Megan Salyars has been selected to represent the United States at an International Rugby Tournament to be held August 14 to August 24, 2013 in Wales in the United Kingdom. She graduated from Central Community Schools DeWitt in 2012 where she participated in softball, volleyball, powerlifting, choir and theater. She has been awarded National and World records in her age and weight for powerlifting.

Currently, she is a sophomore at the University of Northern Iowa where she is studying Movement and Exercise Science, with minors in coaching and entrepreneurship while participating on the UNI Women's Rugby team.  As a member of the team, she has represented the University of Northern Iowa at the National 7s tournament in Houston, Texas where we placed 7th over all.

This summer, she was invited to participate in the Midwest Select Rugby Camp at Palmer College.  This camp consisted of all the top rated rugby players from the Midwest Division I Colleges. At the end of the camp, the coaches chose the top 25 players from the Midwest to participate in an International Rugby Tournament that is being hosted in Wales, United Kingdom, this year. By earning a spot on this team, she will have the opportunity to play against some of the world's best female rugby players.  It is an honor to be chosen to participate on this team.  She was recruited to play rugby at the University of Northern Iowa, and she never dreamt to love this sport so much or to be given such a wonderful opportunity.

Sadly, the International Rugby Tournament is not affiliated or sanctioned by a college or university thereby, requiring the players to be responsible for fundraising for their expenses. She is currently soliciting local businesses for financial donations to offset her $2,000 in expenses. Donations can be sent to 2587 282nd Ave DeWitt, Iowa 52742.

Thank you for your support.

The cloudy day set the mood for the Fourth of July barbeque. It was a family get-together but there was not much family to get together. Several members were too far away to come; others were on cruises. There were a few absent because they were no longer family since some marriages had turned ugly.

But the barbecue was lively as people gathered around the picnic tables eating plenty of ribs, potato salad, corn-on-the-cob and fixings. Not everything was homemade, much less homegrown ? there was simply no time for that. As the night progressed, a discussion arose. Almost everyone agreed that Fourth of July was not what it used to be.

It used to be so happy. Everyone could remember the times when they would get together and there would be plenty of food, conversation, outdoor games and fireworks. It was a real celebration. Now everyone seemed to be complaining about everything.

"The problem is big government!" one exclaimed."We need to just get rid of big government and that will solve everything."

"It's taxes! That's what killing us. We need to cut taxes across the board. I can't make my new car payments, student loans or pay my mortgage."

"I can't make it anymore on my Social Security," an older baby boomer chimed in. "It's not right."

And so each had their own grievances, some complaining about too much government and others claiming not enough benefits.

At the end, someone made the comment that, with this government, there really wasn't that much to celebrate this Fourth of July.

With that, there was a lull in the conversation that left everyone uneasy. Some took advantage of the awkward interval to check their emails on their iPhones or make small talk. And as the talk died down, the grandfather unexpectedly spoke up.

He was now a frail old man, a World War II veteran who had known hard times and good times; economic depression and happy days.  He had difficulty getting around and spent a lot of his days thinking and praying.

Now he stood before them with an air of dignity saying: "Yes, government has changed. But you know something, we've changed, too.

"When I was growing up, families looked after their own members. We didn't need or want handouts. We managed, even if we didn't have the latest gadgets or the best car. When there were problems, everyone pitched in. Times were hard, but we were happier.

"Today, it's all about money. Back then, money didn't rule everything. People had honor. They were faithful to their spouses and family. People weren't afraid to be leaders and accept responsibility.

"We knew the difference between our government and our country. Politicians are one thing and America is another. Today, people treat our county like a corporation where they  expect only dividends. When the going gets tough, everyone abandons her and sells off their shares. That's not right.

"No, America should be more like a family. When the family's in trouble, everyone pitches in. I pitched in. I served my country because America is my country and I love her. Many of my buddies served too ... and some didn't return."

A silence hung over the area as darkness was falling and lightning bugs were starting to appear.

The old man still continued: "I'm sorry for rambling on but I've been thinking a lot about this lately. We need to turn to God again. We used to say 'give us this day our daily bread' now everyone turns to the government - they don't even know how to ask God for things - or what to ask for.

"We complain about government but we've become just like the government we criticize. We've got the government we deserve. We should get our own ships in shape. We need to return to order."

The silence was now complete and everyone became pensive. The old man settled down in his lawn chair still apologizing for rambling on. Everyone in their heart knew that he was right.

At that moment, a rocket soared into the night and burst in air and the darkness was lit by a marvelous display of light and a mighty boom. There was something grand about the way the fireworks exploded that stirred the hearts of those who watched and filled them with awe and pride. At least for an instant, they forgot about their own problems, and celebrated that special something called America.

About John Horvat II

John Horvat II is a scholar, researcher, educator, international speaker and author "Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society - Where We've Been, How We Got Here and Where We Need to Go," (www.returntoorder.org). His writings have appeared worldwide, including The Wall Street Journal, FOX News, The Christian Post, The Washington Times, ABC News and C-SPAN. For more than two decades he has been researching and writing about the socio-economic crisis in the United States.

