Re: Mad As A Hatter


kevinmccabe@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
dball2@xxxxxxxx wrote:
Cat(h) wrote:
kevinmccabe@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

Well, you will find no stronger an advocate for a New York cut or
Porterhouse then mysownself. I love the stuff, no question.

And what are those, when they're at home?

But, all
this global warming/climate change stuff has led me down some odd
paths. Included among these twisted turns has been study of
hydrological resources. Bottom line, we're running out of water. Now, I
already knew that a lot of U.S. farmland was living on borrowed time.
The pumping of aquifiers that will deplete, draining the Colorado for
irrigation to the point where it doesn't reach the sea. The Rio Grande
effectively ends way far from its mouth. A Mexican river that used to
be a feeder is now the Rio Grande from there on. (The list goes on).
What I hadn't realized is that much of the rest of the world is
fooked to an even greater extent. The Indus is packing the largest
irrigated agricultural fields in the world with salt. In India, they're
pumping down aquifers even faster than the U.S. Australia is in danger
of running out of drinking water in her cities on any given day (and,
they've got the full on salted fields deal going down to. (This list
also goes on).
So, what has this all got to do with cows? Well, it turns out that
the Green Revolution (this would the one that saved the world from
massive starvations during the seventies by turning out way more
efficient crop strains) is going to fail. Seems they didn't take into
account the massive quantities of water that the new crops would need.
what's needed then, if the starving millions scenario is to be avoided,
is a Blue Revolution, one that saves water.
As it turns out, it takes way more water to feed and cloth us than
what we drink. Think in thousand-fold terms here. So, what is a
responsible parent to do (bearing in mid that my perferred form of meal
is three Dicks cheeseburgers)?
Well, it seems that those who have studied such things say that
vegetarian is the way to go. Now, I have no illusions about my own
abilities. I'll never be able to go whole hog (I can never resist a
good mixed metaphor) on the vegan deal. I lack the moral appreciation
for the animals necessary for that committment. I'll eat venison, beef,
fish, poultry and eggs any day of the week without qualms about the
poor beasties. But, I'm thinking that I can at least move down the food
chain a lot of the time. You know, steaks for special occasions and
Bocca (found it on my own) for a lot of meals. Farmed fish, maybe even
with reference to their efficencies a lot of times. Like that.
So whats wrong with cows? Certainly not the taste and I don't
give a damn about the effect on my own personal health. But, both beef
production and dairy are super water-intensive activities. So, thats
whats wroing with cows.

There is nothing, but nothing wroing with cows. You're taking this hog
metaphore way too far (oink).
Irish cows live off grass, not expensively (environmentally, and
waterwise) grown grain and other feedstuff.
Eat Irish cows. Live a long and happy life.


I figure, I don't have a leg to stand on when I criticize bad
policies unless I'm making some efforts myself. With the climate change
thing, its riding the bus, switching to fluoros, working on citizens
initiatives for renewable energy laws governing the public utilities.
With water, I'll start with the beef. This doesn't mean I'll never eat
a steak, anymore than the bus thing means I'll never drive a car. but,
I'll cut back. Like I said, baby steps.

I sense a mid life crisis here...
But enough jest.
Ethical living is not for the faint hearted. You eat organic - good -
but what if the food has been transported over gazillions of food-miles
and cost the environment a tiny forture - bad.
You recycle all your recyclables - good - only to discover that it
takes three times the amount of energy to recycle them into reuseable
items that it would take to produce new ones - bad.
You support renewable energies - good - only to discover that not in a
zillion years do they have the real potential to reducing significantly
our reliance on non-renewables - bad.
You feed birds in your garden in winter - good - only to discover some
authority somewhere can scientifically prove that this is the wrong
thing to do - bad...
As a result, as the very irresponsible dweller on planet earth that I
am, I mostly try to do a little bit, without doing my head in with the
many contradictions.
So I have a compost heap and I recycle, and I grow my own veg, but I
wouldn't be without my diesel guzzling Betsy.
You need to chill out.

Cat(h)


McCabe

A very Happy Unbirthday to you all.

The term porterhouse originated in horse and coach days.
When a porter (carrier teamster...) stopped at the way station
needing a "man's meal" :) Of the places I've been the best two
are the Red Brick Tavern Lafayette, Ohio started as a stage coach
stop on the National Road(US40) in the late 1700 early 1800's.
The other is the Cattlemen's Club in Sydney, Nebraska.

Any clue why they're all thirty-two ounces when you eat out, but can
get twelve ounce ones in the store?

McCabe

I'm nt sure but I think it's a combination of what the sticker
shock would be at the store and the fact that most stores sell
USDA choice whereas most resturants(upscale) sell prime cuts
and cut their own which boils down to meat cutting skills.

.