Cousin T's Pancake Mix Is On The Way

Above, my last box of Aunt Jemima pancake mix. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since I have only about a cup's worth of Aunt Jemima pancake mix left, I decided to try out Cousin T's pancake mix. 

I absolutely refuse to buy from a company who'd rather be woke instead of right in changing the brand from Aunt Jemima to Pearl Milling Company, a name that sounds unappetizing like a "gravel mining company".

It was a move by parent company Quaker Oats Company that had even angered the families of Nancy Green, Lillian Richard and Anna Short Harrington, the models for the "Aunt Jemima" character trademark over the years. 

Above, part of the email I received this morning.

This morning, I received an email from Cousin T's notifying me that my order has been shipped. I am looking forward to receiving it and trying it out.

Levi Strauss Provides ‘Racial Trauma’ Help

The Looney Left Report

Snowflakes of the Left are apparently having a hard time dealing with the fact that Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges in the shooting deaths of two rioters and the wounding of another in Wisconsin last year.

First, it was California State University, Long Beach who held a "debriefing" for all students and faculty on the Rittenhouse verdict, ruling that he acted in self-defense.

From the Daily Wire:

California State University Long Beach (CSULB) provided students and faculty the option to attend a “debriefing” of the verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial. The “debriefing” noted that “Counseling and Psychological Services staff will be present” at the event.

To read more, go here.

I was a member of the CSULB Alumni Association (I graduated from there in 1979), but I dropped them years ago over their postings of a (2016) post-election protest and the dropping of the Prospector mascot due to political correctness.

Now, it is Levi Strauss who is providing "racial trauma" help to its employees. 

According to the Daily Wire:

After Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted, Levi Strauss tapped a “racial trauma specialist” to counsel employees.

During a riot last year in Kenosha, Wisconsin, then-17-year-old Rittenhouse — acting in self-defense — killed two men and injured a third. Earlier this month, Rittenhouse was cleared of all charges.

Nevertheless, the iconic clothing company took pains to address employees’ “pain and trauma.”

“With the news that Kyle Rittenhouse was not convicted in the shooting of three individuals — two of whom lost their lives — during racial justice protests last year, this is a difficult day for many,” wrote Levi Strauss chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer Elizabeth Morrison in a letter to staff obtained by the Daily Mail.

“To help promote safety, sharing and to encourage healing, I’ll be hosting a fireside chat and Q&A with Dr. Jamila Codrington, a licensed psychologist and racial trauma specialist in early December,” she continued. “Dr. J and I will talk about the mental and psychical impacts of back-to-back social and racial justice events and trauma coping mechanisms during our discussion.”

The article also noted that Codrington holds "staunch left-wing views."

Jamila Codrington is a New York-licensed psychologist who has appeared on various panels, claiming that “black people have been duped into thinking we do not matter.”

Codrington appeared on the Karen Hunter radio show in January for a discussion about how “we must decolonize our minds.”

“One of the main weapons of colonialism and white supremacy was to destroy our memory and to separate us from our wealth – our cultural wealth,” she said.

Never mind the fact that those involved in the Rittenhouse case were all white. 

I am glad that I ceased purchasing Levi Strauss products years ago over their support of left-wing causes, including gun control. I now only purchase Wrangler products. Many others have done the same. Screw 'em!

Cleveland Indians, The Real Story

In a move that reeks of sheer stupidity, the owners of the Cleveland Indians renamed the team, erasing over 100 years of history.

According to Breitbart (some snippets):

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland’s Major League Baseball team announced Friday it is doing away with its moniker, Cleveland Indians, and renaming itself the Cleveland Guardians — a move that erases a 106-year-old name said to be in honor of Louis Sockalexis, who played major league baseball for the Cleveland Spiders in the late 1800s and is credited as the first Native American to play professional baseball.

The Cleveland baseball team went through several name changes from the 1870s to early 1900s before ultimately deciding on the Cleveland Indians — a moniker that would last for more than a century before eventually being canceled.

In January 1915, team owner Charles Somers decided to revive the local nickname — which had previously defined the city’s National League club — and officially named the team the Cleveland Indians, says SABR.

