Updates on my fascinating personal life

The damson experiment did not work out. I boiled and thus reduced the damsons to a beautiful looking purple meat, and saved the deep purple juice (which the Romans used to use to dye their clothes), but I had no clue how to use them. Suggestions included jam or jelly, or cake.

1. I am not a jam fan, so the typical use for this tart fruit, making Damson jam or jelly, was out
2. I found a cake recipe that included blackberry jello as one of the ingredients and seemed like it would add up to a tasty cake.

However every time I went to pick a few more seeds out of the meat, there were a few more seeds. I'm not saying the seeds multiplied, but it certainly felt that way. And as the meat got more and more stirred around as I picked through, it coalesced, making it harder to see any more seeds. So in good conscience I could not give away a cake that would likely have teeth- busting seeds in them. And I certainly could not eat a whole cake myself. So scratch the cake idea.

3. They require too much sugar to make palatable. I don't like refined sugar.
So in the end I tossed it. I'll stick with peach cobbler. THOSE seeds you can see!
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Report: New BBQ Restaurant in Danielsville:

Williams BBQ moved from their roadside stand to a nice new building with sit-down seating. They are located right next to my insurance agent, so yesterday after settling this year's vehicle policy I moseyed on over. The place was jammed. I loved the menu. Aside from the fabulous BBQ pork and chicken and sandwiches they are so locally famous for, there were a few other items which drew my attention as I scanned for a vegetarian entree. They offer veggie plates available from the lunch buffet and wait-served at table for dinner. In addition, here are a few other items:

Grilled cheese: $2
Tomato sandwich: $1.50
French fries: $1.50

It's nice to know you can still get a lunch for $3!!!
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Your daily economic doom:
From George Ure's economic site: I love that he speaks in plain language. I can't understand most economic reports but George tells it like it is-

"In case you were sleeping through that Econ class, the idea with a fractional reserve financial system is that banks and depository institutions have reserves. But what the chart clearly informs us is that not only are the nation's banking reserves gone, but they are now funding their day-to-day operations on....tax dollars and printer's ink!" And never mind the NY Times reporting on the upcoming economic tsunami related to prime mortgages ...

The chart looks like a Brinks truck carrying US "money" drove off a cliff ... so the question of the morning is, have you stuffed your mattress yet?

Good among the not so good

Ted Kennedy has an inoperable, malignant brain tumor. That's awful. God bless you and I hope you get well real soon.

I heard somewhere (I think David Letterman) that Hillary Clinton's campaign at this point is like the world's most expensive fantasy camp. To the left is a summary of a Hillary surrogate's explanation of how Hillary can become President with the amount of races and delegates remaining. Actually, the picture is from a page explaining how the electors work.

As of April 21 2008 the presidential campaign's total receipts, including donations and loans from the three remaining major candidates were:

Obama: 240M
Clinton: 195M
McCain: 80M

It is extremely expensive to run for President. I don't think this is what the framers had in mind when they designed the Republic. Think of how all that money could help Americans in need, pay down our debt, or just plain put into non-borrowed reserves. George Ure, an economist at UrbanSurvival.com wrote this today: "the amount of money the banks have in reserve that is non-borrowed is at a fifty year low? In fact in 4 months since it entered negative territory (for the only time in the 50 years on record) it has exceeded 50 years of positive values by 50% on the negative side? Does this not mean that the banks are not only insolvent but underwater more than they were ever positive?"

The question mark punctuation does not indicate that his questions are rhetorical, they are there to infer incredulity on the part of the writer. The word aghast comes to mind. Also the comparison of the economy to the Hindenburg...thanks George, for being Debbie Downer today. Though facts is facts and it's good to know them and I appreciate the work on that website.

I am off to a luncheon with the team members with whom I worked in the Good News Club at Comer Elementary School. We're to eat at Dos Palmas in Athens on a gloriously humid-free, breeezy day! Good folks, good eats, good scenery, life is good!