What If What You ’Survived’ Wasn’t Cancer? - Bloomberg

<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">You're feeling fine when you go for your annual physical. But your mammogram looks a little funny, or your PSA test is a little high, or you get a CT lung scan and a nodule shows up. You get a biopsy, and the doctor delivers the bad news: You have cancer. Because you don't want to die, you agree to be sliced up and irradiated. Then, fortunately, you're pronounced a "cancer survivor." You're glad they caught it early.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But maybe you went through all that pain for nothing.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For decades, the reigning theory has been that the earlier a cancer is spotted and treated, the less likely it is to be lethal, because it won't have time to grow and spread. Yet this theory infers causality from correlation. It implicitly assumes that cancer is cancer is cancer, even though we now know that even in the <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-30/studies-find-cancer-comes-in-more-shades-than-pink.html" title="Open Web Site" rel="external" density="sparse" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">same part of the body</a>, cancer is <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-31/cancer-breakthroughs-meet-market-realities.html" title="Open Web Site" rel="external" density="full" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">many different diseases</a> -- some aggressive, some not. Perhaps people survive early-stage cancers not because they're treated in time, but because their disease never would have become life-threatening at all.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This isn't just logical nit-picking. Thanks to widespread screening, the number of early-stage cancers identified has skyrocketed. In many instances -- including types of breast, prostate, thyroid and lung cancers -- more early diagnoses haven't led to proportionate decreases in mortality. (New drugs, not early detection, account for at least two-thirds of the reduction in breast-cancer mortality.) The cancers the tests pick up aren't necessarily life-threatening. They're just really common. So more sensitive tests and more frequent screening mean more cancer, more cancer treatment and more cancer survivors.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"We'll all be cancer survivors if we keep going at the rate that we're going," says<a href="http://urology.ucsf.edu/people/peter-r-carroll" title="Open Web Site" rel="external" density="full" target="_blank" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">Peter Carroll</a>, the chairman of the department of urology at the <a href="http://mobile.bloomberg.com/topics/university-of-california/" density="sparse" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">University of California</a> at <a href="http://mobile.bloomberg.com/topics/san-francisco/" density="full" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">San Francisco</a> and a specialist in prostate cancer.</span></p><h2 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 2px; "><font size="3"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Distracting Doctors</span></font></h2><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In a well-intended effort to save lives, the emphasis on early detection is essentially looking under the lamp post: Putting many patients who don't have life-threatening diseases through traumatic treatments while distracting doctors from the bigger challenge of developing ways to identify and treat the really dangerous fast-growing cancers.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Physicians, patients, and the general public must recognize that overdiagnosis is common and occurs more frequently with cancer screening," argues a recent JAMA<a href="http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1722196" title="Open Web Site" rel="external" density="full" target="_blank" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">article</a> by the oncologists Laura J. Esserman (a surgeon and breast-cancer specialist), Ian M. Thompson Jr. (a urologist) and Brian Reid (a specialist in esophageal cancer). They argue for limiting the term "cancer" to conditions likely to be life-threatening if left untreated.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">That's going to be a tough change for a lot of people to swallow. For patients and the rest of the public, getting tested offers a sense of control, encouraging an almost superstitious belief that frequent screening will ward off death. (A few years ago, when the actress Christina Applegate was making the <a href="http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/15/christina-applegate-mri-saved-my-life/" title="Open Web Site" rel="external" density="full" target="_blank" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">talk-show rounds</a> urging young women to get breast MRIs, my own oncologist told me he was getting calls from women who thought the tests would not merely detect but prevent<a href="http://mobile.bloomberg.com/topics/breast-cancer/" density="sparse" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">breast cancer</a>.)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Early detection of non-life-threatening cancers also produces a steady supply of "<a href="http://www.ncsd.org/" title="Open Web Site" rel="external" density="full" target="_blank" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">cancer survivors</a>," who work to support cancer charities and make their efforts look successful. There's an entire industry devoted to celebrating "<a href="http://ww5.komen.org/Content.aspx?id=16370" title="Open Web Site" rel="external" density="full" target="_blank" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">breast cancer survivors</a>" in particular, and many women are heavily invested in that identity. It offers a heroic honorific as a reward for enduring horrible treatments. A term originally coined to remind cancer patients that their disease need not be fatal has become a badge of personal achievement.</span></p><h2 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 2px; "><font size="3"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Fearing Mistakes</span></font></h2><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Physicians, meanwhile, fear making a mistake. It seems safer to treat someone who doesn't really need it than to miss something potentially fatal. But, warns<a href="http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/esserman_laura.3704" title="Open Web Site" rel="external" density="full" target="_blank" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">Esserman</a>, director of the Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Center at UCSF, "the cancers that grow and spread very quickly are not the ones that you can catch in time with screening." If anything, emphasizing early detection misdirects research and funding. "We have to come up with better treatments, we have to figure out who's really at risk for those and figure out how to prevent them," she says. "We're not going to fix it with screening."</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There are plenty of scientific unknowns. Take the commonly diagnosed breast cancer called ductal carcinoma in situ, which accounts for about a third of new U.S. diagnoses, 60,000 a year. In these cases, the cells lining the walls of milk ducts look like cancer, but they haven't invaded the surrounding breast tissue. DCIS was a rare diagnosis before the introduction of mammograms, which are highly sensitive to milk-duct calcifications, and the JAMA article labels it a "premalignant condition" that shouldn't even be called cancer. Arguably, a lot of women who think of themselves as "breast cancer survivors" have survived treatment, not cancer.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Yet oncologists who identify DCIS have been surgically removing it (and in many cases the entire surrounding breast) for 40 years, so it's hard to know how dangerous it actually is. "Since we really don't know the true natural history of DCIS we do not know if DCIS always progresses to invasive cancer or not," says <a href="http://www.radnet.ucla.edu/radweb/sections/breast/news/Wells.jsp" title="Open Web Site" rel="external" density="full" target="_blank" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">Colin Wells</a>, a radiologist at the University of California at <a href="http://mobile.bloomberg.com/topics/los-angeles/" density="sparse" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">Los Angeles</a>specializing in breast imaging. "There are some reasons to think not, but this needs to be worked out" with further research. If DCIS does spread to invade breast tissue, the question remains whether that cancer threatens to go beyond the breast, becoming lethal if untreated.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">By contrast, we do know that a lot of prostate cancer isn't dangerous. Autopsy studies show it's quite common in older men who die from unrelated causes. "Out there in the street, if you remove the prostates in men over the age of 50, 30 to 40 percent would have some kind of cancer," Carroll says, "most likely, low grade and low volume."</span></p><h2 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 2px; "><font size="3"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Distinguishing Tumors</span></font></h2><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thanks to more sensitive tests, he notes, the prostate "cancers we're detecting today are totally different than the cancers we saw two decades ago. And our ability to distinguish these tumors is much better. We have the wherewithal now to be able to tell a patient that your cancer is highly likely confined to your prostate, of small volume, slow growing, and something that may not need immediate treatment at all."</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Carroll has more than 1,000 patients under "active surveillance," getting regular PSA tests, imaging and biopsies. Only about one in three turns out to need treatment within five to 10 years. (An additional 10 percent opt for surgery simply because they get tired of all the tests or can't take the anxiety.) The program is also working, Carroll says, to "decrease the burden of testing," ideally by eliminating the need for repeated biopsies.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Prostate cancer illustrates the cultural barriers to abandoning what Esserman calls today's "scorched earth policy." Despite the widespread awareness that many prostate cancers aren't life-threatening, many physicians are determined to find and treat it any time a PSA score comes in a little high. "I saw a gentleman this week who had had 12 biopsies, no cancer, and they said there must be cancer in there and they did 24," says <a href="http://urology.uthscsa.edu/bio.html" title="Open Web Site" rel="external" density="full" target="_blank" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">Ian Thompson</a> of the University of Texas Health Science Center at <a href="http://mobile.bloomberg.com/topics/san-antonio/" density="full" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">San Antonio</a>, who is one of the JAMA authors.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A prostate-cancer diagnosis is still terrifying to patients and their families. Thompson describes many of his conversations with patients -- and especially with their wives -- as "talking them off the ledge." When he tells patients they're likely to be fine without immediate treatment, they often worry how they'll explain the good news to their children or neighbors. People expect a cancer diagnosis to entail trauma.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Although Carroll thinks calling slow-growing prostate tumors "cancer" is important to encourage vigilance, Thompson wants to change the nomenclature, using the term IDLE (indolent lesions of epithelial origin) to describe low-risk cases where waiting isn't likely to make a difference. Just using the word "cancer," he argues, creates unnecessary suffering.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"The number of people that will die from those slow-growing prostate cancers is really low," he says, but the unacknowledged costs of giving them a cancer diagnosis are huge: "the person who can't sleep for two weeks before his next test results, and all the follow-up biopsies and all the lost wages, and the people who can't get <a href="http://mobile.bloomberg.com/topics/life-insurance/" density="sparse" style="outline: none; font-weight: bold; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 0px 2px; text-align: center; ">life insurance</a>because they now have a new cancer diagnosis, the person whose firm says, 'Well, we're concerned you have cancer and therefore you can't be promoted to this job.'"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It's a compelling case, but changing the vocabulary finesses the fundamental cultural issue: the widespread and incorrect belief that "cancer" is a single condition, defined only by site in the body, rather than a broad category like "infectious disease." Someone doesn't develop "cancer" but, rather, "a cancer." How frightening that diagnosis should be depends on which one.</span></p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><a href="http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-18/what-if-what-you-survived-wasn-t-cancer-.html">http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-18/what-if-what-you-survived-wasn-t-cancer-.html</a></span>

