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Conophores for Conovores
May. 8th, 2012 10:49 pmThe end of the Eurozone is in sight, I believe. It astounds me how long they kept it together. I don't really blame the Greeks for deciding to unilaterally break their agreements. Having a common monetary policy with Germany was never really in their best interests, and the entire 'austerity' thing, while a good strategy for saving the common currency, did nothing positive for Greece. I feel sorry for them because they're going down in flaming wreckage either way. They've got some bad years coming.
The conduct of the French is a bit more eyebrow-raising. They profess, and seem to whole-heartedly believe, that now that they've voted against keeping their end of the bargain, the Germans have to respect that because that's democracy, and just give them the money anyway, because the Germans already agreed to do that. They may actually grasp the contradiction in their position, too - I really haven't a clue. Their announcements may fulfill some symbolic purpose - much of what they do seems to be about symbolism. Trying to understand the French is nearly impossible for an Anglo-Saxon mind.
The particulars are different, of course, but I'm struck by these past few years feel like the mid-1930s, at least the feel for them I get from history. We're heading for some godawful huge convulsion.
*****
I bought a snow cone maker. It's a Sunbeam 'Igloo', which is indeed vaguely igloo-shaped. It looks to me like it was bound to come out more or less beehive-shaped just by the way they decided to mount the motor and grinders, so they went with that and made it a plastic igloo. It makes finely chipped ice for old-fashioned snow cones instead of the more modern style of shaved ice. I like both styles - I may get an ice shaver later this summer.
Undiluted Ribena makes an excellent snow cone syrup. I may try freezing juices into ice cubes and grinding those up as well.
The conduct of the French is a bit more eyebrow-raising. They profess, and seem to whole-heartedly believe, that now that they've voted against keeping their end of the bargain, the Germans have to respect that because that's democracy, and just give them the money anyway, because the Germans already agreed to do that. They may actually grasp the contradiction in their position, too - I really haven't a clue. Their announcements may fulfill some symbolic purpose - much of what they do seems to be about symbolism. Trying to understand the French is nearly impossible for an Anglo-Saxon mind.
The particulars are different, of course, but I'm struck by these past few years feel like the mid-1930s, at least the feel for them I get from history. We're heading for some godawful huge convulsion.
*****
I bought a snow cone maker. It's a Sunbeam 'Igloo', which is indeed vaguely igloo-shaped. It looks to me like it was bound to come out more or less beehive-shaped just by the way they decided to mount the motor and grinders, so they went with that and made it a plastic igloo. It makes finely chipped ice for old-fashioned snow cones instead of the more modern style of shaved ice. I like both styles - I may get an ice shaver later this summer.
Undiluted Ribena makes an excellent snow cone syrup. I may try freezing juices into ice cubes and grinding those up as well.
