Governor McDonnell Announces Anniversary Milestone of Virginia’s Troops to TrucksSM Program

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Through Program, More than 200 Service Men and Women Have Obtained CDLs to Prepare for Post-Military Careers in Transportation Industry

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced the one year anniversary of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles’ (DMV) Troops to Trucks^SM program. Through Troops to Trucks^SM more than 200 military men and women have come one step closer to civilian careers in the transportation industry.

            Through a partnership between the Virginia DMV, the military and transportation-related businesses, participants in the Troops to Trucks^SM program fast-track the process for getting a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Many service members are trained to operate large vehicles that meet the definition of a commercial motor vehicle. For those with at least two years of military vehicle driving experience, DMV waives the CDL skills test. For those with little or no military driving experience, commercial driver training is conducted on base before leaving service.

            “The Commonwealth is committed to helping those who have served our country succeed in their civilian careers,” said Governor McDonnell. “Troops to Trucks^SM is one of the many military and veteran programs that help meet the goal of Virginia becoming the most military and veteran-friendly state in the country. We must continue to pursue creative ways to serve the men and women who have sacrificed for our great nation.”

            Five military installations in Virginia are certified as third-party testers through DMV – Fort Lee, Fort Pickett, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Joint Base Langley-Eustis and Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek. Using a DMV-approved curriculum, military members are taught the needed skills to operate a commercial vehicle. When participants are ready for testing, the DMV 2 Go mobile office goes to the bases to administer tests and issue CDLs.

            Troops to Trucks^SM participants also complete an employment interest questionnaire. DMV provides those questionnaires to the Virginia trucking and busing associations for possible matches with businesses looking for qualified drivers.

            “The characteristics of today’s veterans are the same characteristics that the transportation industry needs in its drivers – dedicated, dependable leaders,” said DMV Commissioner Richard D. Holcomb. “With a shortage of qualified drivers, we are helping match these men and women with good paying jobs.”

            As more service men and women transition out of the military this summer, the program is expected to grow significantly. For more information about Troops to TrucksSM visit http://www.dmvnow.com/military/

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Dreams Come True- Spatial Unity - Free Song Of The Day

Royalty-free music for professional licensing

Spatial Unity with their song, Dreams Come True.  Soft very melodic tune with strong vocals.  Well done song that the charts seem to be missing.  Well worth your time to at the very least, listen to.  Downloads are always free.  This band comes from the United Kingdom.


You can copy, distribute, advertise and play this track as long as you:

• Give credit to the artist
• Distribute all derivative works under the same license

Disneyland - Remember... Dreams Come True! Fireworks (76 Second Exposure) (Photo credit: Tom.Bricker)

American Diet Designed To Make You Fat And Sick

A raw, paleolithic-style dish: A sashimi (raw fish) dinner set (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Dr. Mercola

Approximately 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food is spent onprocessed foods, and food marketers do a masterful job at making it seem like fast foods and junk foods are the obvious choice.

Some even manage to make you believe such foods are a healthy option. But not only are these processed foods “dead” and devoid of any natural nutrition, they can also be loaded with potentially carcinogenic substances.

English: A close up of a fresh raw food dish (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Just over a decade ago, researchers discovered that a cancer-causing and potentially neurotoxic chemical called acrylamide is created when carbohydrate-rich foods are cooked at high temperatures, whether baked, fried, roasted, grilled or toasted.

The chemical is formed from a reaction between sugars and an amino acid (asparagine) during high-temperature cooking. The answer, of course, is to limit or eliminate processed foods and increase the amount of whole, raw foods in your diet. I typically aim for 80-85 percent raw food in my own diet.

Acrylamide May Be a Primary Hazard of Processed Food

Acrylamide can form in many foods cooked or processed at temperatures above 212°F (100°C), but carbohydrate-rich foods are the most vulnerable to this heat-induced byproduct. As a general rule, the chemical is formed when food is heated enough to produce a fairly dry and “browned” surface. Hence, it can be found in:

• Potatoes: chips, French fries and other roasted or fried potato foods
• Grains: bread crust, toast, crisp bread, roasted breakfast cereals and various processed snacks
• Coffee; roasted coffee beans and ground coffee powder. Surprisingly, coffee substitutes based on chicory actually contains 2-3 times moreacrylamide than real coffee

Acrylamide is not the only hazard associated with heat-processed foods, however. The three-year long EU project known as Heat-Generated Food Toxicants1(HEATOX), identified more than 800 heat-induced compounds in food, 52 of which are potential carcinogens... For example, the high heat of grilling reacts with proteins in red meat, poultry, and fish, creating heterocyclic amines, which have also been linked to cancer.

