The infantry attacked on the left flank and were repelled by heavy artillery; however, small, individual platoons continued to infiltrate through hidden rifts and arroyos. On the right flank a major calvary attack wrought havoc on the defending troops and, although suffering catastrophic destruction, opened a path for foot troops to exploit. Bodies were piling up, requiring urgent removal to avoid pestilence. A sudden counterattack by allied forces pressed the aggressor back from the main battlefield. Fighting was brutal. Millions died. But a shining champion strode through the carnage, slipped up an unprotected path, and captured the flag.
Continue reading “Sperm Wars”Tag: DNA
You Are What You Eat?
Have you ever found bones in your sautéd scallops? Does your expensive red snapper look identical to the generic fish dish at the next table? When I was much younger, living in California, we had a neighbor who was an independent butcher and I learned more about the cuts of meat and the tricks butchers often use to maximize their profit without tipping off the customer that they were being robbed. Of course, he attributed these nefarious tactics to the butchers in the super markets who are forced by capitalistic overseers to squeeze the last dime of profit out of the pork chops. Now that I am retired and less concerned about cost than convenience, I have been lax in my buying habits, but two things have caused me to stop and think.
First, my butcher friend made very clear that the fewer cuts a butcher (or stainless-steel meat chomped) made, the cheaper the cut of meat. I’ve seen the price of a standing rib roast at the market and it is obscene, but if you take that roast home, cut it into individual steaks, you will end up spending far less for your meat. The same thing holds true for most chops, roasts, whole birds, and a whole No. 5 at the sandwich shop. Buy the big one, take it home and cut it up yourself. For years I only bought tenderloin when it was on sale, cut it up into steaks, and froze it for later use. Which brings up a point: a large or separate freezer is often useful to save money on meats.
A Celebration of Reading 