Certified Black Angus? Black Angus? Angus? Or how about just plain Hereford?

Hey, I love a nice juicy steak, but I like to know what I’m paying for. Turns out labels like “Certified Black Angus” don’t really mean all that much. What counts is whether that Black Angus beef is Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, or Commercial. When was the last time you saw any of those words on a label in your local supermarket or on the menu at your favorite restaurant?

Well, the way I see it, supermarkets and restaurants want to sell you the cheapest beef they can get at the highest prices they can get. Why not? That’s their business. To make the best profit they can. So they put a fancy label on their beef and try to razzle-dazzle you into paying extra for it.

At least the folks over at CelebrityFoodsBeef.com give you enough information to ask the right questions. Next time you go to your local supermarket or restaurant, ask them outright what kind of beef you’re getting for your money.

LINK

At 480 horsepower, a top speed close to 200 mph, and a price tag of $136,000 this turbo should be “better than a typical roadster” even with the top down.

Of course, it is a Porsche. And as Laurence M. Paul’s article in today’s New York Times states, this beauty is, “Not for the faint of heart or thin of wallet.”

LINK

Apparently, higher oil prices are better than lower oil prices - if you happen to be a U. S. corn farmer.

According to a Reuters article by Karl Plume, as oil prices rise so does the demand for alternative fuels such as corn-based ethanol.

“Prior to the ethanol and biodiesel build-out it could only be a negative for them through higher input costs. But today they get some gain as well because $100 a barrel oil implies much higher gasoline and ethanol prices,” said Michael Swanson, an agricultural economist at Wells Fargo.

“The corn market has rallied on the prospect of that ethanol demand being solid going forward. Every bushel of corn, whether it goes into ethanol or not, is getting that premium tacked onto it,” he said.

Bully for the farmers!

As Ed Norton once said about Ralph Kramden’s indulgent eating habits in an episode of the 1955-6 television show, The Honeymooners, Ralph’s waiting a couple of hours to eat wouldn’t hurt him very much, but it sure was going to hurt the farmers!

Well, it’s nice to know the farmers will be doing so well with higher oil prices. But what about the rest of us? Can anyone figure out how higher oil prices are going to help US?

LINK

Given a choice of two puzzles, one easy and one hard, which is better?

“Seven lost explorers, low on food and water, set up camp in a cold, wilderness area. Placing their hopes on a weather-beaten but still effective hunter’s compass along with an equally timeworn pedometer, three of them plan a short scouting trip with the expectation of discovering where they are. They decide to travel due south for two miles, then due east for two more miles, then due north for yet another two miles, and finally due west for the last two miles. As they believe this eight-mile journey will return them to their campsite, they consider this a safe bet and leave their four companions by the fire.

Five and a half miles into their journey they see a faint light in the distance. As they approach the light, they believe they see another campsite. Quickening their pace, they hurry toward the light only to discover that it is their own campfire with their four companions surrounding it. Knowing their instruments are not faulty, they cannot initially understand how they could have managed an eight mile trip after having traveled only six miles. After a short while, however, they realize what has happened and are happy to know they are no longer lost.”

Easy puzzle: What one place on this Earth could be the location where these seven explorers set up camp?

Hard puzzle: What three other places on this Earth could also be the location where these seven explorers setup camp?

Variations of this puzzle, along with the answers, exist all over the world. But which is the better puzzle? The easy one or the hard one? Much like a magic illusion, once the secret is revealed interest disappears. And yet, how long can an individual ponder a problem before frustration also causes interest to disappear? Perhaps a puzzle should neither be too easy nor too hard. Like the soup in the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, perhaps it should be “just right.” (Above picture courtesy of AceExplorers.)

Is a beer really better than a woman? Well, that sort of depends, doesn’t it. On the beer. On the woman. On who’s asking the question and who’s doing the answering. And also on how serious you are about the whole thing. Too many variables for my liking. But if you’d like a framed poster of the above from allposters.com, click this LINK. You’ll be treated to quips like, “A beer won’t get upset if you come home with another beer” and “Beer is happy to ride in the trunk of your car.” A great conversation starter for your recreation room. Yes? No?