While some historians claim Somers chose a Native American-esque name, in part, to mimic the Atlanta Braves — due to being inspired by the team winning the World Series a year earlier — the name “Cleveland Indians” is nonetheless the stark revival of the team’s old byname.

But 106 years later, in the wake of political correctness, cancel culture, and the woke mob running rampant, the Cleveland Indians — a name presumably derived from Somers reminiscing about the period of excitement that Sockalexis brought to Cleveland in 1897 — is no more.

I am done with Major League Baseball. The sport is now run by idiots.

To read the full article, go here. 

Pearl Milling Company, Aunt Jemima's New Name, Gets Battered

Above, the new brand name replacing Aunt Jemima.

Of all the stupid things to come out of the Marxist-driven Black Lives Matter frenzy last year, it is renaming iconic product symbols that takes the cake (pun intended).

The name change for the Aunt Jemima brand is getting slammed. Deservedly so!

The New York Post reported:

Aunt Jemima’s new name, Pearl Milling Company, is getting battered online for sounding like an unappetizing “gravel mining company” or “a James Bond villain.”

The unsavory reviews are pouring in from Twitter, with some breakfast buffs threatening to switch to Pearl Milling’s competitors, Mrs. Butterworth’s or Log Cabin, over the revamp.

“I think it sounds like a gravel mining company,” lawyer Michelle Rozovics wrote.

Another said Pearl Milling Company sounded like “something owned by a James Bond Villain.”

Meanwhile, one critic noted, “Pearl Milling Company? Sounds like a generic house brand for Dollar General.”

Some even vowed to boycott the brand altogether.

 

Above, probably my last box of Aunt Jemima pancake mix. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

That includes me. I have a box of Aunt Jemima pancake mix in my kitchen cupboard. Once that's gone, unless the company comes to its senses, no Pearl Milling Company pancake mix will grace my kitchen. 

The family of Aunt Jemima is steadfastly opposed to the name change.

Hopefully, the name change will go into the "ash heap of history" like new Coke. Aunt Jemima/Pearl Milling Company brands are owned by PepsiCo.

To read more, go here.

Succumbing To Mob Rule

 

Jim Geraghty: The GOP Still Has Some Fight Left in It!

Someone else besides me thought that the Republican National Convention started out surprisingly strong last night. There were a lot of damn good speakers. It was a sharp contrast to the Democrats' "Temple of Doom" of last week.

Jim Geraghty of "The Morning Jolt" in National Review has an interesting take on opening night.

Here's some snippets:

On the menu today: a surprisingly strong opening night for the Republican National Convention... 

Most Democrats probably didn’t watch the Republican National Convention last night. Those that did probably thought it was schlocky, jingoistic, dishonest, and ridiculous nonsense. 

But any Democrat who understood that the convention wasn’t aimed at convincing them — a fact that vast swaths of Washington political journalists are just incapable of grasping — should watch the programming and feel just a little less confident about November. Not panicking, just a recognition that the Trump campaign and GOP still have some fight left in them, and a message that could easily resonate with large-enough pluralities in enough states to reach 270 electoral votes. 

I still would have cut Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle from the lineup, who inexplicably shouted most of her speech to an empty chamber. The best case for the president comes from non-famous or lesser-known citizens such as nurse Amy Johnson Ford, Natalie Harp discussing right-to-try, Democratic state representative Vernon Jones of Georgia, Andrew Pollack, the father of a Parkland school-shooting victim talking about the “scumbag gunman” who killed his daughter Meadow, and Maximo Alvarez, speaking bluntly about the realty of life under a socialist regime. 

Joe Biden still enjoys a lot of advantages. This is a country still grappling with a serious pandemic that restricts and impedes normal American life including schooling for children, the national unemployment rate is 10.2 percent, and too many cities are still beset by urban violence and riots. This is a tough environment for any incumbent, and every day, Donald Trump finds new ways to keep the Democratic Party’s base highly motivated. 

