Jayme Hopewell has been a student at Bluegrass Community and Technical College since 2010, trying to get an arts and science associate degree at the same time she works and raises her son on her own.
In late February, she filled out her annual application for a grant from Kentucky's College Assistance Program, or CAP, which helps low-income Kentuckians pay for college. She was out of luck.
The state began accepting applications for the program Jan. 1. By Feb. 7, the fund's $60 million had been doled out. It's not yet clear how many students were turned down, but 80,724 were denied in 2011.
"It was hard for me because I depend on financial aid," Hopewell said. "I do think people who intend to go to school should be able to get some help."
She later won a scholarship that allowed her to return to school, but thousands of other Kentucky students aren't that fortunate.
The same thing happens every year, for several reasons:
■ The General Assembly routinely raids funds from the Kentucky Lottery that are supposed to be used for student financial aid. Kentuckians approved the lottery in 1989 on the understanding that 100 percent of its proceeds would go to education. Instead, legislators suspend the law that directs lottery money to education and use it for other programs — to the tune of $90 million since 2006.
In addition, funding for financial aid is based on estimates of lottery proceeds rather than actual lottery sales. Since 2006, the lottery has produced $78 million more than was estimated, but the extra money went into the state's General Fund budget instead of paying for financial aid.
■ The merit-based Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship, or KEES, earned by every high school student with a GPA of 2.5 or higher, receives funding priority over need-based grants.
■ With a sickly economy, experts say more and more Kentuckians are realizing they need college degrees. That means more students are competing for the same pot of financial aid, all while tuition rates continue to climb.
The students penalized most by the lack of need-based aid are often those at community colleges. Although institutions tell students to apply early for need-based aid, experts say community college students often lose out because they might not decide to go to school until the last minute based on factors such as employment and family.
"Community college students tend to apply later because things happen in their lives," said Runan Pendergrast, financial aid director for BCTC. "They might lose a job and suddenly need to be retrained in some area."
Without enough aid, many students are forced to get loans. In 2010-11, the average Kentucky student graduated with a student-loan debt of $19,000. In all, 58 percent of students had college debt, which is growing at a rate four times faster than the state's gross domestic product, according to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, or KHEAA.
Despite the staggering numbers, there's no one making a strong push to provide more need-based aid to Kentucky students, said Joe McCormick, who stepped down as director of KHEAA in 2006.
"During the time I worked at KHEAA, I wasn't able to identify a champion of need-based aid anywhere in the public or the legislature," McCormick said. "And I don't see that now. I don't see any initiatives being put forth to increase need-based aid, given the fact that state support is continuing to dwindle and colleges have no choice but to increase their tuition.
"The ones who really lose out are the poor kids of Kentucky."
Widening gap
KHEAA operates most of the state's college aid programs, including the merit-based KEES scholarship and the need-based CAP grant and Kentucky Tuition Grant, or KTG, which is given to students who attend private colleges.
In 2011, CAP spent $60 million on 37,836 students, and KTG distributed $32 million to 12,400 students.
The trend of having more applicants than money has increased as federal standards have changed, making more students eligible. According to KHEAA, 80,724 eligible students were turned down for CAP funds in 2011, up from 22,870 in 2006. An additional 9,700 were turned down for KTG funds in 2011.
Meanwhile, about 69,000 students received $95 million in KEES awards in 2011.
KEES money is earned throughout a student's high school career and is commensurate with a student's grades. The most a student may earn — with a GPA of 4.0 every year and an ACT score of 28 or higher — is about $2,500 a year.
The scholarship has become a popular entitlement program, and while awards haven't gone up much since 1989, lawmakers have been reluctant to trim any funding.
"The merit-based scholarship is fully funded and the need-based is not," said Rep. Arnold Simpson, D-Covington, who chairs the budget subcommittee on postsecondary education. "It would be very difficult to cut the (KEES) fund because of the commitment made — it's almost like a contract. But it's very important for Kentuckians to understand the funding priorities for our scholarship programs."
'Middle-class entitlement'
According to state law, need-based aid is supposed to get 55 percent of lottery revenue. But in 2011, only 46 percent of lottery revenue used by the General Assembly for education went to need-based aid programs.
"They've taken it from need-based because it would be such a pain to cut back everybody's (KEES) award," said Rep. Carl Rollins, a Midway Democrat who is chairman of the House Education Committee and works for a partner of KHEAA, the Kentucky Student Loan Corp.
Rollins said KEES is "a middle-class entitlement, and we don't want to face the music if the funds are not there. I try to tell legislators every chance I get that need-based scholarships are not fully funded."
Ted Franzeim, senior vice president at KHEAA, said KEES gets a bad rap in the financial aid debate. It has been an "aspirational" program for students who might never have thought about going to college, he said.
"Kentucky has made very real gains in recent years of increasing its college participation rates, and I believe KEES has been a significant reason for that," he said.
About 44 percent of KEES recipients qualify for federal Pell grants for low-income students.
Still, there is a well-researched correlation between family income and academic achievement.
The Legislative Research Commission recently reported that almost 100 percent of the highest income students received KEES awards in 2009, versus 55 percent of those from families making less than $20,000 a year.
The problem is exacerbated by the fact that Kentucky's universities are in an arms race to get the most academically prestigious students to boost their national rankings. That means they direct most of their own financial aid to attract the smartest students, rather than worrying about students who need the most financial help. For example, at the University of Kentucky, only 8 percent of institutional aid goes to students solely based on financial need.
"Of course, that doesn't take into account that many of the students awarded merit-based scholarships have financial need as well," said UK spokesman Jay Blanton.
'Shame on us'
It probably would take about $119 million a year in additional money to fully fund the state's need-based financial aid programs, KHEAA officials have estimated, but that's not expected to happen any time soon.
In 2009, the Governor's Work Group on Higher Education, a group convened by Gov. Steve Beshear to improve higher education, recommended that lawmakers stop the practice of diverting lottery revenue to help balance the state's General Fund budget.
Lawmakers didn't listen. In 2010 and 2011, they moved $20.7 million of lottery proceeds into the General Fund.
"They've done it for as long as the statutes have been on the books," said former state Sen. Tim Shaughnessy, D-Louisville, who retired this summer. "That money should be going into financial aid. Shame on us."
Franzeim said there's no doubt that policy-makers soon will be facing a crisis on how to educate more students without leaving them with too much debt.
"The good news is that we have many more Kentuckians who want to pursue higher education than in the past, and the bad news is the state's financial challenges," he said. "Given our state's demographics in terms of per-capita income and poverty rates, the challenge for policy-makers is to decide how we ensure our most vulnerable citizens have access to higher education."
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader
Monday, July 16, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Roasted Zucchini and Yellow (Summer) Squash
Ingredients
3 medium Zucchini
3 medium Summer or Yellow Squash
3 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Chop Zucchini and Yellow Squash into large chunks and put into large bowl. Drizzle olive oil over Zucchini and Squash. Mix with a large spoon until evenly coated. Sprinkle garlic powder, salt, and pepper over mixture. Mix with a large spoon until evenly coated. Pour Zucchini and Squash onto roasting pan and spread it out until it evenly covers the pan. Bake 35-45 minutes.
Number of Servings: 6 - 2 cup servings
Verse of the day
I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.
Psalm 120:1 NLT
Psalm 120:1 NLT
"Keep on keepin' on"
The current time is 3:18 a.m. Another miserable day is gone and I am half-way through another long, dark, and lonely night full of pain, misery and emptiness. I have been so sick for so long that every day and night seem the same.
It has become so hard to pick myself up out of this dreary funk that I have allowed myself to sink into. But when I look at my wife and think of all the sacrifices that she has made and continues to make, I know I that I must fight on. When I look into my three and five-year-old's eyes and see all the hope, joy and excitement in their eyes, I know that I must fight on. That I must "keep on keeping on" because the four of us have so much still to experience together.
Angenette, Lauryn, and Ben: I love you with all my heart and I pray that I can continue to summon the energy to fight on. You are the reasons I have done so this long.
XOXO
It has become so hard to pick myself up out of this dreary funk that I have allowed myself to sink into. But when I look at my wife and think of all the sacrifices that she has made and continues to make, I know I that I must fight on. When I look into my three and five-year-old's eyes and see all the hope, joy and excitement in their eyes, I know that I must fight on. That I must "keep on keeping on" because the four of us have so much still to experience together.
Angenette, Lauryn, and Ben: I love you with all my heart and I pray that I can continue to summon the energy to fight on. You are the reasons I have done so this long.