What If What You ’Survived’ Wasn’t Cancer? - Bloomberg

You're feeling fine when you go for your annual physical. But your mammogram looks a little funny, or your PSA test is a little high, or...

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Phillip Phillips moves back Up the BillBoard Chart

<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/AVvXsEgaI8Qc7aqUUGEeKjyOkeIod3Uoib94lRXEo0RcPDNavwth8I9PxD2SdaynBp3sCsBqt_KycKApn3gGnX8m7X9lKXcwbxwsSqdplaceMqhAbs3A6av8EnnzDdtkje9jSDfo_UnQhzfsal-K/s1600/bb120-20130816.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaI8Qc7aqUUGEeKjyOkeIod3Uoib94lRXEo0RcPDNavwth8I9PxD2SdaynBp3sCsBqt_KycKApn3gGnX8m7X9lKXcwbxwsSqdplaceMqhAbs3A6av8EnnzDdtkje9jSDfo_UnQhzfsal-K/s400/bb120-20130816.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">blue = Phillip, black = Carrie, purple = Kelly, green = Fantasia, (red = Jessica, orange = Colton) </td></tr></tbody></table>People can say all they want about the last two male winners of American Idol, but what both Scotty McCreery and Phillip Phillips have proven is that they can sell albums and singles that have legs and hold well on the charts week after week. Scotty did so with his debut album "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Clear-As-Day-Scotty-McCreery/dp/B0052TDGQO">Clear As Day</a>" which stayed in the Top 100 for 35 weeks and the Top 200 for 41 weeks, and Phillip is having similar resiliency with "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/World-From-Side-Phillip-Phillips/dp/B009NPA3MS/">The World From the Side of the Moon</a>" which on its 38th week <a href="http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200?page=2">moves up to #57</a> from #61 last week. Even though his album has not quite matched the impressive total sales numbers that Scotty did, it is approaching the one million plateau and has been a very good sales leader for Interscope. Plus his two singles, "Home" and "Gone, Gone, Gone", have sold and held up even better than Scotty's did (which did quite well, with his fourth Country Top 40 single, "See You Tonight", continuing to move up the country chart today, well over two years after his American Idol win.)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMc_soIeAVx-heGnYNp7bzP9NuhzUezZFckaGtJT69jm5bd-vy4lyuFqq4cmZTRvWnpeClqYdPlqJufkjuNQMT7z7o-OqtYb3cyykqAinT1V6RdYsnKflJCI2BYlIT2ylIKJlNvS8ceVjs/s1600/pp-twftsotm-20130816.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMc_soIeAVx-heGnYNp7bzP9NuhzUezZFckaGtJT69jm5bd-vy4lyuFqq4cmZTRvWnpeClqYdPlqJufkjuNQMT7z7o-OqtYb3cyykqAinT1V6RdYsnKflJCI2BYlIT2ylIKJlNvS8ceVjs/s400/pp-twftsotm-20130816.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAbngDiIam65v-kGjeEKi9Xekqu2G8Y9qRGKz01Pfrn1EXYyh6vJMk9xgVmN8712vPB6fP_KhIoBmSFSwXSiGWVUTXIOPs1uHO38QFJHzy2kkCFOQAtSqDn_gsG5G9TACtSEIC8Ow5GTo/s1600/sm-allaccess-20130819.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAbngDiIam65v-kGjeEKi9Xekqu2G8Y9qRGKz01Pfrn1EXYyh6vJMk9xgVmN8712vPB6fP_KhIoBmSFSwXSiGWVUTXIOPs1uHO38QFJHzy2kkCFOQAtSqDn_gsG5G9TACtSEIC8Ow5GTo/s400/sm-allaccess-20130819.png" width="400" /></a></div>Two of the other three Idol winners on the BillBoard 200 also saw their chart position improve. Carrie Underwood's "Blown Away" improved from #86 to #71 on her 67th week, and Kelly Clarkson saw her "Greatest Hits" album improve from #98 to #86. The only Idol winner to see their chart position fall slightly is Fantasia, whose "Side Effects of You", moved from #106 to #120 this week in its 16th week.<br /><br />Tomorrow sees the release of a new album from Season 9 winner, <a href="http://leedewyzeofficial.com/">Lee DeWyze</a>, as "<a href="http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/5646512/lee-dewyzes-frames-exclusive-album-premiere">Frames</a>" goes on sale. I wish him well but do not expect the greatest sales numbers from his release. Next week sees a more successful Idol alum release an album, as <a href="http://www.mandisaofficial.com/">Mandisa</a> will release "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Overcomer-Mandisa/dp/B00DRIMVK4">Overcomer</a>", which is likely to enter at #1 on the Christian album chart, and fairly well on the BillBoard chart as well. I could see Mandisa leading the other Idols on the BillBoard chart for a while, with her first single, the title track "Overcomer" already in the Top 10 on Christian radio.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfCWiLXmyJomJMw2E33ItWdLb7UICses2TaBAfFgheOzvgwtSeFXNO8FzoL4ygx1W4KdCu3u21kaHpHw-_jNwW-5twRncur3-EKFjXIJCiRv5kw7tj9qtP4UJoOIdmcFr3nVw-I1byhHv/s1600/cac-mediabase-20130819.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfCWiLXmyJomJMw2E33ItWdLb7UICses2TaBAfFgheOzvgwtSeFXNO8FzoL4ygx1W4KdCu3u21kaHpHw-_jNwW-5twRncur3-EKFjXIJCiRv5kw7tj9qtP4UJoOIdmcFr3nVw-I1byhHv/s400/cac-mediabase-20130819.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />

Phillip Phillips moves back Up the BillBoard Chart

blue = Phillip, black = Carrie, purple = Kelly, green = Fantasia, (red = Jessica, orange = Colton)  People can say all they want about the l...

