how WinCo treats its employees. In sharp contrast to Walmart, which regularly comes under fire for practices like understaffing stores to keep costs down and hiring tons of temporary workers as a means to avoid paying full-time workers benefits, WinCo has a reputation for doing right by employees. It provides health benefits to all staffers who work at least 24 hours per week. The company also has a pension, with employees getting an amount equal to 20% of their annual salary put in a plan that’s paid for by WinCo; a company spokesperson told the Idaho Statesman that more than 400 nonexecutive workers (cashiers, produce clerks and such) currently have pensions worth over $1 million apiece.</blockquote>Tuttle explains how WinCo is able to keep its prices low:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Prices are kept low through a variety of strategies, the main one being that it often cuts out distributors and other middlemen and buys many goods directly from farms and factories. WinCo also trims costs by not accepting credit cards and by asking customers to bag their own groceries. Similar to warehouse membership stores like Sam’s Club and Costco, and also to successful discount grocers with small stores like Trader Joe’s and Aldi, WinCo stores are organized and minimalist, without many frills, and without the tremendous variety of merchandise that’s become standard at most supermarkets.</blockquote>Click <a href="http://www.wincofoods.com/about/locations/" rel="nofollow">here</a> to find the nearest WinCo near you. <br /><br />

Teamster employer causes Walmart nightmares

Walmart's worst nightmare. WinCo , a Teamster employer, is described by retail analysts as "Walmart's worst nightmare." No...

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Word Verification

Blogger's spam filter for comments really works pretty good and traps the comments off to a separate place where you can delete them later. I've only had one legitimate comment end up in there. I used to get a lot of spammy junk. I used word verification for a bit and that stopped the junk but I got a few emails that people couldn't comment when they wanted to because it was too hard. So I switched it to block anonymous comments.  Still no spam. I left open the option to be a user anywhere, not just blogger. <br /><br />Maryanne (sorry, I mean maryanne lol) suggested changing the blog settings to block google from finding the blog. I had done that until I saw some of the search terms that were bringing people to my blog... and decided it was better to leave it available to be found. I openly admit my "crazies" and believe that DD is a good way - for me at least - to cope with daily struggles.  Not that I have any information or proof for them because we're not doing it.  But I think it's good to see you're not alone though.<br /><br />Anyway though, if you're having problems with spam comments that's probably a good way to stop it.  People would only find you through your comments you leave on others' blogs.<br /><br />If you've got word verification you might want to reconsider it.  I was trying to comment today from my phone and finally gave up.  Either the words were a bunch of blurry gobbledy-gook or the picture couldn't be read.  I couldn't get it to give me legible letters at the same time as a picture that could be read.  <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVN-cTNwivIXpgyeuAMICMtpkXOAIPyz-xq4PCqNvYP-vQf30su8jptcDedQ2Yx3eUNJV5BhnLhsPuzPTJO_1lIdflwt4E3b4zuU27hIJHF3IDdDWjjt0PwNiedlMY_q3k9emcBdwW80c/s1600/imagew.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVN-cTNwivIXpgyeuAMICMtpkXOAIPyz-xq4PCqNvYP-vQf30su8jptcDedQ2Yx3eUNJV5BhnLhsPuzPTJO_1lIdflwt4E3b4zuU27hIJHF3IDdDWjjt0PwNiedlMY_q3k9emcBdwW80c/s320/imagew.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_KbaDqH3nofyv9sRvGiP8a6_BndDrvPCiMqBeNrsxew8xBZ428RihhA7Y0hUb6vjNBNTXa48g5gWZp4BoFr_FYo4zqArw8rupmlXittAuI3dLgAxmZt8ukJCOPev50YZEG96ik5-OjM/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_KbaDqH3nofyv9sRvGiP8a6_BndDrvPCiMqBeNrsxew8xBZ428RihhA7Y0hUb6vjNBNTXa48g5gWZp4BoFr_FYo4zqArw8rupmlXittAuI3dLgAxmZt8ukJCOPev50YZEG96ik5-OjM/s320/image.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And speaking of randomly generated letters... I saw this on facebook this weekend.  Somebody bought a plane ticket and this is what she got.  <span lang="EN">Could you imagine???  I'd be wary of getting on that plane!  </span>She put on her tweeter and said <span lang="EN">"I know we've been through some hard times together, but is this really my conf number?"  </span><br /><span lang="EN"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmULhfiRWmOvyjfRPaMsEN2fOcZPJsKy-68aGaBVl_2H3YjQKTK2vNsRwiUbN7y9bh0VCBFaBJUrDUKHu02VmdLW5rfjegQUkMilA_CeKNeHyayqtS00EVp6gTpkwSYBZPXpdJTxDvSpY/s1600/6C42F142BDEF4E9E047CFA6F57991_h316_w628_m5_ceNebUfKn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmULhfiRWmOvyjfRPaMsEN2fOcZPJsKy-68aGaBVl_2H3YjQKTK2vNsRwiUbN7y9bh0VCBFaBJUrDUKHu02VmdLW5rfjegQUkMilA_CeKNeHyayqtS00EVp6gTpkwSYBZPXpdJTxDvSpY/s320/6C42F142BDEF4E9E047CFA6F57991_h316_w628_m5_ceNebUfKn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span lang="EN"><br /></span><br /><br />

Word Verification

Blogger's spam filter for comments really works pretty good and traps the comments off to a separate place where you can delete them lat...

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Doughnuts anyone?

Good Monday morning everyone!<br /><br />One of my biggest weaknesses is Doughnuts.  On my way to work every day, I pass by several doughnut shops with 2 being really convenient.  But every day I just keep my car on the left lane so I can avoid that sudden right hand lane jerk my car tends to make.  This morning, as I was pulling out of the apartment complex, the staff at Camden Whispering Oaks Apartments had a table set up with these lovely little bags........<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtsGJ1pwNhcloCB9XxmCUeshRbNmmKlihl9if1p4p60EfpodmG8DquH5O7qQblLibdh-X90stcl9_3vL6-smnwHS6C940bHvWPr4Wr22TSf9bqhXuPvP4b8JrFX0h37K3UMwzMucTxi0/s1600/doughnuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtsGJ1pwNhcloCB9XxmCUeshRbNmmKlihl9if1p4p60EfpodmG8DquH5O7qQblLibdh-X90stcl9_3vL6-smnwHS6C940bHvWPr4Wr22TSf9bqhXuPvP4b8JrFX0h37K3UMwzMucTxi0/s320/doughnuts.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />It's not like there is a left lane I can pull over to avoid them.  And, the staff had such a great awesome cheerful smile, who wouldn't want to pull over, have a doughnut and some juice and talk about the beautiful blue skies.  Every car in front and behind me stopped.  They took a picture and everyone seemed happy.  Me, on the other hand, like Scrooge at Christmas, I just waved as fast as I could and kept on driving.  Hey, at least I had my windows down!!!!  And yes, I could SMELL THE DOUGHNUTS!!<br /><br />Actually, it wasn't really hard at all. Belviq has really curved my desire for sweets.  I can't tell you the last time I had something sweet or sugary.  Wait, yes I can!  It was June 20th - the day before I started Belviq!!! <br /><br />I want to thank Mary and the gang at Camden Whispering Oaks for being thoughtful this morning to the residents.  Most importantly, they are following my blog so they totally understand why I wouldn't stop haha. <br /><br />I hope everyone taking Belviq can appreciate the will power that Belviq will help you gain.  Really pay attention to it.  It gives you more motivation just realizing that for once, you are in control.<br /><br />Have a fabulous day!!<br /><br />xoxox<br />Ellie

Doughnuts anyone?

Good Monday morning everyone! One of my biggest weaknesses is Doughnuts.  On my way to work every day, I pass by several doughnut shops with...

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Indications That You Should Hire An Individual Fitness Instructor Sacramento Pro

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Bill Hoyle</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Nowadays, individual instructors are not simply for those people that want to stay in a gym or enter into fitness pageants. Personal fitness instructors supply advice in a variety of health and wellness aspects, and you might profit from learning more about a personal instructor, regardless of what your line of business. Required some convincing? Right here are some signs that you need to hire an individual trainer Sacramento pro:. You don't understand how you can reach your fitness goals. For way too many people, merely not understanding enough about physical fitness keeps them away from trying in the first place. That is understandable, but it's not a good enough reason if you have health and fitness objectives that you're avoiding as a result of anxiety or unknowing. The best method to get over that hump is to grab the hand of a credibled consultant, and your individual fitness instructor could lead you via the wild up until you prepare to brave it by yourself.<br /> <br /> You've reached a stage. It might be that you are familiar with exercising, however that it has actually been a long time since you have actually seen any kind of good modifications in your physical fitness degree. It is really common for even the most knowledgeable health and fitness buff to reach a plateau where nothing appears to be functioning to move ahead. Rather than feel stuck, you can work with an individual trainer to get you out of the rut.<br /> <br /> You can't sustain. Whether we intend to confess it or otherwise, we will certainly all age much faster than we intend to, which time will certainly provide us about some bodily downsides. If you locate that you could not keep up with the boys and girls on household trips, or if you are also worn down after a day of work to even appreciate your brief minute of relaxation before bed time, then an individual trainer could be simply what you need to catch up to speed.<br /> <br /> Your health and wellness depends on it. Occasionally health and fitness refers life or death-- essentially. It is not unusual for doctors to impose strict diet plan and physical fitness regimens on their people with falling short wellness, as a result of conditions that could be turned around, or at least minimized, with exercise. Your individual instructor could help you nurse your wellness back to wellness.<br /> <br /> No matter what your current lifestyle or health and wellness targets are, you can benefit from the skills of a personal trainer. It is essential that you make sure in selecting a fitness instructor who is experienced, skilled, certified, and really interested in your general well-being.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>The indicated article author is very knowledgeable on <a href="http://www.personaltrainersacramento.net">personal training sacramento</a>. Please have a glance at their website to know even more.</div><br /> </div><br />

Indications That You Should Hire An Individual Fitness Instructor Sacramento Pro

By Bill Hoyle Nowadays, individual instructors are not simply for those people that want to stay in a gym or enter into fitness pageants...

