Tuesday, December 22, 2015

SAR #15355


We look at the finger, not the moon, read the recipe but never bake.
Emperors And Costumes: Janet Yellen and the Fed want the sheep (that's us) to believe that they know what's best for the economy (right now, not before, when it crashed, or the time before that when it crashed...). They also want us to ignore our kids, neighbors and friends - and our own experience - and believe that employment is robust and the economy healthy. They'd also like us to ignore all the negative stuff and pretend we believe these lies.
Landlorded: In the UK, the common man has been so beaten down by austerity measures that potential homebuyers now have to set aside 5% of their disposable income for 26 successive years in order to accumulate a down payment. If a young couple started today, they could look forward to house-shopping in 2035.
Dreaming Of A... : How much of the unusual December warmth over much of the US is attributable to global warming? Perhaps 75%. How much to El Niño? About 25%. And is the unusually strong El Niño the result of global warming? Everything is, but not a direct 1 to 1 sort of thing, more a strengthening of the strengthening.
Grinch, Inc: After right-wing Republicans wrested control of Kansas from the rational adults, they slashed taxes and budgets and promised nirvana in the form of a revitalized and booming economy. Didn't happen - but nobody except the crazies thought it would. Now, with two years of increased income tax cuts lined up and infrastructure falling apart, they have hidden a bit of magic in the highway bill that let the Department of Transportation issue $400 million in bonds. Which it did. Which the conservative Republicans immediately took from the highway fund and will use it to help pay for the tax cuts. That plus prior transfers during Gov. Brownback’s term brings their raids on highway funds to $1.6 billion. Watch 'em do it some more, then brag about low taxes.
The Empire Stikes Out: Today the purpose of US foreign policy is to support the complex that we have created in the national security state that is fueled, funded, and powered by interminable war. ... It’s never been about altruism, it’s about sheer power.” Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, US Army Retired.
More Than Meets The Eye: Support for Donald Trump is probably six to ten points higher than the published polls claim, because a lot of well-educated middle class foks support him but are embarrassed to admit it to pollsters. They've already bought their "Don't Blame Me.... " bumper stickers.
Four Coins In A Fountain: A month ago the Italian government "rescued" four smallish banks with a €4bn rescue infusion conditioned on the bondholders and shareholders losing their investments. Exactly what should have been done in the US, but in the US the bondholders run the government's financial regulators, so that was never on the table. Italy claims they acted then rather than in January because then EU rules would forced the government to confiscate money from over a million savers before touching the bondholders, which tells you who runs Europe, too.

2 comments:

mistah charley, ph.d. said...

speaking of reading the recipe, but never baking, here's a fictitious exchange about politics and pie i wrote ten years ago (although the recipe is real)

CLASSIC BANANA CREAM PIE

A personal comment - As our recipe notes, it calls for CONDENSED milk, not evaporated milk - condensed milk is sweetened, and used for making desserts and candy. The label of the can will say whether it is CONDENSED milk or evaporated milk. EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk is called for in the recipe, but you could substitute another manufacturer's CONDENSED milk. EAGLE BRAND® is, however, the original sweetened condensed milk, already well-known by 1858, and extensively used as a field ration during the American Civil War. The Wikipedia asserts that EAGLE BRAND® "seems to be the oldest food product brand name still in use."

The lemon juice (which could be fresh, not from concentrate) is used
to prevent darkening of the bananas by oxidation. Also be sure that
the filling has cooled before pouring it on top of the bananas.

Fannie Farmer (Mrs.)
Food Editor, Fafblog

---------------------------------

"A rich custard is poured over sliced bananas, topped with whipped
cream, and garnished with more banana slices. This truly is a classic!"

Original recipe yield: 1 - 9 inch pie.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 (9 inch) baked pie shell
* 3 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1 1/3 cups water
* 1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT
evaporated milk)
* 3 egg yolks, beaten
* 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3 bananas, sliced and dipped in lemon juice from concentrate and drained
* Whipping cream, whipped

DIRECTIONS:

1. In heavy saucepan, dissolve cornstarch in water; stir in EAGLE
BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk and egg yolks. Cook and stir until
thickened and bubbly.
2. Remove from heat add butter and vanilla. Cool slightly. Arrange 2
sliced bananas on bottom of prepared pie shell. Pour filling over
bananas; cover.
3. Chill 4 hours or until set. Spread top with whipped cream; garnish
with remaining banana slices.

Refrigerate leftovers.

Recipe provided by: EAGLE BRAND®
Fannie Farmer (Mrs.) | 09.12.05 - 10:53 am |


YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

A reader writes:

Mrs. Farmer, after reading the Classic Banana Cream Pie recipe you
posted, I wanted to make it for my husband. He takes the news too
personally - it bothers him that a criminal gang is in control of
America's government, killing and stealing with impunity, hiring
mercenaries to patrol American streets and making plans for first
strike use of nuclear weapons, while our so-called "opposition" party
lies supine on the floor (metaphorically speaking). I thought some
delicious pie would cheer him up.

Unfortunately, we have evaporated milk on hand, not CONDENSED milk.
Can you advise me of a way to substitute one for the other?

Kitchen Novice
New Paltz, NY

Dear Kit,

The best make-your-own version of sweetened condensed milk is to mix 1 cup of evaporated milk with 1-1/4 cups of sugar in a saucepan, heat
until the sugar is completely dissolved, and let cool. If you don't
have evaporated milk on hand either, you can make your own by slowly
simmering any quantity of milk in a pan until it's reduced by 60%.

In addition to your husband, you could make this pie for a
get-together with your family, friends, faith community of your
choice, or any cultural or activist group you may belong to. The
reduction of the human being to an atomized "consumer" of products,
entertainment and propaganda, rather than a valued participant and
citizen, plays into the hands of those who betray what is best about
American ideals while giving lip service to "family values."

Good luck to you, dear, in these difficult times. Please be assured
you are NOT alone.

kwark said...

Re "Grinch":. . . and then blame the Democrats or maybe even ISIS when the state declares bankruptcy.

RE "More than Meets the Eye": As in my neighbor who SAYS he supports the Jebster but constantly makes references to "his friend Donald".