Author: chappyshi

Food for Thought, If You Can Afford It…

Posted on by chappyshi

As I am sure everyone is aware, the price of most food items is rising. This is due to few issues, none of which I believe, are easily remedied.

U.S. and EU countries unreasonably subsidize agriculture operations including those that make $150,000 per year. Asian countries countries with recently booming economies such as India and China are increasingly consuming more meat, rice, and soy products. Poor harvests in Europe and Australia compounded by Russian satellite states such as Kazakhstan banning exports have made wheat that much more scarce.

U.S. farmers are producing less wheat due to “climate change” and the fact that wheat is more susceptible to disease than corn. More corn is being produced due to “climate change” and the fact that the price has risen dramatically due to the demand for fuels such as ethanol that emit less carbon dioxide when burned for energy. The growing of corn for bio-fuels is also largely subsidized by the U.S. government, again artificially increasing the desirability of growing corn and, unfortunately also, increasing the price of products based on the consumption of corn such as many meats and milk.

Due largely to government mismanagement of agricultural research to increase crop yields and of continual agricultural subsidies, many countries haven’t increased there crop yields per acre in years. The Philippines reportedly can’t even grow enough rice to feed their own people let alone export it. Top that off with an official policy against birth control and you have a dramatically increasing population and not enough rice to feed it.

My last note for the day will touch on the fact that contenders from both parties for the presidency have suggested that the government suspend the gasoline and diesel fuel taxes for the summer, “Truckers Rally to Protest High Costs for Fuel.” Now there’s a fucking brilliant idea. We are in enough trouble as it is with our national debt…let’s cut taxes some more. Where is the benefit? The price is likely to rise enough to cover any reduction incurred by eliminating the tax. And finally, why should we reward people for driving more at less cost all the while producing more pollutants?

Eat and Runs

Posted on by chappyshi

There was a fairly interesting article in the Washington Post Travel section, “Spud Mountain or Bust: A Jersey Diner Diary,” on 13 April 2008. The author, John Diener, took a drive with a buddy and reported on gourmand experiences at at least four diners on Rt. 130. He noted that New Jersey was the “diner capital of the world” having about 600 state-wide.

Interesting that his name is Diener and he is reviewing diners. Bizarre that his name is “John Diener.” Does that mean he eats at toilets? Even stranger was the Travel section “Message Center” submission titled “High on Diners” by Maribeth Lombardo Hobgood dated 20 April 2008. She notes that her family is from central Jersey and she returns on a regular basis.

Apparently, they used to refer to the diner visits as “eat-and-runs.” Doesn’t sound too nice to me! I wonder if those places are anything like what the Greaseman used to refer to as “choke and pukes?”

Derek Trucks Band and Santana at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD

Posted on by chappyshi

I saw the Derek Trucks Band and Santana with my sister, brother-in-law, and two friends at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD, last night. The show was awesome. We had been wanting to see Derek Trucks, who is the nephew of Butch Trucks, drummer for the Allman Brothers Band. Last year they didn’t tour in the States at all that we could find…just Europe. Ed, my brother-in-law found that they were playing at Merriweather and snapped up some tickets. Santana was certainly an added bonus.

April is certainly the earliest I have gone to a pavilion concert. It was good that we had pavilion seats because there was a light rain/mist going on all day. I think that we are having a cool and damp spring. Yesterday was no exception. The temperature never got over 50 degrees and there was a light breeze. We really had to bundle up to stay warm but it was well worth it.

Derek Trucks opened up starting right on time at 7:00 PM. They managed to get in seven songs in 50 minutes or so. You can see the playlist here. I sensed the end was near so I jammed off for a much needed bathroom break. The set did end while I was making my bladder gladder. I came out and there were 100 guys standing line. Merriweather’s restroom facilities suck and always have!

Santana, who has been around for years, but I have never seen, was unreal. I am not sure what those around me thought but, to me, as good as Derek Trucks was, he just seemed to be dwarfed by Santana’s performance. Santana hit his mark at Woodstock while Derek picked up the guitar at 9 and was playing with the Allmans at 11. He started the Derek Trucks Band in 1994. I think that Santana just has a bit more experience…

Derek sat in on a few Santana tunes and certainly held his own though. It was all very impressive. Look here in the not too distant future to check out Santana’s set list. Overall, another great show which was a great way to start off the concert season. BTW, if you are going to Merriweather, I recommend parking in the Columbia Mall parking lot. It is only short walk across Little Patuxent River Parkway to Merriweather and it is a lot easier to get out of after the show.

A Bird in the Binos…

Posted on by chappyshi

I bought new binoculars specifically for birding just recently. I took them out for the first test today and was most impressed. The binos are Vector Viper’s, 10×42. Compared to my old Pentax binos I bought at the Navy Exchange on the Naval Post Grad School in Monterey, California, in 1989, the Vipers can practically see into the future!

I got out for a brief walk today in the neighborhood and spotted the usual Carolina Wrens and Chickadees, Robins, Cardinals, and Doves. I saw three blue Jays, which is good, they dropped out of circulation for awhile, an American Goldfinch, two pairs of Mallard Ducks, one, maybe two, Downy Woodpeckers, and a dead, partially eaten Raccoon.

The binoculars were awesome. To paraphrase from the Greaseman, you can see a tweeter’s peter with these things.

Self-Checkout Honeymoon Is Over

Posted on by chappyshi

The self-checkout honeymoon is nearly over for me…the one at the grocery store that is. Not only do the stores seem more crowded than usual but all those individuals who were afraid of using the self-checkout lines when they first came out all of a sudden found their balls. It doesn’t help that there might be only three checkout lines, two of which might be 15 items or less, manned at a time, but there are often self-checkout lines that are not open. What’s up with that? Is the computer tired or on a break?

Now people who might only have gone through the line with a few items are going through with carts full because there aren’t enough regular lines manned. Then you have people who really can’t figure out the device interface, don’t have their store card and/or means of payment ready, or who are just plain slow or stupid.

Today I got stuck behind a woman who was doing it all one handed. You know what I mean? The old one-handed self-checkout? Not a pretty sight. She had this purse the size of a Hefty bag locked in to her body with one hand and arm. Somehow she was scanning her items while facing away from the scanner. Needless to say she was not too speedy. Then the chute filled up and rather than have her perfectly capable and energetic son fill the bags, she did it herself in no big hurry.

Then to make matters worse, she had two large plastic containers from the salad bar, one of which had two beets and a few beans from a three bean salad and the other of which had about two tablespoons of shredded carrot. First of all, what a waste of plastic. Second of all, the one with the carrots wouldn’t even register on the belt because it was too light. So we waited for the guy to clear the error. He just cleared the entry and put the item at the end of the chute with one of those WTF looks on his face.

Rant on:  First of all the self-checkout lines are not the convenience they once were. Second of all, what the hell can you make with two tablespoons of shredded carrots, two beets, and some three bean salad that necessitates wasting two perfectly good plastic containers, which hopefully but doubtfully were made from recycled materials.

Rant off:

Odd Bald Eagle Sighting

Posted on by chappyshi

I was looking out my office window today where I have seen red-shouldered hawks in the trees or on the light pole…saw one a couple of weeks ago eating a bird…when I saw what had to have been a bald eagle flying over. I lost sight of it and ran to the front of the building where I saw it again, unfortunately heading away from me. My office is about 4 or 5 miles from the Potomac River where I assume this bird was nesting. I’ve seen one a couple of times on the Potomac up near Point of Rocks but that is probably 15 miles upriver. Bottom line is that it was an exciting sighting.