Tag: Food Issues

Only The Best For Our Boys

That disgusting individual in the White House likes to portray himself in some sort of delusional light of patriotism….and he is always going on about that he is doing the absolute best for our troops.

I came across this article about the food being served to our troops off Iran waiting in ships to be deployed…..

Some stellar food prep…..

Napoleon Bonaparte is credited with proclaiming that “an army marches on its stomach”.

Yet, the maxim that military success depends on well-fed soldiers seems not to have reached those in charge of American armed forces in the Gulf.

US marines deployed to the Middle East – poised to strike Iran if a fragile ceasefire collapses – are complaining of dwindling rations and inedible food.

One “meal” – photographed on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier – consists of what appears to be a pre-cooked gyros slice, a pile of an unknown brown substance and some boiled carrots.

Another picture, taken on the USS Tripoli, shows a spoonful of shredded meat and a single tortilla on tray.

The USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship with 3,500 marines and sailors onboard, has been at sea since leaving its base in Okinawa, Japan, for the Middle East more than a month ago. It is engaged in Donald Trump’s blockade of Iranian ports.

One marine told her father that food was being rationed, the coffee machines were broken, and fresh vegetables and fruit had long disappeared.

Dan, 63, a veteran marine, told USA Today: “We have the strongest military in the world. You shouldn’t be running out of food, and you shouldn’t not be able to get mail on the ship.”

Postal deliveries to serving troops in the Middle East were temporarily suspended after the US and Israel attacked Iran on Feb 28. By April, the service was suspended indefinitely because of what the military called “airspace closures” and “logistical impacts” of the war.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/17/trumps-troops-served-tortilla-spoonful-meat-trays-navy/

The photos in the article are as disgusting as the asshole that is doing this top them.

I mean even MREs or C rats would be better than that plate of puke from Donny.

They say moral is super low among the troops and that could explain this story…..

Bill Galvin has spent much of the past month answering the phone.

“It’s been very, very busy,” he says. Galvin is the counseling director at the Center on Conscience and War, which helps run the 24-hour GI Rights Hotline, set up to inform service members of their options for military discharge.

Most callers are asking how to apply to become a conscientious objector — a difficult, invasive and rarely used process. But they’re also airing their concerns and frustrations, often anonymously, as the hotline allows them a space to do so without repercussions.

Military members are citing myriad reasons for wanting to leave, but the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has been a powerful motivator. In March alone, Galvin’s center took on more than 80 new clients — almost twice as many as it takes on in an average year. The busiest single day saw 12 new clients join, with one person saying four other members of their platoon were also interested.

https://www.alternet.org/conscientious-objector/

https://www.npr.org/2026/04/10/nx-s1-5771612/military-iran-war-trump-conscientious-objector

I say good for you and go for it….if enough stop fighting maybe the old bastards will do the dying…..we could use a few less.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Up In Smoke

The world, well parts of the world is starving to death and there seems to be no hope for assistance….

The US is about to incinerate 500 tons of emergency food that belonged to USAid.

Say what?

The Trump administration has ordered 500 metric tons of emergency food aid—enough to feed 1.5 million malnourished children for a week—to be incinerated tomorrow rather than be distributed as part of its ongoing purge of USAID. The high-energy biscuits, intended for children under five living in war and disaster zones, are currently being stored in a warehouse in Dubai and were meant to be shipped out this year, but will instead go to waste due to cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) effectively halting nearly all forms of foreign aid. Current and former aid workers, speaking anonymously for fear of retaliation, told The Atlantic that the sheer scale of waste is unprecedented. Despite repeated assurances from the administration not to eliminate food aid, U.S. warehouses around the world currently house 60,000 tons of food, including peas and cereal originally bound for famine-stricken Sudan, which the administration is now unable to deliver even if it wanted to after gutting USAID and firing logistical experts. According to The Atlantic, the amount of food set to be incinerated tomorrow would be enough to feed every single child currently starving in Gaza.

A stat that is not reported is that malnutrition is on the rise and these food stuffs slated for destruction could help ease the situation….

More than 5,800 children in the Gaza Strip were diagnosed with malnutrition in June alone amid Israel’s ongoing U.S.-backed siege and annihilation of the Palestinian territory, the United Nations Children’s Fund said Sunday.