XOXO
Brown Babies Need Sunscreen Too!
Because of my daughter’s small size, my sister nicknamed her Bean. When she pulls the laundry—that took an hour to fold—out of the basket, I call her a Bad Bean. When she hits her cousin’s in the face, I tell her not to be a Mean Bean. And when she eats all of her vegetables, she’s a Green Bean. One name I never want to use is Baked Bean. Now that the temperature is rising, I must ensure she’s protected from the sun’s harmful rays.
When I lived in the Cayman Islands, sunscreen became a part of my morning ritual. People slathered on SPF as soon as their babies came out of the womb. Maybe Bob Marley had something to do with that. The musical icon died at the age of 36 from a melanoma that started under his toenail. I took his memory with me and returned to the United States, where I saw many African Americans skipping sunscreen. I caught up with the leading pediatric dermatologist Patricia Treadwell to find out why brown babies need sunscreen too.
Heather: Although ethnic groups are less likely to get skin cancer, they’re more likely to die from it. Many African Americans don’t diagnose the disease until the advanced stages. Why is that so?
Dr. Treadwell: African Americans tend to think that they don’t get skin cancer, so they don’t do the same surveillance of moles as their White counterparts. You must be aware of what melanoma looks like and learn the ABCDE warning signs.
Heather: According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, melanin in African American skin provides a sun protection factor (SPF) of about 13.4, compared to 3.4 in Caucasian skin. Is that enough?
Dr. Treadwell: The SPF should be at least 15. I recommend choosing a “physical” or “chemical-free” sunscreen made with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. These ingredients sit on top of the skin, forming a barrier and protecting as soon as you put them on.
Heather: Some sunscreens cause breakouts. Are there other options?
Dr. Treadwell: Some lotions clog pores and create more oil on an already oily prone skin. In this case, you should select a facial sunscreen, which is much lighter. Also, if you have light or dark spots on your face, sunscreen helps even out your skin tone.
Heather: What sunscreen regimens are other minority moms using?
Monique Johnson of Brooklyn, New York: I follow the EWGs annual rating system. Problem is—most of the best sunscreens make brown folks look purple or white. I’ve tried tons and fell in love with All Terrain Aquasport. Skin color stays the same, and it even offers a nice level of moisture. So far, my daughter’s sunburn-free.
Vee Elliot of Atlanta, Georgia: I use sunscreen on my precious cargo wherever we go, even if it’s the backyard. We must teach our little ones to protect their skin like we remind them to brush their teeth.
Maisia Jackson of Middletown, Delaware: I always check the labels for parabens. I wouldn’t want to apply a cancer-causing agent to my children’s skin when I am trying to prevent them from getting it!
By 2050, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that half of our country’s population will be made up of Hispanics, Asians and African Americans. Now, more than ever, it is crucial to raise awareness about skin cancer in people of color.
Source: BlackAndMarriedWithKids.com
When I lived in the Cayman Islands, sunscreen became a part of my morning ritual. People slathered on SPF as soon as their babies came out of the womb. Maybe Bob Marley had something to do with that. The musical icon died at the age of 36 from a melanoma that started under his toenail. I took his memory with me and returned to the United States, where I saw many African Americans skipping sunscreen. I caught up with the leading pediatric dermatologist Patricia Treadwell to find out why brown babies need sunscreen too.
Heather: Although ethnic groups are less likely to get skin cancer, they’re more likely to die from it. Many African Americans don’t diagnose the disease until the advanced stages. Why is that so?
Dr. Treadwell: African Americans tend to think that they don’t get skin cancer, so they don’t do the same surveillance of moles as their White counterparts. You must be aware of what melanoma looks like and learn the ABCDE warning signs.
Heather: According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, melanin in African American skin provides a sun protection factor (SPF) of about 13.4, compared to 3.4 in Caucasian skin. Is that enough?
Dr. Treadwell: The SPF should be at least 15. I recommend choosing a “physical” or “chemical-free” sunscreen made with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. These ingredients sit on top of the skin, forming a barrier and protecting as soon as you put them on.
Heather: Some sunscreens cause breakouts. Are there other options?
Dr. Treadwell: Some lotions clog pores and create more oil on an already oily prone skin. In this case, you should select a facial sunscreen, which is much lighter. Also, if you have light or dark spots on your face, sunscreen helps even out your skin tone.
Heather: What sunscreen regimens are other minority moms using?
Monique Johnson of Brooklyn, New York: I follow the EWGs annual rating system. Problem is—most of the best sunscreens make brown folks look purple or white. I’ve tried tons and fell in love with All Terrain Aquasport. Skin color stays the same, and it even offers a nice level of moisture. So far, my daughter’s sunburn-free.
Vee Elliot of Atlanta, Georgia: I use sunscreen on my precious cargo wherever we go, even if it’s the backyard. We must teach our little ones to protect their skin like we remind them to brush their teeth.
Maisia Jackson of Middletown, Delaware: I always check the labels for parabens. I wouldn’t want to apply a cancer-causing agent to my children’s skin when I am trying to prevent them from getting it!
By 2050, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that half of our country’s population will be made up of Hispanics, Asians and African Americans. Now, more than ever, it is crucial to raise awareness about skin cancer in people of color.
Source: BlackAndMarriedWithKids.com
Sometimes the Best Thing You Can Do Is Shut Up
What’s the first thing most of us wives want to do when our husbands come home from a long day at work? We want to tell him about our stressful day at work, we want him to discipline the kids for some embarrassing antic they pulled in Wal-Mart that afternoon, we ask him to take the trash out or even “nag” him about something he didn’t do- like he promised.
That’s right many of us wives are guilty of always having something to say whenever our husband “steps foot” across the threshold. It doesn’t matter if our mates are tired, frustrated or irritated from their jobs–we make it a point to get whatever glacier is on our chest off.
For the past 5 years of marriage (and 7 years of dating) I did this on a daily basis. It didn’t matter the day, time or hour I was notorious for unloading on my husband as soon as he came in from work. Usually it would be something minor but sometimes it was about major issues that came up in our family. I felt like it was his job to fix whatever problem was going on.
I did this until a year ago I learned an important lesson about communication. I learned to shut up sometimes and that silence is sometimes truly golden in a relationship.
Let me give you the story about what changed my thinking. About a year ago I had a particularly bad day at work. My boss was on me about a project I needed to finish, the kids were awful on the way home and I had just gotten a call from my eldest son’s school.
I was so stressed out that I remember pulling over just to collect my thoughts. The only solace that I had was that this was my husband’s “off day” and that as soon as I got home I’d get some peace. I was wrong. As soon as I walked in the door, I was immediately bombarded with a million problems, questions and issues–all from my husband. I had forgotten to take out some meat to cook for dinner. The washing machine was not working properly. Our neighbor had came over to let us know some strange men had been parked outside our house a couple of days ago. My mom called complaining that she hadn’t heard from me in a couple of days. All of these problems needed my attention–immediately. No one took in consideration that I had had a crappy day–no everyone needed me.
Now keep in mind I had barely gotten into the house, the kids were still in the kitchen taking off their school shoes, I still had my coat on and my phone was ringing. I had literally walked into a firestorm. From that point on I had a horrible evening. Not only was I trying to “put out” all the various fires, but my family was putting on the pressure for me to pay attention to them. Needless to say, I was stressed.
When I went to bed that night I realized something–I had just got a taste of my own medicine. Unknowingly to me, I had did this to my husband for years. Despite him working long days at a high demand job in a stressful environment, I would pile all of our problems on him as soon as he walked in the door. Who wants to come home to a mountain of problems after working in a stressful environment? No one does, especially our husbands.
The next day I decided to do something different. I decided to keep my mouth shut when my husband came home. I promised that specifically for an hour (after work) I’d leave him alone to gather his thoughts before I’d ask him to do anything or bombard him with problems.
The test came when he got home at 6pm and the day was just as hectic as before. As he opened the door, I braced myself to simply give him a hug and KEEP my mouth shut. It was hard but I kept remembering how it felt the previous day and I managed to be quiet. As he rested, I made sure to get his plate ready, I put the kids in their playroom and had shelved my hundred of issues for later that evening.
At first I think he thought I was having a mental breakdown because after an hour he came in and asked if I needed anything. Then, I let him know what had went on that day. He couldn’t solve/handle everything but he seemed much more willing to try instead of escaping to the couch for some peace.