Do you still use the other vac? Not sure what the other vac is? Any vac other than an iRobot is the “other vac.” This thing is incredible! The current version comes in assorted styles and cleans your house with hardly any assistance from you.

We have owned one (the older “scheduler” version) for over two years and it still runs all over the floors, under furniture, over rugs, around plants, anywhere it can find dust and debris. Depending on how often you schedule it to do your vacuuming as well as the level of filth-generation in your home, it does have to be emptied out from time to time. But that involves merely removing the back cannister and emptying it. Less frequently, the brushes will also need some cleaning off or you could just replace the brushes each time (more expensive and not really necessary).

The iRobot website has a video of this fantastic gadget (here’s the link - you may have to click their Watch Video link to see it) running around doing its stuff and also an infomercial (click their Roomba Commercial link for that) on the same page. Definitely worth their price (ranging from $119 to $499 - read the specs for details). LINK

How many times have you heard about the U.S. Army private stuck with the task of peeling 100,000 potatoes? Well, maybe not that many, but a whole lot anyway.

Everybody peels potatoes, why not the army? There’s even a special instrument used for it. In the army, it’s called a knife. And with all the warnings about pesticides and other chemicals clinging to the skins of fruits and vegetables, the easiest way to side-step the issue is to peel that potato. Well, apparently, all that army potato-peeling led to a weaker soldier. Not the one peeling the potatoes. The ones eating them.

My father used to warn me, “You’re throwing away the best part.” Ninety-five percent of the time, he was referring to the thin, outer covering of some food. Whatever covered it provided more nutrients than whatever was being covered. Apples, plums, pears. Nearly any type of fruit except the thick-skinned types like bananas, oranges, and melons qualified. As did potatoes, red and green peppers, and tomatoes. Even bread. The crust was the best part.

Naturally, and perhaps more because he would eat foods that I could never stomach (calf’s brains and other sweetbreads), I did not pay much attention to his advice and continued peeling everything before I ate it. Well, it turns out my father was right after all. Apparently, the skin has more good stuff in it than anyone ever thought. LINK.

Unfortunately, the potatoes now have to be thoroughly washed to remove the chemicals, as do all the other fruits and vegetables. With soap? And will plain soap be enough?

When it comes to religion, agnosticism may be the safest way to go.

Members of religious organizations know their God is the only God. Anyone who opposes their view is obviously misinformed and possibly dangerously so. Sometimes steps need to be taken to make the non-believer “see the light.” Sometimes these steps become violent and destructive. Other times they are more peaceful. But the risk of violence, or some other form of unpleasantness, is always there, isn’t it?

Atheists know God does not exist. Amazing how they can know this with such certainty, but they do. And they will vehemently oppose anyone who does not believe as they do.

Agnostics, on the other hand, when asked about their religious views, say to the world, “I don’t know.” Makes one recall John Banner’s cautious character Sergeant Schultz from the 1965 sitcom Hogan’s Heroes saying, “I know nothing!” Both these phrases rescue the speaker from the dangers associated with taking a definitive stance on whatever the topic might be.

LINK

“Those are sheep, not socks. But okay, I can see how maybe wool socks could be better in winter, but not in summer. No way.”

Seems logical and reasonable to agree with the above statement. Unless you dig a little deeper and discover that wool socks act as the best insulator around. Insulation keeps outside air outside. Doesn’t matter if the temperature outside is too hot or too cold. Insulation keeps it out. (As for the photo, ever see a picture of a pair of socks? Sheep are much better looking.)

Of course, in cold weather, wool has an extra benefit. Stir up a storm-sized sweat inside your boots and your feet will get plenty wet. Accidentally step into an ankle high pile of snowy winter slush and you’ll be squishing and squashing all day long. But with wool socks, the heat stays put. Try that with cotton or synthetic fibers. Well, no, don’t try it. You won’t like it.

“Ok. Maybe wool is good for casual wear. But in the summer, it’s too rough on my skin. Causes blisters when I walk or run for any length of time.”

I think “any length of time” refers to a very long length of time, and I’ll treat it as such. And as such, I cannot agree with the statement. Who does that much running or walking? Even if they do, the folks over at Smartwool have solved the “too-rough-on-my-skin” dilemma very effectively.

