Some people complain constantly about the cost of food. Sure, sometimes weather factors make the prices of some foods go up a lot, but the choices available to the modern American are remarkably broad, IF one is willing to do a bit of work and cooking. One can be a lazy bum and whine for a prepared food to pop into the toaster oven or microwave, or one can get off one's butt, use one's hands and fix something cheaply.
Here's a recipe for Johnny Cakes, a very simple, energy filled side dish for a couple fried eggs. "Johnny Cakes" is the slang name for a food of the common pioneer family in Rhode Island and other New England colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonnycake - that box pictured is the same as the one from where this recipe came, except I cut the salt in half and used olive oil instead of grease/lard. I've adjusted it to make the serving size suitable for one man.
Johnny Cakes
1/2 cup corn meal (white or yellow)
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cups boiling water
2 Tbl. olive oil
Preheat a large skillet to medium high (380F for electric fry pans). Mix dry ingredients well in small/medium bowl. Add olive oil to skillet to heat. Then add boiling water to mixed dry ingredients and mix thoroughly; it will be thick.
Drop mixture onto skillet in one (heaping) tablespoon sized lumps. Do not touch or turn for six (6) minutes*. At six (6) minutes, turn over & cook for about five minutes. This will yield 4-5 golden brown Johnny Cakes.
*The recipe on the box says this, but mine stick a little (I am not using a Teflon skillet), so I lift them a bit midway - yes, I'm fussing.
Calories are about 240 plus the olive oil absorbed, making them about 480 total, or perhaps 120 calories per Johnny Cake, about the same as a slice of bread.
Yellow corn meal from Quaker Oats works fine. A 24 oz. container cost $1.69 at the supermarket last time I bought it; that package will provide about enough for 10 meals per above. The cost of the corn meal is thus less than 20 cents. Good enough olive oil for this use costs about $10 for 1.5 liters at Costco, thus 2 Tbl. costs about 20 cents, too. [There are about 50 servings with size 2 Tbl (= 1/8 c) in 1.5 liters.] Add in 10 cents for the energy used in cooking.
Cost - about 50 cents.
You can store the corn meal in the refrigerator indefinitely in a sealed container.
This morning I will make this recipe to have with a couple fried eggs (over medium).
PS: It occurred to me this recipe gives about 500 calories for 50 cents, thus providing 10 calories for each penny. Thus a 2500 calorie per day energy requirement for a human being costs $2.50 using it. One would have to add to that for protein (milk, eggs, cheap cuts of meats, etc.), fruits & vegetables (apples, oranges, cabbage, etc.), but you can see that the cost to feed people can easily be less than $5/day.
Word of the Day
"Pleonasm" - noun [$10] T. S. Eliot
Pleonasm means the use of more words than are needed to give the sense (e. g. 'see with one's eye's).
Sentence: I remember using a pleonasm as a young boy in arguments with my brothers: "You stupid idiot!"
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Wednesday Word
I expect a downgrade, a default and economic turmoil.
I own no US Treasury securities either directly or in mutual funds.
Word of the Day
"Pillock" - noun [$10] British slang
Pillock means a stupid person; a fool.
Sentence: The Republican party seems dominated by delusional pillocks and determined to destroy the honor of the United States of America.
I own no US Treasury securities either directly or in mutual funds.
Word of the Day
"Pillock" - noun [$10] British slang
Pillock means a stupid person; a fool.
Sentence: The Republican party seems dominated by delusional pillocks and determined to destroy the honor of the United States of America.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Wrong Battle ... Wrong Weapon
The Republicans are fighting on poor ground with poor tactics. They will lose badly and damage the nation.
At Gettysburg, Lee chose the wrong ground and the wrong weapon. He had a delusional faith in the power of his men, and had little respect for the Yankee men. Thus misguided, he chose to attack heavily defended positions uphill over poor ground on Day 2 at the Devil's Den and Little Round Top. He lost. On Day 3 he ordered Pickett's Charge, a perfectly idiotic attack over a mile over open ground uphill. Even if the charge had broken the Federal lines, those men were unsupported and there was no follow-thru. Lee's only hope was a panic by Federal troops. That didn't happen and was delusional.
