Brite and fair

[altivo]

And warm too. Tess got to go out briefly. The pasture is still soggy but no longer covered by standing water. Since she is supposed to get her feet wet, I figured it would be good. She got wet all right, came back in with black, sticky feet. (Her hooves are normally white.)

Not quite as lazy as yesterday. Baked bread (semolina, with flaky crackly crust) and pulled a couple of small steaks out of the freezer so we could use the grill for the first time. Don't tell Argos, but it tasted pretty good.

Alas, the local grocery seems to be going downhill more rapidly. They had signs up Saturday saying that there were empty shelves because they are switching distributors, which will result in more variety and lower prices. Well, no. I'm not convinced. They are switching from Certified Grocers to Central. I have long term exposure to both, and "Centrella" brands are higher priced but lower in quality than Certified's "Country Delight" brand. Sure enough, they are destocking several things we like. I have a good memory for prices, too, and in spite of the claim, where Centrella products were on the shelves the prices were generally five, ten or even fifteen cents higher for the same size item. We have a sneaking suspicion that they are changing distributors in order to get more lenient credit, rather than for any other reason. Whatever the cause, though, I'm afraid I'll be seriously looking now for another suitable shopping place.

The trouble is, the good ones are too far away and the nearby ones are either inadequate or very high priced. We've already examined the nearby discount chains: Wal-Mart and Aldi. Neither meets my requirements for a primary supplier. Their stocking is hit or miss, they focus on convenience foods rather than ingredients, and of course neither is particularly nice to its employees either. In particular, the fresh produce at either store is overpriced and not particularly good. Joseph's Market in Crystal Lake is better, but that's 22 miles away and gas prices are rising again, so it won't do for a weekly supplier.

While I'm being grumpy, I'll also note that a nearby school district shut down ALL its facilities indefinitely starting on Friday because one part time employee had flu symptoms. Not even a confirmed case of H1N1, just "possible." This is stupid, incredibly stupid. Even bubonic plague wouldn't warrant the level of fear and panic that has been stirred up over this.

Oh, and our bank replaced its ATM with a machine that "conveniently" accepts deposits without envelopes, which seems dubious at best to me. I used it anyway on Saturday because the bank was closed, but since it scans each check and uses OCR to determine the values, and you have to confirm or reject each one on the screen, it takes about five times longer than it used to. Guess I'll be going to the teller inside in the future. Sometimes technological "advances" are really a giant step backward.

Oh, and Argos grows wistful about poetry over here.

Comments

[aureth.livejournal.com]

We've been going to Meijer here in McHenry. Yes, souless discount Walmart clone, but their prices blow Jewel out of the water, and the produce section is very good. I won't buy meat from them any more unless desperate, though...not happy with the quality of the pork or the beef. On the recommendation of coworkers, I need to check out the tiny grocery store in Genoa City, as they apparently have a real good butcher.

The steaks we bought at Antioch Packing House last week are amazingly good, but $50 for four steaks (large, thick steaks) was a little pocketbook-shocking.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Antioch Packing House has a good reputation, and I'd expect to pay a high price. Beef has been exceptionally high for the last couple of years anyway, and we have reduced our already low consumption of it even further.

Meijer is actually not a bad choice. I would patronize them if there were one at a more reasonable distance from here. The one in McHenry is 30 miles or so, and the ones on the west side of Elgin are about the same distance away. Having grown up in Michigan, I'm very familiar with Meijer's stores, and with a few exceptions, have found their grocery prices and selection to be pretty good. In recent years, most of their stores have been doing a stellar job in the produce department, which is one of my top evaluation points for a grocer. At least during the time I lived in Michigan, Meijer had a reputation as a fair employer who treated workers well, unlike the unsavory repute in which I hold Wal-Mart. Meijer also carries brands that I favor, such as the infinitely superior King Arthur flours from New England that are not stocked by most of the midwestern chain stores.

Grumpy again, huh?

[rustitobuck.livejournal.com]

Central Grocers merged with Certified Foods last year, and everybody was to transfer to Central Grocers. See this.

My suburb is like a small town. Our local independent grocer has posted they're changing to Centrella brands too. I'll have to keep an eye on that. I shop a major chain, which is making me feel shame...

I kinda like the check scanning machines. I've seen them in Tucson, but not around here yet. Kinda nice to get a receipt with a scan of the check on it. I'm sure they double-check the checks later.

