Sk

"Swingman"

24/03/2007 11:47 AM

OT: Fast food and tools ... indicators?

When you don't partake often there can arguably be some value in making a
perception based judgment when you do, particularly on just how far things
have deteriorated in the 'not that distant past'.

We don't eat much fast food around here, but last night, youngest daughter
being in from college on spring break and finding the two of us alone
without much choice for supper, we decided, spur of the moment, to get
Popeye's fried chicken for the first time in probably six or seven years.

Big mistake!

Corporate "swill" is the only way to describe what we got ... there is so
little resemblance to what it "used to be" that if it only makes you sad,
not sick, you're lucky.

Another example of just how far down we've come due to an ill educated
populace, coupled with corporate incompetence and greed, is about all I can
equate last night's experience to.

This, along with the observable, overall downgrade in tool quality we've
faced with the past few years, and a myriad of other daily indicators, adds
a few more nails to the coffin conclusions:

We (the USA) are in big trouble, and it's absolutely astounding just how
prescient George Orwell really was.

And apparently even our pets aren't safe from corporate incompetence these
days.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 2/20/07


This topic has 15 replies

Lr

"Leon"

in reply to "Swingman" on 24/03/2007 11:47 AM

25/03/2007 2:06 PM


<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> tell it to your man (woman) in washington
>

Huh, you might as well tell it to your dog. People in Washington have no
control over this.

Rd

"Robatoy"

in reply to "Swingman" on 24/03/2007 11:47 AM

24/03/2007 10:28 AM

On Mar 24, 1:47 pm, "Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote:
[snipped in agreement on fast food in general]
>
> We (the USA) are in big trouble, and it's absolutely astounding just how
> prescient George Orwell really was.
>
> And apparently even our pets aren't safe from corporate incompetence these
> days.

The 'pet' industry racked up 32 BILLION in sales in 2003.
Any time a pie is big enough for corporations to fight over, the
consumer invariably gets it up the ass. Now the bastards are
genetically engineering (GE) our food supply. Why? To increase yields
to improve the bottom line for their share holders. Now a farmer can
be held liable if a part of his crop accidentally cross-breeds with a
GE crop.... for patent infringement. Not to mention that they're also
breeding out the reproductive abilities from seeds... so you HAVE to
buy seeds from the bastards at Monsanto. In some countries farmers are
FORCED to buy from Monsanto so that 'cross-contamination' can't happen
to their sterile crops.

Monsanto made the potato growers on Price Edward Island an offer to
use their seeds. They were told to go fuck themselves.

Grains from those crops are being fed to the chicken you bought.
It goes beyond corporate greed, it's downright extortion. And don't
for a minute think the US has an exclusive on that type of
thinking..people in lands where banks exist are those getting screwed.

The original concept of a 'corporation' was to start and finish a
project. The building of a bridge, for instance. Then, upon
completion, the 'co-operation' between, say, the cement supplier and
steel fabricator would be disolved. That concept has evolved into a
group of investors looking for ways to screw Joe Public out of his
money faster than the 'other' 'corporation' the IRS. Taxes were
supposed to help with the development of a civil society with all its
amenities such as roads, including a defence force. We all know what
happened next.

Last time somebody did some actual research up here in Kanuckistan, an
average worker has to work till JULY before he gets to keep any of his
own money. The first 6 months of wages goes to The Man, via sales and
other taxes.

Sorry, Swingman, but you got me going now...Here in Kanuckistan, we
are only supposed to pay taxes to support a war...and I'm not talking
about one that is waged to export GE seeds. The BNA act, forbids the
collection of taxes by the Federal Government.... guess what? Bend
over, Joe, here comes another conflict. And then they wonder why so
many resort to doing work under the table.

I know a farmer who will sell me one of his chickens. Grows his own
corn from his own seeds using real shit for fertilizer. Those chickens
are a stark reminder what garbage is being sold AS chicken these days.

