Friday, April 8, 2022

Gas and Gaslighting: Secret Subject Swap

 

Cookie Butter Pancakes, these fluffy pancakes boast a hint of warm spicy flavors. |Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #breakfast

 

Welcome to a Secret Subject Swap. This month 5 brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts. Read through mine and at the bottom you’ll find links to all of today’s other Secret Subject participants.



My subject is: So, the gas prices . . .

It was submitted by: Tamara of Part-time Working Hockey Mom. 
 

 


Why do I hate this prompt? Because, for me, due to where I live, it's a trigger. My blood pressure is rising just thinking about it.
 
Gas prices are rising, and honestly, it doesn't affect me directly as much as it does many people. I've mentioned that I live in a Covid denier state, where few are vaccinated and when there is the need for mask mandates, they're ignored. In fact, if you put a mask on, it's like putting a target on your back around here. So I don't go out much. Hubs is semi-retired, going to work only twice a week. Due to the lack of used car availability, College Boy hasn't been able to replace the car that he totaled over a year ago. PurDude is still on our gas card, so most of the gas we pay for is his. He only goes into the office a few days a week, but he does take long car trips back here, to KC for a weekend with friends, and he frequents ski mountains. Still, taking the other 3 of us out of the equation, we're not directly affected by what happens at the pumps as so many people are.

But, despite the fact that our gas consumption is way lower than it ever was, I'm not saying that I don't care that the prices are rising. Gas is the start of a ripple effect of rising prices, as it directly affects the transportation of goods.
 
Therefore, the price of everything is rising. Food shortages, and rising prices began with and are continuing to be affected by Covid. But now, adding gas prices into the mix, I look at my grocery list and wonder if I'm going to have to take out a second mortgage on the house to afford a head of lettuce. With necessities replacing splurges, things like cookie butter may soon be a thing of the past {{gasp}}.


Cookie Butter Pancakes, these fluffy pancakes boast a hint of warm spicy flavors. |Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #breakfast

Cookie Butter Pancakes


But what directly affects me more than the rise in gas prices, in all prices, is two things. First, sincere compassion for those who were already living economically marginalized lives who literally may not be able to afford food, and especially healthy foods. It's difficult to think of people trying to get ahead in this country being forced into (or further into) food insecurity. The results this has on the physical, mental, and emotional growth of these children is something that we, as a society, will be left to deal with and are morally obliged to address.
 
And I am infuriated by the blatant, ignorant politicization of the rise in gas prices. The gaslighters are now gaslighting gas. 
 

Gas and Gaslighting | graphic designed by, featured on, and property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


 
It is an everyday occurrence around here to hear people (wasting gas driving around just to show off their pro-trump and don't-tread-on-me flags, btw) yelling about how Biden raised gas prices. This from people (including in my neighborhood) who had "impeach Biden" signs on their lawn even before his inauguration. This from people who are happy to contribute to the death toll of Americans by refusing to take any covid safety measures. 
 
Running around in an oversized gas guzzler is a priority. The sanctity of life? Not so much.
 
Look, there are a lot of reasons why gas prices are high, and Biden has little to do with it. Covid is a factor (trump made it worse, Biden is fighting to mitigate it). Bankruptcies 15 years ago (way before Biden) which, to a great extent, turned the lending community off of investment in oil had an impact. And the Russian aggression against Ukraine (I don't believe Putin consulted Biden) is in the immediate mix. The ban on the import of Russian oil to the US, part of a humanitarian strategy meant to squeeze a blood-thirsty dictator, was, in fact, implemented by Biden. We are not dependent on Russian oil, but are impacted nonetheless due to the fact that oil trade is global.
 
Life is more difficult now for all of us, and gas prices are only a part of it. People who are callously indifferent to, and are directly accountable for, the continued danger and even death of Americans are far more responsible than Biden. And their gaslighting is now, and will remain, a detriment to prices, to society, to our way of life, to humanity.
 
Pass the blood pressure cuff . . . 


 

Secret Subject Swap, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts. Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:

The Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver 

Climaxed

Part-time Working Hockey Mom 

What TF Sarah





Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics






 
Cookie Butter Pancakes
                                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Ingredients:
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/3 cup cookie butter
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 TBSP brown sugar

4 - 5 TBSP butter for pan frying, divided

Directions:
*Whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and cookie butter. It won't be completely smooth, just well incorporated. Set aside.
*In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
*Add the buttermilk mixture to the large bowl and mix, just until incorporated.
*For each pancake, heat about 1/2 TBSP butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Scoop just under 1/3 cup of pancake batter into the pan and form about a 5 inch circle.
*When the edges get brown and crispy, flip the pancake over and cook the other side. Reduce heat to just below medium and cook the other side until browned.
*Repeat until all the batter has been used. Makes 8 - 10 pancakes.


16 comments:

  1. Whoa, I expected my prompt to cause a reaction, but I didn't intend to get your blood to boil dangerously! What can I do? Send wine?
    Your pancakes sound delicious. I do hope butter (and other baking ingredients) remains an affordable staple! Around here, due to the Russian conflict, people have started to hoard flour yet again. I want to know how many of them are actually experienced bakers.
    Have a nice weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I had to explain to my spouse what cookie butter is. That and Nutella should have addiction warnings on their labels. Gaslighting is a good way to explain what is happening with gas prices. I'm sure your pumps have those Thanks Biden stickers plastered all over them. There's supposed to be one that is obscene but I haven't seen it. Disgusting. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, we have those stickers on the pumps. I hadn't heard of an obscene one and hope I never see it. I agree, disgusting.

      Delete
  3. Years (and years) ago we had a Canadian statesman (our last, I'm thinking) who proposed a 'made in Canada' energy package. Where we would control and use our own oil, set our own prices and sell the excess to other countries. He was voted out for it. Instead, the next group to the trough sold all our oil companies to other countries. Now all we can do is sit and watch as our gas prices are set by others. And Canadian oil vilified by the very countries that actually own it. We sold our right to have any input. Can you tell, it still makes me angry?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I can tell it does and quite honestly it should.

      Delete
  4. I'll ride shotgun with you any day... we're at the same gas pump (I mean, on the same page).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the laugh, laughing lowers blood pressure, I'm sure of it.

      Delete
  5. Where is the logic class in schools when we need it? If people only knew how to think.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unfortunately, the more politicians get involved in what can and cannot be taught in schools, the less logic there will be.

      Delete
  6. It's the same here as it is there. People are so stupid and to lazy to do their own research. Sheep!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish it was just too lazy, there's also the element of just wanting a scapegoat, doesn't have to make sense, they choose who's bad and blame them for everything and anything.

      Delete
  7. The world is full of stupid people and pancakes...........just saying

    ReplyDelete

Warning: Comment at your own risk. I have Comment Moderation, meaning I approve all comments before they show up here. So go ahead, I'm not scared!