CONDON’S CORNER

 

“The Living Landscape—Even Parking Lots Can Buzz with Life”

 © Marlene A. Condon 2025 All Rights Reserved

  [Published November 26, 2025, by The Daily Progress, the daily newspaper of Charlottesville, Virginia and The News Virginian, the daily newspaper of Waynesboro, Virginia.]

 

This non-native Glossy Abelia (Abelia grandiflora) in the author’s yard has provided food for bees and other insects for decades. In its mature form, it also keeps birds safe from predators within its branches. (© Marlene A. Condon)

  

“The Living Landscape—Even Parking Lots Can Buzz with Life”

 

The past few times I’ve gone to Barracks Road Shopping Center in Charlottesville, I’ve been extremely dismayed to see workmen digging out perfectly healthy plants from the islands located across from the storefronts, and even at the corner of Millmont and Barracks Road.

 

If they’d been removing the sickly trees so prevalent within the various parking lots (where the trees shouldn’t have been planted in the first place), it would have made sense. But no, the ailing trees still stood in their spots, and the healthy shrubs below them or in islands populated solely by shrubs were being completely replaced.

 

This situation troubled me for many reasons. First, it seemed such a waste to be throwing away perfectly healthy, mature plants. The shopping center store fronts were being renovated, but “refurbishing” areas of plants that were doing very well was a waste of time, effort, money, and—saddest of all—numerous useful plants!

 

The ultimate landscape scenario is the one that has withstood the test of time by producing healthy, mature plants. Yet someone made the decision to get rid of the fully grown shrubs that had survived the rigors of growing in a sea of asphalt and vehicle exhaust fumes so customers can instead see small, immature plants without much interest for either people or wildlife. And herein lies the much more serious problem with this ill-informed choice: Wildlife can most often only make use of mature plants that have begun to flower and possibly produce fruits or seeds later.

 

On my most recent trips to the shopping center, I’d observed small bumblebees and honey bees busily visiting the abundant blooms on the several shrubs of dwarf Abelia directly across from the Harris Teeter store. The Abelia was fulfilling its role in nature by supporting these bees with food at a time of year when sustenance has become much more difficult for these critters to find. Most plants are shutting down by the month of November, with precious few making flowers at a time of year when most overwintering insects would have already been hibernating in decades past.

 

Thanks to global climate change, however, our seasons no longer function as they once did, with alterations in temperature and rainfall that interfere with the lives of both plants and animals that evolved under a different set of conditions. It’s one of the reasons our wildlife (and native plants) is disappearing from our midst.

 

However, we do have plants here that originated in other countries and can do quite well under such conditions. In fact, they do so well with a dearth of rain and extreme high and low temperatures throughout the year that uninformed people now consider them “invasive”. They blame them for the disappearance of our native plants and spend a lot of time getting folks outside to destroy these plants, but it’s a huge mistake born of a lack of true knowledge.

 

If people had properly learned in school to observe their surroundings carefully before taking action, they would realize that the so-called invasive plants mainly come up in barren areas devoid of plants. In other words, by filling in empty areas with wildlife-useful plants where native plants obviously are not capable of growing, non-native plants assist our critters to survive.

 

These fall-colored, beautifully red-leaved Euonymus alatus along a roadside should not be interpreted as “invasive”, but rather as “helpful”. They will feed birds and mammals in an area where most native plants struggled to survive in 2025 because of drought that is becoming much more common. (© Marlene A. Condon)

Of course, another reason wildlife is becoming scarce is because most people want their home and work landscapes to reflect what they themselves want to look at instead of taking into account the needs of their wildlife dependents. Yes, in the 21^st Century, wildlife depends upon humans for their welfare because humans are in control of the entire world. And as evidenced by the remodeling efforts at Barracks Road Shopping Center this fall, wildlife is getting the short end of the stick. 

 

As numerous people walked by me across from Harris Teeter, either intent on getting their shopping done inside the store or returning to their vehicles to move along to new places and tasks, they either didn’t notice or didn’t care that the Abelia shrubs were supporting the life forms that keep our natural world functioning properly for their benefit. Not one person took a few moments to stop to ask what I might be studying so intently. And even more sad is that no one will have been made aware of how crucial those Abelia blooms were to the insects that so assist mankind to survive.