Bon Apetit!

r

d

in reply to "Swingman" on 24/03/2007 11:47 AM

24/03/2007 8:43 PM

On Mar 24, 12:47 pm, "Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote:
> When you don't partake often there can arguably be some value in making a
> perception based judgment when you do, particularly on just how far things
> have deteriorated in the 'not that distant past'.
>
> We don't eat much fast food around here, but last night, youngest daughter
> being in from college on spring break and finding the two of us alone
> without much choice for supper, we decided, spur of the moment, to get
> Popeye's fried chicken for the first time in probably six or seven years.
>
> Big mistake!
>
> Corporate "swill" is the only way to describe what we got ... there is so
> little resemblance to what it "used to be" that if it only makes you sad,
> not sick, you're lucky.
>
> Another example of just how far down we've come due to an ill educated
> populace, coupled with corporate incompetence and greed, is about all I can
> equate last night's experience to.
>
> This, along with the observable, overall downgrade in tool quality we've
> faced with the past few years, and a myriad of other daily indicators, adds
> a few more nails to the coffin conclusions:
>
> We (the USA) are in big trouble, and it's absolutely astounding just how
> prescient George Orwell really was.
>
> And apparently even our pets aren't safe from corporate incompetence these
> days.
>
> --www.e-woodshop.net
> Last update: 2/20/07


tell it to your man (woman) in washington

Rd

"Robatoy"

in reply to "Swingman" on 24/03/2007 11:47 AM

25/03/2007 9:33 AM

On Mar 25, 10:06 am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
>
>
> > tell it to your man (woman) in washington
>
> Huh, you might as well tell it to your dog. People in Washington have no
> control over this.

Not if they want to keep getting donations for re-election. I recently
read, and I don't know how accurate it is, that it costs close to 500
million to run a campaign for the presidency? Hell, the fixes are in
BEFORE somebody becomes president. Maybe that's what we are looking at
now, eh?

d

in reply to "Swingman" on 24/03/2007 11:47 AM

25/03/2007 10:18 AM

On Mar 25, 7:21 am, "J. Clarke" <[email protected]> wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > On Mar 24, 12:47 pm, "Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> When you don't partake often there can arguably be some value in
> >> making a perception based judgment when you do, particularly on just
> >> how far things have deteriorated in the 'not that distant past'.
>
> >> We don't eat much fast food around here, but last night, youngest
> >> daughter being in from college on spring break and finding the two
> >> of us alone without much choice for supper, we decided, spur of the
> >> moment, to get Popeye's fried chicken for the first time in probably
> >> six or seven years.
>
> >> Big mistake!
>
> >> Corporate "swill" is the only way to describe what we got ... there
> >> is so little resemblance to what it "used to be" that if it only
> >> makes you sad, not sick, you're lucky.
>
> >> Another example of just how far down we've come due to an ill
> >> educated populace, coupled with corporate incompetence and greed, is
> >> about all I can equate last night's experience to.
>
> >> This, along with the observable, overall downgrade in tool quality
> >> we've faced with the past few years, and a myriad of other daily
> >> indicators, adds a few more nails to the coffin conclusions:
>
> >> We (the USA) are in big trouble, and it's absolutely astounding just
> >> how prescient George Orwell really was.
>
> >> And apparently even our pets aren't safe from corporate incompetence
> >> these days.
>
> >> --www.e-woodshop.net
> >> Last update: 2/20/07
>
> > tell it to your man (woman) in washington
>
> What are they supposed to do about it?
>
> --
> --
> --John
> to email, dial "usenet" and validate
> (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

tongue was in cheek there, but if one is concerned about a stupid
populace, lack of standards, and greed, washington would be a good
place to make some changes.

corporations are run by people--like your neighbors perhaps--who
answer to somebody. free markets will correct sloth and excess in the
long run.

i decided a few years ago to complain about lousy product or service,
every time, and for me that really works. i always get satisfaction,
and often am amazed about how far some will go to make something
right. manufacturers feel the pain when handling returns, big time.
make them bear that cost.

nn

in reply to "Swingman" on 24/03/2007 11:47 AM

25/03/2007 10:57 AM

On Mar 25, 10:33 am, "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Not if they want to keep getting donations for re-election. I recently
> read, and I don't know how accurate it is, that it costs close to 500
> million to run a campaign for the presidency? Hell, the fixes are in
> BEFORE somebody becomes president. Maybe that's what we are looking at
> now, eh?

