The Most Magnificent Thing
Reading a children’s book can be magical even if you’re reading the book to yourself because the story can take you back to a time when you thought extraordinary things were still possible.
Reading James and The Giant Peach when I was 9 years old filled me with morbid fear of Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge who were terribly cruel to little James. But, the story also filled me with great joy when James prevailed despite the odds. And, who could forget Charlotte’s Web where the love of a little girl and the devotion of a spider saved Wilbur from a terrible fate? Read more 
Executive Salaries at the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association (AHA) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) that primarily relies on public and government funds for funding and is therefore required to submit an IRS Form 990 – the tax return that provides details about the organization including how much revenue was raised and spent, the amount the organization has in net fund assets, and the compensation packages of the executives. Read more
Chocolate Pecan Bars
Chocolate Pecan Bars are rich, moist, crunchy dark chocolate nutty bars that will remind you of a chocolate pecan pie (without the corn syrup) although my daughter says these gooey treats taste like cookie/candy bars. In fact, these bars were born of a “disastrous” mistake made when I added too many pecans to a chocolate pecan pie recipe with the idea that more is better. Read more
Lupa’s Tropical Paradise Sprouted Trail Mix
Lupa’s Tropical Paradise Sprouted Trail Mix is paradise in a packet. Made of all organic ingredients: currants, cashews, pumpkin seeds, pecans, brazil nuts, dehydrated mango slices, maple cinnamon walnuts (made with organic walnuts, organic Grade A 100% pure maple syrup, and organic Saigon cinnamon) and walnuts, Lupa’s Tropical Paradise Sprouted Trail Mix is the trail mix to take along to the beach or when you just want a wholesome, delicious healthy snack. Read more
Where Does $100 to The Boys and Girls Club of America Go?
The Boys and Girls Club of America, Inc. (“The Boys and Girls Club“) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) that offers programs – primarily after school – for young people. Based in Atlanta, the national office of The Boys and Girls Club also has regional offices in Atlanta, New York City, Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles. In addition there are more than a thousand local chartered offices throughout the country targeting disadvantaged youths to help them “reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.” Funding for the organization is primarily from both the public and the government. Read more
The Splendid Things We Planned
Blake Bailey is best known for his biographies of very talented but troubled writers (Yates, Cheever, and Jackson) so when The Splendid Things We Planned – a personal family memoir – was published in 2014, readers took note because it’s one thing to write about other people’s lives but quite another to open the flood gates on your own family. Read more
Why The Big Picture Matters
Several years ago I started making donations to sanctuaries specializing in the rescue of animals from slaughter houses and abused “homes.” The stories were heartbreaking and I knew my dollars were primarily going to the veterinary care of the animals, food, shelter, and the selfless staff devoted to taking care of these animals.
When a cow escapes from a slaughter house in Brooklyn, I cheer for the cow (and curse the people chasing the petrified animal) and often send a donation to the kind person who rescued the terrified animal. So, before I go further, I want to unequivocally say these charities deserve our support because they spotlight the abuse and horrific way people treat most animals. They make us think twice about our choices. Read more
Remembering Sean Booker, Sr.
Tomorrow will mark 16 years since 9-11 with most of us remembering 9-11 as the day that changed the world. 2,996 people were killed and thousands more were wounded. Survivors were left without fathers, mothers, children, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, husbands, wives, partners, and friends.
Sean Booker, a 35-year old Xerox technician was working in the Marsh and McLennan office on the 93rd floor of the North Tower when the first hijacked plane (American Airlines Flight 11) struck at 8:46 am between the 93rd and 99th floors. Sean Booker lost his life. Read more
Where Does $100 to Feeding America Go?
Feeding America is a 501 (c) (3) whose mission is “to feed America’s hungry through a nationwide network of food banks and engage the country in the fight to end hunger.” With an estimated 42 million people experiencing hunger every day (or 1 out of 8 people), Feeding America seeks to alleviate hunger by procuring and distributing food, creating public awareness and educating the public, lawmakers, and public policy influencers, and conducting research on hunger.
Established in 1988, Feeding America has been around for nearly three decades and has grown substantially through the years. For the year ending, June 30, 2016, Feeding America raised $2.438 billion of which $2.289 billion (94%) were non-cash contributions (i.e. food) and $149 million cash – from contributions ($87 million), program revenue sources ($24 million), royalties ($35 million), and other sources ($3 million). With most contributions being food for distribution to the vast network of food banks across the country, the question that most donors want to know is how the $149 million in cash revenue was spent. Read more
The Ultimate Brownie Spatula
Getting brownies out of the pan intact has always been difficult for me. First I cut the brownies in the pan with a knife and then try to maneuver a spatula under the brownie which invariably results in crumbled pieces in the pan or broken brownies.
The brownies still taste great but they just don’t look as delicious on the plate. For years, I’ve searched for the right spatula but most are just too big (12 inches long or more) for the job until I discovered the Fox Run Cookie Brownie Spatula: a 7 inch by 2.25 inch stainless steel spatula with a wood handle that makes cutting and serving brownies a breeze. Read more
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