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Frontiers | News in Medicine

Our grand vision is to build an Open Science platform that empowers researchers in their daily work and where everybody has equal opportunity to seek, share and generate knowledge.<br /><br><br /><br><a href="http://www.frontiersin.org/news/Medicine">http://www.frontiersin.org/news/Medicine</a>

Frontiers | News in Medicine

Our grand vision is to build an Open Science platform that empowers researchers in their daily work and where everybody has equal opportunit...

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Kettlebell Workout Routines For Amazing Fitness In 20 Minutes A Day

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Chris Rivers</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Kettlebell workout routines are increasing with popularity and for good reason. It is a workout that is extremely versatile with many benefits. Some of these benefits are, combined cardio and strength training Most kettlebell workouts are designed with explosive exercises designed to keep your heart rate up while at the same time increasing resistance.<br /> <br /> The kettle-bell weights are designed so that when they are lifted, the body is forced to use the muscles that are normally utilized in everyday activities. For example, a person may feel as though they are carrying grocery bags when lifting the weights. This activity helps to strengthen these essential muscles in the body plus others that may not be used as much.<br /> <br /> Not only is this a practical way of gaining muscle because the strength can be used in everyday situations but it is also a method of preventing injury. Kettlebell workouts use the entire body. Different groups of muscles are utilized at the same time to maintain the body's balance as the person lifts the weights.<br /> <br /> As a result, the whole body is evenly strengthened including the core. Many workout injuries are prevented in this manner.<br /> <br /> While building strength through this type of workout, a person can also increase their cardiovascular fitness. The individual is exercising their heart and heightening its endurance over time. This makes the heart muscle stronger. As a result, people who use this kind of workout regularly can see a positive influence on their blood pressure and cholesterol level. Having a stronger heart also reduces the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, and even some types of cancer.<br /> <br /> To obtain the highest level of benefit from Kettlebell workout routines, they should be done regularly. To some people, this might mean every day. However, when a person is starting out, they may want to do a light workout two to three times a week until they are able to increase the intensity or frequency of the routine.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>If you're looking for a way to get fitter and tone up all in one session you need to try <a href="http://www.ultimatekettlebellworkoutroutines.com">kettlebell workout routines</a></div><br /> </div><br />

Kettlebell Workout Routines For Amazing Fitness In 20 Minutes A Day

By Chris Rivers Kettlebell workout routines are increasing with popularity and for good reason. It is a workout that is extremely versat...

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SciBite :: Drug Discovery, Now

SciBite is real-time drug discovery search engine, tracking new developments within biotech and pharma. We offer unparalleled tracking of the drugs, targets, indications and companies that make up the global drug discovery landscape. <br /><br><br /><br><a href="http://scibite.com/">http://scibite.com/</a>

SciBite :: Drug Discovery, Now

SciBite is real-time drug discovery search engine, tracking new developments within biotech and pharma. We offer unparalleled tracking of th...

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Risk of Adult Anxiety Seen in Children’s Stomachaches - NYTimes.com

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><div id="well" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div align="left"><div class="entry-content"><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Children with chronic stomach pains are at high risk for anxiety disorders in adolescence and young adulthood, <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/embargo?embargoed-uri=http%3A%2F%2Fpediatrics.aappublications.org%2Fcontent%2Fearly%2F2013%2F08%2F07%2Fpeds.2012-2191" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">a new study has found</a>, suggesting that parents may wish to have their children evaluated at some point for anxiety.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Researchers at Vanderbilt University tracked 332 children with recurring stomachaches that could not be traced to a physical cause — so-called functional abdominal pain — comparing them as they reached young adulthood with 147 children who had never had such stomachaches.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">About half the teenagers and young adults who had had functional abdominal pain as children developed an anxiety disorder at some point, compared with 20 percent of the control group, the researchers found. The vulnerability to anxiety persisted into adulthood even if the pain had disappeared, although the risk was highest if the pain continued.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Forty percent of the children with functional abdominal pain went on to experience depression, compared with 16 percent of those who had never had these stomachaches.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">The study was published on Monday in the journal Pediatrics.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">"What this study shows is a strong connection between functional abdominal pain and anxiety persists into adulthood, and it drives home the point that this isn't by chance," said Dr. John V. Campo, chairman of the department of psychiatry at Ohio State University, who was not involved in the new study.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">In 2001, Dr. Campo <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/108/1/e1.full" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">published a smaller study</a> that found that 28 young adults who had suffered functional abdominal pain as children were far more likely to have an anxiety disorder than 28 similar adults who had experienced another childhood illness.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Chronic abdominal pain affects 8 percent to 25 percent of school-age children. The problem can lead to school absences and take a toll on families.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">"Somebody might say, 'Of course they have mental issues or they are emotionally distressed — it's because of the pain,' " said Lynn S. Walker, senior author of the study and director of the division of adolescent health at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">"But we found even if the pain went away, these adolescents and young adults still have anxiety," Dr. Walker said. "So maybe we need to treat their anxiety."</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">The state-of-the-art treatment for functional abdominal pain is rehabilitative, focused on getting patients to participate in daily activities despite their stomachaches. "There's no question that there are triggers for the pain, but the problem is in the perception of the pain and adaptation to the pain," said Dr. Samuel Nurko, director of a functional abdominal pain center at Children's Hospital Boston.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Dr. Nurko compared the pain to a light on a dimmer switch, which psychological techniques can help children control. "You don't take away the pain," he said. "You 'dim' it to be able to cope better."</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">The new study underscores the importance of screening children with the condition for anxiety or depression, the authors said. Anxious children tend to be good children who are concerned about doing their best, Dr. Walker said, and parents may be flummoxed by the suggestion that such a child could be grappling with a mental health issue.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">The majority of the children enrolled in the study "had not seen a mental health professional, ever," Dr. Walker said.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">But Miranda van Tilburg, an associate professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, cautioned parents against leaping to the conclusion that a child's unexplained stomach pain is "all anxiety based, because we don't know that."</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">"The take-away message should be you should not be afraid, if your doctor talks to you about anxiety in your child, to seek help from a mental health professional, because it could help your child feel better," Dr. van Tilburg said.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Such a referral is "not an admission that that's what's causing the pain," she said. "It's just an admission that anxiety is linked to the pain."</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Nasrin Kazemi, a part-time real estate agent in Brentwood, Tenn., has three children, all of whom had frequent stomachaches. "If I get a little more excited, or sad, or mad about something, my stomach will start hurting," said Mrs. Kazemi's youngest daughter, Donya, 11.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">The anticipation of starting sixth grade this fall has set off new waves of stomach pain. "It's probably not going to stop until I get used to sixth grade," Donya said.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">She became anxious two years ago after a ghastly fortnight of flu-induced vomiting, her mother said. Since then, Donya worries about attending birthday parties where she might catch another flu, and such concerns make her abdominal pain flare up.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">At first, Mrs. Kazemi was reluctant to seek psychological help for Donya, but her daughter eventually saw Dr. Walker. Mrs. Kazemi is hopeful about the new research, even though it suggests that Donya may have a lifelong vulnerability to anxiety.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">"Because she is learning to deal with her emotions and to not let them get the better of her, she'll be better with dealing with negative things that happen later in life," Mrs. Kazemi said.</div></div></div></div></div><a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/12/risk-of-adult-anxiety-seen-in-childrens-stomachaches/?">http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/12/risk-of-adult-anxiety-seen-in-childrens-stomachaches/?</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

Risk of Adult Anxiety Seen in Children’s Stomachaches - NYTimes.com

Children with chronic stomach pains are at high risk for anxiety disorders in adolescence and young adulthood,  a new study has found , sugg...