I'm looking forward to eliminating checks from my life. Checks are incredibly insecure; anybody with the numbers from your check can pretty much take money out of your account one way or another. I still use checks for child support and rent. I wish I could make a secure electronic transaction to give my ex and my landlord money.

As to the H1N1, I'm just keeping my paws clean and making sure to avoid transferring microbes from community surfaces to my eyes.

Re: Grumpy again, huh?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

That merger item is an interesting bit to the puzzle that I had not seen. It seems peculiar that the merchants haven't simply told the truth in this case. Nonetheless, in my 30 year exposure to the distinctions between stores that belonged to these two cooperatives, Certified was by far the superior choice. This is true for me to the point that I would quickly determine the memberships of the local grocery stores whenever I moved and know which one to prefer based entirely on this one factor. Treasure Island in Chicago was a Certified grocer, and a stellar example.

I have never really liked ATMs. They are "convenient" but untrustworthy in my experience, and I've had some unpleasant and irritating experiences with them. Knowing how poorly maintained they have been in the past, and seeing how complicated these new ones have become, I'm probably going to be trying to avoid using them for deposits if at all possible.

I disagree with you about paper checks, too. I worked for the Federal Reserve for a while back in the 80s. I've seen the internal structures and attitudes behind check handling and clearing, and the nature of the audit trails created. I firmly believe that the paper documents are still more reliable and secure than electronic transactions. Unfortunately, the penny pinching of MBA style management has correctly perceived that more automation and less paper is cheaper, and they have decided to write off any losses (including losses of trust) that result from this move to electronic banking structures.

In the 40+ years since I first had a checking account, I have never had any significant problem with the security of the paper document. However, in the 20 years since ATM cards and electronic funds transfers became widespread, I've had to deal with any number of nuisances, errors, and even frauds that have resulted from the EFT mechanisms. The worst house of cards of all these has to be PayPal, which is headed down the road toward some major disaster unless I miss my guess.

[bladehorse.livejournal.com]

I hope with the atm, at least it credits your accoun without a 3 day hold, and the ensuing overdraws, of money thats there in the bank, but not there in the bank.
I agree with the psychosis of the h1n1. where the fear is the Real plauge.

As far as the local grociers, We cant afford to use theme here, as there at least 20% more than the same stores down in Fresno (70) miles away.
and lots more than the good discount stores like winco, and costco. so we head to town about once a month, and do all of our 'other' shopping too, like hardware/ parts, and bakery day old store for bread one can actually afford. 1.25 for 8 hamburger buns, or 4.80 for the same identical thing at the local grocier. Damn ripoff.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

The "hold" on funds deposited applies whether the deposit is made at an ATM or over the counter. That said, though, it seems that California banks are considerably less customer-friendly than the ones I've dealt with here in the midwest, at least if I judge by the complaints I hear all the time from out there. New York City used to be even worse than California years ago, but I don't know what the situation is now.

At 55 cents apiece for hamburger rolls I'd definitely bake my own. The best defense against overpriced goods is not to buy them. With the cost of fuel, traveling 70 miles for supplies can't be very efficient either, I'd think.

[cozycabbage.livejournal.com]

I've always been annoyed that real food is never on sale. I've managed a bag of rice, and some pastas, but usually you can't find things like dried beans or bananas on sale.
I'd say the markets should really lower the prices on their staple foods. All their money is coming in from snacks and instant dinners, anyway, and the same people that buy the boxes of cookies won't look twice at bags of dried beans.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, the grocery business these days is built on convenience foods. The vast majority of customers don't cook anything. They just reheat stuff in the microwave. The profits are made on frozen pizzas and processed breakfast cereal, and those are the areas where it pays them to offer competitive price cuts.

What we used to call "staple" foods, like flour, beans, rice, and sugar, are bulky, heavy, and account for a lower volume of sales these days. The fact is, when they offer a sale price on frozen dinners, they can sell a whole truckload of them in a week. A sale price on flour or rice doesn't generate much business. Sale items are intended to draw people into the store where, hopefully, they will buy other things in addition to the advertised special. A sale price on bread flour doesn't bring many people in and therefore isn't worth taking the loss in both profit and advertising costs. It's simple economics.

That said, if you faithfully read the newspaper ads and direct mail flyers every week, you can find a sale price on almost anything. The only problem is, it's not likely to be offered at a discount right when you need the item.