 

In January 2025, the Doomsday Clock—the symbol of global catastrophe—was set to the closest time ever: 89 seconds to midnight,

   

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doomsday_Clock

 

When the clock runs out, our time is up. And it may well run out, thanks to landscapes based upon people’s preferences rather than those of wildlife. Trust me, we need living landscapes that work for our benefit, not artificially contrived ones based upon aesthetics only.

 

 

 

God Bless America? Not Today’s America.

CONDON’S CORNER

Are flags flying in abundance both outside and inside an Albemarle County doctor’s office welcoming to everyone, or just conservatives, looking for healthcare? (© Marlene A. Condon)

God Bless America? Not Today’s America.

 © 2025 Marlene A. Condon 

[Published November 6, 2025, by The Daily Progress, the daily newspaper of Charlottesville, Virginia,]

Time was when the American flag represented America—period. It was a symbol of which to be proud, whether or not you were politically active. You knew it “spoke” on behalf of every citizen in the country. Unfortunately, it has now lost this significance, and only stands for one political group: conservatives.

 

Everyone recognizes that any house with this flag attached to a porch or fence, or flying on a short pole in the front yard, now shouts support of a particular political-group’s opinions instead of full support of a united country of various views (which, by the way, has always been the true value of being an American). And, as if this tactic of in-your-face divisiveness isn’t bad enough, consider that we now have flags manifested in some doctor’s offices, for goodness’ sake!

 

I’m not talking one flag on a pole outside the building, mind you, that formerly would have made folks think of pride of country. No, now we’re seeing numerous flags inside of a medical building to let it be known clearly to all who enter that it’s a conservative bastion: “[A]n institution, place, or person strongly defending or upholding particular [emphasis mine] principles, attitudes, or activities”. [Oxford Dictionaries]

 

Who in the medical establishment would consider this display appropriate, even when it stood for the country as a whole rather than a subgroup of people of a particular political persuasion? Medical offices should be seen as impartial and welcoming to all, meaning liberals, independents, or even foreigners visiting or residing here who need a doctor’s help to restore good health.

 

No reason exists to flaunt love of country inside a medical facility where folks of every sort come for assistance unless the people in charge of the facility support current presidential policies, or fear—for some reason—being punished by a president who has made a mission of going after those who stand up against his own biased thoughts.   

 

It’s as if our shared symbol of unity despite our differences has been transformed into an accentuation of our differences in spite of our cohabitation.

 

If you lean conservative, you may believe it’s a wonderful turn of events for people to now see the American flag as representative of your political beliefs instead of being representative of the country as a whole. But what that signifies is a country divided, and is that situation truly something conservatives should be happy about?

 

We’ve been through a period of political division in which many lives were needlessly lost: The Civil War. One would think people would prefer to get along than to engage in such horrific warfare.

 

As someone who grew up in New England but attended college in Virginia, I must say my impression of those Southerners whose history goes back to pre-Civil War days is one of a people loathe to forget what they view as a foreign will being forced upon them. Seriously? Have we not all been aware of our shared good fortune to have been born in the greatest country in the world, not because of wealth in any sense, but because of the quite precious freedom we enjoy far more than most any country on the planet?

 

I was brought up to appreciate our freedom. So, almost forty years ago, when I bought my current residence, I put a small American flag at the entrance to my home. It was placed into a hole drilled into the wooden fence near the driveway. I was proud to be an American and deeply appreciative of what that meant for me and my loved ones—as well as everyone else. 

 

Sadly, it’s been years since I’ve flown my little flag, because I no longer feel that I live in the United States of America, but rather, a very disunited and divided America. It currently feels as if we have become two countries pretty much at war with one another; one country open to inclusiveness and the other very much against that philosophy.

 

Yet, inclusiveness is exactly what our great country was, indeed, founded upon and what made it so great. It’s why so many human beings have come, and continue to come, here.

 

Sure, people being people, we’ve always had to deal with some folks exhibiting intolerant prejudice against other human beings of specific color, religious affiliation, same-sex attraction, or ancestral origin that was different from their own. But these unbecoming attitudes tended to be limited to subgroups in America that didn’t represent the majority of us. Unfortunately, this truism no longer stands.

