I was at the grocer yesterday. Just picked up a few items. Our grocery shopping style is typically quick visits throughout the week over one major trip per week. I'm a big fan of red peppers. Green peppers aren't bad--it's just that red peppers are so sweet and delicious! I was completely shocked when I went to select a few of the red ones from the produce section. The price listed below the peppers? $4.99 per pound! Really? How is that possible? I quickly looked around, expecting to find myself in the organics section or something. Nope. This was the "standard" produce. At those prices how can people afford to incorporate fresh vegetables into their meals? How can they afford to put a priority on fresh produce if they cannot pay to get it on their tables?
While at this same store I overheard two elderly women discussing what they had in their carts. The first woman pointed at a head of iceberg lettuce and several tv dinners in her cart. The other woman complained about the high price of heads of iceberg lettuce. Something like $1.25 a head. They seemed pretty shocked at the sticker price. What they had in their carts did not reflect healthy eating by any means. It looked that they are eating what they could afford--regardless of its nutritious value. Will these food choices keep them strong and healthy into their years ahead? I think not.
Limited access to fresh and affordable produce will have its consequences. Our bodies will not be fully nourished and will become increasingly vulnerable to sickness. Food that is cheap is usually unhealthy. Frozen pizzas, chips, soda, and other such things will put on the pounds. This extra weight can lead to a whole slew of health issues down the road. With the state of our economy and where people stand with money, they're forced to make food choices that weaken them as people. Food decisions are made in the present--but the consequences reach far into the future, unseen now. It's no wonder we have an obesity crisis in this country. People can't afford to make healthy decisions.
For one week a few folks in Congress tried to live like a lot of Americans live. They had to make all food purchases on the average food stamp allotment ($21 per week). Sound tough? Read the article here. Details of what they ate and reflections on the experience are on a blog tracking the challenge here. Could you meet all of your food needs for a week with $21? What would that be like?
Keep your eye on this when at the grocery store. Imagine shopping with a paycheck half of what you get now. Imagine shopping to feed four or five kids. Imagine trying to buy food for healthy meals if you worked for $7 per hour. People all over the country live this daily--it's real and it's hard.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Friday, June 29, 2007
'Roid rage' made me do it
Three people were found dead in a entertainment wrestler's home earlier this week. Chris Benoit killed his son and killed his wife before killing himself. As soon as the media reported it was a murder-suicide I knew that it was yet another case of some male killing people he once loved and valued. It wasn't that all three were murdered by a home intruder or something. Once you're on the look out for such cases of murder-suicide in families, you see a small flood of them reported in the media.
Why did he do this? What exactly happened in that house? We'll never know--Chris Benoit is dead too. There's no way to try this case in court and the state can't hold him in prison for life. Does that mean the story is over? Not at all! This situation can be used to bring awareness to issues around domestic abuse and crimes committed against women and families. Chris Benoit was well known in a specific community--that's a target audience who could learn from this situation, along with everyone else.
It's completely unacceptable that it's being called a 'roid rage' driven act. (Roid rage being something brought on by steroid use.) Focusing on 'roid rage' takes away from the unimaginable act that was committed by Chris Benoit--the real issue. It takes the spotlight off what he did and attempts to paint his actions as understandable and perhaps acceptable considering the circumstances. He killed his wife and his son! His crimes cannot be dismissed--although he too is dead his image needs to be held accountable for what he did to his son and wife--he cannot become a mourned figure.
I get "coffee headaches" if I don't get a cup of brew first thing in the morning. Does that mean I can run out and punch old ladies and tip over flower pots and run kids over with my bike? NO! I'd like to see myself trying to explain my actions by pointing a finger at "coffee headaches"--it wouldn't fly! Yeah, I know, completely different but it's just as ridiculous.
The Benoit situation is getting (now waning) major attention. I hope this serves as an opportunity to bring conversation and education around domestic violence issues. He may have been on steroids, he may have had 'roid rage,' but he murdered two people who trusted him. That's completely unacceptable and horrific. It needs to stop!
Why did he do this? What exactly happened in that house? We'll never know--Chris Benoit is dead too. There's no way to try this case in court and the state can't hold him in prison for life. Does that mean the story is over? Not at all! This situation can be used to bring awareness to issues around domestic abuse and crimes committed against women and families. Chris Benoit was well known in a specific community--that's a target audience who could learn from this situation, along with everyone else.