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Path to United States Practice Is Long Slog to Foreign Doctors - NYTimes.com

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><nyt_text style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div id="articleBody"><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Thousands of foreign-trained immigrant physicians are living in the United States with lifesaving skills that are going unused because they stumbled over one of the many hurdles in the path toward becoming a licensed doctor here.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The involved testing process and often duplicative training these doctors must go through are intended to make sure they meet this country's high quality standards, which American medical industry groups say are unmatched elsewhere in the world. Some development experts are also loath to make it too easy for foreign doctors to practice here because of the risk of a "brain drain" abroad.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">But many foreign physicians and their advocates argue that the process is unnecessarily restrictive and time-consuming, particularly since America's need for doctors will expand sharply in a few short months under President Obama's health care law. They point out that medical services cost far more in the United States than elsewhere in the world, in part because of such restrictions.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The United States already faces a shortage of physicians in many parts of the country, especially in specialties where foreign-trained physicians are most likely to practice, like primary care. And that shortage is <a title="Article about upcoming physician shortage under Affordable Care Act." href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/health/policy/too-few-doctors-in-many-us-communities.html?ref=health" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">going to get exponentially worse, studies predict,</a> when the health care law insures millions more Americans starting in 2014.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The new health care law only modestly increases the supply of homegrown primary care doctors, not nearly enough to account for the shortfall, and even that tiny bump is still a few years away because it takes so long to train new doctors. Immigrant advocates and some economists point out that the medical labor force could grow much faster if the country tapped the underused skills of the foreign-trained physicians who are already here but are not allowed to practice. Canada, by contrast, has made efforts to recognize more high-quality training programs done abroad.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"It doesn't cost the taxpayers a penny because these doctors come fully trained," said Nyapati Raghu Rao, the Indian-born chairman of psychiatry at Nassau University Medical Center and a past chairman of the American Medical Association's international medical graduates governing council. "It is doubtful that the U.S. can respond to the massive shortages without the participation of international medical graduates. But we're basically ignoring them in this discussion and I don't know why that is."</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Consider Sajith Abeyawickrama, 37, who was a celebrated anesthesiologist in his native Sri Lanka. But here in the United States, where he came in 2010 to marry, he cannot practice medicine.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Instead of working as a doctor himself, he has held a series of jobs in the medical industry, including an unpaid position where he entered patient data into a hospital's electronic medical records system, and, more recently, a paid position teaching a test prep course for students trying to become licensed doctors themselves.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">For years the United States has been training too few doctors to meet its own needs, in part because of industry-set limits on the number of medical school slots available. Today about one in four physicians practicing in the United States were trained abroad, a figure that includes a substantial number of American citizens who could not get into medical school at home and studied in places like the Caribbean.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">But immigrant doctors, no matter how experienced and well trained, must run a long, costly and confusing gantlet before they can actually practice here.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The process usually starts with an application to a <a title="Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates Web site." href="http://www.ecfmg.org/" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">private nonprofit organization</a> that verifies medical school transcripts and diplomas. Among <a title="Steps to becoming a doctor in the United States if physicians were trained abroad." href="http://www.ama-assn.org//ama/pub/about-ama/our-people/member-groups-sections/international-medical-graduates/practicing-medicine.page" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">other requirements</a>, foreign doctors must prove they<a title="Information on U.S. Medical Licensing Examinations, which include English proficiency test." href="http://www.usmle.org/bulletin/exam-content/#step2cs" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">speak English</a>; pass three separate steps of the <a title="Information on the U.S. Medical Licensing Examinations." href="http://www.usmle.org/bulletin/exam-content/" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">United States Medical Licensing Examination</a>; get American recommendation letters, usually obtained after volunteering or working in a hospital, clinic or research organization; and be permanent residents or receive a work visa (which often requires them to return to their home country after their training).</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The biggest challenge is that an immigrant physician must win one of the coveted slots in America's medical residency system, the step that seems to be the tightest bottleneck.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">That residency, which typically involves grueling 80-hour workweeks, is required even if a doctor previously did a residency in a country with an advanced medical system, like Britain or Japan. The only exception is for doctors who did their residencies in Canada.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The whole process can consume upward of a decade — for those lucky few who make it through.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"It took me double the time I thought, since I was still having to work while I was studying to pay for the visa, which was very expensive," said Alisson Sombredero, 33, an H.I.V. specialist who came to the United States from Colombia in 2005.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Dr. Sombredero spent three years studying for her American license exams, gathering recommendation letters and volunteering at a hospital in an unpaid position. She supported herself during that time by working as a nanny. That was followed by three years in a residency at Highland Hospital in Oakland, Calif., and one year in an H.I.V. fellowship at San Francisco General Hospital. She finally finished her training this summer, eight years after she arrived in the United States and 16 years after she first enrolled in medical school.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Dr. Sombredero was helped through the process by the <a title="Organization s Web site." href="http://welcomebackinitiative.org/" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">Welcome Back Initiative</a>, an organization started 12 years ago as a partnership between San Francisco State University and City College of San Francisco. The organization has worked with <a title="Data on Welcome Back Initiative participants." href="http://welcomebackinitiative.org/wb/outcomes/participant_outcomes/WBI-Demographics.pdf" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">about 4,600 physicians </a>in its centers around the country, according to its founder, <a title="Dr. Fernandez-Pena s homepage." href="http://healthed.sfsu.edu/people/faculty/jos%C3%A9-ram%C3%B3n-fern%C3%A1ndez-pe%C3%B1" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">José Ramón Fernández-Peña</a>.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Only 118 of those doctors, he said, have successfully made it to residency.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"If I had to even think about going through residency now, I'd shoot myself," said Dr. Fernández-Peña, who came to the United States from Mexico in 1985 and chose not even to try treating patients once he learned what the licensing process requires. Today, in addition to running the Welcome Back Initiative, he is an associate professor of health education at San Francisco State.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The counterargument for making it easier for foreign physicians to practice in the United States — aside from concerns about quality controls — is that doing so will draw more physicians from poor countries. These places often have paid for their doctors' medical training with public funds, on the assumption that those doctors will stay.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"We need to wean ourselves from our extraordinary dependence on importing doctors from the developing world," said <a title="Dr. Mullan s homepage." href="http://sphhs.gwu.edu/faculty/index.cfm?empName=%20Fitzhugh%20Mullan&amp;employeeID=144" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">Fitzhugh Mullan</a>, a professor of medicine and health policy at George Washington University in Washington. "We can't tell other countries to nail their doctors' feet to the ground at home. People will want to move and they should be able to. But we have created a huge, wide, open market by undertraining here, and the developing world responds."</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">About one in 10 doctors trained in India have left that country, he found in a 2005 <a title="New England Journal of Medicine study." href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa050004#t=articleResults" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">study</a>, and the figure is close to one in three for Ghana. (Many of those moved to Europe or other developed nations other than the United States.)</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">No one knows exactly how many immigrant doctors are in the United States and not practicing, but some other data points provide a clue. Each year the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, a private nonprofit, clears about <a title="Data on E.C.F.M.G. certifications." href="http://www.ecfmg.org/resources/data-certification.html" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">8,000 immigrant doctors</a> (not including the American citizens who go to medical school abroad) to apply for the national residency match system. Normally about 3,000 of them successfully match to a residency slot, mostly filling less desired residencies in community hospitals, unpopular locations and in less lucrative specialties like <a title="Report on international medical graduates." href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1824721/?tool=pubmed" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">primary care</a>.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Over the last five years, an average of 42.1 percent of foreign-trained immigrant physicians who applied for residencies through the <a title="Data on residency matching, see Table 4, p.15." href="http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsanddata2013.pdf" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">national match system</a> succeeded. That compares with an average match rate of 93.9 percent for seniors at America's mainstream medical schools.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Mr. Abeyawickrama, the Sri Lankan anesthesiologist, has failed to match for three years in a row; he blames low test scores. Most foreign doctors spend several years studying and taking their licensing exams, which American-trained doctors also take. He said he didn't know this, and misguidedly thought it would be more expeditious to take all three within seven months of his arrival.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"That was the most foolish thing I ever did in my life," he says. "I had the knowledge, but I did not know the art of the exams here."</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Even with inadequate preparation, he passed, though earning scores too low to be considered by most residency programs. But as a testament to his talents, he was recently offered a two-year research fellowship at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic, starting in the fall. He is hoping this job will give residency programs reason to overlook his test scores next time he applies.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"Once I finish my fellowship in Cleveland, at one of the best hospitals in America, I hope there will be some doors opening for me," he said. "Maybe then they will look at my scores and realize they do not depict my true knowledge."</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The residency match rate for immigrants is likely to fall even lower in coming years. That is because the number of accredited American medical schools, and therefore United States-trained medical students, has <a title="Projections for med school enrollment." href="https://www.aamc.org/newsroom/newsreleases/281296/new-projections.html" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">increased substantially</a> in the last decade, while the number of residency slots (most of which are subsizided by Medicare) has barely budged since Congress effectively <a title="More information on funding for medical residencies." href="https://www.aamc.org/newsroom/reporter/july09/68622/july09_gradmed.html" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">froze residency funding in 1997</a>.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Experts say several things could be done to make it easier for foreign-trained doctors to practice here, including reciprocal licensing arrangements, more and perhaps accelerated American residencies, or recognition of postgraduate training from other advanced countries.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Canada provides the most telling comparison. Some Canadian provinces allow immigrant doctors to <a title="College of Family Physicians of Canada list of jurisdictions whose postgraduate training is recognized." href="http://www.cfpc.ca/RecognizedTraining/" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">practice family medicine without doing a Canadian residency</a>, typically if the doctor did similar postgraduate work in the United States, Australia, Britain or Ireland. There are also residency waivers for <a title="Information on jurisdictions whose training is deemed similar to that in Canada." href="http://www.royalcollege.ca/portal/page/portal/rc/credentials/start/routes/international_medical_graduates" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">some specialists coming from select training programs abroad considered similar to Canadian ones</a>.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">As a result, many (some estimates suggest nearly half) foreign-trained physicians currently coming into Canada do not have to redo a residency, said Dr. Rocco Gerace, the president of the <a title="The federation s Web site." href="http://www.fmrac.ca/index.html" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada</a>.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">In the United States, some foreign doctors work as waiters or taxi drivers while they try to work through the licensing process. Others decide to apply their skills to becoming another kind of medical professional, like a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, adopting careers that require fewer years of training. But those paths present barriers as well.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The same is true for other highly skilled medical professionals.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Hemamani Karuppiaharjunan, 40, was a dentist in her native India, which she left in 2000 to join her husband in the United States. She decided that going back to dentistry school in the United States while having two young children would be prohibitively time-consuming and expensive. Instead, she enrolled in a two-year dental hygiene program at Bergen Community College in Paramus, N.J., which cost her $30,000 instead of the $150,000 she would have needed to attend dental school. She graduated in 2012 at the top of her class and earns $42 an hour now, about half what she might make as a dentist in her area.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The loss of status has been harder.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"I rarely talk about it with patients," she said. When she does mention her background, they usually express sympathy. "I'm glad my education is still respected in that sense, that people do recognize what I've done even though I can't practice dentistry."</p></div></nyt_text><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/12/business/economy/long-slog-for-foreign-doctors-to-practice-in-us.html?">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/12/business/economy/long-slog-for-foreign-doctors-to-practice-in-us.html?</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