But you can start to see how Biden could blow this. No American will be enthusiastic for the prospect of a President Biden ordering another national shutdown to mitigate the spread of the virus. Teachers’ unions are infuriating usually friendly parents who want their kids to back into classrooms in some fashion. (Jim Jordan: “They won’t let you go to school, but they’ll let you go loot.“) A full-throated denunciation of the riots as undermining the cause of racial and social justice wouldn’t cost Biden a single vote he needs, but he just won’t do it. Trump and the Republicans are embracing patriotism almost to the point of self-parody; Democrats are arguing that the country has taken a terrible wrong turn and is constantly falling short of its values. The country is sick of political correctness and cancel culture and a discourse of constant rage and grievances. Last night, Tim Scott painted America as a land of unlimited opportunity: “Our family went from cotton to Congress.” Even friendly voices are recognizing that Biden’s message is lightest on “a concrete economic plan for average families.” And we haven’t even gotten to guns, illegal immigration, or judges. 

Right now, you would rather be Biden with a big lead than be Trump and behind. But Democrats felt really good about their chances after a widely praised convention in late summer four years ago, and we all remember how that turned out.

To read the full article, go here. 

Goodyear Goes Into Plan B To Stop The Hemorrhage

Since Goodyear's stock value took a major hit yesterday (about a $54 million loss), they had to do something to stop the hemorrhage.

Rich Kramer, Goodyear's CEO and President issued a letter today with a further explanation of the visual slide that was leaked by an employee that caused the "fit hitting the shan" that led President Trump to call for a boycott of Goodyear.

Here's the letter:

The letter is a lot more convincing than yesterday's contradictory statement the company issued. Still, I have to wonder if they still approve the wearing of Marxist BLM apparel. That part of the slide still hasn't been clarified.

Now It's Cream of Wheat

Following Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben and (can you believe this?) Mrs. Butterworth, the wussies who are in charge of Cream of Wheat cereal are "reviewing" the black chef on their packaging.

USA Today reported:

The packaging on boxes of Cream of Wheat may soon change. 

Cream of Wheat’s parent company, B&G Foods, said it is “initiating an immediate review” of the brand’s packaging. 

The announcement follows decisions by the parent companies of Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben’s and Mrs. Butterworth's to overhaul their imaging in the wake of renewed calls for racial equality. 

"We understand there are concerns regarding the Chef image, and we are committed to evaluating our packaging and will proactively take steps to ensure that we and our brands do not inadvertently contribute to systemic racism,” B&G Foods said in a news release. “B&G Foods unequivocally stands against prejudice and injustice of any kind.”

I don't see the chef as offensive. But there are wackos out there who will find any excuse for find anything offensive. And, I always thought Mrs. Butterworth is white.

To read more, go here. 

Goodbye, Aunt Jemima; Uncle Ben Next?

Above, an earlier version of Aunt Jemima packaging.

First, it was Land o Lakes butter removing the beautiful Indian maiden from its packaging. Now, one (maybe two) other brands are doing the same

A brand that dates over 130 years is being "retired".

Fox News reported:

Aunt Jemima is being rebranded with a new name and image, parent company Quaker Oats has announced, acknowledging that the face of the brand was “based on a racial stereotype.”

It was announced on Wednesday morning that the line of pancake mix, syrup, and other breakfast foods will be debut a new look as part of Quaker’s push to “to make progress toward racial equality.” 

“We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype," said Kristin Kroepfl, vice president and chief marketing officer of Quaker Foods North America, in a statement shared with Fox News. “As we work to make progress toward racial equality through several initiatives, we also must take a hard look at our portfolio of brands and ensure they reflect our values and meet our consumers’ expectations."

And, following suit by Quaker Foods' action (from Adweek):

Just hours after PepsiCo acknowledged its Aunt Jemima brand is based on a racial stereotype and it will change the name and packaging, rice brand Uncle Ben’s said it plans to follow suit by “evolving the visual brand identity.” 

In an email, Sara Schulte, external communications manager for Uncle Ben’s parent company Mars Food North America, said, “We have indeed been considering a more substantive change and have begun that work even before news of Aunt Jemima.” 

She did not specify what that “substantive change” will look like or what the timing will be, saying only, “We are evaluating all possibilities.”

 Soon, offended bald guys with earrings will be gunning for Mr. Clean!