I'll bet it's even more than that in behind the scenes money. And
then when you factor in all the "volunteer" efforts of those betting
the come for the possiblity if being "remembered" (read: rewarded) it
has to be double that number. I think the 500 is just the actually
trackable, cash outlay.

The politcian's won self image is one of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
crossed with Meet John Doe, with a little To Kill A Mockingbird thrown
in. I don't think anything could be much farther from the truth. A
very few of those in office may have started out as starry eyed do-
gooders, thinking they could actually make a difference. But I think
most of them do it like for sex, drugs and rock and roll. It is all
about them, self enrichment, and their own egotistical legacy.

I think it is beyond profoundly naive to think for second that the
presidency isn't owned. While I don't subscribe to the "one giant
secret corporation runs the US" theories, certainly believe a handful
do. To me, the differece in the presidential candidates depends on
which corporations have ensured their success.

The cost of that ensured success? Farm subsidies to some of the
largest corporations in the world (Monsanto, ADM, etc.), lenient
settlements of federal lawsuits against giant corporations that are
beyond bizarre (tobacco for example has something like 30 interest
free years to pay out their settlement), and countless other examples
of the smaller players getting their payback.

These are the people that own the presidency, lock, stock and barrel.
By the time you have been in politics long enough to make it that far,
you belong to somebody.

The only fly in the ointment for those that control is the monster,
arrogant ego of those they select as their lackeys. Huge egos make
stupid mistakes; huge libidos add to them. Then concerned about their
legacy at the ends of their careers (no matter how long), those same
huge egos seem out of control all together. Suddenly concerned for
their constituents, they have freeways widened, libraries built,
college wings built, free clinics opened, you name it, just as long as
it is named after them.

Talk about not getting Rob started...

Robert

Bi

Bill in Detroit

in reply to "Swingman" on 24/03/2007 11:47 AM

24/03/2007 6:31 PM

Swingman wrote:
> "Robatoy" wrote in message
>
>> Sorry, Swingman, but you got me going now...Here in Kanuckistan, we
>> are only supposed to pay taxes to support a war...and I'm not talking
>> about one that is waged to export GE seeds. The BNA act, forbids the
>> collection of taxes by the Federal Government.... guess what? Bend
>> over, Joe, here comes another conflict. And then they wonder why so
>> many resort to doing work under the table.
>>
>> I know a farmer who will sell me one of his chickens. Grows his own
>> corn from his own seeds using real shit for fertilizer. Those chickens
>> are a stark reminder what garbage is being sold AS chicken these days.
>
> No problem ... I am far from what you would call an activist, but I'm
> getting fed up with the greed, corruption and stupidity evinced in
> corporations, universities, and governments at all levels.
>
> Haven't read the following in many years, but, IIRC, it is, as one reviewer
> put it, " ... frighteningly, eerily relevant."
>
> http://www.amazon.com/Sheep-Look-Up-John-Brunner/dp/1932100016
>
> Color me worried about what kind of world my children will grow up in, much
> more so than my parents were.
>


Our friends chuckle into their sleeves, but my wife and I can & dry much
of our own food raised in our urban backyard from readily available
(abundant, even!) organic materials. In fair weather (this is, after
all, Detroit) we walk or bike wherever we can.

How much of our food? About 1/3 to 1/2, depending on the season.
Frankly, I think that there is something grotesquely wrong with those
lawsuits mentioned earlier: I think that the ordinary farmer should have
a claim against Monsanto for polluting his crops by not controlling the
spread of their mutant and unproven genetic material.

