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The charges and countercharges started early in Wednesday's U.S. Senate debate between Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan and Republican House Speaker Thom Tillis.
Here's a look at some:
Tillis claim: Hagan voted with President Barack Obama 96 percent of the time.
Fact: The number is based on a Congressional Quarterly analysis of votes on which the White House expressed a preference. The 96 percent is an average over five years, 2009 through 2013.
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In 2013, the most recent year analyzed, Hagan voted in line with Obama's preference 96 percent of the time.
She was not alone among Democrats in the closely divided Senate. A check of CQ's report on voting by all senators in 2013 shows that every Democratic senator, as well as independents Bernard Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, voted yes on bills the president favored at least 90 percent of the time in 2013.
Hagan claim: Tillis "defunded" Planned Parenthood.
Fact: The 2011 state budget prevented Planned Parenthood from receiving state money. A federal judge later disallowed the provision.
U.S. District Judge James Beaty Jr. said lawmakers had made clear that the denial of funds was intended as political punishment for the organization.
Tillis: Kay Hagan has not authored a bill in six years that has gone to the president's desk to be signed into law.
Fact: True, but Hagan was the primary sponsor of some bills that became part of other legislation, as typically happens in the U.S. Senate. For example, her "AMERICA Works Act," which requires that priority be given to training that produces nationally recognized credentials, became part of the federal legislation to streamline job training that Congress passed. Also, Hagan introduced the TREAT Act, which speeds up FDA approval for drugs that treat unmet medical needs. It became part of the FDA Safety and Innovation Act, which became law.
Hagan claim: Five hundred thousand North Carolinians were denied coverage when the General Assembly declined to extend Medicaid coverage.
Fact: North Carolina is among 23 states that chose not to extend Medicaid, the health program for the poor.
At least 575,000 low-income adults in the Carolinas earn too little to get subsidies and don't qualify for Medicaid. Some estimates run as high as 689,000 in North Carolina alone, many working in such low-wage jobs as home health aides, waitresses, bus drivers and construction workers.
Tillis claim: Obama is taking away $700 billion from Medicare to pay for the Affordable Care Act.
Fact: The Congressional Budget Office estimated $716 billion in savings from Medicare from 2013-2022. The goal is to increase efficiency and quality of care.
From Politifact, a nonpartisan fact-checking project: "Obamacare does not literally cut funding from the Medicare budget, but tries to bring down future health care costs in the program. Much of this is accomplished by reducing Medicare Advantage, a small subset of Medicare plans that are run by private insurers."
Hagan claim: The 7 percent raise Tillis talks about was a 0.3 percent raise for some teachers.
Fact: Seven percent was the average raise given teachers this year. For more experienced teachers, longevity pay was folded into the raise. And raises are skewed to newer teachers, with some getting a much higher raise.
A teacher with 30 years' experience, however, would get a 0.29 percent increase.
Tillis claim: Obama "has failed to address the immigration problem" and failed to strengthen border security.
Fact: The comprehensive immigration bill the Senate passed 68-32 in June 2013 doubled the number of Border Patrol agents from 20,000 to 40,000 and added 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.
It also created a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants who met certain requirements. Hagan voted for it, as did 14 Senate Republicans. But Republicans in the House of Representatives rejected it. The House never took up the broad immigration package that the Senate passed.
Hagan claim: "I am the most moderate senator in the nation."
Fact: In February, the National Journal did rank her as the Senate's "most moderate" member. The Journal ranked members by analyzing 117 votes in 2013.
In 2012 and 2011, Hagan ranked 32nd most liberal.
Critics argue that the rankings are subjective, determined by the votes the Journal chooses to analyze.
Staff writer Ann Doss Helms contributed.


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Much of Seattle still has yet to discover the vegan wonder that is Sara Beth. She cooks. She teaches. She caters. She bakes. She even consults. Not to mention she creates vegan donut recipes that win 1st place, even against some of the nation's best bakers, even at high altitudes (harder than you think)*. She … Continue reading
Monthly Archives: January 2012
Vegan Song Bird Coreena Brown
Welcome to another installment of the local Vegan Artist Profile! (I should come up with a better name for this series, I realize. Soon, I swear.) I am honored to have gotten the chance to interview Pacific Northwest native, Coreena Brown, a rising vocalist living right here in our little city. Brought up on soul, … Continue reading
ChuMihn Deli in your Belly!
I've been meaning to write about ChuMihn for months. Ever since it opened and my friend Derrick Hachey went there every day for two weeks (no joke). Sorry if I deprived any Seattleites of this amazing traditional Asian vegetarian fare! Photos by Michelle of Addicted to Cookbooks If you are not a regular diner in … Continue reading

subset: commoncrawl


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Diane Kiddy joined Carson Valley Children's Aid in February 2014, as a skilled executive and consultant with more than 30 years of experience in the behavioral health profession.
Kiddy, a resident of Philadelphia, comes to CVCA after having served in a variety of executive positions in the behavioral health field. Most recently she served as the Vice President for Adult Behavioral Health at NHS Human Services' Eastern Region, where she oversaw more than 1,500 employees and was responsible for the operations of mental health and addictions services for adults and children in the southeastern Pennsylvania region.
Before that, Kiddy was Director of Government Affairs for Universal Health Services, Inc., where she helped secure millions of dollars in federal and state funding as an advocate for the King of Prussia-based health care provider. In addition, Kiddy was CEO of Fairmount Behavioral Health System in Philadelphia from 1998 to 2004, where she was credited for helping to turn around the city-based behavioral hospital prior to its acquisition by UHI in 2000. Kiddy also served as Vice President and Director of Program Development at Presbyterian Medical Center from 1987 to 1996.
"I believe strongly in the mission of Carson Valley Children's Aid," Kiddy said. "CVCA enjoys an outstanding reputation for providing a wide range of services to this critically important population of at-risk children, and I believe that it is well-positioned for continued growth and success in the years ahead."
Kiddy is Chair of the Mayor's Mental Health/Mental Retardation Advisory Board in Philadelphia. She is a past member of the Board of Governors of the Federation of American Hospitals and a former co-chair of the Grassroots Advocacy Committee of the National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems.
Kiddy has taught professional courses at LaSalle University, the University of Saint Francis, and Temple University, as well as the American College of Healthcare Executives. Kiddy holds a BA in Psychology from West Chester University and a Master's Degree in Social Work Planning and Administration from Bryn Mawr College.


