Non-Profits and CitizenAudit.org
‘Tis the season for non-profits to raise some serious funds and with a bull stock market, low unemployment, and a stronger economy, charitable organizations should raise large amounts of cash this year. We all want our charitable dollars to help those in need so before you make a donation, it’s important to know where your money is being spent. How much will be used to pay salaries, marketing firms, office space, mailings, traveling, and most importantly, how much is actually going to the recipients of the charity? Read more 
How to Reverse California’s Drought
California’s water drought problem has been in the news daily and although thousands of words have been written about this unfortunate situation, there are still a few left to write. California residents have been asked to turn off their sprinklers, stop washing their cars, use water saving toilets and faucets when in reality, only 5% of water consumption is domestic. Read more
The East Village (in Des Moines)…Really
When most people hear or speak of the East Village, they are referring to the trendy neighborhood in New York City but there is another East Village well worth visiting in Des Moines, Iowa. Known as the Historic East Village, this 6 square block area in downtown Des Moines (on the east side of the Des Moines River) is near the 23-carat gold domed Capital Building (which can be seen for miles).
Originally established as a commerce area more than 150 years ago, the East Village has an abundance of historic buildings that now house a museum, restaurants, cafes, bars, retail stores, an ice skating rink, an outdoor amphitheater and loft-style housing. Read more
Charity Checkout Contributions
In the United States, nearly every retail organization asks if you would like to make a charitable contribution to a good cause at the check out counter. Retailers love it because it makes them look caring (even if it’s on the back of customers) and often gives a tax write-off while charities love it because a lot of money is raised with very little cost (some companies do take a percentage as an administrative fee) while most customers dread it because they feel trapped and shamed into giving and this happens over and over every single day. Read more
Finding Compassion
Years ago in Sunday School, I was told the story of the beggar on the side of the road and remember thinking how unkind the people ignoring this human being were. He obviously needed help and yet most people walked right by. Fast forward a few thousand years and the dirt roads are now paved but men and women are still on the sidelines asking for help. Most people ignore them because they are afraid, think the person should be working, or that the money will be used to buy drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes. Read more
Where does your $1 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Go?
If you’ve participated in any of the thousands of fund-raising activities for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or shopped at CVS, Target, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Brooks Brothers, GNC, Claire’s, or Kmart, then you’ve probably been asked at the cash register to make a donation to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. More than likely, you’ve said yes, as evidenced by the $976 million (nearly $1 billion) collected by the ALSAC (American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities) – the fundraising organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – for the year ending June 30, 2013. Read more
Sunday Newspaper Inserts Hit a New Low
One of life’s little pleasures is the all-encompassing Sunday newspaper that contains all the news of the week and, of course the Sunday inserts from Target, Walmart, Best Buy, CVS, Walgreen’s, and this week’s special sales brochure from Shoot Straight which not only advertises the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-T, a tactical semi-automatic rifle with a 30-round detachable magazine for $949 but also the Smith & Wesson 15-22 Rife with a 25 round magazine for $399 for those who want to spend less. That the M&P 15-T is “designed specifically for the needs of military and police around the world” according to Impact Guns, is obviously besides the point. Read more
Who Are the Mass Shooters?
The FBI released a study on mass shootings this week that indicates mass shooters in our country are primarily male and young (no surprise there). The study looked at mass shootings between 2000 – 2013 and found there were 160 mass shootings where “an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.” The study does not include gang or drug related violence or shootings where the shooter’s primary purpose was to commit suicide publicly. Read more
How NPR’s Science Friday Goofed
On NPR‘s Science Friday program (“your trusted source for news and entertaining stories about science”) yesterday, Ira Flatow, the show’s host, aired a segment entitled “The People’s March Against Climate Change.” The two guests on the show were Bill McKibben (author of Eaarth, co-founder of 350.org and distinguished scholar at Middlebury College) and Peter deMenocal (an environmental scientist and professor at Columbia University) who both spoke about the importance of the People’s Climate March to be held this Sunday in New York City to bring a public voice to the climate change discussion. McKibben is one of the organizers of the march and deMenocal was on the show to explain why he, as a scientist has decided to participate in the march. Read more
Bring Back Home Economics
Why is so much classroom time spent on Math, Science, English, and History and so little on Health and Nutrition?
Kids and teenagers are overwhelmed with homework, standardized tests, AP courses, sports, and extracurricular activities – all of which require the brain and the body to perform at an optimum level for success. Yet, time is rarely allocated to learning about what it takes to properly nourish the body because parents, schools, and outside sources (i.e. McDonald’s, Five Guys, Chick-fil-A, Dunkin Donuts, Chipotle) provide the finished product (food) to our kids. Read more
Paddock Post 