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The following article, We Can’t Get Hurricane Victims In North Carolina The Help They Need, But We Have $174 Billion For The War In Ukraine?, was first published on Conservative Firing Line. Just follow the money, and that will tell you a lot about our federal government’s priorities.  It has been about two months since Hurricane Helene absolutely devastated vast stretches of North Carolina, Tennessee and other states, and many victims have still not gotten any help from the government at all.  Meanwhile, our government seems to … Continue reading We Can’t Get Hurricane Victims In North Carolina The Help They Need, But We Have $174 Billion For The War In Ukraine? ...

But hims knowz whutz in his blood nowz dawg. Them's be clotz dawg! Sheeeit! Muh fuhhhhh... With THANKS to the Kurgan Report. Source https://m.facebook.com/phame.roberson/

UTL COMMENT:- I agree with this....the CHEMO KILLS!!! It's radiation poisoning!! It very rarely heals....

Patrick Healy, the deputy Opinion editor, hosted an online conversation with the Times Opinion columnists Jamelle Bouie, Ross Douthat, M. Gessen and Lydia Polgreen about Donald Trump’s preparations for a second term and what they signal about America’s future. Patrick Healy: Folks, I want to take you back to November 2016, after Donald Trump was elected president. Much of what we saw in that first Trump transition process foreshadowed his four years in office: the pressure for loyalty...

President-elect Donald Trump on Monday proposed aggressive economic measures against Mexico, Canada and China over concerns of border security and drug trafficking. Trump called for a 25% tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, citing the influx of migrants and drugs across the United States’ borders.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and while it can be a time for joy, for other's it can be a time for stress. Not just stress due to spending an extended amount of time around family members you haven't seen in a while or shuffling from house to house. Some people feel extra stress because they can't quite figure out how they're going to provide a special holiday dinner.Food banks and churches often give out meal boxes for families that may be struggling financially but there can be barriers to getting the boxes. Sometimes the lines are long which causes extreme difficulty for elderly, disabled or people with chronic pain to participate. For others it could be they're living in temporary housing like a extended stay hotel so they don't have access to a full size stove to cook a large turkey. While others simply may feel that though they need the help, someone may need it more so they stay home instead of risking taking away from other people. These are all things Rebecca, the woman behind Dollar Tree Dinners tries to keep in mind when creating the healthiest meals she can for those on a budget or living in a food desert. brown wooden board Photo by Megan Watson on Unsplash Every year Rebecca tries to come up with tasty meals specifically for the Thanksgiving holiday. This year, the budget food influencer decided to increase her own challenge by creating a three course meal on a $20 budget. For this small budget to work she went to her favorite store for affordable food items–Dollar Tree, and from the looks of it, her meal did not disappoint. She shared all the ingredients and the finished product on social media, the video was viewed more than 1.5 million times and the comments were filled with people thanking her.Things this year are a little tight for everyone, even those that may not need help from a food pantry are feeling the pinch. Splurging on a large ham or turkey and all the fixings could put some people in a bit of a bind, even though this Thanksgiving dinner is at a historically low price when adjusting for inflation. The "historically low" price may not feel so low for everyone which is why Rebecca's work around for this three course Thanksgiving meal may be the perfect work around. @dollartreedinners $20 Dollar Tree Thanksgiving Dinner! The ingredients: Swanson Chicken broth $1.25 (Optional ingredient, can be omitted) Kraft Ranch $1.25 Italian seasoned breadcrumbs $1.25 Kraft Mac & Cheese $1.25 Turkey Stuffing Mix $1.25 Idahoan Original Mashed Potatoes (the unflavored big bag) $1.25 Pioneer Roasted turkey Gravy mix $1.25 Dried cranberries $1.25 French style Green Beans (Could also swap for frozen) $1.25 2 cans of turkey $2.50 Milk $1.25 Margarine $1.25 Sugar cookie mix $1.25 Werther's Chewy Caramel candies $1.25 Apple Pie filling $1.25 Total cost $20 Optional extras to add on if desired: Large casserole dish $1.25 (for making the casserole and easy clean up) A Block of Cheddar cheese (for the mac & cheese balls) $1.25 Extra packet of sugar cookie mix (for the caramel