I STRONGLY support following the US model of requiring labeling of GM
ingredients in ALL foods ... something which the congress-critters have
not had the testicular fortitude to insist upon. Instead, our laws are
being eroded to meet international (low) standards of purity and labeling.

That's a lot of poisoned wheat we were (apparently) shipped. I wonder
how much of it found its way into human foods and how many human deaths
(of seniors and others on short funds) are still to be reported.

I'm not MUCH of an activist ... but I will be participating in "guerilla
gardening" ( http://www.guerrillagardening.org/ )this spring by seeding
about a mile of freeway fencing with pole beans.

Lotsa po' folks in my neighborhood. Those who've got what it takes to
pick free beans will make out okay ... possibly be inspired to plant a
few of their own next year. There was a time when hearly every little
yard had its little garden. Something has been lost ... and THAT is
where Monsanto, Con Agra and others get their money. We eat their food
and not our own.

Bill
--
http://nmwoodworks.com/cube


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Bi

Bill in Detroit

in reply to "Swingman" on 24/03/2007 11:47 AM

26/03/2007 3:27 AM

Bill in Detroit wrote:

> I STRONGLY support following the US model of requiring labeling of GM
^^ should be EU, not US


> ingredients in ALL foods ... something which the congress-critters have
> not had the testicular fortitude to insist upon. Instead, our laws are
> being eroded to meet international (low) standards of purity and labeling.


--
http://nmwoodworks.com/cube


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MD

"Morris Dovey"

in reply to "Swingman" on 24/03/2007 11:47 AM

24/03/2007 3:58 PM

Swingman wrote:
| When you don't partake often there can arguably be some value in
| making a perception based judgment when you do, particularly on
| just how far things have deteriorated in the 'not that distant
| past'.
|
| We don't eat much fast food around here, but last night, youngest
| daughter being in from college on spring break and finding the two
| of us alone without much choice for supper, we decided, spur of the
| moment, to get Popeye's fried chicken for the first time in
| probably six or seven years.
|
| Big mistake!
|
| Corporate "swill" is the only way to describe what we got ... there
| is so little resemblance to what it "used to be" that if it only
| makes you sad, not sick, you're lucky.
|
| Another example of just how far down we've come due to an ill
| educated populace, coupled with corporate incompetence and greed,
| is about all I can equate last night's experience to.
|
| This, along with the observable, overall downgrade in tool quality
| we've faced with the past few years, and a myriad of other daily
| indicators, adds a few more nails to the coffin conclusions:
|
| We (the USA) are in big trouble, and it's absolutely astounding
| just how prescient George Orwell really was.
|
| And apparently even our pets aren't safe from corporate
| incompetence these days.

Seems we did better before we decided it was politically correct to be
a "classless" society. I distinctly remember my architect/stonemason
grandfather assuring me that there'd always be two classes:

"First Class" and "no class" (no middle ground).

It's a choice everyone makes every day - even (perhaps _especially_)
when they try not to.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/StirlingProject.html

MD

"Morris Dovey"

in reply to "Swingman" on 24/03/2007 11:47 AM

25/03/2007 8:23 AM

J. Clarke wrote:
| [email protected] wrote:

|| tell it to your man (woman) in washington
|
| What are they supposed to do about it?

[1] A USFDA-supervised research program to develop tasty green wafers
containing all the nutrients that a human body requires and...

[2] A Federal luxury tax on all tools capable of more than single use.

[3] Vote themselves a pay increase.