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Staunton weekend lunch with the Bollings

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNCCC4BujqCQgt_BG28E7KJI6FWecDXAEKlFtI-u4LWAH7wnFsInODK6_OCb3DzYYxUi1AySxEl0LGTtYgAsm5szgsLL1pBIzBrXxA0M_1Xw88vMRcvk0-aoBT9AuuxiawZDbfo7cCd8-/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNCCC4BujqCQgt_BG28E7KJI6FWecDXAEKlFtI-u4LWAH7wnFsInODK6_OCb3DzYYxUi1AySxEl0LGTtYgAsm5szgsLL1pBIzBrXxA0M_1Xw88vMRcvk0-aoBT9AuuxiawZDbfo7cCd8-/s400/11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Virginia's Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and wife Jean Ann at Staunton's Depot Grille over the weekend.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBam-uLCHysEWPHKqdLS0mlkM-OyD61J7BTpQFJrXq7HWgwJSzhG2lZyipWeu1py9vpoI9SjXoQeEpzRyHLf7I96Bis7zJIeg74ziyH74u334bbv5MB7rfR_krJ6iieI3oOHBQOh9c4ws/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBam-uLCHysEWPHKqdLS0mlkM-OyD61J7BTpQFJrXq7HWgwJSzhG2lZyipWeu1py9vpoI9SjXoQeEpzRyHLf7I96Bis7zJIeg74ziyH74u334bbv5MB7rfR_krJ6iieI3oOHBQOh9c4ws/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The Lieutenant Governor and Dr. Kurt Michael at the historic downtown Staunton train station.  <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsiXpkTaBePHp3QtLrkIzfOiXbtMIITW9HnYtGJSWma5lUOpQMJ4lOCdzCLgEF07v0oLdy6nYh-IQ2IFuM4pqiw4rrrWMOOG3ZTxYTRhyphenhyphen60WMgcmt9SKLdHhyJUxFa8cnK9KYg_uSskIo/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsiXpkTaBePHp3QtLrkIzfOiXbtMIITW9HnYtGJSWma5lUOpQMJ4lOCdzCLgEF07v0oLdy6nYh-IQ2IFuM4pqiw4rrrWMOOG3ZTxYTRhyphenhyphen60WMgcmt9SKLdHhyJUxFa8cnK9KYg_uSskIo/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQEVc1J1kaGTb3iG4IdsV9MTCluS3Gx85lc3T9P61uLVveqZIGdaYqf_wkRZdR2CoK0V0Ya0Mi559DIu1snnzjuubY47vAdHb490AyYiLjMD5CTjTfyy3z6P_f016kDLWezH7wDYhUJye/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQEVc1J1kaGTb3iG4IdsV9MTCluS3Gx85lc3T9P61uLVveqZIGdaYqf_wkRZdR2CoK0V0Ya0Mi559DIu1snnzjuubY47vAdHb490AyYiLjMD5CTjTfyy3z6P_f016kDLWezH7wDYhUJye/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Jean Ann and Bill Bolling on the railroad bridge behind the Depot Grille Restaurant with a commanding view of downtown Staunton.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEbBwqW45YkoCtMP1avcXjGT1b0IUvyQpQsAJI9GED-PC1n7MkzNlQE2gc3cx43NJ2b8Gt7_wC_juhOtGUQpZvzUctG97HDQdsBBXlvOZE9RA67Ay9ns-ZZNPNFLK44E8TgFhRNNG_6tx/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEbBwqW45YkoCtMP1avcXjGT1b0IUvyQpQsAJI9GED-PC1n7MkzNlQE2gc3cx43NJ2b8Gt7_wC_juhOtGUQpZvzUctG97HDQdsBBXlvOZE9RA67Ay9ns-ZZNPNFLK44E8TgFhRNNG_6tx/s400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jean Ann Bolling, Kurt Michael, Bill Bolling</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_aEPNqfQm9oyf-jJEu6MC8KsO3B-HqBzTx5K2PlORbrShsXgQpc0SELy3D-q_v_SHL3kUBXxAzA2neq_M4hO_Z-p3_qutakXNc7jax2XBtPsawpozzkhJVa1vgMXeSnedcbhIErS0lSSw/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_aEPNqfQm9oyf-jJEu6MC8KsO3B-HqBzTx5K2PlORbrShsXgQpc0SELy3D-q_v_SHL3kUBXxAzA2neq_M4hO_Z-p3_qutakXNc7jax2XBtPsawpozzkhJVa1vgMXeSnedcbhIErS0lSSw/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Sears Hill observation deck overlooking the train station and downtown Staunton.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRT0vuGfm2ISa-Ha5ObI53aCKoc-DuE7O2I5iVSG4-n2PDL0XP_P1NSHXiGD9lwKV7kVJZshL-p8yl1P40lpb1VU6GMTOaR_NhxM6sHdUvuqKvhuAjaeWadGGIGnM5Q62TfsUwyZpRL7p/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRT0vuGfm2ISa-Ha5ObI53aCKoc-DuE7O2I5iVSG4-n2PDL0XP_P1NSHXiGD9lwKV7kVJZshL-p8yl1P40lpb1VU6GMTOaR_NhxM6sHdUvuqKvhuAjaeWadGGIGnM5Q62TfsUwyZpRL7p/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpg83Uk8_R6rChg5IAC8c3zircuCbSRjBd9myhFgMDkFssWd20n6PZkwwM17GWygrGgMp1dGD8O7JhsFMVh60PZAhdKLtEW-tAlOYlLCUsGg2WDC4bIjBXb8ybwFMLBZYfodtvadTtVY3p/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpg83Uk8_R6rChg5IAC8c3zircuCbSRjBd9myhFgMDkFssWd20n6PZkwwM17GWygrGgMp1dGD8O7JhsFMVh60PZAhdKLtEW-tAlOYlLCUsGg2WDC4bIjBXb8ybwFMLBZYfodtvadTtVY3p/s400/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Heading up Sears Hill to look over the city from the observation deck.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyM2KMGAmq7MT1nky7DFyXkkHfmZRPm2R7eTsIYiYz-RDtoW0sBbL76JbNQFux7keJD-kTTaZJH4SkSNW8mCckF_RGUHKmfhxgzwIvSNkJANuxEeBX0lWMz385KYVsrRCEdxrUq28wSsi1/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyM2KMGAmq7MT1nky7DFyXkkHfmZRPm2R7eTsIYiYz-RDtoW0sBbL76JbNQFux7keJD-kTTaZJH4SkSNW8mCckF_RGUHKmfhxgzwIvSNkJANuxEeBX0lWMz385KYVsrRCEdxrUq28wSsi1/s400/8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Walking the downtown streets of Staunton on a beautiful day with temps in the mid-70s.</div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />August 17, 2013

Bill Bolling Depot Grille Historic Downtown Staunton Jean Ann Bolling Kurt Michael Lynn R. Mitchell Sears Hill bridge Shenandoah Valley Staunton Virginia Is For Lovers Staunton weekend lunch with the Bollings

Virginia's Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and wife Jean Ann at Staunton's Depot Grille over the weekend. The Lieutenant Governor a...

