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Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Inflation Talk -- June 9, 2021

10-Year: 1.486%; down 0.042. 

See comments: a reader sent this "bread vs beer" link

88 cents/loaf, fresh, not day-old, not on sale, regular price, June 7, 2021 -- the same bread I ate while growing up in Williston, ND, in the 1950s:

My dad, born and raised in Newell, SD, northwest corner of the state often mentioned he never had a fresh orange or peach while growing up, or if he did, was an incredibly rare event. In his 60s he would reminisce often how much it meant to have a fresh peach even in Williston, ND, decades later. Folks talk a lot about inflation. 

On the other hand, look at what is readily available that many of grandparents, and even parents, did not have. The other day I picked up these items on a quick trip to our local grocery store. I don't recall what I paid, but the beer has not gone up in price as long as I can remember, and, in fact, often goes on sale. 

Fresh strawberries and blueberries were in season and on sale. Bananas at 55 cents/pound and in ample supply. That's apple cider front and center. The pastry was something special, for Sophia's tea party later that day.


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Word of the Day

From Bettany Hughes, Helen of Troy, c. 2005, p. 56:

Kharis is the root of "charisma" and "charismatic" and can simply mean grace or charm. But the original Greek also has a  more sexualized connotation -- a grace which ignites desire.
Kharis was a gift of Aphrodite, the goddess of sexual love. It is that quality of raw seductive power that Helen possessed above all others. The girls who danced at the Platanistas -- led on by the example of their presiding spirit, Helen -- were experiencing a rite of passage that made them beautiful in that they were to become charismatic, sexually mature, and sexually available. For them, Helen was not the most "beautiful" woman in the world, she was the most erotic.

From aminoapps: kharis, from the Greek, the root word for "charismatic."

Kharis is a vastly important topic in Hellenismos. 

At its most basic definition, it means repricocity--giving to the gods in return for their favor and help. The word itself can be translated into English in a myriad of ways, including beauty, charm, favor, grace, and much much. It is also the name of the goddess of grace and beauty.

From theol.com:

The Kharites (Charites) or Graces, were three goddesses of grace, beauty, adornment, joy, mirth, festivity, dance and song. 
A number of younger Kharites presided over the other pleasures of life including play, amusement, banqueting, floral decoration, happiness, rest and relaxation. 
The Kharites were attendants of the goddesses Aphrodite and Hera. 
One named Kharis (Charis) was the wife of Hephaistos (Hephaestus) and another, Pasithea, was married to Hypnos (Hypnus) the god of sleep. 
The three Kharites were depicted in classical art as naked women, holding hands and dancing in a circle. They were sometimes crowned with and held sprigs of myrtle. In Greek vase painting a bevy of younger Kharites form the retinue of Aphrodite.

When I see "Kharites" and "Charites" I wonder if there is a relationship between this Greek word and the English word "charity." A quick google search suggests the link is not "direct." I still wonder.

2 comments:

  1. Looks to me like you are buying a better quality beer than bread~ But it does appear you do have both bases covered, as to which came first. Prost!
    https://www.beeradvocate.com/archived-articles/595/

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    Replies
    1. LOL. Bread is bread. LOL. Does it really matter if I make French toast with cheap white bread or expensive white bread, but beer, now that's a different story.

      In the big scheme of things, I don't drink much beer, but I detest thin beer -- which seems to be the hallmark of "big-name" beers in the US. The "lite" beers are simply the worst.

      But wow, a great IPA, absolutely wonderful. Thank you for noticing and thank you for taking time to write.

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