Needless to say we all were less stressed that night and instead of getting into an argument about something petty we went to bed relaxed–and happy. From that point on, we both agreed that one of the biggest communication rules we can have in our relationship is to SHUT OUR MOUTH once in a while and give one another peace.
Source: BlackAndMarriedWithKids.com
That’s right many of us wives are guilty of always having something to say whenever our husband “steps foot” across the threshold. It doesn’t matter if our mates are tired, frustrated or irritated from their jobs–we make it a point to get whatever glacier is on our chest off.
For the past 5 years of marriage (and 7 years of dating) I did this on a daily basis. It didn’t matter the day, time or hour I was notorious for unloading on my husband as soon as he came in from work. Usually it would be something minor but sometimes it was about major issues that came up in our family. I felt like it was his job to fix whatever problem was going on.
I did this until a year ago I learned an important lesson about communication. I learned to shut up sometimes and that silence is sometimes truly golden in a relationship.
Let me give you the story about what changed my thinking. About a year ago I had a particularly bad day at work. My boss was on me about a project I needed to finish, the kids were awful on the way home and I had just gotten a call from my eldest son’s school.
I was so stressed out that I remember pulling over just to collect my thoughts. The only solace that I had was that this was my husband’s “off day” and that as soon as I got home I’d get some peace. I was wrong. As soon as I walked in the door, I was immediately bombarded with a million problems, questions and issues–all from my husband. I had forgotten to take out some meat to cook for dinner. The washing machine was not working properly. Our neighbor had came over to let us know some strange men had been parked outside our house a couple of days ago. My mom called complaining that she hadn’t heard from me in a couple of days. All of these problems needed my attention–immediately. No one took in consideration that I had had a crappy day–no everyone needed me.
Now keep in mind I had barely gotten into the house, the kids were still in the kitchen taking off their school shoes, I still had my coat on and my phone was ringing. I had literally walked into a firestorm. From that point on I had a horrible evening. Not only was I trying to “put out” all the various fires, but my family was putting on the pressure for me to pay attention to them. Needless to say, I was stressed.
When I went to bed that night I realized something–I had just got a taste of my own medicine. Unknowingly to me, I had did this to my husband for years. Despite him working long days at a high demand job in a stressful environment, I would pile all of our problems on him as soon as he walked in the door. Who wants to come home to a mountain of problems after working in a stressful environment? No one does, especially our husbands.
The next day I decided to do something different. I decided to keep my mouth shut when my husband came home. I promised that specifically for an hour (after work) I’d leave him alone to gather his thoughts before I’d ask him to do anything or bombard him with problems.
The test came when he got home at 6pm and the day was just as hectic as before. As he opened the door, I braced myself to simply give him a hug and KEEP my mouth shut. It was hard but I kept remembering how it felt the previous day and I managed to be quiet. As he rested, I made sure to get his plate ready, I put the kids in their playroom and had shelved my hundred of issues for later that evening.
At first I think he thought I was having a mental breakdown because after an hour he came in and asked if I needed anything. Then, I let him know what had went on that day. He couldn’t solve/handle everything but he seemed much more willing to try instead of escaping to the couch for some peace.
Needless to say we all were less stressed that night and instead of getting into an argument about something petty we went to bed relaxed–and happy. From that point on, we both agreed that one of the biggest communication rules we can have in our relationship is to SHUT OUR MOUTH once in a while and give one another peace.
Source: BlackAndMarriedWithKids.com
Aretha Franklin wants to be on 'Idol'
"American Idol" lost two stars this week when judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez announced they would not be returning next season, but the hit Fox show could gain itself The Queen.
Aretha Franklin, an 18-time Grammy Award winner who Rolling Stone proclaimed the greatest female singer of all time, told CNN in an e-mail Saturday that she is interested in joining the show as a judge.
Franklin, 70, who wowed the Essence Music Festival crowd last week in New Orleans and is now performing in Las Vegas, says she has long been a fan of the show. Now instead of watching it with the rest of America, she's ready to play a vital role in choosing the next "American Idol."
And as the Queen of Soul would do, she's already thinking about bringing along a sidekick: songstress Patti LaBelle.
Fox declined to comment on Franklin on Saturday night.
The addition of Franklin could help Fox stop the ratings slide of "Idol," which saw it lose its spot as the top show of the year to NBC's "Sunday Night Football."
The addition of similar singing contests to primetime television has increased the competition for viewers.
Fox's "The X Factor" recently added pop star Britney Spears after booting former "Idol" judge Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls. NBC's "The Voice" -- "Idol's" closest competitor -- has gained ground with judges Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, and Blake Shelton.
Source: CNN
Aretha Franklin, an 18-time Grammy Award winner who Rolling Stone proclaimed the greatest female singer of all time, told CNN in an e-mail Saturday that she is interested in joining the show as a judge.
Franklin, 70, who wowed the Essence Music Festival crowd last week in New Orleans and is now performing in Las Vegas, says she has long been a fan of the show. Now instead of watching it with the rest of America, she's ready to play a vital role in choosing the next "American Idol."
And as the Queen of Soul would do, she's already thinking about bringing along a sidekick: songstress Patti LaBelle.
Fox declined to comment on Franklin on Saturday night.
The addition of Franklin could help Fox stop the ratings slide of "Idol," which saw it lose its spot as the top show of the year to NBC's "Sunday Night Football."
The addition of similar singing contests to primetime television has increased the competition for viewers.
Fox's "The X Factor" recently added pop star Britney Spears after booting former "Idol" judge Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls. NBC's "The Voice" -- "Idol's" closest competitor -- has gained ground with judges Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, and Blake Shelton.
Source: CNN
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Ingredients:
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple
2 cups boiling water
2 10-ounce packages frozen strawberries
2 3-ounce packages strawberry gelatin dessert mix
1 8-ounce container Cool Whip
3/4 cup sugar
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
3 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup melted butter
2 cups crushed pretzels
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
For the crust, mix the pretzels, butter, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Press this mixture into a 9x13-inch pan and bake for 7 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.
In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar. Fold in the Cool Whip, and spread over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until well chilled.
In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, and allow to cool slightly. Add the strawberries and pineapple, and pour over the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate until serving time.
To serve, cut slices and serve with a dollop of Cool Whip.
Source: Paula Deen
Verse of the day
"I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!"
Isaiah 65:24 NLT
Isaiah 65:24 NLT
Friday, July 13, 2012
Family honors loved one's last request with $500 tip to restaurant server
Even after death, Aaron Collins gives on.
The technician at Computers Plus Repair died of undetermined causes July 7. He was 30.
His family wanted to honor his last request, which was to go to a restaurant for pizza and give the server a $500 tip. They raised money to go to Puccini's in Lexington on July 10 where they surprised server Sarah Ward with $500.
Brother Seth Collins and his family made a video to show donors how their money was spent. It went viral.
Aaron's brother Seth started a Web site, aaroncollins.org, to take money to "pay forward" big tips to other deserving servers. At last count, $18,000 had been donated.
"I had absolutely no idea this would happen," Seth Collins said. "At some point, the Internet just grabbed hold."
Seth Collins said his brother had worked making pizzas and had also been a handyman.
Michael Johnson, owner of Computers Plus Repair, who is married to Seth and Aaron's sister Rachel, said that Aaron Collins was such a diligent worker "he would stay after hours to mop the floor."
Aaron Collins also loved his dog Lexi, a part huskie, devoting a whole photo album to the canine on his Facebook page.
"He had a respect for the working person," Johnson said. "He always wanted to help people."
The family plans to give more large tips at other Lexington restaurants, but they realize that at some point they may become too easy to recognize, and other friends may have to accept the assignment of giving.
The family pays for the restaurant food; the Web site raises money for the tips, Johnson said.
But with the donations rolling in, there will be plenty of opportunities for more surprises.
Servers are "a group of people who he felt were underappreciated," Seth Collins said.
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader
Jennifer Lopez departs ‘Idol’: ‘The time has come’
After weeks of speculation — and some heavy hinting on “Today” Thursday — Jennifer Lopez confirmed on Friday that she’s leaving “American Idol.”
The 42-year-old actress/singer and mom to 4-year-old twins Max and Emme told “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest on his radio show that she had to take something off her plate, and it looks like that thing is “American Idol.”
“I honestly feel like the time has come, that I have to get back to doing the other things that I do that I’ve put kind of on hold because I love ‘Idol’ so much,” she explained. “I could just keep doing ‘Idol’ for the rest of my life, but that would be giving up a bunch of other things. I feel like we had an amazing run.”