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A Little Advice Never Hurts So Try These Out For Getting Fit

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Coach Todd</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Fitness does not mean you will be trapped at the gym hour after hour. The following article will provide tips to get your body fit.<br /> <br /> Hand-eye coordination is essential for volleyball. The optimum method to do this is by engaging in foosball. Just like with volleyball, Foosball requires your hand-eye coordination to be top notch. Once you have acquired these skills, you are ready to play volleyball.<br /> <br /> Make a schedule if there are issues with you following through on your fitness routine. Make a plan and stick to it, incorporating a goal of working out at specific times and a predetermined number of days every week. Schedule a make-up day if you have to miss a workout.<br /> <br /> m. workout It is a bit easier to wake up just 15-20 minutes earlier. Use those minutes to walk, jump rope or do an easy aerobic workout. This will cause your day to start off in the right way and you will be able to forge health traits that you can build up on over time.<br /> <br /> Always test padding on a workout bench before you begin, by pressing firmly with your fingers on the cushion. If the wood can be felt under the padding, choose a machine that has more padding. A machine that does not offer proper padding is bound to be extremely uncomfortable during your workout session.<br /> <br /> Know the right sit-up form to get the most from this simple exercise. Buy a Swiss ball and place it under the small of your back to get the most out of your sit-ups. It not advisable to use the anchored-feet position when you do sit-ups. This can cause too much stress to your lower back.<br /> <br /> It is critical that you stretch as part of your fitness regimen. You should start and end your workout with stretches that prepare your muscles for more intensive exercise. An injury could be a result from inadequate strectching. Stretching muscles helps to prepare them for a workout yet relaxes them from that workout, as well.<br /> <br /> A fit lifestyle might feel challenging, but it is also quite enjoyable. Incorporate the tips from this article into your current fitness program. Approach fitness as something you have to do every day to be successful. By adding more exercise, more often, you'll see big improvements.<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'>Before you decide whether or not <a href="http://rippedclub.net/workouts/is-p90x-hard/">P90X is hard</a>, be sure you check out a wealth of info on the subject <a href="http://rippedclub.net/nutrition/calorie-deficit-to-lose-weight/">right here</a></div><br /> </div><br />

A Little Advice Never Hurts So Try These Out For Getting Fit

By Coach Todd Fitness does not mean you will be trapped at the gym hour after hour. The following article will provide tips to get your ...

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How To Pick A Personal Trainer Irvine

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Cassie R. Marshall</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Irvine, California is quite a busy city. People take mostly 22.8 minutes simply to get to work every morning. Thus, workers usually have no time to go to a fitness center and also to lose weight or to maintain a healthy weight and a healthy body, even when they would like to. This is the reason why getting a personal trainer Irvine is perfect. Because you don't need to be in the gym at the start of the morning just to get fit and healthy, because fitness instructors can hold your schedule, you will no longer have to sacrifice your well being and your figure because of your busy schedule.<br /> <br /> But, choosing a personal trainer Irvine is very hard. Because there are lots of personal trainers that are registered in the city, you might find it hard to choose the best option for you. Fortunately, you will find simple ways how you are able to choose the best fitness expert for you.<br /> <br /> Befriend The Internet<br /> <br /> Simplifying your task in choosing the very best personal trainer will allow you to efficiently hire one which is certain to offer you great service and satisfactory results. And to be able to do that, you might want to befriend the Internet. Since you will have all the data that you need about a registered personal trainer Irvine online, you should make the most of it in looking for the one which fits your needs.<br /> <br /> Below are great tips how you can choose the best fitness expert helping you achieve your goals.<br /> <br /> * Determine Your Primary Goal<br /> <br /> First of all , you could do is to find out your goals first. Do not expect to know which personal trainer you want without taking into consideration the results that you want to achieve as this will make you disappointment.<br /> <br /> There are a lot of types of personal trainer Irvine. They provide different specialties that cater to the needs of their customers. Thus, before you understand what your primary goal are, you cannot discover the fitness expert for you personally. You can do that with the help of the Internet.<br /> <br /> Consider the typical goals that people say they would like to achieve with the aid of fitness instructors. Start from there to be able to acquire some ideas then list your own.<br /> <br /> * Search, Search, Search<br /> <br /> After you have determined and listed everything that you would like to attain with the help of your individual trainer, you can begin trying to find one now. You will find websites that provide details about fitness instructors. That's a good place to start.<br /> <br /> * List Down Your Choices<br /> <br /> Grab a pen and paper and begin taking notes about the fitness instructors that you simply believe are good and supply the service that you'll require. A good personal trainer Irvine typically has many positive feedback and reviews on various websites that are associated with fitness and gyms. While they seem good, you need to see whether the comments are real or not so that you will determine if those reviews are just written to make a good impression about a fitness expert. Try to verify by contacting the reviewer.<br /> <br /> * Narrow Down Your List<br /> <br /> Once you are completed with your list, now you can start contacting those personal trainers to create a scheduled appointment to have an interview. You can either call or send an e-mail to inform regarding your interest in getting a personal trainer Irvine.<br /> <br /> Check which ones pass your interview then cross out the ones that you're not satisfied with.<br /> <br /> * Choose<br /> <br /> Verify the claims of the personal trainer Irvine that you've interviewed and see who're telling the truth. Once you know their professional background and expertise, it is time to choose the best fitness expert by choosing which one is best in his or her field and you know you can work with without any problems.<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'>Being in great shape with the aid of <a href="http://www.theperfectworkout.com/personal-trainer-irvine/">personal trainer Irvine</a> not just boosts your entire body but also your well being as well. The benefits that you can get from <a href="https://plus.google.com/106004061680121716759/about?gl=US&hl=en-US">personal trainer Agoura Hills</a> are endless.</div><br /> </div><br />

How To Pick A Personal Trainer Irvine

By Cassie R. Marshall Irvine, California is quite a busy city. People take mostly 22.8 minutes simply to get to work every morning. Thus...

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Neuroskeptic | DiscoverMagazine.com

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/neuroskeptic/#.UhInXhZv1WI">http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/neuroskeptic/#.UhInXhZv1WI</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

Neuroskeptic | DiscoverMagazine.com

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/neuroskeptic/#.UhInXhZv1WI

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Discover Magazine - Health & Medicine

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; ">The latest in science and technology news, blogs and articles.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br></div><a href="http://discovermagazine.com/topics/health-medicine">http://discovermagazine.com/topics/health-medicine</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

Discover Magazine - Health & Medicine

The latest in science and technology news, blogs and articles. http://discovermagazine.com/topics/health-medicine

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What Foods Are Healthy Now

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By James Tender</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>People know that eating right is so important to leading a long life. Knowing what foods are healthy is part of that. It is not hard to know which foods are good for you, and making the right combination can lead to a long life.<br /> <br /> Most people will think of vegetables when they think of eating healthy. There are so many vegetables from which to choose. Eating a salad is also a common way that people want to eat there vegetables, or people can have steamed vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, and more.<br /> <br /> If one wants to make a salad, people can add things like tomatoes, green peppers, mushrooms, and more. However, people can spruce up a salad with pine nuts and croutons, and it will still be very good. They are coming out with other types of salads like Asian salads and Southwest salads which add a different flavor which people like.<br /> <br /> The next type of food that is important are fruits. People have a wide variety of fruits to choose from. For example, people can choose from watermelon, apples, oranges, cherries, and bananas. They have many nutrients like anti-oxidants which fight against many diseases like cancer and heart disease.<br /> <br /> Most everyone wants to enjoy meat, too, and this can be part of a nutritious diet. For example, it has been written recently that lean meats are better than dark meats. These meats would include white meat from chicken and turkey. Fish is also very important with its omega-3 fats.<br /> <br /> Grains provide a nutritious portion of a diet, too. For example, it is known that oatmeal helps lower cholesterol. Many cereals like raisin bran and wheat are also very good for the body. Whole grains are good because they keep the colon healthy.<br /> <br /> Getting these foods are easy at the local grocer. There is such a huge selection of fruits and vegetables in the produce section, and people can buy their meats at the deli and meat department. Seafoods like fish, crab, and lobster are also available. Dairy is also included, and Greek yogurt has quite a bit of protein.<br /> <br /> Eating foods high in nutrition is a something that people like to do today because it has so many benefits. It keeps the body looking good, and one needs to know what foods are healthy. It is easy to find these foods because one can go to their local grocer and go to the produce section or meat department and pick up what they need. The past few decades has seen people eating more fast food and frozen meals high in fat. People are realizing how important it is to eat healthy. They know it will reduce their chance of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. They also know it will help them look better, and that it is very important to people. There are many types of food to eat, and many are nutritious like fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Restricting intake is important, but eating right will allow people to eat more without feeling hungry.<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'>When you need the info to answer the question <a href="http://www.drsuperfoods.com.au">what is an antioxidant</a>, visit the home pages online today. You can see answers by clicking on the links at http://www.drsuperfoods.com.au now.</div><br /> </div><br />

What Foods Are Healthy Now

By James Tender People know that eating right is so important to leading a long life. Knowing what foods are healthy is part of that. It...