Humans are not the only victims here. As discussed by holistic veterinarian Dr. Barbara Royal, pet foods also contain acrylamide and heterocyclic amines, courtesy of commercial pet food processing methods.

Exposure to Acrylamide Increases Your Cancer Risk

Animal studies have shown that exposure to acrylamide increases the risk of several types of cancer, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer considers acrylamide a "probable human carcinogen." According to a 1988 study2:

“The data show that acrylamide is capable of inducing genotoxic, carcinogenic, developmental, and reproductive effects in tested organisms. Thus, acrylamide may pose more than a neurotoxic health hazard to exposed humans.

Acrylamide is a small organic molecule with very high water solubility. These properties probably facilitate its rapid absorption and distribution throughout the body. After absorption, acrylamide is rapidly metabolized, primarily by glutathione conjugation, and the majority of applied material is excreted within 24 hours... Acrylamide can bind to DNA... which has implications for its genotoxic and carcinogenic potential.”

A study3 published in 2007 linked higher dietary acrylamide intake with an increased risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women, particularly among non-smokers. It has also been linked to nerve damage and other neurotoxic effects, including neurological problems in workers handling the substance.

While the EPA regulates acrylamide in drinking water and the FDA regulates the amount of acrylamide residue in materials that may come in contact with food, they do not currently have any guidelines limiting the chemical in food itself.

How Much Acrylamide Are You Getting from Your Diet?

In drinking water, the federal limit for acrylamide is 0.5 parts per billion, or about 0.12 micrograms in an eight-ounce glass of water. However, a six-ounce serving of French fries can contain 60 micrograms of acrylamide—about 500 times the allowable limit! A 2002 food analysis published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry4, found moderate levels of acrylamide (5−50 μg/kg) in heated protein-rich foods and higher levels (150−4,000 μg/kg) in carbohydrate-rich foods. Unheated or boiled foods showed undetectable levels (<5 acrylamide="" conclude:="" g="" kg="" leading="" of="" p="" researchers="" the="" to="">

"Consumption habits indicate that the acrylamide levels in the studied heated foods could lead to a daily intake of a few tens of micrograms."

Potato chips in particular are notoriously high in this dangerous chemical. So high, in fact, that in 2005 the state of California actually sued potato chip makers for failing to warn California consumers about the health risks of acrylamide in their products. A settlement was reached in 20085 when Frito-Lay and several other potato chip makers agreed to reduce the acrylamide levels in their chips to 275 parts per billion (ppb) by 2011, which is low enough to avoid needing a cancer warning label.

Still, that’s a far cry from the allowable limit of 0.5 ppb in drinking water!

The 2005 report6 "How Potato Chips Stack Up: Levels of Cancer-Causing Acrylamide in Popular Brands of Potato Chips," issued by the California-based Environmental Law Foundation (ELF), spelled out the dangers of this popular snack. According to their analysis, ALL potato chip products tested exceeded the legal limit of acrylamide by a minimum of 39 times, and as much as 910 times! Interestingly, baked chips, which are often touted as a healthier chip, can contain more than three times the level of acrylamide in regular chips, according to US Food and Drug Administration data7.

How to Avoid Heat-Induced Toxins in Your Diet

Acrylamide levels vary greatly among processed foods, even among different batches of the same food item. The chemical has so far only been found in foods heated above 250 F/120 C, which includes most processed foods. Basing your diet on whole foods, with the majority or a significant portion eaten raw or lightly cooked is therefore one of the best ways to avoid this cancer-causing cooking byproduct. Aside from creating potentially toxic byproducts, high heat also depletes the food of valuable micronutrients, which is another reason for eating raw or slow cooked food as possible.

