Video can be found here.

This week the Senate is considering legislation that would repeal an expected cut in the cost-of living adjustment for military retired pay for retirees who are under age 62.

This cut was included in the federal budget bill that passed late last year.  No VA benefits are affected one way or the other.  But, retirement benefits for these retirees were partially cut in the budget agreement. This has caused quite an uproar, with many voicing concerns that this was not the right decision. Those voicing concern supported legislation to repeal it.

The issue is finding other savings somewhere to pay for the restoration of these benefits.  We need to find other places to save so that we don't add $5.7 billion to the deficit.

I support restoring the cost-of-living adjustment.  These retirees have honorably served their country.  They were made a promise years ago when they joined the military.  Changing the rules in the middle of the game like this is simply unfair.  We need to work to find other places within the budget to save so that we can keep our promise to these military retirees.

In a weekly video address, Senator Grassley discusses legislation that the Senate is considering that would repeal an expected cut in the cost-of living adjustment for military retired pay for retirees who are under age 62.

By now, it has become apparent to academics, administrators, parents and teachers that, in general, boys are underperforming in school, says Edmond J. Dixon, Ph.D, a veteran educator and international expert who offers enhanced teaching techniques for boys.

And it may get worse, he says.

It will take some creativity to teach some elements of Common Core, the educational initiative set to be implemented throughout most of the United States, in a way that's conducive to how most boys best learn, Dixon says.

Common Core has been criticized by educators and other experts as demanding standards that are static, arbitrary and generally antithetical to creativity and innovation. Yet initial results in Kentucky, the first state to use the program, have been positive. The state's graduation rate increased 6 percent from 2010 to 2013, and the percentage of college-ready students increased 20 percent.

"Any parent or teacher who wants a boy to be successful with Common Core must understand two crucial ideas: motivated engagement and discretionary effort," says Dixon, who has more than three decades experience as a teacher, is a parent of boys, and is the author of "Helping Boys Learn: Six Secrets for Your Son's Success in School," (HelpingBoysLearn.com), which features tailored editions for parents and teachers.

Because the new curriculum is designed to improve critical thinking, which requires a deep understanding of the material, boys must be both motivated and deeply engaged to learn, he says. That's what it will take for them to independently put in the necessary hard work involved in learning - discretionary effort - without nagging, he says.

"Only by doing this will they be able to meet the new learning requirements; we are already seeing the negative consequences of not doing this with boys, and I fear it will just get worse," says Dixon, adding that his approach inspires a boy's motivated engagement.

He offers two real-life examples that reveal volumes about how the male brain works:

•   Boys need a worthy challenge: Larry Bird and "Magic" Johnson, both NBA greats, who have also become great friends, are eager to talk about their former rivalry. Both say that they simply would not have had the same legendary career without that individual competition; it made them better. When Johnson left the NBA, Bird said he just wasn't as interested in the game.

The male brain responds to a challenge it deem worthy. A student, who daydreams during algebra class and appears lazy, may also pour attention and effort into mastering a skateboarding trick. Constructing a challenge for the male student will do wonders to engage his learning.

•   Boys crave legitimacy. Think about all the colleges in the United States; now imagine trying to craft an NFL playoff-style system that fairly selects the No.1 college football team. Does it seem impossible? Aren't there too many teams?

The NCAA has been trying to figure out a system for establishing a legitimate No. 1 team for decades, and it's finally going to implement one next season. Whether or not it'll work, the effort put into such an endeavor has been considerable. Why so much time and energy for a game?

Because the male brain craves legitimacy; boys will only agree that something is meaningful or valuable if there is a valid process for establishing that value. In the classroom, helping boys understand why and how learning a concept, skill or calculation has value for them will go a long way toward motivating them to learn.

About Dr. Edmond J. Dixon

A pioneer in the field of cognitive-kinesthetics for learning, Edmond J. Dixon, Ph.D., is a human development specialist with more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, administrator, writer, researcher - and parent of boys. He is the founder of the KEEN Differentiated Learning Group, an organization dedicated to helping struggling learners, and the creator of KEEN 5X, a series of strategies for classroom engagement and learning that were have been used with more than 50,000 students and teachers. His previous books, "KEEN For Learning" and "Literacy Through Drama," have been used by educators to improve classroom learning. A dynamic and popular presenter, he has spoken throughout North America on education and human development topics. 