Lopez, who has served as an “Idol” judge for two seasons, reiterated how difficult a choice this was for her. “It’s been a long thought process … I really have been torn,” she told Seacrest, adding later, “It’s really going to be hard for me to go.”
“I have my movies and music and my this and that … and it just gets more complicated, as the kids get a little bigger. It started feeling like it was a lot, and something had to give. And that’s, I think, where I am right now.”
Just yesterday, Lopez’s fellow “Idol” judge Steven Tyler announced that he was leaving the show to focus on his music.
“After some long…hard…thoughts…I’ve decided it’s time for me to let go of my mistress ‘American Idol’ before she boils my rabbit,” Tyler said in a statement from Fox. “I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I’m back – but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I’ve got two fists in the air and I’m kicking the door open with my band.”
The one judge left standing — Randy Jackson — is rumored to be on his way out as well, while Mariah Carey and Adam Lambert are among those rumored to be in the running to step in as new judges on the Fox show.
Source: CNN, The Marquee Blog
The 42-year-old actress/singer and mom to 4-year-old twins Max and Emme told “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest on his radio show that she had to take something off her plate, and it looks like that thing is “American Idol.”
“I honestly feel like the time has come, that I have to get back to doing the other things that I do that I’ve put kind of on hold because I love ‘Idol’ so much,” she explained. “I could just keep doing ‘Idol’ for the rest of my life, but that would be giving up a bunch of other things. I feel like we had an amazing run.”
Lopez, who has served as an “Idol” judge for two seasons, reiterated how difficult a choice this was for her. “It’s been a long thought process … I really have been torn,” she told Seacrest, adding later, “It’s really going to be hard for me to go.”
“I have my movies and music and my this and that … and it just gets more complicated, as the kids get a little bigger. It started feeling like it was a lot, and something had to give. And that’s, I think, where I am right now.”
Just yesterday, Lopez’s fellow “Idol” judge Steven Tyler announced that he was leaving the show to focus on his music.
“After some long…hard…thoughts…I’ve decided it’s time for me to let go of my mistress ‘American Idol’ before she boils my rabbit,” Tyler said in a statement from Fox. “I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I’m back – but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I’ve got two fists in the air and I’m kicking the door open with my band.”
The one judge left standing — Randy Jackson — is rumored to be on his way out as well, while Mariah Carey and Adam Lambert are among those rumored to be in the running to step in as new judges on the Fox show.
Source: CNN, The Marquee Blog
Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise
Ingredients
Mayonnaise:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
Burgers:
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 sandwich rolls or burger buns
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup arugula, divided
Directions
For the mayonnaise:
In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, garlic, and rosemary; set aside.
For the burgers:
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill or place a grill pan over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 of the mayonnaise mixture. Using clean hands, gently combine the ingredients and form the chicken mixture into 4 patties. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 7 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels and let rest for a few minutes.
Brush the cut side of each roll with the olive oil and 1 teaspoon of the mayonnaise mixture. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly golden.
To assemble the burgers:
Spread a dollop of the remaining mayonnaise mixture on the tops and bottoms of the toasted buns. Place the chicken burgers on the bottom halves of the buns. Top each with 1/4 cup of arugula and finish with the top half of the bun.
Source: Giada De Laurentiis
'Andy Griffith Show' embodied grace, love
I never met Andy Griffith, but for 50 years, through every stage of my life, he has been a frequent guest in my succession of living rooms.
He wasn't just another celebrity.
When he died July 3, I felt as if I'd lost kin. A lifelong friend. A mentor.
He didn't know it, but he taught me how to be a patient dad and how to tell a good yarn and how to be gracious to neighbors who got on my nerves.
He helped me see the small towns I lived in through kinder eyes.
He kept me smiling through some of my worst setbacks.
Evidently, many others felt the same way. I've been reading online commentaries, tributes and obituaries about him from every corner of the nation. Few entertainers have been so beloved.
He brilliantly played a wide range of characters in an unusually long career, from a rube drafted into the Air Force to an egomaniacal rabble-rouser to a murderous county boss to an eccentric lawyer. He was successful as a stand-up comedian, a Broadway actor and a gospel singer.
But we who admired him most knew him best as Andy Taylor, sheriff of Mayberry, N.C., in The Andy Griffith Show.
I've watched I Love Lucy and The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show and All in the Family and Taxi and Cheers and Seinfeld and Friends and Curb Your Enthusiasm and 30 Rock and The Simpsons.
For my money, The Andy Griffith Show is the greatest sitcom of them all.
A day or two after Griffith passed away, I was making a deposit at a drive-through branch bank when the teller, a woman about my age, and I struck up a conversation about his death.
For several minutes we wistfully recited patches of dialogue from our favorite episodes, as frustrated, impatient drivers lined up behind me.
One of mine: the episode in which Barney (Don Knotts) buys a lemon of a used car. Before learning he's been sold a piece of junk, he takes his friends for a celebratory drive. It turns out Gomer (Jim Nabors) tends to get carsick and has to sit next to a window.
During the drive, Andy asks Gomer how he's feeling.
"Sick as a dog but having the time of my life!" Gomer reports.
Across the years, I've used that line a thousand times in a hundred contexts.
I've been such a devotee of the show — I probably know every line of every episode from the first five seasons, when Knotts was still in the cast — that I've long pondered why the series had this mighty effect on me.
It was wonderfully acted and written, of course. But you could say that about all the sitcoms I mentioned above.
For me, Griffith's show had qualities those other comedies didn't.
It embodied grace, for one thing. Griffith reportedly said Andy Taylor was a lot like him, except way nicer.
I think I read somewhere — I've read so much I can't locate all my references — that Griffith said he based Andy Taylor on himself when he was at his best, or on the man he would have liked to be. Words to that effect.
Whatever his exact statement, you could say the same about why so many of us, especially small-town folks, continue to love the show a half-century after we first watched it: It represents us at our best, or at least it reminds us of who we wish we were. It makes us try to be a bit nicer, purer, more generous.
It's uplifting, in the truest and least smarmy sense of that word.
In Mayberry, people are flawed but rarely mean- spirited. If they are mean, within a 30-minute episode they see their errors and make amends. In the end, everybody does right. Mayberry's residents never damage one another permanently.
Of course, a skeptic could argue, and some have, that this is fantasy.
Real people in real towns aren't like that.
Town drunks aren't usually benign, funny oafs like Otis (Hal Smith). Flinty merchants and big-city playboys don't neatly reform themselves in a half-hour.
A sheriff who, like Andy Taylor, hires his incompetent cousin as his deputy and keeps him on the force despite his constant blunders, who arbitrarily releases prisoners whenever he pleases, ought to be voted out of office, if not indicted.
So yes, to an extent the show is fantasy. But it's not just fantasy.
There's plenty enough reality there to make it legitimate — and lasting.
We continue to respond to Mayberry and its citizens partly because they remind us of who we want to be, and who, occasionally, we are: gentle people whose hearts are in the right place, who forgive and make peace.
There's another, related key to The Andy Griffith Show's power.
According to several articles, Griffith once was asked to share the secret to his show's never-ebbing popularity.
"It was all about love," he said.
And so it was. And so it is today.
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader
He wasn't just another celebrity.
When he died July 3, I felt as if I'd lost kin. A lifelong friend. A mentor.
He didn't know it, but he taught me how to be a patient dad and how to tell a good yarn and how to be gracious to neighbors who got on my nerves.
He helped me see the small towns I lived in through kinder eyes.
He kept me smiling through some of my worst setbacks.
Evidently, many others felt the same way. I've been reading online commentaries, tributes and obituaries about him from every corner of the nation. Few entertainers have been so beloved.
He brilliantly played a wide range of characters in an unusually long career, from a rube drafted into the Air Force to an egomaniacal rabble-rouser to a murderous county boss to an eccentric lawyer. He was successful as a stand-up comedian, a Broadway actor and a gospel singer.
But we who admired him most knew him best as Andy Taylor, sheriff of Mayberry, N.C., in The Andy Griffith Show.
I've watched I Love Lucy and The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show and All in the Family and Taxi and Cheers and Seinfeld and Friends and Curb Your Enthusiasm and 30 Rock and The Simpsons.
For my money, The Andy Griffith Show is the greatest sitcom of them all.
A day or two after Griffith passed away, I was making a deposit at a drive-through branch bank when the teller, a woman about my age, and I struck up a conversation about his death.