Another important aspect of raw foods is the energetic aspect. Dr. Johanna Budwig from Germany has stated that live foods are electron rich and act as high-powered electron donors and “solar resonance fields” to attract, store, and conduct the sun's energy in your body. The greater your body’s store of light energy, the more energy you’ll have available for healing and the maintenance of optimal health. For the times when you do cook your food, keep the following tips in mind:

• Frying, baking and broiling appear to be the worst offenders, while boiling or steaming appear to be safer
• Hotter cooking temps increase acrylamide
• Soaking raw potatoes in water for 15-30 minutes prior to roasting may help reduce acrylamide formation during cooking
• The darker brown the food, the more acrylamide it contains (for instance, dark brown toast compared to light brown toast)
• Acrylamide is found primarily in plant-based foods, such as potatoes and grain products (not typically in meat, dairy or seafood)

According to the findings by the HEATOX project, you're far less likely to ingest dangerous levels of acrylamide when you eat home-cooked foods compared to industrially or restaurant-prepared foods. And when you do eat at home, the best advice they could give was to avoid overcooking your food. For more in-depth information about acrylamide, I recommend reading the online report: "Heat-generated Food Toxicants, Identification, Characterization and Risk Minimization"8.

Take Control of Your Health with Whole Food

While many foods – from coffee and breakfast cereal to bread – contain acrylamide, the highest levels have been detected in starchy plant-based foods, particularly French fries and potato chips. As a general rule, just remember that cooking food at high temperatures is ill advised, and that most processed foods will contain acrylamide as a side effect of high-heat processing.

Ideally, consume foods that are minimally processed to avoid these types of toxic byproducts. My nutrition plan emphasizes the need for at least one-third of your foods to be consumed raw.  For a step-by-step guide to make the transition to a healthier diet as simple and smooth as possible, simply follow the advice in my optimized nutrition plan.

Remember, eating fresh whole foods is the "secret" to getting healthier, losing weight and really enjoying your food. Once you get used to it, you'll find you can whip up a healthful meal from scratch in the same amount of time it would have taken you to drive down the street to pick up fast food. The main difference will be greater satisfaction, both physically and mentally, and perhaps even financially, as processed foods typically end up being more expensive than cooking from scratch.

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Gloucester, Spinach Pudding - Recipe of the day

Starting with 12 oz's of cooked spinach, add

One cup of creamed sauce,

One tablespoon of grated onion,

One cup of fine bread crumbs,

One and one-half teaspoons of salt,

One teaspoon of paprika.

Mix thoroughly and then pour into well-greased baking dish and bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes.

Make something extraordinary tonight.

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We Have A New General In Command of America Now

Today on Liberty's Kids, Washington Takes Command.  For the most part, Liberty's Kids is a very well researched project presenting a well balanced view of our history.  Not always the best presentations but one must consider the audience it was designed for.  Overall, it has the ability to teach much needed history lessons to all Americans.  Least we forget, our freedoms were paid for in Blood!

George Washington" target="_blank">Life of George Washington from Chuck Thompson

To go along with today's Liberty's Kids we have vol. one of The Life of George Washington.

http://www.putlocker.com/file/98FBA866833585AE  Link to free PDF copy of this e-book.  You can download it for free on the above link or you can get the same copy on our SlideShare site by signing in with either your Facebook account or your LinkedIn account.  Either way, you can also read it right here for free.

FREE EXTRA BONUS:  This e-book has Washington's family genealogy with it.  Great research tool for those looking for more information on their family tree if they have found links to George Washington.

 

1795 - 1823 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Governor McDonnell Announces Project Moves Ahead to Improve Route 606 in Loudoun County

English: Circular route shield 606 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Map of Virginia highlighting Loudoun County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Project will help ease traffic congestion and provide for better transportation

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is moving forward to ease traffic congestion on Loudoun County Parkway/Old Ox Road (Route 606) in Loudoun County by seeking Request of Qualifications (RFQ) from the construction industry to design and build the project. 

            The project will rebuild and widen the existing two-lane rural road to four lanes between Evergreen Mills Road (Route 621) and the Dulles Greenway (Route 267). The project will also include a grassy median, wide enough to allow for future expansion.  There will also be a path for bicyclists and pedestrians.  