According to the UNICEF, at least 5,870 malnourished children in Gaza were hospitalized last month for urgent treatment, including more than 1,000 cases of severe malnutrition, the most lethal form of the ailment. Malnutrition diagnoses have increased in Gaza over each of the past four months. In May, 5,119 children between 6 months and 5 years of age suffering acute malnutrition were admitted for treatment in Gaza, as Common Dreams reported.

This is enough to see just how fucking disgusting the Trump people and their supporters have truly become.

After reading this report I feel I need a shower to get some of the slime off of myself.

What a pathetic bunch of in-bred bastards.

How does this Make America Great Again?

Do tell

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Food Prices–Up, Up And Away

If you feel you have to eat everyday then you are well aware of the prices of your groceries continue to make it extreme hard to eat as you would like.

I have noticed that a few of the stores that I visit have this trend of artisan food stuffs and damn they are expensive and it seems to be a growing trend.

Food prices have been steadily rising for years, but a new trend sweeping the grocery industry is making the situation even worse for middle-class shoppers. Across the country, more grocery chains are embracing upscale, boutique-style offerings. As a result, affordable staples that everyday shoppers rely on are nearly disappearing.

While these “premium” grocery formats may offer sleek aesthetics, artisan products, and organic selections, they come with a hidden cost: higher prices on basic goods. As these stores grow in popularity, many middle-income shoppers are finding themselves squeezed out of their own neighborhoods, forced to either pay inflated prices or drive long distances to find affordable alternatives.

Here’s why this grocery shift is happening, how it’s impacting the middle class, and why it’s a growing concern for families already struggling with the cost of living.

In many urban and suburban areas, traditional grocery stores are being replaced or rebranded into upscale, specialty-focused markets. These stores feature curated selections of organic, locally sourced, and “artisan” products. While appealing to affluent shoppers, they often reduce shelf space for budget-friendly brands or bulk items.

What’s driving this trend? Simply put, profit margins. Premium grocery items tend to carry much higher markups than basic pantry staples. Grocers can make more money by selling imported cheeses, boutique wines, and specialty health foods than by stocking generic canned goods or family-sized staples.

https://www.savingadvice.com/articles/2025/07/09/10160223_the-new-grocery-trend-thats-pricing-out-middle-class-shoppers.html

This is something you should watch out for in the future for it is a trap.

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AS long as we are talking about food prices…..

I am a devout beef eater and have been watching those prices shoot up and up why is that?

(I am not a rancher and do not buy or sell beef so if this article is in error please set the record straight)

Soaring U.S. beef prices are hitting consumers in the wallet and raising costs for restaurants.

“Anybody should be able to afford a burger,” said Andrew Schnipper, a managing partner at Hamburger America in New York City. “It’s never been an expensive item historically.”

Yet the restaurant may be forced to raise the price of its burgers, which start at $7.50. “We’re very focused on trying to charge the least amount we feel comfortable doing,” he added. “But obviously, if prices go up we have to raise prices.”

The cost of beef reached $5.98 per pound in May, according to Federal Reserve data — the highest since the Department of Labor started tracking beef prices in the 1980s. That rise hasn’t come overnight. Ground beef costs have increased 45% over the last 10 years, compared with roughly 30% for the overall Consumer Price Index.

Overall food prices have eased since surging during the pandemic, although they’re still up nearly 17% since 2022, according to the CBS News price tracker. That means a grocery bill that cost $100 back then would cost around $116.85 as of May (the latest data available).

So what accounts for higher beef prices? The answer largely comes down to simple economics, with demand outstripping supply. That has resulted in higher costs throughout the supply chain, including for meat processing companies, the restaurant industry and consumers.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/beef-prices-record-highs-drought/

There is always alternatives but those are almost as expensive…..so if you eat regularly you need to find people that can control the necessities like food.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

News From The UK

IST has a some UK visitors which I appreciate very much but most of my writings are about this country and our problems and events…..so I would like to write about a couple of stories I read that involve the UK.

First there is the news about Prince Charles….oh my bad he is a king now…..it has been reported that he has cancer and now he is refusing chemo….

Buckingham Palace announced in February that the King had been diagnosed with cancer, and his treatment has included some challenging moments, including a brief hospitalization just days before the Italian tour. Despite this, he returned to his duties by April 1, determined to stay engaged.

According to royal sources, Charles sees his role not just as ceremonial, but as an opportunity to make a real difference. “He knows he is fortunate to be in a position to create change,” a senior aide shared. “That’s what keeps him going, impact, not obligation.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/surprising-reason-king-charles-not-171832554.html

Is he really that concerned about the optics of stating his cancer or is it to avoid any speculation at the length of time he has left?