For several minutes we wistfully recited patches of dialogue from our favorite episodes, as frustrated, impatient drivers lined up behind me.
One of mine: the episode in which Barney (Don Knotts) buys a lemon of a used car. Before learning he's been sold a piece of junk, he takes his friends for a celebratory drive. It turns out Gomer (Jim Nabors) tends to get carsick and has to sit next to a window.
During the drive, Andy asks Gomer how he's feeling.
"Sick as a dog but having the time of my life!" Gomer reports.
Across the years, I've used that line a thousand times in a hundred contexts.
I've been such a devotee of the show — I probably know every line of every episode from the first five seasons, when Knotts was still in the cast — that I've long pondered why the series had this mighty effect on me.
It was wonderfully acted and written, of course. But you could say that about all the sitcoms I mentioned above.
For me, Griffith's show had qualities those other comedies didn't.
It embodied grace, for one thing. Griffith reportedly said Andy Taylor was a lot like him, except way nicer.
I think I read somewhere — I've read so much I can't locate all my references — that Griffith said he based Andy Taylor on himself when he was at his best, or on the man he would have liked to be. Words to that effect.
Whatever his exact statement, you could say the same about why so many of us, especially small-town folks, continue to love the show a half-century after we first watched it: It represents us at our best, or at least it reminds us of who we wish we were. It makes us try to be a bit nicer, purer, more generous.
It's uplifting, in the truest and least smarmy sense of that word.
In Mayberry, people are flawed but rarely mean- spirited. If they are mean, within a 30-minute episode they see their errors and make amends. In the end, everybody does right. Mayberry's residents never damage one another permanently.
Of course, a skeptic could argue, and some have, that this is fantasy.
Real people in real towns aren't like that.
Town drunks aren't usually benign, funny oafs like Otis (Hal Smith). Flinty merchants and big-city playboys don't neatly reform themselves in a half-hour.
A sheriff who, like Andy Taylor, hires his incompetent cousin as his deputy and keeps him on the force despite his constant blunders, who arbitrarily releases prisoners whenever he pleases, ought to be voted out of office, if not indicted.
So yes, to an extent the show is fantasy. But it's not just fantasy.
There's plenty enough reality there to make it legitimate — and lasting.
We continue to respond to Mayberry and its citizens partly because they remind us of who we want to be, and who, occasionally, we are: gentle people whose hearts are in the right place, who forgive and make peace.
There's another, related key to The Andy Griffith Show's power.
According to several articles, Griffith once was asked to share the secret to his show's never-ebbing popularity.
"It was all about love," he said.
And so it was. And so it is today.
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader
Bullied bus monitor: one cog in a broken machine
s her story begins to fade from the news cycle, bullied bus monitor Karen Klein will ride off into the sunset a whole lot richer, while the “bad guys” – her seventh-grade tormentors – exit the stage a lot less cocky than they entered, suspended from school for a year and their actions thoroughly condemned.
Don’t cue the happy ending music just yet.
Although the story and the donations it inspired may have turned out well for Ms. Klein, anyone who’s watched the cringe-inducing video of her harassment can see that bullying continues to pervade school environments.
On comment boards, some cynically groused, “I was bullied like that every day all through high school. Where’s my half million?” One blogger posted the news of Klein’s incident under the sarcastic title, “Someone Is Bullied On A School Bus For The First Time Ever.” In short, the feel-good campaign to send Klein on “the vacation of a lifetime” did nothing to solve the problem. But a good hard look at everything this video shows us could.
Though it lacks horrific violence and disturbing racial implications, the bus-monitor video is in some ways reminiscent of the 1991 video of the police beating motorist Rodney King. That earlier video provided a document of a rarely recorded but frequently occurring behavior, grabbing the nation’s attention – at least for a few days – and exposed us to an oft-ignored injustice. And like the King video, the bus-monitor video shows us something with a far greater significance than the event itself.
The video of King’s beating laid bare an entire culture of institutional failings within the Los Angeles Police Department; the video of the abused yet passive bus monitor lays bare an entire culture of institutional failings within our schools.
The first failure we see is Klein’s. The job description for a bus monitor in the Greece Central School District in New York where she was working specifies requirements to “maintain order on buses,” to “enforce district policy governing student behavior,” and to “report orally and in writing instances of continuing disruptive student behavior.”
Klein had a responsibility to step up and assert her authority – if not for her own benefit, then for the benefit of the other kids on that bus. Instead, she sat and tolerated the abuse, performing none of her duties and leading by the worst kind of example. The takeaway for a child, witnessing this scene as it unfolded, would be: “If a grown-up can’t do anything to stop them, then I sure can’t.”
That simply isn’t true. When they stay silent, bystanders condone bullying, but when they speak up, they can kill it. Speaking up is scary and difficult. But if children, and certainly their adult guardians, are part of a school culture that consistently encourages and empowers them to do just that, a dramatic change can take place.
A victim might be outnumbered by bullies, but bullies are frequently outnumbered by witnesses. With instruction, encouragement, and support, these witnesses can shift the balance of power by virtue of their numbers.
But they first must be taught that they have that power, and assured that their reports will be taken seriously. Peer intervention is a powerful force. This entire incident went public because a fellow student, under the moniker CapitalTrigga, uploaded the video to YouTube in order to draw attention to the problem, becoming unsung hero in this drama. Once that happened, the bullies were steamrollered into submission by the crushing weight of public opinion.
Apologists for Klein’s total lack of action might insist that she wasn’t trained to handle bullies, or that she simply felt powerless. If either is true, it points to a wider, more systemic problem: that Klein’s school district fails to provide its personnel with adequate training to manage abusive students, thereby putting all students at risk, or that they fail to listen to or act on staff reports of abusive student behavior. Either scenario would allow bullying to flourish.
Had Klein’s employers done more to emphasize an intolerant attitude toward bullying, we might have seen her display a little more backbone, knowing that school officials had her back. But in interviews, Klein said that she didn’t even do so much as write the boys up for their hateful behavior, because, in her words, “What good would it do?”
Eventually, the boys did receive a full year of suspension from school – but only after the video had made the rounds. If this sort of punishment was standard, with or without a viral video, school officials sure didn’t let Klein in on it. Her assumption was that nothing would happen to those kids.
The saddest thing is how familiar the experience of bullying is for children, in all walks of life. Rare is the person who’s been through twelve years of schooling and not witnessed bullying. But since bullying is such an ancient tradition, too many of us have become complacent about it, assuming there’s nothing that can be done instead of doing everything possible to stop it.
It’s a shame what Karen Klein went through, but the bigger shame is that, after all these centuries – despite media attention and efforts in schools – effective bullying prevention measures are still not implemented in all schools – as well as on school buses. And the most successful anti-bullying programs don’t only deal with bullies and victims, but engage everyone on campus.
This incident can help to create an entire culture that is intolerant of bullying – one that obligates, involves, and empowers everyone – administrators, teachers, parents, students, and yes, even bus monitors. Now that would be a happy ending.
Source: Christian Science Monitor
Don’t cue the happy ending music just yet.
Although the story and the donations it inspired may have turned out well for Ms. Klein, anyone who’s watched the cringe-inducing video of her harassment can see that bullying continues to pervade school environments.
On comment boards, some cynically groused, “I was bullied like that every day all through high school. Where’s my half million?” One blogger posted the news of Klein’s incident under the sarcastic title, “Someone Is Bullied On A School Bus For The First Time Ever.” In short, the feel-good campaign to send Klein on “the vacation of a lifetime” did nothing to solve the problem. But a good hard look at everything this video shows us could.
Though it lacks horrific violence and disturbing racial implications, the bus-monitor video is in some ways reminiscent of the 1991 video of the police beating motorist Rodney King. That earlier video provided a document of a rarely recorded but frequently occurring behavior, grabbing the nation’s attention – at least for a few days – and exposed us to an oft-ignored injustice. And like the King video, the bus-monitor video shows us something with a far greater significance than the event itself.
The video of King’s beating laid bare an entire culture of institutional failings within the Los Angeles Police Department; the video of the abused yet passive bus monitor lays bare an entire culture of institutional failings within our schools.
The first failure we see is Klein’s. The job description for a bus monitor in the Greece Central School District in New York where she was working specifies requirements to “maintain order on buses,” to “enforce district policy governing student behavior,” and to “report orally and in writing instances of continuing disruptive student behavior.”
