Some general conversation here:

I've read a couple of articles recently about the costs of living green, as well as the perception that products like organic food, hybrid vehicles, and green home improvements are luxury items. Here's the latest one I've read, which focuses on the organic movement.



I have to admit that when I go to Wegman's I don't particularly care if the product I buy is organic or not. If something I buy is organic, chances are it is purely a coincidence. My one organic memory is buying a six pack of Wolaver's Brown Ale to see if it was any good (it was). Believe it or not, Josh is the organic shopper in our living environment. My diet lately consists of cigarettes, luxury booze, burritos, hot bar at Tops that none of you would ever touch, and of course the odd cooking experiment. When I cook I do demand quality ingredients.

When I talk to Josh about the costs of buying organic food, he says to me that certain items are very reasonable, as in an extra quarter or two, but for the most part shopping organic is indeed an expensive proposition. If you want to buy a hybrid vehicle, or green up your home and get LEED certification, you are definitely going to pay a hefty premium. Anyone ever seen a poor person, or anyone other than upper middle class person driving a Prius? Planet Green routinely features technology and concepts that simply are out of the reach of everyday people. Tech is always expensive in the beginning - any hardware enthusiast will tell you this. But FOOD?

Here's the thing with me and organic food - first of all, I admit that I don't know everything about why organic food is good for me and is worth paying so much money to buy. What I want to see are tangible benefits to my health - in the article I've given someone talks about making himself feel better about cattle welfare. Joe Sixpint can't afford to fret over this kind of shit in our current economic environment, so these concerns to me are secondary.

Given my own gaps in knowledge about what the benefits really are other than to make me feel better about myself, I do see opportunities for people to get organics on the cheap. The article states that the movement has to be intertwined with government orthodoxy stating this is the way people have to eat. I don't see that kind of government intrusion ever being acceptable in the United States, but I do see the opportunity to build a relationship with a local farmer by buying into a CSA program, like what Porter Farms does already. This won't work for the gourmets of the world who need their various special ingredients from every corner of the globe, but for lower income people who don't demand this stuff it makes a lot of sense.

So....in summary....I think the reputation for green living being an upper-middle to upper class proposition is rightfully earned. I can probably take some guesses on the demographics and be right on at least half of it. I'm okay with things being expensive in the short term, but for this kind of movement to really take hold it needs to be available to regular people at prices they can manage. We all can do the little things to make our world cleaner and more livable, but being a true environmental champion like the Goreacle means serious moolah. I wish it didn't have to be this way. Maybe we can start with food.

Edit: I wanted to respond to (e:TheeCarey) and (e:Zobar) about the sherry. First off, Z, thanks for the recommendation, you tasteful mofo! I'll try it out. I finished my last bottle already so I'm ready for another one. Carey, I am happy to report that I liked the amontillado sherry much more when it was slightly chilled! It doesn't warm the body quite like Port does, but it is still a unique flavor that I got more and more comfortable with. It's really pretty good.

Edit 2: I need to talk to you all about what makes a good saute/fry pan. I've gone back and forth on it for months it seems and I'm locked in indecision.

Edit 3: I'm really happy to have a place where I can talk about the real world, the world outside of Idol and Lost and sports, and to have people who similarly give a shit.

For some reason or another, I've always been interested in the culture and food of Spain. I would love to go to Barcelona someday. I want to learn more especially about the food since I've been cooking more lately. At any rate, I'm not going to pretend this entry is more about culture than booze, so I'll skip the fluff and get right to it.

Sherry is something I've wanted to try even before my interest in Spain developed, when Josh and I used to watch Frasier and Niles sip it out of little glasses. Yes, it seems like something snobby and elitist to try, so why not embrace it? Who knows why I haven't tried it until this week...maybe it's the name of my mother, or maybe it is just something weird and new.

Neglecting to do my homework on the subject due to sheer excitement of trying another type of wine, I zipped over to the booze shop and found 3 options available - "Fino", "Amontillado", and "Cream". I bought the "Amontillado" thinking it might be somewhere between the other two. I was correct, although I still think I want to try the dry sherry next time.

So - what is Sherry like? I drank it warm, which I later learned was a mistake, but I'll do my best. It is STRONG for a wine, about the same stopping power as Port, and every bit as sweet. You get some of the sweet grape-y flavor and then you get a very distinct, powerful nuttiness at the end which lingers for a bit. I actually rather like the aftertaste. It is very foreign to me for a wine, and although I can't say I absolutely loved it (Amontillado should be served *slightly* chilled), I didn't hate it and am going to give it another chance.

So - he's going from one party that demands ideological orthodoxy to another party that demands ideological orthodoxy. The Right Wingers were going to try to whack him in the next primary. Will the Libs do the same thing, a la Lieberman? I wouldn't bet against it. They want true believers as well.

I think I'm going to make the Boeuf again. I haven't been to Wegmans to buy meat in a while though - what's the story since (e:Paul) has been there?

Yes, you've read this correctly. I saw an anti-obesity activist on FNC last night talking about how the obese are ruining the environment and costing people money. I've got to say to you all I was wrong about people not going after the obese. This lady was talking about what people "need" in order to live. Who decides what people need? The watermelons, of course. Honestly, I'm more swayed by the argument of public health care cost, but I don't want the obese to be made into villains or taxed into oblivion. These goddamned politicians only know one way to handle a situation.

By the way, how do you become an "anti-obesity activist" and get on FNC? Is this another one of these trust fund watermelons who never had to work an honest job? Get a life!!!