Just asking.

I see the Andrew has taken over the title of King Charles from his father….

Does that mean he gets all the benefits of being the king (for now)?

Now how about the deal for more US beef?

The Prez and the PM have a deal now for sending American beef to English markets….is that a good idea?

Officials in Britain are worried contaminated beef from the U.S. could soon be flooding their supermarket shelves, RadarOnline.com can report.

However, the same beef is widely produced stateside, and many of us eat it willingly every day.

A new trade deal agreed to by the two nations will see 13,000 tons of U.S. beef shipped to the U.K. – enough meat to serve one medium-sized steak to every adult in the country.

However, consumers overseas are fearful the much more leniently regulated U.S. beef will contaminate their supply.

A common practice in the U.S. is for farmers to raise hormone-treated beef. These cattle are injected with growth hormones to accelerate muscle growth and shorten the time to slaughter, thereby increasing production efficiency and reducing costs.

But the practice has been linked to concerns such as early puberty in children and increased cancer risks.

While the hormone beef is prevalent on our store shelves, Great Britain has banned it since 1989, when the EU declared it unsafe.

https://radaronline.com/p/donald-trump-food-deal-uk-contaminated-beef-supermarket/

There was one thing I admired about the UK/EU….their ban on genetically modified products…..what has happened to that excellent idea?

I realize there is so much more that I have missed and if anyone would like to add something please leave a comment for I would love to here about the stuff that does not make it over here.

Just my small way of showing my UK readers that they are not forgotten here on IST.

Thanks for the visits and the comments.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Finally Some Good News?

Back in April of this year our clueless leader made a fantastic pronouncement on eggs….remember?

Of course not for most Americans have the memory capability of a garden slug….so let me help….

President Donald Trump, during a press conference today, seemed to get exasperated at a reporter asking him about egg prices, going on a bizarre rant that ended with him stating that ‘egg prices are getting too low.’

“You can have all the eggs you want. We have too many eggs. In fact, if anything, the prices are getting too low. So, I just want to let you know, prices are down,” Trump told the room of reporters.

This comes a day after Trump went on another egg rant at a press conference, denouncing Fed Chair Jerome Powell, where he complained about being tasked with lowering the price of eggs right after election. “The price of eggs, you know, when I came in, they hit me with eggs. I just got there,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

“I was here for one week and they started screaming eggs have gone through the roof. I said, I just got here. I was there for seven days and I hear that eggs have gone through the roof before I got there. And they were screaming at me, the press, the fake news like you, you’re fake, and the fake news is screaming at me about eggs. I said, I’ve only been here, I just, this is my 7th day,” Trump went on.

Fake news?

Has this tool ever bought an egg?

Well the prices came down for the first time in a long while….

US retail egg prices fell in April from the record-high prices they hit earlier this year, according to government data released Tuesday. The average price for a dozen Grade A eggs declined to $5.12 last month after reaching a record $6.23 in March despite wholesale price drops, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. It was the first month-to-month drop in egg prices since October 2024. Overall, the average price of eggs of all sizes fell 12.7%, the steepest monthly decline since March 1984, the AP reports. Still, retail egg prices remain near historic highs. The April average price for a dozen large eggs was 79% higher than reported for the same month a year ago, when the price averaged $2.86 per dozen.

David L. Ortega, a professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University, said he thinks US egg prices will continue to fall in May and June. Consumer demand tends to fall after Easter, which helps lower prices, he says. Fewer bird flu outbreaks at commercial poultry operations in recent weeks has also helped stabilize the country’s egg supply, Ortega said. According to the Department of Agriculture, there were 59 bird flu outbreaks at commercial poultry operations in February, 12 in March and three in April. But Ortega says the progress of the virus is uncertain, and prices could edge up again if outbreaks expand again. Even one outbreak at a commercial facility can impact supply, because massive egg farms have millions of birds.

Lowering egg prices has been a particular focus of President Trump. In February, the USDA said it would invest $1 billion to help farmers improve their biosecurity measures to fight bird flu. The US has also increased imports of eggs from South Korea, Turkey, Brazil, and other countries. The antitrust division of the Department of Justice is also investigating Cal-Maine Foods, the largest US egg producer. The Mississippi-based company, which supplies around 20% of America’s eggs, said its net income more than tripled to $508.5 million in its most recent quarter, which ended March 1.