Path to United States Practice Is Long Slog to Foreign Doctors - NYTimes.com

Thousands of foreign-trained immigrant physicians are living in the United States with lifesaving skills that are going unused because they ...

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best of pinterest - bathrooms

Happy Monday y'all. Raise your hand if you could have used an extra day this weekend. Me too. And thanks to everyone for your ideas on the battle of the dying hydrangeas. I think I've found a solution which I'll share as soon as I get around to fixing it.<br /><br />But for today, let's talk pretty bathrooms. I've had bathrooms on the brain lately, must be all of that potty training madness, so I thought we could ease into the week with some eye candy.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_foSnAfoTLnLgyuQ8tC34U2lD-Thyphenhyphen0vrS5HDUtp99pIcUNe-BUECNfYeZ_W9bmP33K3of6AEraeZdXT_KIuOLiLIXGZCkDUVWv2yHWiIDwSK7WXyLdyaCnapQObJKExrTuiCneeqsEE0V/s1600/f1739828445b584c67de6f9f3d60e8b9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_foSnAfoTLnLgyuQ8tC34U2lD-Thyphenhyphen0vrS5HDUtp99pIcUNe-BUECNfYeZ_W9bmP33K3of6AEraeZdXT_KIuOLiLIXGZCkDUVWv2yHWiIDwSK7WXyLdyaCnapQObJKExrTuiCneeqsEE0V/s640/f1739828445b584c67de6f9f3d60e8b9.jpg" width="530" /></a></div><br />I like the idea of a his and her sink but with each side having a bit of its own personality. Especially since right now all we have is one his/her/her/her sink.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExsG66vY_xPoJbfYuE4BteVVpUmBg7vdsercLTnkmiTMh7KnxSxkJtfykwKH56cJrJolir4X5GiIxAXFbxPeYLPHGv6VA1ZZOdVOSNEApgP7y7Vk7PrCH9MXmSi_DKzI4_gEtqOOMTiNa/s1600/75106d42b2c7fbf13d763d9c1d56bf2c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExsG66vY_xPoJbfYuE4BteVVpUmBg7vdsercLTnkmiTMh7KnxSxkJtfykwKH56cJrJolir4X5GiIxAXFbxPeYLPHGv6VA1ZZOdVOSNEApgP7y7Vk7PrCH9MXmSi_DKzI4_gEtqOOMTiNa/s640/75106d42b2c7fbf13d763d9c1d56bf2c.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><br />A large shower would be fun because this is a dream and why not have a large shower.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7nw1Pk9sIuuSS5xqnCnSIGoU66cMNx14TM5SrD1h3pGxXv9L-PdYZZyWIyf0TSOlWru8f1vxyv_r5bHggzWeZYMyaGP03ezfa_tcIFKxJmwIihUG6MzCPlebt03ySszD77rD9j4i2-wl/s1600/8b93dd76f523cd799105bea2697bc2aa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7nw1Pk9sIuuSS5xqnCnSIGoU66cMNx14TM5SrD1h3pGxXv9L-PdYZZyWIyf0TSOlWru8f1vxyv_r5bHggzWeZYMyaGP03ezfa_tcIFKxJmwIihUG6MzCPlebt03ySszD77rD9j4i2-wl/s640/8b93dd76f523cd799105bea2697bc2aa.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><br />And of course a soaking tub with a view so I can look out at the ocean just beyond my pool.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6G4BcS3igyLhpjzNYb6n7-f_kTLyicw9jk7F47tdeSqdYeYLJ3Bw1kqso42lDpw1eHC9rLU-KW9LEddlsUmsmiTDZmGc6pPvDtxcM2GizCdMHZ1wGAqcsi3O1iNwVh9k8jyGRTJbQk4dR/s1600/7d1861b81685b9213b9b372c81bce25b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6G4BcS3igyLhpjzNYb6n7-f_kTLyicw9jk7F47tdeSqdYeYLJ3Bw1kqso42lDpw1eHC9rLU-KW9LEddlsUmsmiTDZmGc6pPvDtxcM2GizCdMHZ1wGAqcsi3O1iNwVh9k8jyGRTJbQk4dR/s400/7d1861b81685b9213b9b372c81bce25b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />In a master bath I like the idea of keeping everything white<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUu5Pp_LyQ-OwqGf80lL-NYydSe_wrFsO4QJ10hVs90wgTBk703pHU90tNhzGZjzvOGJ-ZeapMKgwF_HbNciule640Efxm1AaAGFXeU5Zz02BSKGYt7VeEGra7Kf3D_gn80v9ezXpN0jL/s1600/2fbf8868111e63fa722af89bd6df429a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUu5Pp_LyQ-OwqGf80lL-NYydSe_wrFsO4QJ10hVs90wgTBk703pHU90tNhzGZjzvOGJ-ZeapMKgwF_HbNciule640Efxm1AaAGFXeU5Zz02BSKGYt7VeEGra7Kf3D_gn80v9ezXpN0jL/s640/2fbf8868111e63fa722af89bd6df429a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMsM0_dUYbD6z0TW5y6xR4HNuKLghkpTPIDyzof-8T98Y5btGhCzLZLjkMzhpypLNtHK053fFShrD51zg4nnfpUnlJR1p9Z7Ps1lI6xy-343ijOsmfdTwyQsG1f3qh2UB3Od-JtDQrOY5/s1600/79fe45dc7cdbf5619d9ed43bc8047a3c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMsM0_dUYbD6z0TW5y6xR4HNuKLghkpTPIDyzof-8T98Y5btGhCzLZLjkMzhpypLNtHK053fFShrD51zg4nnfpUnlJR1p9Z7Ps1lI6xy-343ijOsmfdTwyQsG1f3qh2UB3Od-JtDQrOY5/s640/79fe45dc7cdbf5619d9ed43bc8047a3c.jpg" width="444" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8CX5KOlEMEvGHRSiiKpZsoYu4NaiTXYYCtqFmODHVd879_HSMUj6SHwKW4HZL6twgfixINk873wUsbZkkGpCNrXJ44sWCAFpgfbZBxof0MbYm7KlOggTXiOiqYnuQluVpvvrySIirptq/s1600/e88136b698a262e30d26276c46a83adf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8CX5KOlEMEvGHRSiiKpZsoYu4NaiTXYYCtqFmODHVd879_HSMUj6SHwKW4HZL6twgfixINk873wUsbZkkGpCNrXJ44sWCAFpgfbZBxof0MbYm7KlOggTXiOiqYnuQluVpvvrySIirptq/s640/e88136b698a262e30d26276c46a83adf.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />and then adding some amazing fixtures<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpZ1g6kNnNQ5ijadsMF0jIwuGjCqdkYOlq5PVlPINn1UaoKce97OAOzDhyphenhyphen3Yb7kqbFEvXU7n4BLAFeC4J-FLw9vbfiLdO9jY1ahN7-z_deSjAwfhfxDFV26zNmKdBZvm3_VSQOzepgXF_/s1600/45c680d029ab03b29eddca86eb663c70.