Food Chemist

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

We've already examined the nearby discount chains: Wal-Mart and Aldi. Neither meets my requirements for a primary supplier. Their stocking is hit or miss, they focus on convenience foods rather than ingredients, and of course neither is particularly nice to its employees either. In particular, the fresh produce at either store is overpriced and not particularly good.

Yes- agreed. I was in a Walmart yesterday and walked out without buying anything. Crap is crap. Why spend money to pass it through your body and feel like crap, too? I suspect the trend of continually poorer health in this country will reach horrifically low levels before anyone takes any sort of actions against food manufacturers. I myself cannot go a day without seeing people who are sick. Varying degree between "mild flu" to "seriously disabled/mutated by illness". I never considered myself especially the picture of health, but at this point I'm seeing people who drop $50 a pop and are still worse off physically than I. A more amusing development, tho- they're dropping money too. Twice in the past month I've seen people soo bewildered and out of sorts they have left multiple dollars behind in those automatic checkout thingies- I suspect their failing health and preoccupations have left them simply too confused to remember they've got change coming to them from their purchases- of course, maybe the prices are just too shocking >_> *shrugs*

That said, if you faithfully read the newspaper ads and direct mail flyers every week, you can find a sale price on almost anything. The only problem is, it's not likely to be offered at a discount right when you need the item.

I don't, but know people who do. The same goes in regards to what food is helpful and what is harmful. I've decided to become like a "food chemist"- and try to keep a little of everything I can get on hand, then study the effects. I'm starting small... with things like bite-sized candies & chewing gum. I am already senseing there is something seriously wrong in these items- like a discordant note in a symphony you hear but can't place.

Re: Food Chemist

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Chemistry is right. Most of those so-called "convenience" foods are full of chemicals you never heard of: monosodum glutamate, mono and di-glycerides, BHT added to preserve freshness (an elusive concept if ever there was one.)

Re: Food Chemist

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

Don't forget the ingredient called "spices" & the one called "spice"- WTF are those? I've even seen them listed together on the same product!

[schnee.livejournal.com]

have a good memory for prices, too, and in spite of the claim, where Centrella products were on the shelves the prices were generally five, ten or even fifteen cents higher for the same size item.

Well, they never said it would be lower prices for *you*... (Of course, maybe they actually did - I don't know, naturally, but I'm trying not to let that get in the way of my cynicism. :))

[altivo.livejournal.com]

The signs implied that it would mean lower prices for the consumer, but you're right, they didn't say that explicitly. My perception in this case is that it means both higher prices and lower quality, and the combination of the two is likely to drive me away.

We do have plenty of resources in this area, and I'm sure I'll find a solution, even if it means driving farther. I'm irritated at the need to adapt and change what has been a weekly routine for over ten years, though, and disappointed at a declining opportunity to support local independent retailers rather than the big impersonal chain stores.

[schnee.livejournal.com]

Aye, I know what you mean there.

[captpackrat.livejournal.com]

We're quite lucky here; the local grocery store is extremely clean and well stocked despite being in a town of only 1000. When I was in Yutan (population 1200) for NWS spotter training last year, I stopped in their grocery store and it was terrible. The place was in poor repair and most of the shelves were sparsely filled.

The whole swine flu thing has been blown totally out of proportion. So far there have only been 26 confirmed deaths and 101 suspected. In comparison, about 120 people are killed every year in plane crashes, but nobody freaks out when a 747 passes overhead (except in New York City).

I don't trust ATMs with cash. I don't even like taking cash out of one if I can help it, ever since I had one malfunction and give me half a $20.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I would freak out if a 747 went overhead here, at least if it were low enough to hear and see. The only planes we normally see are small private ones, usually prop jobs and often stunt fliers practicing for county fair and air show junk in the summer.

No, I've never put cash into an ATM and certainly wouldn't even consider it now that they've eliminated the deposit envelope.

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Most of our ATMs don't seem to accept deposits now, but bank branches all seem to have quick deposit boxes :)

As to this Swine flu, I've seen more people with oridnary flu lately and I think the mortality rate is rather higher for ordinary run of the mill flu.

Our local supermarkets have started replacing a lot of their stuff with their own branded stuff...a lot of the time it's from the same companies as the branded stuff. But some of the products are not and unfortunately the branded versions are no longer stocked.