PicoBlog

In a two-year pilot program beginning in 2024, Massachusetts has extended eligibility for ConnectorCare, the state’s alternative to a standard ACA marketplace that features standardized plans with low out-of-pocket costs, to applicants with incomes up to 500% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), or $72,900 for an individual in 2024. Since the ACA marketplace’s 2014 inception, ConnectorCare has been the (only) option for applicants with income ranging from 138% FPL, the Medicaid eligibility threshold, to 300% FPL.

Imagine jumping 9 meters in the air. And doing triple somersaults. With multiple twists.  This is the sport of trampolining. Yes, it is a real sport. It’s in the Olympics. I spent 23 years of my life competing in this sport. People unfamiliar with the sport often used to watch me compete and ask ‘How do you do all those somersaults? What do you think about when you’re upside down?’

Hey everyone, I just got back from a whirlwind trip to Florida and I have so much to share with you from that trip (coming shortly). In the meantime, AppleTV dropped the fourth episode of the series Masters of the Air over the weekend, and we have a recap for you. Of course, I wasn’t here for the recording. So in a first for the Podcast, we have a guest host: #HATM mainstay and my friend, Dr.

George Leonard’s 1992 book, Mastery, was a key inspiration for starting this Ordinary Mastery project. It’s a small book which began life as an article in Esquire magazine. It’s easy to read and is informed by Leonard’s life experiences and observations, particularly as an Aikido practitioner and teacher. It is primarily a book about long-term learning and growth through dedicated practice, avoiding the desire for quick results and instant gratification. Throughout the book, Leonard discusses patterns he has observed in society and in people’s attitudes which can help or hinder their progress on their mastery journeys.

From the Kassoufsayer... What’s gone wrong? In short, Portland has been poor defensively in individual moments. The Thorns’ expected goals against average (xGA) of 7.6 is the second-best in the NWSL, but they’ve given up 10 goals this season, eight of which were conceded in the last three games. It is no coincidence that this defensive skid coincides with the absence of central defender Becky Sauerbrunn due to a foot injury.

INGREDIENTS 3/4 cups oil 2 eggs 1.5 cups granulated sugar 1 3/4 cups flour 4 tbsp matcha 1/2 tsp baking powder DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat your oven to 350F. 2. Add the eggs to the oil and mix until well combined. Then add the sugar and mix vigorously until the mixture turns more pale in color, about five minutes. 3. Add the rest of your dry ingredients and mix until n…

Ingredients: 4 eggs, w/ yolk and egg whites separated 1/2 cup of granulated sugar 1 cup of all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 1 tbsp + 1 tsp of baking powder 1 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 tsp of vanilla extract 1 1/4 tsp of matcha, sifted Milk mixture: For whipped cream topping: 1 cups of heavy cream 1/2 tbsp of matcha, sifted 2-3 tbsps of granulated sugar *milk mixture measurements can be changed to your liking.

It is not normal for the defensive coordinator position to be open for two full seasons, but that was the case with UConn football, until now. Going into a 2024 season where the expectation is movement in the right direction, Jim Mora and his staff, including new defensive coordinator Matt Brock, are providing a necessary boost to morale this offseason. They’re showing a willingness to evolve along with the college football landscape around them.

In his General Audience this past Wednesday, Pope Francis praised the sixteenth-century Italian missionary Matteo Ricci, S.J. (1552-1610) for his love for the Chinese people and his commitment to his vocation as a follower of Jesus Christ. Ricci is well-known for his use of what today we would call inculturation, the adaptation of the Gospel to different cultures. Ricci adopted the clothing and style of a Buddhist monk, and later a Confucian scholar, attempted to present the Christian Gospel in the terms of Chinese, particularly Confucian, philosophy, and even encouraged Chinese converts to continue to practice certain traditional rituals, including the veneration of ancestors.