apple cookie bars) $1.25 The menu: Appetizer: Mac & Cheese Croquettes with Ranch for dipping Dinner: "Best of Thanksgiving" Casserole Dessert: Caramel Apple Cookie Bars #dollartreefood #dollartreegroceryhaul #dollartreethanksgiving #thanksgivingonabudget #budgetholidaymeals #howtoeatforcheap #feedafamily ♬ original sound - Dollar Tree Dinners The menu consists of Mac & Cheese Croquettes with Ranch dipping sauce, a "Best of Thanksgiving" casserole, and caramel apple cookie bars for dessert. Rebecca explains in a longer video shared on YouTube that she only allows herself to use oil, salt and pepper from home, everything else has to be budgeted into the $20 to purchase from Dollar Tree. If you're big on having turkey for the holiday, no worries, the turkey is included in the casserole. The casserole consists of a layer of mashed potatoes, drained French cut green beans, canned turkey, gravy, and stuffing mix. @dollartreedinners Thanksgiving Dinner you can make for under $12! Ingredients: 1 package Idahoan Original Mashed potatoes 1 can french style green beans (can also use frozen) 2 cans of turkey (drained, broth reserved) 1 packet Pionner roasted turkey gravy mix 1 box turkey stuffing mix Dried cranberries (soaked in water to rehydrate) Milk Margarine Chicken Broth Total cost $11.25 Prepare the mashed potaotes, follow the package instructions but substitute some or all of the water with chicken broth. Season well with salt & pepper and spread evenly into a baking dish as layer 1. Spread on a can of drained french style green beans (if desired, this layer can also be green bean casserole by mixing 2 cans of green beans with 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and some french fried onions) Drain the canned turkey, saving the broth for the gravy, shred the turkey well with a fork and spread it over the green beans. Use the reserved turkey broth and water to prepare the roasted turkey gravy according to the package instructions. Pour the gravy evenly over the turkey. Follow the stuffing mix instructions substituting all or some of the water with chicken broth and fold in the soaked cranberries. Spread the stuffing layer evenly over the casserole as the final layer. Dot the top of the stuffing layer with small pats of margarin and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling. Enjoy! #thanksgivingonabudget #budgetfriendlymeals #dollartreerecipes #thanksgivingcasserole #budgetcooking #comfortfood #casserolerecipes #holidaycooking #3coursemeal ♬ original sound - Dollar Tree Dinners "Ten ingredients at $1.25 a piece means that just to make this casserole you're looking at $11.25 cents, which is an absolute steal because this would definitely feed four people with a significant amount of leftovers. And if you've been feeling like you're not going to be able to have a Thanksgiving dinner this year because you can't afford to make one, hopefully you can afford to make this," Rebecca says at the end of the video sharing the recipe for the casserole.The entire dinner looked delicious and people were sharing their plans to give it a try while others thanked her for putting together an affordable meal, with one person writing, "I'm gonna make this and put them in smaller loaf pans to freeze for when I'm needing something warm and cozy." @dollartreedinners I made a 3-course Thanksgiving dinner on a $20 budget from Dolalr Tree, starting with these crispy and creamy fried mac & Cheese bites. They're crunchy on the outside, tender and cheesy on the inside and perfect with ranch for dipping. Stay tuned for the main dish and dessert. Ingredients: 1 box Kraft Thick & Creamy mac & cheese 1 & 1/2 cups of water 1/2 cup of milk (plus extra for breading) 2 tablespoons of margarine Italian seasoned breadcrumbs Oil for frying Ranch dressing (for dipping) Instructions: 1) In a pot, combien the macaroni, water, milk, margarine and cheese powder from the box. 2) Bring to a boil, stirring occassionally, then cover and simmer for 8 minutes continuing to stir occassionally 3) Transfer to a shallow container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (preferrably overnight) 4) Remove mac from the container and cut it into 12 cubes 5) Coat each cube in italian breadcrubs, dip in milk, then coat again in breadcrumbs. Compress the cubes into balls while breading to shape them. 6) Heat 1 inch of oil in a pot and fry the mac and cheese balls in two batchdes for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with ranch for dipping. Enjoy! #budgetfriendlymeals #dollartreefinds #thanksgivingonabudget #thanksgivingdinner #friedmacncheese #budgetcooking #dollartreemeals #3coursemeal #thanksgivingrecipes #holidaycooking #easyappetizers #budgetthanksgiving #tiktokfoodie ♬ original sound - Dollar Tree Dinners Another person shares, "As someone who mixes everything on their plate at