Is the sky about to fall on Wallstreet?

Fed Chair Janet Yellen said in a speech on Friday, March 27 that a rate hike, the first in nearly a decade, may be "warranted later this year," but any move would be dependent on the economic data, which remains weak by historical standards. 
 
“The Feds recent message to the In Crowd” – You better get the hell out of Dodge because we’ve painted ourselves so deep into a corner this is probably the last time you’ll have a chance as to make gains in any upcoming quarter. For we might actually have to do what we implied (e.g., raise rates) regardless – just to keep up the appearance that we’ll do what we say. Even if so doing means – creating massive turmoil. So don’t say “we didn’t warn you.” (i.e., We’ve changed the meaning of “data” so many times now even we can’t figure out what it means or, what we should do any longer!)
 
Here are a few more paraphrased outtakes from the FED:

A first bite: “The economy has improved considerably, that’s why we need to continue the extraordinary measures we’ve been implementing.” WTF?

Or better yet: “We see continuing improvement in the labor force and expect even further improvement.” (As they seemingly disregard the only sector that provided all that month over month, year over year boost in honest job formations, e.g., oil related sectors in States which has now dramatically fallen off a cliff with massive layoffs already announced, as well as the possibly of accelerating further as the price of oil drops ever more.)

And last but surely not least, “We see continued growth in upcoming quarters of GDP.” (As long as you don’t pay any attention to the latest Atlanta Fed.’s report that’s downgraded its GDP forecast from just over 2% which by itself was pitiful, to now just 0.2% faster than one can say “everything was is awesome”)

Here's the real deal. This country is about to witness the single most massive meltdown of a financial system ever! The effects of which will be far reaching all over the world!

In my opinion, this forthcoming mega-disaster was crafted over time by none other than Barry Obama and friends. Obama, a man who history will not treat very kindly.

Material for this post was taken from an article by Mark St. Cyr.

Why chips are a dieter's nightmare!

This picture of a pitiful pile of Frito Lay Tostitos, aka 'Cantina Thin & Crispy' chips, weighs in at nine grams – There are only about 14 chips there! Yet at 10.7 calories per gram, they represent almost 97 calories! (This is almost equal to drinking a can of beer, for crying out loud)! When I was much younger, I can remember cruising through a whole bag of these delicacies without giving it very much thought! These days, even looking at that bag causes my stomach to poof out!

Yes, diets are pretty tough, but none more so that when you are trying to lose weight after forty! The problem lies with our metabolism's ability to slow itself down whenever you restrict your caloric intake. You hardly eat and you still gain weight. It can be a nightmare.

The trick, of course, is to exercise. Every little bit you do, be it walking, biking, working in the garden or even shopping at the mall forces your body's chemical engine into a higher gear. And, when that happens you begin to burn off fat at an accelerated rate! The kicker is it doesn't matter what your age is! True, younger people can burn calories much faster, but even us oldies will benefit from some form of regular exercise. The key is to maintain the schedule you set for yourself, come rain or shine!

OK, so you set up an exercise schedule, weighed yourself and bought some spandex shorts! There's still one more hurdle to overcome... exactly how much food you stuff in your face! The fact is, if you're taking IN more calories than you're BURNING, it will all be for naught. Sure, you're muscles might end up better toned, but that old front and back porch will continue to grow! The cap on what you should be eating is found in a formula that takes into consideration your gender, age, current weight and lean to body mass index or BMI.

If you begin a diet program over the Internet, I'm using http://www.myfitnesspal.com, all that will be taken care of for you once you've entered your profile information. Voilà, out pops a number of calories that you must stay below to lose X amount of ponds over Y period of time. In my case it worked out to about 1600 calories a day. A challenging number to hit to be sure. But, here's the good news. You can eat more... by exercising more! What a wonderful world it can be! So, for every calorie you lose through working out, you can feel free to tack those right back on in the form of food – and it doesn't matter much what form that food takes! Just yesterday, I worked for an hour in the garden weeding plants, I then swept out the garage and also rode my stationary bike for ten minutes. My bonus for that effort – 300 calories to do with what I desired, and I desired ice cream!

Note: While Myfitnesspal is a free app - the ads they post there are most annoying and they do not offer  a 'pay to get rid of them' option. In my case, I try to ignore them as best I can, and if I do notice one, I make a mental note to never purchase the produce or service. I also try and make it a point from time to time to let the advertisers know this. 

Schwan's chicken breast #451!

Their take: Schwan's hand trimmed, 4 oz. chicken breast filet's are fire grilled over an open flame to seal in juices. They are perfect for a grilled chicken breast sandwich, sliced over a salad or center of the plate with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy.