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Watch Army Wives Season 1 Episode 9 online via TV Fanatic with over 6 options to watch the Army Wives S1E9 full episode. Affiliates with free and paid streaming include Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, YouTube Purchase, Google Play, and Verizon On Demand.
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This week on Army Wives, Fort Marshall got a little hotter as Joan returned home to surprise Roland, who was surprised by the early retur...
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2018 Iowa Boat, RV, and Vacation Show
- UNI-Dome
- 2401 Hudson Road, Cedar Falls, IA 50613 United States
- Phone
- (319) 232-0218
- Email:
- firstname.lastname@example.com
Additional Information
The 2018 Iowa Boat, RV, and Vacation show is set for January 19-21 at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.
- Friday: January 19th. 3 PM-9 PM
- Saturday: January 20th. 10 AM-8 PM
- Sunday: January 21st. 11 AM-4 PM
- Adults: $7.00
- 12 & Under FREE
- Friday Admission: $6.00
Don't miss the "Iowa Boat, RV and Vacation Show" happening at the UNI-Dome January 19-21. It's Iowa's biggest boat & RV sale. More Boats and campers in one event then anywhere in Iowa. Shop boats for fishing, cruising, skiing, and performance.
Check out the latest RV models and floor plans.
Also on display, boat docks, lifts, covers, water toys, boat repair,motors, marine accessories, tourism destinations, campgrounds,vacations, fishing camps, fishing tackle, truck accessories and more.
There will also be informative seminars and family entertainment.
Discount coupons are available at local Kwik Star Stores, or you can go to the Discount Coupon Page to print your discount coupons.
Learn more now at iowaboatandrvshow.com.


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Comment: The inscription has been higlighted by shaving cream for better reading.
Alice Wife of
Reuben C. Cady
Born New York
Oct. 20, 1826
Died May 9, 1902
75 Yrs. 6 Mos. 19 Ds.
Reuben C. Cady
Born Onundage Co. NY
July 7, 1812
Died Hay Springs, NE
Dec. 22, 1893
81 Yrs. 6 Mos. 15 Ds
Comment: This may be amonth the earliest birth dates (1812) in the Antelope Srping Cemetery.
Contributed on 11/5/06 by JimNebraska99
Email This Contributor
Record #: 12348
On this site you can upload gravestone photos, locate ancestors and perform genealogy research. If you have a relative buried in Nebraska, we encourage you to upload a digital image using our Submit a Photo page. Contributing to this genealogy archive helps family historians and genealogy researchers locate their relatives and complete their family tree.
Submitted: 11/5/06 • Approved: 11/5/06 • Last Updated: 2/16/13 • R12348-G12348-S3


text: Hi everyone, We don't use foot baths or dedicated shoes for our facility. Our fish facility is in a larger hallway that contains other animal care rooms, but our rooms are separate. There are sticky mats when you enter the main hallway, but I am not sure these help with anything to be honest. Our policy is that if a fish hits the floor, it has to be euthanized. We ask everyone coming into the facility to wash their hands when the enter (soap without Triclosan) and when they leave. We also have Purell for anyone feeling the need. In general, our policy to help keep down contamination is that no new fish enter our system. They must all come from bleached eggs or they go into the Q-room. We don't take equipment in or out of the facility and definitely don't mix between the Qroom and the main facility. We have an incubator specifically for embryos from our Q-Room. Anything in that incubator cannot go back into the main facility. We also use commercial shrimp eggs and food for our dry mixes that is free of pathogens. Nothing from a pet store is fed to or added to our system. But to be honest, I think the main things we do that keep our facility disease free is keep everything as clean as possible (tanks, floors, and equipment) and make sure fish that are 2+ years old or fish that start to look unhealthy are removed from the facility promptly. It is the Logan's Run approach to fish health, but it has worked so far. (Knock on wood.) Many of the practices that make sense for a rodent facility either aren't useful or are down right dangerous in a fish facility. The IACUC here is very reasonable, but I had to write a long letter explaining why certain practices don't make sense for us. For example, they were asking why we don't wear gloves, gowns, masks and booties. I asked if their concern was for the animals or for the people working with the animals. They were very frank and told me they only care about the health and well-being of the animals. So I explained that my job is to care for both. Booties are a slip hazard and dangerous to my workers. Gowns and gloves can be accidently dragged into fish tanks or set up cages which can contaminate them. In the end, since we aren't concerned with passing things back and forth between the fish and the students, all the gowning does is make the students uncomfortable, hotter than they should be with the temperature, and can actually contaminate the fish tanks. Likewise we had to argue that we would prefer to see some rust as opposed to having paint aerosolize near our precious fish! You have to do what is the most comfortable for your system and setups, but we also need to help educate IACUCs around the world about what is necessary for fish, and what is not. Otherwise we may be paying technicians to entertain our fish and provide "stimulating environments" before you know it. Just my 2 cents worth. Becky --------------------------------------------------- Rebecca D. Burdine, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Dept. of Molecular Biology Princeton University Washington Road Mof 433 Princeton, NJ 08544 Phone: (609) 258-7515 Fax: (609) 258-1343 Email: rburdine from princeton.edu Admin Assistant: Cathy Falk (609) 258-1604


