Karen Shirer and I had the privilege of visiting with retirees in the metro area yesterday. May I say this was the highlight of my week. They were thrilled and encouraged as we shared about our programs for families in transition and our goal of building family resiliency. They wanted to hear about the Farm Bill and its impact on our work. This stimulating conversation helped me see the theme in my blog this week..... that of education through the lifespan. I encourage you to reach out and involve our retirees throughout the state. They have much to share and their reflections are really inspirational.
In the blog, share how you have reached out to retirees in your area of the state.
What Government Program Has Greatest Impact On Poverty?
Programs, Policy, Politics, and Poverty
As extension educators that work at the intersection of family, resources, and relationships there was plenty of news this week to keep us on our toes and attentive to how programs, policy, politics, and poverty intersect with our work. Representative Paul Ryan held a hearing titled, "The War on Poverty: A Progress Report." There was much discussion as to who was selected or not selected to testify and the absence of anyone on poverty on the panel. The good thing about this hearing it is brought up discussion of how poverty is measured and what impacts being in or out of poverty. Do you know there is a new poverty measurement - The Supplemental Poverty Measure that takes into account the impact of government programs and more realistic living costs in its calculations? One blogger from the Economic Policy Institute states, "As
the figure shows, Social Security is, by far, the most effective
anti-poverty program in the United States. Without Social Security, an
additional 8.3 percent of Americans, or over 25 million more people, would fall
below the SPM poverty threshold. Refundable tax credits, such as the Earned
Income Tax Credit, kept 2.5 percent, or nearly 8 million Americans above the
SPM poverty threshold. Other programs such as SNAP (food stamps), unemployment
insurance, Supplemental Security Income, and housing subsidies also have a significant
impact on the ability of families to stay afloat." How do our educational programs acknowledge the importance of these programs on family resiliency?
The Toughest Questions Asked In A Harvard MBA Interview
These
questions
are designed to narrow down the more than 2,000 interviewees, chosen
from 9,315 overall applicants, to about 1,100 who were accepted for one
of the 941 seats in Harvard’s Class of 2015.
I think these questions have relevance for us if we are in the beginning or middle of our careers, or thinking of retirement. What do you think?
Explain to me something you're
working on as if I were an eight-year-old?
Describe
something that you should start doing, do more of, and do less of?
What's
the one thing you'll never be as good at as others?
What are the two best pieces of advice
you have been given, and why?
What do you want to be remembered
as?
What is your definition of a leader?
How do you fit that definition?
How do you make big decisions?
How would your parents describe you
when you were twelve?
What is one thing I’d never have
guessed about you, even after reading your application?
What is the one thing you would like
me to remember about you?
A Powerful Use of Twitter: A mother and son say goodbye
"Over
the weekend, Scott Simon has been, for lack of a better phrase,
live-tweeting his mother's final days. In carefully worded posts Simon,
who has spent years artfully telling stories as host of Weekend Edition
Saturday on NPR, is sharing these intimate moments with strangers and
friends alike."
Twitter is accused of not allowing enough text.... this twitter exchange shows the power of few carefully chosen words.
As
the figure below shows, Social Security is, by far, the most effective
anti-poverty program in the United States. Without Social Security, an
additional 8.3 percent of Americans, or over 25 million more people,
would fall below the SPM poverty threshold. Refundable tax credits, such
as the Earned Income Tax Credit, kept 2.5 percent, or nearly 8 million
Americans above the SPM poverty threshold. Other programs such as SNAP
(food stamps), unemployment insurance, Supplemental Security Income, and
housing subsidies also have a significant impact on the ability of
families to stay afloat. - See more at:
http://www.epi.org/blog/social-security-effective-anti-poverty-program/#sthash.ztGFeqyW.dpuf
As
the figure below shows, Social Security is, by far, the most effective
anti-poverty program in the United States. Without Social Security, an
additional 8.3 percent of Americans, or over 25 million more people,
would fall below the SPM poverty threshold. Refundable tax credits, such
as the Earned Income Tax Credit, kept 2.5 percent, or nearly 8 million
Americans above the SPM poverty threshold. Other programs such as SNAP
(food stamps), unemployment insurance, Supplemental Security Income, and
housing subsidies also have a significant impact on the ability of
families to stay afloat. - See more at:
http://www.epi.org/blog/social-security-effective-anti-poverty-program/#sthash.ztGFeqyW.dpuf
Tomorrow, the U.S. House Committee on the Budget is holding
a hearing on the progress of the War on Poverty.