The Republicans have cast aside their honor and integrity to draft the bond and noteholders of American debt into their fight with Obama over spending. Yet debt represents money lent to cover PAST spending, not future spending. They risk the credit and honor of the United States of America for their "game". Do they offer a shared sacrifice?
No. Have they offered a 20% cut in Congressional pay? No. Have they offered a cut in pay and benefits for the bloated Federal workforce and the doubly bloated government contractors? No. Instead, they want the creditors of America to be their human shield.
What cowards!
Last month, Minnesota and the California Republicans showed the way. Fight spending by shutting down the government - shut off the SPENDING. In the Spring, instead, the Congressional Republicans past a stopgap budget. This October 1, they could refuse to pass appropriations for real spending without a budget deal. That would be using the right weapon in the right battle. The Minnesota and California events proved those tactics are a winner.
The Congressional Republican leaders and their Tea Party fire-eaters are being fools, as was Lee at Gettysburg. If they persist in this delusion of glory, they will cause immense damage to their cause. Just like Lee did almost 150 years ago.
Go around to the right and fight on good ground. Pass a debt limit increase and prepare to shut the Federal government down on October 1. That's good ground and the public will support it this time.
Word of the Day
"Dudgeon" - noun [$10]
Dudgeon means a feeling of offense, resentment; 'in high dudgeon' means very angry or angrily.
Sentence: America's creditors will permanently have much dudgeon if used as a human shield in an internal political fight.
At Gettysburg, Lee chose the wrong ground and the wrong weapon. He had a delusional faith in the power of his men, and had little respect for the Yankee men. Thus misguided, he chose to attack heavily defended positions uphill over poor ground on Day 2 at the Devil's Den and Little Round Top. He lost. On Day 3 he ordered Pickett's Charge, a perfectly idiotic attack over a mile over open ground uphill. Even if the charge had broken the Federal lines, those men were unsupported and there was no follow-thru. Lee's only hope was a panic by Federal troops. That didn't happen and was delusional.
The Republicans have cast aside their honor and integrity to draft the bond and noteholders of American debt into their fight with Obama over spending. Yet debt represents money lent to cover PAST spending, not future spending. They risk the credit and honor of the United States of America for their "game". Do they offer a shared sacrifice?
No. Have they offered a 20% cut in Congressional pay? No. Have they offered a cut in pay and benefits for the bloated Federal workforce and the doubly bloated government contractors? No. Instead, they want the creditors of America to be their human shield.
What cowards!
Last month, Minnesota and the California Republicans showed the way. Fight spending by shutting down the government - shut off the SPENDING. In the Spring, instead, the Congressional Republicans past a stopgap budget. This October 1, they could refuse to pass appropriations for real spending without a budget deal. That would be using the right weapon in the right battle. The Minnesota and California events proved those tactics are a winner.
The Congressional Republican leaders and their Tea Party fire-eaters are being fools, as was Lee at Gettysburg. If they persist in this delusion of glory, they will cause immense damage to their cause. Just like Lee did almost 150 years ago.
Go around to the right and fight on good ground. Pass a debt limit increase and prepare to shut the Federal government down on October 1. That's good ground and the public will support it this time.
Word of the Day
"Dudgeon" - noun [$10]
Dudgeon means a feeling of offense, resentment; 'in high dudgeon' means very angry or angrily.
Sentence: America's creditors will permanently have much dudgeon if used as a human shield in an internal political fight.
Monday, July 25, 2011
USA ... Aa/AA
Get used to it. The credit of the United States of America - the government, not the people - is not top notch anymore. The national honor has been besmirched by just about every "leader" in the Dark City. Does anyone really think that a re-run of the Great Depression of the 1930s would not bring a default ... and not just a technical one?
Now the knaves in the Dark City are bickering when there is record demand for US notes and bonds. In a Great Depression scenario, that demand would not exist. In a "worst case" scenario, interest rates for government debt would be higher. At that higher cost of funds, government spending would be even more ... much, much more. And spending on aid for the poor and indigent would be more ... much more. In that world, a true, Greek-style default would certainly happen.