 

Thanks to a president whose every action seems based upon deliberate political antagonism, we are now a country much fractionated instead of unified.

 

Since when is it a president’s business to threaten cities, especially only those run by the opposing political party, as our current president has done in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., and is threatening to do in Chicago, Baltimore, New Orleans, and Portland, Oregon? [The Daily Progress, E-Edition Plus, Sunday, September 7, 2025]

 

This man is supposed to represent all of us; not just those who elected him: “As the only elected official who represents everyone in the U.S., the president is expected to be a unifying leader for the whole nation — not just for [his] political party or supporters. The president should, therefore, exemplify the highest leadership qualities and honor the values of democracy.”

[https://www.learningforjustice.org/the-roles-and-responsibilities-of-the-president]

 

But has he done this? Is our president behaving in a manner that is unifying for our nation when he deliberately goes after big-city Democrats who don’t behave as he demands?

 

“Government is given authority by the people to protect the rights of all the governed (not just the majority and not only of any one political party). Government must, therefore, respect everyone’s rights and provide equal protection to all. [Emphasis mine]”

 

[https://www.learningforjustice.org/what-are-the-values-of-democracy]

 

Read what’s happening in our country today under our current leadership and, if you possess an ounce of humanity, you should feel appalled and disgusted. I truly doubt God blesses today’s America.

 

 

CONDON’S CORNER

A watermelon bought in Crozet, VA, does not resemble the watermelons of the author’s youth, decades ago. Back then, no one ever cut open a store-bought watermelon that wasn’t almost fully red inside. (© Marlene A. Condon)

 

“The Good Ole Days” © Marlene A. Condon 2025 All Rights Reserved 

[Published September 23, 2025, by The Daily Progress, the daily newspaper of Charlottesville, Virginia, and The News Virginian, the daily newspaper of Waynesboro, Virginia]

I was once married to a man who didn’t believe “the good ole days” ever existed. When I would comment that things really were better when I was growing up, he’d insist they weren’t. He believed people’s minds fooled them.

 

According to some scientists—who agree with my ex—“‘Things aren’t what they used to be’ because we are suffering from psychological biases.” Or so claims Nick Chater, Professor of Behavioural Science who says that “our belief [that] things were better in the past is because of loss aversion and our ‘rose-tinted’ memory.” https://www.wbs.ac.uk/news/why-we-think-life-was-better-in-the-good-old-days/

 

But perhaps how one views the past depends upon what exactly one is considering for his valuation of it.

 

Professor Chater speaks of big events, such as the two world wars, as if they are things that no one will ever possibly experience again. He sounds as if he believes the future is going to be all “Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows”—the title of a song by sixties singer Lesley Gore.

 

I would contend, however, that such things could very well repeat themselves in the future of mankind, and shouldn’t be how one gauges the quality of life. As individuals, we are hard-pressed to exert any control over such significant occurrences. Therefore, we should examine things from the past that were quite impactful at a personal level.    

 

Very meaningful facts from bygone days do exist to support my own contention that many things in the past were decidedly superior to what they are now. Consider our food supply.

 

As we need to eat every day of our lives to remain healthy and strong, we need to enjoy the food that we put into our mouths. If you don’t like the taste of food, it’s darned difficult to want to consume it.

 

Look at the photo that accompanies this commentary. It shows a watermelon bought in July 2025 at a local grocery store. When I was a child, or even a young adult, decades ago, I never saw a watermelon like the one pictured here. And, sad to say, this watermelon is not the only one I’ve ever bought in more recent years that consists of a fair bit of inedible white rind. Worse yet, it’s not the only kind of food that has deteriorated in quality.

 

Strawberries went downhill long ago in the same manner as the watermelon. These fruits might look as red as you’d expect, but nowadays that red color is usually only skin-deep. The moment you bite into or slice your strawberry, what are you likely to find? Just as with the watermelon, much inedible white flesh rather than a fully red fruit as it ought to be. So much for superbly luscious flavor.

 

It can even be difficult to get a fully ripe strawberry from a farm. Years ago, I appeared on PBS’ Virginia Homegrown. A separate segment was about a farmer. He was wonderfully thoughtful and brought strawberries for everyone. Even those fruits were not fully red inside.

