That would be nice. Dreadful stuff. Makes people fat as houses.
Thanks to the pseudo-environmentalists, wheat fields are being plowed under, corn prices are up, and this is affecting the prices of meat and dairy products. Not that cows really should be eating corn either - they are best off as they always were: grazing on grass. Anyways, we are burning a large part of our food supply as fuel. Doesn't seem wise, especially considering the low food reserves worldwide and the deliberate destruction of the US "breadbasket", the San Joaquin Valley.
One quarter of US grain crops fed to cars - not people, new figures show
I'd rather the corn was in my gas tank than in my gut.
ReplyDeleteFood prices spiked in the summer of 08 at the same time that oil prices spiked - sensible, as food uses oil as a significant input (tractor fuel, fertilizer).
I'm still trying to get a handle on how much of the oil price spike was speculation / financial dis-equilibrium, and how much was capacity constraint (peak oil, geological and (more importantly) political).
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So I'm going to Physical Therapy and everyone on the cardio equipment is watching Food Network. Aside from the irony, it is apparent from watching the food network for some hours now that the common food in this country is poor - but improving. Actually media like the Food Network is good in that it brings home to people the crap that they eat and what real, good food is like.
The "foodie" culture here in Portland can be a bit outre at times but overall I like that wholesome, local ingredients are ever more valued.
Yes, corn and it's by-products are omnipresent. I think it's horrible that we are growing so much commercial corn for other than food purposes.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I agree with lewy that wholesome, local ingredients are getting more popular. Even our Safeway carried local, heirloom tomatoes this summer. Our food co-op is always busy; yes it's small but I shop there twice a week and buy all our produce, grains, beans, pasta, etc. there. I love the place, it's only about 2 miles away from our house and so far I have refrained from using my Weekly Standard shopping bag when I go there :-)
They even have locally made soap, it's beautiful and smells wonderful.
I hope I can grow something besides herbs this year.
Okay, with all the corn dissing I feel the need to put out there that I've spent the last several days absolutely craving polenta.
ReplyDeleteI love polenta so much. Mmmmm...
Day 5 of no soda, the shakes have nearly subsided. :P
"Day 5 of no soda, the shakes have nearly subsided. :P"
ReplyDeleteGood job! Sorry about the polenta... I could never give up my grits.
AFW, I read recently that soda addiction is a sign of vitamin C deficiency, and that if you dose way up on C you will find the cravings lessening. The physical part, that is ;O) Guess the habit part might be harder to break free of.
ReplyDeleteFood prices spiked in the summer of 08 at the same time that oil prices spiked - sensible, as food uses oil as a significant input (tractor fuel, fertilizer).
Yes, but all products related to or containing corn went up prior to 2008. Milk especially. Doubled in price very quickly and the root cause was the whole ethanol/corn thing.
I'd rather the corn was in my gas tank than in my gut.
Me too. I don't mind plain old corn on the cob, but the incredible prevalence of high fructose corn syrup is really disturbing.
Did y'all watch that video with the endocrinologist? He said the liver cannot do anything with HFCS, and because of this it should be classified "poison". It's in bread, ketchup, cereal, just about all processed foods...unreal. But - the use of HFCS did help stabilize the sugar market, just as the good doctor said it would!
There are a few veggie markets and co-ops around here, but not in my city. I was thinking on having a chat with the mayor about seeing if this town can't put together its own growers co-op. Tons of nice rich fallow land nearby owned by the city just waiting to be turned into a ginormous veggie garden.
Day 5 of no soda, the shakes have nearly subsided. :P
ReplyDeleteHow 'bout the hallucinations? and the voices? They still bugging you?
</runs away fast> ;P