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The most amazing homemade vegan cheese and Mac 'N' Cheese sauce that is nut free, oil-free, gluten-free & fat-free. It is perfect for dips and mac 'n' cheese. Healthy, creamy and made from potatoes and zucchini.
Are you ready for this? Are you ready for a to-die-for vegan cheese sauce that tastes rich, thick, creamy and silky smooth? This is so darn delicious over mac 'n' cheese too. Since there is no cashews, there is no cashew flavor either.
In case you are wondering, this one is totally guilt-free, nut-free and oil-free...even coconut-free and gluten-free. It is not only fat-free, it is also low calorie and low carb. Yeah buddy. Taste testers were stumped at it's authenticity. It was a winner all around!
This cheese sauce is amazingggg on nachos and guess what, as a fat-free mac 'n' cheese. I served this for dinner as mac 'n' cheese and my daughter gobbled it up in minutes.
The majority of vegan cheese recipes are made with nuts/cashews or tofu, etc. Since so many of you readers cannot have nuts, I wanted to create a nut-free and fat-free cheese sauce that we could all enjoy with absolutely zero guilt. There are some recipes lurking around using sweet potatoes and carrots. I haven't tried those yet, but since there is hearty veggies in them, apparently they are really filling, creamy and delicious. I wanted to create mine a bit different and really drive home that smooth cheesy taste.
So, I put my thinking cap on and perused my own recipes on my blog and since my Low-Fat Nut-Free Creamy Parsley Sauce has been such a hit with you guys and is potato-based, I knew the cheese would need to have potatoes involved.
Mashed yukon gold potatoes, to be exact.
Since I knew potatoes alone wouldn't give me the texture I wanted, I knew I wanted to incorporate another vegetable.....then it hit me, my Spicy Zucchini Pepper Soup is incredibly creamy, full of flavor and gives an amazing texture. Boom, zucchini! It is one of my oldest recipes and has always been one of my all-time favorite soups. I knew it would help give that killer silky-smooth cheese texture without it being too starchy by using all potatoes. I was right, it worked AMAZING.
Zucchini is the other magical ingredient here. Zucchini is what helps drive home that amazing, silky-smooth texture. So, sometimes inspiration for recipes can come right from your own blog! Using elements of my parsley sauce and my zucchini soup recipes came together to make an amazing vegan fat-free cheese sauce.
Lastly, another key ingredient that really drives home the cheesy flavor....soy sauce. It gives a depth of flavor that salt alone doesn't give. I tried just lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and salt and none of them gave that cheesy flavor as great as soy sauce. I mean seriously, this entire recipe is basic ingredients that I just got at my local grocery store. Easy peasy.
This whole vegan cheese sauce recipe is ready in 30 minutes. It really doesn't get any easier. Just roast your zucchini, cook your potatoes and blend it all up. All that's left to do is grab some friends and DIG IN.
In case you were wondering, it makes a phenomenal mac 'n' cheese!
Yeehaw. Fat-free Vegan "Cheese" Sauce and Mac 'N' Cheese?
Get in my mouth.
Want to try another cheese recipe that is richer and Mexican-inspired and sure to wow your guests? Try my Easy Vegan Mexican Cheese Sauce made with cashews and a bonus tahini version!
Yields 2 1/2 cups
Finally, a vegan dairy-free, fat-free, nut-free, guilt-free cheese sauce that tastes authentic. This cheese is smooth, flavorful, creamy and 100% good for you. It will leave you satisfied without feeling heavy. It goes great on nachos, tacos, burritos and even mac 'n' cheese!
5 based on 7 review(s)
- 1 small zucchini, peeled and sliced (130 g, you will need about 1 cup sliced zucchini before cooking, make sure you weigh the correct amount or you will get an off taste of zucchini!)
- 1 lightly filled cup (220g) cooked/mashed yukon gold
- 3/4 cup -1 cup water, as needed to reach desired thickness (I ALWAYS use 1 cup, so keep that in mind in regards to other ingredients)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (20 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2-3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular if you don't like smoked, add to taste keeping in mind the water amount
- 2 teaspoons liquid aminos (or low-sodium soy sauce or tamari, do not omit, this is what gives the cheesy flavor, do not use coconut aminos, it will not yield the correct flavor!)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
- Optional toppings: red pepper flakes, chopped tomatoes, sliced jalapenos
- Note: This recipe is only 8 ingredients (+ salt & water), so each ingredient is crucial to the final flavor result, so subbing or eliminating an ingredient can greatly alter the result. The weight in grams is provided for accurate results.
- First prepare the zucchini by preheating an oven to 415 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Peel all the green skin off the zucchini and slice into 1/4 inch slices and salt and pepper well. It's imperative to peel the zucchini, otherwise your sauce will be an ugly green. Bake for about 15 minutes until tender.
- Meanwhile, cook your potatoes either by roasting, steaming or in the microwave. Since I wanted a fast dinner, I just cooked them in the microwave for about 5 minutes until very soft. Do not boil them as they will get water logged and make the sauce more runny. I left the skins on since I have a Vitamix, but if you are concerned about getting the sauce smooth, peel them before cooking.
- After the potatoes are cooked, mash them with a fork and measure out 1 cup. If you followed the correct weight measurement, you should get just about 1 lightly filled cup of mashed potatoes. If your potatoes are large, you may need less. It's important to measure the mashed potatoes for accurate results. Add them to your high speed blender. Update: Using a food processor will make this too gooey, make sure to use just a blender.
- Once the zucchini is done, add it along with all of the remaining ingredients (start with 3/4 cup water and add as needed, stopping at 1 cup) to your blender and blend until smooth. You will need to stop and scrape a couple of times from the bottom during. Do not be too eager to add extra water until you've really blended it up a couple of minutes on high to get it completely smooth. It will seem too thick at first, but it will start to turn very smooth from all the water from the zucchini. Trust me, it will get super thick and creamy this way, don't add water unless you blend it up a few minutes and If necessary, add just a TINY amount of water just to blend it. If it's a bit thinner than you like, you can reheat it over the stove to thicken it up some.
- Taste and add any extra lemon juice and/or salt/spices if necessary. Add any desired toppings such as red pepper flakes, chopped tomatoes, sliced jalapenos. I like a kick of heat to my cheese so I added red pepper flakes but will totally blend up some jalapenos next time in the sauce. Sauce makes 2 1/2 cups.
- To make it as a mac 'n' cheese, just simply boil your pasta and pour as much (a lot!) cheese sauce over the pasta. You can either warm the cheese by running it awhile in the blender or gently warming over the stove. It gives such an incredible cheesy, thick and stick-to-pasta result. It really reminded me of mac 'n' cheese growing up. Considering this is totally fat-free and good for you, I'd say that's huge!