While the United States is still slowly recovering from the worst
recession since the Great Depression, fortunately this time around
government safety net programs have been in place to keep more people
from falling into poverty. The Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) shows
the strength of the government to mitigate the incidence of poverty.
As the figure below shows, Social
Security is, by far, the most effective anti-poverty program in the
United States. Without Social Security, an additional 8.3 percent of
Americans, or over 25 million more people, would fall below the SPM
poverty threshold. Refundable tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax
Credit, kept 2.5 percent, or nearly 8 million Americans above the SPM
poverty threshold. Other programs such as SNAP (food stamps),
unemployment insurance, Supplemental Security Income, and housing
subsidies also have a significant impact on the ability of families to
stay afloat.
- See more at: http://www.epi.org/blog/social-security-effective-anti-poverty-program/#sthash.oGcGYdIA.dpuf
Tomorrow, the U.S. House Committee on the Budget is holding
a hearing on the progress of the War on Poverty.
While the United States is still slowly recovering from the worst
recession since the Great Depression, fortunately this time around
government safety net programs have been in place to keep more people
from falling into poverty. The Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) shows
the strength of the government to mitigate the incidence of poverty.
As the figure below shows, Social
Security is, by far, the most effective anti-poverty program in the
United States. Without Social Security, an additional 8.3 percent of
Americans, or over 25 million more people, would fall below the SPM
poverty threshold. Refundable tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax
Credit, kept 2.5 percent, or nearly 8 million Americans above the SPM
poverty threshold. Other programs such as SNAP (food stamps),
unemployment insurance, Supplemental Security Income, and housing
subsidies also have a significant impact on the ability of families to
stay afloat.
- See more at: http://www.epi.org/blog/social-security-effective-anti-poverty-program/#sthash.oGcGYdIA.dpuf
Tomorrow, the U.S. House Committee on the Budget is holding
a hearing on the progress of the War on Poverty.
While the United States is still slowly recovering from the worst
recession since the Great Depression, fortunately this time around
government safety net programs have been in place to keep more people
from falling into poverty. The Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) shows
the strength of the government to mitigate the incidence of poverty.
As the figure below shows, Social
Security is, by far, the most effective anti-poverty program in the
United States. Without Social Security, an additional 8.3 percent of
Americans, or over 25 million more people, would fall below the SPM
poverty threshold. Refundable tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax
Credit, kept 2.5 percent, or nearly 8 million Americans above the SPM
poverty threshold. Other programs such as SNAP (food stamps),
unemployment insurance, Supplemental Security Income, and housing
subsidies also have a significant impact on the ability of families to
stay afloat.
- See more at: http://www.epi.org/blog/social-security-effective-anti-poverty-program/#sthash.oGcGYdIA.dpuf
It is back to school time for many of us. Whether we work on a campus, teach, or "re-start" our programming year with the school calendar - September to May has significance for many of us. Many families have communication tools to plan and debrief events happening during the school year, like family calendars, family dinner discussions, but I add to this list - family laundry. Perhaps I am part anthropologist - but I learn ALOT about family/school activities through this task. Just the wrappers, rocks, receipts, earrings, etc found in pockets alone fills a jar by our washer. For example, one day a few years ago I noticed my son's white t-shirt shirt was significantly shorter than the previous week. He didn't seem to be the type of wear a "cropped" shirt, so I was curious. Later, I asked him why he now decided to wear his shirt shorter in length and his explanation surprised me. "Well mom, I was in shop class and we would receive extra points if we remembered to bring in a white rag for staining our wood tables. I had forgotten a rag, but I really wanted the extra points... so I quick ripped off the bottom of my t-shirt." Not expecting that answer! He should have gotten points for creativity, too! Back to school- back to laundry as communication tool... ahh, the memories.
I was in Moorhead this week and while in Moorhead a deer jumped "into" Ellie's church. Quite the excitement for those there - see the television story. 
