Hayter for Jan 8, 2023
Suggestions from
the February issue of Consumer Reports
Here it is the first week of January and I just got my February issue of “Consumer Reports”. Those people are way ahead of me. I’ve yet to read the April 2022 issue.
I don’t mind supporting Consumer Reports because they have directed me to some very good buys. And a few stinkers. For instance, The 1977 issue of Consumer Report assured me that the ’78 Plymouth Horizon was the car of the year. I’m assuming second place went to the Yugo.
I consider that a message to Mark: “Do not buy a product that has yet to be placed on the market. Wait for reviews, you gooberhead!” I often apply very little patience on important stuff.
In this day and age, people are buying automobiles and trucks that have yet to be made. Electric vehicles are being purchased while they’re still in the planning stage. Me? I’ve learned my lesson.
So, in 2023 I’m going to spend a little more time researching stuff. That’s why I pulled Consumer Reports January mail-out of the February edition. I must keep in mind that a lot of the information might change by the time February gets here.
What say, we start with butter? –Hey, work with me, will ya? – Butter is expensive nowadays, so I go strictly by the price tag. My favorite brand of butter is Hill Country Fare. I don’t know why they spelled “Fair” wrong. – (I jest)
I like Hill Country Fare because it’s usually cheaper than the other brands. “Cheapness” is an important qualifier for a majority of my purchases. Even though HCF was not in the run for Consumer Reports “Top 11” butter brands, it remains number one for me… unless they raise the price a quarter.
Of the top 11 brands, I only recognize one -- Land of Lakes. It came in fifth. The judge(s) said it was greasy and hard to spread. Call me crazy, but I’ve found that if you keep butter at room temperature it’s much easier to spread.
The Numero Uno butter on the planet is
Finlandia. It’s made in North Yemen—I mean Finland. I get ‘em mixed up. Finnish
butter is “silky and has a glassy sheen”. It spreads like butter and is made
from grass-fed cows. They may have meant that it was made from the milk of
grass-fed cows, not the cow itself. I don’t know what Hill Country Fare cows
eat, but whatever it is, it doesn’t do much for the silkiness of the spread.
And you know somethin’? I don’t give a rat’s rump
Having eaten too much butter, here’s some info on exercise bikes. Those things are for people who want to inflict more pain on themselves during their longer lives. I’m sadly in favor of a shorter life with less pain, so let’s move along.
Mattresses? I’m not yet ready for a new mattress, but for your sake I’ll share what’s here. CR rated Avocado Green the best mattress. Yes, the mattress is named after a color and runs for a mere $1900. The cheapest mattress is only $200 and is named “Yellow Spot”.
Oh, no! It was bound to happen. Here’s a list of dark chocolate candies with high levels of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium. I use cadmium to sharpen my garden rake, so I’m around it a lot. Well, heavy metals aren’t meant to be ingested in any quantity. With regard to lead and cad, they’re in much of our soil. Cocoa plants, carrots, spinach and such grow in soil containing heavy metals. Cacao has a bit of both lead and cadmium in it. And dark chocolate has the most.
By the way I never cared much for dark chocolate until Christmas this year. I was gifted several brands of dark chocolate, and soon became partial to it. I don’t know if you’re aware, but chocolate has gone up in price considerably… like most stuff. So, my heavy leaded chocolate has two things going for it. I like it and it’s too expensive to toss. Bottom line, I’m going to eat the stuff.
A part of my decision comes from the fact
that there are no federal limits on the
amount of lead or cadmium foods can contain. Obviously, our elected officials are
bowing to the will of the people. “Dark chocolate and other good stuff are not
to be tampered with!
As for me, I’m not worried about my dark chocolate consumption. After all, I’m sleeping on the last mattress I will ever own. However most of the people I know need to worry about their chocolate consumption. That’s why I refuse to give the chocolate away to family members or friends.
There are so many other recommendations in
February’s Consumer Reports. I didn’t bring up the best ways to use your huge
load of coupons, because I don’t use ‘em. I’m too afraid of becoming a fanatic
like a few people on the news
I am by no means well to do, so one might
think I should use coupons. The only thing keeping Kay and I alive right now is
the fact that we never had children. If we had children, I’d have to save
coupons just like a Mom or Dad. Likely I would be raising my grandchildren. I’d
love ‘em to pieces, but not for an entire day
That’s it for now. If I helped even one of you… well, I’d be real surprised. Right now, I’m going to finish off a Dark Chocolate Power Bark. I have to believe that eating bark is good for you. Trees love the stuff. – Next time.
end
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