The Creamiest Oatmeal Ever: Milkadamia Oatmeal
Oatmeal is oatmeal, right? Well…..not exactly. The quality and the texture (whole grain is better than quick cooking) of the oats matters because flavor counts but it is virtually impossible to look at oats and assess the flavor. You have to read reviews and try various brands until you find the flavor you want..and, then you have to master the cooking part.
Most people cook oats with water – which produces a somewhat bland tasting oatmeal unless you are the lucky owner of some serious oats like Cayuga Pure Organics Erick’s Rolled Oats or Anson Mills). If you can’t get your hands on one of those bags, then consider Bob’s Red Mill Organic Oats – a 32 ounce bag is about $5 at grocery stores nationwide…but don’t use water. Read more 
Top 10 Executives (MEN) at the NRA Made $10.6 Million
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a non-profit 501 (c) (4) organization that fights tirelessly for our second amendment rights. Whether or not you believe the second amendment refers to “militia” or “the people” has always been controversial but is even more so in the wake of the near daily occurrence of mass shootings in this country. People are speaking out for gun control because quite frankly, there are too many guns and assault weapons in the hands of the wrong people. Read more
Finding Winnie
The heart of this story, to me, has always been that you never know the impact one small, loving gesture can have. It is the dedication to my son Cole and it is the one piece I hope all readers will take away from Finding Winnie. ~Lindsay Mattick
Finding Winnie is the true story of a baby bear rescued by a veterinarian in White River, Canada just as World War I was beginning in 1914.
Harry Colebourn was living in Winnipeg when he had to say good-bye to his family and friends before traveling across Canada to reach an oceanliner that would take him to Europe where he would serve as a veterinarian for the Canadian army’s horses. When the train stopped in White River, Canada, Colebourn noticed a man sitting on bench holding on to a rope tied to a baby bear. He offered the man $20 for the baby bear and the rest is history. Read more
Pink Lady Chick Pea Salad
Pink Lady Chick Pea Salad is the go to salad when you want something fresh and flavorful but don’t have a lot of time. Full of crunchy fruits, vegetables, and legumes – apple, celery, red onion, and chick peas – the Pink Lady Chick Pea Salad comes together with tangy lemon juice, creamy avocado and freshly chopped cilantro. From pantry and refrigerator to the table in less than 10 minutes, this salad is filling but not heavy, and full of fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. Enjoy on a bed of lettuce or serve between two whole grain pieces of bread. Read more
Where does $100 to St. Jude’s Go?
St. Jude’s is one of the most popular non-profit organizations in the country because the charity’s mission appeals to donors: they treat and help children with cancer and other life threatening illnesses. But, before making donations, donors should understand that St. Jude’s is actually two organizations:
- St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Inc. (Hospital)
- ALSAC – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Inc. (ALSAC)
How to Compete With the NRA
The primary reason the NRA is so successful at keeping guns, rifles, assault weapons and high-capacity magazines in so many people’s hands is because they are organized and well-funded. The foundation of the organization is the NRA itself – a non-profit 501 (c) (4) that has a reported 5 million members who pay about $40 annually each. This is key (a 501 (c) (4) cannot accept tax deductible contributions (although they can accept contributions that are NOT tax deductible) so the NRA focuses on membership).
The NRA holds fundraisers, and is affiliated with four non-profit 501 (c) (3)’s – NRA Foundation, NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund, NRA Special Contributions Fund, NRA Freedom Action Foundation – all of whom can collect tax deductible donations and use these funds to support firearm organizations, educate the public, and provide legal assistance. The NRA is also affiliated with a PAC (NRA Political Victory Fund) which contributes to political organizations and candidates. Read more
Core Granola
Most granola contains added oil and sweeteners so it’s really important to read the label to know what’s in the food you’re eating. At the top of the list of ingredients to avoid are refined sugars and oils with saturated fat (note: there are two types of fat: saturated and unsaturated and within unsaturated there are two subgroups: polyunsaturated and monounsaturated). Unsaturated fats – both poly (i.e. sunflower oil, safflower oil, nuts and seeds) and mono (i.e. olive oil, walnut oil, canola oil, peanut butter) – are a better choice in moderation than saturated fats (i.e. butter, palm oil). Read more
How The Donald Beat the FAA
Back in 1985, Donald Trump (“The Donald”) purchased Mar-a-Lago, the Marjorie Merriweather estate (a 110,000 square foot National Historic Landmark on 17 acres of land that span from the ocean to the intracoastal in Palm Beach) for $8 million (about $18 million in today’s dollars). He renovated the estate and turned the property into a private club in 1995 (requiring a $25,000 initiation fee which has since been raised to $200,000), although he maintains private living quarters on the property for he and his family. Ironically, the initial initiation fee was a bargain (the buying power of $25,000 in 1985 is $40,000 in 2017 dollars) compared to the cost to join in 2017. Read more
Mountain Dew? Doritos? In a Hospital?
Recently, I spent several hours at the JFK Medical Center in Atlantis, Florida where a friend was being treated. The waiting room was filled with family and friends who had very few options while waiting for news of their loved ones. In one corner of the room was a coffee maker and a basket full of Otis Spunkmeyer Blueberry Muffins (which earned a D+ from www.caloriecount.com for its 19 grams of sugar, 9 grams of fat, and 270 mg of sodium) while in the other corner were two vending machines. Read more
Ma’ale Adumim Is Not In Israel
We didn’t steal the land from anybody. It was built on empty hills. You can see there – the desert, rocks and sand. Now you have a living city. ~ Benny Kashriel, Mayor of Ma’ale Adumim
Ma’ale Adumim is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank built on a parcel of land that was seized from Jordan in 1967. Established in 1975, Ma’ale Adumim was given official status as an Israeli settlement in 1977 by Israel’s Prime Minister at the time, Menachem Begin although the settlement has not been recognized by Jordan or the rest of the world because the settlement is built on land that doesn’t belong to Israel. Read more
Paddock Post 