To read more, go here.

For the story of the real "Aunt Jemima", Nancy Green, go here.

Switching To Challenge Butter

Any company who kowtows to the politically correct crowd will no longer get my dollars for their products.

The move by Land O Lakes Butter in removing the Indian maiden from their packaging is the just the latest kowtow by an American company to a few P.C. idiots.

Their packaging went from this:

To this:

A couple of typical comments on the Land O Lakes Facebook page:

As an American with Native American roots (Delaware tribe) your product is no longer welcome in my home. 

*** 

I am done with Land O Lakes..a product I have bought for years. Bending over in the name of political correctness is an insult to native Americans. The young maiden signified the closeness to Nature and a respect for the Earth which we all admire. You gave that up for what?

Land O Lakes response:

Thank you for your message about our new packaging. We are sorry to hear about your decision. We’re changing some of our packaging as our cooperative nears its 100th anniversary in 2021 and to celebrate our farmer members who make our delicious products possible.. We’ve found the “Farmer-owned” labeling along with colorful and bright images of land and lakes helps better explain who we are to consumers. We appreciate your writing and your comment will be shared with our product team.

Nothing like celebrating their 100th anniversary with a public relations fiasco. 

Walmart's Second Amendment Treason

What is wrong with today's CEOs? They're turning into a bunch of politically correct wussies.

First, it was Dick's Sporting Goods ending sales of firearms, thereby greasing the skids for their eventual demise as gun owners are refusing to shop there.

Now, it is Walmart.

National Review posted:

Walmart announced a number of changes to its firearm-sales policy on Tuesday in response to a mass shooting that killed 20 people at one of its stores in El Paso, Texas last month. 

The company will no longer sell handgun ammunition and ammunition for short-barrel rifles, and will ask all customers to refrain from openly carrying firearms while shopping in states that allow open-carry unless law-enforcement officers are present. Walmart will also stop selling handguns in Alaska, the last remaining state where such sales are conducted. 

In a memo distributed to employees Tuesday, CEO Doug McMillon said the policy change was prompted by the El Paso massacre as well as a similar recent attacks in Dayton, Ohio and Midland and Odessa, Texas. 

“In a complex situation lacking a simple solution, we are trying to take constructive steps to reduce the risk that events like these will happen again,” he said. “The status quo is unacceptable.” 

Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, accounts for roughly 2 percent of all gun sales and 20 percent of ammunition sales. McMillon estimated in his memo that the new policy will reduce Walmart’s share of the ammunition market to between 6 and 9 percent. He also noted that the store will continue to cater to law-abiding gun owners and called on Congress to enact more stringent gun-control legislation.

They will "continue to cater to law-abiding gun owners"?! It is punishing law-abiding gun owners by removing a source for ammunition at low prices from them, thanks to the actions of a few deranged people. If anything, this will help those mom & pop gun stores that already Walmart hurt. Let's not forget that they put many small gun stores (along with other kinds of stores) out-of-business over the years.

One California gun dealer, Martin B. Retting, Inc., posted on Facebook:

Well, at least now they're being open about their anti-2A attitude. As if their capitulation wasn't enough, they appear to be more than willing to "help-out" our enemies. I guess it's good to finally know who your real friends are? 

Their treason to the 2A cause is particularly hard to swallow in light of how many local gun-stores Walmart has driven out of business. I know it's unrealistic to expect a nationwide Walmart boycott, but at least think twice before you spend any of your shooting sports budget at Wally-world. 

"The company, America's largest retailer, said it will stop selling handgun ammunition and ammunition commonly used in assault-style weapons"..."will also stop selling handguns in Alaska, the only state where it still sells handguns".... 

"It's clear to us that the status quo is unacceptable, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon"... "McMillon said that he would send letters to the White House and congressional leaders that "call for action" on "common sense" gun safety measures. McMillon said Congress should debate re-authorizing the assault weapons ban and expand background checks"
"Given our decades of experience selling firearms, we are also offering to serve as a resource in the national debate on responsible gun sales" 

https://www.cnn.com/…/walmart-ends-handgun-ammo-…/index.html

Outside of getting my heart medication, I will no longer shop at Walmart. Screw 'em!

