Truth

What causes a person to lie? Is it fear of what will happen if the truth is told? Is it indifference? Is the truth measured and sifted into divisions of importance and unimportance? If so, does that mean unimportant items don't mandate an honest response? I was contemplating these questions last weekend when we were at a local park for a sports tournament. Most of the teenagers we encounter at these tournaments are model kids. They volunteer in their communities, earn good grades in school, excel in athletics.

If you know anything about me, you know that for most of my life, I've been a competitor in one activity or another. It began with high school wrestling, then lead to bodybuilding, professional wrestling and powerlifting. So much of my personal achievement has revolved around physical ability that when that ability was recently threatened, I got smacked in the face with a hint of my true vulnerability.  I've been able to physically accomplish every challenge I've faced, by pushing through injuries, and coming out a superhero.

"Let's go," the strange man in the jeans jacket said. "Wh-what's going on?" Harriet asked Thomas Vainevner, her voice low and rushed with concern. For the first time since she had been fired as a pop singer, Harriet had managed to score a date. She had been sitting with her handsome but secretive coworker, Thomas. But as they were eating, someone had approached him, a man in his 40s with a leonine walk, hair so black it almost shone, and fingernails so dirty it was a wonder small plants weren't growing out of them.

When: Wednesday, April 15, 8 p.m.; doors open at 7 p.m. Where: 180 Degrees, 33 W. Antietam St., Hagerstown Details: The British punk rock group is touring in support of its latest album, "The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing But the Truth. " The members' sound stems from the working class neighborhoods of London, and their street rap is called Oi! Also performing: The Cuffs, Dropkick Murphy's and Bombthreat Tickets: $8 at the door For information: Call Zac Ohler at 301-745-6591.

Whose truth is the real truth? To the editor: In his guest column of Nov. 9, the Rev. Don Stevenson referred to the following passage from the Bible: “If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don't invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement.” (2 John 1:10) If my truth is my truth, and their truth is their truth, who has the real truth? What if my truth says your truth is a lie?

Letters to the Editor 12/1 Powell misses the boat on Catholics To the editor: Allan Powell in his column of Nov. 26 has exceeded even my expectations of his ability to confuse an issue. Somehow he has proposed to use a recent document - Dominus Jesus issued by the Catholic Church - to castigate the church and religion in general by trying to make faith and truth an illicit union. He says he has not read the document but is relying on an article in The Washington Post for his insight.

Dear Katy, I just found out that my boyfriend of two years has been seeing someone behind my back. I've kind of suspected it, but my best friend finally broke down and told me that she's known about it all along. It's been happening for almost two months, and she just now told me! When I confronted my boyfriend about it, he denied it, but I know that it's true because I have proof. I don't know if I should break up with him, and I don't know whether or not I should be mad at my friend for not telling me. Help!

Baltimore Ravens running back Bernard Pierce has come a long way from his high school days in Philadelphia. And if he has his way, he'll help make sure other kids don't have to travel the same troubled paths he has. One month after the Ravens' victory in Super Bowl XLVII, Pierce paid a visit to The Baby Sitter Child Care Center on Northern Avenue in Hagerstown on Thursday afternoon. He held a brief but poignant question-and-answer session with youth at the center before signing autographs.

If you know anything about me, you know that for most of my life, I've been a competitor in one activity or another. It began with high school wrestling, then lead to bodybuilding, professional wrestling and powerlifting. So much of my personal achievement has revolved around physical ability that when that ability was recently threatened, I got smacked in the face with a hint of my true vulnerability.  I've been able to physically accomplish every challenge I've faced, by pushing through injuries, and coming out a superhero.

I'm used to politicians lying in their campaign advertisements. What I'm not used to is campaigns acknowledging that their story lines are untrue, but perpetuating them anyway. “Mitt Romney is a felon.” “Really?” “No, but if he committed a serious crime, that would make him a felon.” “Obama is promising to send checks to people who refuse to work.” “Really?” “No, but he has the power to do it, so you have to figure that he will.” Great, politics has gone virtual.

What causes a person to lie? Is it fear of what will happen if the truth is told? Is it indifference? Is the truth measured and sifted into divisions of importance and unimportance? If so, does that mean unimportant items don't mandate an honest response? I was contemplating these questions last weekend when we were at a local park for a sports tournament. Most of the teenagers we encounter at these tournaments are model kids. They volunteer in their communities, earn good grades in school, excel in athletics.

Magician Brett Myers deals in illusions. On stage, he makes people and things appear and disappear, saws his fiancee in half, makes inanimate objects seem to move by themselves. But he's an entertainer with a message for his audience. “We really want people to understand what is illusion and what is truth,” he said. “Within every show that we do, we give that message of truth - the truth that we find in a relationship with God.” Myers and his BAM magic crew will perform this weekend at Antietam Recreation, south of Funkstown.

Don't give up on America To the editor: I know we have some problems today in our country, but I've lived through other times when our leaders got together and solved them. We will do it again, but we must get off the political posture on both sides and do what is best for America. To begin with, we must balance the budget and create a new tax code that is fair to all income levels. We still have the greatest country in the world with freedom, democracy and capitalism; but some changes in the capitalism need to happen.

Reality met optimism for the Hagerstown Suns on Wednesday. “You want to win them all, but you’re not going to do it,” Suns manager Brian Daubach said. Reality won out big time as the Asheville Tourists found every clutch hit the Suns have seemingly misplaced over the last week to scratch out a 4-1 victory on a lazy night at Municipal Stadium. The Tourists (21-25) scored single runs in four of the first five innings off Hagerstown starter A.J. Cole (0-3) and made them stand up as the Suns failed in their prime chances against Asheville starter Josh Slaats (1-1)

In my 15 years in the fitness industry, my views of what the path to total fitness lifestyle development has evolved several times. New information, trial and error and changes in the industry best practices have all contributed to these shifts in thought. I was a lot more militant in my younger days than I am now. Becoming a husband, a father, and a business owner have drastically changed the way I look at fitness, and the way I coach people through it. Every aspect of your life should be ever-evolving and changing to move forward.