            “The Commonwealth is accelerating the design and construction of Route 606 to relieve congestion and help people get to their destinations faster,” said Governor McDonnell. “This project is progressing to construction as a result of VDOT’s partnership with Loudoun County and MWAA as well as from the new sustainable funding source generated by the transportation package passed earlier this year by the General Assembly.”

            The initial $105 million phase of the project is to be jointly funded by VDOT, Loudoun County and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA).   VDOT has committed $40 million toward the project, with the remainder of the funding to come from Loudoun County and MWAA.  The RFQ is in advance of anticipated financial action by Loudoun County and MWAA to help fund the project.  Once those financial commitments have been made, VDOT will be able to move immediately to develop the project.

            Other improvements include turn lanes at major intersections, traffic signals, sign structures and improved drainage facilities.

            Loudoun County Parkway/Old Ox Road connects two major roads, Route 50 and Route 28 (Sully Road) and is a desirable route for motorists from points west to access Ashburn, Sterling and Herndon. The road is currently congested in both directions during peak hours. This project will increase capacity on this section of road due to growth in the surrounding area and the increased traffic congestion.

            The project will be built via a design-build contract.  This contracting method is expected to deliver the project three years faster, with anticipated completion in fall of 2017.

            Statements of Qualifications are due August 27, 2013.  Following that VDOT will issue a Request for Proposals in October 2013 and execute a contract in June 2014.

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Newhart - Unfriendly Persuasion - Classic TV Tuesdays

Newhart with unfriendly persuasions is tonights classic TV episode.  Catch Newhart each Tuesday right here on GVLN.
Dick attempts to help Joanna overcome her fear of eye doctors.

Newhart (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Real Trayvon Martin Exposed - Suppressed Information Revealed

 

Author unknown.  Sent to our contact info.  False Photo of Trayvon Martin.

Do you know who this is?

It is Little Trayvon Martin...! At 17 yrs of age.
Don't know how much coverage this story has had in your area, but, if it hasn't, here's a new look at it!
For those of us who thought we were well informed and weren't.....quite the realty check.

That old adage applies here: "there are two sides to every story." We don't always get the truth from the media.  Television news, newspapers, magazines, radio; all continue to show 12 year old Trayvon; NOT 17 year old Trayvon.
They continue to show the 5 year old picture BECAUSE it helps to cement in your mind the cute, little, hoodie-wearing youngster who was stalked by this monster
.
In reality "little Trayvon" at the time of his death stood almost 6'2" tall and weighed 175 muscular pounds. He had numerous run ins with authorities (both at school and local police), had been stopped and almost arrested two days before his death for smacking a bus driver in the face, because the driver refused to let him ride for free. He was released because the driver was told not to press charges by the bus company and to continue on his route.

When "little Trayvon" was suspended at school it was not only because he tried to bring a little marijuana in with him, he was in possession of wedding rings and other jewelry, watches, etc. that he said he "found" along with a large screwdriver while on the way to school that day. The jewelry was turned over to the Police by the school.

I am not trying to say this kid deserved to die. I am saying the media in the USA  twist and distort what you see and hear in order for you to see things their way.

>Not a single paper has printed RECENT photos of this kid, because it would not keep your interest in this case.

Not a single paper will admit that this kid was a marijuana dealer.
>His friends on Facebook all say he had the "best plants". Not a single paper will show you any of his recent photos where he shows off a mouthful of gold teeth and all of his tattoos.

Not a single newspaper will tell the news like it really is....and NOT how they want you to think it is...

President Obama looked at the FIVE year old photo the media chose to show the Nation and said, "If I had a son...he would look like Trayvon.." So from that comment should I assume you did not bother to look for the facts in this shooting?

A fair and impartial news media in the USA ? One that does not follow the liberal agenda? Is NOT looking to further divide this already fractured Nation?

Trayvon at the age of 12.

Will the real Trayvon Martin please stand up?

Photo courtesy of Globalgrind.com

The above information about Trayvon Martin, just before this picture, has been making the rounds through email.  The top picture is of a rap singer taken back in 2010 when he was 31 years old and was done for a magazine.  This piscture was taken of Trayvon not long before he died.  So it's fair to say that everything in the above email that has been making the rounds is 100% fabricated.  The entire story is a timebomb that no matter what, will not have a good end.  

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