 

Have you bought a green pepper or a cucumber lately? Many of these particular veggies are absolutely tasteless most of the time when bought from a store. What drives the act of consuming food? Taste. If food doesn’t taste good, what is going to compel you to continue eating it? Only starvation.

 

For decades, I grew my own fruits and veggies and consequently ate well and healthfully. But with the passing years, my rheumatoid arthritis has taken evermore of a toll so that now I need to purchase almost all the food that goes into my mouth.

 

When I first started buying fresh fruits and vegetables, the store-bought produce was fine to eat. Sadly, for at least the past decade or so, that has no longer been the case.

 

Luckily, you can find some kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables (particularly leafy ones, such as spinach) in the produce section that are in good condition and taste okay, and produce that freezes well can be found in the frozen food section. But, it can be darned hard to find decent-quality fresh produce these days from a store.

 

The problem, of course, is that feeding the many humans on the planet today requires bringing in food from long distances. Sometimes these foods are picked before they ripen and thus never can ripen adequately. Others are selected to be grown for how well they can travel and less so for their flavor.

 

It's not only foods that are problematic, but also flowering plants. Roses are small and do not exhibit the heavenly fragrance they once did, and many grocery stores sell flowers that are so perfectly formed that they look artificial! Why bother growing them if they don’t even look alive? 

 

Returning to the British Professor Chater, he says that, “The idea that everything is getting worse - declinism - is an old one. Even ancient Athens saw itself as having declined from a former, mythical golden age. So perhaps our minds are tricking us into thinking things are getting worse.”

 

He goes on to say that, “In particular our memory tends to forget about the bad events in our past and we have a tendency to rehearse and dwell on the good things that happened in the past, we retell them a lot more often, so we reinforce the good memories. We tend to remember the great songs or cars or football players from the ‘old days’ and forget all the bad ones.”

 

Balderdash! Surely everyone realizes that when bad things happen to us, they are usually far more impactful upon us than good things. Yes, we may want to forget the bad things, but bad circumstances have consequences, which is what makes them so bad—and thus we DO remember them. We may prefer to push them out of our minds as much as possible, but they will always reappear now and again.   

 

So, no, I don’t believe it’s just our imagination that some things were better long ago. They really were better. 

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 CONDON’S CORNER

The abundance of tasty (even to humans) fruits on an Autumn Olive shrub indicates extremely successful pollination by an abundance of critters.

Help wildlife: Grow Autumn Olive shrubs

© Marlene A. Condon 

[Published August 21, 2025, by The Daily Progress, the daily newspaper of Charlottesville, Virginia, and The News Virginian, the daily newspaper of Waynesboro, Virginia] 

Before Canadians ever thought about spending winters in the southern United States (where they were nicknamed “snowbirds” by Americans), some bird species were already traveling there—except, for them, it was out of sheer necessity. When the cold winds of autumn hint at the winter to come, these original "snowbirds" leave their northerly breeding grounds for places like my yard in Virginia.

White-throated Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Hermit Thrushes, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and many other species enjoy a winter home here because they find cover, food, and water to make it through each day.

Every winter the author’s Autumn Olive shrubs host Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers that make sap wells beneficial to them and many other forms of wildlife. 

 

Unfortunately, the ability of these birds to survive anywhere until spring returns is more threatened with every passing year. While people understand loss of habitat from development, virtually no one recognizes a much more insidious source of habitat loss that is supported by both government and environmentalists: the removal of nonnative plants in the name of “saving” the natural world.

 

The popular narrative is that nonnative plants destroy ecological integrity (ecosystems with their native components intact that allows both the systems, and the organisms in them, to regenerate themselves for the perpetuation of life). But the truth is that vilified nonnative plants do support wildlife and thus help species to survive and reproduce.

 

As I take my almost daily morning walks in the winter months, I invariably see numerous juncos and white-throats feeding upon seeds of dried Japanese Stiltgrass plants (Microstegium vimineum) that line the edges of the country roads I travel.

 

In my yard at this time of year, Hermit Thrushes find and feed upon the bright-red berries of Japanese Barberry shrubs (Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea) when many kinds of fruits on my native plants—such as Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium), Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), and Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)—have long since been eaten.