Klein had a responsibility to step up and assert her authority – if not for her own benefit, then for the benefit of the other kids on that bus. Instead, she sat and tolerated the abuse, performing none of her duties and leading by the worst kind of example. The takeaway for a child, witnessing this scene as it unfolded, would be: “If a grown-up can’t do anything to stop them, then I sure can’t.”
That simply isn’t true. When they stay silent, bystanders condone bullying, but when they speak up, they can kill it. Speaking up is scary and difficult. But if children, and certainly their adult guardians, are part of a school culture that consistently encourages and empowers them to do just that, a dramatic change can take place.
A victim might be outnumbered by bullies, but bullies are frequently outnumbered by witnesses. With instruction, encouragement, and support, these witnesses can shift the balance of power by virtue of their numbers.
But they first must be taught that they have that power, and assured that their reports will be taken seriously. Peer intervention is a powerful force. This entire incident went public because a fellow student, under the moniker CapitalTrigga, uploaded the video to YouTube in order to draw attention to the problem, becoming unsung hero in this drama. Once that happened, the bullies were steamrollered into submission by the crushing weight of public opinion.
Apologists for Klein’s total lack of action might insist that she wasn’t trained to handle bullies, or that she simply felt powerless. If either is true, it points to a wider, more systemic problem: that Klein’s school district fails to provide its personnel with adequate training to manage abusive students, thereby putting all students at risk, or that they fail to listen to or act on staff reports of abusive student behavior. Either scenario would allow bullying to flourish.
Had Klein’s employers done more to emphasize an intolerant attitude toward bullying, we might have seen her display a little more backbone, knowing that school officials had her back. But in interviews, Klein said that she didn’t even do so much as write the boys up for their hateful behavior, because, in her words, “What good would it do?”
Eventually, the boys did receive a full year of suspension from school – but only after the video had made the rounds. If this sort of punishment was standard, with or without a viral video, school officials sure didn’t let Klein in on it. Her assumption was that nothing would happen to those kids.
The saddest thing is how familiar the experience of bullying is for children, in all walks of life. Rare is the person who’s been through twelve years of schooling and not witnessed bullying. But since bullying is such an ancient tradition, too many of us have become complacent about it, assuming there’s nothing that can be done instead of doing everything possible to stop it.
It’s a shame what Karen Klein went through, but the bigger shame is that, after all these centuries – despite media attention and efforts in schools – effective bullying prevention measures are still not implemented in all schools – as well as on school buses. And the most successful anti-bullying programs don’t only deal with bullies and victims, but engage everyone on campus.
This incident can help to create an entire culture that is intolerant of bullying – one that obligates, involves, and empowers everyone – administrators, teachers, parents, students, and yes, even bus monitors. Now that would be a happy ending.
Source: Christian Science Monitor
Verse of the day
"So why do you keep calling me 'Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say?"
Luke 6:46 NLT
Luke 6:46 NLT
The way life is
“Welcome to Maine: The Way Life Should Be” reads the sign as you cross the border from New Hampshire into Maine on I-95. As someone who loves the pristine waters of Maine’s lakes, its glorious rocky coast, the simplicity of waking up to pull on a pair of well-worn jeans, and the smell of pine needles as I walk through an evergreen forest, it might seem logical that I would agree with that sign. But I always correct that sentiment when I read it. I’ve learned through my study of Christian Science that any good that I see in Maine or anywhere in the world is just a hint of the way Life, God, really is. Life is not conditional on anything but God since God is Life. God is where we truly “live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
So no matter where we are, and no matter what our circumstances, we are free to discern the way Life really is. We are free to look out into the infinite and to discern that divine Life is perpetually and universally good. It is beautiful, harmonious, simple, pure, invigorating, joyous, loving, and inspiring, because it is infinite Mind infinitely manifesting itself within its own self-completeness. And when we discern even a little of divine Life shining into our human situation, it enlightens and transforms our circumstances, pulling back any limited sense of supply, health, or well-being.
It is our thoughts, then, about our environment and situation that either see life through God’s lens of infinite goodness or filter it through the lens of the personal mind’s finite limitation. The key, I’m finding, is to keep thought in constant relation with the Divine and to perpetually ask God to reveal His presence in every detail of our day. New England spiritual reformer Mary Baker Eddy stated, “To live so as to keep human consciousness in constant relation with the divine, the spiritual, and the eternal, is to individualize infinite power; and this is Christian Science” (“The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Miscellany,” p. 160).
I remind myself often of this beatitude from Christ Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). In other words, the purity of seeing as God sees reveals that the kingdom of heaven is always at hand. It is never far off, but always within consciousness. And if a challenge of inharmony comes up, the need is not to fix the phenomenon that thought is projecting, but to be sure that our lens of thought is the divine Mind.
Recently, I had a simple but meaningful illustration of the power of seeing more clearly the way Life is right here in Maine. A handyman was helping me do some repair work on my little cottage. Suddenly some ground gave way, just enough to reveal that the cover on the septic system had rusted out. The handyman informed me that this was a serious problem, as the local authorities would require me to redo my septic system in order to bring it up to present-day standards.
In his concern for the expense that this might be for me, he suggested we put a temporary cover over it and wait a while before telling the authorities. At first this seemed like it might buy me some time to figure out the best solution; but upon taking some time to pray, I knew this was a limited and fearful approach to life, and not the way I know Life to be. It seemed clear that honesty and forthrightness would express my trust in Life as whole, complete, and harmonious, so I decided to go on the offensive with the situation.
I asked the handyman if he would contact the authorities and see what my options were. After all, Mind is infinite; and there just had to be an honest, joyous, and abundant solution to this need. He was happy to do that, even relieved, as he said, “This is the right way to handle things.” On the way to his appointment with the man in charge of code enforcement, he and his wife dropped by with a basket of canned pickles and relishes for me. As I looked at this beautiful basket of home-canned garden produce, I couldn’t help feeling God’s love and assurance. How loved and supported I felt by these Mainers. No matter what the authorities said, I felt sure there would be a gracious way to see my need met.
Within a couple of hours, they came back with bashful Maine-smiles on their faces. (Folks in Maine tend to be subtle in their joy, but I’ve gotten to the place where I can spot it easily and enjoy it all the more for its quiet twinkling behind the eyes.) They reported that all I needed was to have a soil engineer draw up a plan, get a permit, and then I had as many years as I needed to complete the project. I just had to show that I was making progress. And this is the way Life is, I thought. Life is full of the possible, full of tender care, full of adventure, full of solutions, full of harmony, and baskets full of blessings.
Source: Christian Science Monitor
So no matter where we are, and no matter what our circumstances, we are free to discern the way Life really is. We are free to look out into the infinite and to discern that divine Life is perpetually and universally good. It is beautiful, harmonious, simple, pure, invigorating, joyous, loving, and inspiring, because it is infinite Mind infinitely manifesting itself within its own self-completeness. And when we discern even a little of divine Life shining into our human situation, it enlightens and transforms our circumstances, pulling back any limited sense of supply, health, or well-being.
It is our thoughts, then, about our environment and situation that either see life through God’s lens of infinite goodness or filter it through the lens of the personal mind’s finite limitation. The key, I’m finding, is to keep thought in constant relation with the Divine and to perpetually ask God to reveal His presence in every detail of our day. New England spiritual reformer Mary Baker Eddy stated, “To live so as to keep human consciousness in constant relation with the divine, the spiritual, and the eternal, is to individualize infinite power; and this is Christian Science” (“The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Miscellany,” p. 160).
I remind myself often of this beatitude from Christ Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). In other words, the purity of seeing as God sees reveals that the kingdom of heaven is always at hand. It is never far off, but always within consciousness. And if a challenge of inharmony comes up, the need is not to fix the phenomenon that thought is projecting, but to be sure that our lens of thought is the divine Mind.
Recently, I had a simple but meaningful illustration of the power of seeing more clearly the way Life is right here in Maine. A handyman was helping me do some repair work on my little cottage. Suddenly some ground gave way, just enough to reveal that the cover on the septic system had rusted out. The handyman informed me that this was a serious problem, as the local authorities would require me to redo my septic system in order to bring it up to present-day standards.
In his concern for the expense that this might be for me, he suggested we put a temporary cover over it and wait a while before telling the authorities. At first this seemed like it might buy me some time to figure out the best solution; but upon taking some time to pray, I knew this was a limited and fearful approach to life, and not the way I know Life to be. It seemed clear that honesty and forthrightness would express my trust in Life as whole, complete, and harmonious, so I decided to go on the offensive with the situation.
