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
Is the NRA a Good Ol’ Boys Club?
The NRA (National Rifle Association of America) calls itself “America’s longest-standing civil rights organization.” By most definitions, civil rights refer to a “class of rights to protect individuals’ freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one’s ability to participate in the civil and political life of the society and state without discrimination or repression.”* So, it only seems natural to look at the people – the officers, directors, and key employees – and the composition of the management of “America’s longest-standing civil rights organization” to see if this organization sets the standards for upholding civil rights in America. Read more
The Israeli Conflict in 700 Words
Every newspaper, magazine, and media outlet is spewing out articles about Israel these days – often with several related stories because there is simply so much information and an abundance of opinions, all of which can be overwhelming. The conflict between Israel and the rest of the world is daunting and polarizing which is all the more reason the public needs to be informed. With that in mind, the Israeli conflict is described below in 700 words: Read more
The Big Why Questions for 2017….
With the beginning of a new year comes hope for a better future, a more enlightened approach to problem solving, and a commitment to do better. And, so we ask ourselves the questions that transcend time. Questions that hang over us like a wet towel or an annoying mosquito that never seems to go away. Questions that we try not to think about because they may be too hard to solve. Questions that are complicated, inconvenient and often easier to dismiss than figure out. But, questions nonetheless that are worthy of our time because they make us look at our ourselves and see if our actions are aligned with our beliefs. The questions also make us wonder if we are part of the problem or the solution. Read more
Living in the Moment
It seems that every time I turn around, someone is trying to sell me a new way to stay connected or to connect some aspect of my life to technology and I’m not having it. Blame it on my age (baby boomers are reluctant followers) or simply stubbornness, but living in the moment means I interact with friends and family without having to pull out my i-phone to take a selfie and post it on social media so everyone can see what a great time I’m having with the other beautiful people in my life. These moments really are more meaningful – happy or sad – than any photo reveals because I’m living them. Read more
10 Gifts for the Busy Mom
I hear you. Raising kids and running a house keep me busy, too. I also have this little gig on the side called a full time job.
Finding just the right gift for the busy mom can be a challenge. Most moms usually have three things on their minds – family, work, and dinner – so the idea is how to make these three super important parts of her life easier and a bit more relaxing. With that in mind, here are ten gift ideas for the busy mom who doesn’t have enough hours in the day to get everything done: Read more
Keeping Up With The Lingo
Last week my husband I were traveling and spent a lot of time in hotels which naturally led to watching television, which we rarely do. While viewing a golf tournament, a commercial for Trojan condoms aired featuring Lil Dicky (a rapper, according to Wikipedia) who closed the ad by saying “Trojan Bareskin Condoms are so sick” which left me perplexed. In my generation, the word “sick” meant ill, unwell, or about to vomit so why would anyone describe a condom as less than perfect or up for the job? Because to the younger generation, “sick” apparently means cool, awesome, or really good so who better than a guy named Lil Dicky to endorse Trojans? Read more
Love Thy Neighbor….
As individual voters, we can do very little to reform our broken political system, or to change the apocalyptic tenor of today’s political campaigns. But, as neighbors and friends, we can redeem politics through ordinary human decency. ~Joshua Rothman
The archive director (Joshua Rothman) of The New Yorker wrote an article for the November 7, 2016 issue entitled “The Enemy Next Door“ which is a must-read for anyone baffled or horrified by the political leanings of their neighbors, friends, and relatives. The article is actually a review of Nancy Rosenblum’s new book “Good Neighbors: The Democracy of Everyday Life in America” but the insight is equally applicable to friends and family who find themselves on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Read more
Paddock Post 