The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart: A Documentary to Watch
The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart is one of the most enjoyable (and nostalgic) documentaries I’ve ever watched. Although the film is fundamentally about a group, the underlying theme is the love story of three incredibly talented brothers who cared deeply for each other but by most accounts would never have stayed together and endured were they not siblings. And, finally, it’s the story of a music industry that didn’t always know what to do with a band that defied norms.
I’m a bit late to the game in writing about this documentary (it was released in 2020) because I just saw it and found the story so compelling that I had to watch it again to fully grasp all the details (hearing the music a second time was just a bonus). There’s the birth of a group that catapults into a band, the success and the ups and downs but there’s also the culture of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s and the realization the brothers were better together. Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Robin Gibb were all singularly musical but the songs they wrote and sang together exponentially outshined their individual gifts. Read more 
Great Food Discoveries of 2023
2023 has been a banner year in my kitchen with 8 really great plant-based food discoveries made throughout the year including ice cream, chocolate, soup, cheese, granola, nuts, and salami. All 8 of these companies deserve a food Oscar for their healthy and delicious creations. Read more
20 Things I Wish I Knew About Health When I was 20
At 20 years old, most young adults feel invincible. With youth, muscle tone, and boundless energy, most 20-year olds can’t imagine their bodies not performing well or looking great. The Olympian, Shaun White recently told an interviewer “I’m not big on aging. It has been hard letting go of physical things that once were easy. I’m going into this new phase gracefully….It’s a humbling part of my life.” Those words were spoken by a 37-year old former pro snowboarder and the winner of three Olympic gold medals in snowboarding, and my initial thought was …wait until he turns 60.” All the more reason to take care of yourself so you can enjoy an active life. Read more
Executive Compensation at Liberty University (2022)
Liberty University (Liberty) – a private evangelical Christian university based in Lynchburg, Virginia – has been in the news quite a bit over the past few years. Seems the US Department of Education has been investigating Liberty for violations related to the public reporting of campus crime. Faced with a large fine (estimated to be $37 million), Liberty seems to be in the hot seat again (the Jerry Falwell, Jr sexual misconduct saga that resulted in Falwell’s resignation as President of the university hit the public forum in 2020), although $37 million is a drop in the bucket for Liberty who has more than $3 billion in net assets. Read more
Reine Vegan Cheese
Plant-based cheese (or vegan cheese) has been growing in popularity in recent years with growth expected to increase at an annual rate of 16% over the next 7 years, according to a market research report by RationalStat (a company that does market research, analysis, forecast and trends).
The growth is being fueled by turophiles (cheese lovers) who want the savory creamy texture of dairy-based cheese without the lactose, and for those seeking a healthier alternative to animal-based products. Read more
12 Things I Wish I Knew About Life When I Was 20
Life has a way of teaching us lessons that are often painful, expensive, or just inconvenient. Whenever I have an experience and question how I missed something or what took me so long, I make a mental note to make sure to tell my daughter so she doesn’t make the same mistake. That said, read on for a list of 12 things (in no particular order) I would have told my 20-year old self: Read more
Duke Energy Sucks: Handling Existing Customer Account Changes
We recognize the essential nature of our service and strive for excellence in all we do. We work our hardest to earn your confidence and trust every day. ~Duke Energy
There’s nothing like a monopoly in the US to make you think that maybe we don’t live in a first world country. Duke Energy, an American electric power and natural gas company headquartered in Charlotte, NC has a policy that no matter how long you’ve had an account and paid your bills on time, the company will not provide power to a new home unless they run a credit check, even if you prepay for the power. Ask them why? The standard answer is “it’s our policy.” That’s not a reason. Handling new accounts without a payment history is one thing; mishandling existing on-time paying customer accounts is quite another. Read more
Executive Compensation at Hillsdale College
Hillsdale College, a small private liberal arts college with 1,600 students in southern Michigan (Hillsdale) is the college virtually no one heard of 20 years ago. Founded by abolitionist, Free Will Baptist preachers nearly 200 years ago in 1844, Hillsdale until recently maintained a small word of mouth following among conservatives attracting students (and conservative parents of smart (avg ACT 30-34, mid-range SAT 1370-1480 – 89-96 percentile, mid-range GPA 3.9-4.0) young people) who want a conservative liberal arts education, which is kind of an oxymoron. Approximately 20% of applicants are accepted, of which 62% opt to enroll. Read more
How Hillsdale College Spends Revenue
Conservative movements to reform education are often defined by what they’re against.
~Emma Green
Hillsdale College, a small private liberal arts college with 1,600 students in southern Michigan (Hillsdale) is the college virtually no one heard of 20 years ago. Founded by abolitionist, Free Will Baptist preachers nearly 200 years ago in 1844, Hillsdale until recently maintained a small word of mouth following among conservatives attracting students (and conservative parents of smart (avg ACT 30-34, mid-range SAT 1370-1480 – 89-96 percentile, mid-range GPA 3.9-4.0) young people) who want a conservative liberal arts education, which is kind of an oxymoron. Approximately 20% of applicants are accepted, of which 62% opt to enroll. Read more
Pets: IMHA and One Vaccine at a Time….
A few weeks ago, my daughter took her 6-year old female corgi to a new vet who gave the dog 3 vaccinations (rabies, leptospira, and bordetello). Five days later, the dog collapsed so my daughter took her to Burlington Emergency Veterinary Specialists (BEVS) where they admitted the dog.
Bloodwork indicated she was anemic: a PCV (Packed Cell Volume that is also called hematocrit) score of 23 compared to a normal 35, and an ultrasound showed an enlarged spleen which led to the diagnosis of Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA) where the body no longer recognizes healthy red blood cells as part of the body and develops antibodies to destroy them. Without enough healthy red blood cells, the organs are deprived of oxygen, or the animal is overwhelmed by a blood clot. Read more
Paddock Post 