Balance of Food

Those who go after food stamps 'fraud' should try living off food stamps budget

"Food stamps" always seemed like an awkward phrase, even as a child. When you heard "food stamps," you thought "poor people." As much as you didn't want to be poor, when it came to food, you really didn't want to be poor.

So the idea that people would take advantage of food stamps or EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) or whatever it's called where you live is unconscionable. Some abuse may be going on, not because the benefits are so amazing, but more because you're struggling. Rules are in place to deal with those scenarios.

In these horrible economic times, when food pantries are being inundated with requests for food assistance, when people who previously had steady jobs are now seeking food assistance, we find ourselves having to defend the idea of helping those who are starving to get food.

The odd racist videos that have floated on YouTube remind us back to a time when those on public assistance were under attack by right-wing politicians, as do the quality of the videos.

You almost feel like pointing out that most people on public assistance and food stamps are a pale, peach-like color, probably more so than 2008. However, the attackers aren't interested in the obvious.

Michigan is a state that knows a lot about poor people and people who suddenly become poor. yet, Michigan's new GOP regime has decided to squeeze more from the poor: witness its new crackdown on food stamps recipients.

Those who receive food stamps in Michigan now have to list assets, and may be forced to sell those assets to receive food stamps. These seems highly cruel given that many of these people had jobs before the depressive recession hit. Since cars are a target, people may be forced to sell the one asset that can get them to work, or be forced to buy a less reliable form of transportation, further endangering any economic recovery. Outside Detroit's bus system, public transportation in Michigan is a joke.

We should note that homes and the first $15,000 in auto value are exempt. Anything more than $5,000 in assets could threaten the benefits. If you only have one car in a family, and you didn't have much before the recession, you are probably in good shape. If you have two cars and need two cars and/or you had a decent amount before the recession, you could get cut off.

"If you're driving an (Cadillac) Escalade, maybe it's time to find a car that better fits your current economic situation," said Brian Rooney, director of policy and compliance at the Michigan Department of Human Services.

And you thought the image of "welfare queens driving Cadillacs" died after Ronald Reagan left the White House.

The food stamps program could be improved, taking off food that isn't really food would be a great start. Also, making it easier for those to buy fruits and vegetables on EBT would be wonderful. And to the conservatives, liberals also want to get rid of the obvious cheats so the people who really need the help can get it. For every "fraud" person out there, you have to factor multiple people who are qualified for help but aren't getting the assistance.

In Michigan, this isn't about enforcing rules that were already on the books. If you find a cheat, go after that person. This is about intimidating people who do qualify and who need help to not get the help they need.

If this were really about cheats, they would beef up the personnel to go after those who are cheating, if they are out there. They aren't doing that.

Though this could inspire this society to force those who get corporate welfare to disclose their assets. That still wouldn't be fair, but it would be a lot more fun.

Photo credit via Candorville.com

Sunday funnies look at hot dog eating contests

"Barney and Clyde," one of the newest comic strips on the scene, has a great sense of the history of comics. Gene Weingarten, co-creator of the strip, has shared his passion for comics over the years with readers of The Washington Post and chats on WashingtonPost.com.

So having a punchline of Sarge (Beetle Bailey), Dagwood (Blondie), Jughead (Archie), and Wimpy (Popeye) to a hot dog eating contest fit the spirit of the comic strip.

The strip stars two long-ago grade school teammates, one a millionaire (Barney) and the other is homeless (Clyde). Today's strip does give another motivation for a competitive eating contest; if you're homeless and you're hungry, competitive eating is more about not being hungry.

Seeing these legendary comic figures in a competitive eating contest would intimidate anyone, real or fictional. Though if you are in such a contest, you may be competing with others, but you also compete within yourself to see how well you can do, and grow, er, improve over time.

photo credit

Good cholesterol vs. bad cholesterol

A little Saturday morning levity ...

Courtesy of the Fusco Brothers, here is a humorous look at good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. "Cholesterol" is such a bad word, but we do need the good stuff, just not the bad stuff.

Enjoy your weekend.

'Boondocks' spoofs fast food fried chicken hysteria

Would you wait in a long line if "KFC" offered an extra herb and extra spice in its secret recipe?

The "Boondocks" mocked the frenzy behind fast food launches in its latest episode "Fried Chicken Flu." The KFC-Oprah debacle when KFC ran out of the grilled chicken in 2009 was the prototype for this spoof, but the spirit of the Double Down and Monsterburger lives on in this episode.

The cars wait in long lines; before Grandpa and Riley get to the front of the line, "Kernel's Fried Chicken," as they call it, runs out of chicken. One person runs their car into the place in frustration.

Even as the chicken is feared to make people sick -- the "Fried Chicken Flu" -- people keep eating the chicken as the TV announcer noted people were "willing to risk life and limb for a leg and a thigh."

The Boondocks had a classic episode in its first season in 2006 -- "The Itis" -- spotlighting the world of soul food. Aaron McGruder, the Boondocks creator, gave us a peek into the Luther Burger, named after the late singer Luther Vandross, a bacon cheeseburger with Krispy Kreme donuts for the buns.

A little hysteria will always be the American way -- and fast food places will always try and do whatever they can to draw attention to themselves. So it was fun to see that world get a much needed spoof.

The Boondocks airs Sunday night at 11:30 pm Eastern on the Cartoon Network. The repeat of this episode airs Saturday night at 11:30 pm Eastern.