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weekend progress

It's Monday again. Joy.<br /><br />How was your weekend? Mine was jam packed.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjndGORNPxwFHfL-GK6wsdIX_q6NKNiHYSDPt9sjr3hrAXvPKbrh6jZtT4a9o76kiSKIYIR2HNzqYnYKFneXnB1dV3Km0UhL9abpHZsFWGGmpW1NWoZXP2Zc-oV4NLeQ5j6CmuFbkRAG5us/s1600/P8184135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjndGORNPxwFHfL-GK6wsdIX_q6NKNiHYSDPt9sjr3hrAXvPKbrh6jZtT4a9o76kiSKIYIR2HNzqYnYKFneXnB1dV3Km0UhL9abpHZsFWGGmpW1NWoZXP2Zc-oV4NLeQ5j6CmuFbkRAG5us/s400/P8184135.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />I finished some curtains for a client and they are ironed and ready to deliver today.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOQk0z28IO_S1bBxxZdF77mUOQBmT3c8mT73iyV31rebgJLl7krpT8TSaZR9WK-KtpBxQJcGgzy0ysSvPsDsmHfUksdKbK0QIi9IHqUbH7uI12rZvTz3q0tPTCE6orRUym0CzZOI73jP3/s1600/P8184136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOQk0z28IO_S1bBxxZdF77mUOQBmT3c8mT73iyV31rebgJLl7krpT8TSaZR9WK-KtpBxQJcGgzy0ysSvPsDsmHfUksdKbK0QIi9IHqUbH7uI12rZvTz3q0tPTCE6orRUym0CzZOI73jP3/s400/P8184136.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />We transplanted the almost-dead hydrangeas to a spot in my yard where I know hydrangeas thrive and put in something else. (which needs to be trimmed)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomITrEb4VohAIOtGLo56pVsKKvZm5VN9kiaDMgZ4ActKc8ofM_9UhpNDTSFOFG_fHpX_YC2l6yIed98Wwk4FdSdCraMNvEvDLK5AVW_x4_GfB1tkHxI5wIts3_R8076ZakYtvHgqSTKba/s1600/camping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomITrEb4VohAIOtGLo56pVsKKvZm5VN9kiaDMgZ4ActKc8ofM_9UhpNDTSFOFG_fHpX_YC2l6yIed98Wwk4FdSdCraMNvEvDLK5AVW_x4_GfB1tkHxI5wIts3_R8076ZakYtvHgqSTKba/s400/camping.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />We had a last weekend of summer campout in the backyard which was a huge hit, even if the hub's back is still paying for it.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCSvVL8Zky9HriS9rajVJ8_qn0wT25lDSkZupGr3SGz-BLaOqPIrpJUmzNtbGUo2EiStZBkdrh9g_gJCwBfgb6pFMQ03xqpilTjtwH-JhERmXib79AyW1FIcJLVhyHIHsEvox1x-diuxM/s1600/newpillow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCSvVL8Zky9HriS9rajVJ8_qn0wT25lDSkZupGr3SGz-BLaOqPIrpJUmzNtbGUo2EiStZBkdrh9g_gJCwBfgb6pFMQ03xqpilTjtwH-JhERmXib79AyW1FIcJLVhyHIHsEvox1x-diuxM/s400/newpillow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I made a pillow with my new trim from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/FringeMarket" target="_blank">Fringe Market</a>. And when I say made I mean that I glued the trim onto a plain white pillow cover from IKEA. That's my kind of sewing.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JkO6oFis1UgI2SqinUrFhb4jhpetwbdP7ybeV8XUkqVubiC4iWKuxy4p5IqrshlXQDyImFmti3p98ngB5hQfapoX31GmAUuoukBUF74Wgon_X65sA0MabQRYnb_gIcvEL2jQs4hjWeLG/s1600/trimdetail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JkO6oFis1UgI2SqinUrFhb4jhpetwbdP7ybeV8XUkqVubiC4iWKuxy4p5IqrshlXQDyImFmti3p98ngB5hQfapoX31GmAUuoukBUF74Wgon_X65sA0MabQRYnb_gIcvEL2jQs4hjWeLG/s400/trimdetail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />If you don't know about <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/FringeMarket" target="_blank">Fringe Market</a> yet you need to. They have amazing trims in all different colors and patterns, they will do any type of custom order you need and they are some of the nicest people of <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/FringeMarket" target="_blank">Etsy</a>. Trust that I'll be ordering much more from them. Love them.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtHEz8wR5CH3E8TIC1zChO0fsBmHAKcxPaKMzgMdS0VxfF0l5eoNMKkAnPCJcoD2KqEHSY-HsmFbKm_ls78kl3l4Ql2IgD9PvinhG2Ec9G-2GqA9sbyipMRV2FQ6_i1kFcV1MQIO7RTUD/s1600/campfire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtHEz8wR5CH3E8TIC1zChO0fsBmHAKcxPaKMzgMdS0VxfF0l5eoNMKkAnPCJcoD2KqEHSY-HsmFbKm_ls78kl3l4Ql2IgD9PvinhG2Ec9G-2GqA9sbyipMRV2FQ6_i1kFcV1MQIO7RTUD/s400/campfire.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />And we ended the weekend with a campfire and some neighborly BBQ. Now I've got to get ready for Amelia to start Kindergarten tomorrow. Wahoo!!! How is it possible to have a child in Kindergarten when I'm still a young dewy 18 year old myself?!<br /><br />How was your weekend? Glue anything? Burn anything? Brave the back to school section at Target?

weekend progress

It's Monday again. Joy. How was your weekend? Mine was jam packed. I finished some curtains for a client and they are ironed and ready t...

