What’s your favorite Olympics movie?

Try these 20 top Olympics flick picks.

The Summer Olympic Games start this week in London. OK, you probably knew that.

As athletes from around the world prepare for the competitions and fans of every stripe await the elaborate Opening Ceremonies, what favorite Olympics films will folks be renting, downloading, purchasing, and viewing?

Try these 20 top Olympics flick picks.

The Summer Olympic Games start this week in London. As athletes prepare for the competitions and fans await the elaborate Opening Ceremonies, what favorite Olympics films will folks be renting, downloading, purchasing, and viewing?

Here are 20 of the most popular Olympics movie choices (arranged alphabetically by title).

American Anthem

Balls of Fury

Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story

Chariots of Fire

Cool Runnings

The Cutting Edge

Dare to Dream

The First Olympics

Ice Castles

International Velvet

The Jesse Owens Story

Miracle

Munich

Peaceful Warrior

Personal Best

Prefontaine

Running Brave

Sylvester

Walk, Don’t Run

Without Limits

Blend up this blueberry smoothie recipe for a fresh summer treat

Blueberry fans are in luck in midsummer! Fruit stands offer these fresh treats, and berry-picking farms are open in season. Blueberry smoothies may be a special treat at this time of year, when these ripe and rich fruits are available and often even on-sale.

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Blueberry Smoothie

Try this yummy blueberry smoothie recipe for a healthy summer pick-me-up.

Grab an electric blender. Toss in:

2 cups (1 pint) fresh blueberries (washed, with stems removed)

1 serving (6 ounces) non-fat vanilla yogurt

1 1/2 cups orange juice

Mix all ingredients well in the blender. Pour the primo purple smoothie into a sturdy glass. Voila!

For a variation, try substituting fresh blackberries, boysenberries, raspberries, strawberries, or mixed berries for the blueberries in your smoothie. Add half of a ripe banana, if you wish.

Mix it up by switching out the orange juice and using grapefruit or pineapple juice instead for a tropical treat.

This blueberry recipe is nutritious, delicious, and packed with antioxidants.

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You can make your blueberry smoothie extra-healthy and fresh by using your own juicer to produce fresh-squeezed juice as well.

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Additional Super Smoothie Recipes

How to Make a Healthy Fruit Smoothie – Pam Gaulin

Making your own smoothie can be fun! I tried many methods before getting the right texture down. It's all about the order in which you blend the ingredients. Want to know what I found out?

Five Easy Healthy Fruit Smoothie Recipes Your Children Will Love – Carla Fuentes

Every parent knows it's impossible to get our children to eat healthy. I e found some fruit smoothie recipes even my kids love, and they are picky eaters. Here are five easy fruit smoothie recipes your children will love no matter what age they are.

Rice Milk Smoothie Recipes: Glen's Apple/Glen's Peach – Donald Pennington

Rice milk smoothies are so good for you that you really should have one every day. They're an easy to make snack that's delicious, nutritious, and extremely gratifying.

Green Tea Super Food Smoothie Recipe – Sylvie Branch

Combine the powerful antioxidant punch of green tea with all the nutritional goodness of a variety of other tasty super foods in one super smoothie. Combine your favorite flavors to create a custom made health boost.

Quick Healthy Breakfast Ideas – Lyn Vaccaro

Quick is always a plus on busy mornings, especially if you're someone who has a long commute to work, or you're getting the kids off to school. Your blender will be your best friend with these recipes, but that's not a bad thing. Blenders make quick food choices a reality for busy people.

Raise a toast to summer with a fresh berry smoothie!

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Image:

Blueberry Smoothie

by Gleangenie

MorgueFile

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• Blueberry season offers bountiful harvest of recipes and tips – July is National Blueberry Month in the U.S. Fresh berries are everywhere! These tasty little morsels are packed with vitamins and good stuff. Don’t believe me? Read what these fellow writers have to say about the merits of eating fresh blueberries.

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Blueberry season offers bountiful harvest of recipes and tips

Blueberry picking season is open! Who’s feeling a little blue?

July is National Blueberry Month in the U.S. Fresh berries are everywhere!

Blueberries are healthy for humans!

These tasty little morsels are packed with vitamins and good stuff. Don’t believe me? Read what these fellow writers have to say about the merits of eating fresh blueberries.

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Get Fit with Blueberries – Wendy Dawn

Delicious blueberries help your body fight free radicals and make your heart healthier. Find out more. Blueberries offer a number of great health benefits. They are among the fruits highest in antioxidants and are believed to help rejuvenate cells. When you add fruit to your diet, pick up a fresh pack of blueberries. Blueberries are one fruit in which the health benefits outweigh the costs.

Eating Blueberries: Is it a Remedy for Belly Fat? – Kristie Leong M.D.

If you're carrying a little too much weight around the middle, you may want to give blueberries a second look. Studies show it could be a natural remedy for belly fat.

The Health Benefits of Blueberries – Jodi Morse

Blueberries can make a wonderful treat on a hot day. Aside from being delicious, blueberries also have a variety of different health benefits to offer anyone who eats them. There are a number of health benefits that blueberries can provide for your body. Learn why you may want to eat blueberries on a regular basis.