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The theater can take you beautiful places. It can carry you to the simple elegance of Grover's Corners or the
Whenever my friends and I used to do comedic improv, it was understood when a scene was over—it was when
John Lithgow '67 can't sing. This, at first, might seem to be a problem for a man starring in a
Collecting music is not rare. Most people have a favorite band; they head over to Tower on the day the
The first column I published in this space was a retrospective of a summer's theatrical experiences. With 2001 now in
When Shakespeare goes awry, the audience can find redemption in the language. Even bad Shakespeare retains value due to the
"Is this really the title?" That this phrase is on promotional materials and souvenirs means a person can only be
Of all the British mega-musicals that threatened to close on Broadway in recent years, the one that moved towards its
The power of theater lies in its ability to transport one from the everyday nature of life to a world
The greatest complaint leveled against the greatest composer of musical theater is inaccessibility. Critics label Stephen Sondheim's works as cold
In New York, the recovery is underway. Television shows broadcast from the city, including The Late Show with David Letterman,
A Good Summer Going, Going, Gone... Everybody has a favorite moment—a combination of sight, sound, and sense that simultaneously summons
By Adam R. Perlman WASHINGTON—It's been a great summer. Best of my life. I've been to London, New York, Las
Late in the second act of Into the Woods, the Sondheim musical that is this season's Mainstage, the lead character


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Performance Details
Event 300 Meter Hurdles
Mark 43.44
Place 7th
Race/Results Page Complete Results
Round Finals
Heat 1
Native Country USA
Season Outdoor 2016
Level HS
Meet Date May 11, 2016 - May 12, 2016
Date Added May 13, 2016
Grade 2018
Timing FAT
Personal Best? No
Season Best? Yes
Venue Salem Hills High School, Salem Hills, UT, USA
No comments on this performance. Add a comment