Wool remains king in the world of socks!

LINK to Merino wool.

So what exactly is a maca root (Lepidium Meyennii)?

It looks like a radish and is a member of the same family of plants as broccoli and cabbage. So why should both women and men use it to improve their sex lives instead of HRT? Well, maybe because HRT can cause heart attacks, strokes, blood clots and breast cancer! If there were no other reasons, would those four be enough? And how do we know the maca root is not just as dangerous? We don’t. Still, how harmful can a natural, radish-like cousin of a cabbage plant be? Slightly dangerous? Fairly dangerous? Very dangerous? Poisonous mushrooms are natural and certainly look innocent. But we know the maca root is not poisonous and apparently has no side effects. So can we trust the maca root to do the job of enhancing our sex lives? To eliminate the need for HRT or “male enhancement ” pills like Viagra?

According to the studies, the answer is yes. But can we trust the studies?

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“Want some black coffee?”

“Not me! Black coffee is bitter.”

“Add a little cream.”

“Adding cream makes the cream taste bitter.”

“Add a little sugar.”

“Adding enough sugar makes the whole thing so sweet I want to upchuck.”

“You must have a sensitive stomach, friend.”

“You know how much acid is in coffee? Even with cream, it makes my stomach churn if I don’t eat a doughnut with it and that adds even more sugar.”

“I don’t suppose you’d be interested in a flavored black coffee? Banana? Hazelnut? Cinnamon? You name it, I can get it for you.”

“I don’t want any! It’s horrible stuff! Didn’t I just explain this to you?”

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Ever wonder why so many of us add cream, sugar, or flavorings to make coffee taste better? Well, let’s face it, all we really want is the lift the caffeine gives us. By itself, coffee is not very appealing. Or is it?

Strangely enough, it turns out that coffee does not need cream, sugar, or flavorings to taste sweet and flavorful. Plain, regular black coffee can taste great! But you have to have the know-how to make it yourself. From scratch! (Except for growing your own beans.) LINK.

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THE KNOW-HOW

1. Start with small batches of green coffee beans that you roast for 5 to 15 minutes, depending on your preference for light, medium, or dark roasted coffee. (Carefully stored unroasted green coffee beans have a shelf life of one to two years.)

2. Store these small batches in special “breathing” containers for 24 to 48 hours (peak flavor), ten days maximum.

3. Using a grinder suited to the brewing method of your choice, grind only the amount needed for the number of cups you want at that moment.

4. Brew the grounds according to the instructions specific to your brewing device.

5. Finally, pour the brew into your favorite coffee cup or mug, wait a minute or two to prevent scalding yourself, and indulge in the brew’s elusive flavors and aromas. But avoid delay, for after ten minutes or so, the great flavors and aromas you just helped release begin to dissipate and plain coffee is all that remains.

No wonder the store-bought stuff can’t compete. Or can it?

Have you ever found yourself sitting at a four-legged table in a fancy restaurant and noticed that the table seems to be tipped towards you? When your dinner companion touches the opposite end of the table, the table tips away from you. Then the waiter arrives with long, thin-stemmed water goblets and fills them nearly to the top. You try to forget about the tipping table, but the angle between the water level and the rim of the goblet acts as a constant reminder. Both of you try very hard not to touch the table but that becomes difficult and the table moves again and again.

You begin to think of the worst that could happen to you, the worst the wobble effect could produce. You imagine various liquids winding up in your lap. If you have the misfortune to be sitting in a chair with a similar problem, the degree to which you will enjoy your meal will be further reduced. What to do? You could switch tables. No. The popularity of the restaurant prevents this maneuver. There are no free tables. You try logic and start to analyze the situation. A variety of causes and solutions come to you.

The problem could be just a slightly uneven floor, but the probabilities favor uneven table or chair-legs. So you begin your search while trying to appear sophisticated. After all, there are four legs. Finally, you find the short leg. Folding a napkin to just the right thickness, you slip it underneath. Now you and your companion can eat in peace.

Restaurant owners take heed. You can easily resolve this potential hazard prior to customers stepping foot in your restaurant. All you need to do is adopt the three-legged rule, as illustrated above. LINK. Go to Lot#118 for details.