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpZ1g6kNnNQ5ijadsMF0jIwuGjCqdkYOlq5PVlPINn1UaoKce97OAOzDhyphenhyphen3Yb7kqbFEvXU7n4BLAFeC4J-FLw9vbfiLdO9jY1ahN7-z_deSjAwfhfxDFV26zNmKdBZvm3_VSQOzepgXF_/s400/45c680d029ab03b29eddca86eb663c70.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuG0ndU9P82u5z9it4JDVYKRdglxnGFG6TtiDOOUo8Ez7NPqLdqz0w-bV84261SIyC8ctN65-fvNPepyiPAFTjjUokiI39vexthmzuAriua87ZzbrcAgXgpRmlzzsXlTuwOibJo1BXDijy/s1600/bfeb2e3b4f8d1209c736c0fc1aec198f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuG0ndU9P82u5z9it4JDVYKRdglxnGFG6TtiDOOUo8Ez7NPqLdqz0w-bV84261SIyC8ctN65-fvNPepyiPAFTjjUokiI39vexthmzuAriua87ZzbrcAgXgpRmlzzsXlTuwOibJo1BXDijy/s640/bfeb2e3b4f8d1209c736c0fc1aec198f.jpg" width="352" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFvxYduuXIu6zNak5xciyQmdQlYAZet-A-WN-m1B6lG3Yny9pdg5aYBHfFu1VZlA4PkkPHWVVqg1HTc5-OCYvG_CBKgptvMgzGIuXFK0wkubLlxVwVeTSEWiT5cMs_iA0Yn-uS5CMuwrD5/s1600/e87cc27a5462bba29e6e0b546b0b174c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFvxYduuXIu6zNak5xciyQmdQlYAZet-A-WN-m1B6lG3Yny9pdg5aYBHfFu1VZlA4PkkPHWVVqg1HTc5-OCYvG_CBKgptvMgzGIuXFK0wkubLlxVwVeTSEWiT5cMs_iA0Yn-uS5CMuwrD5/s400/e87cc27a5462bba29e6e0b546b0b174c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />and marble. Some sort of marble.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lFXbCJbBQkyQTJ0gR-PjWEudCW7u8xnJuo00ZhJFSD-kxR5H1lB5z2_l33HyytJqZN27OEMXUyCbWkSVeT1_vsbpC8ru1Ko_Ogt0YGZW0fJrCC5qH230GE4ieqU1UC4BzmOkSDmtITI6/s1600/4e47d750bc204d67449263e323fbd795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lFXbCJbBQkyQTJ0gR-PjWEudCW7u8xnJuo00ZhJFSD-kxR5H1lB5z2_l33HyytJqZN27OEMXUyCbWkSVeT1_vsbpC8ru1Ko_Ogt0YGZW0fJrCC5qH230GE4ieqU1UC4BzmOkSDmtITI6/s640/4e47d750bc204d67449263e323fbd795.jpg" width="522" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cIhvrzh2P4HXGxQS7xhi5dGnL1VJfDFPImk4Yd8eokCnkfJXUwIy5P2BjlyTVZNA4NdVav_OKZM_QBPVyHGAggAgSKxBUa-sE4YRAM6g4kLIEn_1ZHwDQrVHciWQAltggWPdLa9wzz_T/s1600/af602e81215ff549cb4ace213bb73880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cIhvrzh2P4HXGxQS7xhi5dGnL1VJfDFPImk4Yd8eokCnkfJXUwIy5P2BjlyTVZNA4NdVav_OKZM_QBPVyHGAggAgSKxBUa-sE4YRAM6g4kLIEn_1ZHwDQrVHciWQAltggWPdLa9wzz_T/s640/af602e81215ff549cb4ace213bb73880.jpg" width="372" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4LGHA0PN89kJAJ1mEmT7bFo5c-OpTrAMUcATB9cqloBpNLa6KOlN4fcpwI5FOJ1kZsMr-Rf_JsaHCn4ofPfwSGuy28rbTaMWPCiuJDxtr-Hy93i0yNrscuHxkYsXZSWT2prPULWEajUq/s1600/dd76f7e5848fa3a588107df776eeeb0b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4LGHA0PN89kJAJ1mEmT7bFo5c-OpTrAMUcATB9cqloBpNLa6KOlN4fcpwI5FOJ1kZsMr-Rf_JsaHCn4ofPfwSGuy28rbTaMWPCiuJDxtr-Hy93i0yNrscuHxkYsXZSWT2prPULWEajUq/s640/dd76f7e5848fa3a588107df776eeeb0b.jpg" width="418" /></a></div>The room will be bathed in natural light thanks to a skylight or two. (C'mon, that was a good Monday morning pun.)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSQAeSdhAuIR90Fypmtp-flzuaUdoTyo54rxJLAFfwK96_hSm1tYo1LV5AaFRJBV1rRTTZKXD-YhzGLttSCB_0p3sLA3Q1TvCpgm1CzZsusRV8Y34ssbXT00dVNcxhUnuqmgjGCFij-pC/s1600/5ae5e106f94c9417183240fd0514e13d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSQAeSdhAuIR90Fypmtp-flzuaUdoTyo54rxJLAFfwK96_hSm1tYo1LV5AaFRJBV1rRTTZKXD-YhzGLttSCB_0p3sLA3Q1TvCpgm1CzZsusRV8Y34ssbXT00dVNcxhUnuqmgjGCFij-pC/s640/5ae5e106f94c9417183240fd0514e13d.jpg" width="530" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdx7DjAOdwCKZlWZX96nc-7yQowm6-T3i9-5BTyHj3GmKTrzNzxnNpd7zdS3MTEfx5jqDBd23OWPNavNsWQwveij7nJCKAhFgbkHuFHSM-JGIMzwGwGK7dCMysQA48ySSbPR9gzhrtTOP_/s1600/96758194222fe75c81761943a66eafd1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdx7DjAOdwCKZlWZX96nc-7yQowm6-T3i9-5BTyHj3GmKTrzNzxnNpd7zdS3MTEfx5jqDBd23OWPNavNsWQwveij7nJCKAhFgbkHuFHSM-JGIMzwGwGK7dCMysQA48ySSbPR9gzhrtTOP_/s640/96758194222fe75c81761943a66eafd1.jpg" width="546" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IvoRO8-MEd8QwKOQJ2oXmp1-1e7S5IfPmTOWlb__7jJBt92iZA8mlqrLxhofUx7HhaY5vyr42aiJ6AUHLHqFGVaKIMW4OM9pk1qUmZlZr4u3PeVDeEdPv-X2C1dvyfrfdRSaA8PT01vO/s1600/a965cae1af0623060c4ab1092e7c02ae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IvoRO8-MEd8QwKOQJ2oXmp1-1e7S5IfPmTOWlb__7jJBt92iZA8mlqrLxhofUx7HhaY5vyr42aiJ6AUHLHqFGVaKIMW4OM9pk1qUmZlZr4u3PeVDeEdPv-X2C1dvyfrfdRSaA8PT01vO/s640/a965cae1af0623060c4ab1092e7c02ae.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />And the cherry on top, some wonderful scones<br /><br />Yes, it might be a lot of space for CoCo to clean. but he loves to stay busy. And since he makes his own organic cleaning solution, the whole place is left smelling like lavender. That CoCo, he's the best.<br /><br />How about you? What does your dream bathroom look like?<br />And don't forget to come back on Wednesday to see how <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/08/refinishing-bench.html" target="_blank">the bench</a> turned out.<br /><br /><i>Find more great bathroom idea on my <a href="http://pinterest.com/ladybaum/bathrooms/" target="_blank">Pinterest board</a>.</i>

best of pinterest - bathrooms

Happy Monday y'all. Raise your hand if you could have used an extra day this weekend. Me too. And thanks to everyone for your ideas on t...

