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!