San Francisco Liberals: "Felons" Become "Justice-Involved Persons"

The Looney Left Report

The inmates are running the asylum in San Francisco.

Liberals on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors have voted to sugarcoat and rename lawbreakers. Naturally, instead of cleaning up the city streets and sidewalks of hypodermic needles and human feces, they concentrated their attention on this. No wonder the place is a sh*thole.

The Political Insider reported:

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has decided the best way to combat rising crime and integrate criminals back into society is to rebrand them. 

The Board, consisting exclusively of Democrats, voted to adopt a new set of “person first” language guidelines that would sugarcoat terms used to describe criminals according to the San Francisco Chronicle. 

Sure the city is suffering from one of the highest crime rates in the country, but in the mind of the politically correct left, the important thing is to soften language applying to offenders. 

As such, the new guidelines dictate that somebody formerly labeled as a ‘convicted felon’ will henceforth be referred to as a “formerly incarcerated person,” a “justice-involved” person or simply a “returning resident.”

Really, you can't make this stuff up! Boy, not a day goes by when I thank my lucky stars that I moved out of Commiefornia!

To read more, go here. 

Nike's Shameful Retreat

Above, the "offensive" shoes.

During my younger days, Nike sports shoes were me favorite go-to shoes for casual wear.

It seems that the company is now being led by the nose by NFL failure Colin Kaepernick when he claimed is "offensive" by the Betsy Ross American flag on special-edition Independence Day sports shoes that were already made and shipped to stores.

According to the Wall Street Journal:

Nike Inc. NKE -0.53% is yanking a U.S.A.-themed sneaker featuring an early American flag after NFL star-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick told the company it shouldn’t sell a shoe with a symbol that he and others consider offensive, according to people familiar with the matter. 

The sneaker giant created the Air Max 1 USA in celebration of the July Fourth holiday, and it was slated to go on sale this week. The heel of the shoe featured a U.S. flag with 13 white stars in a circle, a design created during the American Revolution and commonly referred to as the Betsy Ross flag. 

It was an act of politically correct cowardliness of Nike to pull the shoes. I would never buy from Nike again after this.

At least one Republican governor is not taking this lying down.

From AZCentral:

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Tuesday slammed Nike for canceling the release of a shoe featuring an early design of the American flag, saying it had "bowed to the current onslaught of political correctness and historical revisionism." 

Calling Nike's decision a "shameful retreat" on Twitter, the Republican leader vowed to withdraw financial incentives recently promised to the company in exchange for opening a manufacturing plant in Goodyear with some 500 full-time jobs.

To read more, go here.

Meanwhile, on the end of the spectrum, the poor excuse of a governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Tweeted, "Hey @Nike, let's talk."

California State University Hid $1.5 Billion But Still Hiked Tuition

Back in the 1970s, I transferred to California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) from El Camino College.

Back at El Camino College, I switched majors, from art to political science. I continued on as a political science major at CSULB.

Back in those days, tuition was relatively cheap. They were cheap enough so that my parents paid the per-unit tuition costs while I bought all of my books. I graduated in 1979 with no outstanding student loan debt.

Times since then have changed and tuition costs for students in the California State University system have skyrocketed. I seriously doubt that students today can graduate without having student loans to have to pay off.

The following report in the Fresno Bee is especially galling when one considers the costs students and their parents have to pay today.

They reported:

The California State University stashed away $1.5 billion in discretionary reserves while raising tuition and lobbying the Legislature for more funds, according to a report released Thursday by California State Auditor Elaine Howle. 

CSU put the money, which came primarily from student tuition, in outside accounts rather than in the state Treasury, the report said. 

The investigation mirrors Howle’s 2017 report on the University of California Chancellor’s Office, which charged that top UC brass kept a $175 million slush fund while hiking students’ tuition.

A year ago, CSULB kowtowed to political correctness in deciding to remove the university's mascot, Prospector Pete over some dubious claim about prospectors mistreating Native Americans during the gold rush. That, and other acts by the university made me decide to no longer donate to the university or to the alumni association. I felt that the steps the university took dishonors its history and its alumni.

