Sir Boyle Roche was an Irish member of the British Parliament in the 1700s and he was the Yogi Berra of his day. Some samples:

While I write this letter I have a pistol in one hand and a sword in the other.

If you ever come within a mile of our house, will you stop there all night?

I answer in the affirmative with an emphatic "no."

Sir, I would anchor a frigate off each bank of the river with strict orders not to stir, and so, by cruising up and down, put a stop to smuggling.

They are living from hand to mouth like the birds of the air.

Half the lies our opponents tell about us are not true.

(Collected for the 776 Stupidest Things Ever Said)

MR CLU (Anything you want to know?)

4U2ENVY (I didn't notice the car, but he seems proud)

Economics is sometimes called the dismal science. If it is a science it must take account of many human factors and variables. There are constant disagreements among economists and if they are to be judged by the accuracy of their predictions the record is not too good.

Our weakening dollar, as measured by how much foreign currencies it can buy, is a good thing for some, bad for others. Companies which manufacture or buy things abroad see the related costs escalate. Sales of exports move up and imports move down with related prices in real terms. Manufacturing abroad (with higher costs) may lessen and increase at home giving us more jobs. Foreigners may not want to invest here making the cost of borrowing rise. Many see a weaker dollar as a cause for inflationary worries.

You can dream up many more factors. No wonder it is the dismal science. If the dollar goes up relatively, the many factors may reverse in effect.

Occasionally this column has contained recipes, usually from local sources. Some of them, like Hedda Acs' Hungarian beef goulash, have become staples in our household.

The dinner which engendered the most feedback from happy women who served it to guests was Mrs. Mudflat's Beef Bourguignonne. It is repeated below.

Temp: 350 degrees

Yield: Six servings

Cooking time: 3 hours

2 1/2 - 3 lbs. stew meat cut in 1/2 in. cubes

1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp. black pepper

4-6 slices crisp bacon cut in 1 in. pieces

2 jars small onion drained

1 pkg. fresh (washed and towel dried) mushrooms cut in half with stem

4-6 tbsp. butter or margarine

1 pkg. Lipton Onion Soup mix

1/4 tsp. garlic power

handful of fresh parsley cut in small pieces with scissors

1 bay leaf

1 bottle or more red wine - preferably burgundy (jug type)

1-2 cups water

1 Knorr's chicken bouillon cube

1 bunch fresh carrots skinned and cut in chunks

1. Roll meat in combination of flour, salt, pepper and two tbsp. of onion soup mix. Meanwhile heat butter in Dutch oven.

2. Brown meat evenly about 3-4 minutes or whatever it takes in Dutch oven (set aside on side dish).

3. Now empty Dutch oven and clean it.

4. Add to Dutch oven meat, mushrooms, balance of onion soup mix, bouillon cube, carrots, crisp bacon, fresh parsley, garlic powder and 1 cup water - now add wine sufficient to cover all of the ingredients and add 1-2 broken bay leaves.

5. Place covered Dutch oven with all ingredients in preheated 350 degree oven for approx. 3 hours. Add onion in last hour of cooking. Part of the secret is to cook in the oven w/top on Dutch oven.

6. That's it - suggestion - serve with rice (Unce Ben's reg.), spinach salad with croutons and French bread.

Bon Appetit!

Mrs. Mudflat Gates

(Peggy to her friends)