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Shares of Dell (UNKNOWN:UNKNOWN) fell as low as $12.71 on Friday, even as founder Michael Dell's proposal to buy the company for $13.65 goes before shareholders two weeks from now. At first glance, Dell might seem like a no-brainer "buy" candidate (invest $12.71 now, get $13.65 after the proxy vote on July 18).
However, this is far from being the whole story. An activist campaign led by Carl Icahn's Icahn Enterprises (NASDAQ:IEP) investment fund has made Dell perhaps the riskiest stock in the market. Icahn believes that Michael Dell's proposal to buy the company significantly undervalues Dell. Yet while Icahn probably has the heft (and the votes) to scuttle Dell's go-private deal, he is unlikely to garner enough support to implement his proposal to increase shareholder value through a $14 tender offer.
The results are likely to be very disappointing for Dell shareholders. If this "clash of the titans" between Dell and Icahn ends in a stalemate, the company will find itself without a clear strategic direction and its valuation could revert to a much lower multiple, in keeping with Dell's uncertain prospects.
1. Dell-Silver Lake buyout on the rocks
Investors can debate whether the $13.65 buyout offer from Michael Dell and hedge fund Silver Lake Partners recognizes the "full" value of Dell. However, one thing cannot be disputed: Until Michael Dell and Silver Lake came along with a proposal to take the company private, Dell stock was worth much less, bottoming below $9 in late 2012.
The rapid rise in Dell's stock price in early 2013 was a direct result of the buyout offer. Indeed, as Dell's "Special Committee" pointed out in a shareholder presentation released Friday, the PC industry outlook has been revised lower numerous times in the past year. Company fundamentals have also suffered, lagging those of competitors like Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ).
This hasn't stopped Icahn from making the rounds on TV to tell anybody who will listen that Dell is worth far more than $13.65. Yet as the Wall Street Journal recently noted, Icahn has not offered to buy the company at any price; he wants Dell to fund a $14 tender offer with the company's cash on hand and new debt.
In late 2012, when Dell shares were mired below $10, most shareholders would have taken $13.65 in a heartbeat. Icahn's muckraking has clouded the waters; many shareholders now seem unwilling to sell at that price. Indeed, the Special Committee of Dell's board recently advised Michael Dell and Silver Lake to raise their bid in order to improve their chances of winning the upcoming shareholder vote. However, according to a Bloomberg report on Friday, Dell and Silver Lake will not budge.
2. Icahn's tender offer: a long shot
Shareholders voting against the Dell-Silver Lake buyout offer are probably doing so because they have been convinced that Icahn's tender offer plan would offer more value. However, investors need to understand that even if the Dell-Silver Lake buyout is rejected, Icahn's plan has a very low probability of being implemented.
The problem is that Michael Dell owns approximately 16% of the company. While he has to remain "neutral" in the buyout vote, he can vote as he pleases if the buyout offer fails. This means that while Icahn only needs to muster 42% of the shareholder vote to scuttle the buyout offer, he needs a full 50% to elect his slate of directors and proceed with his recapitalization plan.
According to AllThingsD, there is a good chance that the buyout will fail but Icahn will also fail to gain control of the company, leaving the company in no-man's-land. It has been very clear from the recent verbal sparring in the press that Icahn and Michael Dell have very different ideas about how to turn the company around. If the two sides are forced to share control of the company, prolonged bickering seems more likely than concerted action.
Foolish bottom line
If the "deadlock" scenario emerges, where neither Michael Dell nor Carl Icahn can take full control of the company, Dell stock could plummet. Dell's special committee noted in its recent presentation that if Dell were to trade for the same earnings multiple as HP, shares would be worth just $5.85-$8.67 across a range of plausible scenarios.
Dell shares are trading at a significant discount to Michael Dell's buyout offer ($13.65) and Carl Icahn's proposed tender offer ($14) for good reason. Shareholders are so closely divided that it is very possible that both proposals will fail. Even if you are willing to sell your Dell stock for $13.65 and Michael Dell wants to buy your stock for $13.65, you'll only be able to sell at that price if enough other shareholders are of the same mind.
While virtually every shareholder favors either Dell's plan or Icahn's plan over the status-quo, the two sides may be reaching a deadlock that keeps the status-quo intact by default. Ordinary shareholders are just pawns in this high-stakes game. The growing likelihood of stalemate makes Dell an incredibly risky stock for investors -- one that should probably be avoided.
Fool contributor Adam Levine-Weinberg owns shares of Hewlett-Packard. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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10 Ways to Get Through Hard Times When You Homeschool or Blog
Hard times can strike at any moment of your homeschool, family, or blogging life. Sometimes challenges can be so impactful that it leads to many families feeling like they have no other choice but to leave homeschooling or Blogging altogether. This is soo so sad! While it can be 100% needed. There are ways and strategies to help ease the burden I've found from my own experience homeschooling and walking a healing journey with my son – these past 2 years (tourettes, adhd, allergies, and severe sensory processing disorder).
Currently, I'm using the same approaches for balancing blogging, while going through the ongoing care of my son, and other extended family facing severe health issues. So, because of that – today I felt compelled to share some tips on how to blog and vlog through hardships if you're also going through something similar. I truly hope you feel more empowered and prepared after reading today's post! So lets' dive in..
Before going into the tips in the blog & video, it's SO important that you process any emotions you haven't dealt with already in a healthy way. In my experience, trying to work on something while still being emotionally charged – just paves the way for an unhealthy breakdown later on..
Not helping your health or anyone else's!
If you have yet to, let it out.
If you need to cry – cry.
Tears are spiritually healing. They're like salt water cleansing the soul. If you dont feel emotional, you can release in other ways that feel right to you. Things such as mentally releasing through journaling your thoughts, feelings, and ideas on paper – will help you gain a birds eye perspective of it all so that you can process it.
If you ARE emotional don't feel ashamed, *weak*, or guilty about it. Reject the urge to *hold it together* when you feel in your spirit that you need to breakdown. Give yourself a couple days, a week – or as long as you need to grieve and move to a place where you're ready to start working from a calm yet empowered place.
Is there any "denial" you still have to face? This was a huge thing for me to work through. Even when I thought I had moved passed ALL of it.. it would creep up on me at various points, SO just be mindful of it so that you can deal with it if it does.
But the most important thing is…
Do not shut out any feelings that arise, instead give yourself the permission to feel them fully… and then *process* them mindfully, recognizing that for better or for worse – this IS part of your life story. The light and the dark, the happy and the sad.
Of course at first it can be hard or practically impossible to see it this way – especially when emotions are peaked.
A visualization exercise that really helped me regain hope on days when I thought my son would never improve, or things would stay the same forever was. Picturing him on the *other side* of this (During times when you feel feelings of resisting, regretting, feeling self pitty, or worse.. despair). Visualize a strong bright happy image in a calm and beautiful place. The person is complete strength, fully recuperated – working on a cause or project using one of their gifts…
Doing this will give you a visual (even after just doing it once!) that will help program your brain and fuel you when negative thoughts pop up.
Working Through Chronic Hard Times is Like Being a Soldier at War
You also want to start visualizing yourself as a strong victorious soldier. Some soldiers go to battle only once and get to go home, others are in the war much longer. Don't compare your healing journey to anyone else's, and don't get frustrated or feel like you're doing something wrong. You're being constantly guided and supported! Stay in that space.
