for too much....for it seems that more and more often I am left with the taste of disappointment..which, frankly, tastes like ass.
I mean, really, is it too much to ask that we have health care reform that just plain lowers costs? I don't want subsidized or given tax incentives, I just want lower prices. Give me a health care menu, per se. I will pay more for emergency room and orthopedic services because I have a high schooler who plays football and wrestles and a husband with back issues, but I don't want maternity coverage, because this factory is closed. Why can't health insurance be more like car insurance? If I get a new car and I want more coverage, I will choose full coverage. If I have an '08 Ford 500, I will take the "liability plus comp" option...if I have a piece of shit, I will take the liability only, BUT I have the option to add more or change coverage whenever I want. WE should, as a fairly healthy family, be able to say, I want X amount of coverage. If the day comes where we need more (we get that new car) we add what we need, when we need it...does that make sense? Is that too much to ask? Apparently.
Is it really too much to ask that our data plan works when we want it to work and how we want it to work? Seriously, since we added data plans to our phones its been nothing but a for fuck around. Retailer entered the data plan in wrong, meaning we paid PER online visit on all three of our phones for two months before it got fixed... Add to the fact that we just got a hotspot...go to use it this morning only to find out that the retailer entered it into the system wrong, so he disconnected it...with no notice. AND we have to drive to the retailer to have it hooked up again, it can't be done over the phone....but I'm sure we will be billed the full amount for the month...Do your job, do it correctly, make things right when you fuck up, is that too much to ask? Apparently.
Can I just once, log onto the internet and NOT have to see something about Miley Cyrus or George Zimmerman...I don't give a fuck if Zimmerman's wife has filed for divorce....this dead horse has been beaten to death...move the fuck on. Apparently, it's too much to ask.
I would ask more questions, but as I've pointed out, my answers are apparent.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Insecure, for sure
Food insecurity has been in the news a lot lately. For those not familiar, basically, there are more people, in the U.S. and in the state of Iowa, who at some point, struggle to provide enough food for their family members. (Wow, lots of commas in there...I like commas)
Food pantries are seeing less donations and an increased number of people are on food stamps. There are many who cry foul, especially in Iowa. How can we, the state who claims to "feed the world" have residents who have food insecurity?
There is no simple answer to this, but here are a few of my theories on the matter...(I am no expert, just a lowly, farm raised redneck with an opinion.)
1) Yes, we do feed the world...number one in soybean production, number one in pork production, number one in corn production, number one in egg production....well here, perhaps this will better lay it all out for you.. http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Iowa/Publications/Rankings/2012%20Rankings.pdf
With those statistics in mind, and remembering I am no expert and fortunately, have never found my self needing assistance with food, how many of those products do the truly food insecure purchase? Now, don't get me wrong, there are a good number, I am sure, who do try to purchase dairy, eggs, and meat, when they can, but let me throw this out there to you. You can get a dozen eggs for less than $2. A serving is 2 eggs, therefore, six, high protein, pretty good for you servings can be purchased for less than $2. How often does that happen, when you can get a few boxes of kraft mac and cheese instead? While we, as a state, produce a large number of food products that get exported all over the place, two of our number one products, corn and soybeans, are not "table ready." Farmers take a load of verbal abuse from the uneducated peanut gallery for "feeding the world" yet having people in Iowa who go hungry. Well, Einstein, we do not have the climate to grow a lot of "table ready" products on a mass scale. We have the climate and land to grow row crops, so we do, and we do it well.
2) I believe there is a portion of the food insecure who has no idea how to cook, nor do they care to learn. Case and point...my aunt volunteers for Caring and Sharing, during the holidays, they put together "holiday boxes," with donations given by various organizations, individuals and churches. There was a time where five or ten pound bags of potatoes were on the "requested donation" list. That is no longer the case. Why? Year after year, the potatoes were thrown in the garbage because, "I don't know what to do with those" was the answer given when offered a bag of russets. Do you know how far you can stretch a 10 pound bag of potatoes and how many different things you can do with them? I do, but sadly, others do not. I have another friend, who when volunteering, saw a person load her basket with boxes of mac and cheese. My friend suggested that she also take a can of tuna and a can of peas and that the three things could be combined into one casserole, stretching it a little further and making it a little more filling. The response she got, "That sounds like too much work." Now, again, I realize this is a generalization, but really?