If you like chicken breasts, and who doesn't, Schwan's offers up their item #451 (which reminds me of that old movie Fahrenheit 451). Like the movie, heat at 400 plus, is involved both in the cooking of this frozen offering and evidently in the destruction of books! I'll take the chicken meal-a-deal every time!

On this date, I took a frozen chicken breast from my freezer and placed it in an oven that had been preheated to 400°F. (A temperature that I have been assured would not ignite paper or books). As per the instructions, I laid it on a foil-lined cookie sheet which was then covered by another layer of foil. And then in the spirit of the movie, I slathered on some hot sauce! This was cooked for about 25 minutes, after which I let it stand for a couple more before dining on down. My sides for this repast were a California Mix, also from Schwan's!

As has been my experience with most everything from Schwan's, the meat was perfectly moist and delicious! At just 140 calories per serving, this offering from Schwan's works for just about any diet.

Forsyth MO, the Twighlt Zone of the Midwest!

FDA pushes forward with flatware imitative!

Backed by an increasingly progressive Obama administration, the FDA announced and executive action that will force restaurants to use only plastic flatware that is government approved!

Billed by the FDA as  safer and fairer , the special 'dark colored' flatware will be available for purchase, this fall, from select government outlets.

Already termed ObamaWare by an incredulous Congress, the regulation which was passed behind closed doors and without congressional action is sure to be a thorn in the sides of restaurants everywhere. Reid accused the Republicans of obstruction and then cited something about Bush as the reason they wouldn't go along with such a sensible move.

I spoke with one popular restaurant chain, Dan Obenski, who related that his 300 plus sites were going to have to raise prices 'across the board' in order to shift to the all plastic flatware. 'The fact this flatware can only be used once and then thrown away will vastly increase the cost of food to our customer base', related a frustrated Obenski.

Spokesperson, Josh Earnest stated in a press conference that Obama also planned for a new wing to the added to the FDA that would focus on a host of new and progressive regulations for the restaurant industry. When asked by the media if this would cripple an already ailing private sector, he merely shrugged...

Other legislation that is being considered by Obama would the be elimination of all tips as he feels there is 'too much shenanigans going on' with lost taxes due to under-reporting. A vast new group of special inspectors would be created all across the Nation to roam restaurants to 'make sure there is no infringement'. God bless Obama and his Progressive Left!

Yes, this was a work of pure fiction, yet with all the crazy things coming out of Washington these days.... who knows! Next thing you knows they'll want to outlaw backyard grilling... what's that you say! That one's true! see http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/backyard-bbq-emissions-targeted-in-epa-project/article/2561474

The Pile Driver is born!

Outside an old man's ramshackle hut, a storm was raging! Every few minutes, a brilliant flash of lightening would make the night day before the night quickly rushed back in. A few seconds later, the sound of deep rumbling thunder would echo through a driving, windswept rain. The old man gazed through the rain streaked window. A howling wind tore relentlessly at the 'structure' he called home. Structure...hovel, hut whatever. Spartan and cheap would also serve well as meaningful descriptors. Even the few soiled living room furnishings seemed to scream for release from their earthly bonds. Clustered together in the tiny room, like survivors from some shipwreck, were an EZ chair (now totally misnamed), a side table made of shoddy plastic and a TV of unknown age. Everything looked used and worn out, just like their owner. The EZ chair listed a bit to port, even more so if anyone attempted to sit in it. There were very few takers.

DanO Omanno Dingo was standing in the kitchen holding the bottom portion of a bun. He had been attempting to make a type of hamburger he affectionately referred to as a DanO Burger... only he'd hit a snag in the process of burger assembly. It seemed somewhat likely that either his mongrel dog (a rather sluggish creature who spent more time outside than in), or one of the various rodents that roamed the place had absconded with the top portion! A quick inspection had also confirmed that this was the last bun in the house!

Looking around, DanO lowered his head, frowned and then sighed. Such had been his luck ever since last fall when his woman had left him for some hotshot shoe salesman from the city. Some guy named Ralph, (who actually waddled from being grossly overweight and who smelled a little like a garbage can that had been sitting in the hot sun for too long) had won her affections. Why she had left him for that guy was beyond DanO's comprehension.  DanO 's revelry was interrupted when he heard a noise in the next room...'probably a rat' he thought to himself. 'Well, good luck and good riddance', DanO thought bitterly to himself as he refocused on his burger. 'Let's just see what I can do with this mess', DanO uttered this to his dog Muddles who had just slinked into the kitchen bearing a guilty expression of lust fulfilled.

'That old dog is the slowest and dumbest critter God ever fashioned', he thought to himself. 'But when it comes to them lady dogs, why he's a regular pile driver'...

DanO abruptly stopped and thought about that for a second. 'Pile driver... hmm. Not a bad name', he reached for the bottom bun and centered it on the counter in front of him.