The difference between 'real war' and battling chronic illness of course is.. you're fighting elements that are invisible. Your tools are faith, research, and the right healing agent(s) that you will be led to oftentimes through trial and error. Since you're in battle (it can also feel like a maze, Maze Runner style) ASK yourself… what would a soldier do in your position?
Ask yourself, what are the 2 main goals for a soldier whose at war?
Surviving and winning!
Each new discovery or symptom that's recuperated will be a battle won. When that happens bask in the victory, give yourself rest, and then keep going. Even if you don't achieve full recovery, knowing you did everything in your power is all we can ever do. Be patient and never lose hope or space for healing. Trust and believe its on its way and it WILL happen.
Soldiers preparing to fight, scale back on everything – to the point that all of their essentials can all fit in a small backpack or less.. The same applies to you right now so that you can focus on what's important. So the first thing you need to do is:
Scale Back:
Determine what your basic needs are.
In homeschooling this means the *main* subjects for the year (I talk more about how to determine what you should be F O C U S ing on in my post How I Homeschool 2nd Grade PT 1) then let go of the rest.
One of the biggest blocks in being able to do this is working past any perfectionist tendencies many of us still have – making it difficult to be *flexible* enough with not doing it all.
Hard times refine us!
You also have to focus on the fact, and trust – that space for you to cover what you need to cover WILL open up in the future. Space can mean working through a holiday, on weekends, over the summer, or at *any* other point (ie. while a sibling is at an activity). As a homeschooler we are creators and managers of our own schedule – remember this is part of the reason you started homeschooling (moreso if you were already a special needs homeschooler when you started homeschooling!).What a blessing to have more time to schedule appointments, take as much down time as you need for any flareups, and to have the option to learn in bed! This is all in your healing's favor!
– When it comes to Blogging: figure out a comfortable schedule and pattern for getting the content you want to produce out into the world, without sacrificing your bliss. I strongly believe that the energy we put *into* the work we do, matters just as much as the content. No creating when you have low or bad vibes! To guarantee that, I only produce content when I can reach a state of feeling relaxed, joyful, and with a heart of wanting to serve vs. just produce. Blogging in this scenario can be very therapeutic!
Because my time is limited .. I find pockets of it throughout the week to work on *chunks* of tasks to produce my weekly post.
This is what it looks like (the order of what I do is the same even if the days may vary, be flexible with yourself).
– In your Family: Give yourself and your family the permission and TIME to adapt to this new temporary normal. Reassure your children the larger life lessons embedded in this experience .. adapting, resilience, and letting go of what you can't control (focusing on what you can!). Gratitude for the small and big blessings you have right.now.
Next, you will want to re-evaluate your commitments and keep your family as the priority, so you'll need to..
Figure out what really needs to get done. What are your BASIC needs? When you think of priorities I want you to think of things you absolutely need to live and your health depends on. Things like: Eating, cleaning, sleeping, exercising, and staying mentally positive.
-So the first, Food:
Meal prep ahead of time, grocery shop for multiple weeks, or have a food delivery service help you with this. If friends or family are offering to cook or make freezer meals for you,gladly accept! Many churches also have programs that help members or community members in need – with meals or groceries, so ask around. When shopping for food in a crisis, avoid junk-food freezer meals. Instead, make sure you have natural and healthy foods that will help you or your family heal while keeping your energies at a high level. Food influences mood! And it will also keep you at the strongest physical state possible.
-Next, Exercise: move and find time to get your oxygen and endorphins flowing (after making sure you have the physical ok to do it if you're the one facing a chronic illness). I know how hard it can be to schedule this in. Start slow and small.. one day a week, then 2, or 3.. Working out can be as simple as a brisk walk and then moving up from there. Movement helps TREMENDOUSLY in processing big emotions and helping to clear your out stress and cortisol. Make it a family event and take the opportunity to bond at the same time! A dance session in the living room can also count!
Next, Organize Yourself. Since it can get difficult to keep track of what's being covered curriculum-wise, especially if you have appointments and need to stagger your learning sessions. A planner can support you to get a visual idea of what you're covering. Without one you may forget to do a subject, or do the subject twice! Follow me on YouTube after watching today's video below to catch my upcoming videos on the planners I've used for homeschooling throughout the years.
While you're at it add a documentation system as a checks and balances in any area that will allow you to eliminate any mental clutter, this will help you free up mental energies to find solutions to the hardships you're facing. For instance, for blogging add in a blog planner, and plan out the post topics for the next 2-3 months. I love the Epic Blog Planner by "byRegina". Even if you cant write all of them in advance, knowing what you'll be writing will allow you to avoid having to mentally stress over it every week.
For medical or financial things, get a budget or appointment book to keep track of all appointments or due dates. Overdrafting fees add up, and when dealing with medical issues – a great doctor may have a long lead time many months out, so you dont want to miss it when it does come up!
I also can't stress enough the importance of creating a detailed and organized medical binder with all your labs, diagnoses, and results to help communicate findings to multiple doctors or providers. This not only ensures that you're getting the most optimal care, but it also cuts down on time required to request the studies from another office (you want the least amount of delay!). No scrambling for papers for you either! #momwin You are the CEO of you,and your child's health information! I've also noticed there's a palpable difference in how providers treat you when you boss up in this area.
-Next, Be in Peace: If it doesnt bring you peace, let it go (objects, tasks, your own expectations, people, family..). Peace above all things for your family and yourself will help support your bodies' natural and supported healing – if you're using medication OR supplements. Start to see hardships as a divine pruning aside from being a life challenge. It will help you reconnect to what's most important in your life, and help you grow spiritually stronger and wiser. If people or things are straining you emotionally, drop as much weight as you can until your heart feels as light as a feather (one of my new fav Budhist sayings btw!). My recent post on How to Handle Critics, Naysayers and Toxic Comments can help you as a next step to this post.
Develop a New Schedule or Routine:
We are creatures of habit and one of the most upheaveling things is having to adjust our schedules abruptly. Although as adults we can adjust rather quickly – children who typically thrive and yearn for consistency, may experience much stress or difficulty adjusting. This will not help their healing or growth so whenever possible try to make any changes such as new therapies or caring for a family member – as gradual and gentle as possible.
– Develop a schedule for self care. When things get busier, less significant things (in light of the problems) can fall through the cracks, things like remembering to shower! By making it a point to set up a time in the morning before anyone else is awake – you'll feel refreshed, and cared for throughout the day.
Also, don't let thoughts like…. "showering, doing my hair can wait. I need another 20 minutes to read this book or article, listen to this video, clean the house, or chat/post a question in this forum/post/thread .."; stop you from taking care of yourself, it's a trap! The less you care for yourself the less you can care for others. It'll also effect the respect (as superficial as it may seem) you get from the professionals you're going to be interfacing with (people are visual creatures!). But the most important point is it will catch up with you emotionally.. and if you're anything like me you'll end up feeling just as disheveled, worn out, and tired as you look!
I hope you enjoyed this post. To get the last 7 Ways to Get Through Hard Times watch today's video below with other tips and strategies I don't mention here. My orchid and diffuser are keeping me company! Try to guess what blend Im using (Hint: its from Doterra!).
Remember to find the bliss in everyday, live an intentional life, and keep moving forward.