Even if this hadn't happened, the revelation that the California State University system stashed away $1.5 billion while raising tuition fees and lobbying more funds alone would have forced me to stop my donations. The revelation of the stash of money is totally dishonest. There's no excuse for it.

To read more, go here.

Gillette = Hypocrisy

Hypocrisy is the contrivance of a false appearance of virtue or goodness, while concealing real character or inclinations, especially with respect to religious and moral beliefs; hence, in a general sense, hypocrisy may involve dissimulation, pretense, or a sham. Wikipedia

What was the name of the company who put out an ad decrying "toxic masculinity"?

Gillette Wants "Wussy" Men To Buy Their Razors

The attempt by some to "wussify" American men has manifested itself in a new ad by Gillette. It is called "We Believe" and the backlash has been intense.

Gillette is a division of Proctor & Gamble. Already, there is a boycott starting against all Proctor & Gamble products.

Fox News reported:

Gillette’s new commercial might not be as cutting-edge as the company had hoped. 

It’s only been a day since Gillette debuted its “We Believe” campaign aimed at combating “toxic masculinity,” and while the ad has earned plenty of praise – and even more publicity – for the brand, critics of the ad are already upset with Gillette for what some feel is an “insulting” message that assumes misogyny is rampant among their customer base. 

Others took issue with the company for using a social movement to sell razors, and suggesting that Gillette, which also markets the Venus line aimed at female customers, is being hypocritical. 

The ad, which debuted Monday, begins with “a compilation of actions commonly associated with 'toxic masculinity,'" per a press release — actions including online bullying, men laughing at misogynistic television shows, or a boss mansplaining his female colleague’s idea, among others. 

The ad then shifts and suggests that “something changed” not long ago – a reference to the #MeToo movement – and shows clips of men defending others from bullying, or stopping friends from harassing, hurtful behavior.

To read more and see the ad, go here. 

CSULB Kowtows To Political Correctness

Following the 2016 election, the administration of California State University, Long Beach (my alma mater) allowed a post-election protest. That's okay, but then they posted a video of it on their Facebook page. If that's the image they wanted to convey, that's fine, too. Only they won't get any more monetary contributions from me. Since this and other idiotic decisions made by the CSULB administration, I ended any and all contributions to the university and alumni association.

They've stopped calling me for contributions since I told them off.

Now, they've made another idiotic decision

From Patch.com:

LONG BEACH, CA – The statue of the Cal State Long Beach mascot Prospector Pete will soon be removed in order to disassociate the university from California's gold rush and its impact on native Americans, says Cal State Long Beach President Jane Close Conoley. 

A timeline is yet to be determined, but the statue will be transplanted to a future alumni center, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reported. 

The Prospector Pete image reflected Founding President Pete Peterson's common references to having struck the gold of education by establishing Long Beach State College, Conoley told the newspaper in an Email. 

"President Peterson was absolutely correct; education is precious." But, Conoley said, as the university's diversity grew and more voices were heard, "we came to know that the 1849 California gold rush was a time in history when the indigenous peoples of California endured subjugation, violence and threats of genocide." 

In September 2017, Cal State Long Beach's Associated Students Inc. started working on a resolution that passed in March to move or relocate the statue. It acknowledges the campus's location of being placed on Tongva Tribe land, whose inhabitants are said to have been enslaved by settlers to build missions in the greater Los Angeles area.

My comments about the article at Patch.com:

It is getting so that history is not being honored or even discussed these days. Here we have another example of political correctness run amok. History should be discussed, be it good or bad. Decisions by CSULB in recent years has made me decide to discontinue making donations to the school or alumni association (I am of the CSULB class of 1979). This country is going crazy. The statue should be left alone and kept where it is.

They're painting with a broad brush the implication that all of the 49ers in the Mother Lode abused the Indians there. Perhaps a small minority did, but does that justify tarring all those who went for find gold?

Notice the university's seal at top. There's a pick and shovel on it to signify the 49ers. Looks like they'll have to change that, too.

The cost of removing/moving the statue is a waste of taxpayers' money. President Jane Close Conoley is sure no Stephen Horn (the president of CSULB during my time there).