Jerry Stratton's Blog, page 7

August 28, 2024

Rumford Recipes Sliding Cookbooks

One of the most interesting experiments in early twentieth century promotional baking pamphlets is this pair of sliding recipe cards from Rumford.
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Published on August 28, 2024 04:00

August 21, 2024

State Fair of Texas creates safe space for murder

The State Fair of Texas is a very good example of the kind of venue that should not allow only criminals to carry firearms.
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Published on August 21, 2024 04:00

August 14, 2024

Batteries and Energy Storage linked on Mimsy Were the Technocrats

“Maybe batteries aren't the best way to store energy.”

Francis Turner has a slightly different take than I did on What will a useful electric car look like?. But he starts from a very similar observation, that most writers on battery-operated vehicles “are missing the point. We don’t want batteries, we want efficient energy storage.” And there is a mountainous difference between the energy storage needs of portable electronic devices and transportation devices, i.e., cars.

He also goes into something I only mentioned tangentially, which is that energy storage for evening out intermittent power sources such as wind and solar is so many orders of magnitude different than portable electronic devices that it’s crazy we’re even considering using the same storage technology to handle it. The money we’re spending on trying to shoehorn traditional batteries into storing grid-level power would be far more effective using other energy storage techniques—and unlike the energy storage needed for battery-powered vehicles, we already know what grid-level storage techniques can look like!

He also comes to the conclusion that, because gasoline is so comparatively useful at energy storage, the best “battery” for electric vehicles will be “synthetic hydrocarbons”, that is, man-made gasoline created from the energy generated by intermittent sources. I suspect that this overlooks how incredibly poorly-matched modern wind and solar technologies are to mass energy generation (in his defense he’s explicit about not discussing this), but when we do find a good means of generating mass intermittent power synthetic gasoline probably will be the best way to store it. As I wrote in a footnote to my post, “I wouldn’t be surprised if the eventual winning ‘battery’ technology ends up looking a lot like a synthetic gasoline.”

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Published on August 14, 2024 09:21

<em>Jalapeño</em> Potato Chip Cookies

Potato chip cookies are amazing—crunchy and flavorful—and they’re even better made with kettle-style jalapeño chips! Potato chip cookies are a great way to celebrate National Potato Day.
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Published on August 14, 2024 04:00

August 7, 2024

A Traveling Man’s Cookery Book

A Traveling Man’s Cookery Book is a collection of recipes that I enjoy making while traveling, and in other people’s kitchens.
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Published on August 07, 2024 04:00

July 31, 2024

“Jobs Americans won’t do” is pure BS

Not only is “Jobs Americans won’t do” bullshit, everyone knows it’s bullshit. Not only will Americans do dirty jobs, in a country of 400 million there are a lot of people who love to do these jobs.
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Published on July 31, 2024 04:00

July 24, 2024

In Honor of Jack “Bones” Burton

High school biology teacher Jack Burton’s dream job was driving a truck across country where the only people he’d have to talk to will be on the other end of a CB radio.
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Published on July 24, 2024 04:00

July 19, 2024

Cookbook reviews on Goodreads linked on Jerry Stratton

Many vintage cookbooks and a handful of newer cookbooks; for the recent reviews I’ve made at least three recipes from each book before reviewing it.
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Published on July 19, 2024 18:24

July 17, 2024

Aunt Jenny’s Old-Fashioned Christmas Cookies

Spry shortening’s 1952 Christmas cookie book was one of many by which they attempted to compete with Crisco.
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Published on July 17, 2024 04:00

July 13, 2024

Walk toward the fire

Trump reassures crowd after assassination attempt fails.
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Published on July 13, 2024 16:52