Thanksgiving, this is GENIUS!! Much more affordable and far less wasteful than making each separate dish!"One mom is grateful for the recipes, "It’s just me and my son, I’m about to have surgery so finances are incredibly tight. Thank you SO MUCH for this."Someone else reveals, "I’ll be alone on Thanksgiving this year. I love the idea of the casserole so I can still have a Thanksgiving but not spend a ton of money on it since it’s just me."A few people who know the struggle of not having money for holiday dinners chime in to praise Rebecca for thinking of people who aren't in a financial position to purchase ingredients for a meal, one of them writes, "Truly makes me teary-eyed. We are financially able to make thanksgiving dinner how we’d like, but the fact that you make this possible for SO many…you’re a treasure on this app." The other commenter shares, "I don't know why I'm crying but there you have it. I thankfully no longer struggle to feed my family but for those who do, you are helping to feed their tummies, their souls, and their dignity."Rebecca's meals may not be for everyone but the ones that need it can purchase the ingredients and serve their family with no one ever being the wiser. Thanks to her Dollar Tree menu, some families who didn't think they could afford a Thanksgiving meal but now can thanks to this thoughtful meal can now add this to their list of things to be thankful for.

You've heard of Emotional Support Dogs. Whether they're formally trained or not, having a canine companion can help ease anxiety, depression, fear, and more in all kinds of different people. But while dogs never seem to get tired of loving and taking care of us, sometimes they need a little something for their own comfort! It might be a favorite chew toy that they refuse to destroy, or a stuffed animal that they like to snuggle and suck on.A 10-year-old very good boy named Ollie recently made a curious decision when picking his own comfort object. He plucked a pumpkin right out of a patch and hasn't let it out of his sight since. See on Instagram "IT HAPPENED AGAIN!! ??" Ollie's owners captioned the first Instagram post. "You guys all know that Ollie picked an emotional support pumpkin 2 years ago, well a few weeks ago he finally picked one again! He knew exactly which one he wanted."Two weeks later, they posted an update. Ollie, a Chocolate Lab, still hadn't let the pumpkin leave his sight. He's shown cuddling it in bed, carrying it around the house, and occasionally gnawing on the handle.The handle, which eventually broke off! But Ollie's owners put the pumpkin in a little wicker basket with a handle so Ollie could continue to carry it with him everywhere he goes. It worked like a charm!That's right. This isn't Ollie's first time turning a real live pumpkin into his personal comfort blankey. See on Instagram Apparently he's been at it for years!The videos go viral every time, to no one's surprise. They're just so sweet and joyful you can't possibly keep yourself from smiling when you watch Ollie snuggle his pumpkin. This is definitely the content we all need right now — and every fall, while we're at it!(One commenter on Reddit noted that Ollie was becoming a great "Gourd Dog." There are puns aplenty to be made here.)Why would a dog pick a pumpkin for comfort? Photo by Marius Ciocirlan on Unsplash Objects that humans (or dogs!) pick for comfort are sometimes called transitional objects. Transitional objects help foster a feeling of safety and help with separation anxiety.Early definitions of the term "transitional object" actually used the comfort object as a stand-in for Mom "until the child has established an internal object, or mental representation of her, that provides a sense of security and comfort."In young kids, they most often take the form of a stuffed animal, blanket, or lovey (which is a cuddly stuffed animal/blanket combination). But they can also be unique and bizarre, like a favorite water bottle, a Tupperware container, a rock, a feather. Anything, really.Dogs have many different ways they go about choosing a comfort object. They look for the way it feels, smells, sounds, or even tastes. They usually want something they can carry around easily, and they may like things they can "interact" with.You can kind of begin to see how a pumpkin might fit the bill! It may have interesting smells and tastes. It's easy to carry by the handle — which doubles as a nice chew toy. It has a pleasant, hollow sound when you place it down on the ground.The one drawback, of course, is that pumpkins can't last forever. No matter how gentle Ollie is with it or how many tongue baths he gives it. Pumpkins rot and go bad. That's life!But there's always next year to pick a new one. And judging by Ollie's Instagram history, you can bet he'll be eagerly awaiting his trip to the pumpkin patch next fall.

