Category: Commentary

It wasn’t that long ago when polio was in our local news. The Hondo Anvil Herald reported on polio frequently in the late 40s and throughout the 1950s and I am sure the Devine News as well shared many polio stories. Articles ranged from talking about local polio victims or survivors to March of Dimes campaigns, spraying DDT for flies and insects in local communities and polio insurance ads to buy health coverage. A particular article I came across talked about the “dos and don’ts of polio”. Before polio vaccine was available, information was shared on what you can do to try and avoid it. Like, staying out of swimming pools, staying out of cold water, avoiding overexertion, only play with kids you know and avoid crowds. People were trying anything. This kind of advice was common during “polio season” which happened in the summer months. Polio was terrifying for parents. Polio symptoms could be mild, like fatigue or headache, or severe with paralysis or death. Some local data from 1941-1950 showed polio cases to be very low in Medina County in the years leading up to 1949 with only a few cases per year and one year not any. 1949 was a particularly rough year. Not far from here, one of the largest polio outbreaks in U.S. history started.

Continue reading “World Polio Day isOctober 24, 2024”

 “Inflation is when you pay fifteen dollars for the ten-dollar haircut you used to get for five dollars when you had hair.”

Sam Ewing

 Recently I had to mail a letter.  After waiting in line at my local post office and then stumbling to the front counter to purchase postage, my first-class stamp cost me 73 cents!  I was shocked.  I don’t often have to mail letters, but it seems like the last time I did, cost was not much more than two quarters.  Chalk it up to dreaded inflation.
 Not long ago, I needed some tomato plants.  Three healthy tomato plants purchased from our local Home Depot cost me $25!  I was dumbstruck.  Every trip now to the grocery store ends in a gut punch at the register.  Prices are 30%, even 40% higher than they were not long ago.  
 Pondering inflation prompted a recent visit to McDonald’s for research.  I’m not a big fan of McDonald’s.  I do love a good hamburger but am much more of an In-N-Out guy (In-N-Out -best burger chain on planet Earth).  At McDonald’s my Big Mac meal cost me a few pennies under $12.  Some quick online review revealed the average cost of a Big Mac meal just four years ago was $7.89.  My rudimentary math skills tell me this is over a 40% increase.  What the heck is going on?  The simple answer is inflation.  Or, I should say, stupid politicians who bring us inflation. 
 You might be asking, what causes inflation?  It’s pretty simple actually.  The great economist Milton Friedman perhaps said it best, “inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon.”
 The primary cause of inflation is an increase in the money supply which results in the value of your dollar decreasing over time.  Too many dollars chasing too few goods reduces the purchasing power of your money.  If there is more demand than supply, prices rise.  
 We should go a bit deeper here though.  There are actually two types of inflation.  The first is non-monetary inflation.  This is the result of external events.  For example, if you have a hurricane in the Gulf that interrupts fuel production, reducing gas supplies for a time, prices at the pump will rise.  Usually, non-monetary inflation is temporary.  There are exceptions, however.  The current war on fossil fuels (in its various forms) has increased the price of gas and diesel in this country.  Because fuel prices affect the cost of everything we buy, fostering increased oil production could quickly bring some prices down.  The increased cost of gas in recent years has simply added fuel to the fire of inflation. 
 The second, and primary, type of inflation is monetary inflation where your dollar loses its value when government policies increase the money supply.  The money supply is increased to fund necessary, and often unnecessary, programs instituted by the talking head politicians.  
 Thanks to Richard Nixon, in 1971 the U.S. ditched the gold standard.  Until then, every dollar was represented by physical gold held by the government.  With the government tethered to the gold supply, there was a limited ability to increase the money supply.  Once we discarded the gold standard, the government could increase the money supply as much as they wanted.  Lacking a physical commodity to back our currency, we now have fiat money.  With the ability to print money at will, the tendency is for our comb-over politicians to push high spending policies.  One little known factor that is feeding this unbridled government spending is a popular concept known as Modern Monetary Theory (MMT).  
 MMT is increasingly evident within the bowels of our government.  Adherents to MMT argue that countries that issue their own currency can never run out of money.  Money is printed as needed, without regard to the money supply or inflation.  This policy model is evidence of economic illiteracy, and I would argue, should be discarded completely.  
 Inflation has been a problem throughout history.  Inflation contributed mightily to the downfall of Rome.  During the American Revolution, the Continental Dollar was so over printed that the new country collapsed into hyperinflation.  America was only saved when Alexander Hamilton, our first Treasury Secretary, linked the U.S. Dollar to gold.  In the 1920s rampant money printing by the Weimar Republic in Germany caused hyperinflation, economic collapse, and ushered in the rise of Adolph Hitler and the Nazi party.  Once prosperous Argentina has never recovered from the wild money printing that took place in the 1950s.  Today the country of Zimbabwe, struggling under the weight of massive hyperinflation, issues a 100 trillion-dollar bill.
 Inflation is dangerous and is usually the source of societal collapse.  Maybe we need to go back to the gold standard.    

