Da Bears go to Australia-Free Recipe ! gas prices in Las Vegas

Click on image to enlarge The twin bears, Eric and Ralph, on their way to stay with L.E.'s twin Granddaughters in Australia.

Today the Blog will change tone somewhat but do not fear it will revert to pillorying and other Las Vegas commentary very soon.

For example, L.E. is told that the current gas price hike may be designed to take our attention away from the avaricious mortgage companies and traders who have destroyed our Las Vegas (and other places) real estate market and caused our values to diminish regardless of type of mortgage (if any).

GAS PRICES:
First here is a site which provides the prices of gas in your neighborhood:www.automotive.com/gas-prices. Hope it helps you save a little. Here in Las Vegas, City of, we are at around $3.41 for Super.

GOOD FOOD and DRINK in Las Vegas:
Yesterday L.E. and wife met with good friends for a lunch at The Crown and Anchor pub on Tropicana. It serves an English style Sunday lunch for less than $11.00. The meal is roast lamb (or cow) with Yorkshire pudding (a popover), peas, carrots, roasted potatoes and gravy, mint sauce and is a generous serving. Consumed with a Black and Tan or other beverage while gossipping about friends and relatives, such as George, is a delightfully spent hour or so. As it was such a pleasant day we sat outside rather than in, which inside some may consider a little gloomy. http://www.crownandanchorlv.com/

Free Recipe for all, Las Vegas residents, international readers and national readers, including George (come on George fish isn't only for Fridays any more!)

L.E. has severely reduced his consumption of cow meat for reasons previously explained. Wild caught fish is now his preferred protein. Last evening when attempting to produce a tasty fish based dish, using the least possible pots and pans (to reduce the ugly cleanup), he created a decent dish which he now shares with you.

EASY, YET TASTY, LAS VEGAS FISH DISH
(in around one hour or less)

Ingredients for two persons:
Two fillets of firm fleshed wild caught fish such as Mahi-Mahi, Cod, Orange Roughy.
Two medium to large potatoes;
One onion;
One bell pepper (any color-the red and yellow apparently have more vitamin C than the green);
One good handful of cherry tomatoes;
One half cup of chopped Cilantro (or flakes if fresh not available);
Juice of one lime;
Salt, pepper;
Two tablespoons of Olive oil.
Method:
Cut the potatoes into one half inch cubes, gently boil in salted water until tender, yet not soft. Drain and set aside.
Heat the Olive oil in a 10-12 inch skillet (to which you have a lid).
Chop the onion into approximately one half inch pieces and chop the pepper similar size (remove seeds and membrane), add to the skillet at medium /low heat. Lightly season with salt and pepper Stir occasionally and cook until the onion begins to soften.
Add the diced potatoes and gently stir in.
Cook for approximately 15 minutes or until the potatoes are lightly browned and the onion and peppers are tender, yet not soft. Now add the tomatoes and gently stir in.

Season the fish fillets, both sides, with salt and pepper. Lay the fish on top of the vegetables and pour the lime juice over. Immediately put the lid on. Do not lift the lid. After 4-5 minutes remove the lid and check that the fish is just steam cooked through (carryover will complete the cooking leaving the fish perfectly moist).

Serve by placing the vegetables on individual plates then laying the fish on them, garnish with Cilantro if desired.

One has only two pots to wash which makes the meal even more enjoyable.
Also the left over vegetables (if any) are great fried up and served with an egg or two for breakfast or do a "Theresa box" for lunch.

L.E. shall conduct a poll to determine whether you all enjoyed this recipe.

SOLAR LAMP UPDATE:
Today's (vague as usual) channel 8 so-called news had a piece regarding Southwest Gas (our local natural gas provider monopoly). As communities change to solar street lighting a major obstacle is SWGas's cost of capping the existing service to the lamps. They apparently charge approximately $250 or so for each lamp capped (though apparently provided lamps and service lines free to developers who as the project completed passed the gas company charges on to the residents. As mentioned before the gas lamps burn continuously wasting energy and adding unnecessary greenhouse gases to our environment.
The news piece suggested that after some prodding by the PUC and politicians, SWGas may change its policy and not charge for the removal of service. L.E. applied to SWGas some months ago for an estimate to remove service to the existing lamps in his community but has yet to receive any response whatsoever.

LAS VEGAS CABLE PROVIDER POLL:
The Las Vegas cable provider poll indicated that an overwhelming majority of respondents believe we are not best served by such a monopoly.

A dead fish-perhaps analogous to us Las Vegas residents.

This fish jumped out of its pond, perhaps believing it could live on grass. Its choices were, in L.E.'s opinion, wider than your choices when voting for Obama, Hillary, McCain or Huckabee. While corporations effectively own our government it matters not one jot which party has so-called power. Two parties with one group (multi national corporations)at their head.

Ralph Nader has, L.E. believes, done more for the general population than many past (and likely future) Presidents.

WHY NO DECENT MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM TO OUR AIRPORT?

Here we are in 2008, many older folk expecting that by now we would be using Jetson's like transportation devices. However, there is still no decent mass transit to our airport from downtown or the Strip. Our expensive to buy and expensive to operate monorail glides along its lone rail without driver, and in many cases without passengers. One wonders which lobby group controls this situation.

COW MEAT MAY KILL AFTER THE ANIMAL PROVIDING IT HAS BEEN CRUELLY KILLED (RETRIBUTION?).

We are told that we have a safe food supply yet frequently we are advised of food recalls because of tainted food, mostly cow meat.

The latest recall (apparently the largest ever) with its accompanying video of sick cows being treated in very cruel ways (such as driving forklift tines into them and poking them in their eyes) in order to get the poor creatures into "the killing box" is likely not an isolated incident. Research indicates that 3 or 4 major corporations effectively control the supply of cow meat. One wonders whether their power influences the USDA and its inspection process.

WE ARE BEING CHARGED MORE FOR OUR WATER BECAUSE? / HOSPITAL MISMANAGEMENT

Clark County Commissioners (with only one gallantly and rightfully voicing opposition) recently decided to raise the cost to consumers of our water. They did this under the guise of encouraging us to use less. We let them do it. One wonders whether the Commissioners' oversight of our water supply monopoly is of a similar standard as their oversight of our county hospital, U.M.C., where many millions of our (taxpayers') Dollars are shown to have been wasted (apparently by criminal fraudulent activity).

NEVADA POWER (ANOTHER MONOPOLY) AGAIN ATTEMPTS TO DUPE.

One may also note that Nevada Power (yet another monopoly) is intending to build a number of coal fired power stations in our neighborhood. This is despite almost universal opinion that such stations are the leading cause of destruction of our environment. They also want us (taxpayers) to fund a new improved power grid so they may share power supplies with their parent company in Northern Nevada under the guise of improving service for us. Apparently the only oversight involved is our three member P.U.C.

We need to become involved, at least discuss these matters with friends which may lead to greater things and us having actual say in how our community evolves.

NEW YEAR WISHES

L.E. Fant takes this opportunity to wish all the very best for 2008 and beyond.