Blueberries Can Cure Alzheimer's Disease - Fact or Fiction? – Jolynne M. Hudnell

Blueberries curing Alzheimer's disease? This is one of the claims in the article on the internet. Blueberries do have many health benefits and are high in antioxidants, but can they cure Alzheimer's disease?

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How can you use fresh blueberries, once you’ve picked them?

These blueberry fans have plenty of creative ideas.

Blueberries 10 Easy Ways – Georgia Lund

Plain blueberries can become boring, so here are 10 easy ways to serve blueberries and keep boredom and memory loss at bay.

Things You Can Do with Blueberries – Charlene Collins

One of my family members has a blueberry farm, so we pick all we want when we want. I just noticed I had 7 gallon bags in my freezer, and thought why not share some of my recipes?

Unique Ways to Use Blueberries – Crystal Ray

Try these unique and delicious new ways to use blueberries, and transform ordinary drinks, meals, appetizers, and snacks into something colorful and extraordinarily impressive.

Blueberry Buckle Cake – Jennifer Wagner

Try this delicious homemade Blueberry Buckle Cake and enjoy the delicious combination of fresh blueberries, tender cake, and a crunchy topping. Best when served in cream or ice cream.

Uses for Fresh Blueberries When Camping – Amy Browne

There are many uses for fresh blackberries. These are berries, which are coming into season, that you can pick them right off the vine and enjoy while camping.

Are You Buying Products that Contain Real Blueberries? – Linda M. McCloud

If you look on the shelves of your local grocery stores you may notice that many products have pictures of blueberries on them. Yet, do they all contain real blueberries?

How to Dehydrate Blueberries – Theresa Leschmann

Blueberries are one of summer's long awaited treasures. You can savor their flavor well into the winter by dehydrating some while they are in season.

Freezing Blueberries – Linda Ann Nickerson

Blueberry-picking is a fun family activity. Who doesn't love extra-fresh fruit? However, once you have gathered several pails of blueberries, how can you make these last until next year's picking season?

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Have you ever grown your own fresh blueberries?

Try these tips for home planting!

Plant Your Own Blueberry Plants – Donna Daniels

If you love blueberries you may not know that you can grow you very own blueberries. Growing blueberries is easy, if you live in a place with acidic soil and plenty of sun and rain. It was a challenge for me, since we do not have acidic soil where I live. I had to do some investigating to see how to grow blueberries.

How to Plant Organic Blueberries – Juniper Russo

Interested in growing organic blueberries? With a little help from my neighbor (an experienced gardener) and the label attached to the variety, I successfully planted a dozen organic blueberry bushes in my yard. Use these tips to plant your blueberry bushes.

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Image:

Blueberries by Jim Clark

Creative Commons Licensing/Wikipedia Commons Photos

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Anyone for free Starbucks coffee on the 4th of July?

The mercury may be topping out at 100 degrees (F) on July 4^th this year, but Starbucks is giving out free tall cups of hot fresh-brewed coffee.

No codes, coupons, printouts or customer loyalty cards are needed.

Politics are heating up as well, and Starbucks is tapping into the controversy.

Howard Schultz, the 58-year-old chairman of Starbucks, issued a public letter last week, calling for Americans to unite as citizens and call for change in the political arena.

“How can America win this election?” Schultz asked.

“I love America, but we all know there is something wrong,” he continued. “The deficits this country must reconcile are much more than financial, and our inability to solve our own problems is sapping our national spirit. We are better than this. America’s history has showed that we have accomplished extraordinary things when we act collectively, with courage, creativity, and generosity of spirit—especially during trying times.”

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The free coffee offer, good in all participating Starbucks locations all day on July 4^th, is aimed at sparking in-person discussions of politics.

Starbucks’ free coffee offer is good only on Independence Day and is limited to one free coffee per person. Certain specialty coffees are not included.

Image/s:  

Starbucks Coffee Logo – Fair Use

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Feel free to follow on Google Plus and Twitter. You are also invited to join this writer's fan page, as well as the Chicago Etiquette Examiner, Madison Holidays Examiner, Equestrian Examiner and Madison Equestrian Examiner on Facebook.

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Make a Note! It's I Forgot Day

July 2^nd is I Forgot Day. Did you remember?

No one seems to be able to recall the origins of this thoughtful holiday, but it was probably important anyway. Maybe it was merely momentous.

Who SAYS an elephant never forgets?

Do you remember facts and figures easily? Or do you struggle to bring details to mind soon after learning them?

Are you good with people’s names? Can you quickly recall folks’ monikers, even after meeting them just once or twice?

What tricks do you use to improve your ability to remember important information?

Do you jot notes or send yourself text messages? Do you make flash cards or put sticky notes on your mirror? Or do you simply remember easily, like the proverbial elephant, who supposedly never forgets?

If you need a bit of a boost with memorizations, check out these helpful how-to’s from a host of web writers.

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(Gee, I might need that book.)