'I'll just pile on all the good stuff and take it from there!' He shouted down to his dog... Muddles responded by keeling over and falling almost instantly to sleep. (His most recent late evening bout with a long haired poodle from across the way had seriously tuckered him out). Poor guy.

And thus the Pile Driver burger was born. A true story. Eat with fork and knife!

What! Another pasta meal!!

Yeah, it seems that Wednesday is going to be another spaghetti day! That's especially true when you have leftover sauce that needed to be used up!

When it comes to spaghetti (or any pasta for that matter), and in spite of the bad nutritional press it gets from time to time, a moderate amount on your plate ain't all that bad for you. Here's some facts:

Carbohydrates like pasta provide glucose, the crucial fuel for your brain and muscles. Pasta is an excellent source of complex carbs, which provide a slow release of energy and thus have a relatively low glycemic impact. Unlike simple sugars that offer a quick, yet fleeting boost of energy, pasta helps you to sustain energy, and that's a good thing. In addition, pasta is very low in sodium and is cholesterol-free! The only rub, in this meal-a-deal, was the garlic bread. I used a mix of butter and garlic salt which makes it a big no-no for anyone with high blood pressure! And that potato! It was a very small potato. Almost a child potato for crying out loud! I like to eat them as they offer a very high level of essential amino acids. When added to a glass of milk, this 500 calorie meal offers up all the essential amino acids a body needs to function properly!

So, the bottom line is to watch the portion amounts as that's what can get a guy, (or girl) into trouble.

Update: August 2015 and I went from 196 pounds down to 178! Of course there was a lot of sweating involved!

Hilliary losing credability?

Hillary Clinton failed to quell mounting criticism over her controversial private email account on Tuesday evening after her office suggested she had erased more than half of her emails before turning them over for release to the American public.

In a statement released after a press conference intended to end a week-long controversy, Clinton’s office said that she did not preserve 31,830 of the 62,320 emails she sent and received while serving as Barack Obama’s secretary of state from 2009 to 2013.

“After her work-related emails were identified and preserved, Secretary Clinton chose not to keep her private, personal emails that were not federal records,” her office said, in a defiant nine-page explanation for the unusual arrangement that has put her under political fire.

Republicans accused Clinton of blocking transparency. It could not be confirmed whether the deleted archives included messages sent and received by Clinton relating to her family’s philanthropic foundation. Donations to the foundation by foreign governments and corporations are the subject of a separate ongoing controversy.

The infamous DanO Burger revisited!

Making a great tasting hamburger is both a science and an art! The quintessential ingredients are just two; a good hamburger bun and awesome ground beef. But, it is the add-ons and the condiments that can make or break the entire eating experience! That in mind, let's break down this bad boy...

Buns

Buying a cheap bun will put the kabash on the whole burger deal early on. The ideal soft burger bun should be pillowy, squishy, and tender, with a tight but soft crumb and a distinct sweetness. It should hold up nicely to the burger's juices, but also should never be tough or cottony in texture. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you don't want a burger that disintegrates half way through your meal. I personally prefer the offerings from folks like Pepperidge Farm! I had to settle for Ball Park buns which are all I could find at the Country Mart store where I live.. (Good enough for the masses, but I can guarantee these are never found in Hilliary's pantry). Add a bit of butter and quickly grill on a hot plate just before serving!

Ground Beef

For heavens sake, don't buy low fat burger meats – a good juicy hamburger uses a beef blend of at least an 80/20 lean to fat ratio. In my case, I like to order the best meat I can afford. I personally like the Angus burgers offered at Schwan's. They are fully cooked, fire-grilled burgers with select seasonings and a fresh grilled taste that you can nuke in the microwave! Awesome.

Add-ons

OK, here is an area where I sometimes like to go a little wild especially after drinking beer! – But, a true DanO burger keeps it simple and stupid. I only add a generous slice of white or red onion, romaine lettuce, thinly sliced dill pickles for added crunch and a fresh tomato! (Note that I said fresh, not hothouse). While I like cheese, I don't use it on this creation.

Condiments

The real coup d'etat for any hamburger creation centers around what types of condiments you decide to slather on your bun just before eating. In my case, that would be four; ketchup, mayo, mustard and just a bit of horseradish. This combination provides a mouthwatering mix that is tangy with just the hint of a bite. 

Nutrition and cost

A DanO Burger comes in at about 500 plus calories, so it's a meal unto itself.  In this prep, I was forced to do with out the tomato and used pickle relish instead of the sliced dills I really prefer. Still in a war, you dive for the nearest foxhole...
 

A new sensation – washing machine meals!

Looks to be a Maytag!