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3 Essential Elements of an effective Task Management System

<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">Systematic planning and organizing is the hallmark of many successful people I know. The system can be simple or complex. But if it doesn't work for you, it is useless. </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">That is one problem with some of the technology - it gets is sucked into a system where we're just playing with the system and not getting our work done. I've got my own system for planning and thought some of you might like a glimpse into the elements as you fine tune how you'll keep up with things. Here are my 3 essential elements for TASK management. </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "><em>(I can share appointments and calendars in a later post if this is interesting to enough of you. Just let me know in the comments</em>.)</div> <h3>1. Electronic Master List of Everything</h3> <p>I use <a href="http://www.nozbe.com" target="_self" title="">Nozbe</a> to keep my list of everything that needs to be done. But this is very comprehensive and has a lot in there. </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCPNZJmMjVuiMlOIIaefUXR87kHj-TGQaBHa29HE5aUDt1GpNbFWlYGtu49KTiZa9x7rxAptBiAnSlbNHDm8phNgNfaBDxL_ts0RNVJ7k6ptNTIhflvVbMSOAe6oUBULiRVI-ESQXGnXB/s960/Photo%252520Aug%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A02%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="text-align: center; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; "><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="375" id="blogsy-1376878837539.5688" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCPNZJmMjVuiMlOIIaefUXR87kHj-TGQaBHa29HE5aUDt1GpNbFWlYGtu49KTiZa9x7rxAptBiAnSlbNHDm8phNgNfaBDxL_ts0RNVJ7k6ptNTIhflvVbMSOAe6oUBULiRVI-ESQXGnXB/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A02%252520PM.jpg" width="500"></a></p> <h3>2. Weekly List</h3> <p>In order to prepare for my week, I make a list by category inside my <a href="http://www.plannerpads.com" target="_self" title="">Planner pad</a> so I can keep up with what needs to be done THIS WEEK. This list is shown above.</p> <p>This small goal setting / task setting activity takes my monstrous list down to a doable list of important things to get done. I make this list on Sunday evenings to prepare for the week ahead.</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZ7Rbco7zSTHsjWuZbaxbowek8AJfOejI-pUW1huz1oPY2IbEJFvNPJrQFIvsEZR16c9SotMdgiosUbtQNISPspWmLFZ5c-ERdLyuiIO4prIX-uDA_b21_pvnRqefGBw5oE9CfOfEizB4/s960/Photo%252520Aug%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A06%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="375" id="blogsy-1376878837522.9143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZ7Rbco7zSTHsjWuZbaxbowek8AJfOejI-pUW1huz1oPY2IbEJFvNPJrQFIvsEZR16c9SotMdgiosUbtQNISPspWmLFZ5c-ERdLyuiIO4prIX-uDA_b21_pvnRqefGBw5oE9CfOfEizB4/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A06%252520PM.jpg" width="500"></a></div> <h3>3. Daily List</h3> <p>When I do my "Plan and Scan" time in the evenings. I plan what I'll do tomorrow. Not only do I select my top 4 items to do but I set an appointment for WHEN I'll do those items. Here is where I wish I could point to something commercial for you. I make my own planner pages - I have a special way to do my "to do" list and also to plan my day. (Maybe I should figure out a way to share them.)</p> <p> One of the most important things I do with my day I gleaned from the book "Attack your day." There is a powerful principle in that book about planning out what you'll do at each point in the day. I love the principle and it made a difference for me, but the forms in the book don't fit with my planner system.</p> <p>So, I plan out on the left when I'll do what and then on the right I journal exactly what I did instead. This is such a powerful method because I am able to compare the plan with actual. Also, often when I know what time I'll do what it is more likely to get done.</p> <p>Also, I only pick 4 primary items that HAVE to be done. I do have other items on the list, but the Key 4 are the essential item that I know that I have to do.</p> <p>I also make sure that I plan my key habits into my day. When will I workout? When will I do my morning routine? My get to school routine? When will I plan and scan? When will I journal? Sometimes I can't do all of these things but if they are important, set a time. (Read the Power of Habit for why you set appointments with yourself.)</p> <h3>Plan and Scan Time</h3> <p>At the end of the day, I have a system to look at today's undone items and my weekly master list as well as anything in my day that needs to be handled. I go ahead and plan when I'll do what. I take 5-10 minutes each day to plan tomorrow. Again, I do this at least 4-5 days a week.The days I don't plan and scan, I always feel like I start off the next day behind.</p> <h3>Have a plan and work your plan</h3> <p>I'm convinced that each of us must create a system that works for us. We do need to use research proven methods to help us do what we need to do. Things like scheduling time for important tasks and keeping a master list are both examples.</p> <p>I do have my calendar in Google but the process of writing it into my planner helps cement what happens when. I'm a visual person and the process of writing helps me determine what I'll do.</p> <p>What system do you use? Have a system and be intentional. I've seen people with an index card with 5 goals for the day and others who have complex systems. The point is that they have a "system." They have a systematic way to keep up with commitments, appointments, and work towards integrating habits into their lives that will help them be successful.</p> <p>Think about your system and be intentional. Do you mind sharing?</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>

3 Essential Elements of an effective Task Management System

Systematic planning and organizing is the hallmark of many successful people I know. The system can be simple or complex. But if it doesn...

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Today's Teamster News 08.19.13

<a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/night-remember-38th-annual-tnbc-comes-end" rel="nofollow">A Night To Remember As the 38th Annual TNBC Comes to an End</a>  IBT   ...members and leaders were recognized and rewarded for their dedication to the Teamsters National Black Caucus, locally and nationally...<br /><a href="http://nhlabornews.com/2013/08/man-arrested-for-attempting-to-drive-over-union-demonstrators-on-a-picket-line/" rel="nofollow">Man Arrested for Attempting to Drive Over Union Demonstrators on a Picket Line</a>  NH Labor News   ...On Thursday 08/15/13 the day on the line started out like any other, until an unnamed worker that is said to have been doing woodwork at this site decided to cross the line and get in the demonstrators faces…with his VAN...<br /><a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/08/18/4245845/protest-movement-employs-the-language.html" rel="nofollow">Moral Monday, now in Charlotte, employs the language of faith</a>  Charlotte Observer   ...The protests, which have received national attention, are not only grounded in religion but expanding their reach into churches. Organizers say they seek to reclaim the language of political morality...<br /><a href="http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2013/08/18/3171816/report-rules-skirted-to-give-police.html" rel="nofollow">Report: Rules skirted to give police chief raise</a>  Associated Press   ...Gov. Scott Walker's administration gave the Capitol Police chief and his top deputy double-digit pay raises after moving them on paper to fake jobs and then back to their real posts...<br /><a href="http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/08/consumer-mortgage-choice-act-democrats-cfpb-qm" rel="nofollow">Dems Defy Obama on Mortgage Protections</a>  Mother Jones   ...President Barack Obama laid out his new housing plan, emphasizing the importance of safe, simple, affordable mortgages. But lawmakers in his own party are working against him, trying to gut historic new safeguards on home loans...<br /><a href="http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/5-companies-make-money-keeping-americans-terrified-terror-attacks?paging=off" rel="nofollow">5 Companies That Make Money By Keeping Americans Terrified of Terror Attacks</a>  Alternet   ...The drive to privatize America's national security apparatus accelerated in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, and it’s gotten to the point where 70 percent of the national intelligence budget is now spent on private contractors...<br /><a href="http://www.economicpopulist.org/content/americas-growing-income-inequality-problem-5339" rel="nofollow">America's Growing Income Inequality Problem</a>  Economic Populist   ...While the Great Recession might be relabeled the great wealth transfer from the middle classes to the super rich, it is not the actual cause for such American economic injustice.  The primary cause is Congress and their never ending giving to the rich through the U.S. tax code...<br /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23745541" rel="nofollow">Greece privatisation boss Stelios Stavridis dismissed</a>  BBC News   ...Mr Stavridis had only been in the job for four months but had faced criticism for the slow pace of privatisations...<br /><a href="http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/08/17/hiring-in-china-by-jpmorgan-under-scrutiny/?partner=EXCITE&ei=5043&_r=1" rel="nofollow">Hiring in China by JPMorgan Under Scrutiny</a>  New York Times   ...Federal authorities have opened a bribery investigation into whether JPMorgan Chase hired the children of powerful Chinese officials to help the bank win lucrative business in the booming nation...<br /><a href="http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/08/were-building-a-domestic-army-marine-corps-colonel-before-concord-nh-town-council.html" rel="nofollow">“We’re Building a Domestic Army” – Marine Corps Colonel Peter Martino Before Concord, NH Town Council </a> naked capitalism   ...What’s happening here is that we’re building a domestic military because it’s unlawful or unconstitutional to use American troops on American soil...