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Loyolas The Gondoliers Delights Audiences with A Venetian Carnival of Music and Comedy
Loyola press release - December 15, 2006
The comedy unfolds as the heroine, Casilda, learns about her childhood marriage to the heir to the throne of Barataria. Shortly after the marriage, the infant prince disappeared, purportedly abducted to
Tickets are $40 reserved seating, $25 general admission, $10 students. For tickets, visit http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/venueSearch.jsp?venue_id=3540&cobrand=loy no or contact the


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Hank 3, the polarizing son of Hank Williams Jr. and grandson of Hank Sr., has always had a rebellious way of bucking the system. Now that a major label recording contract, primarily focused on his country music, has come to an end, he is flooding his fans with three new albums.
"I was on a label for 15 years and only have five records to show," he says. "And now I'll finally get to do what I want to do."
If you're familiar with Hank 3 at all, then you'll know what he means by that. It's metal time.
Although his country music draws interest from a wide range of people (he likes to say from ages "14-80"), his first love is heavy metal. As such, all of his concerts are a three-hour affair. One set is for fans that love his swaggering, punk-influenced honky-tonk, and another is for the "true hellbillies" that await mosh pits, growling vocals and chugging electric guitars.
His three-album release gives loyal fans what they've come to expect, but goes even farther. Ghost to a Ghost/Guttertown is a double album of country tunes and invigorating Cajun music. Cattle Callin' may be the first-ever pairing of auctioneers with heavy metal experimentation. And Attention Deficit Domination slows Hank's speed metal down to a crawling sludge.
The fiercely-independent singer-songwriter recently stopped by CMT's offices to explain a little more about himself — how he got interested in heavy metal, why he feels for the misfits and what it's like being the black sheep of the Williams family.
People will definitely recognize your name, but there's much more to your music than your legacy. Can you explain what you're passionate about?
I'm mainly just passionate about playing. A lot of people will say, "He's just riding the coattails of the Hank Williams name." But I think if you look at my history, I've taken the long way and the musician way, as opposed to the one-hit wonder way. I'm still just as passionate about music as I was the very first time I heard it. When I'm feeling awful, music is the only thing that releases the pressure. It's been the best psychiatrist I've ever had.
How did you get that way? It would've been easy for a guy like you to have cashed in.
I just found the farthest thing from country when I was a kid, and I fell in love with it. I think it was just a natural thing. That was my way of rebelling. I'm the reason Suicidal Tendencies and Fishbone and all these bands were in Hank Jr.'s video. He was making fun of me back in the day with "Our hair is not orange, we don't wear chains or spikes" [a lyric from "Young Country"], and I was just being me.
So I've always had that streak. Some would say it's a dark streak, I guess. I wasn't thinking about it back then, but my granddad sang about the light, so I thought I was supposed to do some things different and sing about the dark.
There are some really big names on The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams project, but some people are surprised that you weren't involved.
I never get asked about any of that stuff. In reality, I never even got to have a Hank Williams instrument. I got a tie, a fishing lure and a check. And thanks to Marty Stuart, I got to put on his clothes a couple of times, but people don't involve me in things like that. I don't know why that is. Maybe it's just that they think, "Well, he needs to stand on his own two feet," or maybe they just don't want "bad blood" on their record or whatever. It's hard to say what they're thinking, whoever's really in charge of it.
Have you always had to deal with people wanting you to be something different?
Absolutely. That's why it's been so hard for managers to work with me. I guess I'm not the best businessman, because the way I approach it is halfway trying to give it away. It was all about longevity to me, as far as the music goes. I lived a lot of my life completely trying to kill myself in a million different ways, and now it's all about trying to preserve every ounce of energy for that stage or that performance.
You've said that a lot of your music right now is geared toward misfit kids. Why do you feel so connected with them?
Well, I've always felt connected to the outsider. When I was raised around [Nashville], I used to hang around the weird people — if it was the nerd or it was the punks or it was the metal-heads. I've been walking down that street and I've had the good ol' boys scowl at me, and I guess I just identified with it. Plus, there are a lot of kids that don't really have anything but are able to drift and follow us around the tour, and I've stood up for them. [Bouncers] are not going to let someone in because of the way they look or because of the way they smell? In a bar? I mean, come on. And I'll be like, "Yeah, he's on our guest list."
On the album, Guttertown, where does the Cajun influence come from?
Hank Williams was fascinated with the sound and the style and the food, and Hank Jr. was born in Louisiana. When I was young, I used to have a couple of friends that would take us down to Mardi Gras or take us way back in the swamps. And I'd get this kind of eerie fascination because you're so far out in the country, and if you get dropped off, who knows what's gonna happen? Over the years, Cajun music has always calmed me down, or if I'm feeling real sick or feeling real unsettled, I can put that music on and try to get focused again.
Where did you get the idea for Cattle Callin'? Hearing auctioneers over heavy metal, it's almost like they were the original rappers, and nobody knew it.
When I was younger, I used to go to the auction barns with my [maternal] grandfather, and I was always fascinated with the speed that they would sell. I've also always been into metal with the intensity of the kick drums and the heaviness of Slayer and Pantera and all that, and I was just like, "Man, that seems like a good fit." I just wanted to have a different kind of light on some heavy metal. And that's working with some of these auctioneers and building the songs around their chants. I wasn't able to use most of the guys that I really wanted, because they were a little intimidated about what I do or my "rebel" image. So it's not always, "Oh, you sound great. You kick ass." I hear just as much negative as I do positive.