 

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers habitually visit my Autumn Olive shrubs (Elaeagnus umbellata) that provide copious amounts of sap, not only for them but also for other kinds of birds and mammals that take advantage of the oozing “sap wells” these birds create. Even insects roused to activity in winter by unusually warm days are able to stay alive, thanks to nutrition made available by the sapsuckers.

 

Sadly, this wonderful delicatessen of a shrub is perhaps the most reviled nonnative species of all. Yet it feeds a huge array of creatures in horribly degraded habitats that can’t possibly support many native-plant species, such as road margins compacted by highway mowers and polluted with auto fluids and road salt; long-unused cow fields compacted by half-ton animals and containing nutrient-poor soil; etc.

 

Years ago, I visited a designated wildlife area near Natural Bridge in Lexington, Virginia. The ground was severely depleted of plant nutrients and organic matter, making it extremely difficult for any plants to grow there except colonizers, such as native Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) and nonnative Autumn Olive.

 

While the evergreen Redcedar provides cover and fruits, Autumn Olive is far more useful to far more animals throughout much more of the year by way of edible buds, pollen, nectar, leaves, and fruits, in addition to providing cover when foliage is still on the plants.

 

In spring, Autumn Olive flowers provide an abundance of nectar and pollen for many kinds of pollinators, from bees and butterflies to wasps and flies. Thanks to these insects, bounteous small red fruits appear later and feed many species of birds along with mammals (such as the American Black Bear, the Gray Squirrel, and the Eastern Chipmunk) in late summer and early fall.

Numerous species of butterflies (such as the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail shown here), bees, wasps, and other kinds of insects obtain nourishment from Autumn Olive blooms in early spring, making it a superb wildlife plant.

 

And perhaps most importantly of all, this shrub contains numerous buds that feed those birds visiting from hundreds of miles away in winter—the white-throats and the juncos—as well as resident Gray Squirrels, during this most difficult time of year to find food.

A Gray Squirrel is able to take advantage of freshly sprouted Autumn Olive leaves in late winter when food sources are not yet abundant.

So why are government biologists and environmentalists determined to remove or pesticide every single Autumn Olive from lands set aside specifically for the benefit of wildlife—as had taken place before I visited the Natural Bridge State Park? The answer lies in an oft-stated but unproven statement that our migratory birds are in trouble mainly because of a dearth of caterpillars, a situation that exists supposedly due to a profusion of nonnative plants.

 

While it’s true that nonnative plants don’t support an abundance of these particular larvae (Autumn Olive does feed at least one caterpillar species), it’s not at all clear that a dearth of moth larvae (most caterpillars are the immature form of moths) is the result of a dearth of native trees (although currently red oaks are dying, undoubtedly due to more commonly occurring droughts).

 

Indeed, you’ve probably heard that if every homeowner grew an oak in his yard, suburbia could be transformed into a facsimile of a national park in which warblers and thrushes, etc., could nest. But that idea is simplistic at best and extremely harmful at worst.

 

If you’ve flown over the eastern part of the U.S. where so many of us live, and had a window seat, you’ve seen that plenty of native trees exist to feed caterpillars. The actual explanation for the dearth of caterpillars is the dearth of moths, and that’s the result of lights burning all night that attract them. A moth circling a light until it’s exhausted is a moth that doesn’t mate and reproduce to leave behind caterpillars that can feed birds.

 

View the 2023 NASA night image of the United States to see how polluted with light our world has become:

https://www.fws.gov/media/artificial-light-map-united-states-nasa-earth-observatoryjpg

 

According to National Geographic, the ubiquitous night lighting has even obscured the Milky Way for eighty percent of Americans.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/milky-way-space-science

 

Still not convinced that night lighting is the problem? Pay attention while driving or walking around your neighborhood. You’ll be amazed by the number of lights burning 24/7 outside people’s homes and local businesses, even in rural areas.

 

Improving the health of your local environment is easy: Rather than ridding your property of plants disparaged by folks who don’t understand what is actually happening in the environment, just turn off all those unnecessary lights.

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 CONDON’S CORNER 

The Farm Choice Country Store: A Harrisonburg Delight!