Entrepreneurship is alive and well in the United States with hundreds of thousands of new businesses opening each year.

More than 22 million of our small businesses are one-man (or woman) shops, and the number of those ringing up more than $1 million in sales is growing - it was nearly 27,000 in 2011, the most recent U.S. Census statistics available.

"Americans are very savvy business people, and for more and more of us, the rewards of running our own business trounce the risks associated with stepping out on our own," says Lynda Chervil, a longtime businesswoman, thought leader and author of the new book, "Fool's Return," (http://lyndachervil.com/).

"Imagine what would happen if we applied our CEO mindset and skills to our own lives? Sometimes, it takes a boss to tell you to do something in order for it to get done. Now's the time to become that boss."

Chervil shares tips for doing that:

• Embrace change, renewal and rebirth. There is no shortage of opportunity to notice change in life. Don't be afraid to use milestones to provide yourself with an "employer's review" on how you're doing in your own life. What are you doing well, what needs work and how are you going to improve? Create a detailed plan on how you expect to accomplish your goals. Give yourself a timeline, such as losing 20 pounds by summer or increasing your net worth by next year.

• You're your own best entrepreneur. Part of being a good boss means trying out enterprising ideas; it's the mediocre bosses who are content with the status quo. You don't have to start with something wild. Instead, follow through on ideas that are good for you, such as buying healthy food that you haven't yet tried. Look up recipes for how to prepare a healthy item like quinoa - make a project out of it. Have fun with the new you. Just because you have a new job with plenty of responsibility - being your own boss - doesn't mean you can't have fun.

• Manage what you can control; accept what you cannot; and look outside the box. This is not as easy as it may sound because we often think we can control things that, in fact, we cannot, including how people respond to us or how quickly our bodies respond to diet and exercise. Progress does not happen all at once. While it makes sense to focus on what we can control, you may also consider alternative methods of living. That may include riding a bike to work rather than driving, or exploring alternative forms of spiritual healing.

• Don't be a victim! To a greater or lesser extent, we're all taught to be obedient conform to the standards set by parents, teachers and bosses. Unfortunately, for many, this passive role can shape one's identity and influence other relationships. It all starts with one's own relationship to one's self, Chervil says. As most parents and teachers will say, the best students are those who need the least help and are willing to be proactive in their own improvement. Understand that it's not others who determine what you can do; it's you!

About Lynda Chervil

Lynda Chervil is the author of "Fool's Return," http://lyndachervil.com/, a new novel that incorporates valuable life lessons in a page-turning tale that touches on technology, the green movement, and other aspects of contemporary society. She graduated from New York University with a master's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications and has extensive experience in consumer and commercial banking and has held positions in new business development, sales management and executive leadership. Chervil seeks to push the limits of established understanding by exploring alternative forms of spiritual healing, and, through creative writing, to expand the narrative of cutting-edge energy technology to promote sustainability.

Des Moines, February 11, 2014 –On Tuesday, February 25, at 3:00 p.m., Governor Terry E. Branstad will administer the oath of office to Court of Appeals Judge Christopher Lee McDonald in a public ceremony in the supreme court courtroom in the Judicial Branch Building, 1111 East Court Avenue, Des Moines. Judge McDonald, 39, fills the vacancy on the Iowa Court of Appeals that occurred when Chief Judge Larry Eisenhauer retired.

Judge McDonald, Des Moines, was born in Bangkok, Thailand. He earned his undergraduate degree from Grand View University in 1997 and his law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2001, where he graduated with highest distinction and received Order of the Coif recognition. After graduation, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable David R. Hansen, United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Prior to being appointed to the Iowa Court of Appeals, Judge McDonald served as a Judge of the District Court, Fifth Judicial District of Iowa. Prior to commencing service on the bench, Judge McDonald worked in private practice in Central Iowa.

Judge McDonald is a member of the American Bar Association, Iowa State Bar Association, Polk County Bar Association, and the Iowa Judges Association.