3) Often I read, "When I was growing up, mom fed us all from things we raised and grew and now, all of that land is sold to greedy, corporate farmers." There are a few things wrong with that argument...maybe not wrong, but certainly skewed. While its true, that growing up, a great many of us were fed with products grown and raised on the farm, the times they are a changing, and do you know why? It's hard work. Work that people are not willing to do, work that people are unable to do. When I was growing up, and the generation before me grew up, there were VERY few double income families. Mom stayed home, tended the garden, gathered the eggs, butchered the chickens and canned as much of her garden produce as she could. Yes, Dad was in the field, haying cows, feeding pigs, etc. One steer and one hog was saved back from market each year and butchered and the freezers were filled. Sadly, THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN ANY MORE. And it's not because the "greedy, corporate farmers" have bought all of the land, it's because it is not financially feasible, nor do people have the facilities, time or energy to sustain that lifestyle. (And if you think "greedy corporate farmers" are the reason family farms are dwindling, try googling 80's Farm Crisis and doing a little research)
How many of you grow a garden? How many of you know how to can produce? How many of you have space at your home where you can feed a hog or a steer (or know how to) or own a chicken coop? How many of you can bake a loaf of bread from scratch? Here's what I know...after putting in an eight hour day at one job, and sometimes going on to a second one, I have no desire to weed a garden or get out the rolling pin and put up a few loaves of bread. BUT, if I had to, if it meant feeding my family, or not, you can bet your sweet ass I would. But, sadly, there are those who would choose not to.
While raising a steer to butcher or even having a chicken coop is not feasible for the majority of the population (pretty hard to have a 1,200 pound calf and a dozen chickens in the back yard in downtown Audubon) it doesn't take much more than a few 12 inch pots to grow a shitload of tomatoes that can be canned or frozen, made into pasta sauce that will last LONG after the growing season has ended, you just have to have the drive to make it happen. (Me thinks that if you can't figure out how to microwave a russet, you won't be a great gardener, either.)
While, I am getting a little rambly here, I guess what I am trying to get at, is that, while I don't disagree there are more people who wonder if they will be able to feed their family each night, I wonder if the numbers are slightly skewed by the few who don't necessarily try? No child should go hungry, but if that child is hungry because of "I don't know what to do with a potato," I certainly wouldn't try to pin the problem on farmers not feeding their own....
Food pantries are seeing less donations and an increased number of people are on food stamps. There are many who cry foul, especially in Iowa. How can we, the state who claims to "feed the world" have residents who have food insecurity?
There is no simple answer to this, but here are a few of my theories on the matter...(I am no expert, just a lowly, farm raised redneck with an opinion.)
1) Yes, we do feed the world...number one in soybean production, number one in pork production, number one in corn production, number one in egg production....well here, perhaps this will better lay it all out for you.. http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Iowa/Publications/Rankings/2012%20Rankings.pdf
With those statistics in mind, and remembering I am no expert and fortunately, have never found my self needing assistance with food, how many of those products do the truly food insecure purchase? Now, don't get me wrong, there are a good number, I am sure, who do try to purchase dairy, eggs, and meat, when they can, but let me throw this out there to you. You can get a dozen eggs for less than $2. A serving is 2 eggs, therefore, six, high protein, pretty good for you servings can be purchased for less than $2. How often does that happen, when you can get a few boxes of kraft mac and cheese instead? While we, as a state, produce a large number of food products that get exported all over the place, two of our number one products, corn and soybeans, are not "table ready." Farmers take a load of verbal abuse from the uneducated peanut gallery for "feeding the world" yet having people in Iowa who go hungry. Well, Einstein, we do not have the climate to grow a lot of "table ready" products on a mass scale. We have the climate and land to grow row crops, so we do, and we do it well.
2) I believe there is a portion of the food insecure who has no idea how to cook, nor do they care to learn. Case and point...my aunt volunteers for Caring and Sharing, during the holidays, they put together "holiday boxes," with donations given by various organizations, individuals and churches. There was a time where five or ten pound bags of potatoes were on the "requested donation" list. That is no longer the case. Why? Year after year, the potatoes were thrown in the garbage because, "I don't know what to do with those" was the answer given when offered a bag of russets. Do you know how far you can stretch a 10 pound bag of potatoes and how many different things you can do with them? I do, but sadly, others do not. I have another friend, who when volunteering, saw a person load her basket with boxes of mac and cheese. My friend suggested that she also take a can of tuna and a can of peas and that the three things could be combined into one casserole, stretching it a little further and making it a little more filling. The response she got, "That sounds like too much work." Now, again, I realize this is a generalization, but really?
3) Often I read, "When I was growing up, mom fed us all from things we raised and grew and now, all of that land is sold to greedy, corporate farmers." There are a few things wrong with that argument...maybe not wrong, but certainly skewed. While its true, that growing up, a great many of us were fed with products grown and raised on the farm, the times they are a changing, and do you know why? It's hard work. Work that people are not willing to do, work that people are unable to do. When I was growing up, and the generation before me grew up, there were VERY few double income families. Mom stayed home, tended the garden, gathered the eggs, butchered the chickens and canned as much of her garden produce as she could. Yes, Dad was in the field, haying cows, feeding pigs, etc. One steer and one hog was saved back from market each year and butchered and the freezers were filled. Sadly, THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN ANY MORE. And it's not because the "greedy, corporate farmers" have bought all of the land, it's because it is not financially feasible, nor do people have the facilities, time or energy to sustain that lifestyle. (And if you think "greedy corporate farmers" are the reason family farms are dwindling, try googling 80's Farm Crisis and doing a little research)
How many of you grow a garden? How many of you know how to can produce? How many of you have space at your home where you can feed a hog or a steer (or know how to) or own a chicken coop? How many of you can bake a loaf of bread from scratch? Here's what I know...after putting in an eight hour day at one job, and sometimes going on to a second one, I have no desire to weed a garden or get out the rolling pin and put up a few loaves of bread. BUT, if I had to, if it meant feeding my family, or not, you can bet your sweet ass I would. But, sadly, there are those who would choose not to.
