18 March 2018 - Pot Calling the Kettle Black

Tips on Making Care of Aluminum Cookware

"Aluminum cookware designed for service and display is almost always made of polished bare aluminum or porcelain-finished aluminum."

Polished Aluminum

Wash in dishwasher or by hand with mild soaps

Porcelain-Finished Aluminum

Wash by hand or in dishwasher. Use almost any type of powder, soap, and even steel wool.

Mirror Bright Aluminum

Wash with mild soaps. Nylon pads can dull the finish.

If you ever have an aluminum pot that becomes blackish on the inside from cooking, try cooking tomatoes or sauerkraut in the pot.

Or add two tablespoons of cream of tartar to every quart of water in the pot and bring to a boil.

Our Almanac also suggests you see care of aluminum by contacting the Aluminum Association.

This association has tips and tricks on caring for popular aluminum.

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Aluminum has been in the news lately!

If you haven't heard, the Trump administration had issued tariffs on aluminum and steel imports. In theory, the use of these tariffs is to create a more fair competitive advantage for U.S. based aluminum manufacturers.

In 2002, President Bush issued tariffs on steel imports to the U.S.

It failed miserably and he had to remove these a year after they were issued.

The problem lies in our trade with many industries with many countries.

Consumers in the country the tariffs are issued, pay these tariffs. 

It isn't a fee applied to other countries.

So other countries applied tariffs to U.S. imports which cost jobs in the U.S.

Consumers in those countries stopped purchasing these American goods, which slowed demand, which cost manufacturers a loss of profit, that then ended with companies letting people go.

TRADE WAR

You have probably heard this phrase!

The problem with today is that China is dumping a lot of cheap steel into the U.S. and it is hurting the American manufacturers.

However, the plan to place tariffs on ALL steel and aluminum imports hurts our fair trade we have with other countries.

We also have to ask ourselves why do we want to buy cheaper materials?

Let's face it. Wal-Mart has a lot of cheap foreign made items. Consumers flock to it to keep in line with their budgets. From food to non food items, we are buying cheap products dumped into the U.S.

If you really wanted to stop this you could do a couple of things:

1. Purchase American made products

2. Raise wages so people don't feel the need to purchase cheap foreign items

Now, I might get some eye rolling and that is ok!

However, we should really take a look at the cycle of poverty here in America.

Let's take a look at another company who should have profited over cheap foreign products.

Toys R Us

Recently the company announced that they are closing all stores.

In the bankruptcy filing, a judge has approved $16 million in executive bonuses.

Read about it here!

For me and my cynical ways, I am increasingly upset at the way large companies take advantage of their labor. We as consumers are compliant to their actions everyday.