Come & Dodge High Fares, and play Dodgeball- with the Quad City International Airport & Allegiant!

When: Friday July 19th, from 6 - 10 p.m.

Where: Augustana's Pepsico Rec Center, near Westerlin Dorms, 30th St., Rock Island

Time: 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.   Registered teams should arrive by 5:15 p.m. for sign-in and team photos

First 100 participants & spectators through the door receive a goodie bag with fun items inside!

Registration & Rules can be found at qcairport.com/dodgeball
Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place teams!
PLUS....1st place team selects one of three local charities to receive 50% of the entry fees collected. (Teams 2 & 3 share the remaining 50%, or 25% each, to the remaining two charities. Everyone wins!)

Teams need to register by no later than Monday, July 15th (for pre-planning purposes at the facility) by logging on to  www.qcairport.com/dodegeball

Just want to watch? Light duty volunteer opportunities available! E-mail Cathie at the Quad City International Airport: Cathie@qcairport.com

Back pain is one of the most common health issues in the United States, with up to 80 percent of the population suffering the condition at some point in one's life.

"But this exceedingly high number is just the beginning of the problem, because multiple studies indicate that roughly 70 percent of back surgeries fail," says Jesse Cannone, a back-pain expert and author of "The 7-Day Back Pain Cure," (www.losethebackpain.com). "It's so common that there's a name for it - failed back surgery syndrome, or FBSS."

One recent study monitored 1,450 patients in the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation database; half of those on disability endured back surgery, half did not. After two years, only 26 percent of those who had surgery returned to work. Additionally, 41 percent of those who had surgery saw a drastic increase in painkiller use.

"The success rate for the most common treatments is pathetically low, so it's no surprise people often struggle years or decades with back pain, with few ever finding lasting relief," Cannone says. "The majority of back surgeries are not only ineffective, but most could have been completely avoided."

He reviews seven common mistakes made by back-pain sufferers:

• Continuing a treatment that doesn't work: One of Cannone's clients experienced 70 treatments with a chiropractor, resulting in no relief. "Here's a general rule to follow," he says. "If you see no improvement after going through a three-month period of treatment, consider making a change."

• Failing to solve the problem the first time: Take pain seriously the first time. Cannone's own mother suffered a significant bout of back pain, which subsided after a few days. But two years later it came back, and the second time was so debilitating she couldn't work. "If she had taken the first bout more seriously, she probably would have prevented the second, more debilitating bout."

• Thinking you're too healthy or fit to have back pain: Staying in shape is always a good idea, but it does not make you invulnerable. People who train their body can be more prone to back pain because they often push their body's limits, says Cannone, who has been a personal fitness trainer since 1998.

• Treating only the symptoms: Cortisone shots, anti-inflammatory drugs, ultrasound and electrical stimulation only address pain symptoms. "You may get rid of the pain, but the problem causing the pain will persist if not addressed," he says. "If you want lasting relief, you must address the underlying causes, and it's never just one."

• Not understanding that back pain is a process: In most cases, back pain, neck pain and sciatica take weeks, months or even years to develop; the problem may exist for quite a while before the sufferer notices it, except for rare one-time trauma incidents like automobile accidents. Most people sit for hours at a time, yet the body was developed for diverse movements throughout the day. "Think of a car with steering out of alignment; eventually, tires will wear down unevenly and there will be a blow out," Cannone says. "The same is true with your body." Just as the damage was a process, recovery is the same and can be time-intensive.

• Believing there are no more options left: Not only does back pain hurt and prove physically debilitating; it also tries the morale and determination of the patient. A sufferer can run the gamut of treatments. But, often, it takes a cocktail of treatments that address all of the underlying causes. "Remember, you can't really treat the root of pain until you know what's causing it," Cannone says. "In so many cases, this is precisely the problem."

• Failing to take control: Doctors and other specialists are ultimately limited to what they know and what they're used to. If you have a debilitating back problem, it should be among your top priorities to learn all you can about it, and how to fix it. Get a second, third and fourth opinion if treatment isn't working; try out alternative therapies, and consider a healthy mix of treatment. Most importantly, take control; it's your back, your body and only you can heal it, with help from others.

"I may be critical of how most handle back pain, but that's because I've proven to patients that there are flaws in the traditional approaches as well as more effective alternatives," Cannone says. "I also feel that I'm offering a hopeful message because of my high success rate in helping to cure the back pain from my clients."

About Jesse Cannone

Jesse Cannone is a leading back pain expert with a high rate of success for those he consults. He has been a personal trainer since 1998, specializing in finding root causes for chronic pain, and finding solutions with a multidiscipline approach. Cannone publishes the free email newsletter "Less Pain, More Life," read by more than 400,000 worldwide, and he is the creator of Muscle Balance Therapy™.