Beef Tallow

 I was hosting a lunch yesterday (chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, fried green beans, yeast rolls).  Talking with friends as I cooked the meal, one of my buddies said that his doc was trying to get him away from seed oils and go to more animal fats.

When I was growing up, my mom used white canned Crisco.  Grandma used lard. I keep a little bacon grease around for making roux.

We started talking about lard, and the flavor that it brings to fried foods, then talked about beef tallow.  I have no experience with beef tallow, but I have heard good things. My buddy, JT,  says that he can get it from a wholesale grocer, but has to order 50 pounds.  We decided to split a 50 pound order three ways. He is getting it for $1 a pound,  which seems like a pretty good deal.

If any of y'all have any experience with beef tallow, let me know.

Right To Repair

 John Deere, a giant in the ag sector, was having problems with technology.  Deere did not want to share the diagnostic software to repair their machines, which meant that farmers and third-party mechanics had to load the equipment on a trailer and take it to a dealership.

This caused huge problems for farmers.  Equipment has to run, and repairing it in the field is a lot easier than dragging it to the dealer.  Time is money.  Weather waits for no one.

Evidently, they reached a settlement in the long-running civil suit.  That is good news for everyone involved.

Raisin' Caine

 The Charman of the Joint Chiefs gave a briefing this morning, talking about the Iran mission.  He highlighted some states.  He said that during this operation (and I'm paraphrasing here) US forces consumed "950 thousand gallons of coffee, 2 million energy drinks, and a lot of nicotine". 

Those of us who have served, know that the military runs on caffeine and nicotine. It was true when I was a young tank commander, and I'm gratified to know that it is still true.

Hyperbole

 A lot of people are freaked out about President Trump's Truth Social post from earlier today.  I admit that it seems a bit harsh.

I wish that he had been a little more circumspect.  Threatening to kill an entire civilization in  one night seems a bit over-the-top.  It's dark over there now, it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Distraction

 That logistical flex we talked about on Sunday may have been a distraction, designed to draw ground forces away from the main mission of collecting our lost aviator.

We had boots on the ground, no doubt, trying to bring our guys out of harms way.

One story I'm hearing is that at the site of that distraction, US forces left two mementoes for the Iranians to find.  One, a case of MREs, and second, a pair of American flag boxer shorts.

Is that true?  Hell, I don't know, but it makes a great story.

A Fresh Look

 A fresh look at an old friend.  I drank it during college, and it is still a staple on many shelves across the world. How they can produce this bourbon at this price point still confounds me.  It's nothing special, nothing exotic, it simply falls squarely where it should.

I have to go into town tomorrow, and I need to pick up a bottle to put in the shop cabinet.

Flex

 I found this over at Instapundit this morning.

Evidently, the US is building a temporary runway about 50 km from the Iranian city of Isfahan. Ostensibly to fly out the Iranian nuclear material once the US takes possession of it. Isfahan is a large Iranian city, with about 2.2 million population.  The fact that the IRGC can't challenge it is a huge testament to their current ineffectiveness.

This is a huge logistical flex. To build a usable runway while under an active bombing campaign. If the US really wanted to flex against them, they would park a working Burger King on the end of the ramp. Next to the NCO club, with a stripper pole.

Artemus

 We're headed back to the moon, after all these years.  The ship launched on Wednesday, with a crew of four, to circle the moon and come back, testing systems along the way.

You can track the mission here.

Godspeed, Artemus.

In other news, today is Good Friday, a huge day in the Christian calendar.  Fasting and reflection is the order of the day. Sunday, we celebrate the Resurrection, the fact that all of Christianity is based on.

Y'all have a great and blessed weekend.  Celebrate Easter in your own style, and chick on those brave astronauts who are crewing a tiny spacecraft in a vast universe.  They are going only to the moon, but we have to start somewhere.