© 2024 Jody Dyer
typewriterweekly.com

Best on Earth!

 “I don’t believe in bottled salad dressing…why should you have it bottled?  It’s so easy to make.  And they never use very good oil.”

Julia Child

 Ranch dressing is uniquely American.  In a 2017 poll to determine our favorite salad dressing (sponsored by the Association for Dressing and Sauces) it received 40% of the vote nationwide (followed by Italian in second place with just 10%).  Since 1992 ranch dressing has been the best-selling salad dressing in the United States.  Ranch is good stuff.  And if you enjoy ranch dressing as much as I do, then this column is for you.
 In search of healthy salad dressing options, hoping to avoid unhealthy seed oils, I recently fell down the rabbit hole of online food tutorials.  What I discovered is thrilling – healthy homemade ranch dressing that is unbelievably good!  This may be the best ranch dressing on planet Earth!
 Ranch dressing has an interesting history.  In Texas, recipes for buttermilk dressing date back to the 1930s.  It is believed that since buttermilk was more available than vegetable oils out on ranches, it became a popular base and ranch dressing was born.  However, a cowboy from Nebraska named Steve Henson is credited with creating ranch dressing in 1949.
 While working as a contract plumber in Alaska and cooking for his coworkers, Mr. Henson perfected his buttermilk dressing recipe.  In 1954 he and his wife bought a ranch near Santa Barbara, California.  They called their new home Hidden Valley Ranch and began serving their buttermilk dressing to guests.  Their dressing was so popular they were soon selling it to ranch visitors and local supermarkets.  In 1972 the couple sold their name and recipe to Clorox (yes, the bleach people) for $8 million and retired.  Today ranch dressing is popular not only for salads, but it is a favorite for dipping everything from French fries to pizza and more.  As Americans, we love ranch dressing.
 For the health conscious, the only problem with commercial ranch dressing is that it is made using harmful seed oils.  Ranch dressing that you buy in the store is made with Soybean and/ or Canola oil (both are toxic seed oils linked to cancer, heart disease, and more – do your own research on this).  Along with seed oils, store-bought ranch is full of chemical preservatives.  The good news is that you can easily and quickly make your own homemade ranch dressing that is free from bad seed oils and harmful preservatives.  Your family will love this stuff.
 Health concerns aside, perhaps the best reason for making your own homemade ranch dressing is because of the amazing taste difference.  Your homemade dressing will taste a hundred times better than anything you buy.  The primary reason for this I believe is simply that you can make it fresh.  Like freshly baked bread, fresh roasted coffee, or garden tomatoes fresh out of the sun, fresh tastes better.  Your freshly made dressing will delight and amaze your family and friends.  Here is the recipe that I have been using.  Note – you can add to or alter this recipe in any way.  Consider this a basic recipe and adjust as you like.

Ingredients needed:
*1 cup mayonnaise (I use mayo made with avocado oil – Primal Kitchen brand is best tasting and has no bad seed oils – regular mayo is made with soybean or canola oil – read labels).
*1/2 cup buttermilk (amount may vary – add this last and make dressing as thick or thin as you like).
*1/2 cup sour cream (I like the Daisy brand – pure and natural with no additives).
*2 tsp. lemon juice (fresh)
*2 tsp. dried parsley
*1 tsp. dried chives
*1 tsp. dried dill
*1/2 tsp. garlic powder
*1/2 tsp. onion powder
*1/2 tsp. sea salt
*1/4 tsp. black pepper
*optional – Worcestershire sauce

(few dashes – try with/without)

 Whisk all ingredients in a large bowl.  As I mentioned before, it is best to add buttermilk last to make dressing as thick or thin as you like.  Dressing can be used immediately, or chill in fridge for 3-4 hours (keep refrigerated).
 Now enjoy your homemade ranch dressing.  Bon Appétit!

© 2024 Jody Dyer
typewriterweekly.com