Too much worry over taxing 'juice drinks and soda'

This Candorville cartoon reminds me of something that has been bugging me for awhile:

The commercial referenced in the cartoon is from an organization fighting back against proposed taxes on juice drinks and soft drinks. The organization has the innocuous name of Americans Against Food Taxes. But there is still a debate as to whether juice drinks and soft drinks count as "food."

Let's be blunt: AAFT is an organization of beverage producers that wants people to buy its "drinks." Now, you see the word "juice" in juice drinks, but don't be fooled. These are not 100% juice or anything even close to that. They consist of water, high fructose corn syrup (almost exclusively), and eventually juice. They are sold right next to real juice and the labels are meant to deceive.

The commercials have the fake mom being concerned about having to pay a few pennies more for juice drinks and soft drinks. We are literally talking about pennies.

And juice drinks, in trying to accomplish something at the dinner table, are rather expensive. If you made your own juice drink — since after all, real juice isn't being taxed extra, sugar is inexpensive, water is free — you would come out ahead financially. And if you created a juice drink that was, for example, 50% juice and 50% water, you save even more since you don't add sugar.

But as Lemont in Candorville put it so well, "get your fat kids some water."

Oh, and to the companies behind the ads who are complaining about a proposed tax, maybe we should stop the government from subsidizing the high-fructose corn syrup in your products, so your products more accurately reflect their true cost. We'd get more of that than any proposed tax.

Doonesbury examines calorie counts

Zonker is back at it, selling large amounts of food, but this time with calorie counts. The news that customers are consuming thousands of calories isn't sitting well with them.

Check out the entire series (August 11-15). And here's a sample:

People should have some idea of how many calories, fat grams, etc. they consume. But they also have to use some common sense, and know when too much is really too much. Find that balance.

Dilbert boss on a diet

Hope you've been following the antics of Dilbert, as his boss is on a diet. Needless to say, it's not going well for anyone involved.

Remember this as you start your New Year's diet: we know you're crabby, but your co-workers don't want to know too much.

Glutton-related Doonesbury back in repeats

For those who missed the hilarious glutton-related Doonesbury spoof on McFriendly's, the repeats are being shown this week.

The "small Coke," the seasonal Twinkies, the "Big Feed" with over 22,000 calories for $89.95: it's all there.

For those who don't get repeats in their local paper, or dare I say, don't even get Doonesbury in their local paper, go online and see what you are missing. If you read this later, go back to the archives and find the comics for the week October 30-November 4.

I love the freedom of the big portions, but in real life, split it with someone you love or even someone you don't know.

Official Dagwood sandwich coming soon

UPDATE: I found something close to what I remember. This is a little more elaborate than the unofficial Dagwoods featuring a bunch of different cold cuts. The implication as I remember is that odd leftovers were a signature of the true Dagwood sandwich. Some a fried egg, the lobster tail, and cold spaghetti seems appropriate. I can't vouch for the eagle talon.

For those who have made Dagwoods in your life, there is finally a chance to have someone make it for you. Coming to Clearwater, Florida, in August is "Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppe."

Dean Young is one of the guys behind the company. Young inherited the job of drawing Blondie from his father, creator Chic Young, in 1973.

Besides a signature Dagwood at a pound-and-a-half and several inches tall, the menu also includes Cuban sandwiches, New Orleans-style roast beef sandwiches as well as traditional sandwich makings such as corned beef pastrami, other cold cuts, and cheese. New Orleans will also be a center for the company.

The only surprise I have is that it didn't come sooner. I know Blondie isn't as hip as it once was, but the Dagwood is a classic idea.

Years ago, I found an actual Dagwood sandwich recipe. If I find it, I'll post it. If you have one, leave a comment.

Florida fighting against high-fructose corn syrup

Two Miami-Dade County lawmakers want products with high-fructose corn syrup to be banned from school grounds. Thank you! Thank you!

As you can see in The Miami Herald, they see a link between high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and childhood obesity and diabetes.

"It's the crack of sweeteners," state Rep. Juan Zapata, a Miami Republican, told the newspaper. Zapata has filed a bill that would ban school districts from selling or using products containing HFCS. A Senate version has been filed by Sen. Gwen Margolis, (D-Bay Harbor Island).

To see politicians get it, especially in Florida, is a sign that people are starting to understand the dangers of HFCS.

I realize the American Diabetes Association has to do what it does, but I wish it would take a stronger stand on HFCS. In the article, Tuesdi Fenter, a spokeswoman for the American Diabetes Association, agrees. "We don't think that high-fructose corn syrup is the enemy," she said. "People can have anything they want as long as it's in moderation."

It is good to teach diabetics that nothing is bad in moderation, but it doesn't go after whether HFCS is playing a significant role. That the ADA may not want to get involved is its issue. But it really should rethink that, given the population it serves.

The U.S. is the only country to use HFCS. It's not just video games and questionable exercise programs.

The article also mentions studies, at the University of California/Davis and the University of Michigan, that have shown that fructose is more readily converted to fat by the liver, and increased the fat in the bloodstream in the form of triglycerides.

I found this sentence compelling: "Lawmakers also say that consuming products made with high-fructose corn syrup causes hunger and leads to overeating." I have been saying that for years.

Implementing the plan can prove to be challenging, given how many products carry HFCS. But it would be fun to see it happen. Aaron McGruder, you are not the only one.