Two points that need addressing….

Aid to farmers to increase biosecurity….we pay to help chickens but Donny hires a guy for HHS that does not believe in it for us mere humans.

Seriously?

Second point….Trump said earlier that we have more than enough eggs (paraphrase) and yet we are importing (keep in mind tariffs) from other countries.

How will the tariffs effect prices?  (Okay that is three points….my bad)

I cannot verify the lower prices in my area for I have not been to the store in a couple of weeks….

Is anyone seeing lower prices for eggs?

Please let us know what is happening where you live.

I Read, I Write, You KNow

“lego ergo scribo”

 

The Pirate And Guacamole

Welcome to ‘cinco de Mayo’.

What is life without a little whimsy?

And of course a short history lesson.

Before I start my little food history post I want to rant for a moment……we can properly pronounce enchilada, quesadilla, fajitas and so on but few can properly pronounce guacamole….it is NOT pronounced ‘gwak-camole’ but rather ‘wok-camole’….whew I feel better.

Do you know where the first English recipe for guacamole came from?

For all the perceived glamour of piracy, its practitioners lived poorly and ate worse. Skirting death, mutiny, and capture left little room for comfort or transformative culinary experience. The greatest names in piracy, wealthy by the day’s standards, ate as one today might on a poorly provisioned camping trip: dried beef, bread, and warm beer. Those of lesser fame were subject to cannibalism and scurvy. The seas were no place for an adventurous appetite.

But when one gifted pirate permitted himself a curiosity for food, he played a pioneering role in spreading ingredients and cuisines. He gave us the words “tortilla,” “soy sauce,” and “breadfruit,” while unknowingly recording the first ever recipe for guacamole. And who better to expose the Western world to the far corners of our planet’s culinary bounty than someone who by necessity made them his hiding places?

British-born William Dampier began a life of piracy in 1679 in Mexico’s Bay of Campeche. Orphaned in his late teens, Dampier set sail for the Caribbean and fell into a twentysomething job scramble. Seeing no future in logging or sugar plantations, he was sucked into the burgeoning realm of New World raiding, beginning what would be the first of his record-breaking three circumnavigations. A prolific diarist, Dampier kept a journal wrapped in a wax-sealed bamboo tube throughout his journeys. During a year-long prison sentence in Spain in 1694, Dampier would convert these notes into a novel that became a bestseller and seminal travelogue.

Parts of A New Voyage Around the World read like a 17th-century episode of No Reservations, with Dampier playing a high-stakes version of Anthony Bourdain. Aside from writing groundbreaking observations on previously un-researched subjects in meteorology, maritime navigation, and zoology, food was a constant throughout his work. He ate with the locals, observing and employing their practices not only to feed himself and his crew but to amass a body of knowledge that would expand European understanding of non-Western cuisine. In Panama, Dampier traveled with men of the Miskito tribe, hunting and eating manatee. “Their flesh is … [extraordinarily] sweet, wholesome meat,” he wrote. “The tail of a young cow is most esteemed. A calf that sucks is the most delicate meat.” His crew took to roasting filleted bellies over open flames.

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-pirate-who-penned-the-first-english-language-guacamole-recipe

Now when you enjoy a cinco de Mayo bowl of guacamole and you can thank a pirate for the introduction.

Please if you are partying then do it responsibly…..

Enjoy your celebration …..Be Well and Be Safe….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Eggs: Our Favorite Bitch!

A lovely Sunday here in the Deep South….nice temps and semi-clear skies…today I write about a subject that effects most of us almost daily.

That would be the price of eggs….it seems we cannot go one day without some news news flash on the prices and availability…..and then a usual FYI….

I remember during the 2024 campaigns the GOP made hay about the high prices of groceries under the Biden administration and the promise that something would be done if the GOP were given the chance to help their fellow Americans.

As usual it was all lies but that is their MO….lie their asses off then turn their back on any promises made….(and you people still vote for these half human assholes)….but let’s get back to it os Biden’s fault thing….

During the previous American presidential campaign cycle, much was made (by voters and politicians alike) about the high increase in grocery prices under the Biden administration, especially egg prices. In the last two months of former President Joe Biden’s presidency alone, egg prices rose 14% alone, according to CNN.  Further, Donald Trump campaigned on bringing down grocery prices “starting on day one.” 