It's completely unacceptable that it's being called a 'roid rage' driven act. (Roid rage being something brought on by steroid use.) Focusing on 'roid rage' takes away from the unimaginable act that was committed by Chris Benoit--the real issue. It takes the spotlight off what he did and attempts to paint his actions as understandable and perhaps acceptable considering the circumstances. He killed his wife and his son! His crimes cannot be dismissed--although he too is dead his image needs to be held accountable for what he did to his son and wife--he cannot become a mourned figure.
I get "coffee headaches" if I don't get a cup of brew first thing in the morning. Does that mean I can run out and punch old ladies and tip over flower pots and run kids over with my bike? NO! I'd like to see myself trying to explain my actions by pointing a finger at "coffee headaches"--it wouldn't fly! Yeah, I know, completely different but it's just as ridiculous.
The Benoit situation is getting (now waning) major attention. I hope this serves as an opportunity to bring conversation and education around domestic violence issues. He may have been on steroids, he may have had 'roid rage,' but he murdered two people who trusted him. That's completely unacceptable and horrific. It needs to stop!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
A slight negative for a big positive
While reading this month's Mother Earth News, I came across an interesting bit of information that was completely new to me and I'd like to share it.
"Compact fluorescents do have a downside: They contain tiny amounts of mercury, so instead of throwing them out, they should be recycled or taken to your city’s hazardous waste collection point." (Source)
Really? Very good to know considering I've made an effort to get more of the compact fluorescents into our residence.
But worry not, even though they contain a tiny bit of mercury, they're still better when you look at the bigger picture and their overall benefits. See below from NPR's Morning Edition.
"...even though fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, using them contributes less mercury to the environment than using regular incandescent bulbs. That's because they use less electricity — and coal-fired power plants are the biggest source of mercury emissions in the air." (Source)
Interested in properly disposing of your compact fluorescents? Check Earth 911 for a site near you! If you're close to an IKEA store, they offer bulb disposal/recycling services.
Switching to the compact fluorescents seemed like a bit of an investment when I purchased a 4 pack from Target for $15 or so. Then I found Costco was offering multi-packs of both 75 and 100 watts at bargain prices (8 Energy Star certified bulbs for around $10). But really, the cost is secondary to the energy savings.
Now that I've learned this information I see that a mercury warning is printed on the side of the bulb. Lesson learned? If you're not reading Mother Earth News, read your light bulbs.
"Compact fluorescents do have a downside: They contain tiny amounts of mercury, so instead of throwing them out, they should be recycled or taken to your city’s hazardous waste collection point." (Source)
Really? Very good to know considering I've made an effort to get more of the compact fluorescents into our residence.But worry not, even though they contain a tiny bit of mercury, they're still better when you look at the bigger picture and their overall benefits. See below from NPR's Morning Edition.
"...even though fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, using them contributes less mercury to the environment than using regular incandescent bulbs. That's because they use less electricity — and coal-fired power plants are the biggest source of mercury emissions in the air." (Source)
Interested in properly disposing of your compact fluorescents? Check Earth 911 for a site near you! If you're close to an IKEA store, they offer bulb disposal/recycling services.
Switching to the compact fluorescents seemed like a bit of an investment when I purchased a 4 pack from Target for $15 or so. Then I found Costco was offering multi-packs of both 75 and 100 watts at bargain prices (8 Energy Star certified bulbs for around $10). But really, the cost is secondary to the energy savings.
Now that I've learned this information I see that a mercury warning is printed on the side of the bulb. Lesson learned? If you're not reading Mother Earth News, read your light bulbs.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Drink up. CamelBak makes it easy.
I'm a fan of water. I like to listen to it. I like to shower in it. I like to play in. Most of all, I like to drink it. I'm passing this next bit along as an enthusiastic two-thumbs up review of CamelBak's Better Bottle.
It has a bite and sip valve system that hasn't yet leaked. This bite and sip method took a short time to get used to--I wasn't sold right away. In fact, I called it my 'man bottle' for a while. It grew on me.
The attached straw makes it a breeze to drink on the sly or while driving. No need to tip the entire bottle for a drink and no chance for a wet spill.
The lid has a molded plastic hoop that allows for easy carrying or attaching. This being a considerable improvement over Nalgene's loop that connected the bottle to the top and was prone to breaking with use.
Oh, and the opening of the bottle easily accommodates ice cubes. A major plus for the summer months.
They say the CamelBak is dishwasher safe--thus far I have just washed by hand. I've only filled it with plain ole water so I cannot comment on lingering flavors due to non-water liquids.
