My new favourite fruit

I have fallen in love with the pomegranate. I don't often get overly excited about foodstuffs, especially those I'm unfamiliar with as I am renowned for my picky eating habits (which I am working to improve upon), but I cannot get over how fantastic this fruit is. It's juicy and jam packed with delicious seeds, and apparently really healthy.

Martha Stewart is all about the pomegranate this month as they are in season during November and December. She has a recipe for Pomegranate Punch on her website, and this month's Martha Stewart Living has the following recipe:

Spiced Pomegranate Punch
Serves 6: Makes about 4 cups

5 pomegranates
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh ginger
1/4 cup fresh orange juice, plus strips of orange zest for garnish

1. Cut pomegranates in half. Extract juice from seeds with a citrus juicer or reamer. Strain in to a medium sauce pan. (You should have up to 2 1/2 cups juice.)
2. Add cider, 2 cups water, the cinnamon stick, and ginger. Cook over high heat until simmering, 5 to 6 minutes. Skim any foam that rises to the surface.
3. Remove from heat. Discard cinnamon and ginger. Stir in orange juice. Serve warm, garnished with orange zest.

I am looking forward to making either or both of these. They sound delicious. So go to your favourite produce dealer and buy yourself some pomegranates today!

Robert Altman died today

"Filmmaking is a chance to live many lifetimes." -Robert Altman (1925-2006)

Call me a Luddite...

"Programming errors and inexperience dealing with electronic voting machines frustrated poll workers in hundreds of precincts early Tuesday, delaying voters in Indiana, Ohio and Florida and leaving some with little choice but to use paper ballots instead." (cnn.com)

"The voting process wasn't always smooth, with precincts in several states staying open later than scheduled because of problems with voter machines." (cbc.ca)

"Ultimately, Bev Harris' research proved that the top-secret computerized systems counting the votes in America's public elections are not only fallible, but also vulnerable to undetectable hacking, from local school board contests to the presidential race. With the electronic voting machines of three companies - Diebold, ES&S and Sequoia - collectively responsible for around 80 percent of America's votes today, the stakes for democracy are high." (Hacking Democracy)

I'll cast your vote for you, Dave...
Exactly how difficult is it to pick up a pencil? I realize that a ballot in a US election can be lengthy what with all the banning of same-sex marriage and the numerous people to vote for, but these voting machines seem to be far more trouble than they're worth and if I were an American voter, I would be very concerned with the validity of election results in light of all the problems.

Call me a crotchety old man, but I'm glad for my pencil and paper ballot. Knowing me, I'd probably forget to take my debit card out of the voting machine.