I asked the handyman if he would contact the authorities and see what my options were. After all, Mind is infinite; and there just had to be an honest, joyous, and abundant solution to this need. He was happy to do that, even relieved, as he said, “This is the right way to handle things.” On the way to his appointment with the man in charge of code enforcement, he and his wife dropped by with a basket of canned pickles and relishes for me. As I looked at this beautiful basket of home-canned garden produce, I couldn’t help feeling God’s love and assurance. How loved and supported I felt by these Mainers. No matter what the authorities said, I felt sure there would be a gracious way to see my need met.
Within a couple of hours, they came back with bashful Maine-smiles on their faces. (Folks in Maine tend to be subtle in their joy, but I’ve gotten to the place where I can spot it easily and enjoy it all the more for its quiet twinkling behind the eyes.) They reported that all I needed was to have a soil engineer draw up a plan, get a permit, and then I had as many years as I needed to complete the project. I just had to show that I was making progress. And this is the way Life is, I thought. Life is full of the possible, full of tender care, full of adventure, full of solutions, full of harmony, and baskets full of blessings.
Source: Christian Science Monitor
Corbin couple is accused of trading a woman a pickup truck for her infant
A Corbin couple is accused of trading a woman a 1999 Dodge Dakota pickup truck for her infant child, Laurel County Sheriff John Root said.
Officers with the department arrested Jeremy and Jamiee Brown on Thursday on charges of human trafficking, according to a release from Root's office. The couple had the baby, now 6 months old. The baby was placed in the care of state child-welfare workers, the release said.
The Browns allegedly made the trade soon after the baby was born. Root's office started investigating based on information from a confidential source, and officers were able to find the pickup truck.
The current owner told police he had bought the truck from a woman named Heather Kaminskey for $800, according to Root's office, but a further check showed the Browns had owned it at one point.
Through questioning the couple, police located Kaminskey's mother, who told them Kaminskey had left Florida in January, when she was nine months pregnant, because she was wanted on meth charges. Kaminskey came to Kentucky to have the child in order to evade child-protective workers in Florida, who had taken away her two other children, according to Root's office.
The human-trafficking charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The Browns have three biological children. Relatives took them, according to the news release.
Kaminskey has not been seen in Laurel County for several days. Police plan to charge her and seek an order for her to be brought back to Kentucky, according to Root's office.
Detectives Jason Back and Brad Mitchell and Lt. Rodney Van Zant conducted the investigation.
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader
Officers with the department arrested Jeremy and Jamiee Brown on Thursday on charges of human trafficking, according to a release from Root's office. The couple had the baby, now 6 months old. The baby was placed in the care of state child-welfare workers, the release said.
The Browns allegedly made the trade soon after the baby was born. Root's office started investigating based on information from a confidential source, and officers were able to find the pickup truck.
The current owner told police he had bought the truck from a woman named Heather Kaminskey for $800, according to Root's office, but a further check showed the Browns had owned it at one point.
Through questioning the couple, police located Kaminskey's mother, who told them Kaminskey had left Florida in January, when she was nine months pregnant, because she was wanted on meth charges. Kaminskey came to Kentucky to have the child in order to evade child-protective workers in Florida, who had taken away her two other children, according to Root's office.
The human-trafficking charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The Browns have three biological children. Relatives took them, according to the news release.
Kaminskey has not been seen in Laurel County for several days. Police plan to charge her and seek an order for her to be brought back to Kentucky, according to Root's office.
Detectives Jason Back and Brad Mitchell and Lt. Rodney Van Zant conducted the investigation.
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader
ESPN Tip-Off Marathon schedule is here
For the college basketball fan, there aren't many glorious July days, but this one definitely counts: the release of the 2012 ESPN Tip-Off Marathon schedule, set to take place for all 24 hours (and then some) on Tuesday, Nov. 13. I think you're going to like what's being offered.
First things first. The games are as follows (all times ET):
Midnight: West Virginia at Gonzaga
2 a.m.: Davidson at New Mexico
4 a.m.: Houston Baptist at Hawaii
6 a.m.: Stony Brook at Rider
8 a.m.: Northern Illinois at Valparaiso
10 a.m.: Harvard at Massachusetts
12 p.m.: Temple at Kent State
2 p.m.: Detroit at St. John’s
4 p.m.: Butler at Xavier
7 p.m.: Michigan State vs. Kansas (Champions Classic, Georgia Dome, Atlanta)
30 minutes following MSU/KU: Duke vs. Kentucky (Champions Classic)
Here's the thing: If you're a casual college basketball fan, someone who doesn't spend all summer reading College Basketball Nation in heated anticipation of posts like these, you might be somewhat nonplussed.
Davidson at New Mexico might not do anything for you. Harvard at UMass might not tickle your fancy. I get that. But for the college hoops fan -- the kind who knows how cool it will be to see a midnight game at New Mexico's Pit, the kind who recognizes UMass as a sleeper A-10 contender in 2012-13, the kind who knows how good Detroit guard Ray McCallum Jr. is, the kind who realizes what a tough early road test Kent State will be for Temple -- that schedule has a little bit of everything.
Although the Mountaineers-Zags NCAA tourney rematch is a tantalizing opener, the real showstoppers come late in the day. Butler-Xavier is a strange game, considering Butler's early realignment move to the Atlantic 10 this season. The two will actually be playing a nonconference game in the first week of the season before meeting again during league play. You don't see that often. If the basketball gods shine upon us, this will be the game that truly kicks off a heated Midwestern rivalry between two marquee March programs. They've had some good battles in the recent past -- no reason for that to stop now.
And of course, the Champions Classic, now in its second year, is just going to be flat-out awesome: Michigan State will play Kansas just four days (four days!) after opening its season against Connecticut at a U.S. military base in Germany. Last season, the Spartans flew from the Carrier Classic in San Diego to Madison Square Garden four days later. This year, they'll be making a trip from Germany to Georgia in roughly the same time. If Tom Izzo could schedule a game at the International Space Station, he would. The dude will literally play anybody anywhere.
Then there's Duke versus Kentucky. Two bluebloods. Two powerhouses. Two larger-than-life coaches. One unlikely but very deeply felt rivalry. It exists for one reason: March 28, 1992. It's something you notice as a college hoops writer: Both teams' fan bases go out of their way to tweak each other. They are in many ways cultural and basketball antitheses. There is real hate here.
With all this sturm und drang on both sides -- the trolling of opposition message boards is my personal favorite -- it's easy to forget that these two teams don't play, like, ever. The last time they met was Dec. 18, 2001, over a decade ago, at the Jimmy V Classic in New Jersey. Kentucky had Tayshaun Prince and Keith Bogans; Duke had Jason Williams, Mike Dunleavy, Carlos Boozer, Chris Duhon, Dahntay Jones and future Barack Obama body man Reggie Love. The Blue Devils won 95-92 in an overtime classic.
Despite the huge gap in actual basketball competition, Duke and UK fans have only increased their mutual distaste in the Internet age. The run-up to the game -- not to mention the split Georgia Dome -- is going to be certifiably insane.
And there you have it: The early portions of the marathon may not do much for neophytes, but the hard-core fans will have plenty to chew on ... just before the final three games of the evening (hopefully) blow us away. I can't wait to live blog this thing for too many hours. More than anything, I can't wait for basketball. Only a few more months now. Consider that your new mantra.
Source: ESPN, College Basketball Nation Blog
First things first. The games are as follows (all times ET):
Midnight: West Virginia at Gonzaga
2 a.m.: Davidson at New Mexico
4 a.m.: Houston Baptist at Hawaii
6 a.m.: Stony Brook at Rider
8 a.m.: Northern Illinois at Valparaiso
10 a.m.: Harvard at Massachusetts
12 p.m.: Temple at Kent State
2 p.m.: Detroit at St. John’s
4 p.m.: Butler at Xavier
7 p.m.: Michigan State vs. Kansas (Champions Classic, Georgia Dome, Atlanta)
30 minutes following MSU/KU: Duke vs. Kentucky (Champions Classic)
Here's the thing: If you're a casual college basketball fan, someone who doesn't spend all summer reading College Basketball Nation in heated anticipation of posts like these, you might be somewhat nonplussed.
Davidson at New Mexico might not do anything for you. Harvard at UMass might not tickle your fancy. I get that. But for the college hoops fan -- the kind who knows how cool it will be to see a midnight game at New Mexico's Pit, the kind who recognizes UMass as a sleeper A-10 contender in 2012-13, the kind who knows how good Detroit guard Ray McCallum Jr. is, the kind who realizes what a tough early road test Kent State will be for Temple -- that schedule has a little bit of everything.