Instead of that happening, though, Forbes reported that inflation was higher than expected in January 2025 (in which President Trump was in office for nearly two weeks) at 3% rather than 2.8% and that egg prices increased again by a staggering 15%. Trump, perhaps unsurprisingly, responded to these numbers by posting “BIDEN INFLATION UP” on his own social media platform, Truth Social.

The egg price crisis seems to be far more indebted to the virulent avian flu that is infecting America (and killed over 40 million egg-laying birds in 2024).

Regarding Leavitt’s accusations of the Biden administration “mass killing” 100 million chickens — it was actually the USDA, which required the destruction of whole flocks of chickens to stop the avian flu once it was detected, leading to the deaths of 130 million birds since 2022. However, this USDA policy has not changed during the Trump administration and the same culling that Leavitt decried in her statement against Biden continues with President Trump.

As a result of the avian flu rendering over 130 million egg-laying birds as no longer viable, egg prices have soared astronomically.  Further, until biosecurity increases and a vaccine is introduced to entire commercial egg-producing flocks, it is likely that the avian flu crisis (and its resultant increased prices) will continue.

https://www.gobankingrates.com/saving-money/food/biden-egg-prices-are-higher-than-ever-who-is-to-blame/

Did you know that at today’s prices gram for gram eggs are more expensive the beef?

Every day seems to bring a new reminder that egg prices keep rising. The latest is from Axios, which reports that eggs are now more expensive than beef by one metric for the first time. The outlet analyzed nearly 500 months of Consumer Price Index data going back to 1984 and found that January brought a milestone—the cost per gram of protein for a dozen eggs eclipsed that of a pound of ground beef for the first time. The eggs are now running about a half cent more expensive.

Consumers shouldn’t expect relief anytime soon. The average price of a dozen Grade A eggs in US cities reached a record-high $4.95 in January, more than double the price of $2.04 not even two years ago, reports the AP. And the Department of Agriculture has warned that prices are likely to rise another 20% this year. What’s more, prices typically spike around Easter, which is April 20 this year.

There are those that are calling for an investigation into the high prices….but with this do-nothing group in charge it will be a fart in a hurricane.

An advocacy group dedicated to fighting corporate agriculture monopolies on Wednesday urged federal antitrust enforcers to take action against egg producers that the group accuses of taking advantage of the bird flu crisis in order to raise prices, inflate their profits, and consolidate their market power.

What’s more, the slow recovery of “flock size”—the total number of egg-laying hens—”despite historically high prices, further suggests coordinated efforts to restrict supply and sustain inflated prices” that warrants investigation, according to a letter sent by Farm Action president Angela Huffman to Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson and Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed Assefi, who has been tapped to temporarily lead the DOJ antitrust division.

The letter, which invokes the behavior of “dominant egg producers,” largely provides data on one company, Cal-Maine Foods, the biggest producer and marketer of shell eggs in the country.

Separately, Democratic voices are urging the Trump administration to take action around corporate conduct as it relates to food prices. FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya, a Biden appointee, has also urged Ferguson to open an investigation into egg production and marketing practices—pointing to a 2023 request from Farm Action to the FTC to investigate potential antitrust violations in the egg industry.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/egg-prices-ftc-doj-farm-action

Where are the Democrats?

All they are capable of doing is talking about the problem and offer NO solutions.

Hang on my friends it may get a lot worse.

While we await that other shoe to drop here is a little FYI for alt egg….

If you’re not among those panic-buying eggs, you can easily find suitable egg substitutes for baking, whether due to allergy concerns, scarcity or you’re simply priced out. Another silver lining: Most of the replacements are ingredients you probably already have on hand, and are likely more affordable than eggs.

Baking is a delicate web of ingredients — removing one would be like recklessly pulling out the lynchpin in a Jenga tower — and eggs are incredibly important for a number of reasons. An egg, in particular, has several roles that are crucial to a recipe’s success. It adds richness and moisture, like in a brioche. It can serve to thicken and emulsify, as in a cheesecake. The oven heats up the egg’s protein, creating structure for cakes, muffins and bars. When beaten, eggs provide leavening fluff — case in point: a soufflé. If you’ve ever forgotten to add eggs to a cake batter, then you know all too well the end result is a dense, structureless puck that crumbles faster than a house of cards. So if you don’t or can’t use egg, you definitely need a substitute.