Memory Loss: 10 Tips for Keeping Track of Important Things – Linda Ann Nickerson

Memories can be magical, but memory loss can be a nightmare for many. What can you do to maximize your own ability to retain your memory and remember important facts and tasks? Here are 10 tips for keeping track of critical details.

Memory Magic: How to Memorize Large Amounts of Information Easily – Unwirklich Vin Zant

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Memorization Tips – Elizabeth Tabler

The older we get, it becomes a little harder to memorize the information presented. For students, the amount of information they are to memorize on a weekly basis can increase exponentially yearly.

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Memorize a Speech – Courtney Crass

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Scripture Memory Techniques – Linda Ann Nickerson

Busy adults can't always take time to leaf through the pages of Scripture to find the verse they need - in a crunch! This article outlines several practical ways to commit favorite Bible verses and quotations to memory.

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Stage Acting - When You Should Memorize Your Lines – Prior Aphter

There is something special about taking the words from a playwright, memorizing them and then making them my own. In stage lingo, this is typically referred to as "Going off Book." While you should always be off-book by this deadline, I've found that rehearsing is much easier if you memorize your lines sooner.

How to Teach a Child Phone Numbers and Addresses – Jasmine Starr

Before sending your child to school or somewhere on their own, you should make it a point to help them memorize their home address and phone number.

Quick recall!

What day is it on July 2^nd? It’s I Forgot Day. Did we really have to remind you?

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Image/s:  

Elephant by Sophie47

Creative Commons Licensing/Wikipedia Commons Photos

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In the Can: It's Spam Week

Foodies welcome the first week of July with National Canned Luncheon Meat Week. Who’s up for a Spam sandwich? How about some deviled ham on toast?

Canned luncheon meats have been the butt of jokes for ages. Of these, Hormel’s Spam may be the best known, along with Underwood’s Deviled Ham. For generations, children have toted baggied sandwiches made from canned luncheon meats in lunch boxes on school buses.

Recently, of course, “spam” has taken on a new meaning as a tag for unwanted internet correspondence, often containing questionable content. (Readers may draw their own conclusions here.)

Folks still shell out for canned luncheon meats, particularly Spam. Check out these Spam recipes from several online food writers.

Barbeque Spam Casserole – Tina Gallagher

Humble Spam comes to my barbeques. Kids gobble it up until they find out what it is, and then it's too late to say, "I don't like it." They're surprised to find out they actually like the meat so many people talk about. Why not have Spam at your next barbeque? It's as American as apple pie. Here's a quick and tasty recipe.

Fried Rice with Spam Recipe – Darlene Smith

Fry together leftover meat, vegetables, Spam, and rice to make a wonderfully easy dinner. I call it Special Rice.

Spam Spread – Pat Burroughs

Sometimes when I'm in a bind for something fast to fix for lunch, I grab a can of Spam from the pantry and use it in a sandwich spread. My husband loves it, especially on toast.

Spam Musubi, a Hawaiian Variation of Sushi that is Crazy Tasty! – John Gugle

Try this recipe for spam musubi, a Hawaiian variation of sushi. Spam musubi is basically a slice of grilled Spam placed on top of a block of rice and wrapped around with a piece of seaweed. A plastic mold is often used to press everything into shape but is not required.

Spam and Potato Casserole Recipe Makes a Hearty Comfort Food – Tracie Walker

Spam, the humble, meat-like substance in a can, makes a great casserole when paired with potatoes and cheese! Enjoy this Spam and Potato Casserole Recipe with your family.

Crunchy Spam Cheese Ball – Margie Lynn

This Crunchy Ham Cheese Ball is made with cream cheese, Spam, pecans or peanuts, mayonnaise and seasonings. This delicious appetizer is quick and easy to assemble. Crunchy Spam Cheese Ball is a great recipe to use for the holidays or any special occasion.

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Have you ever tried Spam?

Sorry, but I won’t eat Spam these days. The gelatinous meat in a can is filled with fat, sodium, and calories. According to the product label, a two-ounce serving (one-sixth of a can) contains 180 calories, 16 grams of fat and 790 milligrams of sodium. Sure, there’s a lighter, lower-sodium version, but it’s not a whole lot better.

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If I’m going hog wild and departing from my diet, I’d rather have bacon. Something about Spam brings back memories of college cafeterias and summer camp casseroles.

I can still remember opening my lunch sack and groaning to find two slices of Wonder Bread, packed with a chunk of Velveeta and a slab of Spam.

“Who wants to trade for a PB and J?” I’d ask my classmates at the school lunch table. And I never had any takers. Not one.

But this week, we celebrate National Canned Luncheon Meat Week.

Do you have any favorite Spam recipes? How do you camouflage this mystery meat to make it memorable at your table?

Image/s:  

Spam photo by Matthew W. Jackson
Creative Commons Licensing/Wikipedia Commons Photos
Underwood’s Deviled Ham
Promo Picture/Fair Use Photo
Spam and Eggs by Arnold Gatilao
Creative Commons Licensing/Wikipedia Commons Photos

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