USA is a Aa/AA/AA and is not a triple "A" anymore.
100 years of strong economic performance has been squandered.
And who did it? The knaves in the Dark City.
Word of the Day
"Alterity" - noun [$10] from 'alter'
Alterity means the essence of someone's or something's changed state.
Sentence: Obvious to anyone not complacent is the alterity of the credit of the government of the United States towards weakness.
Now the knaves in the Dark City are bickering when there is record demand for US notes and bonds. In a Great Depression scenario, that demand would not exist. In a "worst case" scenario, interest rates for government debt would be higher. At that higher cost of funds, government spending would be even more ... much, much more. And spending on aid for the poor and indigent would be more ... much more. In that world, a true, Greek-style default would certainly happen.
USA is a Aa/AA/AA and is not a triple "A" anymore.
100 years of strong economic performance has been squandered.
And who did it? The knaves in the Dark City.
Word of the Day
"Alterity" - noun [$10] from 'alter'
Alterity means the essence of someone's or something's changed state.
Sentence: Obvious to anyone not complacent is the alterity of the credit of the government of the United States towards weakness.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Thursday's Word
Word of the Day
"Dewlap" - noun [$10]
Dewlap means 1. a loose fold of skin hanging from the throat of cattle, dogs, etc.; 2. similar loose skin round the throat of an elderly person.
Sentence: Having a dewlap might correlate with wisdom, if one retains memory. To retain memory, learn a language and eat pistachios and smoked salmon.
"Dewlap" - noun [$10]
Dewlap means 1. a loose fold of skin hanging from the throat of cattle, dogs, etc.; 2. similar loose skin round the throat of an elderly person.
Sentence: Having a dewlap might correlate with wisdom, if one retains memory. To retain memory, learn a language and eat pistachios and smoked salmon.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Wednesday Word
My sentence is a cop-out, I admit.
Word of the Day
"Majolica - noun [$100] also spelled "maiolica"
Majolica means 1. Italian earthenware covered with an opaque glaze of tin oxide and usually highly decorated; 2. any earthenware having an opaque glaze of tin oxide.
Sentence: Specific examples of faience are delft and majolica. I came across the term "majolica" by reading a book about art in renaissance Florence.
Word of the Day
"Majolica - noun [$100] also spelled "maiolica"
Majolica means 1. Italian earthenware covered with an opaque glaze of tin oxide and usually highly decorated; 2. any earthenware having an opaque glaze of tin oxide.
Sentence: Specific examples of faience are delft and majolica. I came across the term "majolica" by reading a book about art in renaissance Florence.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
TGIF, a Tidbit and a Word
Is the folly of the Republican tactics regarding the debt limit now apparent to all?
I'm sure we will soon heard about the need for "shared sacrifice". Let's start by cutting the pay of Congress and ALL government employees making more than $100,000 by 20%, and requiring similar cuts by ALL government contractors. That will make the hogs at the trough squeal.
Word of the Day
"Faience" - noun [$10] French faience from Faenza, a city in Italy (originally denoting the pottery made there)
Faience means decorated and glazed eathenware and porcelain, e. g. delft or majolica.
Sentence: In the 17th century, Dutch manufacturers in Delft copied and undercut the prices of Japanese porcelain to create their "own" Delft-style of beautiful porcelain that now sometimes appears in museums and can still be purchased. Perhaps that is an early example how trade and economic 'evolution' works.
I'm sure we will soon heard about the need for "shared sacrifice". Let's start by cutting the pay of Congress and ALL government employees making more than $100,000 by 20%, and requiring similar cuts by ALL government contractors. That will make the hogs at the trough squeal.
Word of the Day
"Faience" - noun [$10] French faience from Faenza, a city in Italy (originally denoting the pottery made there)
Faience means decorated and glazed eathenware and porcelain, e. g. delft or majolica.
Sentence: In the 17th century, Dutch manufacturers in Delft copied and undercut the prices of Japanese porcelain to create their "own" Delft-style of beautiful porcelain that now sometimes appears in museums and can still be purchased. Perhaps that is an early example how trade and economic 'evolution' works.
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