OK, before you totally gag out on the concept, it wasn't me that came up with the idea. I have a friend,(let's say her name is... Sheila, just to protect her identity as sometimes I'm not sure she's actually from planet earth, if you know what I mean).

Well, my interest got peaked when this woman posted a picture of a food creation she had made. I was quite startled when I noticed that the meal had apparently come from the washing machine pictured in back. On inquiring, 'Sheila' disclosed that she had been preparing food in her washing machine for some time. She added that this rather strange practice started when her stove broke down and she was forced to improvise....

I'll admit I was absolutely captivated by the concept, but couldn't figure out for the life of me how you'd make something edible in a washing machine! I mean there all that water and those suds! 'No problem', 'Sheila' informed me, 'I just make sure to wrap everything up really tight in a wad of aluminum foil.' She then added that as a bonus to cooking this way, 'you can do a load of laundry at the same time!' She confided to me that she uses a very hot water setting to cook the food, but admitted that she had to occasionally use two cycles on dense meats like turkey and hams.

I was invited to come over to her place to sample a meatloaf she'd just made, but declined as I told her I really had to wash my socks.

UN taking on asteroids!

A special United Nations team focusing on hazardous asteroids has been dissolved after completing its task of setting up organizations to deal with planet-threatening space rocks. One such org will be known as TTCHU - short for 'Things That Could Hurt Us'.  Not only will this body of august individuals focus on asteroid threats, they will also cover topics like hemorrhoids as they have similar endings and both pose a threat to our well being.

The first meeting ended on a sour note when one of the members threw a shoe at a representative from Kenya. As he did so, you could plainly hear him shout 'incoming'. There were also heated discussions as the panel tried to figure out how they could wheedle money out of the United States since most of the other member were flat broke.

I know that I will sleep better just knowing that we've entrusted the safety of a planet on this fine body of individuals....

Harrison Fords com to the control tower!

A fine midday repast!

Ah yes, there's nothing to help one contemplate their approaching state of morbid obesity like a hearty plate of spaghetti with homemade sauce and garlic bread! (My only stab at culinary sanity was two meager slices of pineapple).

In my defense, I had just finished viewing a TV program on how to correctly make pasta. It was a YouTube program entitle 'You're Doing It All Wrong'. (Or was that the one about sex)? Either or, I found the tips to actually work pretty well and thus enjoyed a fine midday feast. As to my current state of heftiness, I'll just have to get used to snide comments such as 'gee mister how far along are you anyway?'

Wilco. One Wing.

Wilco. Chill out and please listen, this be a pretty good number... our internal domestic and national political battles will go on... But, there is an eagle still flying up there above our great Republic...even if she is hurting....if you don't get this, please move on.

We once belonged to a bird
Who cast his shadow on this world
You were a blessing and I was cursed
I did my best not to make things worse for you

It isn't true, I always knew this would be our fate
This is what happens when we separate
This happens, all dead weight, eventually

We may as well be made of stone
We can't be flown...

One wing will never fly
Neither yours nor mine
I fear we can only wave goodbye

One wing will never ever fly
Neither yours nor mine
One wing will never ever fly, dear
Neither yours nor mine

I fear we can only wave goodbye

One wing will never ever fly, dear
Neither yours nor mine
I fear we can only wave goodbye

The true meaning of this song (for me at least)....Think of the American Eagle soaring overhead... Think of this great Republic and what it represents to the world. Think of the freedoms we all have enjoyed... And now, please think of how we will not move forward, each on just one wing... as a Nation so deeply divided.... Let's get it together people, PLEASE!

A large majority of citizens, for some time now, have nibbled intellectually at the edges of both the Democratic and Republican ideologies. Many have no clue or even care to have one. They truly have been acting as sheep... But, now they are being readied for the shearing... For, I do so believe that God's eye is now swinging back our way. If we should lose this Republic, then the world loses and the forces of very real evil could overwhelm us all....At that point, we might as well go jackin it on a street corner in San Deigo...

Benjamin Netanyahu makes some pointed remarks at AIPAC!

The Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu , made some initial remarks to 16K at AIPAK. The crowd was a diverse national audience. His coming speech, with the real substance of what Israel plans to do, will be on Tuesday. He hinted that their plans for Iran will not be peaceful.

I understand Obama will be out learning how to play a fiddle, but also hopes to listen in to the speech at some later point in time, on his VCR (tongue very much in cheek)....

Paranoid speculation: Since the elections over there are just two weeks away, I would hedge a bet Obama has operatives over there trying to undermine Benjamin's chances for re-election.

Yes, our wonderful President, a true Cluster Fu*K couched in FUBARic miasma, in my opinion. And meanwhile, the Doomsday clock keeps on ticking... tic toc.... tic toc...