Today's Teamster News 08.19.13

A Night To Remember As the 38th Annual TNBC Comes to an End  IBT   ...members and leaders were recognized and rewarded for their dedication...

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CLANG CLANG.... CLANG CLANG.... CLANG CLANG....

<a href="http://metro.co.uk/2013/08/18/a-biker-whos-blind-to-fear-sightless-daredevil-reaches-167mph-on-motorcycle-3928986/">That's the sound you hear when this dude walks by</a>.<br /><br /><blockquote><br /><br />The 39-year-old broke his back in two places, shattered several ribs and his shoulder and was paralysed across the right side of his body in a horror road accident 11 years ago.<br /><br />But he fought back to regain some feeling in his right arm and eventually conquered the challenge of climbing back on his bike.<br /><br />Mr Gunn battled crosswinds to beat the previous fastest time of 164mph at Elvington Airfield in North Yorkshire.<br /><br />‘I’m absolutely ecstatic and I don’t think the news has quite sunk in,’ he said.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNZ6zL0NRxOlEIwJ79Fq0peE7R1220A5W9IQcKdLmp4DDLgATL85oM0UfkpnAnIxd4Xl4tladOQAPb5TSP0OFFMTFqL8DM8D3scDOIrv9XsztoKB5b8s0_nhOd9J7utiHi9oJvYoPWbbu/s1600/ay_116476424.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNZ6zL0NRxOlEIwJ79Fq0peE7R1220A5W9IQcKdLmp4DDLgATL85oM0UfkpnAnIxd4Xl4tladOQAPb5TSP0OFFMTFqL8DM8D3scDOIrv9XsztoKB5b8s0_nhOd9J7utiHi9oJvYoPWbbu/s400/ay_116476424.jpg" /></a><br /><br /></blockquote><br /><blockquote><i>He became the fastest blind and disabled biker on the planet after hitting 167.1mph on Saturday.</i><br /><br />His father, Geoff, rides alongside him and uses an intercom system to tell him if he is drifting off course or needs to brake.<br />"I have ridden for years with my dad and so it worked really well."<br /><br /></blockquote><br /><br /><br />Dude just redefined Crazy MotherFucker in my book.<br /><br /><br /><br />H/T to <a href="http://www.fark.com/">FARK </a>for the link and to <a href="http://metro.co.uk/author/nicole-le-marie/"> Nicole Le Marie</a><br />Metro News Reporter

CLANG CLANG.... CLANG CLANG.... CLANG CLANG....

That's the sound you hear when this dude walks by . The 39-year-old broke his back in two places, shattered several ribs and his shoulde...

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I Only Have One Question

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/pVIATZk4cGE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Where is the safety relief valve?<br /><br />That brass fitting to the left side sure looks like it has a pipe plug in it to me.

I Only Have One Question

Where is the safety relief valve? That brass fitting to the left side sure looks like it has a pipe plug in it to me.

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Yeah, You're Cool Honey

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFF_tgpepZG4X36BTMVVobHZvBYdo_7HVbtlycvKe_z6SlwcDtAJHo999fYHv7pIP52vyd0wSZiQ0YiHtj0vYLkvs358rGcibg6TTQK1PD6Sh5YpYUjk3_uw3PY01vu-BgLZ6M4UyjXlE/s1600/too-much-drunk-girl-fall.gif" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFF_tgpepZG4X36BTMVVobHZvBYdo_7HVbtlycvKe_z6SlwcDtAJHo999fYHv7pIP52vyd0wSZiQ0YiHtj0vYLkvs358rGcibg6TTQK1PD6Sh5YpYUjk3_uw3PY01vu-BgLZ6M4UyjXlE/s400/too-much-drunk-girl-fall.gif" /></a><br /><br />Bye now.

Yeah, You're Cool Honey

Bye now.

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Bad Backs, Bad Poetry and Weed

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal">Well I tweaked my back once again. It’s nothing major just an annoying stiffness and minor pain. I can get around fine as long as I alternate between standing, sitting and lying down. <br /><br />While I was lying on my bed this afternoon I suddenly realized something. I don’t have any access to drugs. Like some Vicodin or OxyContin or Percocet or any of that good stuff. How the hell did this happen to me? How did I end up in situation where I have NO friends or acquaintances that could just hand me a little baggie and say “Here dude. This will help.” </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD8gaoUGydsecKOKXe44Ls7ltjyORbIxINlDaevxmtS01XksHQc5odBgHqmiGGhrgRky3BXL5u_kvFSMOmcpvho6-p4bUH-zfZ0PywPXF5Tu6FL34xA6hUXlDXX8r-CTjhhwzlTIb0yEz7/s1600/High+Times+Cheech+and+Chong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD8gaoUGydsecKOKXe44Ls7ltjyORbIxINlDaevxmtS01XksHQc5odBgHqmiGGhrgRky3BXL5u_kvFSMOmcpvho6-p4bUH-zfZ0PywPXF5Tu6FL34xA6hUXlDXX8r-CTjhhwzlTIb0yEz7/s320/High+Times+Cheech+and+Chong.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />When I first injured my back quite badly a few years ago, I had several coworkers who offered to “help me out” with some meds. They would just have their cousins bring some of the “good stuff” up from Mexico when they came to visit for the weekend. I said “no thanks” because I was getting a good supply of Vicodin and muscle relaxants from the <strike>quacks</strike> doctors at the downtown San Antonio clinic that my insurance thought I should share with all the pregnant teenagers, homeless people and hookers. <br /><br />A few people were pretty sure that all I needed to do was to begin smoking weed. The third shift supervisor was the first person to tell me all about how he hurt his back years earlier and the only thing that made it all better was the hippie lettuce. <br /><br />I wasn’t all that surprised by the dude, he had a wallet with a marijuana leaf on it. But, the sweet little Vietnamese lady did surprise me when she offered to share some of her stash with me. She was pretty much the last person in the whole building that I would have suspected to be a pot head. And here I thought she was just naturally funny.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjHKRkOjcofNu91-KwTwDDg318wtdpHwtvgYG6bMG-SGbHLyG4El99Tbx2IdtEvSAM6tD7GyfE08jSYIr085tUGYQJi9XG-d77qHZmgNAXc8Ep5oEQoKS1iMYWE7RPf7gTuV33C09tFdd/s1600/Rihanna-Smoking-Weed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjHKRkOjcofNu91-KwTwDDg318wtdpHwtvgYG6bMG-SGbHLyG4El99Tbx2IdtEvSAM6tD7GyfE08jSYIr085tUGYQJi9XG-d77qHZmgNAXc8Ep5oEQoKS1iMYWE7RPf7gTuV33C09tFdd/s400/Rihanna-Smoking-Weed.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><br />And there were SEVERAL people who told me that all I needed to do was to get some Holy Water and rub that on my back and it would be cured. I wasn’t sure how to acquire this magical clear, watery substance. I figured getting a hold of this stuff wasn’t as risky as trying to buy some OxyContin or something. Turns out I was wrong. You actually have to go to a Catholic Church to get it. I guess they sell it in the gift shop?<br /><br />So I checked online and found that I can buy three bottles of Jordan River Holy Water for only $32.97.<br /><br />Holy shit! That stuff is expensive. I think pot is cheaper than that.<br /><br />After a little more searching I found that I could get it a little cheaper at <a href="http://www.discountcatholicproducts.com/catholic-store/Holy-Water/Holy-Water-Holy%20Water-Oil-Soil-Incense.aspx">Discount Catholic Products</a>. I don’t know why I find that funny, but I do. If someone shows up at mass with a discount crucifix that they bought online and not in the church gift shop, will he or she be looked down upon? Is discount Holy Water kind of like buy “Always Save” canned veggies? Does God care if you paid full price or not? Probably not, but I do wonder if he has any rules against Methodists using holy water? He’s been known to be kind of picky.  <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:Jayman3768@gmail.com">Jayman3768@gmail.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/jayman68">My Facebook</a><br /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/jayman_iws">@Jayman_IWS</a> <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal">In case you missed it Sunday’s Bad Poetry Show on IWS Radio was EPIC! Lots of awesomely bad poetry from correspondents and others PLUS calls from Brown Beasely, Nurse Sherri and our favorite Canadian Jamie!! Aaaaaaaaand the newest American Luis the Ice Man and Mrs. Luis came on the show too! You gotta check this one out … <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="370" src="http://player.cinchcast.com/?show_id=5282605&platformId=1&assetType=single" width="400"></iframe><br /><div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/comedy">More Comedy Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio</a> with <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid">IWS Radio</a> on BlogTalkRadio</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /></div></div>

Bad Backs, Bad Poetry and Weed

Well I tweaked my back once again. It’s nothing major just an annoying stiffness and minor pain. I can get around fine as long as I alternat...