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Today's Teamster News 08.12.13

<a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/highlights-tentative-national-agreement-and-2-person-meeting-review-now-available" rel="nofollow">Highlights of the DHL Tentative National Agreement and 2-Person Meeting Review Now Available</a>  IBT   ...Below are links to a highlights flier of the Tentative National Master DHL Agreement, as well as a newsletter describing the August 7 2-person meeting in Washington, D.C...<br /><a href="http://truth-out.org/video/item/18106-australia-has-16-minimum-wage-and-is-the-only-rich-country-to-dodge-the-global-recession#.Ugf1XzU8WWs.facebook" rel="nofollow">Australia Has $16 Minimum Wage and Is the Only Rich Country to Dodge the Global Recession</a>  truth-out   ...Ordinary workers, people who do, you know, grocery store checkout or fast food, simply do much better in the rest of the developed world than they do in the United States...<br /><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/companies-need-to-pay-people-more-2013-8" rel="nofollow">Sorry, It's Not A 'Law Of Capitalism' That You Pay Your Employees As Little As Possible</a>  Business Insider   ...One of the big reasons the U.S. economy is so lousy is that big American companies are hoarding cash and "maximizing profits" instead of investing in their people and future projects...<br /><a href="http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/08/women_leaders_promote_paid_sick_days_for_all_nj_workers.html" rel="nofollow">Women leaders promote paid sick days for all N.J. workers</a>  NJ.com   ...A group of women lawmakers, union officials and other community leaders gathered at the Statehouse today to promote legislation that would give every worker in New Jersey at least five paid sick days a year — a benefit they say 1.2 million New Jersey employees don't have...<br /><a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/big-banks-conspiracy-is-destroying-america-2013-08-07" rel="nofollow">Big Banks Conspiracy is destroying America</a>  Market Watch   ...Forget politicians, Big Banks rule the world...<br /><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/wealth-advisers-pounce-retirement-nest-eggs-american-air-050713583.html" rel="nofollow">Wealth advisers pounce on retirement nest eggs of American Air pilots</a>  Reuters   ...When American Airlines dumped about $3.5 billion of retirement money into the laps of its pilots late last month, the winners were the wealth managers who got a piece of the action...<br /><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Moral-Monday-protests-aim-past-Raleigh-4724038.php" rel="nofollow">'Moral Monday' protests aim past Raleigh</a>  Associated Press   ..."When you see people go to Raleigh for 13 straight weeks, go to jail together ... you know this is more than just a momentary event," Barber said...<br /><a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/singing-protesters-arrested-wisconsin-statehouse-requesting-jury-trials" rel="nofollow">Singing protesters arrested in Wisconsin statehouse requesting jury trials</a>  Examiner   ...Capitol police have issued 223 citations or recommended charges in the last two weeks against participants in the noontime Solidarity Singalong. For over two years, these protesters have been gathering in the Capitol rotunda to protest the policies of Gov Scott Walker and his Republican administration...<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/business/the-workers-defense-project-a-union-in-spirit.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" rel="nofollow">The Workers Defense Project, a Union in Spirit </a> New York Times   ...The Workers Defense Project, founded in 2002, has emerged as one of the nation’s most creative organizations for immigrant workers...<br /><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bart-strike-20130812,0,6028099.story" rel="nofollow">Judge orders 60-day cooling-off period to prevent 2nd BART strike</a>  Los Angeles Times   ...After a brief but extraordinary weekend hearing, a San Francisco Superior Court judge Sunday morning ordered a 60-day cooling-off period to prevent a second damaging transit strike in the Bay Area...

Today's Teamster News 08.12.13

Highlights of the DHL Tentative National Agreement and 2-Person Meeting Review Now Available  IBT   ...Below are links to a highlights flie...

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A teacher's heart speaks on the first day of school

<p> My youngest has moved up into sixth grade. My how time flies. When I talked with him on Thursday about his week his first response was:</p> <blockquote><p>"I'm so happy. I think all my teachers seem to like me ok."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" caption="With no AC, I had class on the stage. My first day didn't go as planned in terms of location but was everything I'd hoped. I need to know their interests and they need to know I care. If we start there, we can go anywhere."><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8qLlAaH6dAu2V-Tot2XKOnfqRY4NI-aYv-m9h69dDLliLMAZSF0Pmj3zjMQ3Xb7Kg4vQDLuU2qYE-Hw-xZTLza3RF2NQb-FNM8dotwwcosRNiewpzBol8cjchVPArYEhHsva5u2NulmQ/s1024/Photo%252520Aug%2525207%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A13%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="373" id="blogsy-1376144408528.5042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8qLlAaH6dAu2V-Tot2XKOnfqRY4NI-aYv-m9h69dDLliLMAZSF0Pmj3zjMQ3Xb7Kg4vQDLuU2qYE-Hw-xZTLza3RF2NQb-FNM8dotwwcosRNiewpzBol8cjchVPArYEhHsva5u2NulmQ/s500/Photo%252520Aug%2525207%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A13%252520PM.jpg" width="500"></a></div></blockquote> <h3>Do students think you "like" them?</h3> <p>This seems odd but students really want to know if you <strong>like</strong> them. Are you going to be <strong>fair</strong>? Are you going to <strong>give them a chance?</strong> </p> <h3>They love you if you express an interest in something they love</h3> <p>Then, he said:</p> <blockquote><p>"I already have one teacher who loves me! I know it because she let me talk about Minecraft."</p></blockquote> <p>This teacher had the kids do their coat of arms and on the coat of arms, they put things they enjoyed and liked. (I do <a href="http://www.twitter.com/burgessdave">Dave Burgess</a>' Play dough activity from <em>Teach Like a Pirate</em> which does something similar.)</p> <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/AVvXsEjAZtTEzbgpKWZUVY80rCnWHQan5a3XCLMT1wAiJB33GiRo_U073hzjyt41gXH79taiUJVqGAM3TEAbioy2EGg6v6smrhwgJbloCkfUT_bfMSmGSlc7KFcabDQoA6nK2DeGZog33ncxr104/s1024/Photo%252520Aug%2525207%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A13%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="373" id="blogsy-1376144408580.1396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZtTEzbgpKWZUVY80rCnWHQan5a3XCLMT1wAiJB33GiRo_U073hzjyt41gXH79taiUJVqGAM3TEAbioy2EGg6v6smrhwgJbloCkfUT_bfMSmGSlc7KFcabDQoA6nK2DeGZog33ncxr104/s500/Photo%252520Aug%2525207%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A13%252520PM.jpg" width="500"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under the pirate bandanas were small jars of play dough. I do an activity from Dave Burgess' book "Teach Like a Pirate" to get to know the students on the first day</td></tr></tbody></table> <p>But when we say "talk" - after asking his teacher, it was a passing mention. But it was enough to trigger a powerful positive response from my son.</p> <p>When you fish, you try to predict the bait the fish will like. It is based upon what they like to eat anyway. </p> <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/AVvXsEivkmWRN89COZZ8bc5qDl0A_LAqbq9vgroL1G1d4wgS3LzYlRnxEavLLvCuYQG2WXsAKtb09EFVpm3YT7GhpcumP8a26vU_zya3fHS__ttbQh2JxwWSSd25c5-GJYjgjUk5ohO8GmMcv-PA/s1024/Photo%252520Aug%2525208%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525208%25253A17%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="669" id="blogsy-1376144408568.9807" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkmWRN89COZZ8bc5qDl0A_LAqbq9vgroL1G1d4wgS3LzYlRnxEavLLvCuYQG2WXsAKtb09EFVpm3YT7GhpcumP8a26vU_zya3fHS__ttbQh2JxwWSSd25c5-GJYjgjUk5ohO8GmMcv-PA/s500/Photo%252520Aug%2525208%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525208%25253A17%252520AM.jpg" width="500"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet reminder from our PTO. It made me smile.</td></tr></tbody></table> <p>When you teach, you learn from the kids about what will hook them into your learning. Every child is different. (This is why <strong>genius hour</strong> projects are so fantastic-- the hook is built in.)</p> <h3>Their like or dislike of your subject has a lot to do with their feelings about you</h3> <p>We're not teaching robots. We're working with humans. I've had students who say they aren't good with technology but have a <strong>good relationship with me</strong> and end up good with technology. It happens every year. </p> <p>Every child won't "love me" but I can promise you <strong>I'm going to do my best to love every child.</strong> I won't necessarily be the popular teacher but I will be <strong>memorable</strong> and <strong>one they thank</strong> when they come back. We will <strong>laugh</strong> and we will have fun. Their eyes will open wide with surprise when they realize <strong>how much they've learned.</strong></p> <h3>Back to School</h3> <p>It is the beginning of a new school year and a tough one for me (see my earlier posts) yet I believe in the first two days that my students know I'm interested in them and helping them reach their full potential. I've expressed an <strong>interest</strong> in their interests. I've shared with them <strong>how I teach</strong> and <strong>what I expect</strong> from them.</p> <p>I hope they feel about me like my son feels about his fine teachers in sixth grade. I hope they are <strong>open minded, excited,</strong> and that deep down they <strong>feel liked</strong> and perhaps even they already <strong>feel the love</strong> I have for them. I don't fake it - <em>I don't have to.</em> It is how I feel and how most good teachers feel about their kids.</p> <p>It is upon this feeling of mutual respect that we will build some powerful learning experiences. It is Saturday and except for my tiredness, I honestly wish it was Monday. <em>(I actually wish it was Tuesday because that is when my air conditioner is fixed, but that, my dear friends is another story.)</em></p> <h3>A teacher's heart speaks on the first day of school</h3> <blockquote><p>Back to school is always sweet<br>for the good, loving teachers you meet.<br>They stand at door with book in hand<br>welcoming kids to the learning land. </p><p>Hoping & planning that before they go,<br>more about this subject they'll know.<br>Giggling, talking, a happy sound<br>for a teacher whose purpose in life she's found. </p><p>This is a school and this is my time<br>to encourage, teach, and inspire the mind.<br>I am a teacher and I'll stick like glue<br>to learning & living until I reach you. </p><p>You precious children, I adore you all<br>As you sit in my classroom and traipse down the hall.<br>All will learn here to your own ability.<br>As we find talent, you'll find I'm quiet nobility. </p><p>I'm here to serve, I'm here to care<br>I'm here to help you learn to share.<br>I'm here to inspire, I'm here to reach<br>but most of all I'm here to teach!<br><a href="http://www.twitter.com/coolcatteacher">Vicki Davis</a> </p></blockquote> <p>Let's go!</p> <p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad</a></div>

EDUCATION Inspiration Teaching A teacher's heart speaks on the first day of school

My youngest has moved up into sixth grade. My how time flies. When I talked with him on Thursday about his week his first response was: &q...

