Text 21771, 103 rader
Skriven 2007-10-20 12:17:29 av Glen Jamieson
     Kommentar till en text av Michael Loo
Ärende: CAN'TS! 310  71020
==========================
 -=> Quoting Michael Loo to Barbara Mcnay <=-

 ML> [cheap ones]
 > You no doubt got a Chinese can opener.
 BM> Yep.  Never thought to look.

 ML> Sorry to be bitter and cynical about this, but the
 ML> cheap-consumer-driven market has effects that I don't
 ML> care for and that people should have anticipated back
 ML> in the day. The Japanese economic miracle I believe
 ML> had its impetus not so much from Theory Z and stuff
 ML> like that but from the vast influx of cash generated
 ML> by 1950s "made in Japan" shoddy.

My observation of world economics over the last 3/4 century is that
this Chinese situation is a repeat of the Japanese.  That country began
post-war with a low-wage labour force making shoddy copies of foreign
designed equipment far cheaper than anywhere else, but as the skill
level of the country increased as result of the money thus generated,
the industry of the workers was directed towards increasing quality
rather than quantity, and more original design work was done
in-country. More money was generated, and the salaries and quality of
life of the workers improved to the point where it was cheaper to pay
relatively unskilled workers in less developed countries to make the
Japanese designed high-tech cameras, appliances, cars, etc.  Even in
Japan the cameras offered for sale are made in Korea or Taiwan.

I see the same sequence developing in China.  Even though the
government is theoretically Marxist, it is realistic enough to realise
that this is the way for China to go to become "a" or even "the"
leading world economic power.

 ML> [fancier ones]
 > Next time get a Swiss, French, or Brit one. Spend
 > about 5x as much for something at actually works.
 BM> Yep.  I don't remember what the old one cost, but the new one was a
 BM> buck. 

A few years ago a hand-operated can opener "as used by astronauts" was
touted here as being the greatest thing, ever.  It was several times
the cost of its competitors.  I haven't heard of that lately; is it
still in production?

 ML> There actually has been a bit of improvement in can
 ML> openers, from an ergonomic standpoint. I think the
 ML> Swedes too make a good one, or is it the Danes, I
 ML> forget. And the manufacturing is better.

 ML> [fancy trendy ones from years past]
 BM> It was quite nice when it worked properly.  Not so nice when you had
 BM> to open a leaking can with a regular opener.  Just bewildering when the
 BM> opener cut all around, and you had a still-sealed storable can.

 ML> I always had a hard time with them, generally ending up with
 ML> an almost-sealed can bleeding from several nicks in the side.

Likewise the operator's fingers!  I have tried those circumferential
openers, which leave the cans as quite deadly weapons.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: OPEN LASAGNE WITH THREE CHEESES AND PEARS
 Categories: Mains, Cheese/eggs, Pasta, Advertiser, Restaurant
      Yield: 4 =20
 
    200 g  Mascarpone
    100 ml Milk
    100 ml Butter; melted
    375 g  Lasagne sheets; fresh
     50 g  Parsley leaves; chopped
    200 g  Gorgonzola; chopped
    100 g  Parmesan; grated
    300 g  Pears; sl thin
      4    Pears; sl thick
           Black pepper; fresh ground
 
  Preheat oven to 200^C. Combine mascarpone and milk in a bowl and mix
  well. .. Grease a 20 x 20 x 4cm baking dish with some melted butter,
  then line the base of the dish with a few pieces of fresh lasagne
  sheets. Brush the lasagne sheets with some melted butter and spread
  with some of the mascarpone and milk mixture.
  
  Sprinkle over some parsley, gorgonzola and parmesan, and top with some
  thin slices of pear. Cover with lasagne and repeat the process with
  the remaining ingredients. Brush the top layer of lasagne with butter
  and sprinkle over some parmesan.  Top lasagne with four thick slices
  of pear and cover with aluminium foil.
  
  Bake for 30 minutes, till the top turns golden brown. Remove from
  heat and cut lasagne into 4 squares. Garnish each square with a slice
  of baked pear and a sprinkling of pepper.
  
  By: CAMILLO CRUGNALE, ASSAGGIO RISTORANTE, ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
  From: THE ADELAIDE MAGAZINE, JUNE 2007
  Typed by: KEVIN JCJD SYMONS, 31 MAY 2007
 
MMMMM
 

___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 [NR]

--- FLAME v2.0/b
 * Origin: Braintap BBS Adelaide Australia (3:800/449)