I bought my first one from Bearcub Outfitters in Petoskey and have since purchased two more for the household when REI ran their annual sale.
Enjoy--happy drinking!
It has a bite and sip valve system that hasn't yet leaked. This bite and sip method took a short time to get used to--I wasn't sold right away. In fact, I called it my 'man bottle' for a while. It grew on me.
The attached straw makes it a breeze to drink on the sly or while driving. No need to tip the entire bottle for a drink and no chance for a wet spill.
The lid has a molded plastic hoop that allows for easy carrying or attaching. This being a considerable improvement over Nalgene's loop that connected the bottle to the top and was prone to breaking with use.
Oh, and the opening of the bottle easily accommodates ice cubes. A major plus for the summer months.
They say the CamelBak is dishwasher safe--thus far I have just washed by hand. I've only filled it with plain ole water so I cannot comment on lingering flavors due to non-water liquids.
I bought my first one from Bearcub Outfitters in Petoskey and have since purchased two more for the household when REI ran their annual sale.
Enjoy--happy drinking!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Thank you, WAB
We dined at Woodward Avenue Brewers last weekend and ordered the chicken and avocado quesadillas along with a salad. The avocado slices were crunchy, not yet ripe, and certainly no good. We brought this to our waitress' attention and she happily put in a rush order for a different type of quesadilla. Thank you! Super response and just the type of service I would expect. Fine job, WAB--see you soon!
Last summer in the woods
This time last year I was making my way through the hot desert region of Southern California. I was hiking hard and moving north. My goal? Make it to the Canadian border before the snow fell. I thought I had it in me. I thought success in that endeavor was fully guaranteed. Never did I think that I would lose the desire. Lose the drive. Lose the love of the experience. By early July I was headed back to Seattle, going north quickly by car. Passing the mountains and trees that I would have hiked through slowly on foot. I discovered a lonely life in the woods. A life that became increasingly selfish and isolated with each passing day. So I tossed my pack on my back, passed my extra food to those around me, hiked to the top of Mt. Whitney, and then came down to civilization. The summer's hiking adventure was over.
A few months later I moved my life back to Michigan--the state that I had left in haste the year previous. The miles passed in solitude showed me that I wanted to be around those I called friends and those who were family. And it was the best decision I ever made. A few months later I found the woman who will soon be my wife. Instead of embarking on an adventure in the woods lasting a summer I will now undertake the biggest endeavor and most complete thrill with the one most special. Never did I expect all of life's pieces to come together so well.
A few months later I moved my life back to Michigan--the state that I had left in haste the year previous. The miles passed in solitude showed me that I wanted to be around those I called friends and those who were family. And it was the best decision I ever made. A few months later I found the woman who will soon be my wife. Instead of embarking on an adventure in the woods lasting a summer I will now undertake the biggest endeavor and most complete thrill with the one most special. Never did I expect all of life's pieces to come together so well.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Microwaved for your consumption
Here's the thing, it's usually an enjoyable dining experience. A fine Midtown location, hip staff, and a varied menu. I thought Traffic Jam & Snug's meatloaf might be a good choice. Bad idea--especially if I was looking for a fresh meal. And the wait staff was completely certain the mushrooms would not be in the spinach lasagna.
I'll let my message to Traffic Jam & Snug explain...and then her response...and then my response...
from: Matt Church
to: tjsnug@traffic-jam.com
date: Jun 9, 2007 9:05 AM
subject: Surprise at Traffic Jam
Good morning,
Last night my fiance and I dined at Traffic Jam. We're both Wayne State graduates, frequent the Midtown area, and are usually pleased with our Traffic Jam experiences. I'm sorry to say that last night was a huge exception to our positive Traffic Jam meals.
Before we placed our order my fiance made in inquiry about the vegetarian spinach lasagna. She greatly dislikes mushrooms and asked the waiter specifically if mushrooms were in the lasagna. He informed us that he too did not like mushrooms and they were most certainly not in the lasagna. Based on his response she ordered this dish. Once she started eating her meal she was completely dismayed to find large chunks of mushrooms in the lasagna! She pushed them to the side of her plate and showed them to the waiter. His response, "Hm, I don't know what those are--they're not mushrooms though." They were clearly mushrooms! When he returned with the check he told us that someone in the kitchen said it was burnt pasta. It is not at all possible that what was on her plate was burnt pasta. It was mushrooms--and it's a good thing that she wasn't allergic to them. We did not at all appreciate feeling that the waiter was trying to cover his mistakes with a clear fib!