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/cooking/a63704882/best-egg-substitutes-for-baking/

That does it for this Sunday….enjoy your day and as always….Be Well and Be Safe….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Never to Return

Most of us shop for eggs and most of us have been bitching about the stark rise in prices…..the question has been asked….will we ever see cheap eggs again?  Many do not understand what is happening so I feel a little background will help….

Bird flu is forcing farmers to slaughter millions of chickens a month, pushing US egg prices to more than double their cost in summer 2023. As the AP reports, it appears there may be no relief in sight, given the coming Easter demand. The average price per dozen nationwide hit $4.15 in December. That’s not quite the $4.82 record set two years ago, but the USDA predicts prices are going to soar another 20% this year. “It’s just robbery,” says Minneapolis resident Sage Mills. “Eggs used to be kind of a staple … (but now) you might as well just go out to eat.” A look:

  • What’s driving prices? In two words, bird flu. More than 145 million chickens, turkeys, and other birds have been slaughtered. Cage-free egg laws in 10 states that set minimum space for chickens may also be responsible for some supply disruptions and price increases.
  • Why is the virus so hard to control? Bird flu is primarily spread by wild birds such as ducks and geese as they migrate. It’s also easily tracked into a farm on someone’s boots or vehicle. The virus found a new host in dairy cattle last March, creating more opportunities for it to linger and spread. More than five dozen people have also become ill with bird flu and one died.
  • What’s being done? Many poultry farms installed truck washes to disinfect vehicles and require workers to shower and change clothes before stepping inside a barn. Some farmers have even invested in lasers that shoot beams of green light to discourage wild ducks and geese from landing. Cooking meat to 165 degrees kills bird flu, and pasteurization kills it in milk.
  • How much has the outbreak cost? It’s impossible to know how much farmers have spent to seal barns, build shower houses, or adopt other biosecurity measures. “Over the last five years, my small farm alone has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on biosecurity,” says Minnesota turkey farmer Loren Brey. The USDA has spent at least $1.14 billion compensating farmers for the birds they’ve had to kill. A USDA rep said the department also spent more than $576 million on its own response

The answer is probably never again.

Why?

The egg industry has learned from the oil industry….take advantage of a situation and raise prices then come down a few cents and people will reveille in their savings and what a good job the industry is doing to help the common man.

Of course that will be bullshit and greed has set in so high prices are the norm and for a long time.

Here’s a factoid for you about the egg industry…..

As avian flu rapidly circulates in the U.S., Cal-Maine Foods, the nation’s largest egg producer, appears to be having a bumper year, bolstered in part by taxpayer bailouts in the multi-millions.

The company’s stocks recently soared to a record high, as its net sales rose by a staggering 82 percent last quarter. Cal-Maine Foods expanded its operations last spring, paying around $110 million in cash to acquire the assets and facilities of another egg producer, ISE America. Despite culling at least 1.6 million hens on infected farms last year, the poultry corporation is getting richer and bigger.

U.S. taxpayers have given the poultry giant a lift. The company has received $44 million in indemnity payouts to compensate for bird deaths tied to the avian flu outbreak. Despite the company’s growth, Cal-Maine Foods is the fourth largest recipient of indemnity payments for the ongoing outbreak from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)’s indemnity program.

The compensation system, distinct from the agency’s program for livestock, pays poultry farmers and producers for the market value of the birds and eggs. It does not pay for birds that directly die from avian flu. It only pays for “infected or exposed poultry and/or eggs that are destroyed to control the disease,” — i.e. deliberately killed to prevent the spread of the virus. The agency also provides compensation for other virus control activities, such as destroying contaminated supplies and disinfecting a barn after an outbreak.

How U.S. Taxpayers Bailed Out the Poultry Industry, and Helped Entrench Avian Flu

Here is my problem….if these people are compensated for their loss how can the government allow them to fleece the public.

Basically it is corporate welfare….and you about those ‘welfare queens’ (sorry for the use of this insulting bullshit)

You might want to pay attention for this is not the only industry that gets rich from fucking the public.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Vegetarianism Vs Meat Eaters

It is a Sunday and as usual I try to give my readers something to think about and hopefully they will learn something in the process.

Today I would like to cover a growing fad….non-meat eaters.

We could go with the cruelty part of the tale but I want to go with the growing concern that many have over the eating for super processed food.

So what is more healthy eating nothing but veggies or the meat?