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Reasons To Encourage Yourself To Drop Weight

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By David Williams</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Over 35 % of people in the United States are overweight. In fact, the number of overweight people around the world has increased greatly in the past three decades. There are a variety of aspects that have contributed to this development in weight, but for most individuals these elements can be controlled and managed.<br /> <br /> While the desire to lose weight may be present in numerous individuals, the actual drive to drop the pounds may not be strong enough to motivate somebody to start consuming right and working out. This is especially real for people who are younger as the impacts of obesity on their wellness has actually not taken hold. Still, there are a lot of reasons out there to motivate yourself into losing the excess weight. Keep in mind that it took time for you to gain all of that excess fat, so losing it will take time. Here are some powerful reasons to help motivate you into losing the fat.<br /> <br /> Wellness<br /> <br /> Obesity has a detrimental impact on your wellness. In fact, the harmful results of excessive weight array beyond the pressure it puts on your heart and organs which can cause heart disease, strokes, and major wellness issues. Excessive weight affects all aspects of your wellness and enjoyment of life. The included weight puts more pressure on your joints, especially the knees and can add to the development of arthritis. Weight problems also adversely influences your blood circulation system, triggering problems with a variety of wellness factors, consist of sex.<br /> <br /> As you get older, the effects of obesity become more pronounced as the body loses much of the regrowth aspects that belong to youth and vigor. Below, weight problems triggers others pain and suffering, bring about conditions that become more significant as time goes by. This should be sufficient inspiration to get you off the sofa and working out to lose the weight.<br /> <br /> Conditioning<br /> <br /> Although it holds true that some individuals who are overweight are also in good physical condition, that is just not true for most obese individuals. Excessive weight is more than just a sign that you run out shape, it is the result of being out of shape. Obesity affects your heart, muscles and circulatory system. You can not move, lift or function too when your body is carrying excess weight. It needs to be noted in fairness that being a little overweight, such as five to ten pounds, is really far healthier than being five to 10 pounds undernourished. Being thirty or others pounds overweight has a harmful result on your total conditioning.<br /> <br /> Look Better<br /> <br /> Becoming more in shape and trim enhances your total look not just to others, but to yourself. By enhancing your physical fitness and eating healthier foods, you shed the weight and feel much better about yourself. You become more positive in your looks and are willing to go out more and do the things you want to do. Looking much better and feeling much better work together when you get yourself in shape and drop the excess weight.<br /> <br /> In conclusion, there are numerous others which can help inspire you to lose the weight. Remember that your weight loss is not only beneficial for you, but to your household as well. It is necessary to make use of all the inspiration you can to lose the excess weight and get into shape.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>Those that enjoyed this post, but still have doubts or things to consider, you are invited to check out the writer's <a href="http://phen375dietpills.net">Phen375 diet pills</a> website today if you're excited about getting more information regarding <a href="http://phen375dietpills.net/are-fat-burning-supplements-safe">Phen375 reviews</a>. http://phen375dietpills.net</div><br /> </div><br />

Reasons To Encourage Yourself To Drop Weight

By David Williams Over 35 % of people in the United States are overweight. In fact, the number of overweight people around the world has...

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Dublin City Civic Offices

<span style="font-size: large;">I needed to visit Dublin City Council offices in order to arrange parking permits for our cars.</span><br /><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">The Civic Offices were highly controversial when built.  In the late 1970's plans were made to build on the historical site of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_Quay">Wood Quay</a>.  There was huge public outcry but the plans went ahead.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Architect Sam Stephenson designed two huge bunker like buildings which were not liked by the general public.  I have to agree that they are not attractive from the outside.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">However, I am currently in the building as I blog and internally I quite like it.  With a glass roofed atrium and internal foliage it has a very pleasing feel about it.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Do you like the look internally?</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-aTFrIkfWOy7YTR6dMj-x2VgzLx6K3m9D5c6QZoyhpIHmekFUl_vSr4o85yss6hTw_oq5rVdt8qFduwC9QXrMJqPj8M23NqONu8UGzq9lzYcOZsjzzyzR2S8RixdHSVxMqc8r_eKgp4C/s640/blogger-image-753841455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-aTFrIkfWOy7YTR6dMj-x2VgzLx6K3m9D5c6QZoyhpIHmekFUl_vSr4o85yss6hTw_oq5rVdt8qFduwC9QXrMJqPj8M23NqONu8UGzq9lzYcOZsjzzyzR2S8RixdHSVxMqc8r_eKgp4C/s640/blogger-image-753841455.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihx5TZr2DjSNFPUjECWpgplMLqZmUkSmr_O64ZTHQlsNNzEvbNoktty-Y4wtw_euFs-IKKfEVgzU0yFB-xenhIT2mFfVQMdusRAPUR2rjtA9egPnxtzm5XMfrnQj1LWU_fDEDZOVYjjSvV/s640/blogger-image--1670949810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihx5TZr2DjSNFPUjECWpgplMLqZmUkSmr_O64ZTHQlsNNzEvbNoktty-Y4wtw_euFs-IKKfEVgzU0yFB-xenhIT2mFfVQMdusRAPUR2rjtA9egPnxtzm5XMfrnQj1LWU_fDEDZOVYjjSvV/s640/blogger-image--1670949810.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOL2IW710roz9OJ8rC5s5H7fuPddh4qBdntLff6NZkjMrAHSgPo1w_5F2WgxuNgNqZxsOkvoc5lTCd6vbzt8yXybmwcsgX_USgL3-U7dFAOgD1DY4danHPmfMIhqdiqp0Oabg4U5ysNZPu/s640/blogger-image-1493132402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOL2IW710roz9OJ8rC5s5H7fuPddh4qBdntLff6NZkjMrAHSgPo1w_5F2WgxuNgNqZxsOkvoc5lTCd6vbzt8yXybmwcsgX_USgL3-U7dFAOgD1DY4danHPmfMIhqdiqp0Oabg4U5ysNZPu/s640/blogger-image-1493132402.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Here's the outside entrance.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEX0oy653B3-dCxRVSWdAxFs3MMnaMQLZOvw66_lAjaL0xW_TNskp3SPf1WDnZ4wWVUvEe4BYol4nrYok0L-RVDtQ2168gEWF-FAWOCI6fFX7u_14R8VkoavOdNX2qh8g6Zyhm0_Bhyphenhyphen4W/s640/blogger-image-1913647605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEX0oy653B3-dCxRVSWdAxFs3MMnaMQLZOvw66_lAjaL0xW_TNskp3SPf1WDnZ4wWVUvEe4BYol4nrYok0L-RVDtQ2168gEWF-FAWOCI6fFX7u_14R8VkoavOdNX2qh8g6Zyhm0_Bhyphenhyphen4W/s640/blogger-image-1913647605.jpg" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div>

Dublin City Civic Offices

I needed to visit Dublin City Council offices in order to arrange parking permits for our cars. The Civic Offices were highly controversial ...

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A New Blog To Check Out

A new Blog replacing an older one.<br /><br />If any of you out there ever read <a href="http://mightaswellliebackandenjoyit.blogspot.com/">Degringolade,</a> you will be pleased to know he has started a new blog called <a href="http://vetuscorvus.blogspot.com/">Old Raven</a>.<br /><br /> I have yet to meet this guy even though we probably live within five miles of each other and that is absolutely my fault.<br /><br />He invited me over just about the time I was moving for the second time in six months and I basically blew him off, for which I need to apologize to him face to face.<br /><br />I'll be doing that soon.<br /><br />He is quite the philosophical sort and damn intelligent. I have to work my damaged brain cells hard whenever I read him.<br /><br />That is a good thing because what he writes is always most definitely worth reading.<br /><br />Swing by and tell him howdy for me.<br /><br />Even better, add him to your blogroll, you'll be glad you did.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JQn-QQWPJY9QGd1sumWsyPUtOLZURuCZllRhJ1uKX2MNXSHC-65UveJ_CfBnnizHy1kXFYMZHCihfo3mH2-IMqM6aM9gJKto6yQF8Rxc_dW2Eet1W_Qelxd3ULFjvGfj8usZW7CQ0yjM/s1600/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JQn-QQWPJY9QGd1sumWsyPUtOLZURuCZllRhJ1uKX2MNXSHC-65UveJ_CfBnnizHy1kXFYMZHCihfo3mH2-IMqM6aM9gJKto6yQF8Rxc_dW2Eet1W_Qelxd3ULFjvGfj8usZW7CQ0yjM/s400/002.jpg" /></a></div>

A New Blog To Check Out

A new Blog replacing an older one. If any of you out there ever read Degringolade, you will be pleased to know he has started a new blog c...