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Schapiro exposes negative campaigning ... Bolling again calls for positive messaging

In his column in Sunday's <a href="http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/jeff-schapiro/schapiro-enthusiasm-gap-scrambles-va-campaign/article_54cb9772-dc81-5e95-a661-9188ac298b5c.html"><i>Richmond Times-Dispatch</i></a>, political reporter Jeff Schapiro wrote:<br /><blockquote>What Terry McAuliffe and Ken Cuccinelli say, to whom and how they say it, speaks to the direction of the gubernatorial campaign. Some of it is noise. A lot is dog-whistle politics: shrill, high-frequency babble tailored to the ears of targeted voters.</blockquote>All the negativity hasn't been lost on Virginia's Lieutenant Governor <a href="http://www.billbolling.com/">Bill Bolling</a> who wrote on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bollingva">Facebook</a>:<br /><blockquote>Jeff Schapiro does a pretty good job capturing the essence of this year's gubernatorial campaign, which is characterized by way too much negativity and way too little substance. I still believe the candidate who can project a positive message in the final weeks of the campaign is the candidate who will win.</blockquote>A positive message from our 2013 candidates? What a novel idea.

Bill Bolling Jeff Schapiro Ken Cuccinelli Terry McAuliffe Virginia gubernatorial race Schapiro exposes negative campaigning ... Bolling again calls for positive messaging

In his column in Sunday's Richmond Times-Dispatch , political reporter Jeff Schapiro wrote: What Terry McAuliffe and Ken Cuccinelli say,...

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Bai 5 Drinks Review!

<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ibppZiDtfaI/UhFra81Q8yI/AAAAAAAAJNg/nCf6_VHORVY/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ibppZiDtfaI/UhFra81Q8yI/AAAAAAAAJNg/nCf6_VHORVY/s320/13+-+1" width="320" /></span></i></a></div><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm sure all of you coffee drinkers like myself know that coffee comes from a bean, but did you know that the outside of the bean is called a super fruit?</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Never knew that until now with these fruity coffee fruit infused juices from <a href="http://www.drinkbai.com/">Bai 5 drinks</a>. </span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Infuse the antioxidant power of  the super fruit with juice and your probably thinking coffee and juice ew gross, it doesn't taste like coffee at all they are fruity and oh so delicious!</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ive seen their juices in stores before but have never tried them and was a bit curious,  was sent their juices for review and couldn't wait to give them a try!</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Flavors:</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Molokai coconut: </span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Exotic sweet coconut flavor and just the right amount of sweetness</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>Limu lemon:</u></span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u><br /></u></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>Costa Rica clementine:</u></span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u><br /></u></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>Brasilia blueberry:</u></span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Luscious blueberry flavor, reminded me of Grape Jelly actually! So good and full of flavor packed with antioxidants!</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Congo pear:</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>Malawi mango:</u></span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">delicious sweet mango flavor</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>Sumatra dragon fruit: </u></span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I absolutely loved this flavor it was so delicious and tasted just like a vitamin water I've had before!</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Panama peach- juicy peach flavor and so refreshing </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>Website:</u></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drinkbai.com/"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">http://www.drinkbai.com/</span></i></a><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Facebook :</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DrinkBai">https://www.facebook.com/DrinkBai</a></span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Twitter:</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/drinkbai">https://twitter.com/drinkbai</a></span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Google+:</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/app/basic/101697881109902070907"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">https://plus.google.com/u/0/app/basic/101697881109902070907</span></i></a></div>

Bai 5 Drinks Review!

I'm sure all of you coffee drinkers like myself know that coffee comes from a bean, but did you know that the outside of the bean is cal...

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Rockingham County on a rainy afternoon

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnOx9qb00FmQiuFJYMZkd-w0AyXx0_vR7nCD2GyBYBzjoBIA1KPbg-JZSkWp8kKVDLmASgrLMaCeqLIdvHdH2N9VZr0bG7q5p7GQjPfbwabPY00rij5H9248USi_BHAHQwXM-jk_GV6jhb/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnOx9qb00FmQiuFJYMZkd-w0AyXx0_vR7nCD2GyBYBzjoBIA1KPbg-JZSkWp8kKVDLmASgrLMaCeqLIdvHdH2N9VZr0bG7q5p7GQjPfbwabPY00rij5H9248USi_BHAHQwXM-jk_GV6jhb/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQ_8MCHHRhFRO6TfRnx6OUIt0TreLjiASUu3BoYFjRvvmgL62EAshfb1jldwBGosr4FSM8xzbHytaM7pREDKHI9QHPCtACcv22YJGhY7v0cOnLlBQI-pEukH5IwnYkGsLUBIPoeXgiVaE/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQ_8MCHHRhFRO6TfRnx6OUIt0TreLjiASUu3BoYFjRvvmgL62EAshfb1jldwBGosr4FSM8xzbHytaM7pREDKHI9QHPCtACcv22YJGhY7v0cOnLlBQI-pEukH5IwnYkGsLUBIPoeXgiVaE/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />August 18, 2013

Rockingham County rural America Shenandoah Valley Virginia Virginia Is For Lovers Rockingham County on a rainy afternoon

  Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell August 18, 2013

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Goodlatte townhall meeting Monday

Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-6th District) will hold a <a href="http://www.goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/443">townhall meeting</a> on Monday, August 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the Augusta County Government Center in Verona. Sounds like a crowd will be there.

Goodlatte townhall meeting Monday

Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-6th District) will hold a townhall meeting on Monday, August 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the Augusta County Government...

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Historic Downtown Staunton, Virginia

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPcmNbIFZUM62v-3c-iiiwotZe37ii4_WfXTXLs34ApF8vkaCt1k-XM4m7pmfbqz33ZWAiO2YeW7gfoD_PaYbYSzhidHrdD0fV9L0PQfTq-DtYs6SylR72P0m2k2LJIeMvkZUKi9lODV7/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPcmNbIFZUM62v-3c-iiiwotZe37ii4_WfXTXLs34ApF8vkaCt1k-XM4m7pmfbqz33ZWAiO2YeW7gfoD_PaYbYSzhidHrdD0fV9L0PQfTq-DtYs6SylR72P0m2k2LJIeMvkZUKi9lODV7/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Staunton, Virginia <br />In the heart of the Shenandoah Valley as seen from Sears Hill Observation Deck.</div><br />Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />August 17, 2013<br /><br />Cross-posted at <a href="http://www.vapolitics.us/">Virginia Politics On Demand</a>

Sears Hill Shenandoah Valley Staunton Virginia Historic Downtown Staunton, Virginia

Staunton, Virginia In the heart of the Shenandoah Valley as seen from Sears Hill Observation Deck. Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell August 17, 2013...

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