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Here is a modification concept of Honda Supra X 125. I found this in a free wordpress blogg in http://tekekmeong.wordpress.com. This could be an alternative for your Honda Supra X 125 modification. It looks so sporty, like a MotoGP motorcycle right?
Don't forget to bore up it's engine to increase it's engine capacity. This macho style should be matched with equal engine power. So, not only it's style but also it's performance also.


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Beautiful! Wish I had this talent...
Operation: Black Mesa is a total Source remake of Half Life: Opposing Force. Using the Source engine, the developers plan to recreate the Black Mesa research Facility as it was seen by Corporal Adrian Shephard of the H.E.C.U. Half-life: Opposing Force is still an amazing game, although it is not nearly as amazing as it was when it was released.
Beautiful! Wish I had this talent...
So, the black ops will be using a Little Bird to transport troops rather than a recolored black osprey?
well little birds are more like a light transport / gunship. Id say they would likely also use more heavily armored and armed helos as well. Like the Black hawk or RAH-66 Comanche for examples.
FYI I only included the RAH-66 seeing as it a private companies venture and the back ops could in theory buy them privately as a military contractor provided that they have the cash for them.
Also try not to throw in too much standard military issue US equipment for them as the back ops after all are an independent group not affiliated with any one nation in particular. no flags, logos, or markings of any kind ... ive seen a few hl1 & 2 mods that have done that before :/
But aside from all that its a wonderful work of art regardless. Almost makes me want to mod the final version of this mod and make it cell shaded to mimic this concept art too xD
Actually, only two Comanches were ever built, and one of them got scrapt for spare parts.
While I like the new helicopter addition (although I would have preferred Black Hawks) the troops at Black Mesa are indeed the U.S. Military: Half-life.wikia.com
Additionally Black Mesa was a government funded corporation conducting experiments for the military. This can be seen in real life as well with corporations such as Raytheon getting government security and military base access for weapons testing. This image: Images3.wikia.nocookie.net
As well as this image: Images4.wikia.nocookie.net
Both depict the competition between Black Mesa and Aperture Science for government funding (Images taken form the Portal games which are in the same universe). I hope this clears up the confusion. I wish you a good day sir.
Wait. Ospery is cut? AGAIN?! NO!!!
Seems more fitting for Black Ops.
Ah yes the magnum opus, absolutely spiffing!
Oh good work, is fantastic and good graphics
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.
Some concepts we have released on Facebook lately.


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Contact Lens Practice Pearls
Fitting Toric Corneas With GPs
By Jason R. Miller, OD, MBA, FAAO
Uncorrected astigmatism results in a loss of "crispness" in visual acuity. This can cause frustration, headaches, and eye fatigue. Spherical equivalent contact lenses and soft lenses that provide "ok" vision are often prescribed due to the ease in prescribing them. This is where there are definite opportunities for patients and the practice in fitting GP lenses.
Many of these patients have been to other practitioners unsuccessfully. They may be difficult to satisfy and frustrated with the process. Many options are available that may turn such patients into the most loyal to your practice. But where do we start?
What GPs to Use When
Even though GPs require longer adaptation times compared to soft contact lenses, they are optically pure and allow a high amount of oxygen permeability and tear exchange that make them excellent options. Spherical GPs are often a great starting lens, but when the amount of astigmatism reaches a higher level, back toric or bitoric GPs can improve the stabilization of the contact lens on the eye.
In addition to these options, there are also reverse geometry GPs as well as mini-scleral and scleral GPs for irregular corneas and corneal disease. In the specialty market, it seems like the bigger the GP, the better the visual acuity can be for those who have a high amount of irregularity in their corneas.
Back to the Toric Cornea
One of the biggest challenges we face is fitting moderate-to-high astigmatic patients. Many more options are available in the soft contact lens market, but stability is often a challenge and may be a reason for poor visual clarity (Figure 1).
Figure 1. A highly astigmatic patient of mine developed this picture to demonstrate his visual instability with his soft toric contact lenses.
From the GP perspective, there may be a challenge when fitting a spherical GP lens on a toric cornea. Stability can be improved by increasing the diameter of the GP lens or by steepening its base curve radius. This will be successful only up to a certain level of corneal toricity. In addition, the issue of lens flexure may complicate the fitting of a spherical GP lens on a toric cornea.
Eventually, you may need to consider creating a toric back surface to stabilize a GP lens on a highly toric cornea. This will also minimize the effects of lens flexure. It is important to remember that at times the corneal toricity will not correspond with the refractive astigmatism; in those cases, a bitoric GP lens (toric surface on both the back and the front of the lens) will be the ideal choice.
Don't Forget About Hybrid Contact Lenses
Hybrid lenses can deliver the optics of a GP lens without the lens edge interacting with the palpebral conjunctiva, which leads to most of the initial comfort issues with GP lenses. Hybrid contact lenses are designed with a GP center and soft skirt surrounding the GP. Just as a spherical GP lens will correct corneal astigmatism, so will hybrid contact lenses. In addition, just as a spherical GP will be susceptible to lens flexure on an astigmatic cornea, so will a hybrid lens. Fortunately, newer designs exist that are less likely to flex because of increased lens thickness, and this design works best when there is minimal residual lenticular astigmatism.
Think Outside the Soft Lens
When your next patient is looking for optimal visual acuity and is motivated to wear contact lenses, consider discussing and fitting GPs with that patient. CLS
|Dr. Miller is in a partnership private practice in Powell, Ohio, and is an adjunct faculty member for The Ohio State University College of Optometry. He has received honoraria for writing, speaking, acting in an advisory capacity, or research from Alcon, Allergan, CooperVision, and Visioneering Technologies. You can reach him at firstname.lastname@example.com.