I ordered the meatloaf. I was looking forward to sweet potato fries and a delightful meal. What was served to me looked like a tv dinner or a microwave meal on a nice plate. The peas were shriveled--definitely microwaved. The sweet potato fries were rubbery and dull--also clearly microwaved. And the meatloaf--it was okay but microwaved as well. My entire $14 dish had been microwaved! What a surprise from a decent restaurant! I asked the waiter to swap out the peas and sweet potato fries for soup. He suggested that sweet potato fries sometimes look like that and have that texture. The only fries that I've seen with that texture and appearance are microwaved fries! I do appreciate him providing me with soup in place of the microwaved sides, but to even have any such sides be served to customers is unbelievable.
My fiance and I had been considering having our wedding rehearsal dinner at Traffic Jam. After last night's experience we can cross that option off the list without a doubt. We would not at all want Traffic Jam to reflect the dining options of Detroit to our guests. We had been excited about holding the event at your restaurant--considering you've been around for so many years, you're in the heart of Midtown, and you have people from the area working there--but last night's meal experience told us without a doubt that we will take our business elsewhere.
Thanks for your time. I hope that the microwaved plate policy doesn't continue to stand. Provide your customers with the meals they pay for and expect from Traffic Jam!
Matt
I was pleased to see a response in my inbox. The contents of the message didn't really keep me pleased.
from: tjsnug@traffic-jam.com
to: Matt Church
date: Jun 12, 2007 3:59 PM
subject: Re: Surprise at Traffic Jam
Dear Matt,
I'm sorry! Yes, late last week we did experiment with the lasagne. It has been a mainstay here for so long, and we wanted to perk it up a bit. We did a trial run with portebello mushrooms, sampled it on the staff, earned positive feed back, and ran with it. My big mistake was not ASSURING that each and every of our 35 wait staff knew about the change. A poor job, now recognized.
As for the meatloaf, that item, along with its peas, has always been microwaved. A majority of our business comes from people in a hurry-short lunch break, quick dinner before the symphony, etc. and we could not meet that demand by baking-to- order. We try to overcome that fact by adding leeks, apples, currants, curry and other flavorful ingredients. The sweet potato fries are deep fried.
Again, I'm sorry that you were unhappy with your meal.
Sincerely,
[name not published]
Right. And I'm supposed to feel better about our meal? I think not.
from: Matt Church
to: tjsnug@traffic-jam.com
date: Jun 13, 2007 4:36 PM
subject: Re: Surprise at Traffic Jam
Hi [name not published],
Thank you for your response--albeit a faint apology. You don't seem especially concerned about making sure my business returns to your establishment.
While I completely understand that you can't freshly prepare each slice of meatloaf, microwaving the entire plate seems pretty awful in terms of food taste and presentation. Peas don't microwave well. And while the sweet potato fries were deep fried initially, those on my plate were without a doubt microwaved prior to being served. How about putting a microwave icon next to items that are microwaved so customers know what they're ordering--and the quality they're paying for? It's nice that you cater to those in a hurry, but why offer fast food quality meals at decent dining prices? Perhaps you could come up with a short menu for those in a hurry and save the rest of the menu for those who actually want to come in and enjoy a meal. I'm offended that you so openly offer microwaved meals at $14 per plate. Feels like you all are serving up left-overs to paying customers. Certainly not in line with all the fresh bakery items and the "best, freshest ingredients" you tout on your website.
Thanks for your response though--at least I now know where to go for a quick microwaved meal at a hefty price.
Matt
That's the end of the story for now. Super disappointing considering I've enjoyed many meals there. The Midtown area needs solid restaurants--I hope the lasagna and meatloaf experience was a fluke and not an indication of a downward spiral for such an institution.
I'll let my message to Traffic Jam & Snug explain...and then her response...and then my response...
from: Matt Church
to: tjsnug@traffic-jam.com
date: Jun 9, 2007 9:05 AM
subject: Surprise at Traffic Jam
Good morning,
Last night my fiance and I dined at Traffic Jam. We're both Wayne State graduates, frequent the Midtown area, and are usually pleased with our Traffic Jam experiences. I'm sorry to say that last night was a huge exception to our positive Traffic Jam meals.
