Guest Post by John Stossel
I learned three new things this year that made my life better!
I share them with you here, hoping they make your 2020 easier.
My “life hacks” are about popcorn, iPhones and butter.
Weird? Maybe. Now I report on how politicians wreck just about everything, but at ABC’s show “20/20,” I was a consumer reporter. My latest video returns to that beat.
None of these ideas requires buying stuff or spending more money. The first will save you some. The tips:
1. Popcorn: For years, I bought packages of microwavable popcorn. They were an improvement over pouring raw kernels into a pot, adding the right amount of oil, waiting for it to pop, shaking the pot and so forth. Then you have to clean the pot and grease splatter.
Microwave bags make popping corn easier, but the packages cost about $6, and sometimes the popcorn smells bad.
I’ve also tried special popcorn-making devices, but they cost money, too, and you still have to clean the device.
It turns out we don’t have to do any of that! Just put raw kernels (about a quarter cup) into a paper bag (a lunch bag is fine), put the bag in the microwave, set it to full power and wait for the corn to pop.
When the popping slows, take the bag out.
That’s it! It works. You can eat the popcorn right out of the bag — nothing to clean! Add butter to taste. Try it.
2. Faster texting: Do you have an iPhone? (I’ve found this trick works on most iPhones and some Androids.)
Writing emails and texts, I get frustrated when I can’t get the cursor to go exactly where I want it to be. It jumps to the start or end of a word or sentence when I want to change something in the middle.
Instead, just hold down the space bar. (It works with other keys, too, but some do different things when held down — space bar is simplest.) Do that, and you can put the cursor exactly where you want it. When I show people this, they smile and laugh! The space bar is a big time-saver and frustration-avoider.
3. Butter: I hate hard butter from the refrigerator. Try to spread it and it tears the bread. In the past, I’ve put it in the microwave to soften it. Then some of it turns to liquid.
But now I know we can leave butter out! The USDA says that “butter and margarine are safe at room temp.”
How can this be? Butter is dairy, and we don’t leave milk out.
But because of the way butter is made, and the salt inside, butter is safe to leave on the counter for several days. Really. Google it, if you don’t believe me.
There are limits. It’s best to keep butter covered, and if you leave it out too long, it will get rancid.
But with those caveats, it’s fine to leave a stick on the counter. You get great, easy-to-spread butter. The only downside is that you’ll probably eat much more of it.
Soft butter, easier texting and simpler popcorn — my gifts to you for 2020.
Happy New Year.
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Thanks John. Not knowing how to use my space bar was a frustration , -now solved.
How can you reach that age, and advise others, not knowing that you can leave the butter out?
No cats on the counter, though!
WOW! Thank you for these amazing tips!
Did John slip and fall on his head? Because I’m pretty sure the Amish never stopped putting their butter on the counter. Personally, I think stovetop corn is better than microwave. I like my whirleypop way better than microwave popcorn. I pop it with coconut oil and it’s amazing. Finally, texting? Are you serious? Iranian-backed protestors threatening our embassy, presidential impeachment, mass shootings, North Korean sabre rattling and we got tips on butter and popcorn and texting? What’s your next piece- “Have You Tried These Crocs?! They’re AMAZING!”
Happy New Year, poo-flingers! -G
Come on, John. Give a jiffy.
John you gotta be in your mid forties. The space-bar thing I’ll give ya, but the butter and nuking popcorn been around since cows and micro waves. Where were you those first 40?
I have a pint jar of butter I clarified and sealed in 2011, in Oklahoma. I gave a pint to someone as a gift and they thanked me profusely…
Just a wee bit of salt and a tablespoon of good vinegar as you very slowly simmer and skim the milk solids from the churned butter. Sealed away while hot and turned every hour to keep it from separating. I have the full step by step directions, but they are also online, I’m sure.
It begins to dry a bit on top after this many years, but that just makes the butter even better, if you ask me.
But thanks for the texting tips and the paperbag popcorn is on my bucket list.
Happy New Year!
I have a jar of lard I made in 2013 that looks just like that and it is still fine. And I always have a stick or two of pasture butter out on the counter. Eggs don’t need refrigeration either. And I always use non-gmo popping kernels, made in a thick stainless steel pan on the gas burner using grapeseed or avocado oil – tried coconut oil, but it smokes, so I use the high heat oils.
I have an old, old, old popcorn popper, as well as a stainless steel pan I don’t mind using. Cast Iron, I was told, is best, but one has to keep such things oiled and used. And they are heavy.
Clarified butter, aka Ghee, keeps forever. I first learned about ghee from a nice lady who made great pot brownies. I have left butter in a butter dish on the counter all my life. The popcorn was a good bit of info since I’m lazy and can now make popcorn and not have to clean…..all popcorn is non-gmo, it comes from a different corn variety than gmo corn. Think indian corn. Did you know you can take those little decorative ears of corn that sell at Thanksgiving and use them to make popcorn? True.
Is true.
I make great pot brownies too. For medicinal purpose.
Just Wow, man, you womens are real cool! Really!
Are you willing to share the recipe?
If you like keeping butter out so it’s soft a gadget like this helps a lot. https://www.vermontcountrystore.com/french-butter-crock/product/71321
Thanks. Great start to a new year.
Changing your underwear every three days can improve your social life. I wonder how he missed that little tip?
How did he miss that little tip? It was hidden by the underwear, silly.
BIG! Never use the word little to describe a man’s anything, not his car, not his house, not his wife – ok the wife can be little, not his mouse. Always use big as appropriate and compliment a man’s hair and you won’t go wrong.
I shave my head my head, how do deal with that EC? Of course they all like to dream of how a bald head feels between the legs, eh?
You shave which head?
If the little head grows hair on it you might want to avoid it, just saying…
It would be too scary to put a razor next to the other one. And not necessary at all.
He is probably antipanty like Maxipad.
auntie panty is funnier
Really he just figured out he can leave butter on the counter!
Mental midget