©Marlene A. Condon 2025 All Rights Reserved

[Published July 17, 2025, by The Daily Progress, the daily newspaper of Charlottesville, Virginia, The News Virginian, the daily newspaper of Waynesboro, Virginia, and The Daily News-Record, the daily newspaper of Harrisonburg, Virginia.]

Providing squirrels with their own feeder of peanuts in the shell keeps them busy and satisfied so they don’t bother your feeders for the birds (Photo courtesy of Phillip Liskey)

The Farm Choice Country Store on South High Street in Harrisonburg not only can supply you with whatever you need to take proper care of the critters you love, but the owner can provide you with the information you need to keep them—and you—happy!

The Farm Choice Country Store: A Harrisonburg Delight!

Wow! Whether you have farm animals, pets, exotic animals (think llamas and alpacas), or you just want to feed our local wildlife, you’ll find a trip to the Farm Choice Country Store well worthwhile. Located on South High Street in Harrisonburg, it’s a clean and neatly kept supply store for both people and the animals they want to keep healthy.

 

For someone such as I who enjoys feeding and watching wildlife, the number of products available as you walk inside is astonishing. You have your choice of an incredible number of feeders of all types and a large variety of seeds to choose from. From 25-pound bags of peanuts in the shell for Gray Squirrels to a variety mix of seeds for birds (think sunflower, safflower, millet, milo, niger, and more, all packaged together), as well as nectar mixes and feeders for hummingbirds, you may well have a difficult time limiting yourself to only one or even a few selections.

 

But this store isn’t only for the birds and squirrels. Cruise around the different departments and you’ll be amazed to find everything you need to feed well pet rabbits and domesticated birds, cats, dogs, horses and other farm animals, as well as llamas and alpacas! This store is truly inclusive.

 

Are you a beginner and need assistance? The owner, Phillip Liskey, is delighted to help you find just what you need. He’s as much “into” helping to make animals “happy” as anyone I’ve ever met, and thus is the perfect person to give you advice and solid information so you can do the same.

 

I spent a good 45 minutes speaking with him and I was impressed by the number of folks during that time who stopped to ask him questions about feeding wildlife. He always knew right where the item they were looking for was located and was always happy to bring it out to their vehicle for them if it was a heavy item they needed help with. You couldn’t possibly spend time in a more friendly place!

 

I was surprised by how small the store is yet so well stocked. It’s absolutely loaded with inventory. Every kind of item you could possibly need to take good care of the critters you care about is there.

 

And the cleanliness is wonderful. I’ve been to farm stores in other locations and I can tell you for a fact that they were far from the immaculate place this store is. Spilled seed attracts rats and mice, rodents that exist specifically to “clean up” the environment. But people prefer not to see these critters inside or around buildings.

 

Mind you, I have nothing against rats or mice, having had both as pets when I was young and knowing they are vital for keeping our world running properly. And my guess is if you had a pet rodent, Phillip would know of just the right food to give it for a well-balanced diet. After all, he has had much experience with providing for animals of many kinds.  

 

As for the source of Phillip Liskey’s extensive knowledge of these critters, he told me that he worked for the local cooperative right out of high school, where he learned about nutrition and agronomy (the study of soil management and crop production). He also attended Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Virginia (in Augusta County) where he studied Ag Business.

 

Phillip then spent 11 years managing three stores (1976 to 1987) and eventually did the purchasing and promotion for all of their agricultural divisions.

 

In 1987, he started Farm Choice, focusing at first upon dairy and beef nutrition. But now, in 2025, you can visit his store to find products for just about any kind of animal you might want to keep you company on your own property.

 

Phillip and his wife rented three locations for their store and eventually began manufacturing their own brand of food for the critters people love. The couple then bought land and built their current store on South High Street in 2005. Phillip has spent 49 years helping folks to take good care of their animal companions of choice.

 

Enjoy a scenic drive to visit the Farm Choice Country Store in Harrisonburg. I can guarantee you’ll love it as much as I do. And if you have time to sightsee, there is plenty to do on the western side of the Blue Ridge Mountains, including checking out wonderful places to eat!  

 

DISCLAIMER:

Ads appearing at the end of e-mail blog-post notifications are posted by follow.it as recompense for granting free usage of their software at the author's blog site. The author of this blog has no say in what ads are posted and receives no monetary compensation other than the use of the software.