Before we placed our order my fiance made in inquiry about the vegetarian spinach lasagna. She greatly dislikes mushrooms and asked the waiter specifically if mushrooms were in the lasagna. He informed us that he too did not like mushrooms and they were most certainly not in the lasagna. Based on his response she ordered this dish. Once she started eating her meal she was completely dismayed to find large chunks of mushrooms in the lasagna! She pushed them to the side of her plate and showed them to the waiter. His response, "Hm, I don't know what those are--they're not mushrooms though." They were clearly mushrooms! When he returned with the check he told us that someone in the kitchen said it was burnt pasta. It is not at all possible that what was on her plate was burnt pasta. It was mushrooms--and it's a good thing that she wasn't allergic to them. We did not at all appreciate feeling that the waiter was trying to cover his mistakes with a clear fib!
I ordered the meatloaf. I was looking forward to sweet potato fries and a delightful meal. What was served to me looked like a tv dinner or a microwave meal on a nice plate. The peas were shriveled--definitely microwaved. The sweet potato fries were rubbery and dull--also clearly microwaved. And the meatloaf--it was okay but microwaved as well. My entire $14 dish had been microwaved! What a surprise from a decent restaurant! I asked the waiter to swap out the peas and sweet potato fries for soup. He suggested that sweet potato fries sometimes look like that and have that texture. The only fries that I've seen with that texture and appearance are microwaved fries! I do appreciate him providing me with soup in place of the microwaved sides, but to even have any such sides be served to customers is unbelievable.
My fiance and I had been considering having our wedding rehearsal dinner at Traffic Jam. After last night's experience we can cross that option off the list without a doubt. We would not at all want Traffic Jam to reflect the dining options of Detroit to our guests. We had been excited about holding the event at your restaurant--considering you've been around for so many years, you're in the heart of Midtown, and you have people from the area working there--but last night's meal experience told us without a doubt that we will take our business elsewhere.
Thanks for your time. I hope that the microwaved plate policy doesn't continue to stand. Provide your customers with the meals they pay for and expect from Traffic Jam!
Matt
I was pleased to see a response in my inbox. The contents of the message didn't really keep me pleased.
from: tjsnug@traffic-jam.com
to: Matt Church
date: Jun 12, 2007 3:59 PM
subject: Re: Surprise at Traffic Jam
Dear Matt,
I'm sorry! Yes, late last week we did experiment with the lasagne. It has been a mainstay here for so long, and we wanted to perk it up a bit. We did a trial run with portebello mushrooms, sampled it on the staff, earned positive feed back, and ran with it. My big mistake was not ASSURING that each and every of our 35 wait staff knew about the change. A poor job, now recognized.
As for the meatloaf, that item, along with its peas, has always been microwaved. A majority of our business comes from people in a hurry-short lunch break, quick dinner before the symphony, etc. and we could not meet that demand by baking-to- order. We try to overcome that fact by adding leeks, apples, currants, curry and other flavorful ingredients. The sweet potato fries are deep fried.
Again, I'm sorry that you were unhappy with your meal.
Sincerely,
[name not published]
Right. And I'm supposed to feel better about our meal? I think not.
from: Matt Church
to: tjsnug@traffic-jam.com
date: Jun 13, 2007 4:36 PM
subject: Re: Surprise at Traffic Jam
Hi [name not published],
Thank you for your response--albeit a faint apology. You don't seem especially concerned about making sure my business returns to your establishment.
While I completely understand that you can't freshly prepare each slice of meatloaf, microwaving the entire plate seems pretty awful in terms of food taste and presentation. Peas don't microwave well. And while the sweet potato fries were deep fried initially, those on my plate were without a doubt microwaved prior to being served. How about putting a microwave icon next to items that are microwaved so customers know what they're ordering--and the quality they're paying for? It's nice that you cater to those in a hurry, but why offer fast food quality meals at decent dining prices? Perhaps you could come up with a short menu for those in a hurry and save the rest of the menu for those who actually want to come in and enjoy a meal. I'm offended that you so openly offer microwaved meals at $14 per plate. Feels like you all are serving up left-overs to paying customers. Certainly not in line with all the fresh bakery items and the "best, freshest ingredients" you tout on your website.
Thanks for your response though--at least I now know where to go for a quick microwaved meal at a hefty price.
Matt
That's the end of the story for now. Super disappointing considering I've enjoyed many meals there. The Midtown area needs solid restaurants--I hope the lasagna and meatloaf experience was a fluke and not an indication of a downward spiral for such an institution.
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