watching foodnetwork 'food truck race'

For those not familiar with the concept, the challenge is, to make the most money. Everyone is given the same amount of seed money. The truck can make any food they see fit.

This year, there the variety of trucks goes from a vegan food to korean bbq...

The episode airing right now, plays in Manhatten (KS). And all is supposed to be sold for less then 1$.

This means, concepts need to change, portions sizes go down.

Watching one of the food truck going shopping and things are getting thrown around,

'how cheap can I get it, and I just deep fry it'...

I understand the pressure of wanting to win the challenge. There is some serious price money.

But on the other hand, wouldn't be the question be how much does it take for somebody to sell the roots of his business, the things that one set out to accomplish?

I have no clue what type of consideration is given to the trucks that drop out.

So how far would you go?

healthy salad

In a big bowl, add 6 table spoons of extra virgin olive oil, 3 table spoons of balsamic vinegar,

salt, pepper, hand full of dried oregano and basil each, chop an onion finely, add 4 diced fresh tomato's, add 1 sliced cucumber, lots of chopped parsley, mushrooms from the can or fresh, 1 thinly chopped jalapeno pepper, 1 can of garbanza beans rinsed, feta cheese.

Stir up up and let it rest for a couple of hours, taste again and season if needed.

Serve with fresh bread.

Irene

Some TV station had a dude on the phone, that was in the direct path of Irene. His concern was the property after Irene passed, not being able to get back in time.

I understand all the things, but to be honest, not a SINGLE dime should be spend on people that refuse mandatory evacuation orders. Irene was on the horizont for a week, so there was plenty of time to leave and secure a building.

Sure, looking at Katrina, nothing went as planed. Comparing Katrina and Irene....

Irene is a lot larger in size.

I am all for people, that do not have the means personally to get evacuated, to help them with state/county what ever help. New task for FEMA?

but everyone else staying behind despite mandatory evac orders only get from me... 'sorry dude/gal', those people should get no consideration with the insurance e.g. live etc. nothing above and beyond any other policy holder gets... what was her name ... katrina?... or any thing in case they need rescue.

Split estates

Some time in January I watched on BBC America a story about split estates. As a land owner one owns the surface but not the mineral rights. They can belong to either the state or some corporation. If on the property oil, gold, gas or anything is found, the owner of the mineral rights can come onto the property and mine them. No consent from the land owner needed....
I remember that because last night Jim Cramer talked to Congressman John Sullivan (R) from Oklahoma. John said that in 75 years of hydraulic fracturing nothing ever has happened. There has not been any incidences where water got polluted. According to him New York Times prints with respect to this are all lies (http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/gas-drilling-techniques-under-fire-again/?scp=2&sq=fracturing&st=cse).
May be he should watch http://www.splitestate.com/ and catch up on the reality. It is only a matter of time, when the next Erin Brokovich emerges.
I wonder what he would say if an energy company comes onto his property and starts mining gas within 200 ft. of his house...
Claiming that there has never been an incident not even an accident is like saying there aren't any car crashes.
To bad that Jim did let him off so easy as he repeated those statements 2 times. I guess the more one repeats the same argument the more it becomes true.... may be.....

New Food

The other day I went with friends to a Vietnamese restaurant. Their specialty is Pho. That is a noodle soup and one can add different sausses to make it more or less spicy. Darn was that good.
I do now my own version of Pho at home.

Wall street and Social Security

I caught parts of Rachel Maddow's show last night. She made the following remarks:

"Democratic candidates all over the country are eagerly awaiting Republican votes in favor of the AIG bonuses, again this time around.

If that‘s not enough Wall Street love for you, consider that the top House Republican on budget matters has proposed his own alternative budget to the president‘s budget. The Republican one proposes the biggest, wettest kiss to Wall Street yet: privatizing Social Security. If Republicans get their way Americans will be able to invest a portion of their Social Security payroll taxes into secure funds consisting of equities and bonds."

The full transcript can be found here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35263801/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/

If I could invest my social security the way I wanted it, I would HAVE social security when I retire. Trading stocks is a skill that can be learned like reading, writing, driving a car or working on a computer. Some of us are better at those and some of us are not.

But really, why do we need to make people afraid of everything. Life is risky. I can get hit by a bus, slip in the shower and tons of other things.

I don't get it. ohhh yeah, I forgot, there is a profession of financial advisors and that is how they make money. I fired mine and ever since I am doing good. It did cost me tons of time and it still will cost me lots more time. But at the end of the day, I can not blame anyone and if I do well, I can pad myself on the back....

"wissen ist macht und nichts wissen macht nichts...." (dont know how to translate it)

Beans and Rice

You need
can of tomato sauce
can of garbanzo beans (also called chick peas)
can of red beans
rice
onion
garlic
water
Hungarian wax pepper
olive oil
sweet Hungarian pepper (powder)
oregano (flakes)
hot pepper (powder)

The relation between the beans and tomato sauce is best at 1:1:1 for me.
Start with cooking the rice per instructions.
Heat a large skillet with olive oil, add the onions and let them get translucent (do not burn them).
Open the cans of beans and wash them until there is nothing left from the caned liquid (they shouldn't foam anymore when you rinse them).
Add the chopped garlic to the pan and 2 min later add the beans.
Let it heat up and then add hot pepper, oregano, sweet Hungarian pepper and about 1 cup of water to taste.
Turn the heat down and let it simmer until 1/2 of the liquid is gone, add the tomato sauce and the chopped Hungarian wax pepper.
Turn heat down a little more once it started to boil again.
Turn off, when the sauce has the right consistency for you.
Drain the rice, add it into the skillet and stir.
You can serve it as is or add parsley or cilantro or sour cream or a combination of it.
Enjoy.
This was my dinner tonight and I love it.