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Recent Articles

10
May

Why the Salvation Army Should File an IRS Form 990

The Salvation Army is an international group of Christians who claim the Salvation Army is a church.  The funny thing is I can’t remember the last time I drove down the road and saw a church with the sign “Salvation Army” in front of it although I see signs in front of other churches identifying the property as Methodist, Evangelical, Presbyterian, Catholic, and more. In fact, I don’t recall ever seeing a church with the words “Salvation Army” on a sign in front of a church. So, where is the Church of the Salvation Army?  Read more »

8
May

Dimples (the fruit, not the adorable result of a smile)

A Dimple is a sweet, easy-to-eat seedless Mandarin orange that is nutritious and delicious. With an easy to peel flesh (the whole orange can be peeled in one piece, a Dimple is a hybrid (the “gold nugget”) of the Mandarin variety with a bright orange bumpy “dimpled” rind which is how the fruit got its name.

It’s not a coincidence the name of this fruit shares its meaning with the adorable result of a smile.  Peel and eat a Dimple and you can’t help but smile, which if you’re lucky enough, will show in those cute dimples! Read more »

6
May

Fever-Tree Naturally Light Tonic Water

If 99% of your tonic and lime is tonic, make sure you use the best.

With summer fast approaching, it’s time to start thinking about refreshing drinks to enjoy after those long, hot summer days.  Few drinks are as thirst quenching as a large glass filled with ice cubes, tonic and a slice of lime with the secret in the tonic. Really good tonic has the perfect balance of bitter from quinine (that comes from the cinchona tree) and sweet that can be from table sugar (sucrose), high fructose corn syrup (fructose and glucose derived from corn), artificial sweeteners, or just plain fructose (a natural sweetener found primarily in fruits, vine fruits, flowers, berries, and most root vegetables). Read more »

4
May

The Donald Trump Chia Pet is Out of Control

A few months ago, I sent a very conservative friend the Donald Trump Chia Pet as a gift. This is the same friend that I sent a life-sized cardboard cutout of Hillary Clinton a few years ago after I saw a life-sized cardboard cutout of Sarah Palin in his dining room and lost my appetite. Although my friend told me he used the Hilary Clinton cutout to catch oil leaks under his car in the garage, I sensed the Donald Trump Chia Pet was given a more honorable place in his home (and he was, next to some brass knockers). Read more »

2
May

Veronica’s Health Crunch

Healthy meets Delicious.

Amazing Snack Alert!  Those are the words I spoke after enjoying a few bites of the original flavor of Veronica’s Health Crunch – a 100% natural, non-GMO, gluten-free snack that is outrageously delicious.

Made of almonds, walnuts, pecans, cranberries (cranberries,sugar), raw honey, organic pumpkin seeds, roasted almond oil, organic unsweetened shredded coconut, and sea salt, Veronica’s Health Crunch is everything you want in a snack – wholesome healthy ingredients and flavor all wrapped into one amazing snack food. Read more »

30
Apr

ThinOPTICS

Where are my glasses?

People of a certain age (over 40) know that reading glasses are a necessity of day-to-day living because the eyes are definitely not what they used to be. If you’ve ever been in a dark restaurant and been given a menu with more than 3 items on it and not had reading glasses handy, then you know the sense of frustration at not being able to read the font that seems to grow smaller every year. Put the menu up to a candle and risk a bonfire and the ire of the server not to mention the fire department. Read more »

28
Apr

Whole Grain Veggie Pockets

Whole Grain Veggie Pockets are the vegan’s answer to the calzone: a medley of fresh vegetables (and beans) cooked and seasoned on the stove and then baked in whole grain pizza dough. Inspired by Rip Esselstyn’s recipe for Village Potato Pockets in Plant-Strong, Whole Grain Veggie Pockets are simple, flavorful, and offer a medley of flavors. Read more »

26
Apr

Where does $100 to Halifax Urban Ministries Go?

Halifax Urban Ministries (HUM) “provides assistance with rent, utilities, clothing, medical, and food for needy families, and meals and shelter for the homeless.” Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, HUM is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) serving the local area in both preventing homelessness and assisting the homeless. Read more »

24
Apr

DIY Fruit and Vegetable Wash

There are all kinds of fancy and beautifully packaged fruit and vegetable wash products on the market that make all kinds of claims pertaining to effectiveness of removing pesticide residue but the best, most effective, and least expensive wash can be made at home by simply using vinegar, water combined with white vinegar, water combined with salt, or just plain tap water. Read more »

22
Apr

Hey SC: It’s Time To Widen I-95

According to Betterroads.com, South Carolina is the second deadliest state to drive in  – nearly 1,000 people (3 per day) were killed in 2016 and this is not sitting well with South Carolinians or the people traveling through the state who blame road conditions.

People in South Carolina have been making their views heard in a variety of creative ways including hiring planes to fly banners that say “Fix the Damn Roads” over the State House to forming alliances (Fix South Carolina Roads) to address the poor conditions of the roads. But, it’s not just potholes and deteriorating asphalt, it’s the inability of the highways to handle the amount of vehicles on the roads. Read more »