Although the Mountaineers-Zags NCAA tourney rematch is a tantalizing opener, the real showstoppers come late in the day. Butler-Xavier is a strange game, considering Butler's early realignment move to the Atlantic 10 this season. The two will actually be playing a nonconference game in the first week of the season before meeting again during league play. You don't see that often. If the basketball gods shine upon us, this will be the game that truly kicks off a heated Midwestern rivalry between two marquee March programs. They've had some good battles in the recent past -- no reason for that to stop now.
And of course, the Champions Classic, now in its second year, is just going to be flat-out awesome: Michigan State will play Kansas just four days (four days!) after opening its season against Connecticut at a U.S. military base in Germany. Last season, the Spartans flew from the Carrier Classic in San Diego to Madison Square Garden four days later. This year, they'll be making a trip from Germany to Georgia in roughly the same time. If Tom Izzo could schedule a game at the International Space Station, he would. The dude will literally play anybody anywhere.
Then there's Duke versus Kentucky. Two bluebloods. Two powerhouses. Two larger-than-life coaches. One unlikely but very deeply felt rivalry. It exists for one reason: March 28, 1992. It's something you notice as a college hoops writer: Both teams' fan bases go out of their way to tweak each other. They are in many ways cultural and basketball antitheses. There is real hate here.
With all this sturm und drang on both sides -- the trolling of opposition message boards is my personal favorite -- it's easy to forget that these two teams don't play, like, ever. The last time they met was Dec. 18, 2001, over a decade ago, at the Jimmy V Classic in New Jersey. Kentucky had Tayshaun Prince and Keith Bogans; Duke had Jason Williams, Mike Dunleavy, Carlos Boozer, Chris Duhon, Dahntay Jones and future Barack Obama body man Reggie Love. The Blue Devils won 95-92 in an overtime classic.
Despite the huge gap in actual basketball competition, Duke and UK fans have only increased their mutual distaste in the Internet age. The run-up to the game -- not to mention the split Georgia Dome -- is going to be certifiably insane.
And there you have it: The early portions of the marathon may not do much for neophytes, but the hard-core fans will have plenty to chew on ... just before the final three games of the evening (hopefully) blow us away. I can't wait to live blog this thing for too many hours. More than anything, I can't wait for basketball. Only a few more months now. Consider that your new mantra.
Source: ESPN, College Basketball Nation Blog
Amazon smart phone rumors: we could see a 'Kindle Phone' in 2012
An Amazon smart phone -- call it the Kindle Phone -- might be more than a rumor.
The Wall Street Journal reported today that Amazon's component suppliers are testing a phone with a screen somewhere between 4 and 5 inches, citing those ubiquitous "people familiar with the situation." Add this to last November's rumor that Amazon would release a handset in the fourth quarter of 2012, and a separate Bloomberg report last week that Amazon was working on a phone with Foxconn (Apple's supplier for iPhones and iPads), and it's hard not to wonder if we might see a Kindle Phone within the next year.
It wouldn't be entirely out of character for Amazon to make a move for the smart phone market. The company dominated e-reader sales for years with the original Kindle before moving into tablets last year with the Kindle Fire. Amazon might see a handset as a logical hardware step. Research firms estimatethat Amazon sells both the Kindle and the Kindle Fire at a loss; the company makes up the difference because the devices make it easy for users to buy digital media from Amazon's store. The customer base it's built while following that model could give it an edge if it decides to release a phone.
Chris DeVore, a Seattle-based analyst, even suggested that Amazon could attract customers with a free handset, including unlimited voice and data. (DeVore isn't claiming any special insight, so take his prediction with more grains of salt than usual.) The catch, he cautions, would be that the "free" phone would serve ads and otherwise push owners to make more Amazon purchases -- for example, maybe they'd have to sign up for two years of Amazon Prime -- but it would be affordable for customers and profitable for Amazon, at least over the long term. Plus, such a move would put pressure on Apple and Google, the two biggest players in the mobile phone arena.
The trick for Amazon, of course, would be navigating tricky negotiations with carrier companies, not to mention working out the details of making a handset compatible with global technical standards. Complicating things further is the fact that the iPhone and current Android smart phones have a pretty commanding slice of the market; a Kindle Phone would have to conquer territory that's already fairly well-established.
One thing's almost certain: we'll be seeing some new hardware from Amazon, of one kind or another, before too long. Its popular 7-inch Kindle Fire tablet is now 7 months old, and the China Times reported last week that a new version is already in production. Amazon needs to stay ahead of Google, whose Nexus 7 tablet, released last month, offers a higher-resolution screen and significantly improved specs for the same price as the Kindle Fire.
Source: Christian Science Monitor
The Wall Street Journal reported today that Amazon's component suppliers are testing a phone with a screen somewhere between 4 and 5 inches, citing those ubiquitous "people familiar with the situation." Add this to last November's rumor that Amazon would release a handset in the fourth quarter of 2012, and a separate Bloomberg report last week that Amazon was working on a phone with Foxconn (Apple's supplier for iPhones and iPads), and it's hard not to wonder if we might see a Kindle Phone within the next year.
It wouldn't be entirely out of character for Amazon to make a move for the smart phone market. The company dominated e-reader sales for years with the original Kindle before moving into tablets last year with the Kindle Fire. Amazon might see a handset as a logical hardware step. Research firms estimatethat Amazon sells both the Kindle and the Kindle Fire at a loss; the company makes up the difference because the devices make it easy for users to buy digital media from Amazon's store. The customer base it's built while following that model could give it an edge if it decides to release a phone.
Chris DeVore, a Seattle-based analyst, even suggested that Amazon could attract customers with a free handset, including unlimited voice and data. (DeVore isn't claiming any special insight, so take his prediction with more grains of salt than usual.) The catch, he cautions, would be that the "free" phone would serve ads and otherwise push owners to make more Amazon purchases -- for example, maybe they'd have to sign up for two years of Amazon Prime -- but it would be affordable for customers and profitable for Amazon, at least over the long term. Plus, such a move would put pressure on Apple and Google, the two biggest players in the mobile phone arena.
The trick for Amazon, of course, would be navigating tricky negotiations with carrier companies, not to mention working out the details of making a handset compatible with global technical standards. Complicating things further is the fact that the iPhone and current Android smart phones have a pretty commanding slice of the market; a Kindle Phone would have to conquer territory that's already fairly well-established.
One thing's almost certain: we'll be seeing some new hardware from Amazon, of one kind or another, before too long. Its popular 7-inch Kindle Fire tablet is now 7 months old, and the China Times reported last week that a new version is already in production. Amazon needs to stay ahead of Google, whose Nexus 7 tablet, released last month, offers a higher-resolution screen and significantly improved specs for the same price as the Kindle Fire.
Source: Christian Science Monitor
Steven Tyler leaving ‘American Idol’
Steven Tyler has announced he’s leaving “American Idol.”
Tyler, who joined the show in its 10th season, sat at the judges table alongside Randy Jackson and Jennifer Lopez for two seasons. (And rumors are swirling that Jackson and Lopez may be looking to leave “Idol,” as well.)
“After some long…hard…thoughts…I’ve decided it’s time for me to let go of my mistress ‘American Idol’ before she boils my rabbit,” Tyler said in a statement from Fox. “I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I’m back — but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I’ve got two fists in the air and I’m kicking the door open with my band.
Aerosmith’s 15th studio album, “Music From Another Dimension,” is due out on November 6.
“‘Idol’ was over-the-top fun,” Tyler said, and I loved every minute of it…Now it’s time to bring Rock Back. ERMAHGERD.”
Source: CNN, "The Marquee Blog"
Tyler, who joined the show in its 10th season, sat at the judges table alongside Randy Jackson and Jennifer Lopez for two seasons. (And rumors are swirling that Jackson and Lopez may be looking to leave “Idol,” as well.)
“After some long…hard…thoughts…I’ve decided it’s time for me to let go of my mistress ‘American Idol’ before she boils my rabbit,” Tyler said in a statement from Fox. “I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I’m back — but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I’ve got two fists in the air and I’m kicking the door open with my band.
Aerosmith’s 15th studio album, “Music From Another Dimension,” is due out on November 6.
“‘Idol’ was over-the-top fun,” Tyler said, and I loved every minute of it…Now it’s time to bring Rock Back. ERMAHGERD.”
Source: CNN, "The Marquee Blog"
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