I wish I could encourage my neighbors to conserve water with rain barrels. I'm the Democratic Precinct Committeeman, so I might include information on the concept in my precinct packets.

Rain barrels are a great way to save up storm water to use at a later date. Last summer, I was able to reuse more than 500 gallons of water.

If neighbors and businesses "got with the program," we could collectively reuse water and perhaps have an impact on flood damage.

More information on recycling my sump pump water:

http://picasaweb.google.com/randem1/ReneeSRainbarrel#

How do we deal with the pressure not to hang our laundry out to dry (clothes dryers being energy hogs) or not to have an "ugly" rain barrel in our front lawn?

She has good public speaking skills. It's about more than making speeches.

I'm from Illinois, so I know she distorted Senator Obama's record!

Acupuncture might be the answer. I struggled for more than twenty years with migraines. Topamax (anti-seizure medication) worked for me for a year, but I developed a rash and went off the drug. The migraines came back and I went in for acupuncture sessions every few weeks. I was also having muscle twitching and I thought that I would receive a result in that area, and that the migraines wouldn't respond.

Instead, I have a medication journal to support the relief I received in terms of headaches. Migraines are down from 15 medication days a month (pre-drug therapy) to about three. They are less severe and of a shorter duration. I don't know how it works, but it was a miracle!

It is unfortunate that the traditional medical establishment doesn't refer people for acupuncture.