:-P

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/solar.html

Sk

"Swingman"

in reply to "Swingman" on 24/03/2007 11:47 AM

24/03/2007 2:24 PM

"Robatoy" wrote in message

> Sorry, Swingman, but you got me going now...Here in Kanuckistan, we
> are only supposed to pay taxes to support a war...and I'm not talking
> about one that is waged to export GE seeds. The BNA act, forbids the
> collection of taxes by the Federal Government.... guess what? Bend
> over, Joe, here comes another conflict. And then they wonder why so
> many resort to doing work under the table.
>
> I know a farmer who will sell me one of his chickens. Grows his own
> corn from his own seeds using real shit for fertilizer. Those chickens
> are a stark reminder what garbage is being sold AS chicken these days.

No problem ... I am far from what you would call an activist, but I'm
getting fed up with the greed, corruption and stupidity evinced in
corporations, universities, and governments at all levels.

Haven't read the following in many years, but, IIRC, it is, as one reviewer
put it, " ... frighteningly, eerily relevant."

http://www.amazon.com/Sheep-Look-Up-John-Brunner/dp/1932100016

Color me worried about what kind of world my children will grow up in, much
more so than my parents were.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 2/20/07

@

in reply to "Swingman" on 24/03/2007 11:47 AM

25/03/2007 12:08 AM


>> And apparently even our pets aren't safe from corporate incompetence these
>> days.

You just now realized this?

JC

"J. Clarke"

in reply to "Swingman" on 24/03/2007 11:47 AM

25/03/2007 8:21 AM

[email protected] wrote:
> On Mar 24, 12:47 pm, "Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> When you don't partake often there can arguably be some value in
>> making a perception based judgment when you do, particularly on just
>> how far things have deteriorated in the 'not that distant past'.
>>
>> We don't eat much fast food around here, but last night, youngest
>> daughter being in from college on spring break and finding the two
>> of us alone without much choice for supper, we decided, spur of the
>> moment, to get Popeye's fried chicken for the first time in probably
>> six or seven years.
>>
>> Big mistake!
>>
>> Corporate "swill" is the only way to describe what we got ... there
>> is so little resemblance to what it "used to be" that if it only
>> makes you sad, not sick, you're lucky.
>>
>> Another example of just how far down we've come due to an ill
>> educated populace, coupled with corporate incompetence and greed, is
>> about all I can equate last night's experience to.
>>
>> This, along with the observable, overall downgrade in tool quality
>> we've faced with the past few years, and a myriad of other daily
>> indicators, adds a few more nails to the coffin conclusions:
>>
>> We (the USA) are in big trouble, and it's absolutely astounding just
>> how prescient George Orwell really was.
>>
>> And apparently even our pets aren't safe from corporate incompetence
>> these days.
>>
>> --www.e-woodshop.net
>> Last update: 2/20/07
>
>
> tell it to your man (woman) in washington

What are they supposed to do about it?

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

MJ

Mark & Juanita

in reply to "Swingman" on 24/03/2007 11:47 AM

25/03/2007 1:40 PM

On Sun, 25 Mar 2007 08:23:52 -0600, "Morris Dovey" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>J. Clarke wrote:
>| [email protected] wrote:
>
>|| tell it to your man (woman) in washington
>|
>| What are they supposed to do about it?
>
>[1] A USFDA-supervised research program to develop tasty green wafers
>containing all the nutrients that a human body requires and...
>
>[2] A Federal luxury tax on all tools capable of more than single use.
>
>[3] Vote themselves a pay increase.
>
>:-P

Well I'm sure they can be successful at least at one of the three, and
since one of the others supports that objective, they may be able to
accomplish two out of three.



+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Lr

"Leon"

in reply to "Swingman" on 24/03/2007 11:47 AM

25/03/2007 1:50 PM


"Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

>
> Not if they want to keep getting donations for re-election. I recently
> read, and I don't know how accurate it is, that it costs close to 500
> million to run a campaign for the presidency? Hell, the fixes are in
> BEFORE somebody becomes president. Maybe that's what we are looking at
> now, eh?
>

No, no, no that is called gambling/placing bets on who your next president
will be. Once the candidate is elected he has his own agenda which is
persuaded by the next group of suckers that throw money at him. Nothing
ever gets fixed.


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