In the deep American Outback, Labor is cheap and Stuff –  material – is expensive. A custom cooked meal comes on plates and we drink our homemade ice tea out of glass glasses. In civilization – using the term very loosely – Labor is expensive. In Civilization – again, using the term very loosely – the further down the economic scale we go, the more Material replaces Labor. In our Holiday Inn Express, everything is prepackaged, one serving size;  we drink out of wrapped plastic or paper cups and eat our complimentary breakfast off of paper plates.

It is only when we get to the elegant Bistro PETIT OISEAU, in Portland that we get back to reusable – stuff valuable enough for somebody to wash – glasses and best of all custom cooked food. Very delicious custom cooked food.