While raising a steer to butcher or even having a chicken coop is not feasible for the majority of the population (pretty hard to have a 1,200 pound calf and a dozen chickens in the back yard in downtown Audubon) it doesn't take much more than a few 12 inch pots to grow a shitload of tomatoes that can be canned or frozen, made into pasta sauce that will last LONG after the growing season has ended, you just have to have the drive to make it happen. (Me thinks that if you can't figure out how to microwave a russet, you won't be a great gardener, either.)
While, I am getting a little rambly here, I guess what I am trying to get at, is that, while I don't disagree there are more people who wonder if they will be able to feed their family each night, I wonder if the numbers are slightly skewed by the few who don't necessarily try? No child should go hungry, but if that child is hungry because of "I don't know what to do with a potato," I certainly wouldn't try to pin the problem on farmers not feeding their own....
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
I'm exhausted
because contrary to someone's belief, me waking up from my grizzly like hibernation to find out one is still playing cards at 1 a.m. does not mean I hate him...it means I am worried/concerned, because I (sadly) am approaching the age where you begin to realize its sort of true that not much good happens after midnight. I tried to explain that if I didn't love him, I would continue to hibernate and drool on my pillow not giving two fucks....instead, awake I was and when he did surface, and proceed to snore louder than I do, to the point where it sounded like he was attempting to swallow his own tongue, I remained awake.
SO, moral of the story kids...this may jump around and ramble...Deal. I am also (sadly) approaching the age where too much coffee and or red bull gives me heartburn.
I have learned that more than one Fiber One bar in the day is too much.....much too much...
I feel bad for people who hold grudges for a really long time (like more than a year or two). Chances are the person who wronged you or did whatever you're grudging them for, has already forgotten and moved on and you are just wasting energy on someone who really doesn't give a shit about the grudge you have.
(Note my extreme redneckedness in this one) Those who are shocked about the sanctions handed down to Michael Waltrip Racing, following Sunday's NASCAR race in Richmond, in which one teammate "threw" the race in order to better another, have obviously never been to an IMCA dirt track race at the Des Moines or Stuart Speedways.....ask any driver, it happens all the time....
Those who are shocked that I know anything about this have obviously stumbled upon by blog erroneously, as I can talk NASCAR, and dirt track racing...and farming... (Would you care for me to explain what EPD's are in reference to breeding cattle stock?) and football...(why yes, I do know what a double tight end set is.) I can also talk nail polish, recipes, shoes, celebrity gossip and own a glue gun.
In addition to realizing I have have shitty eyesight and long arm pit hairs, I must also have sucker written on my forehead as I now am the proud owner of $20 worth of ice cold fresh California citrus sold out the the back of some dude's truck.....with Arkansas license plates....at least he gave free samples, too...see I told you I was tired!
SO, moral of the story kids...this may jump around and ramble...Deal. I am also (sadly) approaching the age where too much coffee and or red bull gives me heartburn.
I have learned that more than one Fiber One bar in the day is too much.....much too much...
I feel bad for people who hold grudges for a really long time (like more than a year or two). Chances are the person who wronged you or did whatever you're grudging them for, has already forgotten and moved on and you are just wasting energy on someone who really doesn't give a shit about the grudge you have.
(Note my extreme redneckedness in this one) Those who are shocked about the sanctions handed down to Michael Waltrip Racing, following Sunday's NASCAR race in Richmond, in which one teammate "threw" the race in order to better another, have obviously never been to an IMCA dirt track race at the Des Moines or Stuart Speedways.....ask any driver, it happens all the time....
Those who are shocked that I know anything about this have obviously stumbled upon by blog erroneously, as I can talk NASCAR, and dirt track racing...and farming... (Would you care for me to explain what EPD's are in reference to breeding cattle stock?) and football...(why yes, I do know what a double tight end set is.) I can also talk nail polish, recipes, shoes, celebrity gossip and own a glue gun.
In addition to realizing I have have shitty eyesight and long arm pit hairs, I must also have sucker written on my forehead as I now am the proud owner of $20 worth of ice cold fresh California citrus sold out the the back of some dude's truck.....with Arkansas license plates....at least he gave free samples, too...see I told you I was tired!
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