With increasingly more people opting for plant-based diets – whether it’s for health, environmental, or ethical concerns –  a new study has highlighted that switching to vegetarianism may entail an undesirable side effect: eating more ultra-processed foods.

In a new study, scientists looked at the consumption of ultra-processed food, plus “minimally processed food” across nearly 200,000 people who have participated in the UK Biobank project.

They found vegetarians ate more ultra-processed food (by around 1.3 percentage points) compared to regular red meat eaters. Vegans also ate slightly more ultra-processed food compared to regular red meat eaters, although the disparity was not significantly different (1.2 percentage points).

The study concludes: “This UK-based study found higher UPF [ultra-processed food] consumption in vegetarian diets and lower in diets with a modest amount of meat or fish.”

“It is important that policies which encourage the urgently needed transition to more sustainable dietary patterns also promote rebalancing diets towards minimally processed foods,” it adds. 

Here lies the problem: many people eating plant-based diets in the industrialized world don’t solely eat a balanced variety of fresh vegetables and fruits. When trying to avoid meat, well-intentioned consumers can also opt for meat substitutes, prepared ready meals, and other “convenience foods” that are often loaded with more calories, saturated fat, salt, sugar, and all kinds of additives.

https://www.iflscience.com/vegetarians-vs-meat-eaters-who-consumes-more-ultra-processed-food-76945

I am old and been a meat eater all my life….I do buy lean meats and try not to eat those processed foods as much as possible.  Besides I have yet to find a plant based (god I hate that term) burger that tastes as good as the real thing….and do not get me started on the fake bacon or cheese thing.

I will remain a meat eater as long as I have left on this world.

How about you?

Onto bigger and better things….after all tomorrow is Cyber Monday and the internet ought to be buzzing with deals.

Enjoy your Sunday and as always…..Be Well and Be safe….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Worried About Those High Food Prices?

Consequences of a mindless vote.

I know that everyone has had sticker shock when they go grocery shopping…..but we have a new president and that will soon change, right?

Let’s start with fresh produce….do you buy such items as…. Corn, beans, tomatoes, squash, cotton, vanilla, avocados, cacao, and various spices….or maybe such items as….fresh cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, squash, and strawberries….

Those items are grown and brought into the US in Mexico and Canada…and in 2025 those and other items will be hit with tariffs….

President-elect Donald Trump vowed Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25% tariff on all products coming into the United States from Mexico and Canada.

“As everyone is aware, thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing Crime and Drugs at levels never seen before,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.

Trump said that on Jan. 20, in one of his first executive orders, he would sign all the necessary paperwork to levy a 25% tariff on all products arriving from the U.S.’s North American neighbors.

“This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” he wrote. “Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem. We hereby demand that they use this power, and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!”

Trump said in another Truth Social post that he also would levy an additional 10% tariff on top of existing tariffs on Chinese products coming into the United States.

(usatoday.com)

The key to that statement is the word ‘ALL’….

That means that YOU will be paying higher prices for your fresh veggies and fruit.

Let me help you understand…..the cost of the tariffs will be paid by the importers not the nations affected….and that means YOU will pay for the tariffs because importers will stick you with the extra cost.

So people get ready….bend over and spread ’em….

But not to worry the wealthy will be making lots more money while you spend more just to feed your family….

Trump is not even president yet and already the wealthy has made a killing….and that does not include the proposed tax cuts they will be getting…

An analysis released Wednesday showed that the United States’ 815 billionaires have seen their combined wealth surge by roughly $280 billion since Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election earlier this month, a finding that came as Republicans continued to lay the groundwork for another massive tax giveaway for the rich.

Citing Forbes data, Americans for Tax Fairness (ATF) noted that the collective net worth of the nation’s billionaires jumped $276 billion between November 4—the day before Election Day—and November 12. Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest man and a Trump confidant, accounted for 20% of the total billionaire wealth surge, with his net worth growing by $57 billion in just a week.

ATF found that U.S. billionaire wealth is now at an all-time high of $6.7 trillion—a fact that hasn’t deterred Republican lawmakers from pursuing additional tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, which they want to pay for in part by slashing Medicaid and federal nutrition assistance.

(commondreams.org)

Something for us all to look forward to in the coming Trump administration…

But not to worry the GOP will blame the Dems or immigrants for their screwing of the American people and the humorous thing is morons will believe the bullshit.

This is what YOU voted for….merry christmas.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”