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Baby Shower? The Biggest Gift Grab in the World...

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiETtAItoZ8HQN6VVSUQ2gSi6Xn2AvQfEQPldZJnl4HGVN6I-XiH6F50ratuby7e0zF8U9nzVtNn3fsJCe84pu5Q4pel9lX2a9tj_k5OgklurMnmjgkaStUxJKzRCs1oDnRlrsdSPir-asu/s1600/Mary+and+Jesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiETtAItoZ8HQN6VVSUQ2gSi6Xn2AvQfEQPldZJnl4HGVN6I-XiH6F50ratuby7e0zF8U9nzVtNn3fsJCe84pu5Q4pel9lX2a9tj_k5OgklurMnmjgkaStUxJKzRCs1oDnRlrsdSPir-asu/s400/Mary+and+Jesus.jpg" width="400" /></a>Cheeeeeeeers Chuckleheads!!<br /><br />Let me tell you folks, I have a problem with many of you, and usually I’ll write in character to tell you this, but no, this time?<br /><br />It’s coming straight from the heart of the Matt-Man.<br /><br />First of all, let me give props to Jay, Schmoop, Spock, Brother Marty, and the ever elusive Miss.<br /><br />While I don’t talk to a couple of these people often at length, they all know what’s goin’ on.<br /><br />Secondly, you people under the age of forty…<br /><br />What the fuck is wrong with you?<br /><br />Last night, on Facebook, I saw a child, and by child, I mean a married adult with one, lately impregnated, already split duh womb child bearing chick, asking around for a maternity photographer.<br /><br />I offered to take pictures of her heaving vagina free, but that is not what she was talking about.  She was talking about family pictures while she was pregnant.  WTF?<br /><br />Ya can’t do that yourself?<br /><br />Evidently, nowadays, and with the nowadays prima donnas, one needs baby fat, family friendly freeze frames done prior to spittin’ out a baby done photogged by a pro.!!<br /><br />If I had access to the IWS soundboard right now, I would hit the audio file that says….<br /><br /><i>“Who…duh hell…carrrrrrrrrrrrrres?”</i>  Amirite!?<br /><br />It’s fine to have baby pics, but who needs a picture of your huge, amniotic fluid rich belly, and a pic of a pink/blue baby right out of the womb?<br /><br />No One!!  Not even YOU!!<br /><br />Yes, I know that you and you baby are the most precious things on Earth, but seriously?  Shut the fuck up and quit throwing baby showers for yourself.  Or better yet?<br /><br />Every time that you complain after the birth of your unborn, yet photogenic son and/or daughter you have to donate five dollars to a worthy cause…such as NARAL.<br /><br />It’s nice that you threw yourself a baby shower, but really?  That best gift that that baby could get, is knowing that while baby showers are great, life can be hard…always an exceptional experience, but at times, difficult nonetheless.<br /><br />And if you missed Jay and I LIVE yesterday on the IWS Radio Show, you can catch all the hilarity right HERE:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="370" src="http://player.cinchcast.com/?show_id=5254169&platformId=1&assetType=single" width="400"></iframe></div><div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><i>Cheers!!</i><br /><i><br /></i> <i>Matt-Man</i><br /><br /><i><span style="color: blue;">mattmaniws@ymail.com</span></i><br /><i><a href="https://twitter.com/MattMan_IWS" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;">@mattman_iws</span></a></i><br /><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mattmaniws" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">My Facebook Page</span></a></i></div>

Baby Shower? The Biggest Gift Grab in the World...

Cheeeeeeeers Chuckleheads!! Let me tell you folks, I have a problem with many of you, and usually I’ll write in character to tell you this, ...

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My Weight Loss Story

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Senior Year of High School was my heaviest weight I have ever been.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xj51pgkT_gQ/UggAOTTlTiI/AAAAAAAAJFc/nbsbs8uHVgo/s1600/senior+year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xj51pgkT_gQ/UggAOTTlTiI/AAAAAAAAJFc/nbsbs8uHVgo/s320/senior+year.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All my life I've been known as the fat kid, I was easily targeted each day and it was a struggle for me to get up each morning just to go to school because I hated it.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To me it was dreadful just going to school and hearing the laughs from the kids  that would make fun of me day in and day out, worst part is some of them were even my own friends or at least I thought they were.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I would come home each day and cry my eyes out because of the hurtful words that were thrown at me on a daily basis.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You start believing the things people say and thinking your worthless, as a child you want to be accepted by your peers, am I right?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I then covered myself up in jackets a lot even during the summer time, I didn't care if I was sweating from layers of clothing.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I started thinking I was worthless and it just made me eat more and the weight packed on throughout the years and continued into adulthood. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nygnbdtvNjQ/UggBTXbn3vI/AAAAAAAAJFs/hfs6hRbfyoc/s1600/weight+loss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nygnbdtvNjQ/UggBTXbn3vI/AAAAAAAAJFs/hfs6hRbfyoc/s1600/weight+loss.jpg" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've tried many diets and done the exercising thing but it was just too much work to do, it's not like I only had to lose 5 pounds, and I wasn't ready for the change so I gave up after I lost some weight and then the weight went back on.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In 2007 I was diagnosed with gallstones which is very painful and was due to poor dieting by eating fried foods so I started watching what I ate and exercised then I also gained the weight back.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AogrZV6vHVw/UggDfF4QHVI/AAAAAAAAJGM/swrE_IHoV4Y/s1600/inspiration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AogrZV6vHVw/UggDfF4QHVI/AAAAAAAAJGM/swrE_IHoV4Y/s1600/inspiration.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I think of one of the most hurtful things someone has ever done to me was actually someone I trusted and was a dear close friend of mine at one point was when they left diet pills on my door step with a note attached saying to Fat S&*$ on it. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that it made me sick that someone I thought was a friend of mine could hurt me that bad and have the nerve to do that.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No diet pill or even diet made me want to lose weight that's a choice you've got to make on your own because it's life changing and especially when it's major weight loss it's a lot to take in.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5x-qDpqPX0k/UggJ6vfjCiI/AAAAAAAAJGg/Pd3yb8c3BVY/s1600/the+scale+is+only+a+number.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5x-qDpqPX0k/UggJ6vfjCiI/AAAAAAAAJGg/Pd3yb8c3BVY/s320/the+scale+is+only+a+number.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I know this because I'm dealing with the changes now.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Each day I look in the mirror and see the person I once was, the fatter version of me, but more alive and beautiful.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's a lot to take in.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My that's it moment finally came to me,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2abYOWhGD4M/UggAshb_fvI/AAAAAAAAJFk/C0bPPVudny4/s1600/believe+in+yourself.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2abYOWhGD4M/UggAshb_fvI/AAAAAAAAJFk/C0bPPVudny4/s320/believe+in+yourself.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last year I thought to myself you have a choice you either stay like this forever or you get out there and work your butt off!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I joined Curves gym, started watching more of what I ate, and exercised a lot more.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ndxUMwHvHqI/UggCGPpX41I/AAAAAAAAJF4/_y1RtRmgnQI/s1600/Curves+shirt!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ndxUMwHvHqI/UggCGPpX41I/AAAAAAAAJF4/_y1RtRmgnQI/s320/Curves+shirt!.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have to admit I used to hate exercising but once I started losing weight it made me feel good.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All of the Curves workers and members are so nice and helpful and they are like family.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I feel better about myself, I have lost a lot of weight and look fantastic!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's me down 88 pounds after 1 year of Curves! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hi_AhfI-uP0/Ugf3iS8ChFI/AAAAAAAAJFM/r6BWphHgWJQ/s1600/stay+strong+you've+got+this.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hi_AhfI-uP0/Ugf3iS8ChFI/AAAAAAAAJFM/r6BWphHgWJQ/s320/stay+strong+you've+got+this.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I used to think it was impossible to lose weight especially major weight but it's not, it sure is a challenge but I was ready !</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's a great feeling when you can buy clothing at a store that you could never fit into.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I dress more dressy now and have no intentions of finding baggy clothing ever again that I used to cover myself up in.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm still going strong and will continue, you can count on it ;) </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-No4g7zkqs6s/UggDpVYR3OI/AAAAAAAAJGQ/OClpyyn7QxM/s1600/maybe+some+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-No4g7zkqs6s/UggDpVYR3OI/AAAAAAAAJGQ/OClpyyn7QxM/s320/maybe+some+day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

My Weight Loss Story

Senior Year of High School was my heaviest weight I have ever been. All my life I've been known as the fat kid, I was easily targeted ea...

Read more »