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21
May

Nothing But The Fruit™ Real Fruit Bites

Nothing But The Fruit™ Real Fruit Bites are a new snack option for kids and adults who want something sweet and tangy without added sugar or high fructose corn syrup.

Made of fruit that has been picked, puréed, and pressed into bite-sized pieces, Nothing But The Fruit™ Real Fruit Bites are vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO. There are no added preservatives, refined sweeteners, waxes, or colors, and yes, the little squares taste great…chewy, sweet, and delicious. Read more »

19
May

Executive Compensation at Duke

Duke University (Duke) is one of the most academically competitive schools in the country with an acceptance rate at about 9% of applicants.  Located in Durham, North Caroline, Duke has about 15,000 students, of which 6,500 are undergraduates. The annual tuition is about $53,000 while room and board adds another $17,000 for a total annual cost of about $70,000.

In 2016, Duke’s total revenue was $2.8 billion with most of the income coming from 3 sources: contributions, gifts, and grants ($1.4 billion), tuition and academic fees ($1 billion) and investment income/sale of assets ($0.3 billion). Expenses were $2.7 billion (not including depreciation).  At year-end, Duke had $9.2 billion in net fund assets. Read more »

17
May

Where Silicon Valley Community Foundation Spends Revenue

The Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) is one of the largest (in terms of dollars) donor-advised community foundations in the country, second only to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, according to the NY Times. Never heard of it?  Me neither until the New York Times printed an article (“Inside a Silicon Valley Charity, A Toxic Culture Festered“) about the organization’s “toxic culture” caused by the chief fund-raiser who allegedly bullied her staff while the foundation’s chief executive ignored complaints because her success at raising funds made him look good. Read more »

15
May

When in NY, Go To Divya’s Kitchen

New York is a culinary destination for everyone including the plant-based devotee whose toughest decision may very well be where to eat (this hasn’t always been the case for vegans).  There’s fast food (By Chloe, Beyond Sushi, Plantmade, Peacefood, Cinnamon Snail at the Pennsy, Superiority Burger), fancy food (Dovetail, abcV),  pizza (Double Zero), really good food (Candle Cafe, Candle 79, Candle West, Dirt Candy, Blossom, Franchia, Bodhi, The Organic Grill, Nix, Avant Garden, Urban Vegan Kitchen, Arata) and then there is Divya’s Kitchen – an East Village restaurant that is technically vegetarian although most of the selections are deliriously delicious plant-based.

Divya’s Kitchen is well-known for its culinary creations, but there is also the ambiance, and a special something for which there isn’t a word  – casual and comfortable but also elegant in a Provence type of way – that makes Divya’s Kitchen my favorite place to eat in New York. Read more »

13
May

Executive Compensation at Princeton

With all the talk about how much it costs for a college education (about $250,000 for 4 years of tuition, room, and board at the top ranked private universities including Princeton University), it seems only natural that people would start asking why a 4-year degree costs so much?  The answer isn’t as complicated as some people want you to think.

In the most simplistic terms, the answer is:  you’re supporting a huge education machine where, in the case of Princeton, half of the total expenses ($920 million of the $1.8 billion in expenses (not including depreciation) are compensation-related costs for the 14,331 employees in 2016 (an average of $64,000 each). The next largest expense categories were grants (primarily to domestic individuals for undergrad scholarships and graduate fellowships) which totaled $320 million and office-related expenses (office, occupancy, IT, insurance) which came to $195 million, and interest ($143 million). Read more »

11
May

10 Tips to Make Plant-Based Meals Better

Switching from a Standard American Diet (SAD) and/or a diet high in animal products  – where milk, butter, cheese, meat, chicken, poultry, pork, fish, processed drinks and foods high in added fats and sugar are center stage –  to a plant-based diet is difficult because if you’re not used to eating a diet high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, then the food won’t seem satisfying or tasty at first (but within a few weeks, your taste buds adjust). So, the best way to make a successful transition is to make small changes that include the following tips: Read more »

9
May

Executive Compensation at the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society (ACS) was established in 1922 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, although there are 11 geographic divisions. As one of the most recognized non-profits in the country, generating more than $800 million a year and with $1.1 billion (!) in net fund assets, the ACS focuses on making research grants (about $170 million annually or 20% of revenue), providing patient support, prevention programs and education along with disseminating information.

To accomplish the above, ACS reported having 6,679 employees in 2016 at a total compensation cost of $455 million (which equates to an average of $68,000 each). 368 individuals received more than $100,000 in compensation with the 12 most highly compensated individuals listed below: Read more »

7
May

Best Bagels in NY: Tompkins Square Bagels

Everyone in New York and beyond has an opinion about bagels so I’m just going to put my two cents out there. Tompkins Square Bagels makes the best bagels, period. A great bagel has to be big and round, golden brown and slightly crispy on the outside and doughy on the inside – and that’s what Thompkins Square Bagels are.

With two locations (the original location at 165 Avenue A by Tompkins Square Park and 184 2nd Avenue between 11th and 12th Street) in the East Village, Tompkins Square Bagels is a neighborhood bagel shop but also a destination spot for many New Yorkers who know a good bagel when they taste one. Read more »

5
May

The House on Mango Street

People who live on hills sleep so close to the stars they forget those of us who live too much on earth.

In 1984, Sandra Cisneros – a woman who “dreamed about having a silent home, just to herself, the way other women dreamed of their weddings” – was a 30-year-old Mexican American writer (having earned a BA in English from Loyola University and a Masters of Fine Arts from Iowa Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa) published her first book, The House on Mango Street:  the story of a young Hispanic girl named Esperanza Cordero growing up on the west side of Chicago. Read more »

3
May

Executive Compensation at Harvard

Harvard University (Harvard) is one of the most well-respected institutions of higher learning in the United States and consequently, a popular choice among prospective students. With a 5% acceptance rate (40,000 students apply annually and only about 2,000 are accepted), Harvard is also one of the most competitive undergraduate schools in the country even though the cost to attend is about $65,000 annually ($45,000 for tuition and $20,000 for room, board, and fees).

Harvard is a 501 (c) (3) whose legal name is President and Fellows of Harvard College.  There is also Harvard Management Company, Inc. (HMC) – a 501 (c) (3) – whose mission is to provide investment management services to Harvard (managing the $41.9 billion in net fund assets). Both of these organizations are key to understanding the financial aspects of what most people think of as “Harvard.” Read more »