Editor's Note: This story discusses suicide. If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is in need of help, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.23-year-old Jazmine Walton has struggled with schizophrenia most of her life. For years she battled paranoia and haunting hallucinations. Schizophrenia can make the act of living extraordinarily difficult. One night in January of 2023, Jazmine felt that she couldn't go on. She got her hands on her boyfriend's handgun and shot herself in the face.Miraculously, she survived, and was even conscious directly after the gunshot. She was able to make it to a hospital despite catastrophic injuries and massive blood loss, and was in a coma for two weeks after two emergency surgeries that saved her life.By February, she was posting on social media again, unafraid of showing the world her scars as she began to heal.Jazmine has since become an outspoken force for good. She regularly talks about her recovery, both mental and physical, and works to keep others from going down the dark road she took herself. @j.a.z.m.i.n.e_ its hard to be strong for you guys but heres some positivity to get you through your darkest hour #fyp In a video from earlier this year, she pleads:"Suicide is not the answer.""Now that I've been alive for a year and some months, I've learned the importance and the feeling of loving life again. ... I'm making this video to help you handle the dark times in your life."She stresses the importance of finding a support system, not withdrawing from people who love you, and learning how to love yourself when times are tough.The advice hits hard coming from Jazmine versus a psychologist or other expert. You can visually see that she's been through struggles most of us couldn't imagine, and she's come out the other side of it. Hurt, but alive. Her existence proves that it's possible to get better.Sadly, nearly 50 thousand people die every year from suicide in the United States.Surviving a suicide attempt does not mean a person is out of the woods. Even besides physical recovery, survivors face a major uphill battle again shame, depression, grief, and self-stigma.It's extremely hard for them to talk about what they've been through, even with their closest loved ones.Jazmine has gone through many phases of her recovery. There have been numerous reconstructive surgeries, good days and bad days, breakthroughs and setbacks. After life-threatening injuries to her face, no one would have blamed her for hiding away.But she continues to share details of her recovery with over 200 thousand followers, most of whom are relative strangers to her. She hopes it gives others the strength to dot he same. Her openness and vulnerability have undoubtedly saved lives. Jazmine from a video posted in late 2022lifeasjazminee/TikTokProbably the most inspiring videos on Jazmine's page, though, are far more mundane. Trying on clothes, doing her makeup, or talking about music. @j.a.z.m.i.n.e_ trying here #fyp #viral #nailsoftiktok You also see her posing in outfits and bikinis and trying out new hairstyles — or finding beauty and joy in her new look. Her viewers are so supportive at every turn, constantly reminding her, and each other, that they're glad she's still here, that she's beautiful, that they appreciate her.In another video, she tells her viewers, "It gets better, trust me."It's an old cliche, but Jazmine is living, breathing evidence that it's actually true.